Mouthing Off...

Just wanna make the world dance

2011-12-30T12:05:00.000+08:00

Dancing always brings about new challenges.

For a dance team, it means having great group dynamics in addition to learning the steps. The steps should also be clean, coordinated and look flawless. God knows that looking flawless is never easy.

Every once in a while, I'll trawl online for videos that will teach me more. There are only so many classes a dancer can take. And yet, there is still so much to learn in terms of body movement and styling that we can do to improve the way we dance. Don't get me wrong, classes are great but to really practice what you've learnt, you have to do it on the social floor (yes, I nag but you and I know that this is true for any dancer.)

But enough yammering, right. Check this out:

These guys are from the Santo Rico dance company in New York. The one word that came to my mind as I was watching this was: confidence. It takes a lot of pizzaz to move like that! I love the choreography and the ladies' confidence and body movements! The transitions and musicality of the piece are pretty flawless, even though this has to be one of the longest pieces for a salsa team.

Costumes are a big part of any group. It shows great group cohesion and breathes life to the choreo. Sexy costumes are a way of showing off the curves of the woman in addition to showcase her exquisite moves. We all know how ridiculous the costumes can get but what will you do if you encounter..jeng jeng jeng...*stage whisper* the dreaded wardrobe malfunction?

You CARRY ON DANCING. If you weren't as sharp-eyed (or blind if you missed that little nugget), you'd probably not notice that small glitch. Holy crap, I'm amazed that she could still nail that performance with all its complicated choreo and tricks. Kudos! I hope to be as professional should anything happen.

Finally, this last video that I came across features one of the fastest couples on the salsa scene today. John Vazques and Judy Aguila, salsa world champions. They have a distinct style that is both breathtaking and so damned hard to emulate. Oh and note: this video is NOT speeded up. They really do dance like that.

Well, that's it from me for this year then. Wishing you a happy one and a great 2012! And yes, this is the team :o)

Days of inspiration

2011-12-27T17:18:00.000+08:00

People. They drive me bonkers.

Confounding, complex and oftimes just a pain in the arse. This year is filled with so many different people, characters and personalities that I feel like I am in a comic book or in Les Mis. This is the year I learned how complicated people can make my life, how even the smallest thing can trigger the biggest changes and how sometimes, those who you regard as your closest allies can cling to their own beliefs with such ardor that they are blind to anything else.

This post is dedicated to the people who made my ride all the more colorful. You made me swear incessantly at you (some in person, some in other forms) or with you. Thanks to you, I laugh more, found a new job with great support from a strong team, refined my hobbies, lowered tolerance for idiots and become less passive-aggressive. You encouraged me step out of my comfort zone to meet new people and do things that I probably wouldn't even consider because I am such a lazy arse.

To the lost friends, too bloody bad. Yes, God may have brought you back to my life for whatever reason. One of it is probably for me to personally tell you fuck off. It's cold, but what can I say? While I like reconnecting with lost friends, I also believe that some should just remain lost. Not every connection is for the better. Especially if it reminds you of a particularly horrible time in your life. Just bloody move on.

If you are wondering how the fricking hell I managed to work around all these people, don't. Staying in touch is not rocket science. It's about reaching out and strengthening ties to the people who are already there. So friends are outside of your work environment, it doesn't mean that they should be neglected or accorded less respect just because you have a high-and-mighty job. If you don't take the time to meet up, chat or even do something...anything together, then what's the point of remaining friends? Who will want to make time for someone who doesn't bother? It's not only about you...it's also about the other party who has taken the time to reconnect. Uh huh, it is just like a relationship, people, except you don't have to sleep with your friend (unless you want to...but that is a whole different story).

It takes effort on all sides to do this but believe me, the pay-offs are pretty great :o) The proof is in the pictures.

Summertime Santa

2011-12-19T10:37:00.001+08:00

Over the weekend, Singapore's commuter rails and its governing body, the SMRT took a beating when it broke down, causing massive human and traffic jams and general chaos. In spite if that and in the spirit of Christmas and yes, mad creativity, my friends, The Glad Stones took to the train (the working ones) to spread some Christmas cheer. I'm not a fan of traditional Christmas songs, but I have to say that this is a pretty fun little tune. And uh, yay to my first attempt at being a video girl *blush*

While I'd like to say that Singaporeans are spontaneous and great at appreciating spontaneous talent, just take a look at the people that are watching them. LOL

We were almost done with the filming and were headed for a break when...we stumbled across an unsuspecting Santa! Merry Christmas all!

Say hello to my little friend

2011-12-16T16:54:00.001+08:00

This is Shep. Even though he may look like a sock monkey, he is one adorable ball of fun :o)

And yes, he is only splotchy on the top and bottom ends. Such a weird little doggy, which incidentally, could be an offshoot of the owner, who is equally quirky. Heh.

Say hello to Shep!

Are you really sure no one is reading your profile?

2011-11-25T10:29:00.000+08:00

Dear readers,

Let me set the record straight.

If you have a social media account of any sort, whether it’s Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, a blog or Google+ or some form of network that allows you to stay in touch, stalk and/or communicate with people - your life is public.

Regardless of how many privacy controls you’ve set or what you think you have locked away, more often than not, someone, somewhere would have heard of you or known you. They or a mutual friend would be able to access pictures of your drunk-arsed self, heard about your various shenanigans, checked out the people that you hang out with, read your self-absorbed status updates, seen you go from being single, to in a relationship, to married or are currently available or read your bitchy comments about clients or people in general. You may think that you are cool, but at the end of the day, random people will end up knowing a heck lot more about you than you could possibly imagine.

So what is the deal with social media then? It’s pretty simple, really. Either you learn how to use it wisely or you don’t use it at all.

Today, the misuse of social media is one of the leading concerns that people have. More and more people are getting fired, sued, divorced and jailed because of it. Just look at Wikileaks, ask your friends or simply read the thousands of articles online about people who abuse social media platforms who thought that no one reads their materials. How many times have you heard the phrase: ‘my boss will never read that?’ The claim that what you post on your profile is private and is only your view no longer holds true. Whether you like it or not, potential employers, recruiters, customers, new boyfriends/girlfriends, friends, the media etc are using social media channels to learn as much as they can about you.

Everyone is guilty of using social media to their advantage. Therefore, why not use it wisely or responsibly?

You don’t have to be a drone to create an interesting profile that plays to your strengths. Instead of posting inane updates, think about what you are posting. And who will be seeing it. Do you really want members of your family to know that you had a wild night with the boys? Sure you can un-tag those photos but can you control anyone else from putting them online in the first place? How does it reflect on you? Will this be good or bad for your public profile? Don’t just check-in at every place you go to. How about highlighting the interesting aspects of the places that you are visiting instead?

It’s not difficult to maintain your public profile if you are smart about it. I’m sure that you have a thousand different opinions and thoughts but at the same time, it’s good to step back once in a while, to check that you don’t go overboard. Sharing is one thing, showing everyone that you are a self-absorbed fool is another thing entirely. The onus is entirely on you to show people who you are.

After all, some one is reading it.

Let me tell you a story

2011-11-22T20:31:00.001+08:00

It's really nice to get back into the swing of things on the blog again :o)

Because I haven't had the time to head to the cinemas recently, I instead went on a trailer trawling spree to see what's in store for movie buffs. If you've read this blog for sometime now, you'd know how much I love alternative fairy tales and there are a few on the radar that caught my attention.

First, there is the much-hyped, Snow White and the Huntsman. Snow White, the Warrior Princess anyone? Wait a minute...where are those dwarves? Apparently, they didn't make the cut for the trailer..Boo. Neverthless, the trailer looks pretty awesome, bringing out the dark edgy-ness of the story and one woman's quest for everlasting beauty. And yes, we do believe you can be a monster, Charlize.

And then there is the quirky Mirror, Mirror, which at first glance reminds me of a mish-mash of a mad Bollywood movie. Hello, mad song and dance. And what do you know? Those dwarves are back! This version intrigues because it doesn't seem to take itself too seriously. And what is with the heroine and her weird eyebrows? Where is the eyebrow threading auntie when you need her? Gah! Julia Roberts, you are more of naughty queen than an evil one.

Interestingly enough, instead of being a vehicle for its starlets, both films seem to be about two evil queens trying to outdo each other. Ah, Hollywood, you are so cliched. You should've just called Joan Rivers and Snooki. I'd like to see those two out-snark each other instead. I'd even bring the popcorn. There is just too much fun to be had with these two films, I have no idea where to start.

And then there is Sleeping Beauty. Directed by Julia Leigh, the feel of this movie reminds me more of A Clockwork Orange and Anne Rice's erotic Sleeping Beauty trilogy than it does a Tim Burton knock-off. Nothing feel-good or quirky here, this movie looks way back at the source material.

One more trailer that I can't seem to find is Hansel and Gretel: Witch Humters... will have to see how that one looks. And hopefully, it won't decend into the mess that was Van Helsing.

It ain't always about you

2011-11-19T10:38:00.001+08:00

Time waits for no man.

Such a simple concept but it is one that many and even I struggle to cope with. We are all guilty of it. At some point of time, we procrastinate, get lazy, circumstance work against us, other people are being douches...no matter how much we whinge, the bottom-line is, we have to work through all this crap to get ahead.

Of course you can waste as much time as you want on a personal basis. But when you mess with others's schedules, I have no patience for you.

Because of the nature of my job and my personality, I am not one to sit around and waste time. Planning so that things run generally smoothly and everyone is pretty happy is a big thing for me. Control freak? Not really, I will gladly relinquish that position to someone who will do it for me BUT if I am on the job, it falls to me to ensure that everyone runs on a general schedule so that they and I can get back to our normal routines.

I am not a patient person, nor am I tolerant of flakiness and idiocy. These things drive me bonkers. What I cannot understand is, how hard is it for one person to be on top of their own schedule? If I can plan interview schedules for over 40 people for a regional event, I don't see how planning for a group of nine should be any tougher. It's ridiculous. All I need from everyone involved is to be aware of their own schedule, be considerate of others' and agree, disagree or provide constructive feedback. I will handle the details.

Here's the deal. The task is to schedule a shoot, a photographer, nine people in different jobs, think of locations, outfits and a date and time before December 1. We only have two weekends to do this as we have members who are working shifts and will be going on holiday. It's not hard...but a little consideration for everyone involved goes a long way. The group helped in providing location ideas, the photographer details and ideas on outfits, which I really appreciate.

What I did not appreciate is, having one person screw with the entire thing. Twice. Because they don't have a handle on their own schedule, I have to scramble to re-arrange dates and schedules with everyone, cancel on the original photographer, call in contacts who can make the shoot happen within a reasonable budget and talk to people to get all the details in place. It is a lot of details to handle but things got done. My aim for this is simple: get the shoot done on time, within budget and with the entire team.

It bothers me that they didn't stop to think that because of their actions, others have to re-arrange their schedules too. All the team got was a simple 'sorry, I can't do weekends'. No explanations, no remorse. We are expected to commiserate. WTF? Are we supposed to be sitting around waiting for you? Who the hell do you think you are?

I can be as inconsiderate and selfish by simply passing of the project to the next hapless person but that is not done. If this was my own project, I'd have told the fuckwit to piss-off a long time ago. But it's not. At the same time, I am no pushover and I will somehow have to manage the situation and person too.

Patience and calmness. *ohmmmmm*

One night in Bangkok

2011-11-08T16:28:00.001+08:00

Back in the groove...well some what. The last couple of months were too hectic for words but extremely rewarding as things moved fast and well. It's hard to predict work and dance schedules but this time around, the big energy shows clashed with dance which resulted in me going a bit mad.

The recent Bangkok Salsa Fiesta was a blast! The entire team was up there from Nov 4 - 7 for a weekend of workshops and performances. Amid flood stories, we heard from friends on the ground that the city itself was dry...and so we took a chance and went. Turned out to be a great trip because we had so much fun dancing, learning and performing. Oh, for another congress!

We performed two pieces, one was the salsa piece and the other this brand-new chacha piece...what do you think?

Dancing in September

2011-10-09T17:12:00.002+08:00

What do you do when work is nuts and it's time to celebrate your bosses' birthday?

You flash the dude. Hehe....

Now, who's birthday is next?

Stupidity becomes you

2011-09-17T12:44:00.000+08:00

In an age where marketers are selling stupid and hyping slogans like: 'algebra is not for women', where do you stand?

I stumbled across this little nugget, Forever 21 insults women with 'Allergic to Algebra' T-shirt from Twitter and I have to say that it set me off.

While we know that there are women who believe in getting by with the looks and social status, do we really need to pander to this warped notion of beauty by going one step further and claiming that they (or rather we) might as well be dumb too?

Dear Marketers, are you aware that empty headed slogans such as these set back social progress for women? You are a disgrace to the feminist movement and all the blood, sweat and tears that these women have committed to increase the social standing of women in society.

Just in case you have your heads stuck up your collective arses so far you can't see, let me set this straight for you. Feminists today have evolved. If you step away from your biases, you'd know that they are no longer the scholarly, hairstute or manly women that everyone perceives but are intelligent, sophisticated women who come with the total package of beauty and brains. They still fight for equality and social rights for women. They are mothers, girl friends, sisters, aunts, etc...They have fought so hard against being pigeonholed and last thing they want to stand for is being stupid. It's astounding that as marketers, you are.

What irks me the most is that these t-shirts are a slap in the face. There goes the right for women to be educated. Endorsing it says: stop fighting, We choose to be stupid. Wake up! Is this some sort of sick sense of humor? I know that the media's perception of women and reality shows are mostly to blame for this but seriously, if you take whatever the idiot box spouts as lore, then you can't be too intelligent yourself.

None of the women that I know would want to be perceived as stupid. Neither would I. Would you?

Save it for another day

2011-08-30T11:56:00.002+08:00

Rejection, no matter how old you or jaded you claim to be, it still stings.

The irony of that is the people who are so afraid of rejection are the ones who hurt others the most. It's like they are so afraid of letting people in that they'd push everyone away so that they never have to tackle anything that is beyond their comfort zones. No matter how gentle or soothing the words, no remains no.

Take it from me, if you are unsure about anything ask. If you do not want anything to happen, never initiate or encourage. And if you get questioned, answer as honestly as possible - face to face. Sure, there is no way of rejecting anyone gently or even easily but you can still respect the person by addressing them directly. The worst outcome? A few tears or the loss of one friendship. The best? They will still respect you as a person and will want to continue being friends.

For me, the worst is being rejected over email. How is anything supposed to happen with anyone if you can't even talk to each other? To a large extent, emails, and even the chat mechanisms like MSN, Yahoo or Skype facilitate personal communication but they are also very impersonal channels. After all, no one sees you giving the finger to the person you are chatting with unless both your cams are switched on, right?

So how do you cope with rejection? Despite the tears, the busted ego and self esteem, you have to carry on. But choose your routes wisely. One-night stands are a temporary reprieve and in the long run, show that you are unable to handle anything serious. Stringing along and dumping other candidates shows that you are just as stupid as the person who rejected you.

For me, the best route was to go out and reclaim my life. So I went out to do what I love best. Spice up my night with some salsa :o) To me, dancing with a partner who is equally willing to cut loose on the social floor adds just a little bit of magic. There is great chemistry, self-consciousness is a non-issue and you simply focus on the person in front of you. Bonus points as he was cute too *wiggles eyebrows*

It felt wonderful to have someone just appreciate me. The cool part is that while there was a great deal of flirting going-on, we left it at that. There was no need to take things further. It was simply fun to enjoy each other just for a while.

And who knows? We may meet again in the near future.

Ant's vingettes of fun

2011-08-23T16:17:00.002+08:00

Today's post is a compilation of limericks from my good friend, who has weird methods of cheering a girl up. Thanks, Antsy Pants and chin up!

There was a young man from Bombay
who made a false fanny from clay
but the heat from his dick
turned the pussy to a brick
and wore all his foreskin away

=================================

There was a young man named bill,
who swallowed a dynamite pill,
his heart retired,
his bum backfired,
and his willy shot over the hill

=================================

The once was a young girl from Norway

Who hung by her feet from the doorway;

Which worked out quite well,

'Cause when you rang her bell,

It actually turned out to be foreplay!

=================================

Quiet moments of anger

2011-08-22T12:07:00.000+08:00

Fear, what is it about fear that paralyzes people?
To the point it avoidance,
to the point of aggression,
to the point where words can't be taken back?

I'm pissed off that fear blindsided me,
it took away something that could've been good.
Fear brings its friend, doubt which now introduces hesitation.
Too many at the party for me to feel comfortable.

In quiet moments, anger pops by for a visit,
Bitterness also says hi,
Disappointment sets in and self esteem gets bruised
Will things ever get back to normal?

It's an uphill battle where I have to regroup
To repair a heart that's been hurt.
The quiet moments of anger and pain still get to me
I'm waiting for the day when this will pass.

Hopefully by then, you'd have left fear behind
and be able to come together as friends.
Cos I'm tired of your running, of constantly being afraid
No one can accept you unless you accept yourself.

Nice to know you

2011-08-20T14:36:00.000+08:00

Guess who's on hiatus? *happy dance*

Yeap, the time has come to move onto other pastures. Greener, perhaps but definitely moving right along. One thing this last vacation has taught me is that life's simply too short to dawdle. You have to grab it by its scruff and hop on for the ride! Or if you are unhappy about things, leave. Do what you want now. Why wait?

So here we go, a little hop-skip into the abyss of the unknown.

Don't get me wrong, I still love what I do professionally but sometimes the environment and the people in it are just too much to handle. Let's just say that I have high expectations and believe that people should strive along with me to achieve them. After all, it is not my goals that we are working to achieve. Sadly, people being contradictory creatures, tend to disagree. Hence, I'm moving on.

On a personal level, I am eliminating the sitting around and waiting. I'm not getting any younger and procrastination will take me nowhere fast. Could'a, would'a should'a' are not viable options. I am bloody straightforward and speak my mind. Yes, its hard to handle but it's much better than trying to be a freaking mind reader. Sometimes I wonder how the hell I manage to get myself into these prickly situations. Ha, maybe it's because I tend to hope for more, but what is wrong with the hoping?

Could be a mad personality thing. I tend to charge ahead, striking out on a limb with my heart on my sleeve and my mind open to new things. Wanting to know where everything fits and how they fit instead of just leaving things alone. While some circumstances and people have hurt me, I'd still rather move on knowing rather than live in ignorance. To me, spending time with someone and trying to find out how they tick means a heck lot more than just thinking about the things that could have been.

I suppose this is a sign of growing up. You pick the battles that you want to fight and let go of those that are holding you down. Hence this is me moving on. I can't bloody wait :o)

There and back again

2011-08-05T17:30:00.000+08:00

There, that is my Hobbit reference for this post. Sadly, I didn't find any evil ring to go along with it but I had interesting adventures, nonetheless.

San Diego is definitely one of the cooler cities in the US, made more so by good friends who live in it :o) From this trip I've learned that:

Their zoo is way better than ours. There is a travellator! And pandas! And kiwis! And a cable car! Sadly, no Ron Burgundy.
The weather rocks. As does the Mexican food and oddly enough, the sushi in Seau's.
Sitting in front of a Japanese snack shack in the park could result in inadvertently selling bowls of teriyaki chicken to passers-by.
I can actually drink red wine in the house, outside or anywhere I damn well like it. Anytime I like it.
Tokyo Iced Teas are dangerous, no matter how high your alcohol tolerance level is. You'll end up stumbling home like drunken sailors.
No matter where you are, McDonald's has the best cures for hangovers.
I really am Filipino.
I am not a mail order bride. Damn Yu!
The best spot to see the city skyline is from the bay, in a boat.

We also took a side trip to Vegas and the Hoover Dam and therein lies more learning points:

If you are a woman in Vegas, the dress code is always: party slut-ish. The shorter and tighter, the higher the heels, the better. Sadly, I failed in that aspect having no short, tight dress or heels despite being hobbit-ish.
If you are cute, it doesn't matter whose fake ID you use. Even if it is the same as the person standing next to you.
Sex sells. Even if you are lighted balls that swim in a pond, set to music and interesting lighting. People will watch and wonder, what the heck was I thinking.
At any given time, something has to cum. This I learnt at breakfast when I stupidly stirred my coke float. The ensuing mess was not looked upon kindly.
The damn Dam, as we like to call it is massive and awesome. Plus you can fry an egg on the top of it too.
Drunken-ness is a state of normalcy. We were headed to the pool at around 5pm where a guy was being escorted away on a wheel chair with a plastic baggie around his ears. Noice.
The pool is really a pick-up joint, not a place for excercising.
Chupakabras are one of my new favourite drinks. Puts a fire in the belly.

Clock-wise from top: Mel & I, Tokyo Iced Ts, the damn Dam, everyone at Lei Lounge, chupacabras and the three amigos at SeaWorld.

That said, I would definitely make a return trip in future! I still have to get INTO freaking Comic Con to live out my geekish aspirations even if I have to get that freaking Princess Leia costume. All in a trip's work, I say.

On the lam

2011-07-19T15:40:00.000+08:00

It's vacation time and this girl is all set to go :o) I'll try to blog as I go along but it's tough writing on the road as all I have is my phone and my journal. Sure, I can lug along a tablet but that is just one device too many for me. See y'all soon!

Like a freaking magnet

2011-07-13T16:23:00.000+08:00

Have you ever had the experience where you hang out with your guy friends for a period of time and then suddenly one of them pops up one day to declare: Guess what, I’m officially attached! So when will you go out and find someone?

What's a girl to do, really?

Makes me want to deck the smuggy buggers.

This is not new. Apparently most of my guy friends (both new and old) who hang around me for some time tend to get attached within a couple of months. It’s not like I’m a match-maker, I don’t introduce anyone to them or anything. One moment, the fella is happy being a swinging single, just waiting to pounce on some unsuspecting female and then? The next time you meet, he tells you about this new girl he’s seeing and how they are embarking on some adventure or another. It’s like woa…dude.

Just to clarify, when I hang out with the boys, we don’t do anything out of the ordinary; we hang out, there are lots of drinks, talk a house down, play agony aunt/uncle and do the occasional party. Romantic ties? There are none, they are just friends. Yes, you can be platonic friends with your friends from the other sex.

I’ve been observing this and the stats speak for themselves: two marriages and at least four of my good friends are now part of a couple. All in the span of two years! Although there have been some breakups, those are few and far between. WTH? Am I some sort of girlfriend magnet? Does hanging out with guy friends make them more attractive to other women? Maybe the lunkheads eventually cotton to better behaviour towards the fairer sex? They sure as hell can’t read my mind and get testily told off for being idiots most of the time.

Chope. This is all good but what about me? Hallo, kawan-kawan, can you please return the favour? Yes, I am happy that you lunkheads have found your special someone. Now can you please get off your arses and feel free to expend some mojo/good karma to me? When you get married, I will pow a bigger ang pow in gratitude, kthanxbye J

Unfortunately, my freakish powers do not extend to my female friends. In contrast, they seem to break up, seek independence and the freedom to do whatever and whomever they want ;) Talk about role reversals!

Ah well, you can’t have everything, right?

Open up your eyes

2011-07-07T12:13:00.000+08:00

The back is on the mend at last :o) and I just ensure that I take these exercises with me when I hit the road later this month.

I came across this article a couple of days ago which made a few resonant points. According to new research, 97 percent of employees report that they have a Career Limiting Habit (CLH) that keeps them from achieving their potential at work.

Check this out, and be honest, are you guilty of some of these traits?

1. Unreliability

2. “It’s not my job.”

3. Procrastination

4. Resistance to change

5. Negative attitude

6. Disrespect

7. Short-term focus

8. Selfishness

9. Passive aggressiveness

10. Risk aversion

Admittedly, I am guilty of procrastination, while short-term focus and resistance to change have been eliminated from my system though a series of hard lessons. Before you get all defensive, recognize that no one is perfect and know that being humble enough to accept critiques will work in your favour.

I’ve come across many people with the above traits. Some of them exist in roles that may surprise you - heck, they surprised me! Makes you wonder how the hell they managed to end up there in the first place. While some of these traits can be minimized over time, most of it has to do with the person themselves and their willingness to change. One interesting statistic from the report notes that nearly half of bosses polled said that addressing employees’ glaring bad habit is three times more important than increasing their technical skills.

Ok, but then again...how much do the bosses themselves see? What if they have no HR professional to take care of employee issues? Are they proactive enough to schedule regular employee reviews or will they wait till these issues become too glaring or until someone highlights it to them? In most cases, bosses and employees tend to overlook such behaviours until its too late, especially when they are too bogged down with work.

Call me strange but I’d rather hear some hard truths about me being an idiot so that I can rectify the issue rather than amble along like a fool. Oddly enough, I’ve been told that I should learn to be more selfish. Waitamin… isn’t being selfish a CLH? Heck yea! However, it can also be a self-preservation tactic if applied correctly. You never know what sorts of idiots you’ll encounter so it’s best to save some sanity and channel it towards other pursuits.

When it comes to work, I’m a do-er. Discussions and all are fine but please refrain from talking things to death, there has to be limits! Getting my hands dirty by collaborating and working on strategies and plans, followed by implementation pretty much sums the stuff I love. Sure, there are times when I hit a wall but this process is minimized when working in a more cohesive environment.

But fear not, dear reader for there are solutions and people to save you from impending idiocy! Harsh? Oh please, don’t get prissy on me now. I'm reading some really insightful articles from this site that could help. A certified career coach and nutritionist, Chrissy Scivicque’s articles are really informative and helpful in a number of areas. Plus, she is working on a series of articles that addresses each of the above CLHs and provides workable solutions that anyone can use as part of their long-term career development.

Go have a read! If anything, it will open your eyes and mind towards self improvement :)

Raindrops on roses and so on and so forth

2011-07-01T15:58:00.000+08:00

Just when I thought I'd be less injury prone, something will bloody malfunction at the worst time. Fuck. It's just like the freaking Godfather movies.

Somehow, a stupid strain managed to become a bigger problem with one slow-mo fall at practice. Felt like I was in a John Woo movie. And so I thought I wasn't hurt badly, still managed to have post-practice drinks with the mates before heading home. Did the requisite warm ups and cool downs but despite that, the little niggling ache still managed to wake me in the wee hours of the morning with a dull pain and an inability to turn right. !@#@$%$@%%^% WTH man. Am going to spend the next two days resting...which means no dancing and recovery stretches. There's a gig this weekend and please, don't get me started on obligations. I'm just bloody frustrated with myself right now.

Anyways, in happier events, I have been looking at something new to try out when I get to San Diego later this month. Nothing better than trying out something new on totally foreign territory, I say! They have classes here in Singapore too but my schedule's too packed to accommodate anything new for now.

But check this out. West Coast Swing (WCS) is not new but boy, does it widen the horizons in terms of social partner dancing! It seems that the Salsa On2 variation of the Lindy Hop to me...but at the same time, a lot smoother and graceful than Lindy.

Looks pretty cool, right? I for one am quite the inspired *wiggles eyebrows* The challenge here is to dance with the knees straight, in contrast to the latin style with the bent knees that gives the hips and body more sway. Would be interesting to see if I can adapt to something more lyrically expressive though. That is, if I still have my knees and back...mwhahahahahah

Music-wise, there is a lot more room in terms of genres that can be tapped. While traditionally, WSC adapts a lot of R&B (think Aretha Franklin and more blusey music), today you can dance to literally anything! Just like these guys below (ok, who doesn't love Benji Schwimmer? Such a ham..):

And for the rebels out there...

Think creatively and let your body and feet do the moving! :o)

My next act will involve a trapeze

2011-06-28T11:29:00.003+08:00

And possibly juggling, jumping through a burning hoop, making miracles happen...wait, I do that shit at work. But for now, this will do :)

Heck, at least now I have a cane which comes in handy in crowded trains, malls and also for when I feel the urge to break into Singing in the Rain!

Not such a tree hugger after all

2011-06-22T17:02:00.000+08:00

An avid bookworm, I've been renting books all my life. Well, since somewhere between primary and secondary school, to be honest.

I have nothing against libraries. I love them because they introduced me to adventure, romance, fantasy and fairy tales in the likes of Three Musketeers, Ramona and Beeszus, Mary Poppins and Jungle Book. Oddly enough, I attempted Romeo and Juliet at Primary Five and while I didn't get any of the play's nuances then, it was an illuminating first look into what this bloody Shakespeare man offered. Hey, I was in Primary Five, I had no idea who he was!

Visits to the library were peppered with other visits to the bookstores. I was ok with toys, but much preferred the company of books because they offered that much more escapist entertainment. What else would keep me occupied and happy while being dragged on endless shopping trips? It's hilarious how things turned out because, I still hate going on long shopping jaunts.

Anyhoo, when I was around 14, my cousins took me to a new place. This was the much loved Sunny Bookstore of yore. When it used to be tucked in a corner on the second floor of Far East Plaza. To a kid who really liked to read, this was a little piece of heaven! Why? Because unlike libraries, these guys stock the latest books! I could also get series' which were not available in the libraries or even books which contained themes unsuitable to libraries, such as American Psycho or Anne Rice novels. The kicker? It operates much like a library and I'd only need a small part of my allowance to start renting books. And I get to keep the books that I really liked. Woot!

The bookstore and its people grew with the customers. While other stores had retail staff, Sunny's staff remembered their customers' names and more importantly, the type of books they liked so that they can recommend new authors to try or tell you when a new book comes in. Since these guys have changed ownership over the last year, things have gone down the drain. They are back to being a regular bookstore with bored retail staff. As a customer, it's a great feeling to come into a store to chat with the staff about the newest arrivals, which authors have launched new series' or even ask to review books that you've heard of but never had the chance to read. There are small, rental booskstore which still operate similarly to the old Sunny Bookshop, but it ain't the same. It's people (who've become friends) will never be replaced.

I don't buy books because I don't have the luxury of space in my tiny, cramped apartment, which is why renting is a great option. I'll usually take out about 10-12 books and these will last me about two months. And while I know that you can download books on electronic devices, I'm not fond of being overly reliant on devices to the point that they seem to be glued to me.

At the end of the day, I'm somewhat of a traditionalist when it come to books. I still love the smell of new books, the grainy texture of the paper on limited editions and of turning that page to find out what happens next. I want to curl up in bed, sit on the train or cafe and just dive into a good book. I can read it on planes too! Don't have to turn anything off to read a book, y'know. Plus, I want to be able to just set the book aside or shove it into my bag without worrying if I have enough battery to last through the day or, is there an electrical point where I can change my device? I already have enough of that nonsense in trying to manage my laptop and mobile phone.

I know that it sounds silly and non tree-huggy, but it will suffice for now.

Let's go crazy...let's get nuts

2011-06-12T12:37:00.000+08:00

Hello alls! *waves* I am still alive and mosey-ing along :)

It has been a hectic couple of months with work, classes and also rehearsals coming together. Granted, it's nothing new but God-dammit, I'm dying for my summer break! Mid-year is always the busiest time, literally turning you into a crazy-ass octopus.

Being busy is great, I love it. Having different things to do means learning to work them all into my schedule with the least amount of chaos. It's a juggling act for sure, balancing work and all sorts of client needs, colleagues plus incorporating time to work on my techniques, learn new performance routines, take classes and developing a small shines routine for the team. The biggest challenge this year is to balance dance while at the same time, work harder within the billable hours, putting in extra hours when necessary.

Getting the right mix of work-life balance is bloody hard! Work is always be there and while you try not to work off-hours, it takes some freaking skill to plan ahead to ensure that things are done on time. After shutting down for the day, it's time to psyche myself up for practice or classes. Not easy when there are some crazy people demanding attention even after work. This year, the team is learning a new routine and style that we are largely unfamiliar with. Things are coming together but it takes a lot of time and practice. We're looking forward to wow-ing the salseros in Thailand in November, hence we're working extra hard to ensure that the routine's amazing!

That said, the personal goals for this year are coming along quite nicely; learning new styles, no injury time and pulling back on social drinking. I'm not a crazy alchy but I recognize that combining both on practice days kill. Performers know this and yes, I've had bad days which were totally counterproductive so cutting drinking is a relatively easy decision. No more drinking especially on practice nights. Health-wise, I've managed to stay on track with no injury and things are looking good.

Am bloody glad that with all this and work, I've not turned into a bigger panda than I already am! The downside is that patience is not something I have in spades and I suffer no fools. When things get crazy, it's essential that all parties pitch in to run things as smoothly as we can. Therefore it's important to factor in time to breathe or go postal.

Can you believe that it's already mid-year? Fucking hell! Still more excitement to come for sure, and it'll take more patience (must find from somewhere or import!), hard work and resilience to make it all work. And to that I say: Bring it on!

Farewell, my friend

2011-05-16T23:44:00.000+08:00

I've known you for such a short time, but in that little window you touched my heart.

Whoever knew it could be jump started as such?

You were my little ray of sunshine, that mischievous little mutt.

And even Belle will miss you, even though she'd never admit it out loud.

And so I bid you adieu,

I will miss our evening jaunts in the park, fighting over toast and the early morning scuttles around the house

Who else will give me pleading glances over my chocolate bars?

But hey, I will heal, some tears but it's all ok.

That is, until I get my hands on that driver who got away.

To the ones that made me care

2011-05-01T12:31:00.001+08:00

Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure and also the torture of working with several talented people in the public relations industry. These were the people who took a chance on a girl who really loved to write and helped guide her to where she is today.

Getting here was definitely not easy. It was fraught with mistakes, steep learning curves and people who are constantly trying to trip you up. To be honest, the road is pretty much the same now! But I’m learning. In the beginning, I had a slightly easier time because I was working in-house. Work was stable and you had the time to pick up the ropes for what is required of your job. In-house is great because it provides a certain form of stability. The downside is that you often get mired in internal politics. Work becomes a secondary role because you have to keep certain players in the game. You have to be adept in playing so that you can dodge, deflect and sometimes swing the game to your favour.

Working in an international agency later was tough because I was literally thrown into the deep end and expected to swim. It was there I faced a really tough challenge. A director who really pushed me hard – she was a big, brassy and no-nonsense character. I got yelled at (right at my desk in the middle of the office), threatened and had work thrown out the door because it wasn’t up to scratch. Quality was everything and she expected the highest.

No compromise and certainly no lagging. All client work has to be drafted and on her desk by noon so that it will be delivered to the client by 3pm because ‘your client leaves the office at 6pm so they have to see your work before they leave.’ Don’t expect the client to work late or on the weekends just because you are slow. You cannot be late. All deadlines must be delivered. Client work and billability rates were priority. You simply cannot slack off, or go on any smoke break if your work is not at least halfway done. Your time is client time.

Harsh? Extremely. I wanted to quit after 3 months after too many late nights on my first regional, travelling project, too many telling-offs and grilling. The turning point came when I got counsel from another director. In working with this director, I realized a few things. Firstly, I can’t quit because I chased this job down. It was an agency that I aspired to work in with people who knew how this industry was run and clients I was eager to be involved with. Secondly, I’m no hack. I have the chops to DO this. Thirdly, there is no quitting because things get tough. I was determined to walk away from this experience proud of my achievements. You can’t kill me with that – I won’t bloody let you.

Was it madness? Yes. I was determined to prove that I can work this and so I dived back in. Look, I wasn’t there to make the woman love me. I just wanted to do the work. I stayed at this job for close to three years. Gradually work got better and I got the experience I needed, working on new business, leading teams and chasing down stories for the client. Billability was good and the work was constant…one thing about agency work is that, there is never a dull moment.

The irony was that hope came through when times were the hardest. I learned a lot about myself and also from the people who were toughest to me plus those that guided me through it all. She was not just tough. She knew the work and the clients. Just because she was a director didn’t mean that she was unaware of what I was doing or how I can do it better…despite the toughness, she showed me what I can do to excel. For that, I am immensely thankful and should I need a recommendation, she has said that all I had to do was ask. Wow. I’m also highly respectful of the bosses who’ve been there for me till today.

Where I am now is a good place. There is an immense opportunity for this company to become great but there has much as to be done to develop the young talent. For it is simply too raw…young people in the industry are great but you have to teach and mentor them. Don’t get me wrong we have great leaders but they need to be more involved in mentoring. There are some that guide through lip service but that is not enough. It is meaningless if you don’t show people how things are done at least once plus it reflects that you probably have no idea how to do it. Because at the end of the day, the newbies become lazy and assume that leadership means just asking a people to do a bunch of things. Work becomes meaningless and so do promotions.

My hope is for the company do more for these newbies. To get into the heads and the hearts of these people and really show them how the industry works. People shouldn’t go through what I have but they should be taught the right skills and given the right tools to excel. Public relations is not for the faint hearted; it is not just about the writing or content development. Not just the event management. Consultants are constantly challenged to think for the clients and counsel them to the best of their abilities. A yes-man has no place here and delegation only works to an extent. Internal politics is everywhere but a smarter way of approaching this is to work hard to prove your mettle and not just play at silly games.

After all, you didn’t get into PR simply for the glamour, right?

In the belly of the beast

2011-04-25T16:47:00.004+08:00

If you are in the performing arts, you'd have to get used to a few uncomfortable things.

The mirror. It should be your friend. No, not so you can preen all the time but so you can see yourself and how totally retarded you look as you attempt various moves. Just try not to stare too hard or laugh too loudly at other people or yourself as you attempt your moves. The good part about having that mirror is so that you can correct all your retardation to make it somewhat smooth.
Criticism. Everyone will get it. Most importantly, you have to hear what is being said and put it into your performance to enhance it. Over the years, I've gotten my fair share of tough love and while it is never easy to deal with, once you address your issues and work on them, you will find that progress will come much easier.
Solos. A couple of weeks ago, I got the chance to teach my fellow dancers a short choreo as part of our musicality training. No matter how long you've been dancing, sometimes the best way to learn about the music and how to listen is to come up with your own little masterpiece. I have to admit that even a 30sec piece was tough as I had to execute not only the moves for the girls but for the boys. I have new respect for choreographers and so do not want to be in their shoes!
Competition. Sometimes the competition for a dancer is not with everyone else but with themselves. Because there will always be someone better, faster and more agile than you. But the onus is on yourself to push as hard as you can in order to get to the next level. You just have to know that blood, sweat and tears are part of this shindig. The rewards are immeasurable but extremely satisfying at the end.

Last week, I completed the Intermediate 3 class for Belly Dancing. Ana Dana was an interesting little choreo because for the first time, I had to do a choreo which relied on its coyness and sensuality. Watching this video and listening to my instructor's critique, I know that I still have much to work not only in terms of technicality and movement.

Despite it's exotic roots, Belly Dancing is not about being sexual...it's about sensuality and celebrating the female form. Hence, there are no movements where the performers touch themselves unlike in exotic or burlesque. Watching this video and others over the course of a year's worth of lessons, I'm pleased that there has been some improvement in terms of my movements. Now to work on refinement!

As always, there is always an aspiration. This time it is Sadie. She may be American but she also has the moves and the spirit of the dance down. Working my way towards moving like that!

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