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by Philipina A. Marcelo
Yeah, I'm guessing some of my students would be glad to know that I finally made time to visit the hair and nails salon, and the skin care spa... after more than two months now. Those kind souls,
Hmmm... I need to beef up the "blue section" of my
wardrobe. :)while they show touching appreciation of how I have been working like mad to make up for lost time at work when I was ill, they have been discreetly showing their disapproval at how I've been neglecting myself lately. I know it puzzles them why I've been looking like a "cavewoman" lately... not the delightful Carles Puyol-ish kind either! I did mention about putting work in the backseat for a day... but it never happened - but, of course! :( So, today, I thought I'd make an effort and do something to show my appreciation for their thoughtfulness - visit the salon and spa. :) But in doing so, I actually did myself a big favor! ;) I feel quite good... especially with my new nail lacquer color - metallic blue... and my first time to wear that color, too! :)
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(A wonderful) Life begins at forty...
If my spa and salon people's extra-ordinary delight to see me surrendering five hours of my life (and not in front of the TV tuned in to sports channel, mind you) and submitting myself to a five-hour session with them was any indication of how badly I needed the visit, then I must have been a total mess! =) But none of their reproachful look and distaste when they first saw me enter their doors could turn me away... I walked in with my eyes closed - in complete surrender! :)
Since I forgot to bring my Food magazines (another indicator of my appetite threatening to turn into an endangered species on me), I passed the time scanning the covers of the gazillion of "salon magazines". I found one that was more than one year old, and dared to leaf through it... just because its cover promised to mention "football" in its pages. :) It turned out that the article was a "photo diary" of a "noisy" showbiz couple's trip to South Africa to watch the England National Team go down on their knees as they were walloped by Germany in World Cup 2010! I'm not sure if the couple even knew who were playing? =) The only "legitimate" reference to football was a photo of the pitch with the couple's painted faces in the foreground. Huh? face paints? Hmmmm... Nah, I still doubt very much if those two had an opinion about that football phenom called "offside rule"! =) I sighed loudly... and all the salon employees turned their heads to me knowingly, rolled their eyes, and then shook their heads in unison! I have such a bad reputation, I know... and I deserve it, too, I think! ;)
Disgusted with the magazine, I tried to settle it on the table... but it slipped through my fingers and fell on the floor. When I picked it up, I saw an article about Che Che Lazaro - my fave Filipino female journalist! Hmmm... and I thought to myself, now we're talking, er, reading! :)
The feature on Che Che was written to commemorate her Probe Production's last airing of "Probe Profiles" on its 24th year. It chronicled Che Che's illustrious broadcast journalism career. Starting out as a brilliant academician from the University of the Philippines, Che Che left the Academia to respond to the call of respectable journalism in-action - when she was in her forties. She was one of those who valiantly chronicled the EDSA People's Power of 1986, when the late Ferdinand Marcos was ousted, and the revolution put the burden of leading the Philippines on the shoulders of the late Benigno Aquino Jr.'s widow, Corazon Cojuangco Aquino. It was a glorious start of a truly incredible career. Now, she's on semi-retirement as she chose to play the role of a doting grandmother to her first grandchild at the age of 65.
Che Che's story was truly inspiring. It is wonderful how she started her "second career" - the more illustrious one - in her forties. Underneath her calm façade, which earned her the distinct reputation for hard-hitting journalistic diplomacy, was a steel determination and relentless passion to do well. At some point, she even had to stand up against "commercialized journalism" - the exploitative and sensationalizing kind - and faced the formidable challenge of building her own broadcast journalism production to carry her signature program, "The Probe Team". She borrowed money from her husband, rented a little townhouse, which she converted into her Production's humble office, and hired idealistic journalists like herself to work with her. Soon, it became a stable of credible journalists and a firm with the seal of reliability... the most sought-after group for intelligent and fair journalism in the country. She worked as field reporter under (much) younger producers at "Probe Team", where her tenacity to do well served as professional model for her Team. One producer, younger than Che Che, said that she'd always preferred Che Che to do the field reporting herself because she could always be relied upon to do her utmost best to get the most unheard-of "sound bites" from their interviewees... or, she'd die trying! Her colleagues admire her for her incredible focus - even in the face of grave danger. She said that when one is focused, one tends to not see the peripherals, and therefore, becomes unafraid of any danger around.
So, there... inspiring. It makes women to dare painting their nails with metallic blue - for the first time - and... to boldly launch a new career - in their forties! ;)
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