Friday, June 01, 2007

Rekindling The Telenovela Spirit

Two people sent me messages in the dying hours of May, Their concern gives me a foretaste of what we shall see on this telenovela blog in the month of June.

The first person, called Olichin, posted a comment (which I edited partially, for the sake of comprehension), on my Cbox, saying: "hi phil, how is de family, pls i don't know what is really happening with ur blog, can u pls up-date us on the current happenings like b/f. I think u make ur fans (to) take joy in visiting de website, u r ma ... (don't make) us get bored, pls rekindle the spirit, pls even if u want me to subscri(be) for de story, I think i'll (do). hv a lovely day, and a great future wit telenovela".

The second person, I know, and I call her "Sweet-Bibi", Blesyn Joseph is the author of that blog that talks all about a woman's world- Pluto-Women's World. She lit a fire in my heart that promises to warm up our Telenovela Garden this month of June.

This is her own letter: "Hi Phil,

How are u doing, thanks for all u've been doing 4 me, u 've been my inspiration since i started blogging, i knew nothin about blogging, i dint even understand what it meant but 2day at least, people check my blog and thanks 2 u!

I also wanted to bring 2 ur notice what i noticed on ur blog, 4 1yr now, u've entertained us to the fullest with telenovelas, u gave us full snipets of TGD and ESMERALDA, u gave summaries of others and even promised completing the postings, but 2 my greatest surprise i realised on ur comment box dat people are complaining and are using the word 'bored' already. i dont want to sound like a nice person, but i feel its wrong of us viewers to use that language, its still early after 1yr of fun. i miss the snippets too, infact i check up on ur site every day 2 see if there are new things, but really i understand that there is always a reason for the delay!

I dont know but am kind of dissapointed dat people are complaining 2 much, i understand them too, cuz sorry 2 say, u are kind of cutting their fun but ur work should be appreciated, i must say u've done well and God will continue 2 bless u, u could ve chosen to post 4 money and people wld still subscribe and pay but u chose 2 do it 4 free and i think that gesture should be appreciated.

Am just trying 2 encourage u 2 continue what u've started becos its not easy and then some1 comes along 4rm no where, and say that u are begining 2 bore us just because dere is a litle bit of delay, i read ur comment box, i put myself in ur shoes and i felt u needed encouragement, thats y am doing this personally. I apologise on behalf of we viewers who do not understand and i also beg u to pls. try and continue de good work u've started and the Lord will surely be ur strength.

In as much as i dont like the way we viewers complain, i wld also want 2 say i undertand wat they feel, ur blog is a 2nd option 4 live broadcast of the telenovelas, they feel whatever they miss on tv can be read on ur blog so, there is never a reason for any1 to feel lost.

So pls. Phil, I know its not easy but plsssss. try and continue posting the snippets and i apologise again on behalf of we viewers for not understanding, me inclusive.

Regards to ur kids and family as a whole. Have a nice day!!!!"

Blesyn.

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I was moved to repentance when I read these two letters from avid fans of my blog. I had to wake up from licking my wounds, crawled out of defeat and lay hold of then promise of Dominion for this month.

I have had my set-backs in the last six weeks, concerning setting up my own independent blog: Story-Story Dot Com. The web hosting company based in Ireland, in fact, the biggest hosting company in Ireland, shot down my blog after two weeks, on the flimsy but racist excuse that Nigerians are spammers and scammers, and therefore they have a standing policy not to host websites from Nigeria because of possible abuses. They even admitted that it was a mistake on their part to have registered and hosted my blog in the first instance.

I wont bore you with my trials, I would rather share my testimonies with you. Because of that breach of contract, I was tempted to sue the company, but after much consideration, I have handed them over to God. If I am embroiled in a legal battle with an Irish company for the rest of the year, it would be a big minus for this telenovela goals for this year.

Life must go on. How long would I cry over a spilled milk? I have decided to convert my anger and disappointment into frantic telenovela labor, that would at least complete, "Lorenzo's Wife" snippets, (La Mujer de Lorenzo) this month.

With the end in sight of the gardener's daughter, (La Hija del Jardinero), a great search for new telenovela stories this June, would be the natural consequence. I prefer to be part of the solutions to those upcoming searches, than teaching some racist companies a lesson in civility.

4 comments:

ebele said...

Hi Philomena

I'm Nigerian too - and I too am tired of the scammer/spammer stereo'hype'. Yes, there are Nigerians that scam, but, guess what?, there are Nigerians who don't and I just feel the negative side of things (as usual) is getting all the publicity.

I love Oprah - always have - always will. She did a show on scammers which I assume was meant to be about scammers and raising the public's awareness so they don't become victims. She has my admiration for broaching the subject BUT I feel the program may as well have been called 'Nigerian Scammers 101' 'cos most of what they talked about was that.

Yeah, she pointed out that not ALL Nigerians are scammers, but how many viewers heard her in that regard?

I think your ISP need to be strung up. Online petitions are the rage these days. If you have the time & energy, maybe you could start one up. I, for one, will sign.

You take care...

Ka eme sie...

ebele said...

Hi sis

Thank you, my sista. And thanks for passing by.

I think your decision to keep hard at excelling is a another positive way to go and I admire you for it.

take care...

Ka eme sie,

Ebele

(p.s. I recommended your blog to a site called StumbleUpon.com - don't know if you've heard of it. It's great to meet a fellow Nigerian sista online - I came across your site via John Chow's site. I plan to read your blog now & again. You take care.).

omorilewa said...

Dear Phil, quite pathetic, but don’t worry, God shall rewrite our history. Nigeria is moving to a higher ground and those nations that once condemned us shall exalt us bcos God is forever faithful.

Don’t give up, am sure there is another way u can achieve hosting your own web with easy, just keep trying.

May I also commend ur work, don’t mind some of us if we sound ungrateful, we have a way of taking things for granted, God will continue to uphold you.

Regards to your family and do have a lovely week.

Anonymous said...

hi phil, my name is Henrietta, i am a nigerian and married to a lovly husband. actually, u are doing a great job, I must not fail to acknowledge u 4 dt. pls can u help with catalina y sabastine blog, cos i cant wait to read and have insight of what will happen. the one u posted on TGD has been realy helpful. u are doing a great job and i commend u 4 dt. cheerssss