CBSi Blogger of the Week: Mark Razonable

He may be Mr. Tambay, but he’s no bystander at all. In spite of being young, he has traveled to Japan as a student ambassador for disaster management and recovery efforts, is an honorary member of the Elite Debate Society, and has a lucrative job waiting for him in Accenture. To top it off, he might just go back to one of his first loves: being a spy agent.

Ladies and gents, here’s Mark Razonable.

First question. What got you into blogging?

It was out of curiosity. One day, I was just browsing my Facebook account. Then I viewed one blog that was posted in Facebook (I can’t remember what the blog was), and then I thought of having one. I named it after my real name (Mark Razonable). One reason also is that I want to join the very first Cebu Blog Camp that time, so I created a blog, and I named it after my name.

You’re not a tambay, for sure, but why Mr. Tambay?

It’s because of my 2 dead blogs. I named them “Mark’s Lounge,” which was my very first blog (URL was www.markrazonable.blogspot.com) and “Tambayan ni Mark,” a self-hosted WordPress blog (URL was www.tambayannimark.co.cc). But when I concluded that self-hosted blogs are too difficult for me, I went back to Blogger, but this time, creating a new one, and that was the day Mr. Tambay was born.

Tell me, what do you love to do during your spare time?

Currently, I’m reviewing for the upcoming ECE Licensure examinations on October. But if you go into our house, or you live within our neighborhood, you’ll probably see me at the Internet shop very near our house playing Heroes of Newerth, as my destresser when I think that my brain is already tired of studying for my review. Otherwise, you will see me facing a book or a material about Japanese language or listening to music with my phone.

You’re a popular CBSi Blogger! But what are the top 3 things we don’t know about you yet?

I’m an honorary member of the Elite Debate Society, a team of debaters from Cebu Institute of Technology – University.

My ultimate dream for today is to travel other countries. I am looking my eyes at Thailand, Singapore, or Indonesia.

I like everything about Japan. Actually, I have been self-studying Japanese language (on and off though) since I was 3rd year high school. And now that I already stepped my foot in the Land of the Rising Sun, which is actually my dream destination, I am more inspired to study Nihongo and Japan culture.

Who’s your favorite blogger? Why?

I don’t really consider THEM as my favorites, since honestly, I rarely visit their sites, but I pay my respects to Antonio Carranza of Pusang Kalye (www.pusangkalye.net), Micaela Rodriguez of Micamyx (www.micamyx.com), and Evanjohnn Mendoza of Photoblogger (www.focalglass.com). Anton’s Travel Blog is very detailed for me; you can get juicy information from every adventure he’s into. Micaela, on the other hand, is a very awesome personal blogger. Whenever I read her blog, it seems like she’s just telling me the story in personal conversation. Evanjohnn’s passion for photoblogging is one of a kind, and I must say he’s one of the bloggers that inspire me to be a photoblogger someday.

There’s no doubt your Japan experience is one of the most memorable, if not the most unforgettable, in your life. What’s the most important lesson you’ve picked up from it?

I will never forget the lesson that I got during my Japan sojourn. Japanese people stood up from the very shocking and horrible Great East Japan Earthquake, and they manage to bring themselves up very fast. And the very important lesson that I got from them is to never be fully dependent to the government. I noticed that they considered the government’s aid as their secondary source of help. For more answers about this question, I am referring you to my post about it: http://mrtambay.blogspot.com/2012/07/great-east-japan-earthquake-inspiration.html.

How’s Pinoy Dila?

Apparently, Pinoy Dila has been left behind. But if I’ll find enough time for more posts about food, I will surely post it in Pinoy Dila.

You’re about to become a full-fledged engineer very soon. But is it really the profession you want to pursue ever since?

Honestly, NO. When I was elementary, I dreamt of becoming a secret agent because of the inspiration that I got from the movie Spy Kids. At high school, I was very unsure of what path I will take. I enrolled as an Information Technology student at CIT when I entered college, but I shifted to ECE right away after the 1st sem because of the fact that my sister is already an IT student, and I want to choose a path of my own.

Are you excited to work for Accenture? What are you looking forward to?

I am looking forward to work together with my batchmates from Accenture Student Leadership Conference. I will also expect that I will grow in the field of Information and Communications Technology since that is the path that I want to follow as an ECE graduate.

What can you say about the politics in the country?

I am not really a fan of politics-serye, but I am more concerned about how people react to every action that the government is showing to the society. I don’t really have against people conducting rallies in the streets since that is their way of exercising their freedom of speech, but I couldn’t take people who keeps on rallying, then not doing a counterpart action. If these people want change, then they should start the change from themselves. They keep on nagging that they couldn’t feel the progress; it’s because they are not doing anything for them to feel it. Overall, this is all I can say: It’s not your fault that you were born poor, but it’ll be your fault that you will die poor because you never strive hard to become rich.

How was your stint in Aliw Broadcasting Corporation?

I was temporarily part of Aliw Broadcasting Corporation (106.7 Home Radio Cebu) as their intern. As intern, we assist the Engineering/Technical Team of Home Radio in monitoring the radio broadcast. But aside from that, I was also allowed by a DJ-friend of mine to actually talk on air in his show, which I like actually, but for some reasons, I can’t really utter what I want to utter. Maybe because I’m too shy to express all my thoughts on air.

What are the three things you love about Cebu?

Food! Food! Food!

The beaches

History 😀

Some things just tick you off. What are your pet peeves?

I was really the shortest pupil during my elementary days.

Complete the sentence: I know in 5 years CBSi will be __________

I know in 5 years, CBSi will be more popular. More and more bloggers will become part of the growing family, and the members will be something that CBSi will be proud of.