MDG : Episode 12

Ok, ok. So.

I've watched MDG since Season 1 and think maybe it's time to start blogging about it.

I like the show.

Compared to America's Next Top Model, MDG pales in comparison, but hey, it's a Malaysian production and although I can find endless corners to criticise, from the choice of the participants to the angles of shooting by the cameraman, I find it highly entertaining and a great effort by the local entertainment industry. Most parts are compelling enough, EXCEPT for the part where the participants talk to their parents/families. I am not too interested to know about what conspires between you and your family. Neither do I really enjoy the crying to each other or the advice given by your next of kin.

And also the gym parts.

Aiyo, who wants to see you jogging on a treadmill, or punching in your kick boxing class?!??!
Boring, boring, skip, skip.

But I know it's for the advertisers and the MDG producers haven't got much choice.

Sorry, I digress.

Back to MDG: Episode 12.

With 7 girls left in the competition, this episode focuses on 'Bella lifestyle' with each girl modelling a piece from Royal Selangor's new jewelery range.

Without further ado, let's start my utterly honest opinion of each girl's photo shoot:

Dawn
In fact, let's start from the very beginning. Dawn's mugshot. Clean, fresh, lovely dimples but something can be done about her nose.
Still, let's not be finicky. Dawn is quite your classic girl-next-door look.

During her shoot, Elaine Daly keeps telling Dawn to laugh. Big laugh, big laugh!
I think this picture is honestly hardly 'lifestyle' - with the words 'Royal Selangor' screaming in the background. Also, Dawn seems to blend in with the background - with her gray top and the gray pewter cup, this picture looks very much like something Terminator will come up with. But, she sells her Royal Selangor piece, it is obvious and looks good on her, but I maintain my stand that it is yet again gray (you can argue it's silver - it's almost the same okay) and gray against gray against GRAY.

WAIT! Sorry, got a bit of black down there. Which is right next to gray on the colour spectrum.

One thing that struck me about Dawn is that she looks very much like Hong Kong TVB actress Ada Choi - the hair and face shape is uncanny.


Maybe she is destined for greatness in the TVB entertainment circle.


Natasha
A slight smirk with a glint in the eye. Just enough of 'Yes, I am pretty darn hot' injected into that gaze Natasha gives off in this mugshot picture of hers.

But with her new hairstyle - I don't know why nor how, Natasha's eyes suddenly went from beautiful big, to goldfish gi-normous.

And her shoot. Her Royal Selangor accessory is the best of the lot, it's high street, chiq and very couture at the same time. But, but ... her POSE!
What's with the kaki kangkang!!??!
OMG. It looks like she forgot to sit with her legs close. And the next part where Elaine tells her to imagine she is a prrrincess descending from the staircase - Gawd... Just doesn't work does it? You'd imagine floaty, dreamy like of wafting in between half consciousness and just basking in the splendour of the princess moment but - no, fail max.

Cannot take, cannot take.

Next please.

Pinky
Aiyo.
How did she pass the audition? Fat cheeks, roundish face and flattish nose - reject, reject!! She looks like a girl that's not quite come of age yet.

But thank goodness for Shawn Cutler and also the make up team that gives her a much sophisticated look, adding definition to her face and piling on 10 years to make her look the woman she is supposed to be.

Her Bella lifestyle shoot is in my opinion the best out of them all. The slight peer over the shoulder and hunching of the back at the just correct degree coupled with her nice long legs gives dimension to the whole picture.
Perching on top of the bar top also gives it a sexy edge, top marks!

Juanita

I first came across this name in my Form 5 English literature book - The Pearl. My English teacher used to pronounce it with a J and that would lead to countless amount of snickering between my friends and I that it is pronounced wrongly and that our English teacher is crap.

Well, looking back, I got an A1 for SPM, hence she is NOT crap, in fact, very good, but then again, she pronounced doves as do-ves.

Ergh.
The hair. CHOP IT OFF!!!

Chop it off they did and hence we welcome the rebirth of the fictional Juanita of my secondary school days to the contestant that is every bit a va-va voom model in today's MDG.

The picture looks right at home in a catalogue for selling furniture.
I don't quite like the facial expression that she's giving off; a bit of a triple B - bland, banal and boring. In fact, I'll start triple B-ing everyone who comes across as that.
Her attempts of big laugh by Elaine Daly does not work, parting your lips a quarter of an inch is NOT laughing, my dear Juanita.

But, she shows her piece of accessory well enough and it complements her skin tone, although I maintain my first opinion - this picture is trying to sell the furniture in it.

Sashya
When I initially saw Sashya, I thought, 'Hey, this girl's got spunk!' And so she does with her perfectly sculpted cheekbones that one should kill for. Well, I would. I also like her very dark eyes and eyebrows; man, she's got it going.

Then this shot.
Hmm, nice colour combination of pink, white, black and creamy yellow... but what is she selling? Where is the pendant?
*Squints and zooms in*

0 results.

Kind of defeats the whole purpose of the shoot, no?

But her pose is good, full usage of her limbs gives shape to the rather bland sofa she is on.

(Yes, ANTM that I follow devotedly always talks about giving shape to your pictures and I believe this picture will be given a thumbs up by Tyra Banks herself)

Ming

The first impression I got was, her face is shaped like an egg. Smooth and oval, Ming comes across exactly like a china-doll Gong Li version in an extremely good way.

Quite a change from your classic stereotypical chiseled features of the models you see nowadays.

She has my vote as best looking of the lot.

This is an absolutely stunning picture. Maybe it's the photoshop effects, maybe it's the colour and ethereal lines, maybe it's the reflection of her on the other side of the glass, but this picture is mindlessly beautiful. I wish I had a picture like that.

Instead, I have this. Similar concept but it lacks the dreaminess and of course, pretty Ming in it.

However, if you throw this picture of Ming into the context of 'lifestyle', this er... does not quite make the cut. HOW is it lifestyle? In fact, why did they take a picture of her like that as a lifestyle shot?!

So this is not Ming's fault but the fault of the MDG people.

Denezia
Not much of cheekbones nor sharp nose, Denezia's looks are pretty standard. But I have to say she got uglier and uglier as the series wore on.

I mean, don't judge me for judging her. There is something wrong with her mouth but thank goodness it is completely hidden when she smiles. Of course, compared to the general population, Denezia is pretty, but compared to the other contestants - sorry. However, throughout the series, she comes across as genuinely nice and friendly. I'd want Denezia to be my friend if I had to pick one among them all.

This. Is. A. Rubbish. Photo.

WHAT, may I so kindly ask, WHAT is this picture trying to portray?

Lifestyle? No.
Royal Selangor ware? Double No. Not even a bit of it can be seen.
Pretty face? Triple B.

Even I can do this shot lorh.


Just smile only wert.
So difficult meh?

Only that in Denezia's shot uses a better camera and a nicer background (gray, yet again) and all she is doing is semi laughing!!!!

I cannot even comment on whether it is good or bad, as it is just completely irrelevant whatsoever to the theme of the photoshoot.


And at the end of the episode 12, the girls start this huge argument about who says that Natasha paid the private hospital off to write her report, and that her mother can see her for 3 hours each day, and how they miss home et cetera et cetera.

Haih.

Think of the poor students who study overseas or those who work away from home and don't see their families for over a year. That's 52 weeks. And you guys are there for..............



..............




..............




..............







10 weeks.


-_-




Time to grow up people.

As an end note, my favourite moment of the entire episode is watching the photographer George Ting shoot.

His clothes are classic!

Strappy Sandles.
Old T-Shirt.
Baggy 3/4 cargo pants.
1000-dollar camera.

And I bet he makes a gazillions ringgit per shoot despite wearing a RM 10 outfit.

How unfair lucky.

CoverLook Studios

2 months ago, I got a call.

Ms Vanessa claims that she is from Coverlook Studios.
Apparently, I had won a free makeover and a photo shoot for myself and one or two friends at their premises from some competition I entered. I vaguely remembered entering something like that through Glamour magazine but hey, a free makeup session and photo shoot?! Bring it on!


But then came the catch - I had to pay a refundable deposit of 30pounds per person to guarantee myself a spot in their appointment book. For that I get:
- a full make over by their professional make up artist
- hair styling by their professional hairdressers
- 30 frames of shooting per person
- an A4 photo of our choice to take home
- 4 VIP tickets into one of the top clubs in London

All for FREE!

WOW.

A quick phone call to Liwan settled the whole thing and I booked us in for the 27th of December 2008 at 4pm.

I know. At this point, you are probably thinking - Wah, stupid!!! Kena con!! Pay 60 bucks to unknown people!!

Which on hindsight, I have to agree that I was - VERY STUPID.

But. Anyway.




Fast forward to the 27th, Liwan and I made our way to CoverLook Studios that was situated near Oxford St in London.
To my immense relief, the place actually existed.


Upon entering, we were met with a room full of girls waiting for their turn and what was supposed to be an appointment at 4pm, turned out to be an appointment at 5pm.
We waited for one whole hour before we were called to the chair by the make up artist. My make up artist was a freelancer (professional my @$) and she did my face in 10 minutes.
10 MINUTES!


Woman, I can do better make up than whatever it is that you did.


Where is the lipliner to lock in the lip colour? In fact, WHERE is the lipstick? Lip gloss goes ON TOP of the lipstick, thank you very much.
Where is the highlighter to enhance the 3D effect of the face? Where is the contouring of the nose and the cheeks to create an illusion of a sharper nose and higher cheekbones?
Jeez, even drawing my eyebrows in was a half done job.


Now to the hairstyling. It was done by my makeup artist too(once again, professional my @$). All she did was curl my hair in a few strokes with the straightener and spray on some hairspray. Which, I can also do myself with my 30pound Babyliss hair straighteners from Boots.

Not. Impressed.

Liwan got a bit of a better make up artist than I did but her hair was also done in almost the same way.

Great.

All in all, the whole make up - hairstyling ordeal took about 15 minutes.

We then had to wait another 2 tooting hours before we were called to the studio for our photo shots to be taken.
This, I have to give credit. It was fun posing - but that is because I'm a poser-olic and can do all sorts of nonsense with a camera in front of me. They also did deliver the 30 frames as promised and the photographer was really, really nice.


After that, we were ushered back into the waiting area and waited further 30 mins until we were finally called to view our pictures.

Through this, I truly understand that nothing in this world is free.

Not only were we quoted ridiculous prices for the pictures (75 bucks for 1), our supposedly 'free' A4 photo shoot came in the form of a passport picture size photograph. We were also only allowed to choose ONE picture as opposed to two as promised over the phone. In the end, the saleslady quoted us 4 pictures in exchange for my 60 quid deposit - which I promptly turned down.
I then enquired about the VIP tickets to the atas atas London club but was told that I had to call CoverLook to let them know when I wanted to go and they will then call the club to book us in.

-_-

Which means I still have to pay for the cover charge la!
Buang masa sial.

So, in the end, what I got out of the 5 hours I spent in CoverLook Studios was, a low quality passport size photograph in a CD, make up (which I can do much better myself) and styled hair (that surprise surprise - I can also do MYSELF) with I suppose - the opportunity to feel like a model where I am allowed to pose however I want and have my photograph taken. I reckon this is as close I will come to brushing with the modelling world, and this was the saving grace of the whole CoverLook experience. You'd be happy to know that I also got my 60pounds deposit back.

My ballerina pose

Liwan's ANTM McKey pose

Verdict:
CoverLook are not 100% scammers, just 50%.
But they did provide us a great opportunity to take pictures at their premises, so I would not bring them to court for wasting 5 hours of my precious time. Also if being a model involves waiting about for half my life - I guess I am better off as a doctor.

That is..

If I pass my finals in June.

PCCF Welcome Evening 2008

This happened so long ago, I've almost forgotten all the minute details.
But considering I only have space in my memory for things that are purely for entertainment purposes and nothing else, I suppose I can still search and draw out what this evening was about.

With the start of the new fiscal year, every society will have some sort of welcome thing for the new students.

Ok, for the uninformed, PCCF stands for Pollock Chinese Christian Fellowship and yes, it's a CF group.

I remember way back in 1st year when every welcome event was so unfamiliar - to the point that it scored hardly any storage points in the vast emptiness of the hard disk embedded in my skull.

Then 2nd year came, and it was much better since I got to be involved in preparing stuff for the juniors.
We did Stephen Chow's Shaolin Soccer.

Vivien dressed very convincingly as the 'Pau Cho Po' from the movie.

I was part of the Axe Gang and was supposed to go and bully the girl that Stephen Chow eventually comes and save...

Yau yeng sial

From left, Ricky as the guy who sells Stephen Chow the book of kungfu, Nellie as the girl he saves, MeiFong as Ah Jane, Karen as I cannot remember, Alvin as the noodle seller, Yu Yet as the gay tailor, WeiPing as Stephen Chow, Vivien as above, Alison, our director and the rest of the Axe Gang crew. My hair then seriously can throw into the rubbish bin.


The day ended with God's message delivered to all involved.

It was good.

It was electrifying.

It was the beginning of my career in theatre performance.





Leading into 3rd year, that is 2006, I played the starring role of the sketch. Sort of like Sharpay Evans from High School Musical. Know her?

Like So Totally.

I am THAT GOOD.




Or so I dreamed.




Sad to say, I was not involved in any way.
Hence, I am not going to blog about it, since I do not know much about it.
It was about The Pirates of the Carribean and that is as much as I know.

Fast forward to 2007 and 4th year landed me the role of director for that year's play.
Now, I really should come clean about this.
First of all, the representatives from my year at PCCF boils down to almost zero when I was in 2nd year.
Friday nights were spent having dinners, parties or in clubs. I truly repent for what I have done (not in a biblical way) and can assure everyone that I am now fully grown up and mature although you are very welcome to invite me to your dinner/party/club night if you are having one. I will dig deep into myself and bring out my then 19 year old self.
Fine. 20 year old.

When 3rd year came, something clicked and I decided that I should really frequent PCCF more. So I did but still my presence wasn't obvious enough. I blame it to the fact I didn't get to play Sharpay in the sketch.

So, as director for the PCCF Welcome Evening 2007, I enlisted the help of a million people to do my bidding and every whim.
I really am quite good in that. I also managed to rope in another friend to share the burden and so I shall not claim all the credit. I was co director.
Based on Disney's Mulan, the story revolved around Mulan substituting her dad for war (if you don't know the story, please Shoot. Your. Self. Right. Now.) and that emulates how God gave his Son to die for us.
Yes, that is how great our God is.

And this is how I forced everyone to practise and practise.

Blow you down show. Yes it was.
Do you have any idea how much work I put into it? And the fact that the week after the show was my Obs and Gynae exam, the most infamous exam of medical school as the amount to study is gi-normous?!
No you don't have any idea.
Not at all.
When you are up to HERE with editing and creating videos from Windows Movie Maker only to have your computer hang ever so often, when you attend all practices to make sure your actors are perfect (yes, I AM A PERFECTIONIST) and when you need to liase with everyone and send out 100 emails or so to ensure everything runs smoothly...

No you don't have any idea At All.

But God is Good and He has blessed me with a lot of things in life. Including making me enjoy doing what I do and getting through exams up until this point.

The 2 directors at the left with the Emperor and Shih Fu, his minister. My hair is better. Much, much better.

Dancing our way into 'We Are All In This Together'

Yay!

Come 5th year, my presence in PCCF was pretty much consolidated that I was the only person from my year that most frequently attended CF every Friday. And that speaks a lot. Since I am ever ready to give up the night for some party or other (of course with feeling a lot of guilt).

Once again, I took on the background role of helping the two directors plan, direct and edit videos.
Now at this juncture of my life, I really started questioning myself.
Am I Not good enough to act? To perform? To take centre stage? Why am I always the one at the background helping to make the thing work!?!?!?!
But then it struck me.
Of course. The directors get the biggest cut of the pay. The producers are the richest of them all. We are the boss.

I am destined for greater things.
Other minions, Bow to ME

So this year's theme was based on the Prodigal Son. A famous bible story, we adapted it to modern day settings (well, not me, but the directors whom if you look at it the way I put it, are my bosses) where the Char Keuy Teow seller's son wants his share of the fortune.

Thou shalt not look down on a Char Keuy Teow seller as he is very rich.

This time around, everything was based on a flashback, so one can view the whole show on YouTube.

Sam, our main actor, winner of the PCCF Oscar Awards for Best Actor.

The Opening:


I Want My Share:


SCAM Cheats Him:


Girls are Dangerous. Very Dangerous.


So is gambling:


A Hunted Man:


The Lowest Point of His Life:


The Return of The Son:


For What Was Lost is Now Found:



God's love is like any father's; he will always be ready to forgive and accept you back into his life.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" John 3:16

Short of helping out in the making of the videos and also being in the play itself on that day, I also baked.

Full fat, pure calories and sugary sweet goodness.

Life's too short not to get fully involved in things other than studies, and life is way, way, way too short not to indulge in sweet buttery fattening muffins.

Jospeh and His Amazing Technicoloured Labcoat

Every year, the 4th year medics put on a musical to raise funds for their Final Year Ball.

My first encounter with this was back in 2nd year when I was a puny little medical student.
The musical by the then 4th years was entitled Burke and Hare (yup, you got it right, the famous body snatchers of Edinburgh) and it was one word : -

Brilliant.

I remember the moment I walked out of the theatre, I immediately decided that when 4th year came, I'll definitely take part, come what may, in my year's musical, despite lacking in the singing, dancing and even stage appearance department.

But, that doesn't mean the play has got no space for me right?

Of course it does!

So, with my inch-thick skin, I dragged myself to the horribly embarrassing auditions (just a formality really) and was casted to be part of the chorus.

The many different colours of Joseph's Coat

Practices started in March, every Sunday for 3 freaking hours. 3 HOURS! And we only learn one song per week. To be honest, the chorus only has 4 songs so it really isn't that difficult. But 3 hours was required for crowd control and just to get everyone to generally shut up and listen to the directors.

Then of course, in between I skived tonnes of practices due to Easter, the retreat, my trip to Manchester etc etc. However, since my part was as minor as could be, it didn't really matter though I am positive the directors were not very happy with my absence. But I cannot help it.

Sigh, priorities, priorities.

Without further ado, let's move straight on to the play itself.

24-26 April 2008 was the debut of our musical:- Joseph and His Amazing Technicoloured Labcoat at Pleasance Theatre.


Running exclusively for 3 nights ONLY, our play can be summarised into three words:

Pretty Darn Brilliant.

Completely sold out for every single performance, with each night getting progressively more and more packed (people ended up sitting on the stairs/standing), I believe that the 4th year medics gave many of London's West End musicals a proper run for their money.

Applying make up for each other

Not only did we come up with our own script (although the idea is taken from the Bible and also a West End Musical), we also rewrote the lyrics for all the songs, had our own props, settled our own make up, hair, costumes, and of course, had our very own full blown Orchestra.

Back combing, back combing...

Well, if you have read up to here, I suppose you would like to know the story line.

So, very very briefly :-

Joseph, a transfer student from Cambridge appears amongst the high and mighty students of Edinburgh only to prove that he is smarter than them. By A Lot. He saves a patient by performing a tracheotomy (a trache- what? Go Google) and is bestowed the highest accolade that Edinburgh University gives its students - The Amazing Technicoloured Labcoat.


Now this doesn't go down too well them as really, we Edinburghans are quite an arrogant bunch. So they got poor Joseph drunk and sells him off to a Freak Show that was passing by. Hence, Joseph is down graded to a slave, and is left cleaning and scrubbing floors in the house of the Head of the Freaks.

Of course, the wife of the Head of the Freaks takes a fancy to Joseph and seduces him.

The wife and her chambermaids

And of course, they are found out by the Head (although Joseph tries his best to avoid her) and Joseph gets imprisoned. While mulling over his misfortunes, he meets a pair of Siamese Twins and lo and behold! manages to successfully separate them.

Siamese through and through

His fame reaches the ears of the Head of the Freaks once again who at that time is suffering from a very serious problem of man boobs aka moobs (aka having gynaecomastia. Google it. Alternatively, see below: )

Male boobs. Get it?

So at his wits end, the Head of the Freaks calls upon Joseph who manages to remove his boobs (by bursting it with a scalpel) and hence Joseph is promoted to the head of the General Medical Council (GMC).

Cheesy, cheesy

The Edinburgh medical students by now have graduated and having not done very well in their exams; are jobless. So they go to the GMC and begs Joseph (whom they do not recognise) to give them jobs which he does. However, Joseph having not forgotten their past, decides to test their integrity and plants a fake ear in one of the student's bags and accuses them for stealing. To his delight, they all stood up for each other and took the blame for it together.

Again, cheesy, cheesy

So Joseph then reveals himself and it is all hunky dory as the play wraps up with the song of Don't Stop Me Now by Queen.

Don't strike me off... (Don't Stop Me Now)

Although I was on stage for a total of probably 15 minutes (4 songs, about 3 plus minutes per song?) I still had loads of fun and was on a perpetual high after every night of the play.

I suppose this is the closest I'll ever get to major stage performance but I have to say I was really impressed with the quality of performers, dancers, music, singers, in fact - everything! we had.

A few really fantabulous performances include an a capella song performed by 4 very lovely boys:



Joseph singing a song when he is in prison to the song Supreme by Robbie Williams:



complete with an intro of Any Dream Will Do by our fantastic orchestra.


Now that it is all over, done and dusted, I can only hope that we made a huge fat wad of cash for our final year ball and can probably have it at the Edinburgh Castle or something.

That's aiming a bit too high though.

After all, I am a bit too old for fairytales.

PCCF Retreat 2008

1 weekend earlier than the one held last year, this year's PCCF Retreat was held in Gartmore, 20 miles out of Stirling from the 18th - 20th of April.

The house that we thought we were staying in. Hard luck.

So, as part of the organising committee, my team was scheduled to reach there at least 1 hour 30 minutes earlier than everyone else to set up and welcome the participants, put up decoration, prepare a sumptuous spread of supper and also be at our very best behaviour.

My foot.

Malaysian timing as usual, and the so called 'organising committee' car got there -


Late. Duh


So no welcome team,


no food and snacks,


no one to show you where your rooms are,


no one full stop.

But we still did arrive at the end of the day.

Night one started with a short worship session by our very talented 1st years. After it ended, we had the normal introductory talks by Roland, our head and after that everyone retired to their rooms for the night.

Wait.

Did I say everyone?

Oh, forgive me.

Basketball enthusiasts retired to the sports hall instead. A whole 3 hours of non stop basketball games til about 2 am differentiated the night owls from the early birds.

Of course, by 3 am we were all showered and in our pyjamas ready for a night cap of hot chocolate and poker.

Christian retreat ok. Poker chips are in the form of chocolate. And the loser walks all the way down the chilly corridors to the kitchen-in-the-corner to make hot drinks.

And that is where I went.

Forced into it.

Finally climbing into bed at 3.30 am (or was it 4 am?) without trying to make too much noise, I tossed and turned til the sun came up.

What's with me not being able to sleep the first night in some foreign place? It has been happening everytime I leave my comfortable nest in the shape of my heavenly bed in Edinburgh! It has never happened in the past! I must be getting old.

Or.

I can only sleep well in expensive, goose down filled pillows and mattresses of softest quality yet medically therapeutic to the back that is only found in 5 star hotels. Or my room.

So a cheap hostel and bunk beds does not suit me well.

At all.

Upon awakening and getting ready, we went off to the dining hall across the road (in that fine building you see up there) as the delightful smell of fried sausages and bacon wafted into the crisp morning air.

Following our noses and filled with happy thoughts of a large breakfast spread, we were led into a room and the first sight that greeted our eyes was:

Cereal.

Yay! Cereal even!

A quick look down the aisle and we saw Yoghurt! Fruit! Milk! Coffee... Tea...

Wait a minute.

Where are those lovely, lovely sausages ????

'Only for the people who book to stay in the fine building laahhh,' goes the organiser.

-_-

Yun Yi trying to look happy

The sacrfices us students-on-a-budget make.

Another session of worship and a long, long talk by Wee Leon, our guest speaker all the way from Leeds about post-modernism ensues soon after.

Fast forward to games.

Introductory game. We were all given a coloured balloon (I was bent on getting a red coloured one but my attempts of picking my colour from the bag was foiled big time) and no surprise there, our games group was of the coloured balloon.

Now, each group is supposed to have 8 people.

And my group had : -

SIX.

!"£%^*

Where all the people go? And no one wants to own up that yes, they DO belong to the yellow group.

WHY?!
THE REST OF US SO UNFUN IS IT? I AM VERY BORING ISIT???????

FINE.

The first challenge was to get all your group members stick the balloons they have on the wall.

Trying to generate static by rubbing the balloons on hair, clothes etc.

Which we won.

Would have won. If only the games master listened to us. They claimed that we had more balloons that we didn't stick up.

HOW NOT TO WIN??? 6 BALLOONS ONLY LEH! OBVIOUSLY ALL UP!

Never mind, we won in our hearts.

***

Lunch came and went. Food was so unmemorable that I have already forgotten what we had.

Worship and another talk by Wee Leon about... er.... something Very Important That You Can Definitely Apply in Life.

Fast forward to games again.

The next challenge was the Treasure Hunt.

Slips of paper where handed to us and we had to go to the spot and collect a clue. And finally piece together all the letters and make a word out of the anagram.

Who won?

Yellow group.

I know, thank you very much. (ok fine, we tied with was it Purple or Pink group but that is of relative unimportance.)

And then a roly poly of captain's ball/basketball and practices for the night's event of 'PCCF's Got Talent' happened next as we all get ready to battle it out centre stage.

We were to act out a scene from a chapter in the Bible - Acts 5:1-10.

" 1Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.

2With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet.

3Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?

4Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."

5When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

7About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?"
"Yes," she said, "that is the price."

9Peter said to her, "How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also."

10At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband."

So the very talented Yellow Group produced our child actress prodigy Miss Meryl Grace Lansing as Ananias and their coveted, red carpet worthy, queen of drama - moi - as Sapphira. The wise and stately Mr. Mark Ong starred as non other than Peter the apostle and the beautifully yet dangerously evil Miss Doris Winata fitted the role of Satan to the T. Lastly, our very sweet and equally as talented Miss Jacintha Gong and Miss Ivy Sim became the narrator and estate agent respectively.

Of course, being the oh-so-amazingly talented people that we are, we naturally had about what? 2 1/2 practices and ad libbed the rest of it on the real show itself.

Which won us best acting of the night.

Standing together as one while we listened to the comments from the judges.

Once again, I know, we were fab. Thanks very much.

A lot of other awards also okay -

Most Creative: -

This group did a puppet show with socks, a teddy bear, a duvet cover and lots of bananas.

Most Application of Things Learnt :-

" I think I had think and think and post modernism and I know and think think think...."

Good dialogue, crappy acting.

But excusey me, PCCF's got talent IS about acting and the fact that we bagged the Best Acting Award warrants us instant stardom and unrivalled X Factor status.

Of course, after the very entertaining performances by everyone, we headed outside into the cold to :-

Our lovely campfire.

Alex Da Ge and I went mad before we even reached the fire belting out Jay Chou songs in our very best voice.

Only to be taken over by the voices of everyone else singing Christian songs along to the guitar.

"Shout to the world all the earth let us sing, power and majesty praise to the King!! "

After about 1 hour, my friend, Yoch and I decided that this was too boring.

We needed Action.

And 'action' came in the form of dancing the Nightwalk.

* * *

A bit of background regarding the Nightwalk.
It is a partner dance that is usually danced at every campfire between Girl Guides/Rangers and Boy Scouts. It involves singing a few lines of songs and swapping of partners everytime the song ends.

This dance has provided me entertainment throughout my life and also saved my butt a couple of times.

For example, when I was on my camp trip to South Africa.
Every country had to come out with a performance during the campfire and representing Malaysia, me and my 2 other partners had no idea what to do.

What? Sing Chan Mali Chan?
Rasa Sayang?

Heck, no one will know the words!
And I believe we don't know the actions either. So we will probably end up looking very syiok sendiri when we perform it while everyone else smiles patronizingly on.

But then, the brainwave in the form of the Nightwalk came into my mind.

We were voted the best performance ever and everyone continued to dance the Nightwalk for the rest of the 5 days or so left of the 10 day camp.

* * *

And now, standing by the warm fire, happy thoughts of the Nightwalk came over me and I decided to share my idea with Yoch. Obviously she loved it and immediately wanted everyone to do it.
Only we weren't sure if PCCF was liberal enough to do a 'partner' dance. You know, boy touch girl, girl touch boy.

So we waited til most of the 'elders' left. And then spilled the idea.

Which of course was enormously welcomed and everyone had a good heck of a time.

Except those who left early because of too cold/too boring/too hot/too smoky/too potong stim.


Oh well, too bad, you missed out.

We finally stopped after the fire started smoking us out, and considering non of us really wanted to develop lung cancer, we left and ran straight back to the :-


Sports Hall.


Where Basketball and Captain Ball happened again.

Finally left the place at about 2 plus am and at this point, I was dropping with lethargy.
I can feel it seeping into my bones, my eyelids are falling shut, I can hardly sit up straight and the moment my head hit the pillow, I was dead to the world.

Only to wake up again at 8am the next day to a similar breakfast of cereal with no sausages nor bacon.

After that came Sunday service with a fantastic worship session and a close up by Wee Leon regarding his topic of post modernism - how to be in this world but not of it.

Good speaker ok!

As always, all good things have gotta come to an end, so we cleaned up, packed up, bundled up and drove home.


That's the end of this year's PCCF Retreat and we once again look forward to next year's.

Sigh, I'll be an old bat by then.