FIRST of all, I would like to abuse my power as a columnist of this multi-awarded newspaper by greeting my good friend, Jonathan Valdez, the happiest birthday.
You see, Jonathan is one of my closest friends. We met decades ago when we were young and super restless. He was a loud boisterous gay guy, and I was the louder and more boisterous one, so we instantly clicked. One thing we also have in common is our obsession with beauty pageants, Binibining Pilipinas in particular. As early as when the 40 candidates would be introduced, we would pick our faves to win. We would even go to the extent of declaring that we were that candidate. Like in one year, he was Marilen Espino while I was Marina Benipayo. We would cheer so loudly for our respective manoks and sometimes get into a tampuhan or two but after the pageant, when mostly our manoks would be given a crown (whether International or Universe or whatever), things would go back to normal.
It was in 1994 when Jonathan first laid eyes on Abbygale Arenas and declared that the Pampanguena native was his bet. I was safe and I said I was Charlene Gonzales. I won that year, and Jonathan was only first runner-up. So it was a surprise for me that three years later, when Abbygale joined again, Jonathan stuck to his bet. I actually forgot who I was that year. And so when Abbygale was crowned Binibining Pilipinas Universe, Jonathan gloated. He gloated actually throughout the whole reign of Abbygale reminding me that he made the right choice.
Even past her reign as a beauty queen, Jonathan would still stalk Abbygale. It was through him that I learned what is up with Abbygale. Jonathan told me she was Jun de Leon’s girlfriend (they eventually got married). He updated me that Abbygale has also become a freelance makeup artist and setup a personality development school. Jonathan also told me one time that she also taught a career image enhancement course.
I hope Jonathan is reading this piece of mine so that, this time, I can be the one to inform him of Abbygale’s latest endeavors. She now has a book about exuding poise and projecting effective body language, titled 88 Things Every Professional Should Know…or Else, published by ABS-CBN Publishing Inc.
“I have been an image consultant for the longest time. When I realized I can’t talk to millions of people, I decided to write a book. If you open a random message [from the book], it gives you everything that a professional can do to help them,” said Abby during her book tour.
Organized by Personi-fi Image Studio Inc., the event held at Romulo Café in Quezon City, dubbed “Etiquette and Poise,” highlighted a talk from the sought-after corporate trainer as well as demonstrations on power dressing and personal grooming. “I’d like this to be my legacy—that makeup is easy, that posture is easy, and that they are important. It can turn an unemployed person to an employed person all because of how he carries himself,” she added.
Abby’s 88 Things Every Professional Should Know…or Else includes a carefully chosen guide that “are not rules actually but are reminders” on how to make a good impression in everyday encounters. Among those she shared during the event are:
- Learn to smile the right way. Have happy thoughts, happy lines, and say the letter “A” or the number “8” for two minutes daily for two weeks to develop that perfect smile. Not only does smile make everyone look more beautiful, but it also makes people sound more pleasant.
- Achieve perfect posture using the right position of the neck, shoulders, lower back and legs. She said that the body is just too heavy to be carried by just one leg; posture is when we balance our weight using both legs. Lean forward. Whether for business or social gatherings, a forward lean will help lessen the distance between you and another person, which reflects your interest and casts importance on the person you are talking to.
- Make eye contact—a very powerful gesture to show that you value the time and presence of the person you are talking to.
- Exude poise. Simply put, poise is a conscious and controlled effort to move, stand or perform an act gracefully. This projects a confident and refined way of carrying one’s self.
The book’s latest edition includes manners and etiquette reminders, food and dining guide, and keys to wellness to take care of one’s body. The handy manual also features tips on how to avoid fashion misdemeanors and conversational pitfalls, and how to control attitude and behavior in public.
I know that after reading this, Jonathan would run to the nearest bookstore to buy Abbygale’s book. Or else….