Your mantra for the week: “This week, I am sure God has something wonderful to reveal to me.”
According to a study by the University of Surrey, England, couples sleeping together contribute to many cases of heart disease and divorces. This is not to say that, if two people sleep well together, they must avoid such a practice.
The study explains that the tradition of sleeping together in the marital bed began only in the Industrial Revolution, when people moved to the cities and living spaces became limited. Before the Victorian era, most couples slept apart, there were less separations and fewer cases of heart problems amongst them.
There are five factors mentioned for not getting deep sound sleep that is necessary for the body to regenerate efficiently:
1) The tossing and turning of partners during sleep show that there is a 50 percent chance of disrupted deep sleep when one of the parties changes position.
2) The notion that it is more comfortable to sleep beside somebody holds little water.
3) To feel more comfortable means you are awake.
4) It is nice to cuddle in bed, but when one is ready to sleep, it is time to transfer to another bed for deeper, sounder sleep.
5) Intimacy may be good for emotional health, but then it is also underscored that uninterrupted sleep is necessary for physical and mental health.
Next week, I will elucidate on why it is healthier—emotionally, physically, mentally— why married couples should have his, hers, and “theirs” room.
300 guests
Leave it to the indefatigable, attractive Helen Ong to come up with her version of a “coming out party” last Saturday, when she invited 300 of her friends to Okada Manila for cocktails at 6 p.m., in the reception hall beside the ballroom. Guests mingled, with Helen O’s three children, B.Y., Marian and Czarina playing hosts.
In a traditional debut party, parents introduce their 18-year old daughter to adult society, the affair usually held in the ballroom of a five-star hotel with the usual cotillion and the debutante’s first dance with her father.
In Helen’s case, the Sayaw Foundation dance troupe prepared a special number that preceded her grand entrance, escorted by her only son B.Y., followed by her two daughters, and two more full generations of the Ong family.
Happy life
The guests were awestruck, seeing Helen’s whole family for the first time. Each family member took turns praising her as a mother and grandmother.
It’s hard to imagine that she already has grandchildren, much less great-grandchildren, which only proves that when you are living a happy, fulfilled life, your youthful glow never dims.
The guests gave her an ovation like no other in her life, as she took a bow, waved, but did not speak a word to show her delight.
Charity work
Helen—honorary consul of Angola—has been in the social limelight for the past couple of decades for being a patron of the arts, helping establish many cultural organizations.
Most of all, she is known for having raised a lot of funds for the Philippine Cancer Society through the annual benefit, Ten Best Dressed Women of the Philippines, where “the chosen ones” model their choices of gowns and accessories.
When she became a widow, Helen spent most of her time with her favorite charities. People knew she had children, but the kids stayed in the background.
The Okada Ballroom hosted a hundred ladies in their elegant gowns. However, the talk of the evening was Helen’s radiance as she walked in her Amir Sali white gown sprinkled exquisitely with diamond-like stones.
It was an evening when designers showcased their very best, especially because costs were of no concern. Ito Curata designed 16 of the gowns that night.
From my viewpoint, the outstanding ones were Marivic Vazquez, Margie Moran-Floirendo, Merle Pineda, Tina Jacinto, Criselda Lontok, Mia Borromeo, Frannie Jacinto, Linda Ley and Nikki Tang, not necessarily in that order.
Worth mentioning were program emcee Bianca Valerio, as well as Elaine Villar.
Tributes
The event was not a sit-down dinner but people sat at tables of their choices. There were seven food stations with delectable selections of salads, pastas, meats like Peking duck, roast beef, lechon, a 4-foot tuna being sliced as sashimi.
At dinner, three gentlemen paid tributes to Helen. Jimmy Laya spoke of her involvement in cultural affairs through the foundation Society for Cultural Enrichment Inc. Johnny Litton credited her for the success of the Philippine Cancer Society’s annual fund-raising. Danny Dolor’s speech was the most interesting because their organization, Cofradia de la Inmaculada Concepcion, is composed of what I would call people who have become virgins again. Anyone of them could easily write a sequel to Quentin Crisp’s “How to Become a Virgin.” If I were a Marian devotee, they would probably invite me to join.
I had lunch with Crisp in Manhattan sometime ago and got an autographed copy of his best selling book, which I gifted Elvira Manahan with a dedication that read, “I do not need this book because I already am,” which could not make her stop laughing.
Helen’s party went on with dancing and frolicking till past midnight. Everyone left with a big, happy smile on their faces.
Helen is doing her annual ball this September at the bigger ballroom that can sit over a thousand guests which she easily fills every year. When Helen calls, they answer!
NIX-ON line
On January 28th, I wrote in my Rooster year forecast that it would be a good year for President Rodrigo Duterte. So far, so good.
I also predicted that it would be a difficult year for US President Donald Trump—which has come to pass this week with one bombshell after another in the White House. So much so, that the question right now is whether he would be NIX-ON line and, well, it all de-PENCE.
