TOPAZ HORIZON

Well, officially he's Joanna's very own but since we all saw him grow and grow and grow in Joanna's tiny body, we have adopted him. Meet Juan Paolo Tuazon Mendoza...

He is so cute! Lana, Elaine and I all cooed and ooh-ed and aah-ed over the little guy and he seemed to enjoy the attention. Yes, little man, get used to beautiful women fawning over you!

Joanna gave birth on October 9. Here she regales us about the birthing process, eliciting grimaces and giggles from us. Seems like she was screaming her head off and fainting away while Elijah passed around Facebook and text messages about his new status as daddy.

My goodness, I will confess that I felt like a grandma when I saw Paolo. Joanna, being so young and as a member of my staff, well, I think of her (and the rest of them actually) as my kids. So I feel very very old these days. Funnily enough, when I told someone at an event earlier today that I was turning 33 next week, she sighed, "Oh, you're so young!" Music to my ears!

Dear Joanna, congratulations on your new baby boy. I pray that God give you wisdom, patience, guidance, strength, good health and daily provision. May you always find humor, may you always respond in love, and may you always remember that you are also a wife and a woman--don't just be a mom! One day, Paolo will grow up and leave you, as all children are wont to do. Relish your other roles and never forget your own needs. Then again, I don't need to tell you this because you're one smart girl. And that's how I know that little boy is in good hands.

I'm out of the country actually. In Singapore. For the Nuffnang Asia Pacific Bloggers Awards!

Singapore is just about the most beautiful city I have ever seen. Just amazing. Will talk about this stunningly beautiful city soonest. Right now I need to:
1. apologize to Hair in Manila. My writing assignment is almost done!
2. resize photos from this amazing trip.
3. pack my stuff because we're going home to Manila tomorrow. You know, I just want to say that Singapore may be beautiful but it's not as alive as Manila. Manila is another animal altogether and I love Manila!

I will be uploading photos soon but I am very hesitant because, after seeing the fantastic pictures of my fellow bloggers, I realize to my horror how terrible my photos are!!! So I will just grab and grab and grab! Like these pics that I grabbed from...



I've met so many wonderful bloggers! I am seriously inspired to make Topaz Horizon better! Anyway, will update soonest!

My birthday's coming up and I feel like sharing my blessings by selling these fantabulous shoes for a low price! Each is brand new and still in their boxes. All are imported from the US of A. That means they aren't available here! But because I'm feeling magnanimous, I'll sell them to you lovely ladies for a bargain price. Plus, free shipping! Wouldn't you like to buy a pair or two?



Email me at frances@topazhorizon.com if and only if you're buying! I accept PayPal, G-Cash and deposits to my BDO bank account. Be fashyon and drive your friends crazy when they ask, "Where did you get those shoes?!" and then you say, "Oh, this is one of a kind. I'm the only one in the country who has these babies!" Love it. Buy now!

Last Saturday, I joined some Nuffnangers on a visit to Sunshineville in Las Pinas. Sunshineville. You gotta love a place named like that! And you know what? The people who live there truly are filled with sunshine. And look at how they decorate their windows! I was just so delighted!

Sunshineville is a community development project of the Gawad Kalinga Foundation. The place used to be an ultra-low income neighborhood. In today's PC terms, informal settlers. In other words, squatters. But through the efforts of Gawad Kalinga and many corporate sponsors, these people are now living in their own homes (they pay Php500 a month!). They all have a sense of ownership and belonging. And these can do wonders to the soul!

Going around the colorful neighborhood and talking to the people, I was amazed at how confident they are, at how proud and happy they are. Many times when I meet people, they regard me with resentment--insecure and ashamed of how different they are from me. And I'm not even talking about poor people--some people who are so fantastically blessed can be angry just because your skin is lighter or you're thinner. Or they look down on you because of the same shallow reasons. I can't understand this!

In Sunshineville, I felt none of that nonsense. In Sunshineville, they didn't make me feel like I was better than them. I felt like I was with equals. And I truly was! The people at Sunshineville not only are paying for their mortgage, they also built their houses. They also have a livelihood that gives them self-worth (I'll talk about this livelihood later!). No one talked about how many cars you owned or what new fitness fad or diet pill you're taking or what designer brand you just bought. What we talked about was our work and how wonderful it is to work!

It is a most beautiful thing to witness how an honest day's work gives people dignity. I'm so inspired! Can you imagine if the entire country was transformed like this? Now I want to put up a business so I can give people jobs and make more people happy!

*for more photos of Sunshineville (especially the people! Haha, sorry, was so fascinated by the windows I forgot to take pictures of the people!), click here!

Air pumps used to mean nothing to me as they usually meant car tires, balls and basketball shoes. Then I spied these on a shop shelf.My new forest green Cole Haan pumps. With Nike Air technology! I feel like I'm wearing sneakers! Cole Haan is on a huge sale this month--these babies were 75% off. Yes. Originally at Php19,000! Great deal!!!

They're a sensible style and since my style isn't so sensible, I got it in not-so-sensible forest green! Except that when I tried them on with my all-black ensemble (Bench tank, Kate Moss for Topshop pants), they also looked black. So now I just ended up looking like a career bitch... in high heeled sneakers! Now I'm thinking fondly of that scene from Stepford Wives when Matthew Broderick's character tells Nicole Kidman's character about their new life:

Walter: First of all, we're in the country now,
so no more black.
Joanna: No more black? Are you insane?
Walter: You heard me. Only high-powered, neurotic,
castrating, Manhattan career bitches wear black.
Is that what you wanna be?
Joanna: Ever since I was a little girl.

Oh! I've also always dreamed of being a career woman when I was a little girl! Whenever my Papa would start saying things like, "One day, you'll be married..." or "When you have kids..." I would tell him very loudly, "I'm going to be a working woman!" and Papa would shake his head in disapproval. So it's very strange now that he's actually proud of me!