JessicaRulestheUniverse.com

Mat says: It’s not cool to come running when your human arrives in the house. What are you, a dog? When you hear the door opening, stay right where you are. Pretend to be sleepy or bored, which should come naturally. Then when the human approaches your spot, lift your eyes very slightly. Give them a look that says, “Oh hello, have you been there long? I was mulling over some flaws in Godel’s conjecture.”

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People have the wrong idea about etiquette. It is not about class. It is not for ritual or show. It is not about money. Rich people are just as rude and tacky as the rest of us, except that they can afford a proper education and therefore have no excuse for their uncouth ways.

Read our column, Etiquette for Social Media, at InterAksyon.com.

90g soap, Php165; 200ml baby bath, Php230; 200ml lotion, Php240.

Our publicist friend invited us to a media launch for Baby Care Plus Milk.

“We hate babies,” we reminded him.

“You’re not required to have them gaga,” he replied. “These are baby skin care products.”

“Oh, baby products! We love those.”

Our problem with many skin and hair care products—lotions, moisturizers, body butter, shampoo—is that they reek. Their perfumes are supposed to be pleasant, but they’re so strong, they give us headaches. Many personal care products available in stores seem to have been created for people who never bathe—why is that? Over the years we have learned that the most practical, least annoyingly-scented skin care products are the ones made for babies.

We tried the Baby Care Plus Milk soap, bath and lotion and are officially hooked. They contain skin protectors and milk moisturizers that make your skin soft so you feel like hugging yourself. The fragrance is so light you barely notice it.

Baby Care Plus Milk products are not available in stores; you can buy them only from Tupperware dealers. To track down the nearest dealer, go to tupperwarebrands.ph or call their hotline, (02)867.2222.

Not Jon Snow and Ygritte (or you), not Robb and Talisa Stark (or you), not Gendry Baratheon and Arya Stark (or you), not Sam and Gilly or Edmure Tully (The one good thing about having fish as your sigil: very cool scales armor) and the Frey girl, and not, alas, Tyrion Lannister and us.

It’s Brienne of Tarth and Jaime Lannister! Holy crap, a grown-up relationship based on acceptance, mutual respect and equality. Who knew. And who cares if it’s not the traditional romantic stuff, it’s intense.

from the Brienne tumblr

The books hint at it, the series develops it, and good actors and cheese-free writing make it work.

Aaargh they’re setting up the Red Wedding.

Teapots. All photos by JZ.

Erika Koch Arroyo’s solo exhibit opened yesterday, 12 May, at the Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo.

Thingummy

Art, Function and Fantasy from Fired Earth features ceramic art pieces such as teapots, masks and bowls. Whimsical and provocative, they seem to be taunting the viewer: “We have personality, do you?”

Mug

Suddenly matching china seems unspeakably boring. Why should all your plates, cups and saucers be of the same design? Are the people at your table clones of each other?

Masks

Erika, a cat person, also makes jewelry. We’re looking forward to the rings and earrings especially. Love the idea of wearing fired earth.

Noel bought this teapot that looks like a candelabrum. Those are cups.

The exhibit runs until 2 June 2013. Here’s a map to Pinto Art Museum.

Make it a day trip. See Erika’s exhibit, wander through the gardens, look at the art in the galleries (A restorative for your eyes after months of hideous campaign posters), have a drink at Siraulo cafe. You need a break.

via The World’s Best Ever

Apropos of the foodgramming story: We do not mind that there are jillions of cat videos on the net.

This photo is by Boboy.

Our friend Chuck Nitorreda died this morning. He was a lovely human being. We will never forget him.

We read and watch a lot of epics, and they all go on about how glorious it is for a warrior to die in battle. Well it’s the 21st century and the likelihood of a glorious warrior’s death in battle is almost nil. The nature of combat has changed.

The wars we wage today are smaller and quieter, but they are no less vicious and punishing. The struggle to be true to yourself, to uphold the things you believe in, to do right even (and especially) when it’s inconvenient and no one will praise you for it. To reject mediocrity and mindless conformity. To look after the people you love without being blind to their faults. To accept yourself and enjoy your own company. To do your work to the best of your ability, even if it doesn’t make you rich and no one will hear about it. These battles are internal and not very cinematic; the rest of the world doesn’t have to hear about them.

These are the battles we fight today, and Chuck has won them.