TOPAZ HORIZON

The flood waters are quickly receding. It was like yesterday's storm never happened. Until the news reports said that there are 72 dead, 21 missing. While I feel bad about that, considering how huge the storm was and the devastation it caused, that number is quite low. Thank God for Filipinos and our innate instinct for survival! Still, as the waters recede, that number will most likely still climb. And then there's the loss of and damage to property to reckon with.



It was surreal looking at images from all over the city--maybe this is how the country will look like when global warming reaches its zenith. In Cainta, a huge town that was, according to its mayor, "one hundred per cent underwater," the Coast Guard had to help with the rescue operation. The Coast Guard! Cainta is by the foothills of the Sierra Madre!

Still, when I look at news reports and photos, I can't help but giggle. While Filipinos are waist deep in murky water, tired, hungry, cold and wet, when they see the cameras, the first thing they do is--wave and cheer! "Hello!" they shout happily, jumping up and down. You just gotta love a people who can laugh at the face of such disaster! Vince said, "This is why we get all these terrible things--we can take them all!"

My family is safe--they were able to save a few things, and are now busy with inspecting the damage. They're funny actually, laughing and joking with me over the phone. They're okay but the damages are huge. Still, we rejoice that we are all alive and safe and talking again. I'm frustrated, however--I can't even get to them because of the floods! I spent the night awake with worry but at 3am, the skies were so clear, I can see the stars, then I knew in my heart that despite what the satellite images showed and what the weather bureaus said, God had swept away the storm clouds. Thank you for your prayers!

That used to be a street. That's Katipunan Ave. and that's happening all over Manila right now. I'm feeling really bad because of Typhoon Ondoy flooding the city. The entire Luzon area (and that is huge!) is in a state of calamity. Just found out that Typhoon Ondoy is bigger and stronger than Hurricane Katrina. Yes, that Hurricane Katrina. (see BBC report here)

Typhoon Ondoy is not done with the Philippines yet. Weather bureaus say that it will leave the country on Monday. Monday! The region is almost underwater already!

My family is in Cainta. In Edward VII St. in Kingsville Subd. to be exact. They are flooded in. The entire first floor is underwater. The cars are underwater. In some areas, the flood is 10 feet deep. Mobile phone services are down, and even if it were running, there's no electricity so I'm sure they won't have their phones ready.

I'm fine--I live in a condominium high above the city. In fact, we're so fine, we didn't realize what was happening to the rest of our countrymen. Cable service was down so we weren't updated with the news and no one in my family was calling me or texting so I assumed everything was okay. Turns out they were too busy salvaging their possessions and fleeing the flood. This is one time that the adage "no news is good news" simply was not true.

They are currently fine now, at the second floor of a neighbor's house. But they are surrounded by water. And if the weather bureau is correct, then the storm isn't over yet.

I believe in the power of prayer. So I am praying with everything in me that my family will be okay, the storm will go away sooner, the floods will go down and the sun will shine again. Soon!

I know Beauty For A Living is where I sell beauty products to help raise funds for a little boy's chemotherapy but it's also a fun beauty site!

Check out what I wrote about one of the best wrinkle creams on the planet. In fact, it's the most expensive moisturizer on the face of the earth because it boasts of using platinum as its key ingredient! Not feeling like putting metals on your skin? Then how about flowers instead?

You can also find out what my signature scent is and what variation of it I'm currently enjoying. You can also see how my recent salon trips have been disasters one after the other.

I'm also inviting you to go have a weekend of health and relaxation that my friend Monica is organizing in November. And of course, buy products to raise money for Mio's chemo! Okay, that's enough PR for Beauty For A Living!

Disorder	Your Score
Major Depression:	Very Slight
Dysthymia:	Very Slight
Bipolar Disorder:	Very Slight
Cyclothymia:	Very Slight
Seasonal Affective Disorder:	Very Slight
Postpartum Depression:	N/A
Take the Depression Test

Got this test from RanRan's blog. Like her, I am a very happy, well-adjusted person. But that can just be me deluding myself, you know?

I also sometimes think my steroids and asthma medication make me hyper and chirpy--why? Well, during summer or when I'm anywhere that has fresh air and I don't need my asthma meds, I'm usually subdued! (Well, my test results do indicate that I have a "very slight" chance of getting depressed. So there's still a chance, even if it's very slight!)

Vince thinks my asthma meds are like uppers. Chuckle, chuckle. He does have a point there; when I'm not pumped with the meds, I'm really quiet! So is my happiness because of asthma meds?

Nah, I'm happy because I have a wonderful man who loves me, a beautiful home, a fun job, few but fantastic friends, magnificent women who inspire me, adorable wabbits to dote on and my books. But even without those (and yes, there was a long time I didn't have any of those!), I've always been a glass-half-full person and I truly believe that's all because of my faith in God and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Because of God's sovereignity, I never lose hope and I never feel that all is lost. Because of Jesus, I never feel alone. And that is why I am happy!

I know that all the women in my Magnificent Women Series are members of my family. Well, God gave me fab women in my family and then He decided that I needed friends. This is where Mariel enters the picture.

Mariel is my angel. I never thought we'd be friends--first, because I wasn't friendly and, second, because she seemed to like food too much. She sat beside me at work and she was always happy and chipper, greeting me every morning with, "Hi, neighbor!" in that bright sweet manner of hers. She'd also always offer me snacks which I'd refuse because I don't like eating when I'm working! Finally, I began eating with her and talking with her and I discovered over sushi and chocolates and pasta that right before me is one shining soul, so bright that God must've lit her from within. I was just so focused on myself that I was blind to the wonderful woman right in front of me!

I love Mariel because she's good. Period. Yes, she's funny and smart and generous and lovable and honest and candid. But what I really love about her is she's a good person with a kind heart and a gentle soul. This is a harsh world we live in and when you meet a good person, it's insanely refreshing.

Mariel is insanely refreshing.

We also talk about everything under the sun--from discussing beauty products, fashion finds and entertaining at home to what we really want in life and the complexity of relationships. We even talk about stuff that aren't under the sun, like what heaven must be like. That was a lovely discussion, by the way! Now that she's about to get married, I can't wait to talk to her about married life--from happy stuff like decorating the house (and choosing between porcelain or stone sinks can merit an entire day of ruminations!) and sharing recipes to the more serious matters like handling money as a couple, fighting fair with the hubby and how to have great sex with the hubby, too!

Dear Neighbor, thank you for the friendship. I am lucky to have met you and even luckier to have shared meals with you. I know I have become a better person since the day you became my friend. You have inspired me with how you love people unconditionally. Because of you, I learned how to forgive my Papa and focus on what he's done for me instead of what he failed to do because I saw how you just accepted people into your life simply because they're there. So I stopped pushing people away, stopped being choosy with who I talk to and be friends with, stopped being a snob because of you. You are beautiful in every possible way and I want to be as beautiful as you. Love ya!


Be inspired by my Neighbor, too! Check out her wonderful blog, NY Minute Now, right now!

Magnificent Woman 1: Jacqui
Magnificent Woman 2: Rose
Magnificent Women 3: Lizelle, Anj and Reza
Magnificent Woman 4: Mom