Heya, Let Me Stell Ya Things About Me!

stellappreciates (58)in #introblog • 5 days ago

“If I write thousands of words about myself, do you think you’ll get to know me?”

That was the question by my pen pal from Bangladesh, writing to me that he will gather the words and gather the thoughts if I wish to read them. My response would’ve been an immediate “yes,” but it struck me for a while as I began to ruminate why something is wrong with that question. Eventually, I figured it out, and I sent a letter in response to his. You might wonder, “If not yes, what was her answer?” “How is this related to her blog?” Should you be willing to know, kind reader, my reply is at the end of this Hive intro. And if you scroll through in a leisurely manner, you might actually find yourself knowing several things about me. So, hop on!

The Perceptive Little Writer

Imagine a girl riding the bus right beside the window for hours yet not a hint of drowsiness from her eyes who is filled with curiosity about the rush of life on the road; attentive, keen, introspective—yup, that's me. Heya! I’m Maris Stella Sotomayor, but you can call me Stella. I'm from Danao City, Cebu, Philippines—the land that will always greet you with the salty air from the sea mixed with the delectable smell of a native fish delicacy, Tinapa. I often consider myself an introvert whose energy gets drained as quickly as your phone battery shuts down. Nonetheless, as a stranger, you might find me a taciturn, but as a friend, you'll definitely be spending hours hearing some silly and heartfelt topics from me. I'm the sort of person you'll find describing the slightest details of everything she sees, believing that the interesting things about life are sometimes the ones that are gone unnoticed. With that said, if you happen to actually notice this little writer's blog, be my guest and get ready to find more interesting things about me:

My Family
I belong to a tight-knit family with loving parents and three older brothers. I'm the youngest and only daughter—I may get the "princess treatment" by that merit, but oh boy, I do turn like a knight with her comrades rather than a lady sometimes. My mother is a teacher, my father is a retired school personnel, and all my brothers have graduated college. That leaves me the only one left studying, now in my senior year. Speaking of studying, you might want to know my current education. Well, I got you.

My Education
I'm currently in my last school year as a pre-service teacher aiming for a Bachelor's degree in Secondary Education, Major in English at Cebu Technological University, Danao. For three months, we were deported to a public school for our field study, and I'm onto my practice teaching, hopefully by the start of our second semester. My journey as an English major has immensely improved my fondness for writing, especially when it comes to literature. Now, I continue to pursue learning this field with much enthusiasm.

Previous Affiliations
Verily, I wouldn't be the version that I am if not for the communities I had the opportunity to be part of. Way back in high school, I was part of our school publication, The Innovation, for four years and was also a zealous campus journalist. My style of writing fell under feature writing and editorial writing. Additionally, I was also a dedicated officer of the Supreme Student Government (SSG) for four years—I had the position of Secretary twice. As for my college years, I got to join our Major's Club, English Language and Literature Enthusiasts (ELLITE), as a Public Information Officer. Last academic year, I had the privilege to be part of the Cebu Tech Debate Society as the first president to manage the club's first ever term on our campus. I also had my brief work experience last July to August of 2024 when I became an ESL teacher at Howdy English Academy during their summer camp.

Now, you might wonder why I have to mention these. It has become a disposition of mine that whenever I talk about myself, I acknowledge the ones I have engaged along the way, for they truly must be given the credit of shaping my perspectives in life. If you think about it, you are someone who's unique, right? And I am certain it's because of the people you met along the way that others hadn't at all.

My Passion and Interests

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As the common mantra goes, "You only live once (YOLO)," but personally, I think you can live as many times as you want. Perhaps life is but one stage with an entrance and an exit, but living comes in many phases and different timelines. As such, I have lived countless times, and that is through pursuing the things that I love—the passions and interests I hold dear in my life. There's always a sense of fulfillment whenever I do my hobbies, not because I get to flaunt myself, but because my love for them can eventually inspire others to do the same for themselves, no matter how simple it may be. Thus, if you allow this little writer to inspire you, you might want to continue reading my interests, but not limited to:

Singing and Composing Songs
For someone who considers music like breathing oxygen, not a day goes by that a melody doesn't come out right from chest, may it be in various places or situations—like washing dishes, doing homework, going out, buying groceries—music has become my lifeblood. Sometimes, with a simple random humming, I make a song out of that tune and accompany it with my ukulele.

Drawing and painting
If there is free therapy, then art is mine. For traditional arts, I mostly draw semi-realistic and realistic portraits of people, and if it's painting, it's usually some nature references or those with cottagecore vibes. I'm also fond of digital painting, starting with portraits and now enhancing my skill by joining art challenges on social media and drawing illustrations for storybooks. I also like to do quick sketches of the places I visit, especially when traveling with my family.

Reading and Writing
Reading has become a safe space for me where I can take comfort against the busy world. My love for reading has been efficiently growing as I continue to take inspiration from books. I don't limit myself to a few genres, but most of the books I read are fiction and classics. Moreover, it's no secret by now that I do have some fondness for writing. In my leisure, I often delve my writing skills into poetry, taking inspiration from authors such as Longfellow, Dickens, Poe, and Frost.

Hanging out with friends
Although this little writer prefers to spend her weekends at home rather than being out in the city, I quite enjoy moments of bonding with my intimate friends. I relish the time I can spend on having conversations, uncontrollable laughter, genuine advice, and life updates, until everyone forgets how much time has already passed.

Taking photos
As someone who takes joy in little things and appreciates moments of genuine togetherness, I love to take every bit of snippet of beautiful things I see. May it be something tangible or abstract, this little writer doesn't forget to capture the fleeting and the constant.

My Reason for Joining Hive

When I heard about Hive, I realized how remarkable this platform is to open such a wide opportunity for people having various skills. For writers like me who want to enhance our ability on content writing, Hive becomes the stepping stone to achieve that goal of becoming proficient. My primary reason for joining Hive is to challenge myself. Lately, multiple tasks come at me in a hodgepodge that I sadly forget to enjoy my passion for writing. Hence, I've decided to take a leap and encourage myself that despite the hurdles in life, I will still be able to push myself to do that one thing that keeps me alive—writing. Furthermore, as I've mentioned in my previous statements, I am perceptive and introspective to the things that surround me, and now I will use this online space to express the thoughts I have in store, hoping that it will resonate with its readers and somehow inspire them. Additionally, by joining Hive, I'll have the chance to engage with like-minded people that will open me to new perspectives, as I aim to do so likewise.

My Contribution of Writing Blogs

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Through writing, it's my goal to allow my readers to relish a variety of topics and experiences from my point of view, to understand something from the way I think about them, and to get that vicarious feeling through my own senses. As for the contents, I'd most likely share blogs covering the following topics:

Travels and Escapades
This will be mostly about travel experiences I had and will have with my family and friends, showcasing vibrant atmospheres and picturesque views around Cebu, Philippines. In every description, you'll definitely find yourself as if you're with me on my travels when you read it. So, stay tuned!

Art and Literature
This includes topics about books or webtoons that I have read, and I decided to critique them. I'll most probably be recommending you my favorites as well. Additionally, I'll be inclined to share with you my artworks, and if you're also fond of art, you'll read my art experiences and advice when it comes to drawing or painting.

Movie Reviews
I also have a fondness for scriptwriting and moviedirecting; although it's not the career that I'm pursuing right now, I take films seriously and delve deeper beyond what is obvious on the screen. It seems this little writer is inclined toward movies and would apparently get excited to talk about the beauty of them. So, if you're also a film enthusiast, then come and enjoy the show.

Academic Life
What's a better way to endure an arduous and mundane academic life than by romanticizing it? College has been quite the challenge, which made me feel hopeless at times, yet despite all that, I would like to share the genuine moments that make it all worth it. That said, I'm still eager to share with you difficult encounters of mine because, as my favorite band, AJR, said in one of their songs, "A hundred bad days make a hundred good stories."

Having said it all, there is one thing I should like to inculcate to my readers when they read any of my blogs, and that is appreciation. Often we take for granted the things that actually deserve the greatest merit, and we fail to notice little details that are vital to sustain life. Hence, along with my goals, I want to spread positivity by exemplifying gratefulness in every writing.

Discovering the Hive Community

I first heard of Hive from my friend @lizhavesomefun, who told me of the opportunities offered by the platform, especially for aspiring writers like me. I was fascinated when she told me about the advantages of engaging here. So, when she asked me if I wanted to join, I didn't hesitate. Afterwards, I joined an orientation led by Ms. @jeannmazing, who broadened my knowledge about Hive even more. During the orientation, Ms. Je-ann gave us some important insights: the journey of Hive, especially here in Cebu, the purpose of Original Content Decentralized (OCD), Do's and Don'ts when engaging in Hive, helpful tips and advice when writing a blog, and more. Her profound experience of the platform has tremendously shed light on how I can grow in Hive. Seeing how committed she is to pursuing blogging on this platform amidst a busy life has inspired me to challenge myself and give the best I can offer to those who are willing to read what I have to say. I'm beyond grateful to my friend Debrah and to Ms. Je-ann for opening another path on my writing journey. I'm certain that this opportunity will not be wasted, as I will make use of every moment I have by spending efforts on taking part in this significant online community.

Hey, you’re still here! I’m glad you stick around. If you happen to have read everything I’ve written about myself, then you just read almost two thousand words to get to know me. It’s exactly how my pen pal from Bangladesh would like to write things about himself. However, I did say that something was wrong about his question: “If I write thousands of words about myself, do you think you’ll get to know me?"

So, what was it?

Dearest reader, apparently there is nothing wrong with getting to know somebody, but something is definitely missing about it. So here is my response to his question:

“If you'll write thousands of words about yourself, I'll definitely know you. Send them to me, and I'll read them gradually as well. But here's what I think: to "know" is one thing, to "understand" is another. Knowing someone from texts is like reading an autobiography from an important figure from the past whom you never had contact with, but to understand someone is to say that you actually made efforts to spend time with that person just so you can prove yourself that he is this kind of person and perceive him based on what you see about him; not relying on what he said, but your experiences and interactions shall be the judge of it. I don't know if I'm making sense, but I'm just saying, I will know you from those thousands of words, but I also want to understand you bit by bit through the candid conversation and experiences we make in this application.”

Now, kind reader, this is what I was actually aiming for on this intro-blog, allowing you to ponder why there is a need for me to introduce myself; it is not because you have to know me as a writer, but I want you to understand me as a person. By sincerely writing this down, I am not just hoping that I can give you all the information you need; through my blogs, I am hoping to build a genuine connection with you—continuous and growing. I believe that this is where I can start making an impact with every blog I write; otherwise, they are lifeless to your screen. So, if you’d kindly allow it, I want to take you on my journey in Hive! Will you come with me?

#hivejourney #aboutme #selfintro #blogging #newbie #gettoknowme #myblog #hiveph #philippines

5 days ago in #introblog by stellappreciates (58)

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lizhavesomefun (62) 5 days ago

Welcome to Hive, Stella Atet!!! Yeeeey!🥳 Enjoy and explore all the communities here 'coz I knew you will definitely love it here! Let your wings and creativity flourish in this platform!! ✨✨ Looking forward to your future blogs!!

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