TOPAZ HORIZON

My blogger friends Zemirah, Sippinslow and JenAspacio have alerted me to what is possibly the most wonderful news this summer! The Great Book Blockade, which levied taxes and other duties on imported books, is now over!

Just this morning, newspapers happily reported that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered the Department of Finance to immediately lift "the customs duty on book importation," Press secretary Serge Remonde said. “The President wants books to be within reach of the common man. She believes reading as an important value for intellectual formation, which is the foundation of a healthy public opinion necessary for a vibrant democracy,” he added.

Well, thank you very much, Madame President! And thank you, too, to Robin Hemley, who made us all aware of this distressing fact (and who mentioned my post about this issue on his blog. Yey!).

Thank you to all the Filipinos who stormed the government with their protests, done intelligently, I'd like to add.

Thanks to the media for giving this issue proper attention.

And thank you to the international communities led by UNESCO who helped trash this law in such a short time!

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

Democracy is well and alive in the Philippines. I now know this and my heart lifts with fierce pride and glorious hope! We didn't even need to stage rallies and violent protests. No one died, no blood was shed. The strength of bloggers amazes me. I didn't know we were this influential! As Oasis sang, "I'll start a revolution from my bed." We started it and now we won. What else can we achieve?

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!


Read my blog post on the issue here.
Read more about the developments, as reported by Robin Hemley, here.

Nope, the fat wabbit's not me! Anyway, a few days ago, L'Oreal Professionel launched its wonderful new line, the Nature Serie, at the elegant M Cafe just across the Ayala Museum (see above). I wore my utterly fab eBay find--my BGBG Max Azria sequined LBD with my sequined black flats and Gucci shoppers tote.

The bags behind me are the giveaways--filled with shampoos, conditioners, masks and other lovely hair stuff that's so organic and gentle, you can use them on your kids!

In keeping with the nature theme, the event featured organic produce which we guests can take home. It was such a delight to shop for fresh veggies! But while the other guests were thinking of salads, I was thinking of my bunny wabbits, Galadriel and Matilda (pictured below in our kitchen).Obviously, the bunnies were ecstatic with what Mommy brought home. Mommy was more ecstatic with the delightful products--each guest brought home a huge tote bag filled with the entire line!
So so happy! I'll be doing a more thorough review of the products in Beauty For A Living, where everything from makeup and lotions to strange treatments and diet pill liporexall reviews are featured! Watch for it within a week, okidoki!

Dear Lana, Sonny, Joanna, Elaine, Nikki, Kabbie, Jay and Astro Girl,

OK! magazine was one of the best performing titles in 2008. We exceeded all our targets except for circulation which has slightly dipped due to, I am sure, the global economic crisis. However, congratulations are in order, and I want to thank each and everyone of you for helping OK! be what it is today.
I also want to thank you for many other things that aren't tangible or measurable.

Thank you for your hard work despite the not-so-fabulous pay.

Thank you for coming in to work even on days you don't have to, for staying late, for keeping company those who have to stay late just to offer moral support--unlike other staff who, even when their editor-in-chief is looking for them, refuse to come to work.

Thank you for never missing your deadlines and for not sacrificing the quality of your work just so we can meet those deadlines. This tells me you are all dedicated, passionate, considerate, and proud of your own talents and abilities without having an ego about it--unlike some staff who think they're so good the entire magazine can wait for their work, thus delaying everything.

On that note, thank you for your passion. Your meticulous attention to detail--whether in spelling, grammar, fact-checking, layout, price points, budget, the perfect picture!--convinces me that I work with the very best people an editor can ever dream of--unlike some magazines who are plagued with lazy, stubborn and egotistical idiots. Sometimes when I can't summon the energy to go to work, I just remember how conscientious you all are and I am inspired.

Most of all, I want to thank you for your loyalty to me. I know I am not the easiest person to work with--my temper and my demands can't be wonderful. And yet you give me your best and you never squeal--unlike some sissies who always run to HR just because an editor called them a name and can't face and resolve conflict within the staff instead. I never hear any reports of backbiting from you guys; in fact, I know without a doubt you have my back. Thank you for your respect, even if I know sometimes I don't deserve it.

It isn't easy to lead, especially in these troubled economic times when much is demanded from me by my own superiors and then I am given less to work with. But because I have you, your passion and your unflinching loyalty, this job is a piece of cake. Thank you.


Live long and prosper, my friends.

As in literally hot, the sun burned my cheeks and shoulders. That was minimal sun exposure--I didn't even swim or sunbathe. Vince was smarter than me--he just stayed indoors all weekend long.

The night before we left, I typed my Facebook status as: "Going to Batangas and praying for clouds." Lizelle, my sister-in-law, got perplexed and said that all the kids were praying for the sun. Well, God listens to the prayers of little children because in San Juan, the sun unleashed all its blazing glory.

Yes, we're strange that way; we're not fond of the sun at all. But when we see clouds on the horizon, our spirits lift. And when it thunders and pours, Vince and I are the happiest creatures. The harder the rain, the darker the sky, the more ecstatic we get. That's why we love the rainy summer this year and that's why we chose gray London for our honeymoon!

The rest of the Sales family, however, are sun babies. They stayed in the pool the entire weekend! They were all a dark shade of brown by the time we went home.


Nevertheless, despite the unforgiving sun, it was a fun weekend. The kids were so excited... and that's an understatement of epic proportions! Acuatico is indeed a lovely place and I'd love to go back there... in the rainy season!

I love this Kate Torralba dress. It's a backless halter with deep pockets hidden in each side of the tulip skirt. It's a housewife dress--sexy, comfy. My husband definitely agrees with the sexy part!

Anyway, my favorite part of the dress is the print. I call it the Stepford Wife dress because look at the pictures!And though you may find it ironic that a career woman like me loves a dress like this, you'll be more surprised to learn that I can cook, wash, iron, mend, sew, polish, scrub, and do a lot of housewifely things very very well! After all, I was trained since I was 5 years old to be a wife (yep, my parents had but one ambition for me) so I can keep a house and manage a career, too. Stepford Wife!