TOPAZ HORIZON

We moved into our lovely condominium just over a year ago and everything is in place except for my own desk, a bed frame and a seriously wonderful shoe cabinet. The shoe cabinet has to be custom-built since Vince and I have a lot of shoes. That's the great thing about my husband--he'll gawk and complain when I shop for dresses and accessories and stuff, but when I come home with shoes and books, he is wonderfully supportive. That's our huge vice--books and shoes!

Anyway, I'm beginning to think my desk has to be custom-built, too. I have scoured the shops and markets and have not fallen in love with anything. Nothing!

I did see this photo from Spacify.com's section on computer desks and I think that's feasible. It's compact, simple and saves space. Maybe I'll just have the whole thing done in dark wood or a bright pink. A candy pink! Maybe a happy yellow! Or basic white. Gee, now that I've found a desk, I have to worry about the colors next. Sigh, it never ends...

Just came from a rather interesting press lunch. It was for Sunsilk's newest line, the Sunsilk Style Collection. The styling products promise to make hair sleek and shiny or bouncy and full of body. What made the press conference interesting was this segment called "The Great Hair Debate: Straight vs Curly." The debate got really nasty! Here are snippets:

Straight: "In job interviews, straight-haired women will get the job more than curly-haired ones because curly hair means they're messy and unreliable."
Curly: "That's because straight hair is boring. So women with straight hair are boring!"
Straight: "Well, curly hair makes women look fat!"
Curly: "Curly is sexy! Curls just wanna have fun!"
Straight: "Poodle!"
Curly: "Stringy!"

And so it went. Woah, ladies, it's just hair! Personally, I like hair that's wavy and full of body and bounce. I do feel that super straight hair is just a tad ho-hum.

Exhibit A: Jennifer Aniston on the cover of Rolling Stone. She may have a rockin' body but with her super sleek hair, she still looks sweet and safe.


Exhibit B: Angelina Jolie smolders on Vanity Fair. ’Nuff said.



Both stars are lovely but hair that's big and wavy just adds more dynamite, don't ya think?

CONTEST!!!
So... curly or straight? Why? Tell me what you think and I'll give away one set of Sunsilk Style Straight & Sway (shampoo, conditioner, cream and wax), and one set of Sunsilk Style Curls & Wave Bounce (shampoo, conditioner and mousse)! That's two sets. That's two winners!

*How to win:

I walk to work now. Our office used to be housed in the basement of Robinsons Galleria, my second favorite mall (the first being Power Plant), so I loved going to work because it was literally going to the mall every day! We got really spoiled with the shopping, the easy pick-up of groceries, the meetings at coffee shops...

But now our new office is in a real office building (with huge windows and slow-speed elevators!) so life has been a lot more serious. Plus, it’s a very new building so there are no shops open yet. We’re forced to bring packed lunch. Well, my hubby and I eat lunch at home practically every day, and like I said, we walk to and from work plus I don't really shop anymore so there’s a ton of money we save. I actually like this new arrangement. But please, someone, anyone, please open a few coffee franchises in Robinsons Cybergate Tower 3 soon before all the editors die of caffeine withdrawal!

Okay, today is a sloooow Sunday and I'm just spending the afternoon reading up on my favorite blogs. I follow a ton of blogs. Most I discovered through their comments on my blog, a lot I just found through Entrecard (I love Entrecard!), and a few I landed on through links upon links upon links. So you can imagine how my husband complains about the time I spend on blogging!

Anyway, I'd like to invite you to check out five blogs that I love. Yes, just five (I'll blog about the rest in installments!) and they're all about dressing up! I am so in love with these girls because they really know how to put together a smokin' outfit!

I love her blog title. Because that's me! When I was younger, I got a lot of comments for being a snob. Actually, I just couldn't see and recognize anyone because I'm very myopic. Once I got glasses and contacts however, I've become the friendliest person on earth! Back to the blog... I love Karen's wittiness--her thoughts, the way she writes, the way she puts clothes together, how she finds the most fabulous vintage photos, and even how she puts on eye makeup!

I'm particularly enchanted with Wendy because I read about her first in Marie Claire before I found her blog. Wendy is a jewelry designer so her blog is more about what inspires her to design, all of which are very interesting whether they're pop or historical figures or dear friends. Oh, and her fashion choices--while sometimes outrageous--are always bold and beautiful. And she's the only one I've seen who can do that horrible rolled-up jeans with heels trend and still look gorgeous!

This girl has got to have one of the prettiest faces I've ever seen. And when she dresses up--it doesn't matter if it's a shirt or a dress--she still looks absolutely divine. What's great about her is she's not just pretty on the outside; her thoughts are really interesting, too. This is one sensitive soul and her posts are always raw and intimate and out there.

Okay, with a blog title like that, you just know she's wild and wacky and fun! Honestly, I can never bring myself to wear what this funky girl wears but I do admire her spunk and style! And she always poses against an orange wall, which I assume belongs to her house. An orange wall! I've always wanted an orange wall! And a fuschia! And a neon green! But because I'm terribly boring, I can't. Well, my house has yellow walls and a Tiffany blue one, and a coffee-and-cream combo, and a Chinese lacquer box-red one. So... I'm getting there, Annie! Oh, and I haven't done the bleach-shirt job yet!

Well, I already blogged about Jane and her mom and her sister before so you know how I love love Sea of Shoes. The shoes are out-of-this-world fabulous. The clothes are far out fantastic. And the girls are just utterly glam. Sigh!

To these blog authors, thank you for inspiring me. Please keep on dressing up and blogging!

*images from their blogs, used without permission. Ooops! Please click on the pics to be directed to their blogs. Thanks!

This blog has been such a blessing since I've met tons of new people. Recently, however, I've been thinking that aside from earning great friends, I'd also like to earn money! Again. Last year, I had an online shop that sold fashion and beauty products. That little venture earned me quite a lot of money. Enough money to buy really nice furniture for my new house! But I got lazy with inventory. And there are some customers that you just can't satisfy whatever you do! So I put that business on hold. But I think I'll start that again soon because the holidays are coming up and I need shopping money!

Anyway, I've been studying how to teach from home. My first job was for a website that taught Koreans English. Then for my second job, I was a preschool teacher. So I do have experience teaching. It's not easy but I enjoyed it. Now that I'm an editor, I was thinking I can teach freelance writing online. I'll take a refresher course on how to teach, of course, and then all I need is a white board, a few books, and paper!

I've been looking it up and I found this great article on why you should have a home based business.

The site lists certain advantages of having a home-based business:
1. offers an amazing level of autonomy
2. the initial investment required is typically much lower than a traditional franchise
3. has very few overhead expenses
4. a number of work at home franchise opportunities require a part-time commitment to be successful
5. provides franchisees with a great deal of flexibility in their schedules and often affords them more time to spend with their families.

Yeah, I think I can do this online teaching business! How about you? What do you do to earn extra cash?