Tuesday, May 22, 2012




Post Modern Proverbs

If you want your dreams to come true, don't oversleep.
The smallest good deed is better than the grandest intention.
Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important.
The best vitamin for making friends…B1.
The 10 commandments are not "multiple choice."
The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.
Minds are like parachutes…they function only when open.
Ideas won't work unless YOU do.
One thing you can't recycle is wasted time.
One who lacks the courage to start has already finished.
The heaviest thing to carry is a grudge.
Don't learn safety rules by accident.
We lie the loudest when we lie to ourselves.
Jumping to conclusions can be bad exercise.
A turtle makes progress when it sticks its head out.
One thing you can give and still keep…is your word.
A friend walks in when everyone else walks out.
The pursuit of happiness is the chase of a lifetime!

Author Unknown 

Credit for the above goes to this website:  http://www.appleseeds.org/post-mod_proverbs.htmPlease click on this link for this same post. Thank you to appleseeds.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011



A Simple Thank You to MJ
  - Tribute to MJ in poetry - 
2009 - Written by Amal Alkaff Coad
____________________________

Today for you, we mourn 
Our hearts ripped torn
by news of your demise
your parting seemed so unprecise.

Who would have guessed 
your parting was so pressed

No warning 
No preparing

we were waiting for a comeback 
for your new release to shake and crack
the new generation
that does not yet understand your sensation

Like maternal love, your music & sound
nurtured, made our spirits bound
the beat made us reel 
your rhythmic lyric made us feel

One of a few 
that MJ was you

we suspected your sadness
we never assumed madness
we just loved your music
for us it was terrific

if your life had been different 
you would not be so iridescent
I'm sorry your life so torturous it had to be 
for without that we would never see

what wonderful sounds you could deliver
for our ears and senses to quiver

Thank you for the innovation
thank you for the motivation
thank you for moving our generation
thank you for giving us our sensation




Amal
26th June 2009

Monday, March 28, 2011

life's not easy: Loneliness.

life's not easy: Loneliness.

Loneliness.

LONELINESS

A persevering dull ache in your head
Persisting especially in my bed
Singeing, not so briefly,
heavy with an undesirable stench;
Driving, deriving persistently,
sitting like a judge on a bench.

Inhibiting your mind, your soul, your heart.
Hemorrhaging into other parts of your mind
spreading of undesirable illness, part by part.
 Birthing an abnormality of a kind;
to images that you sluggishly cart,
to a weight you cannot unbind.
Loneliness is cold but in its path of destruction its bold
it wrecks you from within
leaving your skin thin
and your spirit marred and in fold

You no longer stand upright
Loneliness freezes you with fright
Your arms always outstretched 
Wanting anything even if a wretch
Needing to be with anyone
Looking for a companion

The lonely make mistakes
erroneously taking comfort from fakes.
Later crying out from failure
of recognising the wicked allure.

And when you try to fill it
with thoughts and images and sounds,
allowing any little distraction to slip
Still, it does not go away, it abounds.
Always there, like a dog's tick.
A deep devouring black mound.

Oh to remedy this malady
To  flush it out totally.

Where is the terminator of this loneliness.
What will rid this ache that was gnawing away in your mindless.  
Before Loneliness drives one to madness, to confusion and to suicide.
A harsh dis-ease inside,
from which is hard to hide.







Sunday, March 20, 2011

Modeling

Of all the things to blog about... why did I choose this?  I suppose because it irritates me the most.  I see loads of young ladies who think they are the next big thing to hit the catwalk.  They think they are... no one else does, mind you.
I guess I'm sending out some advice here.  Remember the proverb: One man's meat is another man's poison; well bear that in mind next time, you potentials look in the mirror ok.  Your mama may think you're beautiful but no one else will have the same opinion.  When a hundred people tell you that you're beautiful in a span of 3 months, then, and only then do you qualify to be in the book of the beautiful people.  Otherwise, you fall in the category of attractive.  And there's nothing wrong with that.

Listen here, ladies and some of you guys too; international models (who have made it big) are not always chosen for their "beauty", sometimes, they are actually chosen for the "unique" looks for example : Alek Walek; and Omahyra Mota;   alot of times, designers prefer their models to be rather plain looking.  Designers do not want their designs to be upstaged by pretty faces.  Other designers look for that "look" that is edgy or even unusual,  that would deliver and complement their designs.  Just ponder a while on this, please.
Models are not always pretty.

Reality 2:  Make up makes them look good as well as  good make up artists and hair dressers.

Reality Check 3:  Fashion is not about the model and never will be, its about the clothes and the designer who created the clothes.  The harsh reality is:  The Model is a walking HANGER!! - hence why designers and model agencies insist on them being skinny, so that they can carry off the clothes.  Skinny never made anyone look good. Slim is lovely but skinny is plain old disgusting!!  Unsexy! and sick... hard to appreciate a walking skeleton. Personally it freaks me out. aaaarrrggghhhhh!

The sad thing is that alot of models walk around thinking they're hot and gorgeous ... sorry dolls but only 10% of the populace think that and they are usually dirty old men, impressionable young teens and insecure people; the rest of us don't buy into your reality.

You don't need a latent talent to be a model, just be stick thin, tall and be able walk on two legs,  and you'll probably make it as a catwalk / runway model ... I say probably because there's a load of competition out there for the same few jobs.  Too many models and not enough jobs to go round.

Here's another reality check 4:  there are many modeling jobs out there other than the few catwalk ones.  Yes, there are! if you are willing to do them that is.  There's commercial modeling using real people models. This is probably the most lucrative type of modeling and literally anyone can do this.  You don't need to be tall, or skinny or 16 .  Even your grandmother can be a commercial model.  TV ads need real people to advertise their products and that's what they use, real people.  Fat people qualify too!!

You can be a promoter, usually models do this or students who need money.  Or you can be an usher for events even.  Photography model, editorial model, catalogue model, and the list goes on and on and on... you just need a good agent or be a smart cookie and do your research and network well.

Being a model is not easy and does not necessarily guarantee success; if at all.  Be prepared to starve or have a second job or a rich boyfriend, whichever is easier for you.

The one thing you shouldn't be is a snob.  Don't carry yourself like you're the next "Naomi Campbell" ... be more professional and show some respect for yourself please.

The most successful models got to the top in the first place by being hardworking, devoted, passionate and very professional in the beginning of their careers.  The being bitchy bit came later, when they already got fame and fortune.  Sad but true.  But hey, they only got that way when they attained fame not before!  Don't get it the wrong way round.

One of the nicest and very professional models I have met in the Far East was Amber Chia... her attitude was good and professional and she showed respect unlike the other nobodies who modeled in the same event.  And I will never forget her for her professionalism.  The others I can't even remember their faces let alone their names but not Amber Chia.  Hence, I will mention her name as an example.  Now that's fame.  She's one smart cookie.

I don't want to put models down, I just want to wake some of them up ... nudge them into the real world ... and some of them behave like real bimbos, its sad.  All an organisor ever asks is for you to remember details and be on time and do your job, its not much to ask is it?.  Behaving like a prima donna does not endear you to a show organisor and thus guarantees that you wont work with them again; can you afford to do that?
Remember you may have earned a few hundred dollars doing one show but he/she has earned a few thousand... feel humbled a bit huh?   You do one show, he/she does dozens... now do you feel humbled?  Good organisers have the ear of the client, you dont!  are you awake yet?

Organisers have a profession that can last years, it does not matter if they gain weight or get old, but a model has a short life span, for the same reasons: age and weight... sigh... am I hitting home yet?

Look, all I'm saying is that you need to know and do your work well, and listen to people in the know, humble yourself a little, learn and see how far you go.

Also, you will need alternatives in life, you cant model forever, it won't feed you. You need other skills, go out there and learn another skill - that's your backup.

I will write more soon and hopefully, you have heard me.


Has reality sunk in yet??


Saturday, August 15, 2009

Age is Random

2am in the morning and what do you think about? What happened today, this week, this month??? Or just some silly things just randomly run through your mind. YOu can't predict or manage what you want to think about sometimes. It sort of happens.
Some random thoughts come to my mind tonight, at 2am. For instance, my age, it's never been an issue till now. As you get older, you come to terms, for instance, with the fact that you can now come up with your own sayings and obscure wisttisms (hmmm... is that spelt right). I am serious; when I was younger I wondered how my teachers and old uncles came up with such clever sayings, and I couldn't. Well, I've gotten to their age now and I have figured out how come they're so clever. It's called experience, that's what makes you come up with these wonderful sayings.

When you get to that half century mark, you go into a panic mode, naturally, it's a big number for anyone. You start to realise that you're getting older. But worst of all, is that you start checking out your friends, wondering who looks older, you or one of them. That's when you get on the likes of Facebook and all those wonderful social networking sites and start looking for old school and work friends. You deligently search them out just to see if they have posted any photos. Has 'the tart from 5B' put on weight at last and what was that handsome joe who used to sit behind me, what was he called, dang, wonder if he greyed well ... ooo what if he has paunch now ... yuk!!
You know, I'm so guilty of being an addict to the likes of FB, its almost embarrassing. FB promotes schizophrenia. You start talking in your head; words form in your head as if you're having a real conversation, while your fingers type. You make the expressions too in your mono conversation, in your head. You imagine how the person/s you're communicating with is saying whatever they wrote.
Schizo I tell you.

FB is like a hallucinogen; you know you shouldn't do it so much but one more hit, a teeny one won't hurt. And if anyone comes into the office and finds you've got FB, you guiltily hide it away, quick as a flash. I've seen bosses get on FB in the middle of a work day.

It's also bad for the economy. You don't need to go out on Saturday nights anymore, don't need to spend oudles at the pub, club or restaurants any more, just get your drink next to you, and FB away, listen to music and chatter to your heart's delight.

Internet is not the new highway, it's the new cafeteria, better still, it's the new hangout joint.
Woo hoot!!

Listen, if you're not on the net nowadays, you're a nobody. You're not only behind time, you're prehistoric and a lonely one at that.

If you can't find yourself on a search engine, then where are you???

What would you do if you're bored and can't get on the net, FB and the like? I guess you will have to fight boredom another way. How about : FIGHT BOREDOM - MAKE FACES AT YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR

Talking about age; I said this is a random note, didn't I. Anyway, when I reached the big 50, I finally learnt the true impact gravity has on the human body. I learn by experiencing. Gravity is real people, I have a bruised bottom and can't see my feet anymore.
When you get to this mid life thing, you begin to see mild inconveniences start to occur, this is the sign that you're headed to "old age"; your mind and body are no longer harmonised and in synchrony. Your mind tells you that you can and want to do something and your body doesn't even bother rebelling let alone produce any action.

When I younger, gosh, I never thought I would ever hear myself say those words. The very sound of that sense used to irritate me when I was younger. sigh. When I was younger. You also start to repeat yourself and that's irritating too. Anyway, when I was younger, I wondered what the world would be like in the 21st century. I yearned to see it. Being an avid sci-fi fan and a trekkie, I half expected humans to have visited Mars in the year 2010 and discovered molecular transportation (beam me up scottie)... Now that I am here, and seen it all, can I go back ... it's not that fabulous afterall. No Aliens, no robots in the home, no flying cars... lots of fast food though.

Maybe I'm kidding myself, but I like to believe that I am growing old gracefully. I dress right for my age. I look the part. But good golly miss molly, inside, I am just the same old young hooligan, rock chick, longing to go out and party and dance the night away till the early hours. It's the mind again, it just will not age gracefully. Thankfully, the body plods along on its own and refuses to give to the mind.

Sigh... so here I am facing age all alone. It's fine really. It's fine.