This Morning

The cooling breeze
The overcasted sky
The doleful tune
The quiet bus-stop
And a pensive me

Project Superstar Derrick Hoh

Support for Derrick must not slacken. Especially now that we are down to the final 3. If you haven't heard how well he sing, just visit: www.hohweijian.info.

By the way, mediacorp hasn't responded at all to my tix requests (it's been over a month ok!) My self-addressed envelopes with stamps gone to waste... Maybe they're giving me tix to see Derrick @ the finals @ Indoor Stadium. Oh yea! Largi better!

By the way, Happy National Day!

Korean Cutie Kim Rae Won...

I'm done for again this time. It's all XY's fault, for lending me Attic Cat and had me hooked on Kim Rae Won! Argh....!!! And knowling me, I'll be at it for at least a few days - out-of-sorts, disoriented and as if out of love. Help!

I don't care, I'm going to get my own set of Attic Cat to keep and maybe 'My Love Patzzi' too. I think the general audience would prefer the latter though I swing towards the former. Attic Cat can be a little draggy but Kim Rae Won's acting is great and the cheeky smile's mesmerising. What's more, the very average-looking lead actress makes the serial more realistically convincing.

Now I really love the fact that I work in an attic. But where's the hunk?

The Tell-Tale Signs of Age

Lines and crinkles aside. As it dawns upon me that the wilful 18-year-old days were long gone, and that I'm 26 going 27 in no time - I also realise the significance of what age has done to me.

First, the tastebud changes. What was once queer and beyond my belief that it was befitting for consumption is now norm and, erm, I hate to admit, quite tasteful. It started with accompaniment of sliced red chilli with noodles, zi char and porridge. Then it was brinjal (I simply love it these days) and more recently, over the last 2 years, lady's fingers. Perhaps the next things I might welcome are ginger, coriander and raw cucumber.

And then, subtly and slowly, temperament, personality, preferences and appearance were transformed. While the core self remains recognizable, I can't say I'm still as noisy, as loud and as touchy. The kilos has caught up and the psychological exercise of "THINK SLIM AND YOU'LL BE SLIM" just refused to work. But the red-head acne is gone and overnight, many neighbours started commenting to my mum how pretty her daughter is these days. (Learn the trick - dress lok kok most of the time. The impression impact will come full-force when you dress up on rare occasions!)

People around me start to change too. My mum's less fiery these days but my father is getting 'crazier' each day. It feels like only yesterday when my brother and I had pillow fights, and I must confess I still feel guilty over shouting into his ears when he was 5 and passing him a glass of urine when he was 6! And look at him now - skinny, pimply and with a galfren.

I hate to think my 20s will soon be a decade I can only reminisce, but I sure look forward to a wiser, surer and more stunning me inside out.

Derrick and Harry

It has been a whirlwind week, entwined between 2 boys, Derrick and Harry!

Derrick first. If you haven't known Derrick Hoh (何维健)by now, you might be missing out on Singapore's next Superstar! He just rose from the ashes, having come through a tough REVIVAL ROUND in the competition after being temporarily left behind 2 weeks ago. Derrick caught my attention during the contestants introduction episode on Project Superstar. I like his chipmunky impersonation! Thereafter it was his sincerity and how he made me notice Vann Fan Yi Chen's songs once again. It's great Minty likes him as much, if not more! Oh yes, I forgot, call her Derrice now. And make reference to Derrick as if he's Derrice's *gulp*..... Now, who's crazier?

On Harry*.
DISCLAIMER - The following para contains spoiler which any smart Harry Potter reader would pick up easily. Read at your own risk.

2 years of anticipation, all consumed within 2 days. Damn it! I'm a fast reader. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is an intense read. It creates as many question marks as the mysteries it unravels. Now, I'm disoriented, and could only pray that the miraculous "rise of gandalf" replays in Harry Potter's final instalment.

Finally, I'm glad after all the excitement and buzz over the past week, I'm ending it with a fun JB trip with Minty also known as Derrice, XY and Shazzie. As for the coming week, I'm on my way to real big stuff @ work again!

When I Wish Upon A Star

Some things that could make me very happy...

1) An office / home @ Emerald Hill
2) An Eason Chan concert in Singapore
3) A holiday in Japan
4) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
5) Renewed ties with my cousins
6) Discovering another nostalgic neighbourhood with XY and Minty
7) Another MayDay concert
8) A road trip down ECP
9) Back to school
10) Another good movie, good song, good book...

Paradox - Chew on It!

We are all the same, thinking that we are different.

头文字D

我在i周刊上读到一则这样的报道"开工第一天,两位导演给所有人一封信.信里写道,他们想拍<头文字D>电影想了3,4年了,现在终于等到这个机会.他们知道在预算方面,甚至拍摄现场,会出现很多问题,如果我们像一家人互相帮助,一定能拍出一部很棒的电影..."

撇开导演如何去实现这项企划不说,我想举动上的真诚就很让人感动;对理想抱着赤子之心,不轻易妥协与所谓现实的主义,相信队友同心所发挥的力量 - 我想这就是我要(延续)的精神.

希望过程是精彩,也希望一路走来不孤单.

History Repeats Itself in America

I have a prophecy. Pretty scary one. It'll rock the dow jones. It'll shock the whole world (once again!). It'll mock at those who takes a serious view on being politically correct.

America will be assailed. This time by a spew of blazing sauce, setting the land on fire, burning the guts of those who tread near. Trouble is, the arsonist's an insider, a home-grown true-blue American, in conspiracy with ahem, some harmless-looking executives from (very embarassingly) my hometown.

God bless America.

Amitabha

The deities heard 1 of my 2 prayers!

No, I must not be too happy. I must not slacken. I must not start counting the chicken before they're hatched.

I must work hard. I must step up. I must stay cool. Because the best is yet to be. Hopefully, just hopefully, when I look in retrospect during the year-end, I could move on with no fear.

Ok, and if I could be a little greedy, I hope the good hands of destiny turn up my luck so sincerely asked for in my 2nd prayer ;p

Mind Your Ps' and Queues

How would you react in the following situations?

1) You've been waiting for a cab at the side of a road; you're in a hurry. Someone who came later cut your path, jumped the queue and started flagging. Would you go up to this person and say you are first?

2) There was a long queue at a foodstall. You've been queueing for quite a while and were nearing your turn. Someone came along and asked you to help buy. There's still along queue behind you. Would you agree to help?

3) You were first in the queue at the bus interchange, waiting for a particular bus. An old woman came along and asked to queue before you. Would you allow?

Bonjour Monsieur Shlomi

"Take the money Sholmi. I put aside 10 shelby for each meal you make, 15 shelby for each bath..." Grandpapa's last line bought the tears. Uncontrolled, because it pricked. Popo told me to keep all her money, and her favourite gem. It was her way of appreciating the very insignificant things I could have done better. And with what she has left me, I know I'll be fine. That I'll be good.

Runway's Hiring

If you're based in Singapore, passionate about a creative / communication career then read on.

Employment is expected to start only in July / August 2005.

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We are looking for a prospect who aspires a career in the creative field.

The selected Design Associate does about almost everything - conceptualising, designing, account servicing and traffic managing. Write in only if you are ready to take on the responsibilities.

Candidates with diploma in visual communication / mass communication / other relevant qualifications, design softwares competency and a relatively good command of English language are preferred. Knowledge in multimedia design is a plus. 1 to 2 years relevant experience will be good but fresh grads are also welcomed.

To apply, email your resume to flight@runwaycreative.com. Include 2 of your best works + state your current and expected salaries. Closing date: 15 June 2005.

Runway Creative is a marketing communication consultancy specialising in branding, print, web and event marketing. Check us out at www.runwaycreative.com.

Unique Selling Proposition

I don't exactly enjoy doing sales. But I must admit I'm relatively good at it. Not because I'm glib, not because I'm smart. Most of the times, it all boils down to telling as it is. And that's almost the only technique I apply in doing persuasive sales, provided that the product merit is a given.

Let's try a scenario. Suppose you are selling a health supplement. A customer asks (and Singaporeans are very fond of this question), "Is this product good?" / "Does this product really work?" How would you answer it? Having worked with salespeople of different styles, some typical answers will be:

"Of cos it's very good! This is a product by XXX, a very good brand," says the hard-sell guy. Of course, a trusted brand sells by itself but a statement like that may sound pompous, and if delivered with a condescending tone, off-putting.

Then there is the lame, I'm-just-earning-a-miserable-salary type of salesperson. He or she might respond to the question saying, "Er...I'm not too sure...my boss says it works lar..." Consumers' confidence goes rock-bottom. In its worst repercussion, the brand image of the company is damaged.

So what will I say? This is my typical answer:

"I would say it's good and it works because I sell it. But honestly, products work to different degree for different people. You'll have to experience and assess the improvement it brings to you."

From experience, such a statement usually works. It does not over-promise. Though it does not directly persuade, it is interesting to note the subliminal effect it has on the consumers. It sounds believable and honest, and most of the time they'll buy. What you say is not all that matters. Like what we've learnt from sales gurus and communication experts, a lot of other factors interplay -

• attitude - attitude of the salesperson ranks high for me when it comes to assessing my purchase experience as a consumer. Sincerity, patience and honesty are all important attributes of a good salesperson. Not one who exaggerates the best and create a hell lots of ballyhoo.

• belief - the salesperson has to first believe in his / her product before a good sales pitch can come through. If at the end of the day you doubt what you are selling, might as well don't sell. The product may just not be worth you working for it.

• knowledge - know your products. If it's a computer, know what its processor can deliver, what it's best for and who it works well for. And when the question from a customer gets truly tough, don't put up a false front saying you know when you don't. Admit you're not sure but you'll help find out.

And for companies recruiting a salesperson, don't expect the guy to sell miraculously when you don't have something good to offer in the first place. Also, remember what happens at the frontline affects the bottomline and ultimately, the brand value as perceived by the customers.

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Have more tips on marketing? Leave me comments!

My Grandma is One of a Kind

For my grandma. It seemed almost pretentious that I could write about her after her demise since we didn't really talk when she was around. But I saw more pretence amongst some people, which is probably best left unaddressed now.

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My grandma was a dreamer. She believed she hold the key to Singapore Pools’ Toto winning formula. She was Sesame Street’s greatest fan and would watch it religiously for ‘inspiration’ to formulate her next bet. She never did strike a huge fortune, with the biggest winning only in the hundreds. But she shared all her prize money – bought us food, candies (when we were much younger) and once, even sponsored a trip for the family to visit our relatives in Indonesia.

My grandma was much naive. A patient at the hospital where my late uncle was receiving treatment had requested her to send a letter to the Philippines. Helpfully, she brought the letter home, asking me to complete the favour. She inspected the stamps I had glued on the envelope and told me the letter would not reach. She had noticed that I did not use Filipina stamps to send the letter from Singapore to the Philippines.

My grandma was quite a food-lover. She used to cook for the family and was the critic of mum’s cooking. She recalled recipes off her head and had a good appetite. The last time she could be fed through the mouth, she asked for green bean soup. But I knew she would rather have rojak, cha kway tiao or roti prata.

My grandma was a beauty. When sorting her things out, I found passport photos that chronicled her age. I noticed how emaciated she had looked in the most recent photo; I realised how much I had neglected her. She loved to look good and would draw her brows every morning. She would sometimes sigh at her wrinkled face. I think I chose the right photo in her memorial.

My grandma was a survivor. Most aches and pains were endured in silence. She escaped from a full stroke that could land her bed-ridden. The partial stroke left her still mobile, though less nimble.

Then, my grandma fell very sick. The onset was sudden and the cause unknown. She fought the bacteria hard and overcame it. A second attack seized her; she won again. However she did not score a hat-trick when hit the third time.

We had never been really close. My care for her had always been obliged in duty and respect. We seldom talked but she had always stood by when the family needed her. She loved her children and grandchildren. The proofs of her love, I leave it to every one of us to realise and remember.

And if she lived again, I wish we could know each other better.

Woes of a Single Woman

I'm 26, going on 27 with immense potential to qualify as a spinster, looking at my pathetic lack of suitors at this point in time. But this is not too bad at all - it can't be that bad being swinging single as long as you live life to the fullest.

Things only seem really ominous when the realisation of what being the eldest means set in. Please don't read this as the complainy old-maid-to-be's unfounded worries. It's a true reflection of what I face and fear but have come to accept as life's true test of my tenacity and fortitude.

I was born to a small but complete family with mom and dad, and a younger brother whose inability to put on weight makes me really jealous! With the kind hands of destiny, my parents are blessed with ignorance. My dad has no concept whatsoever on what being responsible to a family means. But thank goodness, his looks (or lack-of) does not breed problems of extramarital affairs with sly mistresses breaking families up as seen on tv. His problem lies with him being a major sponsor of the fodder they feed the horses at the turf club. He made no plans or savings for his retirement, leaves me with the responsibility of worrying about the bills and throws me with nonsensical demands that I'm better off ignoring them.

My mom has slightly better savings concept but squandered a large part of the money we gave her (behind my back) on X sets of stainless steel pots we don't need. She also made the mark and won the uncontested title of the "Notorious Tigeress" having quarelled with all relatives that she could possibly disagree with.

All that said, I truly do care about my family. I appreciate my mom for cooking the dinners and my dad for recycling used stamps so that I save heaps on postage at work. Picture perfect? Far from it. And this I learnt 2 years back when my grandma got very sick.

Since my mom is a housewife and my uncles and aunties not in Singapore, it became default that I undertake the duty of footing my grandma's hospitalisation bills and give her support in ways I could. My grandma passed away 6 months after struggling with an infection that left her weak and helpless. Though we were never really close, except in proximity, she became one of my greatest regrets. I could have done more, I should have read the signs earlier that she was unwell...these thoughts haunted me for quite a while. The whole ordeal brought to light that the physically straining and emotionally draining care-giving task might revisit when my parents grew old. This scares me a lot. It scares me even more to think how financially-ready I must be for that day as my parents are not self-sufficient. Then there's my brother, who's still in school and won't really be ready to contribute until his NS is over.

Given that I've taken a not quite commonly-trodden career path of running a small business, more uncertainties behold. Of course I could always return to corporate work; not too difficult for a well-qualified, self-declared intelligent young woman. But that is not what I wish. I have my goals, and I long for the wings to fly them high. Surely reasons like my family background and life's constraints are not going to cripple me of taking these flights. Surely having come this far from a paltry start-up capital which I had to borrow from a friend would mean that I have a good chance of making it good.

Now if the above has painted a grey picture of my mental state, then allow me to dismiss it. Things could have been worse, like it is for many others who deserve a fair chance at a good life but are denied due to sheer circumstances. Besides, I'm not alone. My closest pals shoulder similar responsibilities and are doing their parts well. And despite the occasional grouses, I am afterall a born optimist, pressing on with my silly grins because the game is not over.

Crescent Girls 4/1 Bravado Anniversary 10.5

Yeah! I finally got down to mass-emailing my CGS 4/1 class for the anniversary get-together. I'm copying the message here for those whom I still can't get in touch with, and for some weird reasons might chance upon my blog....hahaha....

------ Forwarded Message
From: Piya Chee
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 23:20:24 +0800
To: CGS Class of 4/1 (1994)
Subject: CGS 4/1 Bravado Anniversary 10.5

hello gals, hello Mrs Selva!
how are all of you doing? hope you like my roaring greetings.

It's been a long long time. And nope, we haven't forgotten about the 10th Anniversary get-together, long over-due but we can still make it before the anniversary hits 11.

Why Anniversary 10.5 (read subject line again)? Just think! We graduated in December 1994; and that makes December 2004 the magical 10th year and since it's now 3 months past that, it should have been 10.25th Anniversary, but considering that 2 decimal place's a little clumsy, let's just call it the 10.5th Anniversary Bravado Reunion!

Get ready for it. And spread the message around to fellow ol' gals - this email should reach most of you but do me a little favour by checking the name list attached. The addresses may not be updated, so if you happen to know who's out of the loop, do help inform. There are some who're still out of touch - Jackie, Soumitra, Carroll, Choon Huay, to name a few - if you are in contact with them, pls help.

Here are the details
Date: Sat 2 Apr
Venue: Swenson's Holland Village
Meeting Time: 12.30pm (inside restaurant)

Pls rsvp via email or comments on this blog by 27 Mar 2005, so I can do necessary reservation. See you! Meanwhile, stay cool and funky!

Cheers!
Piya

p/s: watch your email for more updates nearer the day.


------ End of Forwarded Message

The Ink Them Action List 2005

Order order! Discipline discipline! Now that a quarter of the year is nearly over, it's really time for me to get things moving. Nothing much has progressed since the start of the year and I'm getting impatient with myself. Now it's time to translate "I think" to "I ink". Self-discipline is key or 3 years later I'll still be telling Jade that "I'll go for driving lessons soon" or to Choy I'll still be saying "I think I might be able to get a car a year from now". This is enough. I'm tired of status quo!

THE 'INK THEM ' ACTION LIST 2005!!!

(1) Lose extra fats - see I used to look quite slim, but quite pimply. The spots are long gone, but the fats come strong. I should be ideally weighing around 58kg. Work out is a must and I finally got my butts moving today to Mount Faber. So I'm off to Mount Faber once every weekend, and when I can, go for slow jogs every evening!

(2) Learn a new skill - I'm not a proponent of government agenda but I'm serious about self-improvement. This May, I shall take up a Dreamweaver course.

(3) Spread the words about Runway - For the show at Runway to run on, well and good, it's time for serious marketing. Slated to start in March, marketing plans have been postponed time and again as we were constantly bogged down by what I call the trivial neccessities. In April, marketing action must materialise or all the big plans I've dreamt of so much will once again come to nought. *scary....*

(4) Learn driving - this depends on several factors but hopefully I won't need to postpone it any time later than this year.

(5) Ok, I need to think about the last one on this list. Meanwhile, the first 4 is enough to keep me busy for the next quarter at least.

Father and son

I was at Great World City earlier this afternoon...together with XY who was looking desperately for a pair of black shoes to buy. Not much luck with shoes but I chanced upon a heart-warming incident at Hush Puppies which I promise to blog.

An old grand-daddy saw this pair of comfort shoes he liked at Hush Puppies which I think cost around $40. His son (in his 40s) was about to get the shoes but old grand-daddy decided not to cos it's too expensive. The son got round to the salesguy (apparently scheming some ploy), and I overheard this conversation exchange:

Son: Dad you like this pair right? Let's get it. It's cheaper than $40, they will give us discount. (Turning to salesguy) Right?

Salesguy: (in his goondoo smile and really can't-act-for-nuts-sake expression) Yes yes, it's on offer now.

Grand-daddy: No, you don't bluff me.... It's ok, I don't want the shoes.

Son: It's ok dad. Let's get the shoes.

Grand-daddy did not agree right away and wanted to leave. It was only with much persuasion and conviction that the shoes were indeed on offer that the grand-daddy finally ok'd the purchase.

Of cos, there's no further discount on the $40 shoes but the shoes look very affordable to the son whose income level seems comfortable. Still, the shoes must have been really expensive. Love makes it priceless.

Sensory Overload

Oh no. I'm down with sensory overload. The symptoms are telling. The sleep was light, with images flashing across my subconcious throughout the wee hours. I was in a drifty mental state when I woke up this morning. And I was having aches - those not of physical strain but more of a certain unrest within.

So how do you catch sensory overload? When you engage your mind in hyper-activity by opening a floodgate of sensory feeds. The Fish Leong concert did it. And 2 chapters of Howl's Moving Castle just before I dozed off unleashed busy flickers of imagery. First it was music, cheering and claps. Then there were the magical transposition through dimensions and space, not unlike the fascinating charm of the moving castle.

Hopefully, tonight's Apprentice might undo these all. That's why I need routine - to restore order once in a while.