TOPAZ HORIZON

My Facebook feed is exploding with updates about ToyCon and I just need to tell you that my family had the fun adventure of trekking to SMX to go to our first ever ToyCon Manila!!! Thanks so much to SMART for inviting me and my boys—big boy and small boys haha—to ToyCon. I swear my life's become really so much more fun ever since I became a SMARTie!

Anyway, we were so excited to go! Toys toys toys! We left early to get there early, but it seems there were more people even more excited than us because the place was already packed with pop culture fans, nerds, cosplayers, and kids. My boys and I are still talking about it! Here's what we saw and what we did:

Voltes V! This was really big—20 feet tall—even though it doesn't look so impressive in this photo. Because it's its 40th anniversary, it was the centerpiece of the event and it towered over everything. I just don't know why it was encased in those scaffolding. It didn't look safe to approach as a result.

The exhibit that we enjoyed the most was the Stan Lee Excelsior!. Stan Lee is Marvel and Marvel is Stan Lee, and this is his personal private collection of Marvel memorabilia.

As a mom of boys passionate about Avengers, I of course had to bring the boys in to check it out. There were vintage comic book covers, artwork, movie props (some signed by the actors!), and other collectibles.
They didn't just check it out. They climbed all over it! Buti na lang napaka-stable ng Iron Man Hulkbuster na yan.

There was a lot of musical performances lined up for the three-day affair. When we went, Japanese musicians Eletric Ribbon, Yanakiku, and DJ Kasu were live.

I must say these Japanese performers are so enthusiastic! And kinareer talaga nila mga outfits nila.

Pero ang kinareer namin ng asawa ko is to catch Game of Thrones star Kristian Nairn. Sana naka-costume din siya like the other people with him! LOLz

We are still reeling from his final appearance on the phenomenal HBO series (naiiyak ako right now just thinking of it) so it was so nice to see him... alive! Hehe.
Here we are at SMART's big booth! These are toy boxes and you pose inside and pretend you're a toy in a box. So smart! Here are my boys as Kai of Ninjago. They loved it!

They're huge fans of Ninjago. I remember having to write down all the names of the ninjas, villains, et al when they started their obsession with this Lego show. Haaaay, mom life!

Yes, as a mom, I do have a few suggestions for future ToyCons so that the experience for families will be better:

1. More light.
We couldn't see anything, guys. It's hard to appreciate toy collections and toys for sale if we can't see the merchandise. The whole venue doesn't need to be lit up like a mall—just the selling areas. I gave my husband and kids a budget. A big budget, too. How much did we spend? Wala pang 2K dahil wala kaming makita!!!

Plus, it's the age of social media. Lahat ng tao there was selfie here, selfie there, picture with toys, picture with cosplayers. But it was soooo madilim. Kailangan pang i-mega filter, mega-brightness lahat ng photos bago ma-post sa Instagram. Huhu, more light please!

2. More room.
SMX is huge. In the middle was the stage. To the left was crammed the selling area, the food area, and the exhibit areas. To the right was practically nothing. So there was definitely lots of space, just not utilized well.

That was another reason we weren't able to shop. The space for shoppers to walk through was like 2 feet wide. There's no space for shoppers to dawdle, look through bins of comic books, check out the toys, haggle. People were pushing each other forward. Super siksikan! Dapat sobrang luwag sa shopping area, at least 2 meters, maybe even 3! There were people with kids, with strollers, on wheelchairs, in elaborate costumes with capes and horns and wings! Two feet?! Really?! Ilang beses kami natusok-tusok ng mga sungay at spada at guns, guys.

3. Real booths.
Real booths and not tables or shelves the sellers had to bring themselves. Yung parang mga tiangge sa Greenhills na may tents and walls so that the sellers are clearly identified and separated from each other. For example, SMART had a really nice booth. Okay, they're a brand so of course they had a nice space, but the organizers sana made the sellers' spaces more pro. Mas masaya ang shopping experience pag mukhang shop!

4. More seating.
Look at my kids sitting on a window ledge. Cute hehe. Anyway, back to my point! Please please pleeeeease provide benches and chairs. A place to rest! We sat on the floor a lot and we had to eat standing up, too. We wanted to explore more but we were so tired from all the standing and walking that we went home earlier than planned. Sayang! We wanted to do more and spend more!


Just four suggestions! Everything else was amazing. That Walking Dead exhibit was unforgettable. The cosplayers were intense. The crowd was fun! It was fun to be around nerds! So congratulations on the successful event, ToyCon! Jampacked with lots of great attractions, stars, musicians, and toys toys toys. Good job!

Because it's Thursday, I'm listening to old songs while I look through old photos for, you know, Throwback Thursday. Because that's what people do now when it's Thursday!

But first, another story before I get to what I'm going to really talk about.

This afternoon, while Vince and I were stuck in traffic, I wondered aloud, "I'm wondering aloud what makes men finally decide that this is the girl they're marrying. I mean, George Clooney and Amal. That's, like, of course! He'd be dumb to let that one go! But what about Vic Sotto and Pauleen Luna? I mean, she's okay but it's not like he didn't have amazing girls before her. What made him decide to marry her?"

Vince said it's really simple—a man marries the one he really loves. I said that these guys were in a relationship with other girls for years, surely they must've loved them. And he said, "No, love demands a response. If you really love someone, you marry her."

So that made me think, kinda guiltily because I never wanted to get married, why I delayed marriage to Vince when I knew—cross my heart and hope to die!—that I loved him. I did and I do, but why did I delay the response? Well, I finally admitted to myself that it's because I loved myself first. I needed to prove something to myself and to others first, that I was going to make something of myself first. Vince has always shrugged off this huge issue of mine (my insecurity in overdrive!) because he knew he was never going to hold me back from my dreams anyway—whether we were married or not. But it was an issue for me.

Still, because he loved me and wanted to marry me, he waited. I guess that's a response that love demands, too.


It didn't help that I knew he loved me. I knew it, I knew it, I knew it. Very early on, Vince knew he was going to marry me. We met on a rainy Monday in April. A month later, he asked me, "Do you want to be a June bride?" I laughed, "No," but I knew he wasn't teasing me. He was serious.

Have you ever looked into someone's eyes and saw your future in an instant? I did. I've met many boys who promised me the moon and the stars but no one promised me tomorrow. I only saw a future in Vince's eyes. He had a whole wonderful world planned for us but I wasn't ready to go into that world just weeks after meeting him. That's one of the most cowardly things I've ever done, not jumping down the rabbit hole after him. But I guess because I knew he already built that world for me, I had the luxury of time to dawdle, to get ready. I knew he wasn't going to do that for anyone else anymore, which allowed me to be selfish. It took me seven-and-a-half years to get ready, and I don't regret it and neither does he because we were practically husband-and-wife anyway in all those years. But marriage does do something to a relationship—it makes it more than love, more than happiness. It makes something fleeting and tremulous solid and real. It makes it about life and death.

Vince and I have loved each other for 17 years, been married for 9. The best years are the married years. It's not all moonbeams and roses—there have been days of thorns and harsh daylight! But even on the worst of days, I hold something dear in my heart: the promise of tomorrow. Tomorrow, we'll work this out. Tomorrow, we'll be better. Tomorrow, we'll try again. I can look forward to tomorrow. And that hope is a comfort and joy.


Which brings me back to my first sentence! Who remembers this song? I soooo loved this song and always hoped I'd find a guy that would say these things to me! And I did!!!



I did not realize that he had such a whiny voice!

Happy weekend, everyone! May you have bright tomorrows with the one you love!

I talk about loving my life so much, some people have said (jokingly, I hope) that my life is either unbelievable or fabricated. First, it's all real. Second, an amazing life can be totally believable!

A huge reason why my life is so good is because my family is always together. We're ALWAYS together! My husband and I work from home. We're with our kids 24/7. When we're not togther because we have to work outside the house maybe once or twice a week, or because Vito, my first boy, was at his little preschool in our condo complex, the hours apart are so short—just 3 hours!—we hardly felt the separation.

But this year, this week, in fact, Vito started in big school. For the first time ever, as a family, we'll be dealing with daily traffic. We've been stuck in major traffic before, sure. Maybe twice or thrice a year? Traffic just never figured in our family life really so we'll be in for major adjustments (time, financial, emotional, mental!) this year. I mean, just this week, we've already dealt with traffic twice. Na-quota na kami for the year in just 4 days!!! Malaking adjustment talaga ito.

Such a big boy na! I'm so proud!

One of the biggest sources of my anxiety now that Vito is going to big school is that Vince and I are not a few steps away from him. We've always been within running distance of our kids. Now, we're not! It's so strange!

My second son, Iñigo, is also going to school for the first time next week. He's going to the preschool downstairs so, yey!, he's just downstairs. Still, Iñigo has always been attached to me and I—I hate confessing this—I suddenly can't imagine him having a world separate from me! He's my sweetheart. All my boys are, okay, but Iñigo's always been the one clutching at my arm. Next week, he won't be clutching at me anymore, and that feels very strange. I should be relieved. Instead, I'm anxious. So I guess this is what they mean about savoring the baby days, the days when the little ones drive you crazy with their neediness, because one day they grow up and then they don't really need you anymore.

He got a "Good job!" stamp! I'm so proud!

So now that Vito and Iñigo will be away, I've done a few things to assuage my mommy fears:

1. Made them memorize important info. 
Well, I'm still working on our address and phone numbers, but the boys know their full names, their parents' names, and their birthdays. This is information they must never forget!

2. Taught them which strangers they can talk to.
I never believed in stranger danger. Statistics show that some of the most dangerous people around our children are people they already know. Also, in case of trouble, I want them to know that they can approach strangers for help.

What we've done is tell them to avoid suspicious strangers. Grown-up strangers will never ask children for help, never ask them to make them feel better, and never ask them to keep secrets. Examples: "Hey, sweetheart, my dog got trapped in my car. Can you come help me get him out?" "Hey, little boy, I have candy in my house. You can come over and I'll give you some but don't tell your mommy, okay?" "Hi there, I feel so sad. If you give me a kiss, I'll feel better."

So I've told them to approach moms with kids. Vince told them to ask help from security guards. Those are safe strangers. We also taught them to trust their gut. If their tummy tells them something isn't right, run away!

3. Packed them their own care kits.
Because there's no Mama and Papa to clean them up and kiss their boo-boos away, they'll have to take care of themselves. I made them their own care kits that have the following: wet wipes and Biogenic alcohol for cleaning their hands or chairs; tissue for wiping their mouths after eating; bandages for if they get into little scrapes; and an extra change of clothes.

4. Lovingly left our presence everywhere.
I ironed their uniforms. I sewed on the name tags and tightened buttons. I labeled their things, wrapped their books in plastic. Vince carefully picked out new shoes and socks for them. He chose their lunch boxes and drinking tumblers.

I just think that if we take care of their things and the kids feel our care, even when we're not there, they'll still feel we're around. Just like how Harry Potter's mommy covered her son with her love, which protected him till Harry grew up!

5. Given them to God.
Well, despite my fictional example, only one Being can cover my kids with protection. So I pray to God to watch over my sons, to keep them from harm (Psalm 121:7), to hide them in the shadow of His wings (Psalm 57:1), to always provide a way out (I Corinthians 10:13), and to strengthen, help and uphold them (Isaiah 41:10). There are so many verses in the Bible promising protection over those that God loves and this I am sure of—God loves my children more than I could ever love them. So my fears are put to rest, I will trust in God's protection, and I will enjoy my children's new adventure!

Vito's school requires a portable care kit in a plastic envelope. Iñigo's school says we can leave his Avengers kit there.

There you go, mommies and daddies! My five steps to helping me deal with separation anxiety! It's really difficult to be away from our kids, and for me and Vince especially because we don't even have a yaya. We've always been the ones taking care of our kids. Now, suddenly, we have to entrust them to the world. It's so scary! Thank goodness we can rely on good people (like teachers, other moms, and security guards), good products (like Biogenic alcohol!), and a good God to keep our kids protected from harm.

To know more about how Biogenic helps us mommies keep our kids safe even though we're not around, like their Facebook page, Official Biogenic Alcohol. You can also follow them on Instagram at @Biogenic_Alcohol and hashtags #BiogenicAlcohol, #MyBiogenicWorld and #BiogenicBack2School.

But first, a confession: I had no idea that ToyCon was a big deal in this country. I'm not a toys kinda girl so it just was never in my radar. But my husband is a toys geek and a few weeks ago, he brought it up. ToyCon. He was wondering if he and our sons should check it out. Yes, my sons are toy geeks, too. We discussed it a bit, then I forgot about it because diba nga I'm not really a toy person. But I am a Game of Thrones fan so when Vince said, "Hodor will be at ToyCon!", I was so in!

We're going to ToyCon, people!

Superheroes ready to go to #SmartTOYCON 2016!

But first, pizza. Because even superheroes need super fuel. See you at #SmartTOYCON!

Halloo everyone! This month's monthly update on the SalesVIP boys sees the three kiddos Vito, Iñigo and Piero visiting Kidzania for the first time. (Wait. A monthly update on my boys? Yes! Just because my readers are asking for it so let's try to do one every first Monday. Sulitin na natin habang hindi pa 6 years old si Vito!)

First thing we learned is Kidzania is pronounced as Kid-ZAH-nya. Not Kid-ZAY-nya, as we've been doing all this time. (We still actually say it incorrectly heehee.) The next thing we learned is it's a huge space fashioned to look like a small town for small people. There's a bank, a hospital, a gas station, a fire station, a newspaper office, a tax office, and lots lots lots more. It was so cute (and a bit surreal) to see all these tiny people working. I mean just look at these adorable construction workers!

We were at Kidzania to attend the launch of the program, Kids for a Greener World. It's a collaboration between H&M Conscious, Century Tuna, Shell Philippines, and Kidzania. We were specifically there to check out the Upcycling Workshop of H&M Conscious.

The workshop encourages kids to bring old clothes to donate to the program. They'll see how their clothes will be recycled. The clothes will then be cut into strips then made into new things. Vito made a bracelet.

Here are a few photos of some moms I love who were at the event with their kids:

Cosmopolitan fashion director Donna Cuna Pita with Amara and Mateo

Manila Bulletin columnist Kim Reyes-Palanca with husband Santi and son Lucas

Unilever's Agoo Bengzon and Andre

Lifestyle blogger Jenni Epperson with Aryanna and Dylan

Eat, Drink and Be Married co-host Nicole De Los Angeles with Jaime Aloncito

Sparrow Fragrances's Cathy Cantada-Dizon with Damien

Beauty blogger Shari Macainag with Selene

If you're planning a visit to Kidzania from now up to June 15, do remind your kids to look through their closet and pick out an item they'd like to donate to the H&M Conscious Upcycling Workshop. This is right in the town center of Kidzania so you can't miss it. There they can make fabric bracelets out of their recycled clothes. It's a fun way to learn about saving the environment so do get your kids to participate. As a bonus, every kid who participates in the workshop gets a 15% discount voucher to shop for H&M Conscious clothes. H&M Conscious is a label that uses recycled fabric, a green addition to your sartorial picks!

H&M Conscious is available at all H&M stores. H&M Conscious Upcycling Workshop will be at Kidzania until June 15.

My kids love Nutella. Especially Vito. That's him trying to take home a giant jar of the hazelnut spread. My firstborn can eat out an entire jar if we didn't stop him. No joke. He eats Nutella sandwiches every morning—as soon as he wakes up, for second breakfast at 10, for merienda, and for just before dinner. I have had to regulate Vito's consumption of Nutella! So when Nutella asked me if I liked Nutella, I practically yelled in happiness! I like Nutella a lot, sure, but my kids LOVE it. So of course we would love to be part of the Nutella campaign!

I'm so happy to announce that I'm the brand ambassador of Nutella's super fun new campaign, #YourNutella!!!


So let's talk about #YourNutella!

1. What is this #YourNutella campaign?
Filipinos love Nutella and Nutella knows that. So this is their way to say thanks to all of us Nutella addicts by giving us the chance to have our very own Nutella jar. Yes, personalized. With our name on it!

Fabian Heymer, brand manager for Nutella Southeast Asia, says, "For many, Nutella has been a huge part of their childhood as they enjoyed the spread at breakfast... Everyone's name is unique and we are at an age when personalization is vital, just like our friendship and relationship with our fans, and we hope that our #YourNutella campaign would convey our gratitude for their support."
2. How can I get my own jar of Nutella???
Right now, the #YourNutella campaign is making the rounds of your favorite supermarkets, offering Nutella jars with pre-personalized labels. Just look for your name! For a complete schedule, please check out Nutella's Facebook page (click here).

3. Oh no! I didn't find my name! / Oh no! I missed the supermarket stop near me! So no hope for me?
There is hope! Just visit Nutella's website (click here) to create your own label. Nutella will then snail mail you your own personalized label! Make one for you, one for each kid, one for each sibling, one for your mom and dad, for your classmates, officemates, boyfriend, girlfriend, everyone!!!

4. Will a personalized jar cost more?
5. How can I be part of the #YourNutella campaign? 
Once you get your own jar, take a photo of it, of you and your jar, of your kids and their jars, of the whole barangay with their jars, share a story on why you love this hazelnutty-chocolatey spread, and share on Instagram. Please tag @NutellaSEA and use the hashtag #YourNutella.

I was so happy to bring Vito to the #YourNutella launch event at Glorietta Activity Center last May 14. I rarely get to bring Vito to my work (it's Iñigo and Piero I tote around) so he doesn't really know what I do. All he knows is I write. But on that day, Vito was all wonder and joy because his Mama had such a fun job. With Nutella!!!

Look at our pictures from the happy day:

While waiting for the program to start, Vito painted.

Together with the Nutella and Ferrero team, we turned on the switch for the Nutella factory!

And here are our personalized jars!

Vito lined up to create his own label.

Serious while activating the conveyor belt.

After about 5 minutes... tadaaaa!

Our own Nutella jars!

My nutty love!

Thank you, Nutella, for letting me spend time with my son. We love our personalized jars. But we all shared our Nutella—even the ones with our names on it!—because family is all about sharing, especially the stuff we love best. Like Nutella!

Hi everyone! I wanted to ask—because it's a Saturday today—what do you do on weekends? I know people usually unwind on weekends, go to the mall, visit family, watch a movie. In my home, we clean. Yes. We clean. Especially my husband. He goes on a crazy cleaning blitzkrieg on weekends.

Why do we clean on weekends? First, we don't have an office job so we're home pretty much all week long so we do maintenance chores every day. On weekends, that's when we do the deep clean. Second, our household help goes home on weekends so we really have no choice but to clean the house ourselves. Plus, we like it that she's gone so we can really inspect the house.

If I'm giving off this impression that our house is squeaky clean, well, no. With three kids aged 5 and below, a spotless house is impossible. Impossible!!! But we try, we try. Most days, we keep the mess at bay. But we do have certain rules that must be followed so that our home is clean and happy and healthy. Here are my 10 rules:

1. Go barefoot. Most Asian homes practice leaving shoes at the door. This is a good way to prevent dirt and germs picked up from the outside world from entering our home. We have shoe cabinets by the hallway so that shoes are packed away as soon as we come home.

2. Wash hands. We wash hands as soon as we get home. I even wash hands before I hug my kids. Although that makes them feel a bit bad, that I go to the washroom first instead of hugging them when they greet me at the door. So now, while I'm in the elevator zooming up to our floor, I get my Biogenic from my purse and sanitize my hands just so I'm germ-free before I knock on our door.

3. Clean as you go. Life with small children inevitably means there will be sticky, cruddy, smelly and yuck-what-the-hey-is-this?! surfaces everywhere. I have learned that instead of falling into deep despair over the state of my household, I should equip every room with wet wipes and alcohol and attack said mysteriously scary surfaces.

4. Wipe switches and door knobs with alcohol. These are usually forgotten and neglected parts of our home. But if you really think about it, light switches and door knobs are frequently touched; therefore, they are breeding ground for germs and bacteria. Wipe with alcohol!!!

5. Use alcohol after washing butts. I learned this the hard way. I usually just wash my hands quickly after washing poop from my kids' butts. It's my husband who is more meticulous. He'd not only wash his hands thoroughly, he'd also sanitize with alcohol. But when we were toilet-training one child and poop was everywhere, I must've not cleaned my hands well because I suffered two weeks of debilitating stomach nightmares. I have been more careful since!

6. Wash food before storing. Here's a tip: Before putting away the grocery, wash the fruits and vegetables first. This way, when your kids raid the fruit basket and you're not there to wash the fruit they want, you can rest assured that the apple they're munching on is already clean.

7. Wash hands before, while, and after cooking. Especially while cooking! I used to just throw a towel over my shoulder and then wipe my hands on it after I peel something, mix marinades, chop veggies and meat. But when I became a mother, there are now many occasions where I need to go out of the kitchen to inspect a crash or to separate little boys fighting and wrestling. I really cannot touch my sons if my hands have oil, garlic, or—worst of all—blood on them.

8. Colorful meals. I'm really trying to add more color to our meals. Pediatricians and nutritionists say there should be at least three colors from the rainbow at every meal, with an emphasis on greens! I've added salads and soups and while my kids are resisting the vegetables, they like soups and don't protest too much when their Papa and I mince veggies and mix them with their rice. Yey!

9. Encourage lots of fun. My husband and I love giving our children with our 24/7 presence and lots of presents, too. The toys, books, games, and experiences are necessary because we spend soooo much time with them. We need to fill the days with fun. A happy heart does good for the soul and for the body!

10. Hugs! I have three sons and I want them to be hugged and kissed so much, their hearts will be so full of love. Loved-up boys will grow up to be secure, peaceful, emotionally strong men. And that's all I really want them to be,

There you go! Ten rules! Well, I have more tips and tricks but I gave you 10 because this week, my blog turned 10 years old so I'm a bit obsessed with the number. If you have more tips on how you keep your home clean and healthy, do share in the comments below. My favorite ones get a Biogenic gift pack from me!


To know more about how Biogenic helps us mommies, like their Facebook page, Official Biogenic Alcohol. You can also follow them on Instagram at @Biogenic_Alcohol and hashtags #BiogenicAlcohol and #MyBiogenicWorld.

Today is the 10th anniversary of Topaz Horizon!!!

TEN YEARS!!!


Well, I started blogging in 2005 over at Friendster so this year marks my 11th year as a blogger. But since the Friendster blog was private, I never considered it as a blog. More like brain farts for my family and friends. Then Friendster announced it was going to charge for blogs. Someone told me Blogger was free so I moved out of Friendster. My first Topaz Horizon blog post was published on Blogger on May 24, 2006.

Now here we are. It's been an amazing 10 years, people!!!

Over the years, I've gotten many questions on how to have a blogging career, and I've always dismissed these questions with a laugh. I still can't believe I have a blogging career! But I've listed down the frequently asked Qs and decided I'm going to finally answer them. I mean, it's been 10 years!

Blogging in 2009 on my beloved HP Mini!

1. How did you start blogging?
Since I was a little girl, I've always wanted to be a newspaper columnist. I thought columnists were the coolest people. They had enough clout and smarts to be given a regular space to say what they think. How powerful that is!

In 2006, I was asked to be a contributor to Inquirer's Lifestyle section, which was under new editorship. I knew it was the foot in that I needed! I was so excited! But in 2006, I had just become the editor-in-chief of this wonderful new magazine called OK!, a Hollywood entertainment title. My publisher told me, ever so gently but firmly, that I needed to focus on OK!. So I declined Inquirer and focused everything I had on growing OK! because my publisher was right.

Still, I was a bit heartbroken. Okay, a lot heartbroken. So a friend told me I should try blogging. She said, "It's just like writing an opinion piece for a newspaper but better because you set your own topics and deadlines and you get feedback from your readers immediately." "Why is that?" "There's this feature called a comments section. It's addicting!"

And she was right. After I published my first post here on Topaz Horizon and then got my first comment, I was hooked. I still get a high ten years after. Thank you for all your comments!  

2. Why did you turn your blog into an income-generating business?
Two years into blogging, I heard that people can earn money from their blogs. Back then, the revenue came from text links and Google ads. Then digital advertising agency Nuffnang invited me and a few other bloggers to Singapore for a blogging conference. I was blown away when I met bloggers from all over Southeast Asia and Australia. They were earning so much money, it was crazy! A college student just bought a new car. Another young person quit her banking job. Another one was earning $2500 a week from Google ads. And another one practically had her entire life—from bottled water and food to her house and the appliances in it—sponsored!

I remember coming home to my 10- to 14-hour magazine job that paid P35,000 a month and feeling confused and angry. I'm a writer, an editor and a journalist. Every word I write must earn money. That was my job. At the conference, they called blogging the new media and it was sucking up advertising budgets from print media. I decided then and there in 2008 that it was time to shift careers.

3. When did your blog start making money?
My blog started making money through text links about a year after I created it. It was the easiest thing: I signed up for PayU2Blog and every week, it assigned me words or phrases that linked to an advertiser's website. I got paid $5 per link. Because I was prolific, I earned about $20 to $30 a month. Not much but I used the extra money to shop online.

In 2008, Nuffnang started giving me a few assignments. All I needed to do was write about a product or experience. This was called a sponsored post. I earned about P12,000 a month and that went on for about four years. In 2012, I retired from magazine publishing when OK! was discontinued, killed off by the new media called entertainment bloggers. With nothing to do, I focused on blogging... and what a payoff. Now my blog is a registered business!

Blogging was easier when I didn't have kids haha. This was in 2010, when I was about to give birth to Vito!

4. How does your blog make money?
My blog earns mainly from sponsored posts, a few ad placements now and then, and brand ambassadorships. I also earn from sponsored social media posts. My blogging career coupled with my magazine experience have recently landed me new gigs as speaker at events for working women and moms. I also do workshops about blogging, beauty and social media.

I don't earn gazillions (as of now, I am still a non-VAT entity so that means I'm earning a modest sum) but we're happy blogging allows me to stay home and be a mommy.

5. What's the best thing about blogging?
The people I've met and become friends with. Yes, the money is nice. The freebies, too. The experiences are cool also. But to be very honest I love the people I've met through my blog. From moms and homemakers just like me to celebrities and the most fascinating personalities!

But the ones I appreciate most are the Loyal Readers who congratulated me through my wedding and with each pregnancy and birth, helped me mourn my mother, laughed at my silly stories, cried when I was sad, mended my broken spirit, and prayed for me and my family throughout the years. Some of you Loyal Readers became my friends in real life. Some of you love me and my sons like we were your own family. Thank you! Family is the best thing I got from blogging!

6. What don't you like about blogging?
Well, if there are good people out there, there are bad people, too. Thank goodness they are few. And that's all I'll say about it!

7. How do you feel about bloggers' bad reputation?
The crazy thing about blogging is it's not a professional world. Anyone can blog. You don't need a degree or apprenticeship or years of experience. That makes it a wonderful medium, but it also attracts people who have no idea about journalistic practices like editing, checking facts, citing sources, respecting intellectual property, keeping one's integrity when faced with advertisers who will bribe your opinion, and basically not being a libellous asshole.

Bad bloggers, like the proverbial rotten apples, do spoil the whole barrel. But I don't want to lump them all together. Some PR agencies these days also don't have good training. Instead of building relationships with media (bloggers included), they just treat all bloggers as uncouth, unprofessional people with no real jobs. I've had to be curt with certain agencies, for example, and the next thing I heard I'm a snob. Woah. All I said was I can't work with certain brands since I don't use the product or I can't attend their event because I need to be with my children. My being forthright made some people think badly of me. So now when I hear that a blogger behaved badly, I reserve judgment. It could be not entirely that blogger's fault. Of course, some bloggers do behave badly but let's not go there!

Blogging is easier now with smart phones and social media.

8. What's your advice to new bloggers?
Blog because you love sharing your life with people. Don't blog because you want to earn money. You won't see money till maybe after a year of blogging. Don't blog because you want to be famous. Readers, brands and technology are fickle. You're hot stuff today, tomorrow your social media world is suddenly an empty wilderness. So your motivation to blog should just be love! Money or no money, many readers or just a few, you do it for the fun of it. You'll enjoy it no matter what. And that's the only thing that will sustain you—joy!

9. What's your advice for longtime bloggers in a rut?
Same as above! Just remember the reason why you started blogging—and if you're a longtime blogger like me, that means you started your blog when it wasn't an income-generating venture. Find a purpose in your blogging so that every blog post is a mission accomplished!

10. What are your future plans for your blogging career?
I don't know how long this will last, to be honest. It's been really fun watching where the blog is taking me. I'm now being booked for speaking engagements and workshops, for example. I have appeared in an ad, which still boggles my mind. Right now, even though it's my main source of income, I treat blogging not as my career really but as a stepping stone to something else. Maybe I can do more speaking engagements! Maybe I can do a TV show! Maybe I can write a book! Or maybe I can suddenly just stop blogging and become a concert pianist.

Where did that come from?!

I do have plans for the blog on my 10th year. Introduce a series on a parenting advocacy—mothering boys. Write posts that support working moms. And, as this first Blog Biz post is doing, share what I've learned about blogging every other month to help other people find success in this medium. Blogging has been very good to me. I want it to be good to everyone!

Thanks for reading Topaz Horizon, dear Loyal Readers! You are THE BEST! The very very best. I thank the Lord for every reminder of you. And I have 10 years' worth of reminders. God bless you!

I'm so so so excited to announce that I'm a Biogenic Mommy!


Naks! I'm in an ad. Kung kelan ako malapit na mag-kwarenta, dun pa ako naging mowdel. I'm thrilled!

Biogenic Alcohol chose three moms to be their ambassadors: (from right) makeup artist, beauty resource person and beauty blogger Nikki Tiu of AskMeWhats; model, fitness enthusiast and lifestyle blogger Jackie Go of Go, Jackie Go!; and magazine editor, digital PR/marketing entrepreneur, lifestyle speaker, and mom blogger me. They liked that we keep ourselves on our toes even as we're busy with our families.

I think Nikki, Jackie and I are the typical modern mom. I feel like all the moms I meet now are multi-hyphenate. It doesn't seem to be enough that we're mothers; we're also busy pursuing passions, earning income from little projects here and there, and being actively involved in our own communities. The moms now are really so amazing. Sometimes when I get overwhelmed with the stuff I do, I look at other moms and get inspired again to not give up and to do more. Not because it's a competition but because I want to squeeze out everything that life has to offer!

I'm glad I can do all this and still be with my kids almost 24/7. I feel very very lucky. I'm glad I can work and be a mommy at the same time. Much like how Biogenic takes care of me and my family—it does its job by killing germs and disinfecting everything my kids touch and yet it takes care of us by being gentle on our skin. Biogenic and mommies. Perfect together!

I gave away BABY Magazine to everyone at the shoot. Please grab a copy, too!

As a busy mommy, I love that Biogenic comes in convenient packaging. Spray bottles in big and small sizes!!! So I have Biogenic bottles in the entry hall, in the kitchen, by the dining table, in the bathrooms, on my work desk, and of course in the diaper bag and my kikay kit. And now that it's almost pasukan na, I'm packing a small Biogenic spray bottle in the grooming kits of my sons. Biogenic everywhere! Amoy Biogenic na kami, sa totoo lang. My kids love it. I love it!

Okay, I got kilig again about my new brand ambassadorship! Lemme share with you a couple more photos from the shoot. Here are some behind-the-scenes shots:

To know more about how Biogenic helps us mommies, like their Facebook page, Official Biogenic Alcohol. You can also follow them on Instagram at @Biogenic_Alcohol and hashtags #BiogenicAlcohol and #MyBiogenicWorld.


Here's the photo Biogenic used for our print ad that's coming out in magazines next month. Guys, may print ad na ako! Pwede ko nang sabihin I'm a mowdel hahaha But seriously, I'm happy to be representing a brand that moms can trust, and I'm glad I'm endorsing Biogenic with moms you can also trust—Nikki and Jackie, two of the nicest and super-in-love-with-their-kids mommies I've ever met! Find out more about us Biogenic moms by following this special hashtag: #BiogenicMomsReveal on Instagram! See you there!


*photos by Mark Lao of Trio Photography