CAPTIVATINGLY CLEAR
From:Juris Fernandez

You hear her voice on the airwaves, clear, crisp and, oh, so honest. Captivated, you find yourself singing along with her and craving to hear more. So whos this lady with a captivating voice? Sweet, petite, down-to-earth and unassuming, chances are youve seen her in the malls or stood in-line beside her at your favorite theaters ticketing booth. The lady is Juris Fernandez, lead vocalist of MYMP or Make Your Momma Proud --- the countrys most sought after acoustic band.

An Unlikely Singer

Juris never joined any singing contest --- never, ever. She was more than happy studying and staying home, preferring the company of family and long-known friends, to going out weekend nights. I was and still am a homebody Juris claims.

She never took formal singing lessons; and just like you and me, she only sang in the shower. So how did this simple, homebody end up as lead vocalist for MYMP? I started really late Juris explains. It wasnt until college that I started going out to listen and watch bands. That was in Manila, where she stayed to study BS Psychology. It wasnt until her 4^th-yr college though, that Juris was asked by schoolmate and friend Chin Alcantara to help out in a band. Juris consented; then soon declined. The late night performances coupled with early morning school was too much for this petite vocalist. Filipinos had to wait a little longer to hear her angelic voice.

Med School vs Singing Career

After graduating with a BS in Psychology, Juris enrolled again to take more subjects in preparation for Medical school. At the same time, Chin once more invited her as back-up and filler in some of the bands gigs. A gig here, a gig there, another one and another one. It came to the point where Juris had to choose between pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor and stretching herself in trying something entirely new. She chose the latter.

More Besides

Its been 6 years since she made that decision and Juris admits that there were some difficulties. One of the biggest difficulties was having to dress-up and perform in a show band says Juris. I had to dress up for the part, learn a few dance steps and most trying of all, I had to wear make-up. My eyes are very sensitive and so make-up irritated my eyes and made them itchy. Id scratch them red, which only made the condition worse. Wearing prescription glasses is alright, but not when youre a performer; I couldnt wear glasses in our shows. It was alright up to a point --- till the time came when I couldnt see what was written in the prompter. So I resorted to wearing contact lenses. But that didnt help too as my eyes dried up when we performed. It got worse as my eyes were always tired from sleeping late.

Clarification Please

My eyes were a real problem for me and so I was glad when a friend told me about laser eye surgery. I did my own research, inquired around until friends recommended FatimaEyeLaserCenter. They have the latest and most advanced technology, the Carl Zeiss Mel 80 Excimer Laser --- a mouthful, but that is the latest technology available in the world market. It has the PrecisePulse Technology that assures every beam of laser energy is placed precisely on the cornea to ensure the best possible outcome. I was scared to take the procedure but the doctors explained everything in detail to me: In Lasik surgery, a high-precision beam sculpts the cornea to correct the curvature so that images are sharply focused on the retina. The Lasek, PRK and Epi-Lasik procedures are alternatives to Lasik. In Lasek, PRK and Epi-Lasik, the cornea isnt cut; instead the uppermost layer of the cornea is temporarily removed.

The procedure is precise, fast and safe; ideal for me as I have schedules to keep and cant really take time-off from work. I have my regular shows, my studies --- Im taking 6 units for my Masters --- and rehearsals. In fact, I have to rehearse for our up-coming Valentines show. All in all, Im glad I went with FatimaEyeLaserCenter as they took really good care of me and did excellent work with my eyes! No need for glasses or contact lenses, no drying, so no irritation; everything is crystal clear for me. Call them and theyll help you out: 291-2020; or you could visit their website: www.fatimaeyelaser.com.

http://www.fatimaeyelaser.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21&Itemid=35

-- Edited by Admin at 02:56, 2008-06-29