Pitching Woo

Published January 2011

Some of you may know that my current career revolves around the media industry. To be specific, I handle all editorial content for an online magazine that caters to a niche market.

As is the trend with anything related to the online or social media brackets, current and up-to-the-minute information is key – a slight benefit we have over our print counterparts.

When someone enquires about my profession I'm often asked about how I find content for the magazine. A very fair question. Deciding on content involves a combination of research to interest your core readership, quality control, ensuring features are in keeping with the direction of the publication and being aware of new styles, trends and market changes. Another good question I'm asked is how freelancers would go about submitting content.

For the large majority of the time I've been extremely fortunate in my dealings with PR and marketing representatives who work based on international standards and are therefore pleasantly professional and get me what I need, when I need it. My requests are never disregarded and often prioritized. When deadlines are looming, this is an unbelievable help.

As for freelancers, I only work with a very small group of regular contributors based on their experience and reliability when it comes to feature submissions. It's a symbiotic relationship and I can rest assured that the contributors who are, in effect, representing the magazine at events and media junkets, are always professional and responsible.

But sometimes, things can go pear-shaped. Certain earnest and enthusiastic individuals have been known for over-follow-through. This means a press release or a pitch for a feature is emailed to me more than once. At least two phone calls. One to check if I received the email. Another to ask if I'm going to run the feature. If I chose not to, there might even be a phone call to ask me why. It's happened before.

There is an art to pitching and it usually includes following the rules, all the while maintaining a level of professional courtesy.

First, it's good to know that editors usually shift through a lot of emails each day and we often work on public holidays too. I can vouch for my own personal record of receiving 62 emails in the space of 15 hours.

Bearing that in mind, it is extremely important that those who are interested in pitching should first do their research. Is your event or feature something that blends in perfectly with the content of the magazine in question?

There is very little point of trying your level best to submit something that just doesn't fit. Know the magazine, know your product and know what you're trying to tell me. An article on finding the right babysitter for working mothers would definitely work in a magazine geared exclusively to professional women with families. It won't work for a magazine targeted at sailing enthusiasts or bird watchers.

Getting miffed at me because I have to adhere to content specifications and won't run what you send me, will not win you any brownie points. Making snide comments about any publication or editorial staff for being unresponsive because you didn't dazzle them with your brilliance also doesn't work and will definitely make them think twice about having to deal with you in the future. Fact.

I personally don't mind being sent resumes to confirm the strength of a freelancer's writing. But if you're thinking of doing this you probably should be fairly confident about your skills already. And if you're based in one of the capital cities around Asia – score.

For those submitting press releases, provide all the information needed. With the exception of minor changes which can occur, assume that an editor will not have the time to check facts with you.

If a press release is incomplete (think introduction, highlights, contact information and images), most will simply skim through and go on to the next email.

Never underestimate the power of hi-resolution photographs. If you want your products, events, outlet, restaurant, hotel (or in some cases, even yourself) to look good then get me the right photographs. It really is as simple as that, sometimes.

Another point to bear in mind is the follow up. Based on my communication with a few editors from regional publications, the common consensus is that an email is the best start. This can be followed up with a phone call two or three days later, just to check that the editor has indeed received the email and should they require any further information, you are on hand to answer their questions.

And for the most part, if editors are interested, they will also contact you. If, after the initial phone call you hear nothing back, move on.

A special note for new freelancers. My time is not your time. I have to plan editorial line-ups weeks and sometimes even months in advance. Our publication is one that is updated once a week with seven different channels that all require equal attention. Yes, we're a busy lot over here.

If you're going to submit a feature on an event that is time-sensitive and the editor has given you the go-ahead, then don't miss the deadline. You will be adding to their workload by making them go around you and dealing directly with the marketing representatives of said event. They could have done that themselves.

If you've promised a submission date do try your best to deliver. The reason why many chose to give contributors the go ahead is because good writers are always able to give a personalized twist on writing with smart wordplay – which makes for better reading.

I'll admit that as a freelancer a few years back I too was guilty of missing a few deadlines due to serious overwork from my then full-time job. It wasn't as though I was lolling about being lazy but still, it was a weak excuse and now I understand the trouble I might have caused the editors I answered to.

Now this is just an add-on, but this can sometimes make or break a first impression. When writing in I have no issue with being addressed as 'Dear Editor', especially if we've never met or communicated before.

For those who have managed to get my full name, please do not misspell it or use the incorrect salutation. I for one am very proud of the name my parents gave me. I implore you not to butcher it. When in doubt, 'Dear Shan' works perfectly.

When considering submissions, one of the best things you can do for any publication is to make sure that you're the right fit for them, and that they're the right fit for you. With the perfect pitch, the possibilities are endless. 

Are Blogs Dead?

Published May 2010

Are blogs dead? Or are they very much alive? These are questions that I was giving some serious thought to lately. I had a 6 year old personal blog that I put to bed sometime last year. I was disillusioned with the blogging community – save the exception of few stellar examples that I still read regularly and support as often as I can – but nothing new was happening and everything seemed regurgitated and stale.

Also, I noted with dismay as to the flippant attitude of some bloggers who had taken that whole “It’s my blog I can say what I want” stance to ridiculous extremes. I learned early on that this was not the case. If you have a beef with someone, you can talk about it but there are always lines which should be respected. Again, in the dark old days I had taken this point for granted, but I learned from it. It appeared as though the blindingly obvious rule that any writer worth their weight in salt would be aware of, that of getting one’s facts straight, had disappeared into an abyss of self-glorification – or the reference to one’s self as a ‘local celebrity blogger’. Even just typing that made me wince a little.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again. If you’ve got something interesting to write about, I’ll read it. I’m no authority on anything to be honest, but the one thing that gets my goat is glory-hounding and compliment-fishing when the content of a particular blog is, in my personal opinion, not up to scratch. However, I always appreciate creativity and a good sense of humour. And I’ve followed my favourite blogs pretty much since day one when the country’s blogosphere was young. I still have fond memories of explaining what a blog was to confused friends, at least twice a day back then.

I’ve seen great blogs wind down because the writers themselves felt they had nothing further to say, or were changing their views and therefore looked to other ways to get their points across. Some of them also just decided to give the whole thing up – not because of a lack of support or readership, but because they got bored. In saying that, I’ve also watched with a small sense of pride as humble blogs grew to become seriously well respected representatives of their particular field of interest.

And what spurred my tiny tirade today? Well I came across an article about two months ago that touched on blog trends. Demographics suggested that newer bloggers tend to be from a slightly older age group these days. Teenagers and those in their 20s happily veered towards other global online networking sites such as Facebook, with its fairly open access to the entire contents of one’s life (should the account owner wish it so) or Twitter – its core strength being updates in real time. This evolution is something I have been paying attention to from the sidelines and it does make perfect sense. While blogs give us the power to put our words, thoughts and text out there for the world to see, Facebook and Twitter also come with their own set of advantages.

I’ve also noticed that the ‘personal’ blog has slowed down in terms of popularity. Readers like myself now actively seek out blogs that specialize, for lack of a better word. I get my fix of recipes and restaurant reviews from a handful of great food bloggers who also take the art of food photography to new heights. If I want a balanced view on local politics, I know where to turn to. Should I need to find out more about breaking news updates I can get accurate information from a number of formidable sites. But I don’t seem to have the energy or inclination to read about someone whining incessantly about a broken nail or spilt milk. At the risk of contradicting myself, I am still very much a regular online reader. I’ve simply made a conscious decision to fine-tune what I read.

In a very roundabout way I suppose what I’m trying to say is that in spite of my disappointment with bloggers who I am extremely reluctant to call my peers, I have once again decided to dive back into the blogosphere. Yes I have a brand new blog which is only a few weeks old. But I have decided to be highly specific with my direction and content. Fingers crossed it will appeal to like-minded individuals. And if my visitor statistics are anything to go by, I might be on my way to getting the formula right.

So are blogs dead after all? I’d say no. Those with quality content seem to be very much alive and thriving well. But be prepared for a better grade of reader these days. Readers who expect a certain quality of writing and who aren’t prepared to indulge blog owners without good reason anymore. It would be simplistic and too generalized for me to state that savvy readers are on the rise, but that is probably the best way I can put it for now. And those of us who write had better sit up and take note.

Persepolis

Published March 2010

It’s been a very long time between books for me. It’s not something I’m entirely proud of. Call me jaded or just plain lazy but it had been a while since a book had grabbed my attention and prompted me to read it cover to cover.

Over lunch a few days ago I had confessed this to my friend R, who like me, was selective in her reading material. A person with far broader horizons that I could ever claim to possess, Renu suggested I take a look at a personal favourite of hers, ‘Persepolis – The Story of a Childhood and The Story of a Return’ by Marjane Satrapi. R explained that this book, albeit a graphic novel, was one that I wasn’t soon going to forget. To say that she got that right would be simplifying it somewhat. I loved it so much I finished it in two sittings.

I’ll begin this pseudo-review by explaining the title: Persepolis was the capital city of ancient Persia, in what is now modern day Iran. The Greek interpretation of the name very literally means “Persian City”, and this is where the story begins.

This novel revolves around the real-life accounts of Satrapi as a child growing up in Tehran during the mid 70s and the early 80s. By all historical accounts this was a period of much unrest in Iran, having gone through the overthrowing of the country’s last Shah and dealing with the harsh realities of the implementation of the Iranian Revolution under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Coming from a family that was involved in socialist and communist movements in Iran, it is evident throughout the novel that Satrapi’s parents were free-thinkers and instilled a strong sense of individuality and thought-provoking curiosity in their young daughter.

Born the granddaughter of one of Iran’s last emperors, and having been educated in French at the Lycée Français, Satrapi’s take on real life in Tehran at that time was somewhat privileged but it soon changes with the compulsory implementation of the veil – which was to be worn by all women. Other social freedoms and liberties were also quickly curtailed to meet with the strict requirements of the new regime.

What starts of as innocent naiveté turns to blatant astonishment which then gives way to suppressed anger as innocent Iranians are mercilessly and brutally punished by the government for a myriad of reasons. Unrest worsens during the start of the Iran-Iraq War, which eventually sees hundreds of thousands of Iranians losing their lives.

In my mind, what makes Persepolis stand out from any other historical document that I’ve read pertaining to that particular period is very simply Satrapi’s childlike account of the worsening situation in her country, paired with a healthy dose of both fear and wonderment. She also highlights the fact that parties still went on. That people still listened to ‘Western’ music via cassettes procured on the black market. That Iranians, though burdened with the hardships of daily bombings from Iraqi missiles, and living with threats of imprisonment, rape, torture and execution by the authorities, were still able to find some level of a silver lining to varying degrees.

Satrapi takes us along with her when she leaves Iran for Austria in 1983 at the age of 14. The daunting experiences of staying in a boarding house, learning German and making new friends are represented well. She writes of the racism dished out towards ‘third-worlders’, falling in love, falling out of love, experiencing all that university has to offer, finding fleeting solace in seemingly like-minded individuals and then finally spiralling out of control and hitting rock bottom when she becomes homeless for months.

Satrapi then returns to her beloved homeland where things have changed, but then so has she. Now an adult with a different take on things, Satrapi begins to fully understand how her original assumptions and perceptions, though not incorrect, are now out of place. In realizing this, she becomes wrought with regret, malaise and depression and attempts suicide by overdosing on pills while her parents are away. Though she should have died by all accounts, she survives and recognizes this as a sign that she has been given a second chance. With this in mind Satrapi dives into getting her education back on track. Along the way she encounters old childhood friends who rebel in their own ways. Some date, others wear make-up. And though Satrapi initially scoffs at their attempts, she comes to accept that this is indeed a form of rebellion, and adapts. During this period Satrapi also meets her future husband Reza and gets married, much to the chagrin of her parents.

Throughout this book, the tones of hardship, of pain and loss are clearly evident. But Satrapi shines at all ages with her consistent questioning of authority at the risk of being punished, imprisoned or worse. Persepolis, though dark and painful at times to read, highlights the small joys that families and loved ones bring to each other. And though it may seem impossible to believe this at times, Persepolis is a shining testament to the old adage that light does eventually overcome darkness.

Persepolis is a multiple-award winning graphic novel, originally written in French. It was also adapted into an animated film voiced by legendary French great Catherine Deneuve, amongst other screen luminaries. It debuted at the 2007 Cannes Film festival where it won the Jury prize and was nominated for best animated feature at the 2008 Academy Awards.

Sources: Wikipedia/Popmatters/GoogleImages

Ginger

Published February 2010

To simply say that ginger is good for you would be to indulge in broad, generalized strokes. Until very recently, I was vaguely aware of ginger benefits but I wasn’t fully clued in to all the superb things that ginger brings with it.

While lunching with a friend two weeks ago, we started talking about natural remedies for ailments ranging from the common cold to sunburn. Ingredients like yoghurt and honey came up fairly often, as did ginger. My lunch partner shared that she follows a daily ginger juice regime and she vouched for its pros. I was intrigued and brushed up on my ginger knowledge, and I came away extremely impressed by what that little tuber packs.

I toyed with the idea of a daily ginger tea beverage and finally gave it a shot by boiling up a small nub of lightly pounded ginger in water and drinking it first thing in the morning. I’m now onto Day 10 of this regime and I’ve noted that this has helped with some minor heartburn and indigestion issues I’d been dealing with – largely due to overdoing it during the festive season.

Ginger has a strong reputation etched in the culinary and medicinal annals of history in almost all Asian countries. However, quite a few people I spoke to were either unconvinced or unaware - which left me a little stumped as this plant does more good than you could shake a stick at. Could it be that perhaps ginger isn’t as accepted or recognized for its beneficial properties over here as, say, in India or China, for example? Who knows, but it’s definitely food for thought.

WHAT IS GINGER?

Ginger is a tuber plant that comes from the same family as galangal, turmeric and cardamom. An underground stem offshoot of the Zingiber officinale plant, ginger is found mainly across Asia, the Caribbean and West Africa.

WAYS TO USE GINGER:

Ginger can be incorporated into your health plan in a number of ways. Ginger can be freshly grated and taken raw, or as a daily supplement in pill form available from most pharmacies. Crystallised ginger and pre-packaged ginger teas are also popular. As ginger oil isn’t as easy to find, it can be substituted with a fresh ginger paste when used for massage.

GINGER BENEFITS:

Nausea

Ginger is said to relieve nausea caused by motion sickness. Research suggests that the gingerols in ginger could be responsible for blocking the body’s reflex to vomit. Regular sipping of ginger tea prior to a car or boat journey is proven to be beneficial.

Migraine

Migraine sufferers also find ginger to be helpful as it blocks the effects of prostaglandins - responsible for the swelling of blood vessels in the brain. Though results are still not confirmed, taking 1/3 teaspoon of fresh powdered ginger upon the start of a migraine is said to reduce pain significantly.

Stomach Ailments

Ginger eases a vast number of ailments such as stomach upsets, bowel related problems, colic and spasms. As ginger is an antiseptic and carminative, it can also be used for treating food poisoning, bacterial dysentery and intestinal infections.

Respiratory Ailments, Colds, Sore Throats

Ginger packs a very powerful punch in keeping the common cold, coughs and a variety of other related illnesses, at bay. Ginger is also a good expectorant and is great for removing mucus from the throats and lungs. It should go without saying that the benefits of the ginger-honey-lemon tea combination in this area of health are very well known.

Inflammation& Pain

The presence of a substance called Zingibain is responsible for ginger’s anti-inflammatory properties. It is further believed that regular massage using ginger oil or ginger paste on those suffering from muscles aches, rheumatism and arthritis helps to reduce inflammation and blocks compounds associated with pain.

Others

Ginger reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, reduces cholesterol levels, alleviates high blood pressure, reduces stress and treats dandruff.

It has to be said though that a few words of caution are required. Large amounts of ginger increases bile activity, which may not be ideal for those suffering from gallstones. Also, pregnant women would do best to check with their doctors before using ginger to treat morning sickness nausea, especially during their first trimester.

Sources: NutritionalSupplementsHealthGuide.com/LifeMojo.com/FitnessAndFreebies.com/Wikipedia.com

The Layperson's Take on Heart Health

Published February 2010

It would be fair to say that I have a somewhat active social life. Translated, this means that late nights coupled with the bad diet that points to the (so-called) freedoms of bachelorhood, are regular fixtures. Do I enjoy myself while I’m imbibing and indulging? Well, yes. I’m no hypocrite in this department. But the tinges of guilt at taking my health so blatantly for granted, are beginning to show.

In an effort to act my age (in spite of what my behaviour and mental capabilities seem to suggest), I thought it only appropriate to take steps to improve my nutritional intake. In a moment of unabashed grown-up-ness, my trip to the grocery store resulted in shopping that was very sensible. A couple of quarts of milk, eggs, green tea, a variety of fruit, fresh yoghurt and a little salmon sashimi were items that I saw as appropriate purchases.

So sensible was this shopping of mine that after I cleared a path through all the beer cans and boxes of takeaway in my fridge, I arranged everything just so and stepped back to admire my handiwork. “This is the refrigerator of a grown-up,” I thought to myself with smug satisfaction.

I guess it was perfect timing then that I received a newsletter from a good friend of mine the very next day. Dr. Mubina Jiwa, a mate from high school days in Singapore, is now a very well respected Naturopath based in Toronto, Canada. From what I understand, a Naturopath is a medical professional who highlights the natural health benefits of fruits, vegetables and various meats as well vitamins and minerals. But seriously, Google the lady. You’ll find that she is a dedicated and well renowned expert in her particular field of medicine.

In her latest newsletter, Mubina wrote about the fact that February is Heart Health month, and that heart attack risks are on the rise for women the world over. She also touched on the generalization that women tend to make by taking heart disease for granted, assuming that it is a ‘man’s disease’. A big and extremely fatal mistake as statistics show that 23% of women over the age of 40 who have suffered a heart attack are likely to die within the year of a second attack, as opposed to 18% for men.

Her newsletter also included a list of heart-healthy foods such as oats, soy protein, salmon and spinach to name a few. Blueberries topped the list as the food most power-packed with goodness.

The more I read, the more I was convinced that blueberries are very deserving of their title - something not to be trifled with. However, taking geography and our currency exchange into account, blueberries are not something a large majority of us can enjoy on a regular basis. Nyet. Blueberries in Kota Kinabalu are about as elusive as a main road free of traffic congestion on a weekday.

Yes these little parcels of heart health are available, but be prepared to dig deep wallet-wise, and grab them while you can.

It was with that in mind that I started making a small list of foods with health benefits that are readily available in South East Asia. Yes I’m not above making an effort, but I’m not that hardworking I assure you. Again, I’m not a hypocrite. I’m simply trying to be realistic.

Online health sites and studies confirm one massive red flag in overall heart health: Obesity leads to some seriously dangerous issues. I made note of this, gave my love handles an affectionate squeeze goodbye, and decided that instead of a 20 minute run 3 times a week, I would do well to increase my cardio to 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week.

Daily workouts provide the energy boost needed to tackle a full day at work. As I’m one who enjoys getting out of bed literally at the crack of dawn, an early morning work-out would only do me good. And one of the most important factors here would be that this would pretty much guarantee that I’d have to have breakfast – a culinary notion that I’d often toyed with, but would usually ignore. Now, with a grumbling stomach to attend to, I’d have no choice but to give in to the most important meal of the day.

So back to that list of readily available healthy options: It should go without saying that the first thing to grab my attention was red wine with its antioxidant prowess which I’m sure many of us are aware of by now. Expert opinions vary between the ideal recommended intakes, from 4-8 ounces to a standard glass full. Olive oil, another favourite of mine, is superb in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease.

Almonds are great for keeping cholesterol levels in check, are rich in Vitamin E and other healthy oils, and are a great source of fibre as well as being a pretty decent snack. I remember my mother trying her best to get me to drink milk that was heated with ground almonds when I was a kid. And all I ever did was complain about how it made my throat itch. If only I knew then what I do now.

I used to love apples when I was young, sometimes going through 3 to 4 apples a day. And I was very pleased to read that apples act as an inflammatory, and help to prevent blot clots. I have begun thinking of ways to incorporate apples into my diet by way of salads.

In my earlier rambling about my shopping skills, I briefly mentioned purchasing some salmon sashimi. Fish is a good source of Omega-3 fatty acid which decreases the risk of arrhythmias, or abnormal heartbeats. Omega-3 also has numerous benefits that go beyond heart health.

Do also be aware that there are certain fish with high levels of mercury. A little reading will help you to decide what source of Omega-3 is best for you.

In summation, I have to state that I am no health professional. Until recently I had a pretty blasé and somewhat childish approach to my health, in that I kept putting off the fact that I could easily incorporate a reasonable amount of natural and beneficial nutrients into my diet, easily and without fuss.

I do not claim to make any tremendous changes in my social activities. I will still continue to eat out and, on occasion, will probably skip the odd meal here and there. But I do intend to restore balance to the way I live. I do not believe in abstinence. But I am going to try to enjoy everything that life has to offer, in a relatively moderate fashion from now on.

Sources: essenseofhealth.ca/nutrition.about.com

For The Love of Cuisine

Published January 2010

It appears I may have gone and fallen back in love again. With cooking, that is. More specifically, with French cooking. And all it took was for me to watch “Julia & Julie”. Screenwriter and Director Nora Eprhon’s Midas touch is clearly evident in her latest offering which tells the tale of two true stories.

The characters in question are none other than kitchen legend Julia Child, who began her foray into cookery upon her arrival in Paris in 1948, and of Julie Powell, a disgruntled office worker who, in an effort to change her life and give it structure, challenged herself to prepare recipes from Child’s book ‘Mastering The Art Of French Cooking’, everyday for a year. Powell begins to blog about her kitchen escapades which results in massive popularity with many supporting her efforts.

Played by Meryl Streep and Amy Adams respectively, I have to be honest and admit that I wasn’t all that fussed about Julie Powell’s portion of the movie as the film switches back and forth between both women.

I was instead, thoroughly fascinated with Child’s first steps towards cooking thanks to a move to France with her husband Paul who was an envoy with the US Embassy in Paris.

Upon their arrival and while on the road to Paris, the Childs stop off at the ancient city of Rouen, famous for the burning of one Joan of Arc.

While there they dine at Restaurant La Couronne (The Crown) housed in a medieval quarter-timbered house built in 1345. It is at this very restaurant where Julia Child describes the revelation of discovering French cuisine. She was embarrassingly unaware of the existence of shallots, let alone the briny flavours of fresh oysters which were unlike anything she had ever tried at home.

The epitome of traditional French cuisine, in my humble opinion, was then presented by way of sole meunière – a true classic using original and uncomplicated flavours.

For this, sole is lightly dusted in flour, browned off in butter and garnished with parsley. In her book ‘My Life in France’, Child perfectly describes the moment when she takes her first bite: “The flesh of the sole was delicate, with a light but distinct taste of the ocean that blended marvellously with the browned butter. I chewed slowly and swallowed. It was a morsel of perfection.”

Meryl Streep plays Child effortlessly, and I for one would have been perfectly happy to have watched a movie based solely on the start of Child’s delve into cooking, consequently followed by courses in the centre of the gastronomy universe, Le Cordon Bleu. This then led to her founding L'Ecole des Trois Gourmandes (The School of the Three Food Lovers) with Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle – a club dedicated to teaching French cuisine to American expat wives.

The three gourmands realised that at that point, there was no dedicated book on French cooking written in English so they researched and tasted recipes. Though their initial efforts were rejected by publishers, Alfred A. Knopf released it in 1961 to critical acclaim.

Child has stated that this may also have had something to do with an American fascination over French culture that was evident in the 60s.

Her popularity was further cemented in 1963 when Child appeared on her first televised cooking show, ‘The French Chef’, which ran for 10 years. Support for ‘The French Chef’ was immensely solid, and saw this show winning several Peabody and Emmy awards. Julia Child was clearly an icon to the television watching public of America, with several more books, shows, accolades and an honorary

Degree from Harvard University under her belt.

What endeared me to “Julia & Julie” was Child’s open expressions of pure joy at discovering a medley of new and real tastes and flavours in proper French cooking – a cuisine where bread is taken as seriously as politics and real butter has varying ‘crues’, much like wine.

At the risk of offending fans of Asian food, I’m going to go out on a limb and admit that I like French cookery. I enjoy the attention to detail. There is so much love that goes into this particular cuisine it boggles the mind. I have always understood that the French respect the fine art of gastronomy and take their food and appreciation of it, very seriously. “Like a national sport,” I read somewhere.

Not many people know this but I too donned the kitchen whites a long time ago. I spent four years training as a chef and learning about the wide, varied, wacky and wonderful world of fine culinary arts and everything related to food. My favourite period was the time spent in French cookery classes under the guise of our revered Head Chef.

This is where I learned about roux, demi-glace, bavaroise, concasse and most important to any cook worth their weight in salt, the mise en plas. The sweating of onions and garlic as a base for most recipes, was also a wonderful tip to pick up.

We were taught about the importance of butter and the regular and ample use of it in almost every dish. There is no such thing as too much butter according to purist of the French cuisine. And I am very happy to second that notion. Butter makes everything taste better. It is that simple.

I learned how to julienne, brunoise, to sharpen my knives on a daily basis, to knot my chef’s tie appropriately and to ensure my double breasted chef’s jacket was Cloroxed regularly – least I incur the wrath of Chef, who kept high standards and rightly so.

But the main thing I took away with me from my years dabbling in the kitchen was very simply passion. There is so much love that goes into food. The planning of a menu and the pairing of accompaniments. Taking hours upon hours for preparation prior to cooking. Ensuring that ingredients are as fresh as humanly possible. Knowing what is required for the cooking process and seeing it through. And then hoping that the finished product, with so much time and care behind it, will be enjoyed.

It’s been a good 12 years since I worked in a kitchen. And while it was backbreaking at times, I look back on those days fondly. I am quite out of touch with cooking these days and while I do love food, I tend to eat out regularly.

But “Julia & Julie” has definitely stirred something up in me and I think I’m going to be donning the apron a lot more from now on. If anything my friends, ever ready to put their stomachs to the test, will be more than happy to be my proverbial guinea pigs. The first recipe will be none other than Julia Child’s much loved Beff Bourguignon. Respectfully, sans her trademark pearls of course.

Sources: www.timesonline.co.uk/www.wikipedia.com/www.altfg.com

The Origins of Slang

Published January 2010

Dictionary.com defines the term ‘slang’ as “a kind of language occurring chiefly in casual and playful speech, made up typically of short-lived coinages and figures of speech that are deliberately used in place of standard terms for added raciness, humour, irreverence, or other effect.”

Slang can be derived from a variety of different dialects (think Cockney rhyming slang) as well as social groups who applied their own personal twist on a particular lingua franca.

From the reading I’ve done online, the oldest slang word to date seems to be that well known statement of commiseration, ‘Woe is me’. The exact expression is actually ‘Woe unto me’, taken from the Bible, Old Testament in Job 10:15. Job is the oldest book in the Old Testament dating back from around 1200BC, making this phrase well over 3,200 years old.

‘Boondocks’ is something often used to describe a remote area or one far removed from urban development. American GIs based in the Philippines during World War II are credited with introducing this word. It is derived from ‘Bundok’, the Filipino word for mountain and describes a place that is remote and inaccessible.

The term ‘Blue blooded’ is said to have originated in Spain, to differentiate Europeans from those with Moorish or Jewish ancestry. Upon close inspection, individuals with pale skin have blood vessels that take on a blue-ish tinge. Hence the expression.

“In the limelight”, a well-loved Hollywood reference to performing on stage or being famous, was coined well before the invention of electricity. Lighthouse keepers and theatres would burn lime, which would create a suitably strong spotlight effect.

‘Blockbuster’ is slang that is constantly used to describe movies or stage productions that garnered rave reviews and earned filmmakers, writers and actors bucketloads of money. In short a ‘blockbuster’ is used when referring to a smash hit success in the entertainment industry. Bet you didn’t know that ‘blockbusters’ were bombs dropped by the British Royal Air Force on German towns during World War II. They were so named because at 12,000 pounds, they were big enough to easily demolish an entire city block.

A group of loud, aggressive louts (usually found in or around football stadiums) may be described as ‘Hooligans’. This word dates back to 1898 and is adapted from the Houlihans. The Houlihans were a family of Irish immigrants living in London who were infamous due to their voracious appetites for drunken revelry, and frequently violent run-ins with the police.

Let us not overlook the ever popular ‘Computer/Chat/Text Slang’ either.

BRB is code for Be Right Back, I Don’t Know is shortened to IDN. IMHO represents In My Humble Opinion, TTYL refers to Talk To You Later, and then there’s my personal favourite right now: TMI – Too Much Information. This expression is used to describe displeasure at being subject to disturbing or embarrassing content. Urban Dictionary sums up the explanation of TMI perfectly: “ Way more that you want or need to know about someone.”

Lastly, credit should also be paid to William Shakespeare. The Bard’s literary works carry originally coined phrases which are now, as a friend put it, common currency in our everyday lexicons.

• ‘In a pickle’ – The Tempest
• ‘Heart of gold’ – Henry V
• ‘Good riddance’ - Troilus and Cressida
• ‘Foregone conclusion’ – Othello
• ‘Stealthy’ – Macbeth
• ‘Restoration’ – King Lear
• ‘Pale faced’ – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• ‘Fortune teller’ – The Comedy Of Errors
• ‘Break the ice’ – The Taming Of The Shrew
• ‘Bated breath’ – The Merchant Of Venice
• ‘Infinite space’ – Hamlet
• ‘Wild goose chase’ – Romeo And Juliet
• ‘Forever and a day’ – As You Like It

Sources: www.dictionary.com/www.bbc.co.uk/www.yaelf.com/www.guardian.co.uk/www.nationalgeographic.com

Tribute To A Friend

Published January 2010

I will always remember the first time I met Asim Butt. It was in Singapore, circa 1989. We were a bunch of new students, gearing up for the scary world of high school during the early days of orientation.

There we were, a fine lot of us. Coltish, unsure, nervous. Looking around and studying each other. Nervous smiles and butterflies in stomachs. Trying to muster the best nonchalant expressions an 11 year old could.

Then Asim made his appearance. Tall for his age. Slender would be a great way to describe him, with a megaton watt smile. He spoke to everyone he came across. He was calm and grinned from ear to ear as he introduced himself, also a fellow newbie, to the rest of us.

When he got to me I tried to break the ice further by asking him if he got teased a lot for his surname. “It makes me the butt of a lot of jokes but I don’t mind,” he offered politely as he waited for me to react to the pun.

Several well-intended chuckles and a smattering of exchanges later we were ushered towards our respective tutor groups and headed off in different directions. That was the start of our five year friendship.

We did have several art and drama classes together and I suspect we fancied ourselves as artistic. But then again we were encouraged to be precocious. I veered towards music and languages while Asim shifted focus to the stage. During my time in high school, I cannot say that Asim and I were best friends. We weren’t that. But we were close, in the way that connoisseurs of, say, a fine wine, would be. Selectively in the know. Leaning in to discuss one form or art or another, from time to time.

Now, embarrassingly, I can’t remember the last time I saw Asim, or if I even said goodbye to him before I left high school. But I do know that we got back in touch over Facebook in 2007. This was someone I met almost 21 years ago and he was now just a click away.

I discovered that my old friend had moved back home to Pakistan in 2002 after abandoning his PhD in History at the University of California, and had become something of a poignant enfant terrible whose work was taking the country’s art scene by storm. Yes Asim had indeed stuck to his artistic roots, but instead of fine-tuning his dramatic skills he chose to focus on becoming an artist proper.

And what an artist. Sure there is a bit of personal bias here, but if you were to simply Google Asim Butt you’d come across wonderful reviews from renowned stalwarts such as BBC, ABC, Al-Jazeera, The Chicago Tribune and The Boston Globe, to name but a few. Asim was also known by many in Pakistan for his Graffiti art; particularly for his “Eject” button spray-painted on the walls of many city venues, symbolizing the end of General Musharraf’s government. Asim was also responsible for the “Stop” signs sprayed on torched cars and damaged buildings after Benazir Bhutto’s assassination. He was making an impact. People were paying attention.

I particularly enjoyed a review by The Lahore Times in April 2009 of one of Asim’s shows: “Rejecting what is on the horizon of Pakistani art, Butt has stuck to his innate traumas and nightmares, using the medium of oil on canvas.

Butt is a rebellious artist who paints, sculpts, and has an interest in graffiti and printmaking. Through his 16 large size canvases, he continues to defy conformist meanings of family, career, security.

The medium of oil on canvas, digital prints, and charcoal and chalk on board, acquire political tones, conversing with the inner apparitions of the artist.”

Perhaps his ‘innate traumas and nightmares’, the very fuel for his work, influenced his decision to throw in the towel. My friend, Asim Butt, took his own life on Friday, January 15^th 2010, while at his home in Karachi. He was 31 years old.

Another alumni member, film director Risa Okamoto, summed him up succinctly and perfectly: “Asim was so totally memorable. I didn't see him at all after he left school but I still remember what his voice sounded like and what his mannerisms were. It's crazy, some people just leave a huge imprint wherever they go.”

It was Risa who informed me of Asim’s death. I spent my entire Sunday reading tribute after tribute to my fallen friend. I had no idea he had moved or affected so many, so greatly. It was touching yet agonizing to read messages from people I will probably never meet, who felt exactly as I did at that very moment. Numbingly surreal. And painfully humbling.

I hope that my words here will serve as an appropriate tribute to someone who is no longer with us. It upsets me to think of what he could have accomplished in the future. It was that bright. And I also wonder if he was in pain when he died. Without judgement, I struggle to understand what could have made him feel that low, to make him think that he had no other options left.

But then I realize that he is at peace now, something which he wasn’t able to find or feel when he was alive. While that gives me some level of comfort, I just want to say very simply, very plainly and very honestly that I miss my friend. I miss him a lot.

In loving memory Asim Butt 1978 - 2010

(Photograph by Ziad Zafar)

Sources: www.pakistaniat.com/ www.stuckism.com

Between Generation X and Y

Published November 2009

Wikipedia defines Generation X as the generation born after the baby boom ended, with birth years ranging from 1961 to 1981.

Often also regarded as the “baby bust” years, the term was popularised by Jane Deverson and Charles Hamblett in their book, aptly titled “Generation X” - a sociology study on teen behaviour throughout the 60s.

Author Douglas Coupland’s 1991 novel “Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture” focused on the lives of young adults in the 80s. While Coupland’s title may have properly introduced the term to mainstream readers, he credited one Billy Idol with it. Idol used to be a member of a punk band (Generation X) and an interesting fact to note is that Idol attributed the name of said group to a research paper by none other than Deverson and Hamblett.

I did a fair bit of reading online and I have to admit to still being stumped, if not more confused than I usually am – and that’s saying a lot. Certain sociologists propose and put forth that Gen X ends in the mid-1970s. If I am a Gen Xer simply by merit of birth year, does that mean that events that happened during the Generation Y (1982-2000) period still apply to Xers? Or do the Ys have it?

As this is my column, and I’m usually pretty responsible about facts, figures, artistic licences and liberties, I’m going to go out on a limb and honestly admit that no amount of reading or research was able to give me a definitive answer.

So if you would be so kind as to permit me a small bon mot I will happily carry on about the point of my writing today – namely, events and media offerings that helped to shape a ‘Sub-Generation’ if you like. Those who were born between the very late 60s and the end of the 70s, who were at the best possible position to enjoy 80s pop culture and witness important world events that helped to shape history.

My friends and I are Sub-Geners and we grew up in interesting times. We were a part of the first group of people that had relatively widespread television access during formative years in comparison to our predecessors.

A large majority of Sub-Geners are familiar with the term ‘Reaganomics’, the fall of Communism in the USSR and the tearing down of the Berlin Wall. The atrocities of the Khmer Rouge’s bloody regime in Kampuchea was on the news almost every day. There was talk of a new supervirus called the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. The Challenger space shuttle exploded 73 seconds into flight, killing all 7 astronauts on board. This period also showcased quite possibly the last golden moments for the British Royal family with the marriage of Lady Diana Spencer to Charles, Prince of Wales. And how could we forget the USA For Africa initiative which saw millions of dollars being raised for the great Ethiopian famine of 1984 thanks to the single “We Are The World” and benefit events “Hands Across America” and “Live Aid”.

On the lighter side the 80s gave us some pretty awesome big and small screen shows. George Lucas, John Hughes and his Brat Pack as well as Cameron Crowe’s “Say Anything” technically ruled the box office but we were the MTV Generation for sure. I still remember the very first music video I ever watched – “Alive And Kicking” by Simple Minds. It had been taped by my older brother who was studying abroad and had access to cable TV. He recorded about 12 music videos and posted the tape to me. I watched them each and every day without fail. Living in the boondocks of Labuan pretty much guaranteed that there was little to no access to music videos and this was my only outlet. I loved that tape almost as much as I loved my Care Bear. Yes, I had a Care Bear. You may stop laughing at leisure.

This period saw the birth of a number of necessary and highly-regarded inventions of the computer age. I was familiar with the Apple brand name but I was more interested in our Atari game console. Hours were spent glued to the tube, fighting off Space Invaders. This soon led to a green-screened home computer complete with floppy disks.

I know that disposable cameras and disposable contact lenses were invented in the 80s but I had little to no need for either one of them so never really paid much attention. At that age I was too busy balancing school, homework, my music and Nintendo.

But going back to the Sub-Generation term for a second, I think I’m on to a good thing there. Now to come up with a suitable term for it and we’re good to go.

Sources: www.wikipedia.com/www.time.com

Journal Prompts

Published November 2009

I don’t know how many people still keep journals these days. I really don’t. But journaling is something that has been on my mind for a good two months now.

Journals are meant to be personal, a space for you to fine tune your abilities for self-expression, formulate ideas, clarify goals and ultimately get to know yourself better. Journals allow us to monitor our internal thought processes, usually with positive results.

In the spirit of gearing up for the holiday season - bah-humbugs aside - I was feeling unusually self-reflective. With the passing of my own personal blog (5 years worth of pseudo-journaling) I was feeling a slight twinge of a void meant for rambling.

I received a present from my friend S a few weeks ago. It was a small, blank-paged journal and while I had heed and hawed over my inaugural scribbing, I realized that a little journaling would ultimately do me some good.

I found that writers block strikes journal writers too. A sad state of affairs this may be but it’s a conundrum that isn’t without remedy. The Lifestyle section on Associated Content’s site carries a feature entitled “A Year’s Journaling Prompts”- aimed at providing fresh content, inspiration and ideas. As the title suggests there are indeed 365 prompts, one for each day of the year.

If you’ve ever blogged, Facebooked or simply answered one of those get-to-know-you-better email forwards from your pals you may be able to relate to these questions. I thought I would give some of these prompts a go, just to see what comes of it. After running through all 365 I picked a few that I felt would be relevant. In an effort to keep this column somewhat entertaining and in the interest of not putting any of you to sleep, I’ll keep my answers as short as I can:

Shan’s Journaling Prompts complete with relatively short answers:

*DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE ROMANTIC POEM?

Yes I do. It’s Pablo Neruda’s “I Do Not Love You”. Easily the most moving bits of writing on that dreaded four-letter word I have ever come across. Don’t let the title fool you. It’s fantastic.

*WHEN ARE YOU AT YOUR MOST CONFIDENT?

When I’m around people I’m most comfortable with, who are themselves some pretty cool customers. With a little time I can absorb pretty much any environment and I am a constantly-evolving product of the personalities around me. To put it simply, the more confident they are, the more confident I feel.

*WHAT MAGAZINES DO YOU READ FREQUENTLY?

Vanity Fair. Editor Graydon Carter is someone I have immense admiration for. Granted I’ve only been reading this magazine for the past two years but VF maintains high standards for quintessential originality and excellence in writing, bar none.

*WHAT MOMENTS IN HISTORY DO YOU REMEMBER THE MOST?

I remember exactly where I was the very moment CNN broke the news that Jackie Kennedy Onnasis passed away. A small group of us were bunking together at a pretty nice hotel along Singapore’s Orchard Road as a sort of weekend treat. The others were sleeping off the effects of an evening out at legendary superclub Zouk except for me and a friend who were wide awake. We were sat in the living room, talking over cups of tea while I flipped through channels. The Breaking News headline flashed along the footer of the screen and CNN confirmed that the much-loved Jackie O had succumbed to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. That would have been in the early hours of May 20^th 1994 for us – May 19^th for those in the US.

And then of course there was that fateful morning of September 11^th in New York.

*HAVE YOU EVER HAD YOUR PALM READ?

Yes, and I have also gotten my fortune read via tarot card and a medium. Let’s just put it down to my genuine curiosity on most aspects of the arcane. I usually just compare notes and findings to be honest. I blame Tiziano Terzani’s account of his travels around Asia in “A Fortune Teller Told Me” – which was a brilliant read by the way.

*CAN YOU SING A BROADWAY TUNE BY HEART?

I have the vocal prowess of a strangled cat but my singing issues aside, I do know all the words to “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” by Cole Porter.

*DID YOU WIN ANY SPECIAL AWARDS OR ACHIEVEMENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL?

No awards come to mind but I did have a pretty cool achievement in high school. For my GCSE exams, Music was one of the subjects I had chosen. The biggest obstacle I faced was my inability to read a single note of sheet music. Being a jazz percussionist I had always played by ear. It was something my teachers had embraced and encouraged as they understood that note reading, while extremely important, was not the be all and end all of a budding musician.

It was with that belief that my school wrote to the UK examining board and explained my predicament. The final grade for GCSE Music was based on two parts; the first being a written exam on musical terms and definitions, the other being a live performance on an original piece of music written by the student together with sheet music. The examining board made an exception by allowing me to replace sheet music with an essay on my piece together with a recording of it. Until today I don’t know how I pulled it off but I managed to ace both and received a very solid A for my efforts.

Journals and journal prompts. I’d like to see how I can flesh the other prompts out on my own. I’m sure many have their own takes on the pros and cons of journal entries but the very least, they’re a pretty solid form of creativity and self-discovery. Two components that are never a bad idea to indulge a little more in.

Source: www.associatedcontent.com

Colours, Scents & Ions

Published November 2009

Human behaviour can be affected by a number of factors beyond our control. Ions, scent and colours seem to play a part in our demeanour, mannerisms and health. There have long been debates on the accuracy of these claims but it is relatively safe to say that there is some semblance of truth in findings by researchers studying the following points.

THE ROLE OF COLOURS

It has been stated that colours, in the most primitive context, are able to induce a response as they inspire and affect moods. My favourite base colour is red which is said to represent fire, excitement, love and to a degree, passion and a sense of danger. A study showed that establishments serving alcohol would be better off avoiding red interiors as some aspects of the behaviour habits listed earlier could become amplified.

Blue tends to give off the feeling of time slowing down, which would be unsuitable in an environment such as a school – the understanding being that children tend to have a short attention span and an already extended sense of time. However, research has shown that a blue room is perceived to be cooler by several degrees in relation to a red one.

Colours for clothing choices are another interesting observation. During job interviews, brown and greens seem to inspire confidence while black and dark blue reflect a sense of authority. This could explain why a large number of police uniforms tend to be predominantly deep blue in tone. It should also be said that red is regarded as a ‘power’ colour.

In business, many multinationals give serious consideration towards the use of colour in their logos and marketing projects. The wrong set of colours could easily cause irritability, lack of productivity, and eventually lead to financial losses. Some industry leaders take colour choices so seriously that colour psychologists are hired to provide the right direction for upcoming campaigns.

THE SENSE OF SCENTS

Clean-smelling environments are said to promote more ethical behaviour, states Science Daily. A few squirts of an unobtrusive citrus-based air freshener showed results in places such as retail stores and organizations which rely on the enforcement of certain rules. This theorem proved to be fairly accurate in the boardroom as well with subjects involved in negotiations exhibiting a higher level of efficiency, achievement and good judgement.

Studies have shown that individuals in pleasant smelling rooms are not only more ethical but are quicker to volunteer for charitable acts. In brief, clean smells tend to encourage ‘clean’ behaviour.

Citrus isn’t the only scent that’s good for the nose. Leading luxury hotel chains around the world apply the use of certain scents in their lobbies in an effort to evoke a sense of calm and serenity as soon as guests walk in. In short, they provide a complete and immediate atmosphere that doesn’t rely on the sense of sight alone. Green tea, lavender, ylang-ylang and vanilla appear to be popular soothing favourites.

When I asked friends about their favourite scents were, many smiled while confirming that the aroma of rain reminded them of their childhoods. Cut grass was also mentioned, as were distinctively feminine perfumes worn by mothers. It has to be said that the correlation between happy memories and comforting scents do go hand in hand.

IONS – GOOD & BAD

Ever wonder why the air smells and feels good after a downpour? It’s all those negative ions that you’re breathing in and a storm is nature’s way of stirring them up for you. Negative ions are molecules in the air that increase our levels of serotonin once they reach our bloodstream. Serotonin is a mood chemical that reduces stress, depression and anxiety. Negative ions are present at beaches, by rivers and waterfalls and in the mountains; places that many associate with feelings of relaxation. Think Zen and you’re on the right track. These are areas that are fully supercharged with negative ions.

The next time you’re by the beach, notice the pounding surf. That action causes negative ions to circulate by the tens of thousands thereby exposing you to the good stuff. This would probably help to explain why thousands of holiday-makers choose to vacation by the sea each year.

Negative ions work as a natural vitamin for the body by protecting against germs in the air and also help to combat low energy and a lack of concentration by increasing oxygen to the brain. Many liken them to a natural antidepressant as well as helping to sharpen mental function and reduce fatigue. Those in need of a quick negative ion fix should turn their showers on and sit in their bathrooms for a few minutes. As funny as this may sound, the running water is a negative ion generator and will get you sorted in no time.

Positive ions are prevalent wherever there are warm winds present – California’s Santa Ana winds are a great example. Air-conditioners, computer monitors, heat and humidity are just a few factors that contribute to positive ion production so something as simple as getting a little fresh air will help when you feel your energy levels dipping – a particularly useful tip for those of us stuck in offices all day long. Overexposure to positive ions under certain weather conditions may cause a number of health issues, namely asthma attacks, headaches, limb swelling and heart palpitations to name a few.

Sources: sciencedaily.com/independant.co.uk/serendip.brynmawr.edu/Porter and Mikellides, 1976/time.com/medicinenet.com 

Bah Humbug

Published November 2009

Brace yourselves, the holiday season is upon us. This is the time of year when presents, the buying and giving of them, reign supreme. Yes, there is Christmas and all the genuine good intentions and celebrations that go with it, but religious festivals are not what today’s column is about.

No I’m observing the behaviour displayed prominently during the final month of the year. December is at the gate and is baying for credit cards to be whipped out and hard-earned savings to be spent on some purchase or another. In short, December is baying for blood. The kind that folds.

Make the mistake of hitting any decent mall during the weekends leading up to the 25^th and it’ll be filled with pandemonium and shopping chaos.

It’s the parents of teens I feel sorry for. An angst-laden and fashion-driven lot for the most part, I have witnessed painfully embarrassing exchanges between kids and parents.

The best example that comes to mind is the time I was in an elevator with a teenager who would have fit in perfectly on a segment of The Biggest Loser Asia, as she ragged on her disheveled, though affluent looking parents. This fine specimen of the Goth-Gone-Wrong movement was having a go at her parents for buying her the wrong coloured iPod. They had gotten her a white one when what she really wanted was a black player. She screeched and screeched to the point where I felt a vein begin to throb just above my left eyebrow and reasoned with myself that an involuntary backhanded smack in the immediate foreseeable future was not a bad idea.

When the elevator doors opened I legged it and swore I would not be reproducing anytime soon. If there was ever a scene guaranteed to promote the cons of family life, I had just witnessed it and it scared me. My friends have since been given permission to thrash me severely if I ever get clucky.

This is not to say that kids are bad. I love babies. I’ll even go so far as to say that some of my best friends are babies. And okay I’ll bite, kids are cute and they’re great to hug. But if only there was a device that could morph an adorable 9 year old straight into a perfectly well-adjusted 21 year old I’d happily become a parent. Just flick out that teenage angst bit and we’re cool.

Sorry, there I go with my tangent. Back to my drivel about presents and the holidays, I was reading a TIME Magazine interview with Joel Waldfogel, author of Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn't Buy Presents for the Holidays. And as the chair of business and public policy at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School I think it would be safe to say that this gentleman probably does have a better grasp of economics than you and I combined.

What fascinated me about this interview was that regardless of the Scroogenomics title, Waldfogel was all for gift-giving and present buying – albeit in a manner that would encourage a high level of satisfaction, while being intelligent about money at the same time.

Example : would you spend RM50 on something that you weren’t sure was going to be totally well-received by the recipient? Wouldn’t it be a better idea to give them a gift voucher to allow them to pick out what they wanted rather than to assume? Or would you prefer to donate that money to charity in the name of the person you were gift-hunting for in the first place? Food for thought, I hope.

By this point you may be wondering about my own personal approach to holiday shopping. I usually cringe at the very thought of it; the traffic, the noise, the crowds, the incessantly terrible covers of classic holiday songs blaring over every available speaker in the city.

I hate the blatant commercialisation of this particular time of the year. I regularly fight the urge to sock one of the many dressed-up Santa’s in their padded gut if they so much as “Ho” in my general direction. Yes I have issues.

But here is where I contradict my earlier writing. All this disgruntled muttering and spluttering doesn’t dissuade me from shopping for my loved ones and gifting them with something I hope they’ll like. No it won’t stop me. Not one little bit. I will go through the motions of hunting high and low for gifts, usually driving myself batty in the process.

This is because nothing will make me happier than watching their faces and reactions as they unwrap their presents – and for this to really work, good acting on their part is a necessary kindness. They are aware of this and make the appropriate cooing motions, all the while gushing in a manner befitting my efforts. My ego thanks them in advance.

Yes I will give in thoroughly to the mechanics of the holiday buying frenzy. And a microscopic portion of me always does end up enjoying it, in spite of myself. So much for the Scrooge posturing on my part. I try to think mean thoughts but it never seems to work. Bah humbug, indeed.

Source: www.time.com

Things We Do For Money

Published November 2009

Please don’t be misled by the title of today’s column. I’m not referring to anything even remotely inappropriate by any means but instead I’d like to take a closer look at fundraising and the ways certain individuals go about doing just that.

Fundraising. Easily the most noble of financial activities to engage in. Provided the appropriate end result is achieved there is absolutely nothing wrong in doing your part towards making someone else’s life a little easier, ensuring that a valuable service continues to assist those in need, or even to raise awareness for health, animal welfare and environmental issues.

Let’s take my good friend Sue Chong-Hartley for example. Apart from having exceeding amounts of energy and getting stuck-in for a myriad of good causes, Sue is someone who genuinely believes that every little bit helps, regardless of how little or small a contribution may be. A current project that she is involved in is the Sun Bear conservation program as a member of LEAP or Land Empowerment Animals People - a group that focuses on sustainable ecological co-existence. I am merely skimming the surface on LEAP, and I fully intend to write about the fantastic work that they do in much more detail soon.

My point for mentioning Sue is that she is one who is willing to go the distance for the right causes. Back in the day – and we’re looking at a good 15 years ago - Sue was an experienced mid to long distance runner. Granted some time had passed since her last competition but it didn’t deter her from signing up for the 2008 Borneo International Marathon’s 21KM Halfer with the intention of raising funds. And raise them she did. She approached her large network of friends and acquaintances for donations and I have to say that she did a stellar job in raising a few thousand Ringgit which went towards two local organizations. These two groups were involved in work that resonated with her for personal reasons and she wanted to do her part to help.

On the morning of October 12^th 2008, Sue donned her marathon get-up (complete with clown wig and frilly tutu) and hit the tarmac. True, her costume made her one of the marathon’s most photographed runners (along with Singapore’s Cat Woman and Sarawakian superblogger Kenny Sia), but she did her 21KM’s and achieved her target. A very sore body and several lost toenails (six to be precise) in return were sacrifices that she took in her stride. To say that she is someone I am proud to call my friend would be a serious understatement. I’ve never told her that in person. I hope she reads this here today.

Marathons, while not the only source of fundraising, seem to do a good job of encouraging just that. Andrew Voon, another person I am happy to call a friend and who is also race director of the Borneo International Marathon, felt it would be a good idea to raise money for his very first marathon in Singapore back in 2006. With support from friends he managed to garner approximately RM14,400 for the Singapore Breast Cancer Foundation. This was followed by him taking part in the Laguna Phuket Marathon in 2007. He was able to raise RM16,720 which was donated to the SOS Heart Fund, Kudat Emmanuel Home and Kota Kinabalu AIDS Services & Information Hub.

A portion of these funds were also used to help purchase a prosthetic limb for Maidol, a man living in a remote village here in Sabah who’s leg was crushed by a falling tree. Race directors for the Sabah Adventure Challenge had come across Maidol while surveying the area for their upcoming event and quick thinking on their part saved his life, although so much damage was done to his femur that his leg had to be amputated. Thanks to the generosity of many including the SAC team, Fieldskills and Andrew himself, Maidol was fitted with a prosthetic limb and was able to return to living a normal and productive life.

Those efforts didn’t stop Andrew from returning to the Singapore Marathon later that same year and this time he raised RM13,000 – the recipients of which included Sri Mengasih and Nasam as well as the local organizations listed earlier.

I’d also like to highlight the antics of an old high-school friend of mine, Samad Masood. Now Samad, usually clean shaven and reasonably conservative in dress, decided that it would be a good idea to get involved with a group calling themselves Movember.

The Movember Foundation is a global non-profit charity men’s health initiative. Each November, members or Mo Bros, put away their razors for a month. The objective is pretty clear. Grow a moustache and raise vital funds in the process.

Movember works towards changing men’s perceptions, habits and attitudes on health specifically on prostate cancer – thereby improving chances of early detection and effective treatment. This unique and light-hearted approach towards a serious health risk has worked, with millions of dollars being raised around the world each year.

I debated but decided against posting Samad’s before and almost-after photos here, to highlight a perfectly normal looking man now sporting a ‘tache that looks more at home on one of The Village People or a character straight out of the cult classic Easy Rider. But he puts up with the jokes and the good natured ribbing from us. Why? Because he sees the bigger picture. His tiny gesture helps. Every little bit helps.

I am aware that there are countless individuals out there working towards a plethora of good causes. And many of their efforts regularly go unrecognised, which is not the best state of affairs by any means.

But I guess what I’m trying to say here today is that for us 9 to 5 office folk, please try to think outside the box if you haven’t already. There are always ways to get people interested and involved in doing the right thing. Challenge yourself and see what you can accomplish. Doing your part doesn’t always mean waiting for a black tie gala dinner to happen, though those are usually pretty successful.

If you’re sincere and genuine about doing something good, then just get out there and do it. When there’s a will, there’s a way. As Apple maestro Steve Jobbs said: “Let’s make a dent in the universe.”

Sources: leapspiral.org/uk.movemberfoundation.com

Why We Write

Published November 2009

A few evenings ago I finally met up with a ‘Facebook friend’ – read; someone I had gotten to know online through mutual friends. This new pal of mine recently launched a book on Sabah architecture which is something I know very little about. However, the quality of his prose paired with some stunning photography (the author’s own) made this a book to be reckoned with in terms of sheer quality. In short, I was impressed.

We spent a good couple of hours waxing lyrical on writing, discussing the many different facets that make for a decent scribbler and swapping our own writers tales.

I think it should go without saying that passion for writing has to be the most important factor to consider. When you have passion, all other distractions usually fade into an abyss nearby. Pair that passion up with an interest in reading and you’re well on your way.

When I started blogging a good 5 years ago, the idea of putting my words out there for someone else to read was one that sat very well with me. Apart from the initial hiccups of having to explain what a blog was to the less-aware, just knowing that there were people reading my thoughts was a huge boost of self-esteem.

Mind you, this was when I knew next to nothing about writing. I was a different person living a different existence and the notion of writing for a living was one that was so far removed from my everyday life, I paid it no mind. A corporate job in a family business may be some people’s idea of heaven but it certainly wasn’t mine. That being said, it did pay the bills several times over and the perks were great.

Yet the ominous telltale signs of impending doom were creeping in. It was harder to get out of bed in the morning. Projects that once got me amped held little to no interest. It was becoming obvious to those around me that I was headed for a brick wall. I found myself being increasingly frustrated with where I thought my life was headed and I didn't want any more of it.

There is no telling what the fates ever have in store for us and one fine day I decided that I wanted to pursue this ‘writing thing’. I quit, said goodbye to the lifestyle I had gotten used to (and the large pay check that went along with it) and felt as if I had been given a new lease on everything. I finally felt as though I was living. I wrote. And wrote some more. Supportive friends pointed me in the right direction for freelance work. I built my portfolio up to a respectable level and am now on a different playing field from my humble beginnings not too long ago.

In my personal opinion, we write because of an overwhelming desire to delve into wordplay. Those who write well usually exhibit some level of drive. A need to put pen to paper – or in this day and age - fingers to keyboard.

So yes, write. Write a lot. Write all the time. Childishly simplistic as this may seem, it’s a proven formula that works. Write down ideas. Discuss plots with other like-minded individuals. Experiment. Dabble in something new, just to see how you go.

I often remember the advice given by Siobhan Adcock, my tutor during my Gotham Writing Workshop days. An author of two books (“30 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do Before Turning 30” and “Hipster Haiku”) by publishing paragon Random House, Siobhan’s main emphasis to her students was to always read. Epic tomes, light fiction, magazines, even the back of a cereal box. Anything that was in print usually had something to say and it was up to us budding wannabes, to decipher if that particular type of writing was one we wanted to emulate and turn into a form of expression, or not.

I have to mention one of my favourite pieces on writing by Jennifer Edelson in which she asks the ethereal question, “Why Do Writers Write?” The most direct answer by way of a witty and superbly appropriate by-line was “Because we’re all simply nuts.”

This sharp feature highlights the correlation between writers, mood swings and what many of us refer to as an artistic temperament. I am happy to report that yes, I am a moody so-and-so. I indulge my senses as often as I can and use every excuse in the book to get away with my behaviour, ranging from a classic hound dog expression to blatant grovelling with a few mea culpas thrown in for good measure when I’ve done bad.

I will honestly admit to taking liberties with the artistic temperament license. I regularly cite Hemmingway as my own personal idol and revere his antics. Does this make me a better writer? One worthy of praise and pats on the back? Well, no. But I’d like to think that it’s a strong sign that I’m well on my way.

Some of us have been fortunate enough to be given a platform for a reasonable level of self-expression (personal blogs not included), be it contributing in a freelance or full-time capacity to a variety of media outlets. And I consider myself lucky to be able to interact with some truly spectacular up-and comers as well as established denizens who are renowned for their opinionated stance and excellence in this field.

Writing as a whole is something I personally could not do without. I can safely speak for a certain fraction of writers who believe that we write because we know no other way than this to express ourselves. That there are things that need to be said, words that need to be put out there. We write because this is how we live. More importantly, we write because this is how we breathe.

Sources: Why Do Writers Write by Jennifer Edelson/www.randomhouse.com