Excuse Me, Are You A Model?

So, these two guys appeared out of nowhere sometime this week while I was doing my 'wandering around aimlessly' walk at this shopping mall and popped me this question. They said they found me familiar, and after one of them passed me his namecard, I recognised the model agency immediately. Few months back, I followed my friend to the same agency as he was approached by others too. And when I was there, one of their managers talked to me and coaxed me into joining their team.

Other than the numerous occasions that I have received namecards from talent-scouters on the streets, I am not entirely unfamiliar with the modelling industry as well. My elder sis used to be a model and took part in prestigious modelling competitions where she even represented Singapore to compete with other internationals. That was many years back, while I was still pretty naive about what was going on, I showed every support towards her modelling career, feeling just as excited, or rather more excited than her whenever I got to witness her strut her catwalk and stuff. She did win some awards along the way too. Oh, and I happen to have one of her photoshoot pics in my computer. I like this pic very much by the way.

Modelling has brought her further to becoming an actress for one of the media giants back then. I remember how my mum would be the one who was the most excited amongst us. After all, my mum was the one who started it all. She sent some pics of my sis' to take part in a competition run by a renowned international modelling agency. Thereafter, my sis bagged several awards, and I would think she did well enough for an amateur. She was only 14 when it all began. We were really proud.

Years later, she has moved on. And now she's at a career that's totally different from what she used to do. Back then, she has been an inspiration to me. I was constantly fascinated by the amount of energy a stage could possess, and how models would parade to the rhythmic beat of the music, displaying arrays of fashionable fashions.

Little did I know that I would stumble upon this industry. I mean, we all have dreams. I, for once, did not actively pursue a modelling career, although I have always harboured this desire to perform some day. Be it acting, music, or whatever. I did stop by one or two agencies when I was approached, just to listen to what they have got to say, but it usually ended up in nothing, as I wasn't ready to invest in anything (photoshoot, courses, etc).

Today, however, I made a decision to give it a try. Next week onwards, and for several weeks to come, I will be enrolling in some grooming course. Gosh, I never know the modern male needs to be so in-tuned with all these grooming habits, but I guess it's part and parcel of being a model. Before the start of lessons proper my next week, my manager has already reminded me to take good care of my body. Oh, and go for more workout sessions!

While I am having mixed feelings about what to expect, I can't wait to see what kind of excitement would unfold down the road. Photoshoots, catwalks, grooming tips, etc.

Having said these, modelling will still be a part-time thing for me. My main focus is still on my career right now. But yeah, you could say I'm someone who is adventurous enough to try things out. After all, I must make use of my youth and unleash whatever potential I could have, right? :)

I will be sure to keep this blog updated. Be sure to check back a'ight? ;)

How'd ya like ma pose? Hahaha.

Already Famous: Review and ruminations of the movie

I went to catch the movie "Already Famous"《一泡而红》after seeing the trailers and hearing all the hype about the show. After all, it's a movie directed by Michelle Chong, an artiste I have come to admire due to her various caricatures and impersonations on The Noose. (Recall Leticia, Lulu, Babarella).

For a debut effort, this is something refreshing. The movie chronicles the "dream-chasing" life of a Malaysian girl named Ah Kiao. As a television addict since young, she has watched countless drama series and has her fair share of idol-admiration for popular TV celebrities like Fann Wong, Zoe Tay, and Christopher Lee. All along, she has been harbouring thoughts of being a star one day. Encouraged by her close kin - her grandma, she goes to Singapore in pursuit of her dreams. However, the road to stardom is not one without obstacles. She meets rejections, gets mocked, and faces moments where she has almost given up hope. Her quest also takes her to meeting Ah Seng(Alien Huang, aka 小鬼), a kopi-boy at a neighbourhood coffeeshop. Thereafter follows a series of infatuations as he becomes one of the catalysts behind her dreams.

At times funny and poignant, this movie deserves recognition for a local film. The strong Malaysian accent that Michelle pulls off in the movie definitely works. And the supporting cast is fabulous as well. Some familiar faces include Nat Ho, Chua En Lai, Kumar, Irene Ang, Cynthia Koh, David Gan, Romeo Tan, Pornsak, Li Teng, and Patricia Mok.

The biggest takeaway of this movie is the message behind. The "extras" in the movie, as epitomised by Ah Kiao, a little known television-seller back in Yong Peng, may be nobody for a start. However, it is the passion and patience that takes her further to where she wants to be. This movie speaks volumes to "extras" out there who are slogging through day-to-day routines, especially youths who have dreams. As we only live life once, we ought to pursue our dreams. With courage and determination, no dreams are too far away.

I left the cinema feeling good and felt that watching the movie was well worth my time. As a directorial debut, Michelle Chong deserves all the well-received feedbacks. Kudos to the director/scriptwriter/actress, as it certainly shows her multi-faceted talents. The film is genuine, non-pretentious and sincere. Most importantly, it serves as a timely reminder to people like me - if you have a dream, you need to go for it.

Don't miss Already Famous, a must watch! It is currently showing in cinemas.

My rating: 8/10






Like my review? Follow me on twitter @nightcharmer :)

Time to Shine!

The reason why I haven't been updating my blog much is because I have been really busy. My current occupation really is so much different from being in the editorial line. Not so much about going to events and getting goodie bags so you could feel more obliged to write a good feature. Most of the time, I'm in my office, doing a lot of proofreading, writing, brainstorming, and writing. Still, it's challenging enough. And I had my fair share of OT, though I know there are more to expect in the near future.

Having said that, I'm loving my current job. Not because it is the job that offers me the best pay or benefits, but because it's somewhere I find I can really open up and learn a lot. Besides, I have a great deal of responsibilities as my colleagues tend to look upon me as the "ideas" guy.

Then again, I'm relieved that I'm done with my school papers. It really is no joking matter having to juggle both school and work. Now, I'm just hoping that I did fine.

Recently, our company website went through a major overhaul. I am glad that I joined just in time before it unveils its new look. It kind of made me feel part of the expansion process, and I really look forward to seeing how I can grow in this company. So far so good, I must say.

And check out my new corporate profile pic!

Truly like a boss eh? Haha!

Moving on, I am striving to do lots of reading and observing. As a copywriter, it is essential to know more about the human psyche. So yup, a lot of self-improvements to be made.

Being in the branding/advertising business, I am also gradually getting more and more sensitive whenever I look at ads, posters, and so on. I scrutinise texts more often than not now. I guess in Mandarin, you could call this 职业病?

Still, I am anticipating the brand new year. It's time to shine! :)

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

It's a lazy Sunday afternoon. Unlike most Sunday afternoons when I'll usually be out there giving tuitions, I'm at home today. Jiajun came over and bought 'Lao Ban Tau Huay' for us all to eat. What a sweet gesture. I guess it's a good choice that I helped pull strings between him and my younger sister earlier on. After all, he's my army sergeant that I respect for what he has done for me. I'm still pretty surprised how fast they got together, knowing that my sister has really high expectations. He's lucky I guess.

Dearie came over to accompany me. Had a nice time snuggling in bed, listening to smooth instrumental music. Kevin Kern's to be exact. And here I am, trying to start my revision for the papers. Staring at the computer screen, waiting for something to happen. Sometimes I wonder what's my studying style like? "Last minute" seems an appropriate choice of word to describe. But well it's now the final two papers before I can officially say I have graduated from university, and possibly, graduate from academics studying altogether. Worried yet I couldn't wait for these all to be over. So that I could better concentrate on my new career, tuition, and of course to spend more time with her.

Here's something I wrote few years back, while she's asleep. Oh, and she's now sleeping soundly on my bed. :)

Written While She Sleeps

A figure curled up,

Seeking out warmth.

Cold air blowing,

Her long hair flowing.

A sweet face peeking,

From under the covers.

Heart-shaped lips,

Pursed as she quietly sleeps.

 

She stirs,

My heart skips.

I look at her,

Longing to kiss her lips.

Lush vocals of Emi Fujita,

Lullaby of piano and guitar.

May my beloved dearie,

Be dreaming of me.

May my beloved dearie,

Be dreaming free.

 

Golden Palm Tree Resort, A Lovely Stay.

Earlier in September, I have arranged to bring dearie out on a short getaway trip together. The trip was meant as a birthday gift for her. After contemplating over which destination we should go, this place called Sepang piqued my interest after I have heard about it from an ex-colleague. It so happened that my other friend's sister has been there before, and she was in awe of the place.

Prior to these, I have absolutely no idea where Sepang was. In fact, I looked puzzled when my ex-colleague told me about this place. Either it was my level of ignorance or I haven't heard about its existence. So yeah, I decided to google it. Saw its website and it looked just so gorgeous! Dearie liked how it looked too, at least through those pictures. http://goldenpalmtree.com/

And so, I went ahead to book the tickets! I have to make this clear that I have not organised an overseas trip before, not even with friends, sad to say. This was the first ever time I was doing this. So I was pretty excited, but confident this trip would be a sure-go! Next thing I know, I headed to Five Star Tour Agency, booked my tickets, and off we went! The price for two cost around $720 for a 3D2N package.

The trip there lasted about 5-6 hours. We were pleasantly surprised that we were the only ones on the coach! Talk about booking the whole coach. Hahaha!

Some highlights of the trip:

On the second night, I went back to my Villa only to find an envelope outside our door. It was an exclusive invitation to dine at their VIP exclusive lounge the next morning. Wow. And we were served by a waitress and a chef, the whole private villa literally belonged to us! I was very impressed with the overall service during my stay there.

It was really more of a photo-taking trip. Haha. Our love for photography took us to places! See those pictures in the video below! Oh, pssstt... we did 'limbo rock' on the second night. Joined in some tribal dance. It was wayyyyy fun! :D

Alright, I should let the video do the talking. It was a really memorable trip for us. And this trip really brought us closer to each other. And for that, I'm thankful. Looking forward to more trips with my love.  :)

First Day of New Job!

Oh yes, today marks the first day of my new job. If there is one word to describe how I felt, it has to be overwhelming. The job of a copywriter is really quite challenging man. As they put it, "exciting but taxing". My company is essentially a branding agency that does bao-ka-liao, from brand logos to advertising campaigns. It dwells upon me that they were indeed in need of a copywriter - judging by the amount of workload I'm given on my first day.

And surprise surprise, it is the first time ever I have done OT. Oh yes, stayed after 8pm plus. Still have unfinished work to complete but I couldn't take it anymore. Spent the whole day in front of the computer screen churning out word after word. Even did a Chinese translation of some copy - to which my supervisor commented - Not bad! But no extra pay for that!

Should I be happy? Haha I don't know. But for once, I am finding my job to be pretty challenging. That's right. Those 'easy' days at SAFRA were over. Now a lot is on perfection, on how to please the clients, on how to do successful pitches and how to win them over.

I have been forewarned of the notorious amount of OTs in this industry, prepped myself for it, but still decided to give this a shot. After all, I have quite possibly landed on one of my dream jobs! So yes, I think I'm pretty contented for now. Taking one step at a time. Need to show that I am capable to perform!

Having said that, I do miss my friends back in SAFRA. Ah, miss those crazy moments!

Ahhh, and dearie is now on the plane to Hokkaido. I am really starting to miss her already. Just hope this week will pass by faster so I am able to see her soon!

Soldier on, Anson!

Gil's 21st Celebration

So I spent my Saturday at my dearie's sis' birthday celebration party at Republic of Singapore Yacht Club. Located along the stretch of West Coast Ferry Road, it is a club docked with lots of yacht ships. Very special place to hold a party. And the scenery is really nice, surrounded by water and the ships and all. :)

Oh, and that's the birthday girl blowing out the candles. :) It is an early birthday celebration alright. Everyone had a great time playing games like Charades and Bingo.

Ah, I can't remember how was my 21st spent. Sadly, I think I was still in camp. So yeah, my 21st wasn't something memorable.

I really envy those who have a big family and big group of friends celebrating their birthdays. It makes birthdays all the more endearing, full of warmth and brimming with love.

Still, I'm glad to be acquainted with such a big family too. Through their family, I really experience the joys of family bonding. It is something I have always looked forward to in my own family, and I would hope that my future family will be blessed with joy and happiness. Haha, a bit too early to say this eh?

'Midnight in Paris' Oozes in Pure Magic!

Midnight in Paris (2011)
Director: Woody Allen
Sypnosis: A romantic comedy about a family traveling to the French capital for business. The party includes a young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better.
Genre: Comedy/Fantasy/Romance
Runtime: 94min
Rating: PG for some sexual references and smoking.

Once in a while, you chance upon a movie that captures your gaze, takes your breath away, and during its 'short-lived' runtime, refuses to let you go. One such movie is Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, which premiered at Cannes as an opening film.
I first discovered this gem while randomly browsing around on Cathay's Picturehouse website. Guess I was in a mood for some indie/alternative movie. Midnight in Paris really caught my eye with its artistic poster. Its director being the prolific writer-director Woody Allen was a sure reason why I wanted to watch it.





I have to admit I did not read much into the synopsis of the movie before watching it. I have this habit of not wanting to know too much of it for a movie I deemed to be good. And I was hardly wrong about it. ;)

Midnight in Paris has a stellar cast - Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams and with supporting stars like Adrien Brody, Kathy Bates, Marion Cotillard, Michael Sheen, Carla Bruni. Wilson is Gil, a promising Hollywood scriptwriter who is taking a break while writing a novel, something new that he is working on. The novel, he claims, is about a nostalgic past. Together with him is his girlfriend, Ines(McAdams), and her family.

What is exceptionally distinctive about Wilson is his tone - a reflection of the wise Woody Allen. In fact, Wilson shines in his role of being a dreamy writer that yearns to exercise his creative talents in his writing. What better city could a writer be in than that one in Paris! The whole movie sways in a dreamy Parisian state, just what you would expect out of the City of Lights.

Long story short, the movie is really about how Gil walks home alone one night, only to find himself lost. After the clock strikes midnight, a carriage carrying some drunk folks arrives and he is invited to hitch a ride. What ensues next is pure magic. He travels back to old Paris in the 1920s, something he has been relishing due to his "Golden Age" thinking. There, he meets famous writers and artists like Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Dali, Porter, Picasso and more. What follows next is a blur between reality and fantasy. Humour and brilliant soundtracks weave through the entire film like a welcoming breeze. Jazzy, cozy, enthralling.

The scenery at Paris is such a beauty to look at, even from the audience's seat. Be it morning, or night, the whole city glows in a perpetual romance. And as Gil has always believed, Paris looks the most beautiful in the rain.

This movie may not be perfect, but it is to me, as an aspiring writer, relatable on several accounts, and I enjoyed every bit of it.

My rating: 8.5/10. Highly recommended!

Midnight in Paris is currently showing in Cathay Cineleisure and the Cathay.

Upcoming Updates!

I'm feeling quite excited as I have just given my old blog a whole new facelift! Heh, kinda like the way it looks now, and it reflects my current outlook - optimism! If you haven't known about it, my old blog used to be monochrome - black and white in colour. I reckon the 'emo' phase is way over. Instead, I'm gonna focus on my dreams now. So, yup, colours it shall be! =)

Some upcoming updates, forseeing a long entry.

My short getaway trip in Sepang!

I hope you are ready, for I am just as excited to blog about it! Can't wait to show you guys how beautiful the resort is!

It all started with a Coach... (No, not the bag)!

To be continued...

Back for the Better!

Hello blog! I miss you! I realise I have not blogged for ages. And all this while, I have an incredulous need to write, to record my life's happenings. Too busy I guess, besides, I have been writing all the while - for job's sake of course. Haha. Just some quick updates, I have undertaken a couple of writing jobs so far. Yep, been working in a magazine company as well as the PR & Comms department of a reputable club.

As you could have envisioned, I spent a lot of my time behind glaring computer screens - one quarter of my working time brainstorming for ideas; two-quarters writing; slacking for the last quarter. Haha. Not that it comes as a surprise of course, for a writer's job. I have been managing online publications as well as social media engagement. It has been really eye-opening attending events, working with clients, and of course to write.

As of current, I think I'm still a very 'zha-ba-lang' writer. What I mean is that I don't usually plan a draft before I start writing it. I always write at the spur of the moment, or just force myself to write something. Very much like blogging. Sometimes, my inspiration flows better without any fast rules to restrict me. So I guess that's the good thing about writing. However, I have always envied the job of a freelance writer. He/She gets to spend his time on his own computer, very often in the comfort of his/her own home, and travel to meet clients. Ahhh, how nice it is to be able to have some flexibility in controlling your own work. Then again, I am going on the "safe route" first as I would hope to enrich my experiences and get to know more people. I am hoping it all helps to build my credibility next time should I thrive on my own.

For now, I am moving into copywriting. And boy, I am VERY excited. It has always been a dream job of mine. I love to exercise creativity in any sense. This will be the start of a full-time career. That's right, no more contract, no more internship, but a real job in every literal sense of the word.

Besides writing, I am also tutoring, and I am in my final semester in school. In short, you could say I'm juggling a lot of things on my side, but I choose to remain a postive outlook in life. =)

Oh, and of course, I am also a part-time boyfriend to my lovely princess. My life wouldn't be complete without her. (:

This blog will be the continuation of my life's happenings. Not only will I be posting on my reflections on life, I will attempt to write reviews - movies, music, food, travel, etc. So watch this space, peeps!

Before I end this entry, let me share with you a quote that has recently become my favourite, and it pretty much sums up what I am pursuing.

“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.” — Maya Angelou

My Calling

It's been some time since I updated this blog yet again. While I used to write back when I was working, I realised I haven't quite done so for my own personal reflective moments. And I'm starting to regret that. I'm even starting to doubt if I could still write at all.

Maybe the passion to write just came about like the snap of my fingers. I remember asking one of my close friends for advice one day. I said about my interest in many areas including music, piano, singing, drawing, writing, acting, and so on but didn't quite know which area I should focus on. He asked me a question back that got me thinking.

"Which is the one thing you could do late in the middle of the night without anyone telling you to do it?"

And it came in an instant: Write.

Yes, that is my calling, perhaps. I am very thankful for that as I used to struggle a lot, not knowing what I wanted in life. And then it all makes sense. All the endless nights writing poem after poem, not forgetting the many articles based on any kind of topics that interested me. And not to forget those good old army days where I spent a great deal of time reading and writing. And spacing out into somewhere. Wishing for something, someone, somehow.

While I am glad that I have finally come to terms with what I really wanted, I suffer from some degree of inferior complexity. Can I write? Can I say I like something if I am not particularly well versed in it? Is there an equation that links passion to talent? What I do believe is that hard work does pay off. However, it all boils down to whether you have the passion in what you do. If you have, then you have the spark to ignite that engine.

For now, I have found the key to my passion. Just hoping to look for the right door to unlock and to unleash any writing prowess in me.