Notes From Work

Crazy deadlines and additional responsibilities aside, here is a collection of the little doses of happiness that my job has brought me thus far:



It was a mini carnival at the headquarters. Clothes from past productions were going for RM5 a piece! I'm guessing the past productions included wacky game shows, concerts and 80s-themed series. There were neon coloured leotards, super sparkly jackets and clothes that looked like they jumped out of my Mom's very, very, very old closet. I'm sure there were gems hidden somewhere amongst those racks. I just don't have the patience to uncover them.



I love cartoon events. Popcorn, whoopie cushion, stickers and yours truly won a Toys"R"Us voucher! This one was held at a kids' gym and because of that, the chairs came in mini-size too. Those of us who entered the screening room first headed straight for the only two 'normal-sized' couches available. As cute and colourful as the tiny chairs were, the thought of me potentially breaking a chair's leg and landing on my behind in full view of the media is not cute.



A hotel celebrated its 5th anniversary and sent an invitation in a cute 555 booklet (very creative move). There were oysters stuffed into test tubes and to be taken with a shot of cocktail. There were vodka shots with caviar. Then there was an awesome cone-shaped tree where strawberries, candies, chocolate bars and pastries were glued on with melted chocolate. You simply plucked whatever you wanted off the 'tree' and indulge. GENIUS!

More indulgence followed when Polly and i were invited to a casual lunch with Hidden Cities' (on HISTORY, Ch555) star Anthony Morse. I expected a large setting filled with media, where the best one could get was a five-minute chat with Morse. Instead, all there was was a table for 15. There was no air of arrogance about that man and it doesn't hurt that he's a looker too! Pictures, honestly, do him no justice. At one point, Polly was so fascinated by his biceps that she went up to him, asked "May I?" and lightly felt his biceps!



Say hello to Ballsy (on the left) and his no-name neighbour! A colleague went to New Zealand recently and returned with fridge magnets for each of us. So now, i have a dark brown, cute, fluffy kiwi chilling on my desktop's CPU, alongside a mini wooden surfboard, Amazing Race magnets, a calendar, a name tag and a fridge magnet of a generic Vietnamese girl that i initially thought was a figurine of a freaky cult idol.



Had some time to kill while waiting for the office's awesome driver, who volunteered to drop Ee Laine and I off at the stadium for the Chelsea vs. Malaysia friendly match. Except for a slight colour difference of the face and body, i'd say it looks pretty real! When showed to a friend, she really thought it was me chopping vegetables...though she did wonder why my arms were leaning towards the manly side.

Something Good

So apparently, it rains EVERY Good Friday. Long story short, Mabel lost a bet and had to stomach a family-made concoction made of tom yum soup, a few drops of Coke, rice, a dumpling, yam ice cream, a mashed osyter, and coconut shavings. It smelt like food that has been kept at the back of a fridge for a long, long time. The interesting part of the story? She did not fall sick the next day.

The woman who has an obsession with John Travolta came back for a holiday...and continued to live up to the silly image i know her for. She brought a packet of Macadamia nuts home for me, kept it in the bag throughout our entire outing, and left with it. Fail.

Current fashion obsessions: maxi skirts and sheer tops. Super excited on finding a comfy skirt that doesn't make me look like i spent my whole week indulging in buffets.

Funny thing happened prior to my chat with Archie of The Good Wife. That morning, i took the effort to put on my jeans, find a decent blouse to wear, and slip into my wedges for the interview. And what did my PR friend, Berenice, say after checking out my outfit? "Wah, so casual no need to go to work today ah?".

Spent a weekend night in with friends and what did i take away from the night? Karen spends way too much time on her Michael Jackson wii game. Joyce's idea of the perfect salad is anything served with sesame salad dressing. Weng uses way too many 'dey' in his conversations. Victor needs something else besides checkered shirts. TK will be the first person to introduce a 'joint venture' option in Monopoly Deal. I have the useless ability to remember all the families in Happy Family.

Do The Yan Can

Long before i knew how to boil Maggi noodles and fry sausages and egg, one man believed in my skills in the kitchen, reminding me week after week that i can cook. A month ago, i finally met the man... and he cooked for me too!

As much as Martin Yan is a chef, he is also a great showman, keeping his guests entertained with witty jokes and a chicken-deboning demo that only took 18 seconds. Plus, out of the few chefs i've had the privilege to meet, he is the only one who thanked me for coming and made me believe that he sincerely meant it because heaven knows how many celebrities say thank you merely out of courtesy.

As i was leaving, i stumbled upon him and after a funny chat about Malaysia and girls who dress sexily, he turned back and said, "Oh yes, honestly, thank you so much for coming to today's event. I really appreciate it." To which my friend replied, "We should be thanking you for coming all the way from San Francisco. You're the one making the long journey here!" I couldn't have agreed better. What a humble man.

Oh, Look Who We Have Here

Over the past few weeks, i was granted the opportunity to speak to and meet a couple of TV's popular faces...



Out of all the hosts i've met, leave it to Ian Wright to make the craziest entrance ever. No, appearing casually out of nowhere onto the stage is simply not his thing. This avid travel junkie has to take it a notch higher by doing a sexy shadow dance then crash through a paper wall and onto the floor. It was insane!

The man makes a great story teller too. I would be happy to just sit and listen to his stories the whole day. Here's one.

According to him, Damascus, Syria is the best place for souvenir shopping because they've got the craziest lingeries in town, despite being a religious center. Hey, holy people need some crazy sex once in a while too. There are knickers that play tunes - from Happy Birthday to Love Story - and more recently, Ian discovered that they've got a one-of-a-kind bra. Both the cups are made of feather and with one clap, all the feathers will drop, revealing the boobs of the wearer. How insanely kinky!

Then there's my French affair with one very tall and pretty Laura Calder. On that day, in a restaurant at the Berjaya School of Hospitality and Tourism, she took away my French food virginity.







Now, i wonder if i'll ever get to meet Rocco Dispirito and Jamie Oliver? Discovery Travel & Living and Asian Food Channel, hook me up please!

These Shoes Are Not Made For Walking

On 90% of my work days, i go to work wearing sandals (ah, the joy of a non-formal dress code). 9.9% is spent with my feet wrapped up in ballet flats and the remaining 0.1% days will see me in high heels. For a girl who loves pretty stilettos, i should be wearing em' more often but the thought of walking about in them (i do not drive) gives me shivers.

Then last Friday, vanity took over me and i decided to wear heels to the launch of E! News Asia.

Usually, i am against wearing heels to work events because there will be plenty of walking and standing involved but i guess i wanted to look nice for any mat sallehs that may be at the launch.

So i picked my second-least pain inflicting heels. Bad idea.

I didn't notice how worn out the shoes have become. The padded area where the balls of my feet go are no longer as comfy as they used to be. By the time i got to work in the morning, my feet were already hurting, and i've got two blisters at the back of my ankles. But still i braved the pain. The venue required guests to climb a flight of stairs to get to the entrance. Great. By that time, i was really feeling it. And the two blisters i had? They burst.

I wanted to enjoy my interview with the hosts (i still reckon E! should have gone with unfamilliar faces)...

...but i was too occupied thinking if it was possible for me to head back to the office and then home without passing out because of pain. No drama here. It was that terrible. When i got back to the office, the sole of my left shoe came off and i had to take an otherwise unnecessary walk to the nearby cobbler.

Back at the office, i removed my shoes and walked about barefooted and noticed a friggin blister on the sole of my foot. One that's the size of a five-cent coin! But yeah, i made it home safely albeit shaking slightly because of the torturous ordeal.

My dear awesome heels, we've had some good times together but it's really time for you to go. I want to give you another shot but i don't fancy risking experiencing another pain like Friday so goodbye. Enjoy shoe-heaven!

That Heartless Dude With A Lot Of Heart

Please allow me to gloat. I've been going to concerts since i was 12 and many of the times, i always look enviously at the reporters and photographers who get to attend press conferences, parade around town with their media tag and watch the concert upclose in a section closed off to the public. So imagine the happiness when i got a call from my editor telling me to not only attend the concert and press conference, but also to interview Kris Allen. I finally get my own media tag!



If you go hunting for Kris Allen press conference details on the Internet, i'm pretty sure you'll notice many of those who attended the conference will write about Kris and the Malaysian souvenir that he received: a keris. Kris' keris, get it?



Then came my time to interview the Idol himself. Ohmigosh. This is the friggin man i was watching on TV last year. The man i thought, like all other Idol winners, i would never get to see live. What you see on air is really what you get. While he's not the best celeb in terms of giving interesting interviews, he is funny and i think he doesn't even realise this. He's insanely humble and really lives up to his boy-next-door image.



Okay, this has got to be the most drama-free concert i've been to. Having a media tag does make a lot of difference! At first, we were ushered into a room with two televisions. My first thought: "Oh shit. Are they going to make us watch the concert from here?" Thank God, it was just a waiting area. And this waiting area is nothing like the long queues i am so used to waiting in. We were served food, champagne and wine. And when the time came, another door opened and we simply sashayed into the ballroom while the public is still kept waiting outside.

We had a section to ourselves at the front of the stage. A few selected lucky winners got to join us there too. Though i was so thankful for the front view, i know how it feels like to be a fan and forced to stand behind a bunch of media people who probably don't even care. But boy, was i happy that night. This is what i've been dreaming of on many occassions! Being in front also mean awesome-r pictures and video...









And Kris Allen has a cute band! This guitarist/keyboardist of his (the name's Cale - i did my research) is super hot. Kinda reminds me of Sylar from Heroes. And this time, even Ee Laine has to admit that my taste is good! See? I can spot a good thing when i see one!



Please let more opportunities like this come! STAR World, organise more concerts and invite me! Sigh, let's hope that my office comes up with an entertainment magazine soon so i can start writing about things that i really give a hoot about.

If A Picture Paints A Thousand Words

Despite the sweat, the sore feet and our smelly selves, we channeled whatever energy we have left to meet the Rejects after the concert. It was amazing. While some fans tried to fake their meet & greet passes and some are left to wait longingly by the barriers just to catch a glance, a group of lucky us got to go backstage to get upclose and personal! We took pictures, got ourselves autographs, chit-chatted and earned the ultimate AAR bragging rights: we got to chill with the guys.

Yeah...i wish that happened too.

Though everyone's all smiles in the picture, the real deal isn't as pretty. Yes, Esaline and I got meet & greet passes but Digi, Universal Music and Marctensia must have had a horrible English teacher because their definition of a meet & greet involved everything but meeting and greeting Tyson Ritter and co.

In reality, it was more of a snap & dash. When came time for us to go in, we were shoved in, asked to pose and then chased out. All under 60 seconds! I didn't know what was going on, i didn't know what the picture was for and i damn well probably wouldn't even know that the Rejects were in the tent if it wasn't because i managed to catch a glance of Tyson and Nick during the commotion.

Digi, you are awesome for the great concert line-up. And i appreciate you giving back to your users. But you definitely need a new event organiser cos this one sucks lollipops. Horrible entrance organisation, pathetic time organisation and it doesn't help that the turn-out was more than what the venue can hold. Don't give away too many tickets lah...

Sigh, i'm disappointed that i couldn't enjoy the Rejects except until the last two songs when many in the crowd (teens who i assume had a curfew to follow) had to leave, allowing us to move forward. Darn those annoying teens around me. So annoying that if you're planning to start a family, one minute spent with them will convince you otherwise.

Who Dat?

Mom was reading The Stars in the morning and came across the picture. Her first reaction? "Eh, that Chinese girl looks familiar. I know i have seen her somewhere but where?"

Then the conversation in her head continued with "Oh, she's wearing the same glasses like my daughter!" And after staring at the picture for a few more seconds, she noticed the Superman tee of mine and went "Guarantee my daughter lah!"

What the heck? I was all cooped up in her for 9 months and she couldn't even recognize me?!?
Apparently, she cannot recognise Karen either. Only Aaron looks familiar. And she's seen him like what, one time?

P.S - Since i'm on the subject of pimping myself...guess who got invited to be featured alongside Simple Plan's Sebastien and Black Eyed Peas' drummer on celebrity chef Roger Mooking's website?

Me!

It's no biggie lah but any positive media publicity no matter how big or small is awesome!

Chin Up!

Went for Bobby Chinn's lunch at Hilton KL. Though i've never really been a fan of his series, i can't deny that i was pretty excited to meet the man. The verdict: he's hilarious and looks freaking hot in real life! Not bad at all for a man who's turning 45 this year...

He's very in-your-face but that's okay. I dig people like that.

Then came time for lunch and his food is so Y to the U to the Double M to the Y. Who would have thought that the best peanut sauce i've ever had would come from a non-Malaysian?

And he gets extra points from me for whipping up a fantastic rice pudding dessert with black sesame paste! You know how much i love my black sesame!

I thought there were gonna be awkward silence during lunch as it did with Kylie Kwong but Bobby sure knows how to hold a conversation. Or maybe i just tend to socialise more with men. Whatever it may be, Kylie Kwong, personality and cooking wise, is SO not his league.

I Saw The Invisible Man

When i was still in high school, he told me that the hardest thing he ever had to do was to look me in the eyes and tell me that he doesn't love me. Of course, he told millions of other girls the same thing too.

And now after SO MANY years, i finally got my chance to meet him when an sms from Quattro told me that Jeff Timmons - my fave member from now-defunk 98 Degrees - will be in town for a show.

After all the hoohah i read and heard about Quattro, i was pretty excited to experience the vibe. And together with Karen, off we went to get a taste of the four seasons. But except for the interior design, appropriate cover charge, the ice room in the winter section and their VERY good music (R&B on Fridays, pop on Saturdays), i don't really see what the big deal is about.



There is NO dance floor and that is a humongous pooper for me! Where am i supposed to get jiggy with the beat? And where would all the hanky panky flirtatious moves happen?

Well, at least they have Jeff to make up for that flaw. The night kicked off pretty excitingly. While being blur and asking waitresses which section of the club Jeff's show will be, i noticed that the man himself was standing in front of my eyes, right behind Karen! We got so star-struck that we just looked at each other and let him walked off without even managing to say hi. Damn, i need better reflexes...



The show itself was okay but whoever who organised Jeff's performance definitely has more homework to do. I don't know why they even thought of alternating his performance with the usual club hits. So we basically saw him coming on stage for one song, then leaving for 15 minutes or so before returning for another song and leaving again. I think that basically eliminated the chances for him to really connect with the audience and build the mood that he wanted to set.



The sound system was not really good either. The music overpowered his voice leaving us with an almost lip-sync-ish performance. Sadly, the crowd was also not working in Jeff's favour. Most of them barely even knew who he was and many simply didn't care. It is such a pity because he's got an amazing voice and an even more amazing falsetto that can be put to good use. If only they would listen...



He really tried to work the crowd but not to much avail. This was the night when i realised that to be a celebrity ain't an easy job as well. He has the looks, the voice but unfortunately, not the luck. And when Lady Luck is not on your side, get ready for a bumpy ride.

What I ended up seeing after the show, was a rather pissed off (and i'm guessing disappointed) Jeff but all that was graciously put aside when we met. What a sweetheart...

Well, whatever it is, he's still got the voice and don't even get me started on his body! Who would have thought that after 10 years, i finally got to meet the man who once adorned my bedroom wall?

MAA Mania

What better way to kick-off this blog than a post related to something i live for: music. When i found out that the MTV Asia Awards was going to make its debut in Malaysia, i knew i had to get my hands on those tickets. And so i did. To top it all off, i managed to score mosh pit tickets. Can i hear a woot woot?

So August 2 finally came and my friends and i packed our bags and headed to the Highlands where the party's at. The red carpet thingamajig was fun but who knew that screaming, holding out hands to touch the stars while being squashed by the massive crowd could be a painful ordeal? And thanks to KennySia, i got my so-called shot with Jared Leto, the man who can make me go weak in the knees.



So it's finally time for the show itself. Was rather disappointed. I think the Malaysian organisers for MAA should look up in the dictionary for the meaning of 'mosh pit'. I was expecting a pit in the middle of the stage where i can grope the stars but oh no, we got placed in a space in front of the stage instead. It was more of a front row thing. Oh well, better than nothing i guess.

Too bad we didn't manage to snag passes to the afterparty so we decided to go on and release mayhem on the rest of Genting instead. And somehow, looking horny means biting one end of a finger while giving a sly smile. We so suck at doing expressions...




So the show's over, but the holiday's not. The next day, we made our way to the theme park for some fun and i have to say, nothing beats a good adrenalin rush than a go on the thrill rides. Me likey!



And folks, that's a wrap. Why does time pass so fast when you're having fun? Here's to a possible 2009 MAA adventure in Malaysia!