Monday, November 12, 2012

Makeover! My new (old!) hair

One of last month's most popular posts was my transformation so I guess you guys like ugly photos of moi! You, ha. But okay, okay, let's give you more. Presenting Makeover Mondays!

I figured since I just celebrated my 36th birthday, it would be a good idea to do makeovers. Just to let everyone know that it's never too late to do something new! Birthdays and New Years are usually the time when people start something new. But if you're raring to do something different, don't wait for your birthday or January 1. Do it now!

For the first edition of Makeover Mondays, I give you... My hair.

BEFORE:
My long, lifeless, tired hair was always tied up! In other news, how cute is that little guy???

I'll tell you the conclusion of this story first. All my husband said when he saw me and my crazy red-pink hair was, "My wife's back," and it was exactly how I felt. I'm baaaaaack!

I've been coloring my hair since I was 18. I started with safe browns and blacks (black didn't suit me at all) then as I got braver, I was sporting blond, purple, orange and finally, my real hair color (haha): RED. So Vince has seen nearly all my hair incarnations, and while most Filipino men cringe at women with weird hair, Vince loved my crazy-colored hair.

That's why I married him.

At Louis Phillip Kee's new salon at Bonifacio Global City. There's IƱigo at left.

Pinoy men like their women to be virgins from hair to vagina. But since a lot of Pinays aren't virgins in the latter sense or don't remain in that state, they obsess about keeping their hair virgins for their guys. Pinoys like long, black, straight hair, not a strand out of place—the perfect hair of their perfect girl.

Now Vince is very Pinoy. I know that he prefers my hair long and straight. But he doesn't force me to look or behave the way he wants. He lets me be me and he loves the crazy me. So even though I know he's super happy when my hair is long (and I am always miserable when my hair is long and uncolored), I know that he'll be happier when I'm happy. He totally subscribes to the philosophy "Happy wife, happy life." You gotta marry a guy like that!

And I see red!

So back to my story! So I color my hair often, and Vince says it's like dating a different girl every few months. I think that's a good thing haha. But then I got pregnant in 2009. No hair color! In 2010, I was too busy to sit for 4 hours to have my hair colored. No hair color! In 2011, I got pregnant again. No hair color! But now, in 2012, after three long years, I finally had my hair colored. And I feel like I finally finally finally recognize the girl in the mirror.

AFTER:
My husband said, "My wife's back." My friends said, "Hey, I know you" and "You look familiar!" and I see my reflection and say, "It's me!"

I may not look better (who looks better with pink hair seriously?) but I look like me. Me! And that is always the best way to be!

Wednesday, November 07, 2012

Kinda on a blogging break!


It's been an amazing week! Absolutely glorious. I am so happy! I'm living a great life! Gifts, surprise party, flowers... I can go on and on. My friends and family are pulling out the stops making me feel loved!

And then there's you. Thank you for reading my blogs, thank you for loving and blessing my family, thank you for all the support and kindness. I've had a blast blogging these past 6 years. But this week, I'll be on a bit of a break.

Mwah! See you around here soon!

Monday, November 05, 2012

It's all about Twilight and money in OK!'s November issue

I have to confess this. Our November cover gives me the heebie jeebies. Those three kids look really scary. I'm not a fan of the Twilight movies (though I swooned when I read the first book) but it's the mega-franchise of the decade. It's a force of nature! It's... insane.

Our Twilight Saga special issue really does have fantastic stories. Even I was drawn in when I was editing it. I laughed at the "Epic!" and "Fail!" comments of my staff about the franchise. I loved the fashion transformation photo essay of Kristen. I was amazed at all the juicy gossip and secrets of the stars that I've totally forgotten about.

Check out this teaser trailer where the vampires teach the new vampire Bella how to act human.


Was this in the book? I don't really remember. But it just occurred to me now, while watching that trailer, that it's a strange scene. Bella was, prior to this transformation, a human being. She couldn't have had forgotten what it's like to be human so quickly. I understand that she's enjoying her new powers and abilities but if there's anyone who needed lessons in being human, it would be the other vampires in the room. They've been undead for such a long time. And I know they need reminding because, as the books and movies showed, real humans find them strange, unsettling, even frightening.

Okay, I'm overthinking it. Why am I doing that?!

If you're not a fan of these movies, grab the November issue for the money stories! We reveal superstar salaries and outrageous splurges. Plus, I love the best fashion and beauty products that you should invest in. Yep, they cost a lot but are worth every centavo! I always enjoy our money issue! For example, finding out that Rihanna spends a million dollars a year on her hair just made me go WTF because her hair's been awful for a good loooong while! Thank goodness she went back to her pixie crop!

Now, if you don't like Twilight and you don't like frivolous splurges, then I still think you'll like the November issue of OK! because our free magazine, OK! Glam, features the best budget finds for your makeup kit and closet. They may be inexpensive but they will make you look rich!!! All that and more in the fabulous November issue of OK! Grab a copy today!

P.S. Want a super sulit beauty box? Check out my BDJBox giveaway!

Sunday, November 04, 2012

How to determine your sponsored post rate

I've been doing a lot of research lately because I'm making a media kit for my mommy blog. Well, it might interest you to know that according to Babble.com, this is how US bloggers charge for one sponsored post:

# of monthly page views + # of Twitter followers ÷ PageRank # x $0.01 ÷ 2 = sponsored rate

The article did say that the formula is just a guide. I actually charge more—I won't say how much unless you want to propose something haha—simply because I'm a writer by profession. I can guarantee clients that sponsored posts are well written, well edited and presented professionally—a service not a lot of other bloggers can offer.

The article said you can skip the last operation (the divide-by-2) if you're a specialized blogger. The more niche your blog is, the higher you can charge. I think mommy bloggers, tech bloggers and beauty bloggers belong to this group because these are the blogs that get people to buy. Lifestyle blogs, gossip blogs, news blogs, travel blogs, they might get lots of readers but no one reads blogs like those to shop. These blogs are for information so if you're a brand that has something to announce, you target the popular blogs but if you want to sell, you go after the niche blogs.

For example, Topaz Mommy is a specialized blog and I always receive feedback from brands that say they got a sale when I published a blog post about their products. Like this email from Ria who makes adorable felt letters:


So even if your blog is small, take heart! As long as it is targeting a specific audience, it has a chance to still earn you money. I was telling Jenny Ong of Chronicles of a Nursing Mom this and... I'll just copy-paste what I wrote her so I won't have to re-type what I said!

I think sponsored posts should be equal or greater than your ad rate. Why? Because you have to write it (effort!) and you have to endorse the product/service. It's your integrity on the line. For example, hmm, let's pick a brand I don't use... Okay, Louis Vuitton. LV can place an ad on my blog to target my readers. You see it, you click on it, but it's not connected to me personally. But if Louis Vuitton asks me to write about their brand, talk about it personally, recommend it, I won't be able to unless I actually own and love an LV bag!

Anyway, just thoughts I wanted to share with you to help you along. I know a lot of you want your blogs to grow and earn you money. There's a big blogging event coming up called Blogopolis. It features the top bloggers and social media experts of the country and they'll reveal how you can get a constant stream of ideas, how to capture an audience, how to market your blog, how to increase readership, how to get and deal with advertisers, and a whole lot more.

I'm sure it can help out a lot of bloggers struggling to earn from their online activities. I won't be there—a full day seminar just doesn't work for a mommy like me!—so just tell me what happened, okay?

I do know one big secret to successful blogging: Blog for yourself, not for the money. Blog about what makes you happy, whether it's DIY crafts, your dogs, your Star Wars collection. This will give your blog its own voice, its own personality—yours!—and make it unique. After all, there is no one quite like you in the entire world.

Once your blog feels like a real person is writing it, it will begin to attract its own special group of readers. Then your blog grows and then it starts attracting sponsors. It's the same with life really, make yourself a happy and interesting person and people will want to be your friend. So be yourself, be happy, have fun. The rest will follow.


Wednesday, October 31, 2012

My bookstore haul

Every once in a while, Vince and I go to the bookstore and go on a shopping spree. No, we don't do it every week or even every month because then we'll just end up buying lots of books and then have no time to read them.

To be honest, we haven't even opened the books we bought on our last book-buying spree. That was in July. Vince and I have been up to our eyeballs in work and parenting duties. Actually, Vince does find pockets of time to read. I haven't been able to. At all. So I figured we won't visit the bookstore until I finish at least one book from the July shopping.

But then came Gwyneth Paltrow on the cover of InStyle's October issue. So off I trooped to National Bookstore, dragging Vince with me of course!


Gwyneth is my ultimate girl crush. She is living the life I want. I admire how she worked so hard to be the best in her field (acting) and then gave it all up for her family. She disappeared for 5 years—an eternity in Hollywood—and then she came back as a lifestyle guru and cookbook author. I want that so badly!


I admit that when Gwyneth quit her career, it seemed to me the most ridiculous thing in the world. But now that I have my own family, I dream of spending all day with my husband and children, of cooking their meals, of kisses and cuddles on demand anytime.

This dream has a deadline, by the way. I really only want to do this while the kids aren't in school yet. I can't imagine staying home forever. I need something outside the family and home to live for but, while the kids are tiny, I'd like to be there for them.

I'm already plotting what I'll do next so I bought this as research:


Cupcakes and Cashmere
by Emily Schuman is a book based on her blog. I bought her book because I've been toying with the idea of writing a parenting book based on my mommy blog. Emily made her book look like a magazine or, in her case, a blogazine—short articles, mostly street photos, easy-to-follow instructional guides on how to, say, paint on nail polish ("Apply on the center of the nail first!")—it almost feels like I paid P800 for stuff I already know. She did complain constantly on her blog that the book was such a difficult thing to do so okay, cool, I applaud her efforts. 

So I think if she can get away with it, I pretty much could do the same thing. Lift stuff from the blog, post photos you've already seen, add a few articles and photos you've not seen to justify your purchase and make you buy my book. Or I can actually write another book about making motherhood work with grace and style! Which is not easy at all.

But writing a book is something I really want to do. And a book on mommyhood is perfect because it is what I love best! I just don't know if I can actually do it. Or if I do do it, if anyone would actually publish it! Time to start praying!


The Power of a Praying Woman
by Stormie Omartian. I have Power of a Praying Wife and Power of a Praying Parent so when I saw this on the bookshelf, I grabbed it. Praying Wife changed my life. But I'm not done reading it so I haven't started on Praying Woman yet. I plan to use that as my devotional as soon as I turn 36 (which is 7 days from now!).


The Bro Code for Parents
by Barney Stinson. Now this one I bought for Vince since I thought it's targeted to dads. We're both fans of How I Met Your Mother (although we wish they'd end the show already and just reveal who the mother is!). Vince was so happy with it and then we both started reading it and realized it's really for parents, as in not just for dads but for moms, too. So it's a book for both of us!


And, because we're parents, we just had to get assorted coloring books and Crayola crayons for Vito. Actually, Vince is always the one thinking of what to get the kids—books, toys, clothes. He's a super daddy that way. I'm more concerned with the supply of milk, diapers and food. When it comes to my kids' education and entertainment, why, it just never occurs to me! Thank God I have a husband!


I was on my way to the cashier when I saw Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams. What caught my eye were two things: the cover looked like the cover art of Harry Potter and Stephen King said he couldn't put it down. Ya know, the cover could be all black for all I care but if Stephen King—only the author who influenced me the most!—says he couldn't put the book down, then I must have that book!

I have a lot to read! I should have lots of free time soon so I'm looking forward to curling up in bed with my bookstore goodies. Actually, I've already started (hooray for long weekends!). There's not much you can do when you're breastfeeding except Tweeting, texting and reading a magazine and a book! Enjoy your holiday!