High Life & Bedroom

My room needs cleaning, badly. Cleaning my room, tonight's mission. Vacuum, wipe all dusty tops, laundry, filing stray CDs, organise music files, sleep.

That's today, yesterday, last night, was....

Went to Frank Lai show last night at the all new Starhill Gallery, the model line-up were dotted with few ex-Miss Malaysia and some of my favourite clothe-horses. The choreography for round two really got me, it opened with her scream, an ear-piercing high scream from other end of the walkway, making every single head turned to look at the unsuspected end of `stage'. Everyone's favourite bee-stung-lips model ran across the red carpet and continued to scream and fell on the floor, scared.

By then you would have broken into a smile and said, what a refreshing staging of clothe parade.

First round with post-war French songs blaring with smiling models sashaying happy colors, lots of smiles and colors...

Second round screamed attitude, with the scream which opened the round and with bee-stung-lips regaining her posture at the other end, she stood up and took off the thick and puffy skirting from her dress and walked down towards the cameras with defiance and pale lips.

Very very pale lips, high arch and pencil-thin drawn eye brows, panda black eye make-up and zombie-expression, that really got the crowd going. The mostly local second round line-up stomped on stage with biting attitude...as there was no raised walk way, they stared you in the eye with great indifference and I tell you, those pale lips with black eyes (and arched brows) ROCK! Some of them threw fists in the air, one of them would grab your shirt and picked a fight, some warned you with their close proximity.

After the while sipping on Margarita in champagne glass (duh), I took some tips from an experienced and ever-so-cheerful booker who is my inspiration.

"Always carry an exercise book and write EVERYTHING."

Ok, I guess my palm size notepad is too dainty for serious note-taking.

I left the glittery scene just in time for my appointment with my pianist and potential client -- wedding singer job.

The bride-to-be and I share favourite songs and music. She is into the jazzy 40's. I have to nail this one, I better re-think my quote. She seemed to like my voice a lot but my pianist gave me a lecture after they left on the fine art of quoting your craft in KL.

Fine craft + reasonable pricing = lots of gigs = NICE income

We planned to nail some recordings with my MP3 player soon.

But tonight, tonight I clean my room.

Tomorrow I sing, and Sunday I sing. Monday back at work, must bring exercise book with me at all time.

Fear Factor Malaysia WANTS YOU

We have the F1, Fame, Malaysian Idol, and now...

FEAR FACTOR Malaysia is here and we want YOU!

Looque International is casting for the first season of Malaysian Fear Factor participants.

Production dates should be in Aug & Sep (tbc).

any of you (and your buddies whom are good for the show) game for this show and its price money of RM 10k can come in on this coming Tuesday - July 26th for casting/interview (yes, just interview, no bugs and cow eyes).

Looque Intl
47-7, The Boulevard
Mid Valley City
11am - 5pm

bring: IC & yourself, some pics of yourself if have :)

call me for appointment, 012 378 3730

cheers
Janet Lee
Booker
e. janet@looque.com.my
url. www.looque.com.my

Void

I keep reaching to switch on the stereo that is not there anymore.

It's a lot like losing someone you love, going through a break-up, divorcing your partner, missing your limb.

Traffic jams, queuing in line for your parking ticket used to be more pleasant. My brain is still taking time to adjust to the void in the stereo box, I keep thinking that I have turned down the volume...

I guess it's like you will keep turning over to talk to your partner at the other end of the living hall, to realize that the person is not there anymore.

A blaring stereo is also a good partner when I drive in a scary dark road at wee hours...

and of course a good buffer for those awkward silent moment with someone in your car...And many more.

******

Money money money...

I have a list of so-called urgent buys, all serious spending:

A recorder (record my voice lessons and my singing, can then make a demo file)

A keyboard, to learn new songs -- speed up learning process

A car stereo, to fill up the void in my hours in the car/on the road.

Rehearsal for Py starts tonight...my heart sings with excitement. Movement workshop for M will start in about three weeks, can't wait. Maybe the dancing shoes I bought from Goddess will finally see daylight.

What Luck's Got To Do With It

I used to hate people who blame everything to luck but I have learned to believe in it, you know, from life experiences. Luck plays a little importance in some things in life, under certain circumstances, but it's not the sole determining factor.

Anyway, I can't really pin point why my car has gotten broken into again, third time, since I got Sunny Boy it in late 2003. J said there's nothing I can do about it, cars get broken into he said.

This time they got the CD player, previous times were my CDs and Naf Naf jacket.

Talk about detaching ourselves of materials longing...it's not about that anymore, I don't know what to think anymore, if my car isn't safe anyway...I can't keep coins in my car, my stereo, CDs, my shades, shoes? That's what a car is for, is storage of things you need to keep handy when you travel.

On the bright side, the car is still in one piece. There are things to be fixed, it's not the best looking car around but it has certainly been through enough break-ins. Ironic huh? Who would think that old rags like Sunny gets more attention than all the shiny Beamers next to Sunny?

The wiring needs fixing. Don't know when I will get the painting done for a few small areas. I need the car like I need carbohydrate and internet...can't imagine life without my own transport, a little bike might be nice as a substitute..?

While my car needs the fixing, I'm trying to fix my performing schedule for the rest of the year. With two productions confirmed (I'm the hottest chorus girl in town now) and one competition to go, I go slightly dizzy just thinking about call times, agency work, events, models, rehearsals, weddings...

With all that on my plate, my mouth ulcers are popping out like crazy. I check how well I'm doing by checking the colour of my urine everyday...enough water? Never drink enough.

The weekend went passed like a royal holiday though...you see these weeks I do have lots of fun in the weekends; theatres, shopping, TV, lots of food, good company. I leave work everyday feeling like I had a full day and feeling like I-deserve-to-leave-work-now eventhough tomorrow's work is still a truck-full.

Stressful it maybe, but this sure will be one hell of an exciting year end for me.

C'est la vie

Latest report

Purple polka dot skirt, RM 4
Vintage beaded evening, RM 10
Double CD (compilation - Heart & Soul: Gabrielle, Marvin Gaye, Randy Crawford, Luther Vandross...M People), RM 30

The CD guy had a few more cool albums but I decided to stop at one. He had Joni Mitchell and Tracy Chapman.

That was Amcorp mall by the way.

Life kinda slowed down right after the recital. What follows are basically the madness during my working hours (I hardly have to work in the weekends now), catching shows in the theatres (KL Dance festival & Freedom Film Fest 2005, jot Happens), watching Starlight Cinema with the girls, attending singing classes...catching up with SM, etc.

SM and ST returned with many honeymoon images to die for. She also let me bag home with some real gem...

Italian made hat, dark blue with gerbera (I think it's organza, from Paris flea market)
Two floral print ladylike dresses (Paris)
Kookai tank top
mini Eiffel tower
Red evening dress (Iceland flea market)

The evening dress is specially purchased for my next singing gig. I have been advised to stop buying gig-dresses because her entire inventory of gowns deserved to be aired and get the stage exposure.

I can't complain.

Can't complain about work either, I have been resting in the weekend since June. My social life came back in full force, I have to juggle outings with friends. I have a long list of house-hold to do list that have been put on hold, looks like I gotta lay low for sometimes to juggle finances.

Health wise I know I need a boost, maybe some supplements, some more early nights...it's scary to think am a time bomb on the road, don't know when I will fall asleep on the wheels again!

The New Pill

Cleaned my bathroom myself for the first time on Sunday. The cleaning lady who comes twice a month has gone home to Indonesia. From now on it's all up to me, whether I will have a clean apartment or a shit hole.

On a separate note.

I finally figured out my recent food-craving symptom, one morning this week while I was getting dressed with my mind wandering all over.

Food, or eating has become my substitute for shopping. You see while I'm trying to resist buying/shopping at the mall, my sub conscience is looking for a substitute...for happiness, alternative dose happiness; like a different pill, from another clinic.

Except this new pill is equally damaging to my financial health.

ST said: "Do you really enjoy those NEW food?"

"I do, I've always love pasta, brownie with ice cream, salads, pizzas, nice restaurants." --- just that previously I couldn't care about where I eat after I spent the entire evening trying on clothes, now the entire evening is OFF trying on clothes, so something else, something equally satisfying must take place.

He said: "oooo, that's baaad."

Yes, it is.

"So what are you going to do."

"Errr, look for a cheaper substitute?? Like maybe good company of friends? Good books?"

He agreed. "Ya, high quality friends. I think it's fantastic idea."

Maybe I can even resort to more cleaning in the apartment, the bathroom cleaning session was rather satisfying...but it could be because it was my first time cleaning THAT bathroom.

Maybe I will head straight for my music books when I have my SHOPPING n EATING time.

I will think of something.

Love Hate Relationship

Since pay day I have spent only RM44 on unnecessary accessories/clothes.

Shades, RM 19
Fashion watch, RM 25

That's three days, my normal account is about RM 100 (MNG sale, The Curve Sunday stores...earrings going RM 10 for 3 pairs, you know what I'm talking about!!!).

I went to the ATM and took a lot of cash out on Friday which most of it has gone to rental and singing class. I still have the stash that will go to my credit card this month. I have not used the card for months now so I should be paying off the sum very soon.

But looks like wherever or whenever I skim, there will be new expenses. (off topic -I hit a car on Saturday after big fat lunch, fell asleep on the wheels and kissed some guy's ass, a Proton Saga. Poor fella must have been rushing home to see wife and kids. I sent him straight to my smart-ass mechanic in Sunway and told him that I will settle his repair bill there. Lucky for me, his bumper repair will cost slightly less than my monthly rental...still)

The moment I had the cash with me on Friday it hit me I will have very little left (compare to what I used to earn), I girthed my teeth and walked pass MNG, Zara, Sasa...and sat down at Secret Recipe, a treat for not shopping at MNG and celebrating pay day (ie. paying bills) and a hard-working week. Had soup and chocolate cake (with vanilla ice cream of course) with my new stack of magazines for the month (agency work).

I have been experimenting different ways of thinking to resist shopping. My first was:

Everytime I buy something I wanted but didn't need, I shall go home and practise my vocals for an extra portion of time. J told me it was downright denial. Yes, I guess he was right, that is NOT HELPING, that's twisting the truth.

Today I walked past rack of jeans going cheap (still unnecessary items though cheap) in Carrefour while buying some office supplies, I stopped. "No, I will not give them the business. I should make every pair of my jeans sitting at home count for every cent that I paid for. If they dont fit or are not flattering anymore, I will transform them into something that fit and will flatter...refer to my old entry on revamping your wardrobe.

I shall use the tips myself. I will go home tonight and make some new clothes from my existing ones, to satisfy my craving for NEW (second hand clothes are also NEW to me) clothes.

But somehow it seems, just recently, I have developed a funny kind of craving for spending on food, lots of food. Not that I have since started to eat more, but I have since started to think about eating and food a lot more often...

J once told me the solution is to be happy.

If

Shopping makes me happy = Happiness

Eating (unnecessarily) makes me happy = Happiness

then

Already happy, being happy, etc = Happiness = not over-eating and not over-spending

his solution for getting there, ie. skipping shopping and eating unnecessarily, was to exercise, and be generally happy and contented with what I have.

Sounds easy...but it's easier to shop then to exercise (I work next to the mall, I hate running). I'm generally quite happy and contented with my life but shopping feels more like a sister, a loved one and not something I use to BE happy...

Well, whatever it is, if I want to survive in my new job and new environment, I had better make shopping my new enemy...forget the fact that sometimes part of my job is to shop (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!).

p/s am still looking to sell my old NEW shoes, and...oh, you feel like your wardrobe needs a revamp? Call me, am the fairy god mother of your wardrobe.

Soul Doctor's Flea Markets Directory

I met some ladies from a movie distributor company in my office on Wednesday, they sized me up and down and started asking me where I bought my handbag, my shoes, my jacket...and where I had my hair-cut (it's not what you think, she loved it).

What can be more flattering than that?

I promised I would email them a list of places where I get my regular supply of funky wardrobe...

The email started and it very quickly turn into a full length magazine article, I decided to let myself go wild and post it here. Will tell you what their reactions are after I send my email ok.

here we go, Soul Doctor's directory of KL's flea-market-shopping:

Ok, I wouldn't say we are blessed with second-bargain-vintage shopping scene like good old Australia but at least we've started! I started shopping at the very first (I believe they were the first) flea market in town way back, at least 5 years back, in Amcorp mall, those were the golden years where the goods were freshly chucked out of people's closets -- very very good stuff. Over the years the market has proliferated into a mix of piggy-backing pasar malam vendors selling brand new goods.

Anyway, here is the list:

Amcorp Mall
Sundays - full blown flea market from LG floor to top floors, in stores, mainly right wing, you can't miss it.
Saturdays - smaller market with fewer operators, started just recently.

My girlfriend and I shop so much there that the regular operators are now our old friends and really, large part of my wardrobe come from there, from bags to dresses, to books and CDs. Most of my most-admired earrings are from here and they cost me like RM 1 for some.

Things: old LPs, shoes, books, toys, trinkets, cakes, perfumes, CDs, books, antiques, bags, magic cards, cassettes, cameras, celebrities selling old earrings (I bought this pair of gorgeous drop earrings from some ex-Miss Malaysia for RM 5)...

Plaza Mon't Kiara - Craft Market
Sundays - started as an up-market FLEA market with DKNYs, DIORs, JGP belts and GUESS jeans all going cheap (rich women migrating to Australia, clearing wardrobe for the next season, you name it) until a while later when it suffered the same curse as Amcorp, now most vendors there sell brand new goods. Of course bearing the name of craft market, there are plenty of `craft' (nice, expensive, unnecessary goods) sold there. I sometimes go there and get myself some little surprise -- you might bump into one or two (two stores -- you MUST be lucky) stores with secondhand stuff.

Things: over-priced accessories, over-priced mass-produced high-street fashion, over-priced gem-stones, sofa covers, painted bottles, toys, shoes, cakes,

PJCC Community Link branches - Petaling Jaya Community Centre (PJCC)
They started (still there) as a store in Amcorp mall and then took up a store AND a shoplot (daily) that sells anything: comic books, magic cards, belts, clothes, trinkets, shoes, hats, mirrors....you get the picture. Later they were booted out of the shoplot, the Sunday store on 3rd remains. They now have branches in (what I know):

Atria, D'sara Jaya, 1st floor (huge floor space for a store like this, a quiet little shop for browsing funky accessories, books, dresses and furniture)

Summit, Subang, 1st floor (lots of clothes) AND 3rd floor (books and knick-knacks)

Some of my amazing buys from the PJCC folks are: a white vintage, fully beaded evening bag for RM 5, a floor length, fully-beaded halter-neck evening dress for RM 15, a short-rhine-stone cocktail black dress for RM 3, 80's sequined short dinner dress for RM 15, MNG earrings for RM5...of course it helps when I shop there so much.

SPCA Jumble Sales (about twice a year)
You have to brave the morning sun on the day itself, and wait at strategic position outside the huge gates of SPCA where the whole nation of foreign-workers in Ampang are waiting to go into the sale. Remember to wear something cooling and bring a small towel to dry yourself. Stay away if you can't stand animal stench/smell, dust, old clothes' dust, animal wailing away next to you....

Some of the best stuff I have from this sale are actually gifts from SM - SM went two years back, came back with two big garbage bags of clothes and knick-knacks and she gave me these: numerous Indian skirts which people till today still ask me where I got them, deep purple velvet jacket with Victorian collar, short black biker-jacket....I got myself in last year's sale: 70's sun shades for RM 1, Saris for RM5, black mash bag for RM4, numerous pieces of clothing..too numerous too remember.

Second Charm, TTDI (same row as Penang Village restaurant)
The guy who runs the store actually calls me whenever they have new items. I've been buying tons of accessories from him since the day I discovered the shop, I brought my models there when they were having shooting in a studio nearby and they bought too.

Things: Second-hand furniture - teak desks, chairs, beds, closets, books, shoes, bags, bags, bags, toys, 80's dresses, chandeliers....etc.

My best buys: short Austin-Power dress, bunch of accessories for RM 10 or less, shoe bag for RM 5, leather handbag for RM 10, some of the trinkets I bought went straight to the shoot happening next door.

And my all-time favourite non-secondhand shopping outlet: Sungai Wang. It never fails. Go shop for your signature look there today. It could be that pair of slippers or that furry bag that would make you.