MEComposing

... is that though she is talented, she's just not THAT talented. And, she looks cheap, trashy... like she doesn't take a bath or like she's some desperate sex worker who's down on her luck. Or okay, she looks like she's stuck in the 80's or something.

I'm sorry... I like her but I can't help but wince everytime I see her. Doesn't anyone sponsor her outfits? Can't she get anyone to sponsore her outfits?

Plus, she's short and her body type is a little weird so dressing her may be a challenge (while Vilma and Nora, though short, had beautifully proportioned bodies). So is that it? Things seldom fit her right?

But she is a thousand times more talented than Jasmine Trias will ever be... so if she lasts in American Idol because Pinoys all over the world vote with a vigilance, she would at least deserve it.

But alas! She's not AI material... unless she cleans up her... uhm... image maybe.

(oh and the supposedly racy pics of her? they're actually just cute)

My SIL is kidding us about going to a fashion school after she finishes school. She is currently taking up HRIM (?) from Benilde and is graduating this October. She's also the one going to Paris as an immersion project.

I actually wouldn't be surprised if she goes through with this, since she is, after all, the girl who is considered the top fashionista in class. Her classmates would even check everyday what shoes she is wearing or how she accessorized herself. I'm guessing she came to ponder this when she chanced upon the site fashion-school-finder.com when she was looking for a fashion school in New York.

Of course, she'd be looking for New York fashion schools because that's where Fashion Week happens. Fashion-school-finder.com provides top fashion schools in this fashion capital of the world for everyone who wants to study fashion trends and styles. The site also offers fashion articles that tackle career options, journalism, marketing, merchandising and runway trends. One-stop shop comes to mind, doesn't it?

The site also lists fshion schools according to design, merchandising and marketing. It does make sense to go to school first so one can learn fashion first-hand, what works, what doesn't.

Fashion schools New York = fashion-school-finder.com

I guess in a way, it's still easier to divvy up properties when you have something to divide instead of there being nothing. I'm talking of when parents separate, or maybe when they die.

It's painful, true.

And deciding to sell something that had much history with the family... that is sure to break a heart. But can you blame a parent if she'd rather have nothing to do with the family resthouse anymore after knowing your father and her mistress slept in the same bed she used to call her own?

I wouldn't.

But yeah, it sort of invalidates all the good times you had as a child there.

But the division of properties when parents separate... it must be really terrible for the children, for they make the separation more tangible, more real.

I advised my friend to hire professionals (brokers or real estate agencies) in dealing with this thing. Because the situation with her husband will just drag on and on if she doesn't claim the power over the properties she's asked for herself and her kids. And I know that the least thing she needs right now is to come off as a beggar.

But some of her kids are raging over her decision to sell their resthouse. And I could see it in their eyes, how they think she's to blame, how they think she's making the already awful situation worse.

*~*

On the other hand, I wish parents with properties would take it upon themselves to already divide it among their kids while they're still alive. It's the responsible thing to do. Children are more likely to respect the decision when they know it came from their parents. Leaving kids to divide your properties among themselves when you're already gone will leave much room to wondering, second-guessing and squabbling.

nd not because they're all suddenly greedy, ungrateful kids. It's just that properties leave much promise and responsibility, which will add to each child's comforts or frustration.

*~*

Looking for an affordable place to unwind with family or friends? Hope this helps you.

Today is your day, your mountain is waiting, so get on your way.
- Dr Seuss


Did you climb your mountain today?

I don't think I did. I was actually not even in the mood to blog so I just whiled away my afternoon chatting with Pex Mommies and organizing an EB at Dampa. I'm so craving fresh oysters, but haven't had it for a long time so am scared if I still have the stomach for it.

And crabs. I crave crabs! So we're having crabs! But that's still next week.

This Saturday, it's buffet at Dad's with college friends though.

And I know, i'm already blogging about bingeing :) So yes, definitely, I didn't climb my waiting mountain.

I'm not sure if it is the same abroad but pawnshops and watch buyers are like 7-11s here, you are sure to see at least one wherever you go. I'm also not sure if it is a cultural or universal thing, an expected mode of behavior for those who find themselves cash-strapped.

Jewelry buyers also haunt offices, or at least they did where I used to work. I guess it is because of the fact that people usually invest in jewelries when they have money, knowing that it can easily be pawned or sold in times of need.

Ever wondered why gold prices suddenly fall around enrollment times or Holidays? The reason is that parents are likely to have sold precious pieces to finance tuition fees and have more money to buy gifts or necessary appliances.

And after Holidays, gold is likely to cost more because jewelries are hot items to give to the people we truly love and cherish (mostly, wives and mothers).

When selling jewelries, I believe heirloom pieces might get higher offers, and of course there is quality of the gold (or karats) considered and if the piece/pieces contains gems, whether semi-precious stones or really precious stones. Diamonds will certainly appeal to diamond buyers, most specially those that have really intricate cuts and clarity.

Pawnshop commercials would often remind you of what ancestors must have probably done to sustain the family, with jewelries wrapped in white hankerchiefs and sad expressions over jewelry that was dreamt to be handed over from generation to generation, a supposed tangible inheritance. But we do what we have to do, just as they did what must be done.

(aside: The famous Monique Lhuillier came from a clan of jewelry buyers in Cebu)

When pawning stuff, I think one is given a certain amount of days to repay the loan made using the jewelry as collateral. If you don't pay in time, you lose the jewelry. But some opt to just sell them, maybe needing a bigger amount of cash or knowing they wouldn't be able to afford to get the piece back anyway.

Some also go to consignees because jewelry consignment is a booming business now, and offers are closer to your jewelries actual value. They in turn aggressively market the pieces after improving it some.

However way jewelry is sold, the important thing is that it really is a good investment, a really great fallback in times of need.

My Mom was generally just exhausted most of the time she'd come back home from work during my childhood. But sometimes, she'd surprise even herself. She liked bringing home board games and what-not which the family can play, and one of the things we'd usually lose sleep over is playing bingo games.

I think we played bingo using three different bingo sets at least until we got preoccupied with adolescence concerns. But the love for the game is still alive in me, and I even told my husband before that I want one for our home because the game is such a good bonding game.

We have yet to play bingo at the mall though.

And do you remember all those nicknames for the numbers, like instead of shouting 16, you shout SWEET :)

So it's really sweet that there is alredy online bingo which you can enjoy in the comforts of your own computer chair. It is actually very addicting!

photo taken by Vignette Photography, Dec. 28, 2005


A wedding is probably one of the greatest, biggest, most expensive and most hopeful parties ever in someone's life. You gather friends and family together to witness your commitment to somebody else's body and soul.

It's also the first party a married couple hosts, and is a celebration, not of something accomplished in the past but of a new life ahead with a new family.