These Shoes Are Made For Walking

By Tingting Cojuangco
Lucy Torres-Gomez
Rissa M. Mananquil

DEAR RISSA,

I'm a college student and since our campus is big, we always have to walk from building to building. The rainy season has started and my favorite pair of shoes (leather ballet flats) has been getting wet from the rain. This pair was a birthday gift from my parents and is a bit pricey. But I love wearing them every day to school because they're super comfy and versatile. How do I care for my shoes when they get wet?

JAJA

I know how you feel! When I was in college, it was no fun walking from building to building during rainy days and going home with damp feet (and dirty, ruined shoes!). When my shoes would get wet, I just let my damp shoes dry naturally. Avoid putting them near sources of heat because this can damage the leather and later cause it to crack. You can stuff them with old crumpled newspaper to help draw out the moisture and odor. This will also help maintain the shoe's shape. A shoe horn is a good investment especially for closed-back leather shoes because this helps keep the back from breaking down. No matter what pair of shoes I use, I always make it a habit to clean them as soon as possible after use. A soft cloth can be used to remove dirt and dust. If my shoes are a bit muddy, I allow the mud to dry first, then use an old toothbrush to remove the mud. I know you love your leather ballet flats but try to rotate the shoes you use. Try not to wear shoes for two days in a row. No matter what time of the year it is, the feet sweat a lot and your shoes need sufficient time to air out. To keep your shoes in top form, it's worth investing in a good shoe shining kit (with appropriate brushes and polishing cloths). The kit will last a lifetime -- and your shoes will last longer, too! Have you heard of Melissa shoes? Made by Brazil's fashionable footwear giant Grendene SA, they're a great re-invention of the much-loved jelly shoes. I think they're a great alternative to your favorite leather pair -- especially during this rainy season! They have so many fashionable styles and colors to choose from, be it flats, wedges or stilettos. My first pair of Melissa shoes was pointy flats and they felt heavenly on my feet! My next pair was a wedge style. From runway shoes to a night out, Melissa shoes are a wonderful and fashionable treat for my feet! I look forward to slipping my feet into them every day. I wear them even when it isn't raining because they're just so comfortable and fashionable! You can find Melissa shoes at Anthem in Power Plant Mall and Shangri-La Mall, Mia Bella in Serendra, Culte Femme in Rustan's, and Mixedenim in Greenbelt 3, Makati. Hope you find a new pair to call your favorite!

RISSA

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RX FOR ACNE-PRONE SKIN AND SWEATY UNDERARMS

DEAR LUCY,

I cannot afford to go to the dermatologist on a regular basis so I am writing to ask you about effective over-the-counter products that I can use on my acne-prone skin. Please, please help me!

Also, I have sweaty underarms. I wear a lot of dark tailored shirts and my sweating really gives an ugly stain. What deodorant can I use?

DESPERATE CALL CENTER GIRL

I think you will benefit a lot from a soap-free cleanser and an acne treatment. If you already have an acne astringent that you can use in between the two, then so much the better. From Stiefel comes this product called PanOxyl, a soap-free cleanser that effectively works on pimple-prone and oily skin. It cleanses the skin thoroughly. I also came across this product called Duac (still from Stiefel) and it is a very effective topical treatment for mild to moderate acne. Its active ingredients are clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide.

Stiefel is available at Mercury Drug and leading drugstores nationwide.

For very sweaty underarms, you need nothing else but Driclor. Excessive sweating is also known as hyperhidrosis. This uncomfortable, excessive outflow of secretions from the sweat glands are prompted by emotions and/or heat stimulation. This condition can happen in the underarms, hands and feet. When left untreated, it can cause body odor. Driclor is a clear, colorless solution that is different from other deos because it is really formulated with aluminum chloride hexahydrate. It forms a gel matrix in the affected sweat glands, thus reducing and eventually regulating the flow of sweat.

Driclor is available at Mercury Drug and leading drugstores nationwide.

LUCY

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FROM BAGGY TO SNAZZY

DEAR MS. TINGTING,

What can I do with the baggy bum and knees in my old leather pants? I want to keep it in style instead of putting it away because it's very costly.

LIZ

Leather pants are sexy but a baggy butt isn't. To fix a stretched-out-of-shape bum, ask a good tailor to take in the excess at the back of the waist. Baggy knees are hard to fix because stretching around this area is vertical rather than horizontal. Taking in the seams won't help. To reduce stretching, try pulling the legs of your pants up as you sit down or put a garter at the bottom of the two sides of your pants and slip on the garter at the heel of your feet to give you a skinny silhouette.

TINGTING

Taken from The Philippine Star

Among the Stars

Judy Ann's memories of her early days in the business are peppered with anecdotes about how she had to fight for recognition among the big leaguers and the stars of network-produced shows. Who would have thought that one day, she would become one of them? Or even become one of them?

Judy Ann isn't the type to trust people easily. She keeps to a close circle of friends, mostly because she is shy and doesn't want to expect too much. Over the years, she's learned that she's most hurt when she trusts most. Direk Joyce Bernal, with whom Judai had a little tampuhan back in 2007, has experienced the highs and lows of their friendship: "Si Joyce, si Ga [director Dante Nico Garcia, who's been her friend for nearly 15 years], nung nagkatampuhan kami, taon talaga bago nag-usap. Pero kahit di kami nag-uusap ni Direk Joyce that time, nagpapadala pa rin ako ng regalo kay Liam [Direk Joyce's daughter, who is Judy Ann's inaanak]. Masakit 'pag nagkatampuhan kayo dahil mahal mo 'yung tao. Pero hindi naman lahat ng tao, ganoon. Merong iba, madali akong nakapag-move on."

That what Judy Ann is like as a friend. Her friendships with showbiz's big leaguers are just as invested and precious, probably because she was once one of those who looked at them from a distance. She used to be outside the circle of big stars. When she did Magkapatid opposite Sharon Cuneta in 2002, she wasn't expecting to form a real bond with the Megastar, a bond that has lasted seven years now. Sharon, who also grew up in the business, is probably the one person who understands what Judy Ann went through, the only difference being that Sharon, unlike Judy Ann, did not experience the humiliation that Judy Ann did, being thrown out of a dressing room to give way to stars of network-produced shows, or hearing people laugh behind her back in the corridors. "Si Sharon, isa siya sa mga artista na di ko in-expect na magkakaroon ako ng very deep connection: isang malaking tao who would help you analyze things and help keep you grounded. Di alam ng tao na na-i-inspire ako, na na-re-refresh ako by a simple kiss or a hug from Ate. It's very precious, very sincere."

The actress is vocal about how much she admires Sharon's accomplishments in her career and personal life. "Marami akong natututunan kay Ate Sharon; (she's) very talented, she's a good mom, and she's a good wife. Hindi ko man masundan 'yung yapak niya, kahit man lang sana wisdom niya. Ako, masaya na ako na naging magkapatid kami sa pelikula at hanggang ngayon, ganun pa din 'yung turingan namin. Most prized possession na 'yun sa sakin," Judai explains.

The actress also considers Maricel Soriano (her co-star in I Will Survive in 2004) and the late Fernando Poe Jr. (Isusumbong Kita sa Tatay Ko, 1999) as two other big stars who gave her invaluable advice.

FPJ, who Judai fondly calls Tatay Ron, reminded her to treat everyone fairly, and told her: "Sila rin ang makakasalubong mo sa paglingon or sa pagbalik mo."

Her Ate Marya, Ate Sharon and Tatay Ron all reminded her that she must pour her heart into what she is doing. "Sabi nila, mahalin ko lang 'yung trabaho ko, 'yun 'yung isa sa mga nakapagpapangiti sa akin," she shares. "I was able to work with these people. I was able to hear them out base sa personal experiences nila."

Taken from Starstudio magazine: Judy Ann Santos special issue

The Other Careers in Sports

You may be one of those sports enthusiasts who fantasizes about earning a living on the playing field. Unfortunately, you're not a superstar.

However, the sports industry is a big business, and there are ways to make a living in sports without being a professional athlete.

Here are some of the other sports careers:

• Coaching. Coaching can be a difficult, but rewarding job. A variety of coaching opportunities exists, ranging from those of a volunteer, recreational nature, to the ranks of the full-salaried professional mentors.

A coach is first of all an educator. Today's coach is in the people business. He or she is trying to develop and get the most out of each player.

• Sports administration and management. Sports organizations are just another business. Though not identical in structure, sports-related positions are basically the same in their job description as corresponding positions anywhere else. The skills and training involved in sports finance, marketing or public relations are no different from any other business.

• Sports medicine. The fitness boom of the '80s had one overriding side effect: an outgrowth of activity-related injuries.

In one year alone, the U.S. government estimated that more than one million sports-related injuries occurred at the varsity level in high school and college sports.

These injuries are often out of the ordinary, everyday practices of most family physicians. Athletic injuries have created a need for specially trained physicians and therapists.

Other sports-related fields include: referees and umpires, grounds keepers, sporting goods suppliers, insurance agents, marketing consultants, advertising agents, equipment managers, photographers, sports writers and commentators

- By Greg J. Cylkowski

Taken from Youth 90 magazine

2,000 METERS to VICTORY

By David Campbell

"Don't worry about the other boats," our coach said. "Just row this one as hard and fast as I know you can."

The big day. "This is it men, this is the race we've been shooting at for three years.

"Just remember what I told you: 2,000 meters is a long race, and the last 500 meters will be won in your head and in your heart. Now let's get out there and row."

We knew if we won this race we would go on the Princess Elizabeth Cup in England. We also knew that the competition was strong, especially the teams from British Columbia and from a local high school. It would be a tough race.

We hefted the boat onto the dock and into the water.

A man who lived sportsmanship

My rowing coach from 1966 to 1968, in my high school days, was the best example of true sportsmanship I have ever had the privilege to see. His name was Neil Campbell.

Neil Campbell never lectured us about sportsmanship, he lived it. He coached a novice team of oarsmen into National Champs in three seasons. Along the way he taught us true sportsmanship and he taught us to be men.

Despite being the lead oarsman, or "stroke," of the Canadian Olympic Rowing Team in 1964, he was a humble man. He'd say, "If you lose, say nothing. If you win, say less." That set the tone. If we bragged or showed off after a win he would chew us out.

He worked us hard. Training began in January, as soon as we came back to school from winter break. He had us run five miles before breakfast. After school we lifted weights and did calisthenics in an unheated building on the edge of campus.

Everything he told us to do, he did--and then some. Once he thought we were getting a little too full of schoolboy bravado, so he challenged us all to a push-up contest. He was about 35 years old at the time.

We all pumped away until only our stroke, Neil and I were left. Moore Newell, our stroke, and I collapsed together at 112. Neil went on to 125!

Rowing in the eight-man shells could not start until early April when the ice was off the river. Even then, it was bitterly cold with an icy wind blowing in off Lake Erie.

Neil would be in an aluminum boat alongside us, freezing and shouting correction and encouragement through a megaphone.

He wouldn't let us get too proud. If we thought we were rowing well because we had just overpowered another team, he would arrange to have the local men's team, who were the Canadian Olympic Team, race against us. They would beat us by five lengths going away. It hurt, but it made us row better. Neil made us dig deeper daily.

The day finally came for the big race, the Canadian National Schoolboy Championships. We remembered him telling us to stay loose; to dismiss the crowds, bands, television, parents and girl friends from our minds. He wanted us to think rowing and nothing else.

Stay loose and row tough

He called us together in the boat house. "Men [it was never 'boys'], you've been taught everything I know about this sport [not, 'I've taught you everything there is to know']. I've seen you get better for three years. I know you can win this race. Don't worry about the other boats. Just row this one as hard and fast as I know you can."

He never lectured us on sportsmanship--he lived it. He made us dig deeper every day.

He gave us some last-minute encouragement as we rowed slowly down toward the starting gate.This was it. The wind was on the beam (a crosswind), which would make it hard to steer and keep the boat level.

"Think over the race in your mind," I could hear Neil saying. "Stay loose and row tough."

We approached the starting gate, and began to turn the racing shell around. Moore Newell pulled out a banana he had brought on board. He calmly peeled it down a bit, took a bite and handed it back to the number seven man. He took a bite and handed it to me. I nibbled and handed it back. The banana went all the way down the boat, much to the distraction of the other boats lined up in the gate. We laughed. We were ready.

The gun fired. We exploded out of the gate and poured the power on. We hit the catch with all we had and bent the shaft to follow through.

It was close. The team from British Columbia was beside us to the 1,500 meter mark. Now our strategy was to sprint home--to take it up to 42 strokes a minute.

We hit 42 and they hit 42. It was still close.

But our 42 was faster than their 42. We broke their hearts by gaining about a foot each stroke.

Finally our conditioning paid off. We won going away. What Neil had said about the last 500 meters was true. Several of us (including me), leaned over the side and threw up. We had nothing left. We had set a course record and we were going to England!

The next day Neil had us out rowing again. When we got to the rowing club, the Olympic team was waiting for us. They beat us by a lot, of course. But it brought Neil's lesson home:

"If you lose, say nothing. If you win, say less."

Taken from Youth 90 magazine