Riding life's gentle waves
The concert queen is on the pipeline to greater things. By Cathy S. Babao

This is the first time I'm leading a not-so stressful life", says actress, producer and entrepreneur Pops Fernandez. "I didn't realize it was possible," she exclaims as we prepare for the cover shoot on a December afternoon.

While playing phone tag with former husband Martin Nievera, she shares with HealthToday the secrets to her more relaxed life.

There was a time in her not-so-recent past when she was working herself to the bone. "I hardly had any time for myself or for the kids (sons Robin, 19, and Ram, 16) and I was so tired all the time. I have no life.

"For a while I enjoyed it, but after a while it took it's toll."

It was only in the last two years that Pops learned to take vacations. New York is a favorite getaway. "I have family there and it's really such a fun city--a melting pot of cultures. Shopping is great, and eating, too. I love to eat," she says and smiles.

For a quick getaway, she goes out of town with close friends. "Sometimes you just need a change of scenery and then you're OK," she explains. She shares that there were several times in the past when she would just break down and cry for no reason. "Burn-out na pala 'yun [It was already burn-out]."

New ventures
Nowadays those episodes are things of the past. Pops says she can sleep in a little more than usual and she does a lot of work from the house. Pipay, her retail clothing and accessories business, is doing very well in the malls and she looks forward to opening new branches later this year. She has also recently gotten involved in producing shows and continues to do a lot of them in different parts of Asia and the United States. "That's really where the work has been coming from lately."

Under a microscope
Stress, Pops says, is unavoidable but manageable. "I got scared when I read somewhere that stress is the root of a majority of illness. In my line of work, stress is a given. I've learned to detach myself when it gets too much. I ask myself, is this worth it?"

The hazard of living in the public eye is that your life is an open book where everyone has something to say--both the positive and the negative, says Pops. "I've learned to convince myself that at the end of the day, it's my life and my kids know what kind of person I am--I don't have to answer to anybody."

The attitude
Going with the flow is how Pops likes to describe her current state of mind. "Life is too short, I'm not afraid to try and do new things and see which one works best for me. Take this venture into producing shows, the opportunity came and so I took it. I've always been that way, when I want to do something and it's workable, I go ahead and do it." We ask her if producing shows is something she envisions doing more of in the next few years. She smiles a quiet smile and says, "I'm just doing things that are for me right now."

For the boys
It seems like Pops and Martin have a pleasant relationship now. "We are in a much better place now than where we were a few years back," she says. Relationships, they say, especially with an ex-husband can be a point of major stress but Pops appears to be handling the terrain of single parenthood quite well. "I'm not angry or hating anymore," she says. "I've come to the point where I choose to be his friend and also because I want the friendship to work. The main thing for us is that we are parents to two wonderful boys and if our kids are mature enough to understand the intricacies of the situation, then we should also be able to do that."

It is very clear that Robin and Ram remain the center of Pops' world and that they are her source of strength and joy. Mother and sons still love to eat out or hang out to watch DVDs.

"I just love spending time with my boys," says Pops. "We talk about every-thing and anything under the sun! That's why I am so happy that now I can spend so much more time with them."

Running water
Soon the boys will be going off to college and Pops has some plans about what to do with the free time. "I want to take up special effects makeup when the boys are away at school. I took basic makeup techniques at Franck Provost when I had a lull in my schedule recently. Maybe I can take further studies when the time comes."

True to her mantra, Pops will go where the flow takes her.