Pressing

I realize it’s been two weeks since April rolled in, but I’ve been pretty much out of the loop the past few weeks because of a writing assignment that’s slowly taking over my life. And this weather isn’t conducive for any kind of productivity besides taking a cold shower. Sleeping really isn’t much of an option since  you wake up sweating even with the fan at full blast. So I read.

This month, FHM asked me to write and style a green gadgets story for their April issue. Next to the humongous Wacom unit they asked me to borrow for last month’s issue, they had me digging through boxes to assemble a complete LG home entertainment system complete with 3D glasses, which, I may add, would look really good just as normal glasses. I’m thinking of buying a pair and switching the lenses to my prescription ones.

I also got to play with some pretty nifty toys: e-cigarettes, the new Samsung Galaxy Note that’s too big for my pocket, solar mobile phone chargers, and probably the best HP printer I’ve seen.

With the husband and wife team of Heidi and Melvin Aquende in their studio on Maginhawa Street.

Our pegs for the day courtesy of Wired. They really have the best product photos, especially gadgets. For fashion, I turn to GQ.

Then there are those 3D glasses. I realize I should be fawning over the 42-inch slab that can convert 2D movies to 3D movies that came with it, but these glasses were really comfortable and fit perfectly.

They cost P850 a pair. That’s cheaper than Wayfarers but more expensive than the ones you pass by in the mall. And they’re plastic. But nobody has to know that.

Entrepreneur also asked me to write a feature on three business guru’s paired with one of their former students. In the spirit of impartiality, I chose one from the Ateneo Graduate School of Business, one from De La Salle University, and the third one from the University of Asia & The Pacific.

Left to right: Benison Cu of DLSU’s Marketing Deparment, Jay Bernardo of the Ateneo Center for Continuing Education, and Dr. Eli Santos of UA&P.

The superstar guru that he is, when I asked Jay Bernardo who among his former students would he like to accompany him in the photo shoot, he said, “Why not Charlene?” Me: “Who’s Charlene?” Jay: “Charlene Gonzales.” Me: “Game.”

Together with her husband and fellow actor, Aga Mulach, the two are in the process of setting up a first rate residential and resort property in Batangas. “Who’s the target,” I asked Prof. Jay. “”People like them.”