It's the start of the work week and I'm feeling fine! Maybe mostly because I've stocked a week's worth of my, er, hyper juice. You know that Nescafe iced coffee in cans? It keeps me charged without making me dizzy like the usual coffee. Amazing. Anyway here are some videos I started my day with - two of my favorite songs from college. 

I love Sarah Bettens because she's a great song writer and her voice is just incredibly raw. She always writes about things that are almost in your hands - almost there but not quite. I think discontent is a human body part. We're all always discontented, it's lodged right up there near our appendix. The key to being happy is accepting that it will always be there and appreciating that other things in our life are working just fine.

I was browsing online a few days ago when I saw a link that led to the Avon Voices website. I was invited to the launch last December 1, but I wasn't able to make it so I just promptly forgot about it. I did have a vague idea that it was about empowering women, giving them a voice, something like that. It's Avon's advocacy after all. But when I saw the site, I was surprised that my impression was waaayyyy off the mark!

Avon Voices is actually the first-ever global online singing talent search. It's a contest for budding singers and songwriters all over the world! All they have to do is pick and/or write a song and upload it. There will be 200 finalists who will get to travel, receive professional coaching, Avon makeovers, and even record performance videos. The 200 will ultimately be whittled down to two winners - one an Avon Representative - who may get to record their own albums! So cool right?

Here are some photos during the Philippine launch at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Of course, Ms. Lea Salonga headed the charge not only as an Avon endorser but also as a world-class musician and one of the international judges for the contest.

Lea Salonga is ageless

Mechanics and more photos after the jump!