Friday, March 30, 2007

The Amazing Race Asia II deadline extended

Aiyah! Should have found out about this earlier!
Then i could have more wine at Vintry. Grrrrrrr....
Luckily we didn't pay for the super super fast DHL service .
That'll cost us another bottle of wine!

The Amazing Race Asia II deadline's been extended to April 13th 2007. sigh

Run Jess Run!

The submission made it in time!
Friday, 3pm. Big PHEW! Jess & Jeff's Amazing Race Asia submission reached AXN in time.
It was a big risk yesterday that we had to take yesterday, whether or not to use DHL's normal service or overnight (100% guaranteed) service to Singapore. Seeing that the difference was RM120, and that we were broke, we decided on the normal service.

We finished our video on Wednesday night. Yea, cutting it a little too close weren't we? And we had to finish the last bits of the video after 1 beer and quarter of vine each, since we were celebrating Jeff's belated 28th Birthday at Vintry.

Calamities which we faced :
- The last bits of the video with me inside had me with only one side of the contacts, because my left eye was bloodshot ( not from the wine ) and it was hurting.
- Our final video was close to 5 minutes long, so one eye jess here and jeff had to be brutal in cutting down the time. Oh while we are at it, we kidnapped Jo from her bed at close to midnight to get her to hold the video camera for us
- I didn't have a recent passport picture ( and i was too busy running around during work to do it ). Thanks to technology and the changgihness of digital cameras, I managed to capture a "passport" picture of myself, half high from the alcohol, one eye blind, stinky 3 day old t-shirt that says "I'm incredible" and a pasty oily face.
- Tada, after everything was done, forms filled up, photos taken... we couldn't play our video on a DVD player. The time, 3am. ARGH! That means, that leaves us Thursday morning to convert the video into a VCD / DVD format!!
- Frantic calls and sms-es were made whilst i was driving my self to work, to check on how we could get the video into a DVD format. And both Jeff and i had 11am meetings.
- After half a day of frantic calls, getting Julie ( thanks babe!), Chu ( our IT guy at work ) and Arleen to help convert our video, we had to rush ourselves to DHL. Problem is, we both have 3pm - 5pm meetings, which means might miss the courier deadline.
- Much excuses made to wiggle ourselves out of the office, me passing the VCD to Jeff at his BAT office, and then off to DHL.
Before the Amazing Race Asia has even started I am already feeling tired!

Work is on again!
It didn't help that finally God heard my prayer of "Give me some work before i go nuts". Right when there's a personal project that is rushed, work begins to pile itself.
- The approval for 3 TVCs came in. Which means going on shoots, and this being overnight shoot. Another zombifying day.
- One other client kept rejecting our creatives. Finally after a long uphill task, they've approved the press ad. Another rush, we have already exceeded our deadline for the other POSMs.
- The adrenaline rush that i experienced this week is really amazing. I could literally feel my creative juices oozing out. During trainings, brainstorm, discussions & personal projects, the ideas came really easily.

This week flew past really quickly. Too many waking up at 6ams and sleeping at 3am, makes me delirious in the head and a liver that quivers ( i didn't have enough of vine at Vintry!)

Fun Bits
- Vintry : Small little reunion with Chris, Jeff, Kelvin & Jean. Good food, good vine ( just not enough) and good company! Though Jeff was the birthday boy, Kelvin took most of the bantering as we spilled his "ex-es" story to Jean! Sigh, nothing too scandalous, though lots of colourful characters that he dated.

- The Traveller : Spinning a story for The Traveller. They recently won Tatler's 2007 Best Travel Agency in Singapore ( Yay Aunty Yvonne!). Best bits about writting the story is to imagine that i know Singapore really well, and romantising it for a traveller.

- Babysitting Bessy : Today's the first day Bessy came to stay with us for the weekend, as Yuez & Nut climb KK.
Now i truly understand how tiring it can be for Yuez, as her little girl is really really really hyper. 6am wake up call for me, to feed her and a 2 hour wait for her to poo poo, because she's gets so excited and just want to Play. Even Winston's energy level couldn't match hers. And it's really funny to see how Uncle Winston gets all grouchy because of Bessy's over-enthusiatic love for him. Jumping on him, smelling his "ku ku", licking him, prancing around in front of him taunting him when he's at his Lazy Dog pose saying "come get me, come get me"

Unwinding for the evening

It's Friday evening, I'm sitting in my room in the office, chilling whilst waiting for the rest to finish off what they have so that we all can go for... BEER & DINNER, yummy yummy chicken wings, kam heong la la at Jalan Alor, and then heading off to Atrium at 10pm for Little one's birthday do. Hic! What bliss!


Tuesday, March 27, 2007

The race towards Amazing Race Asia II

What a whirlwind weekend and week it has been... And it's only Tuesday.

We have approximately 48 hours to complete and send in the Amazing Race Asia II ( TARA II) video & applications off to Singapore. Okay, we - as in Han San ( ahem - Jeff as he is known to others ) and me.

And we are already, so tired from the planning, running around and filming for a 3 minute video. It is harder when the both of us are working and we have to accomodate our camera man's ( kudos to Matt ) time, whilst trying hard to catch whatever daylight that we have. And the headaches of changing scripts because of impromtu learnings about each other and nuggets of ideas that popped up
along the way .

Why so last minute - wan?!
Well, last Thursday, during our daily MSN chat, Yuez told me that the entry for Amazing Race Asia II closes on the 30th March 2007. She's joining TARA II with Nut, and so why donch I try too? ( She is also instigating me to climb Mt KK next year ).

It might be a spur of a moment thing, but the very situation i'm in right now, I need to feel alive again.

Opportunity comes to those who seeks it.
I met up with HS that Thursday night, his treat for my 28th birthday ( a week late, cos Mr. Superacheiver here was climbing KK the week before ).

During dinner he was rattling off his holiday plans, whilst i was comparing notes with him on where we could co-incide countries. It's really ironic, that our travel plans never co-incide. We were always at the similar places / countries but different months. Top of the list complains.. we are always broke. At the end of all the travelling - say good bye to branded bags, shoes, hi-tech gadgets, not to mention the home - pack-lunches-to-work to save money.

Half way through our yummy iron pot rice ( you gotta try it at Sugimotos! ), i asked :
"Eh.. let's do Amazing Race Asia lah! Win already, can travel FREE mah.."

So that's when the mad rush begin.
Calling Chris after dinner, bugging her about ideas on the video that we have to do, calling Shane to speak to Andre to ask "from a directors POV...", texting Long to pick his brains on what would excite the audience.

All that phone call.. All that chatting.. When the idea for the video has always been something that is obvious to both of us.

The idea was conceived after 4 glasses of wine at work and a night out at Somo. HS hijacked the video camera and kidnapped his friend Matt as videographer ( poor Matt, being bitten by mossies and enduring our bickering ). Bad planning ( my bad.. after all the years of sitting through Pre Production Meetings, i didn't plan this "shoot" efficiently ), HS was late and frantic search for location left us high and dry. Me and my impatience showing as we try to catch the remaining bits of daylight. Sigh of relief after i checked with Yuez & Nut's team that they too haven't quite finish their video.

oh, HS celebrates his 28 today.
He sure has a great birthday - spending the night editting the first part of the video.
Up at 6am, we were ambitious to finish our video. Did i say ambitious? That was it, because we only managed 75% of it. 25% more to go, 48 hours deadline. WOOOOHOOOO... i love it. Adrenalines rushing. Tension mounting.

HS told me today : "I had forgotten, but now I remember, how impatient you are". I realised that through this Video, it is a good test to see if you and your partner can heck each other's idiosyncrasies.

Even if we don't make it through to the auditions, we both have a substantial amount of self discovery and learning, priceless as this was like a shortcut to learning about one's strengths & weaknesses.

Ironic as it may seem, me the dreamy, emotional girl, laid back & often cruising through life, when push comes to shove for work or a project, i turn impatient, kan cheong & timeline obsessed person.
While he, super achiever, go getter and always on the move, when push comes to shove, approaches things calmly, a little laid back so he can think things through and very patient indeed with my antics.
What an oxymoron.

A little teaser...



Tell you guys more when we next meet! Good news to share i hope.
Very very excited about the video.

By the way.. Chris is in the BLOG HOUSE too.

The other side

Being in the Ad industry for the last 6 years, I've always been on the Account Management / Client side of things.

Last weekend's activities allowed me a glimpse ( a glimpse because I was just scratching the tip of the iceberg ) of the other side - the print & TV production.

Part of my "Investing in myself" resolution this year, I decided that everything NEW that comes my way, I should try it, for the experience of enriching my life.

Now i know how difficult it is being a Print talent
Lawrence & Jac ( owners of Beauty Gallerie ), my yumseng party kaki, invited me for a FREE makeover - photo shoot at their salon on Sunday. Since, I've always been the one sourcing through talent cards, commenting on the talent's make-up or with the creative team dictating the tone of the makeup, watching from the sidelines and sometimes shaking my head if the talents are too "kaku" during photo shoots, I decided to put myself on the other side, just to experience what it felt like.

So off i trod to Lawrence & Jac's place for my 2pm appointment. To be made up and to do the photo shoot. If you've watched the Dove commercial ( about real beauty ), i felt like the talen
t Inspired by the ad. I asked for - higher nose, double eyelids (hah!) and i was even offered, longer eye lashes, which i politely declined.

Before the photo shoot started, i told the photographer.. "Er, don't make me look FAT!" .

like that ok-ah?

Standing in front of the camera, was a challenge. You have to somehow imagine that there is a cable pulling your head up and you are gritting the iron bar of the trapeze with your mouth while smiling, so that you get a good posture.



that's the only time you don't catch me slouching

After a while, I figured that the photographer seems to have a formula in getting the angles he wanted. It starts with " arch your back, sway your hips to the side (right-left- back- front ), tilt your head ( right - left- back-front ), eyes looking at his finger.. and SMILE.. SMILE.. SMILE!"

my trademark lansi CB face when i don't smile


Steph & Willy-boy were my fans. The above pictures were taken by Steph whilst the real action was going on.
I'm waiting for my touched up pictures to come... There'll be 1 in this dress, 1 in a cowboy hat ( i love love love that shot ) and 1 more in a leather jacket - wriau!

Now that I'm on the other side - where the camera , make up and glamour is, I realised SMILING and POSING is really hard!

Thanks Lawrence & Jac for this FUN FUN FUN experience.
(For those who's interested, Beauty Gallerie is located in SS4 next to the famous chicken rice stall opposite the Catholic church. So pop in to pamper yourself silly for facials & beauty treatment)

Oh, how can i leave without my parting trademark JESSHYBABY shot..

Wrisu ...

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Me Doggie.. Woof!



Winston got tagged by Bessy..
Though he only smelled her presence on me
He's already hiau hiau for her!
(can't wait for Bessy to come stay for the long weekend when aunty yue li's away!)
Don't get him wrong, he's not a pedophile, just a very nice older-dog!

WINSTON
but now after being Ah-Bengnised... @ Kau Kau@FATTY BOY

Date of Birth:

15 March 2003 ( I'm a PISCES doggie )

Breed:
Golden Beige Labrador

Favourite food:
FOOD...Drool...
FOOD...Drool...
FOOD...Drool...


Favourite Activity :

Play?.. Play,Play,Play,Play!
Walk walk
Play, Play, Play, Play!

Favourite Toys:

i wuv mah balls...all size and colours!


Favourite annoying yet cute habit:

Woof..

Sleeps by:
the front door, unnerneath the car

Barks at:
Dirty looking stwangers,
CATS!!!! KILL EM!! KILL KILL KILL!
Other Doggies... woof!

Likes being :
Hug real tight,
Tickled on his tummy,
Scratch behind his ears,
& Likes to play Nose Nose...

When meeting people, likes to:
WOOF.. (how do you do..)
WOOF.. ( play?)
Sniff Sniff...(hm... i like you ..)
Roll over.. (scratch me... puhlease..)

Often seen:

in the mode of orgasm-ing

Knows how to:
Sit, Hand Hand, Fetch, Jump, Heel

take ang-pow

Fancies having as a girlfriend:
Sunshine... ( Winston's got the HOTS for Sunshine.. woof woof )

sun-shine...wooohooo... come back sweetie!

Bessy...( when she grows up.. feewit!)
Mandy...(one day.. i'll go up to Ipoh to meet her)
Crystal...(going to meet her this weekend!)

Has travelled to:
Sri Hartamas ( my old home)
The Vet in Damansara Heights
Ben-Ben's house in Sri Hartamas
Uncle Boon's place in Mt Kiara
Aunty Yue Li's House to be babysat
Around Subang Jaya & USJ

Scared of:
Being abandon & left home alone.. :(
No more food in this world!

And now, Winston would like to tag:
1. Hugo ( a-go-go)

2.Shakespeare (tho he's in Texas with Aunty Diane )
3.Ben-Ben

Friday, March 09, 2007

My Turn to ...Meme! Me!Me!

So i got TAGGED by Yuez.
(I had to sheepishly ask her what this Me!Me! Tag-ging business is all about)

Anyway, this is my 3rd attempt to post this, because the last 2 post just KABOOSH into thin air.
If this doesn't get on the post, that's it, i'm not doing it again.

Anyway, to be a good sport ( and to appear busy at work ), here goes :

Three things that scare me:
1.Losing my loved ones
2.Anything dead
3.Icky animals - CATS! LIZARDS! RATS!!!!

Three people who make me laugh:
I'm easily amused. It doesn't take much to make me laugh, so...
1. Me ( i do shit loads of stupid things.. first i look back and feel damn embaress about it, i blush a little, regret a little then cover it up by laughing )
2. Anyone silly
3. AnyDogs ( they are more people then some people out there)

Three things I love:
1. Food Food Food
2. Fun Fun Fun
3. Love itself

Three things I hate:
1. Cheaters!
2. Disasters ( big or small, anything bad happening to people i know and LIKE...)
3. Fear ( I hate being afraid )

Three things I don't understand:
1. Why do GOOD people have BAD endings?
2. How is it that HORRIBLE people, seem to have a BETTER life?
3. How can some BASTARDS, ABANDON their PARENTS to live a lonely life?

Three things on my desk:
3 Things?! I can't even find my desk!
1. My computer
2. Half drunk cup of DDBI Ah Soh Best Kopi Pak
3. My first birthday pressie for 2007 ( Vodka Shots Chocolate from JULIE!!!)

Three things I'm doing right now:
1. Pretending to be real busy at work
2. Sitting cross legged on my chair
3. Thinking about Aunty Nat's Nasi Goreng Petai Sambal which i'm going to order for dinner!

Three things I want to do before I die:
1. Get married & breed ( though i have frens who told me "why bring innocent kids to a disastrous world")
2. Own my own business ( at least i get the dough doing something i like, when i like )
3. Make peace with God.. ( i do want to go to heaven )

Three things I can do:
1. I've got a really long tongue ( you wanna see? )
2. Natural klutz & calamity Jess ( don jearous okay.. it's an inborn talent)
3. Natural ability to have free-flow of tears watching & heart warming scenes in movies or when someone pissed me off badly

Three things you should listen to:
1. Moms ( i hate to admit this, but sometimes they can be darn right! damn!)
2. Positive people
3. Your heart ( it'll land you in trouble.. and for people like me, DEEP SHIT or EMBARESSMENT , but who cares?)

Three things you should never listen to:
1. Bullshit
2. Negative - woe me people!
3. Fortune tellers

Three things I'd like to learn:
1. To always be happy
2. To dissapear from the face of this earth when i want to
3. Accept the things that i cannot change

Three favorite foods:
1. Anything that's totally artery clogging
2. Everything spicy & sour
3. True blue Malaysian foodie

Three beverages I drink regularly:
1. Water
2. Coffee ( Muar -poh 434 & DDBI Ah Soh's Kopi Pak is ze best )
3. Coke Light

Three TV shows/Books I watched/read as a kid:
1. Thunder, thunder, thundercast HOOOOOOOO!!!! , Jem ( yes i love em JEM too ), Smurfs
2. Enid Blyton, Hans Anderson Fairy Tales, Sweet Valley High ( heeeee....)

Now that i've successfully wasted some time, it's time to get other people to waste their time doing this too..
At the wave of my magic fingers, I hereby tag..

1. Butterfly
2. Gin
3. Audrey
4. Max
( i know i know it's more than 3..but for all the missed blogs that i did, i should be entitled to tag as many people as possible )