Friday, September 21, 2007

Happy Mid Autumn Festival

Hmmm today is mid-autumn festival.. and I don't have any mid-autumn stories to tell... Hmmm let you know a bit about traditions lar...

Usually mid-autumn festival is celebrated with mooncakes... these mooncakes were once military tools to pass messages in the war-torn days in China.

Today they are but sweet desserts use to accompany the family after the dinner reunion while they watch the children play lanterns underneath the full moon of the 15th day of the 8th Lunar Calendar month. Oh, for the reunion dinner, chicken and pork (Siew Yuk) is usually served. This morning, I had to "deliver" a piece of Siew Yuk each to myAunt and Mom together with mooncakes as a symbol of respect and giving on this auspicious day... Ummm, also a good excuse to come a little late to work ahahahah...

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to all.. :)

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Mandy Moore singing Umbrella

I just simply love Mandy Moore's cover version of Rihanna's umbrella. It's like an unplugged version... so romantic.. :) I am a sucker for romance... And Mandy's sentimental version made me understand what Umbrella was all about - about ALWAYS being there to protect the one you love most... And I think that's beautiful...




The original singer Rihanna and her umbrella




Umbrella Lyrics in case you wanna sing along.. :)

You have my heart
And we'll never be worlds apart
May be in magazines
But you'll still be my star
Baby cause in the dark
You can't see shiny cars
And that's when you need me there
With you I'll always share
Because

[Chorus]
When the sun shines, we’ll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be a friend
Took an oath I'ma stick it out till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh eh eh eh)

These fancy things, will never come in between
You're part of my entity, here for Infinity
When the war has took it's part
When the world has dealt it's cards
If the hand is hard, together we'll mend your heart
[ Umbrella lyrics found on http://www.completealbumlyrics.com ]
Because

[Chorus]
When the sun shines, we’ll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be a friend
Took an oath I'ma stick it out till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh eh eh eh)

You can run into my arms
It's okay don't be alarmed
Come into me
There's no distance in between our love
So go on and let the rain pour
I'll be all you need and more
Because

[Chorus]
When the sun shines, we’ll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be a friend
Took an oath I'ma stick it out till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella
(Ella ella eh eh eh eh eh eh)

It's raining
Ooh baby it's raining
Baby come into me
Come into me
It's raining
Oh baby it's raining

Model Mom? Part 3

11 Dec 2006

Here's the first sample of the packaging product which I modeled last week.









Saturday, September 15, 2007

Model Mom? Part 2

FRI. 08/12/2006.

I was reluctant at first. When a friend called me up to model for his packaging/product cover, terrifying flashback from earlier attempts at modeling flooded my memory. I was so young then 17 and fresh from school, no experience whatsoever. (Teenagers at 17 back then was very different from the 17s now who are more well-informed)。 My friend who was a part-time model says that there’s a job which requires no experience. They wanted fresh faces, they said. So I went. And no guidance was given. Just ask me to look natural at the camera and smile. It was for a Singaporean magazine and I was like totally lost when they started clicking. I didn’t even know when to start posing. So I just stood there and froze. I could smile, but I froze, I couldn’t pose because I just simply don’t know how to. The photographers were mean. They didn’t help. They didn’t let me know what they want. I think they were just annoyed that I was the only one not “working hard” unlike the other talents. So the event was very embarrassing and unpleasant. I felt stupid. I hated myself for not being able to do such a simple thing. From that day onwards I shy away from all modeling jobs or things that would expose myself to public ("Phau Tau Loh Mien" in cantonese).

And then I told my buddies at work about the job. And in the midst of their jeer and tease, they actually encouraged me. (Now I understand what TAY means when she said, “Although he laughs at me, deep inside he still cares!” haha). Their advice came in various shapes and sizes:

Leonard: “Well, its an opportunity mar…There are so many girls around KL…Not so easy to get this chance leh… you’re not getting any younger.

Kee: “Should go for it lah... no need money lah, your get exposure of different kind which is worth more.......Anyhow, they’ll just be taking your finger.

David: “I think you are photogenic. Not to say you’re not gorgeous looking in real life, but you look even better in photos. Anyway, it’s their job to make you look nice, so no worries. Should go for it. No harm.
LWee: “You should take it, may open up a new path way for you, in modeling, advertising etc, never too old to try cause got difference market mah, I saw there are plenty of advertising/modeling opportunity for aunties….

Finally, I gathered enough courage to go. And boy it was great. The poses were all pre-fixed. They told me exactly what they want. And told me where my pictures would be fitted in (on a CD box cover of an SMS software they are going to market) and thus letting me know that my hands can only stretch so far. (Too wide and it’ll be off the CD size). They told me that my action and expression would be of an office girl trying to press a button and the button is actually a globe. Suppose to portray that with the product, one can be connected to the world easily with just a press of a button. All their instructions were clear and concise and we started taking pictures within minutes. I could easily produce what they want. I felt good when the photographer commented that I am easy to work with, as they didn’t need to tell me much.

Since it was an easy shot, they wanted me for another scene. Sitting down with arms open wide (not legs, mind you...) to portray an impression of "easy to get a job well done". I did that and it was over within minutes too.


Oh, and for the record, they really wanted to take my finger too as what Kee has predicted. They did a close up picture of my finger, trying press a button.

Well, I am glad I went. Everything went well, and I hate myself less for being stupid at 17. Sorta like a ego-redemption experience. And really it wasn’t the pay that counts. Not even the photo shoot itself. It’s realizing that after all these years, it’s not your fault. And realizing that you have great buddies who spur you on and pick you up when you need it the most (even though they did it mostly for laughs). Now that’s what really counts…..

Here are something to show from behind the scene. Not the actual shots but something taken with my friend’s IXUS 50 and his Dopod.


It’s pretty dark here.. wonder if it’s brighter with the Prosumer that the Lillian the photographer used. (looked brighter when I previewed on her camera’s LCD)

Opps... as I speak, another photographer wants me to help him with his pictures... excuse me... (*ahem)

Model Mom?


Thurs. 07/12/2006


Guess what,…. A friend called me up late last night and ask if I wanted to model for their packaging/product photoshot …. He was busy so he told me he’d give me the details this morning.


Come this morning, he told me that the packaging photo is for some IT or phone related product … all I had to do is to pose like a office girl pressing a button – (the button is actually the world). Something like to show that with the product, all you need is to press a button and you’re connected to the world.


I wanted to say yes… then I chickened out…. I told him I wasn’t in office wear. And I told him that I might not be able to make it on time for their shot…. I was thinking to myself, hmmm I don’t even know how to make up for a photoshoot….. In other words, I was just not ready…. He was disappointed (as he thought it’d be a win-win situation – he doesn’t have to pay high price to look for talents and I can get exposure for modeling), and so he said he’ll ask his advert personnel to search for other talents lor….


Soooo I was thinking …. Did I give up on an opportunity when it was already presented to me on a silver platter? Not that I want to launch a modeling career, too old for that luuuu…..