Remembering Friendster: My 1st Social Network

It was 2004, I was still getting use to using the internet. Back then I would only use the internet to research on some things, whether it is for an assignment, WWE and NBA trivia, or cheats for video games. There was still no Youtube and pretty much, everyone was using e-mail extensively to communicate with other people online. Computers for me back then was just a mode of playing video games, nothing more, nothing less. And then one ordinary day, I received an e-mail from my cousin. It was an invitation to join a social networking site that promises to connect people from every part of the globe. It had a fresh name I've never heard before, it sounded cool. All I needed to do was sign-up, and there I was, part of one of the biggest social-networking sites in the world, Friendster.

Redefining smiley faces everywhere.

It all was new to me, being in a social-networking site, adding people to be your "friend", it was something fresh for a guy that uses the internet for research and games only. Of course at that time, I wasn't thinking of meeting people and be friends with them. I added people who I knew and were already my friends. Friendster to me became more of "place to get in touch with people you knew" then meeting people you've never met. As the days passed by, I was slowly getting attached to Friendster. No day would be complete if I won't be able to log-in. It's not like I was getting a lot of friend request or a lot of people were getting in touch with me, there was just something with Friendster that made me hook with it. I didn't know what, and even to this day I still don't know what made me amazed with Friendster. When I try to recall how it looks, Friendster seemed to be dull and boring back then.

Apparently, this seemed to be cool and hip back then.

But of course, there was more to Friendster that meets the eye. Back then, there were those famous "Testimonials". Aside from sending messages to your friends, Friendster gave users the capability to provide testimonials to their friends, things that they want to say about someone. It seemed to be cliche back then, but people were into it. It gives people a chance to say or appreciate a certain someone. As much as it is an option more than an obligation, people were asking their friends to give out testimonials, Testi for Testi of sorts. As time went by, people weren't giving testimonials anymore, it became more like a "wall post" like in Facebook. If people want to say anything, greet someone, they just post it there for everyone to see. And if people want to be creative, they just post in animated stuff in there. It was fun and it gave more meaning to be creative. But of course, we wouldn't be talking about creative it it weren't for the creative backgrounds people use to get busy with.

You need to be really high to consider using this layout, let alone designing this.

Friendster layouts was the thing back then. It was not simply finding a cool background, it provided people "hands-on" features to create or design their own Friendster layout. You could change the color and font of the text, add some media, videos or music in your profile and best of all, you can alter they way your Friendster looks. Yes, you didn't need to be stuck to the Friendster format, everyone was given the control to be creative. It was such a huge thing back then that there was an actual site that ranks the best good-looking Friendster profiles out there and is judged by how many votes it gets (one time my cousin ranked at #6). The layouts serve not only as a creative colorful background but also shows the personality of a person. It really does give more in depth view of the person. The Friendster layouts gave uniqueness to every user, something that you see more now to social-networking sites these days. But of course, as hot as it started, it started to lose its steam.

You can put the blame on this one.

For 4 years, Friendster becoming stale. It was a slow process, but something that cannot be saved by any means. As much as it was cool and hip when it started, it lacked the innovation. Unlike Facebook these days, despite having some fair criticisms of some few changes, is still very useful in more ways than none especialy when it comes to sharing and connecting with different media. Friendster didn't really offer anything good, let alone serve any other purpose than communicating with other people. Sure, you were able to post pictures, send messages, but that was about it. And with the creativity that the users had with the layouts, Friendster profiles looked more like a messed-up garbage than fine art. It forced Friendster to change the lay-out and provided users the capability only to change the background as changing the lay-outs was messing up Friendster within the system. That being said, Friendster became boring. Around 2008, Facebook was slowly getting some momentum. Despite being around 2003, it was only in 2008 that it made its mark in the Philippines. It mark out so good, that I considered it the "iPhone for internet" as it wowed the people with its applications, uses and features. It left Friendster high and dry. Friendster wasn't even given a chance to redeem itself and all it could do is just change the entire Friendster altogether.

From being cool and sophisticated to being green and high with a mix of WTF.

Friendster, just like today's Facebook, changed the way family and friends communicate, and that's what made it special, because it broke boundaries and connected people like there were just around the corner. It was creative and fun. To be honest, Friendster showed me a lot of things that I wouldn't expect to see, get to know people I haven't met in real life (I was using its purposes later on) and best of all, it molded me the way I engage in the internet. Yes, Friendster, in more than ways than one, help me grew to be who I am today, and that is why it saddens me to know that Friendster is ending. Well, not technically as it will just go to a reformatting of sorts, but the Friendster that we all knew will finally end. That's why a month before May 31 (the last day of Friendster), every Friendster user was given a notice to save their profile information and photos. It went in the news and thus, everyone was buzzing about visiting their Friendster or take a glimpse of it for one last time. Two weeks ago, I visited my profile and read my previous testimonials and looked at my photos. I really had so many memories with Friendster. How I enjoyed it seemed to be a blur but I know that its a memory that I have already cherished in a life time.

My very 1st testimonial.

The first testimonial of the 1st girl I loved.

The first testimonials of a very special friend and a special someone.

The Friend Test.

The long conversations with friends.

The birthday greetings.

The trash talks.

The last testimonials.

My very 1st blog in which I always rant in it.

And the photos that will stand through time.

Truth be told, Friendster was way dead for me a very long time ago. My mind has been wrapped up with the current times that my mind simply thinks of it as a crappy thing of the past. But this crappy thing of the past started all for me and I wouldn't be enjoying social-networking sites without this one. With that being said, I will definitely miss Friendster. It had it's run, it had its good times, but all good things must come to an end, and really really end like it won't come back anymore. I've been a member of Friendster since September of 2004. Seven years, for seven years it has stood in the internet, and finally, it will come to rest. Thank you Friendster for the memories, for everything that you have stand for, for being the first social-networking site here in the Philippines, by connecting people, for being unique and special, for bringing smiles to people, you will never be forgotten.

I felt like something died within me.

2-Time Defending Champs: A Sweeping End to the Lakers' Championship Run

On May 8, 2011, the Dallas Mavericks defeated the LA Lakers in Game 4 with a score of 122-86. Not only did that win ended the series, it also ended the Lakers' championship run. Truth be told, I knew this day would come, but not this way, not in a "sweeping" fashion at least.

"It's Best out of 9 right?"

For over a decade now (and I do keep on repeating this), I've been a Lakers fan. Whether it was due to the fact that they were the strongest team in NBA Live or whether they had Shaq or Kobe in it, fact of the matter is I was a Laker fanboy through thick and thin. Through ups and downs, I cheered for them. No matter if people were getting tired or fed up with them, I kept on cheering. Whenever they were hated by many, I and few still cheered for them. But it wasn't until 2005 that I became a true die-hard NBA and Laker fan. And on that time, the Lakers didn't even make the playoffs. Sure, they had a 1st round exit on the next two playoffs, but it wasn't until the 2008 campaign that I can surely tell that they would make a run. So imagine the excitement that I had as I was geared to see a Lakers championship run. Kobe's 4th title was already overdue and the championship-hungry Lakers are already drifting away from their last title. With the acquisition of Pau Gasol, the Lakers look like they were pose for a long run, and yes, they did.

"I'm going to miss my crazy celebration every after winning a championship."

Three straight finals, two back-to-back titles, it was indeed great run. As a Laker fan for those 3 years, I was indeed spoiled. There is nothing like having your favorite team winning every year and watching all those haters trying to make-up excuses on why the Lakers "won". Reality is, nothing is going to last forever, but deep in my mind, it was inevitable that at least the Lakers could make one more push. That push was for the elusive "3-Peat". With the formation of the Big 3 in Miami and a rejuvenated Celtics, Bulls, Spurs and other great teams, the 3rd straight championship might become a long lost dream rather than a reality. It didn't matter if who's who will own the league in the next 5 years, what matters was that the Lakers has got to have a 3rd straight title. For Phil Jackson's 4th "3-Peat", Kobe's 6th title, it will be a great Hollywood ending to the championship run. I wasn't clearing out the possibility of a 4th straight title, but that is way too much already. The idea intrigue millions, the haters hated the idea, the LA Fandom wanted it to happen, but the sad fact is, even in the start of the season, the Lakers didn't really looked like they wanted it.

"I got 5 rings for my 5 fingers bitches....I guess that's enough."

As the season started, the Lakers had some very "unusual" characteristics. Despite being two-time defending champs, they were losing to weaker and inferior teams. They made the Grizzlies look like a behemoth one-time and made the Clippers the Los Angeles' "Main Team". And at the same time, the Lakers were losing to tougher and stronger teams. The anticipated Lakers-Heat, Kobe vs. Big 3 match-up floundered and the Spurs were heavily slowly taking back the West throne. The season wasn't that great but the Lakers still had their good looks. After the All-Star break, the Lakers went on a winning streak and they positioned themselves to be at the top of the throne again. They had their championship poise again, and they look to have one major 3rd run. The Lakers did however end the season in a losing streak, but just like the previous years, it didn't matter as they were ready to "turn-it on" when the Playoffs start. They did manage to have a bump against the Hornets, eliminating them in Game 6, but the real kicker was that no one expected that it would be the last triumphant win for the post-season.

"Aren't we suppose to win this series?"

After the Hornets, it was the "Horses" that were next in line. The Mavs were able to get a strong win against the Lakers during the season, but the last game they had showed a complete dominance of the Lakers over the Mavericks. The Lakers completely owned the Mavs and because of that, the Lakers were heavily favored to win this series. The Mavs didn't look like much of a threat, but like the Hornets, they provided a Game 1 upset that had the entire world in awe. The Mavs were up and coming, and the Lakers needs to make a counter-attack. Game 1 felt like a hiccup, a fluke, everyone knew the Lakers would get back in the series in Game 2. Little did everyone know that it was already the 1-2 combo of a 4 move KO. The Lakers completely lost the home-court advantage and they needed to steal two in Dallas, but the odds were against them. The Lakers already had the entire world reeling for their demise. They had their run. They had overcome their stay, and everyone were claiming to "get the brooms". It was a slow painful cringe in the heart, the Lakers simply lost control of the series, and after 12 post-season wins, the Lakers run ended in a disappointing sweep.

"Damn, I hate fishing in May."

For all its worth, I'm not that sentimental over the Lakers losing this series and throwing the dream of capturing another title. In a sense, like them, I wasn't really that much hungry also as a fan. I was hoping that at least they would, but bare witnessing my favorite team, my favorite player having a great run for the past three years is already a blessing. Three years of owning the league? Its a rare feat these days. But at the end of they day, its over. No more jumping up and down, no more champagne celebration, no more raising a trophy, no more parade, no more countless Finals videos, no more. To be quite honest, its nice to finally rest as a fan who's been cheering straight for the same team over a decade and endlessly had to go to a lot of trash talks for the past three years. Its tiring to cheer for your favorite team. Having to experience anxiety and excitement as I watched the Lakers had their run. Its great to finally watch the Playoffs without having to worry if the Lakers will win or not. It doesn't matter who wins (although I'm rooting for the Mavs since I always root for the team representing the West and the Bulls which is my East team), the Lakers did what they needed to do. They were in a position to dominate the league, and they did. And as much as it was uncanny for them to exit that way, they hold on to an achievement that only few can achieve and many cannot even replicate: a great championship run that was "swept" on the great annals of NBA and basketball history.

"I should have retired last year."