TOPAZ HORIZON

It's condescension. That's what it is. 

I have a great life. I know I do. I'm so happy. My marriage is great. My kids are amazing. My dreams have all come true. I'm blessed beyond words! But instead of all these good things seen as rightfully mine, rightfully deserved, some people think I got all of them just because I married a rich man.

And that bothers me very much.

Vince will be the first to say he isn't a rich man. I find it amusing actually when he tells people, "I have a rich wife." Damn right. I work hard on my writing, editing, PR jobs, my blog, and every project that comes my way. Kung mukhang pera ang pagiging excited ko to finally cash my checks then, fine. But I deserve those checks. I earned all my money and I love it. I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want that power that comes from earning an honest income!

Vince said that he finds it so disrespectful that people assume we're living on some fictional inherited money just because writers and editors like us could not possibly live the way we do (but we live so simply?!). It's disrespectful to him and disrespectful to me. We have our life because we worked damn hard for it. 

This isn't a new issue. I talked about this in an old blog post 9 years ago:

So when Welch's sent me a box of their Sparkling Grape Juices to wish me a Happy Mother’s Day, I definitely opened up a bottle of bubbly and celebrated ME! As Taylor Swift sang, "I'm the only one of me. Baby, that's the fun of me!"

But to my babies, that's the trouble, too, if their one and only Mama isn't taking care of herself. So I started exercising—which was honestly such a torment! And I also began eating just a bit better. Well, I actually have always eaten healthily. The problem with me is I like to eat a lot so even though I exercise, parang walang effect sa taba ko haha. So I should probably eat half of what I'm used to. 

I also need to give up soda. I actually already have cut down on soda especially when I discovered Welch's Sparkling Juices a couple of years ago. They're light and bubbly. So fun but because they're alcohol-free and not sinfully sugary like soda drinks, my whole family can have a glass of either Red or White Grape flavors. They're pressed from the freshest Concord and Niagara grapes across America by farmer-families. Real grape juice means they're full of polyphenols – natural plant nutrients that play a key role in supporting a healthy heart. Just what a Mama needs her kids to have!

Happy Mother's Day, mamas! 

Bring home Welch’s juices or have it delivered to your doorstep by visiting https://acefoodservice.com or place your order in the following online groceries: metromart.com, Lazmart, and waltermartdelivery.com.ph. Welch's is also available in all leading supermarkets, drugstores, and convenience stores.

*This post is brought to you by Welch’s 100% Grape Juice

It is undeniable that education is a necessity. It is an essential activity that needs to be adjusted to in the new normal. Especially for kids since education and learning plays a critical role in their development.

Given the effects of the current pandemic, the processes of learning and education have shifted taking schools, teachers, and parents by surprise. Alternative but necessary solutions are now being set in place such as online learning to ensure continuity of learning and growth for students. 

AHEAD has established its credibility as a supplemental education provider that is equipped and ready for online learning. In fact, it has been offering online tutorials since 2008. While the shift to online learning was sudden, AHEAD was able to transition smoothly to a digital set up. Additionally, preparations were already set in place for teachers and staff with training on multiple educational applications to conduct seamless classes online. Since online learning was something that most Filipino students are not familiar with, AHEAD decided to conduct free trial sessions to allow students to experience online learning.

SHARING THE EXPERIENCE 

Recognizing the need for education now more than ever, AHEAD gave students the opportunity to try online learning by providing free daily warm-up classes in Math, Science, and English since last March 23.

In less than a month, more than a thousand Grade 12 students have signed up for these free warm-up classes. This has been a helpful way of giving them something meaningful and beneficial to do during their time at home not to mention experience online learning. 

With the extension of the ECQ, AHEAD has decided to offer other free online services such as a review sampler which is a week-long free review to maximize the student’s time at home. They have also provided a mock test that shows you how you would score should you take the UPCAT today and which subjects you need to improve on. Free supplementary classes that tackle specific topics such as Language Proficiency are also available here. Summer enhancements for kids as young as 5 years old are also being offered. 

ROLE OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS 

Supplemental learning institutions like AHEAD truly play a significant role in our education system and how this season will shape the next generation’s knowledge and skills. It provides them the additional skill and training they need for school. 

However, the shift to learning online or digital is inevitable with the uncertainties of the future. We saw how physically learning together can be interrupted anytime just like what happened in the past few months. Forecasts predict that the online learning setup will now be part of the new normal. 

This is why AHEAD President Ms. Rossana Llenado launched AHEAD Alpha - the first BlendFlex school in the country that merges recorded or live online and/or onsite learning, incorporating the best of traditional, progressive and home school practices used in different parts of the world, revolutionizing the educational landscape in the Philippines amidst the pandemic. 

THERE'S A NEW ALPHA IN TOWN 

AHEAD Alpha aims to provide solutions to the worries and hassles of online learning by making education accessible yet exceptional. Years of expertise and experience of educating students has enabled AHEAD to effectively adapt to the situation and transition to a purely online educational system. 

Using a one of a kind learning method that inspires learning, AHEAD Alpha promotes non-graded assessments, unique curriculum, Singapore Math training, and the unique application of Mind-Mapping and Speed Reading techniques to Science and History. 

Trusting the programs crafted by education experts, one can actually enjoy the benefits of online learning such as flexible schedule and environment, lower transportation costs of going physically to a center/ school, and most of all the sense of self-discipline and responsibility one develops by managing your time to study. 

Formally opening its doors for enrollment last May 8, orientation activities parent seminars, free trials, short enrichment classes will commence these coming weeks with the first round of classes set to begin on June 8. 

As AHEAD continues to develop unique lesson plans and learning methods that are tailor-fit for every child in the best and effective way possible, Alpha will surely make a big difference during this unprecedented time.

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Gosh, I miss this woman. Nicole's quarantine diary sounds dreamy — I'm looking forward to spending time at her place instead of an AirBnB! But even she lets slip that there is anxiety for the uncertain days ahead for all of us. Well, we can choose to despair or we can make our shuttered life at home beautiful, safe and heavenly for us and the ones we love just like Nic did!

Get to know more of Nic's adventures by following her on Instagram @beautyandsparkl!  

Have a good weekend safe and healthy at home, mamas!

For Jennifer, being better means never getting complacent, which kinda stung because I wasn't dreaming anymore. I've already had my dream career come true before so I believed that I can't get greedy. I'm lucky I had that. Now I can be a nobody, just be there for my family, dream for them not for myself. But what JLo said stirred something in me. The old me. Perhaps the real me. I want to dream again! I want to conquer something again!

And if the new dreams make life as a mommy harder? Jennifer says, "I think they wish I didn't work as much but I think they also appreciate all they have because of it. Just like anybody's life, it's not perfect but we make the best of it. Just like every working mom... there's not just enough hours in the day sometimes but it's a joyous labor making it all happen."

A joyous labor. I love it! I finally have the words to describe what motherhood is. It's so succinct. So perfect. Motherhood is hard work and the work never ends. But it is also joyful and though we're exhausted all the time, we can't imagine life without this joy.



Here's Jennifer being interviewed by People magazine's Jess Cagle in 2017 [full interview here]. He was asking her about her comeback way back in 2011, when she was a new mom and she was 42 years old (ancient in Hollywood) but that was when she launched her mega-successful album LOVE? and invaded homes everywhere as a judge on American Idol. Jennifer said she was a new woman and the world needed to see the new JLo. "Here's what changed in my life: I had given birth. I had given birth and the kids honestly gave me a new direction. They just made me realize what was real and what wasn't real... They just changed everything."

And instead of feeling, as I did, that motherhood means retreating from the world, for JLo, it meant conquering it. She said, "It's true! There is a thing that happens and 'On The Floor' honestly was me [going]: 'Get back out there. You're an animal. You're a beast! Pull up your panties and get back out there!'"

"Here's what happened: I had the kids, and I started working on some more music and I started thinking about life in a different way. Like I said, I started asking more questions of myself, of love, of what was right and what was wrong, all because I wanted their life to be great, too. And I knew for their life to be great, my life had to be great. I had to fix some things."

And boy did she fix things. Actress, singer, dancer, fashion designer, producer, author, and businesswoman. And mother! Jennifer does all that she does while she's a devoted mother. I am so inspired! Of course I'm aware our situations are different. I know I'd be able to work better if I had household help, for instance. But just dreaming again is a big step, I think! I want to do something again apart from motherhood, for myself really, that my kids will see and be proud of. 

As moms, we all know our children are our priority. That's a given. It's so easy to get lost in motherhood, however, and we forget we are more than moms, that we were someone before we became moms, that we can be something else, too, while we are moms. It's been a struggle for me to go beyond motherhood because it's easier for me to focus on just one thing. But I want to always push myself to work. For my own fulfillment, yes, but also for my boys. I need my sons to see me as more than their mama, because that will color how they see women for the rest of their life. I need them to see women as more than just a devoted wife and a nurturing mother, but as a fully realized human being with dreams and goals and ambition and drive and power. 

That is my joyous labor. I'm so excited! Now let's dance to some 20 years of JLo tunes!

You can earn an extra income just by staying at home and making use of the resources that you have (e.g., your skills, expertise, or hobby). Or you can also find a reliable manufacturer that will supply you with products to sell.

Either way, you can earn money while running your business at home and with minimal capital to start. If you’re looking for inspiration for a home-based business, here are five profitable ideas to try.

Sell Your Handmade Products

Are you a crafter? You can earn money by selling your creations online. Handmade and personalized products are popular gift items, which means there is a market for them. With you making the products, you have a lot of control over the production process. You can tailor products for a particular audience, find ways to make them more cost-effective, or innovate methods to improve quality.

Then you can sell your handmade products through a marketplace, social media, or your own online shop. Certain products, particularly those that ingested or applied on the skin, are regulated under laws. These include makeup, skin-care products, food, and beverages. Be aware of the legalities and permits you need to apply for if you’re planning to sell such products.

Here are some examples of handmade products you can sell:

• Artworks
• Dolls and toys
• Home accessories
• Jewelry
• Knitwear
• Party favors
• Pet accessories
• Wedding supplies

Making your own products takes a lot of time and energy, but you have full control of how many you’re going to sell. You can also stockpile your creations before opening the shop. Many crafters take commission work to avoid getting overwhelmed. 

Try Drop Shipping

According to Big Commerce, drop shipping is “an order fulfillment method that does not require a business to keep products in stock.” The business is more like a distributor who does the selling and marketing and then passes on the production and fulfillment to a third-party supplier.

Drop shipping requires significantly less effort on the business’s part, but you have to make sure that your supplier can consistently provide quality customer experience. Otherwise, your business’s reputation will suffer. 

This business model also creates a minimal opportunity for personal branding and customization. One way around this issue is to curate products from various suppliers to provide quality items for a specific niche.

(Note on drop shipping vs. affiliate marketing: As mentioned above, drop shipping allows you to sell other people's products as your own while affiliate marketing is you promoting other people's products and you earn a commission from each sale from your promotions.)

Sell Your Skills or Expertise

Do you specialize in a specific field or have a marketable skill you can sell? Monetize your skills or expertise by starting a service-based business. 

Social media managers, writers, proofreaders, editors, designers, and developers can take freelance projects or sell their skills to marketers, agencies, publishers, companies, or individuals. 

If you’re an expert on a certain field (e.g., finance planning, medical billing, college applications, and SEO marketing), you can publish courses or e-books and sell on your website or platforms, like Udemy, Teachable, or Podia. Or you can start a consulting business and market your skills to companies, organizations, and individuals.

Monetize Your Blog

Create a blog, and choose a specific niche so that it’s easier to find your audience. Pick a niche that you’re knowledgeable in and passionate about. Then publish quality content that’s relevant and valuable to your audience. Engage your readers so that they’ll spend a lot of time consuming the content you create. 

Here are some ways you can monetize your site:

• Affiliate marketing
• Advertisements
• Sponsored content
• Email marketing
• Selling digital products like e-books
• Selling coaching services
• Sponsorships

The bigger and more loyal your audience is, the more you can earn from your blog.

Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent or a freelancer, earning a living has been made easier through today’s technology. Anyone can now run their own home-based business and earn money by selling products or services or monetizing their knowledge and skills.

So if you’re interested in starting a home-based business, here are a few ideas you can try:

1. Sell handmade products online.

2. Start a drop-shipping business.

3. Sell your skills or expertise.

4. Monetize your blog.

Making money is hard work, but it can be made easier by using the resources that technology and the internet have made available to everyone. You only need to put it in work and find the right opportunities. 

*This guest post was written by Melissa Page. She writes for a living and goes bowling for fun. Follow her on Twitter: @melissapage90. If you want to place a guest post on this blog, please email frances@topazhorizon.com.

But I can't give up! So queen-of-convenience me always has Welch's 100% Grape Juice in the house! The Journal of Medicinal Food published a study that said, “Regular consumption of Concord grape juice benefits human immunity.” 

Welch’s juice is full of polyphenols, a natural plant nutrient that plays a key role in supporting a healthy heart. It's packed with Vitamin C, which helps the body recover from infections. Grape juice made from Concord grapes contain natural sugars that are low in the glycemic index. So a refreshing glass can be enjoyed with all the benefits without the guilt.

From left: me, makeup artist Carmel Villongco, Erika Rodriguez of Welch's, and Aliza Apostol at the 150th-anniversary party of Welch's last year

Erika Rodriguez, VP for Marketing of GEMCo, the Philippine marketing agent of Welch’s International, said, “Welch’s juice uses the entire dark purple Concord grape – skin, seeds and all – to release the plant’s true polyphenol power. In fact, at least 20 grapes are squeezed into each 4-ounce glass. Imagine the vitamins and minerals in each glass of Welch’s that can help boost your family’s health especially during this time!" 

Erika has become a friend and I admire her for her devotion to her family. She's also committed to making Filipino families healthy through Welch's! I'm with her on her mission because these are scary times and we mamas must make an extra effort to make sure our families are healthy. I hope you are all safe and well!