Pop Culture and Life, Narrated in Pieces
Jay Agonoy also posts pieces of his mind regarding issues that makes him think, just like any other person online. This is the Opinion section.
Queens. A Logic Game that’s on LinkedIn. I get notified to play this game every day to keep my streak. I gave up on playing one game, but I went ahead and got my first 7-day win streak after.
On this puzzle, a crown should be placed without overlaps. Per area, per row, per column. If this is the reason why you’re visiting LinkedIn every day, I will not judge you. More power to you. I hope you solve that puzzle faster, even.
If there’s one thing I learned from being online, it’s the fact that I have overshared my presence. In the past, I told people, “go share your content online, on multiple platforms!,” but nowadays I am but a shell of that.
I would now tell you to be wary of what you share, for several reasons:
If you find yourself in these situations – and calling yourself “chronically online” – you must have been oversharing. I have been doing this, so I decided to take down the stuff which no longer makes me proud.
For example, I’ve done podcasts with several people, and the episodes I had with them end up being taken out of the public eye because they:
Same goes with my past blog posts which I have taken down either because I am embarrassed with what I written, or it’s no longer relevant to the me today.
If you happen to be in those four categories, and I am no longer communicating with you (or even speaking of kind regards), it’s best to just ignore each others’ presence. I will do my best not to to reopen wounds. Go and be happy.
I see no fear in starting from square one again, it’s something I am used to doing whenever I am no longer satisfied with what I do. That’s why I recycled a reserved Twitter account I own.
Even so, be unique still in what you share to the public, and enjoy what you do. Do not die in that rabbit hole a terribly sad and angry person. Take back your inner peace. Do not tolerate bad actors. Pick your battles. Remember what makes you happy in the first place. Remember what makes you feel alive.
Every year there’s always a case of a streamer (or in this case, a VTuber) getting drugged/spiked at parties around TwitchCons in the US (this you can fact-check in depth), and it’s quite concerning that victim-blaming and harassment happens afterwards. No, rephrase that, it’s deplorable that those who got drugged get torched by some guys online after saying they were drugged.
I have been fortunate enough to not see any of this in the bar events I attended here in Manila so far. The one time I see something crazy at the bar in person was the time where one would barf up after getting intoxicated with alcohol.
Going back to the issue at hand, I read this thread and quickly picked up on a few details.
Of course the comments in this thread ask Blerp to take responsibility (it’s too late), that Blerp extends help (it’s too late), and as Blerp confirms, it was the second incident to happen at that party (why).
If by any chance of a silver lining I get invited to a bar party of that kind I, am only sure to get Ginger Ale and ask for a cover. I swore off not to drink any alcohol either, give me soft drinks or water.
However, it is not my responsibility to be paranoid and think all drinks are spiked. I’ve been in the events industry for years and I can spot some faults which are actionable in the future:
I cannot just assume and just say that the bar and the host did not made any mandatory safety checks hours before and during the party. That’s carelessness if it’s proven true.
There’s a lot of resources online that tells bar owners, hosts, bar-hoppers etc. what they can do in order to make a party a safe space. Knowing what the angel shot is, the emergency numbers saved in the restrooms, briefing the security personnel and reminding them before each party of the rules and proper decorum, etc.
What else can we do to prevent another case of spiking, a checklist? Do we need to be paranoid and assume that all drinks are spiked? No, I do not need to be paranoid, we got to do something. Anything.
…and why I’m cleaning up my content only to retain what I believe are the best ones.
I admit to my mistake of trusting people who will end up destroying my trust, so I will affirm my decision to let keepsakes. stay as a solo project. Any and all transactions on behalf of keepsakes. shall be done by me.
In the past I authorized Staff IDs to be used by my collaborators, but all of those are null and void – anyone who claims they’re part of keepsakes. is not authorized to act on my behalf.
I am also making it clear that under my control, I am cleaning my content starting with video and podcast coverage, then photos and blogs. I’ve already started with my podcast.
By the end of this year, I expect my website to only move forward, feature my best solo works. This is to save digital space and to give respect to the ones I want to uplift.
Once I’m done with trimming content, I expect to change how my website looks. I am in control of my personal space and I expect to share only the handiwork I can be proud of.
I’ve already informed my Facebook friends to tag me if anyone on my friends list are acting badly and I’ll see to it that they get cut off from my life.
To all friends and partners of keepsakes. who are sticking with me, thank you for your kind trust. I will do my best to be okay.
Only a few thought to put VTubers in their flags:
Imagine if we can put our own VTubers in our own Philippine flag, right? Impossible.
The Flag & Heraldic Code of the Philippines (Republic Act 8491, approved February 12, 1998) was clear, we cannot do that:
SECTION 34. It shall be prohibited
[…] f. To add any word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawings, advertisements, or imprint of any nature on the flag;
In other words, the law prohibits us to put images of VTubers over the Philippine flag. If this idea worked in other countries, it’s not allowed here.
Call me killjoy but the same applies with the Canadian flag, I just learned*. Or with Indonesia.
* Kari, a Canadian, pointed out after I posted this piece that “the rules for the flag arenโt actually laws, but rather suggestions – violating them is not illegal and people modify the flag in all sorts of ways when they display it in Canada.”
Not sure about the other flags posted above, because the UK Flag doesn’t specify anything important in this matter. No one has been convicted of desecrating the US Flag either because United States v. Eichman made it unconstitutional to penalize such. So maybe we can put VTubers in the US or UK flags.
Key Takeaway: Check your local flag laws before putting any VTuber in it. Wikipedia has a summary on Flag Desecration laws.
Laws, I know, sometimes it takes away the fun, but the guidelines are written for a reason.