Author: Bianca Consunji
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer (Lifestyle)
Posted on: September 18, 2010
Overkill aside, it’s become a weekly event people look forward to on Twitter
FIRST THINGS first: I don’t like it that #sentisabado has become a weekly event. I think it’s ridiculous that people have started planning out themes and dates for their Tweets (fiestas and fiestas for Sept. 11, music
and movies for Sept. 18, etc), and that some rabid fans excitedly Tweet #sentisabado-related things even when it’s not a Saturday. Then someone tried to start a #lumanglinggo hashtag that thankfully didn’t take off.
But what is it, exactly? #sentisabado is a topic on Twitter about anything and everything nostalgia-related.
It started three weeks ago, when blogger Tonyo Cruz and friends began reminiscing about their childhood, like old shows and goodies. Then it became a worldwide phenomenon in one day, with Filipinos from all over joining the trip down memory lane.
It kept people Tweeting until the wee hours, and it was a good thing—but then it came back with a vengeance the following Saturday. Then the next.
“Filipinos have this habit of beating things to death,” said writer Adrian Dy.
Apparently, a lot of people agree. Blogger Grace Velasco said, “I think it’s losing steam, based on my Twitter feed last Saturday. Barely anybody joined in. Silent protest of like minds?”
However, for every person fed up with the no-let up nostalgia every Saturday, there is a big fan of the weekly #sentisabado. On Facebook fan page, avid follower Merrie Yamson said, “Thanks [to #sentisabado], I was able to unwind. Kahit day off ng yaya at wala tulog galing shift, I really squeezed #sentisabado into my schedule.”
Another fan, Jenett Mae Santos Biñas, said, “I had a great time sa Twitter. Ang dami ko na na-contribute sa reminiscing. Sa uulitin! Panalo yung ‘Dyesebel’ ko ni Alice Dixson. Naka-relate sila.”
Twitter’s public nature made it possible for people to share memories from their childhood with total strangers. #sentisabado opened up the memories of Generations X and Y (who mostly Tweeted about stuff from the ’80s to the ’90s). Thus, in the first couple of #sentisabado weekends, there were a lot of “OMG yeah, I remember that!”.
Things, names and places that seemed doomed to obscurity were dug up for old times’ sake. For a rapidly aging generation whose overexposure to pop culture has left many of its members jaded, the return to childhood innocence (and vintage, kitschy references) was a refreshing change.
So here’s a suggestion for #sentisabado: instead of sending it to early death—which is sure to happen because it’s not sustainable as a weekly—how about doing it less frequently? Instead of having to plan out things and coming up with a contrived nostalgia trip, the memories will flow more naturally—more like old friends in a high school reunion. Not a forced family gathering.
You can tweet your reactions to @biancaconsunji.
