A friend for life!

(Note : must read, very touching)

Yesterday we took Ah Boy for his usual walk in the park.

While I indulged in my other current favourite activity-- prawning, Friend (the 28-year old Mr Lin) decided to take Boy with him to get drinks for both of us. As Boy neared an elderly man who was sitting quietly under one of the trees minding his own business, Ah Boy suddenly got excited, frantic tail- wagging and all, and jumping happily at the sight of this solemn uncle, like he had met an old kaki. Friend had to pull Boy back when Uncle was oblivious to Boy's excitment.

Friend came running back to recount to me the unexpected behaviour and I just brushed it as a case of mistaken identity.

You see, Boy, given his once-captured-stray-status has been a very "cool" dog, i.e. not very sociable. For what he has gone through (you should have seen how battered he was when we found him in AVA), he has been very selective and definitley not one who warms up to strangers, unlike some home-bred dogs that I know. His exceptional behaviour got the better of Friend who decided to investigate further.

So Friend wanted to walk Boy again in Uncle's direction, but strangely, this time Boy resisted, so Friend went over on his own.

When Friend asked Uncle if he knew Ah Boy, Uncle's immediately counter-question was "Where you found this dog? East Coast?" Bingo; Friend waited with abated breath for Uncle's further revelation.

Uncle said he had once worked in a sailing club at East Coast and there they kept several dogs to look after the place. He couldn't recall all of them but was certain Boy was one of them, that came in a litter of 3. When the particular sailing club closed down (to make way for another development) 3 years ago, with the exception of 1 being brought to "Noah's Arch" (a pet shelter), the rest, he believed became unfortunate strays.

The story brought tears to me and Friend, not so much of the sad history of Ah Boy (of course that too), but more so how Boy remembered Uncle after 3 longs years of separation! And just like a little human, now I understood why Ah Boy had resisted walking towards the direction of Uncle the second time, I think he was disapponted that Uncle showed no sign of recognising him ....After telling the story, Uncle rode away in his bicycle in another direction.....

Lord, that really broke my heart! I leaned over to kiss Boy on his head and told him "You are not going anywhere, you will always be OUR dog!"

Went Night Fishing when the world had it's first F1 Night Race

I woke up to this at the crack of dawn

You tell me, is this surreal of what?

Anyway, about F1, I was at there at the practice night. Uploaded a clip on facebook :
http://www.new.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=54016991320

Visitor from Hong Kong

I had the honour of having Helene, the beautiful pole dance instructor from Hong Kong over at my studio last weekend.

She exudes such feminity and grace. Watching her, she affirms my belief that there is life after 40.

Looking forward to meeting you again, Helene and picking up invaluable tips from you. Hugs

Kelly, my latest prodigy

KELLY

US

ME

(as usual, I "show-off" my thang)

My commitment to Acro Polateaers, if they are willing and harwoking, they get to be feature in my shows.

Ah Boy, the celebrity Dog

My Ah Boy is star....last time his story was mentioned on Gold 90Fm, this time got he the mention on the new paper

(click to read the article)

Seasoned multi-tasker

My last 3 shows this week required me to do event hosting with a showtime. Out of the 3, 2 had a pole show in it.

I didn't realise what a multi-tasker I was until a client commented: "wow! that's amazing. people usually do host OR showtime. You can do both and you can "swap" roles just like that and you do it so well."

I have to say it is a task I'm slowly perfecting. Picture this sequence as an MC/entertainer:

1. Report at event venue for event brief
2. Start of event-greet dinner guests, run thru program...blah blah...
3. Introduce VIP speech
4. After speech, thank VIP, Dinner served
5. Usually change outfit here
6. Sing a song before awards presentation
7. Play some games with audience
8. Conduct lucky draw
9. More games
10. change outfit prepare for pole show
11. Pole show starts--singing singing, spinning, spinning, audience interact, invert, invert, one more costume change and more singing and more inverts for last song
12. End of pole show, runs to back stage to out on more decent clothes
13. Attempt to look fresh again before conducting final lucky draw and say goodbye to event. Sometimes still have to start disco dance!

Anyway these were the 2 videos:

1. MC & pole show at Lunar



2. MC plus pole show at a dinner event, featuring Kelly, my latest recruit

A busy pre- F1 week

Incredibly busy week! Besides getting my butt on several last min gigs this week, I was busy cheering these new pole converts on.......they are so worth my while

Also conducted a sort-of hen's party!

Sophie you're brilliant...the best. And thanks Kelly and Di for your assistance!

Magazine Feature

FINALLY! An article featured at MY OWN STUDIO --ACRO POLATES

Previously it has always been elsewhere....like at gigs or home.

Note : Not everything in the article is from me hor, not especially the "calories" part. Don't want my participants like Princess to ask me for a refund, alleging that I "bluff" them again!

Near Perfection

If you have looks and bods like these & nose-bleed inducing costumes like these to match.......PLEASE learn the real pole dancing....don't get me wrong, they already sizzle to the max. But if they can do some pole tricks, I think can burn the studio down !



In my own thoughts "how come can have girls so perfect one...somemore not photos hor, cannot photoshop "

Pole-sitive at 40

In the recent months, 2 industry event fellow performers have perished, one at 39 and the other at 34.

I've known these 2 performers for years and it has been incredibly scary to hear those news.

I've always avoided disclosing my year of birth because in the cruel industry of events & entertainment, you fear being shunned when the "pretty young thing" stage has fleeted. I avoid mentioning it in youtube, facebook, myspace. I hate it when I travel overseas for events and you have to fill up passport details....the prefix "68" makes me feel like some over-the-hill granner.

Looking at life and its blessings, I guess I've overcome the fear of letting people know that i'm hitting the BIG 4-0 this year, in fact I'm planning a BIG BASH called

POLE-SITIVE AT 40!

It's gonna be fun, expect lot's of pole dancing, exotic and belly dancing. I haven't decided when and where. So if any venue owner wants to sponsor, please let me know.

So stay tune, this will probably rarely happen...will be a bonus if I can I can have Pole-sitive at 50!

Anyway, a picture taken today......think I still quite drool-worthy la! hahahahaha, wah self-praise!

Below is a little clip of the last part of an 8-hour family day cum charity event I did with one of Singapore's top MC, Cyril.... and yes that's us after basking in the sun for 8 hours!

We quite energizer babies huh?

Credits in video:

Denim Overall Skirt : courtesy of my sis (from Disney Tokyo yay!)

Video : by Ryan Fu

More getting the inverts at 11th week

More......but I only managed to capture these plus I have to pick the parts where they are not easily identifiable.......VIDEO deliberately "blurred"

In the meantime I got these "altered" moves. Not new, but i varied the leg placements

Nature Walk

Yesterday while walking Ah Boy in the far east, we chanced upon this interesting place in Pasir Ris Park...some kind of nature's walk. We decided to take a stroll and found really interesting stuff.

Some of the interesting finds include colonies of crabs. At one part of the mangrove, you actually see lots of holes and little crabs were crawlng in and out of them. While observing their movements, Friend (Spidey) asked me whether each "hole" lives 1 or several crabs. I said I wasn't sure but I was certain at one point I saw 2 crabs crawling into the same hole. Friend's reply "Oh like Hotel 81 like that ah!" hahaha, funny conclusion!
Then I saw this iguana peering out of the muddy water.....Friend said it can grow to the size of an aligator, I said "no way"
When it started wadding, oh my! It was a big creature,half the size of an aligator. Think my sis will shudder at the sight!
These cute berries were growing from this tree....wonder if they're edible.
Then before we left, saw this chameleon changed colour from green red to brown while waiting to prey on the flies.

What a refreshing walk. Best part is during the hour-ling walk, Ah Boy did not get bored. He basically took an interest in what we studied. Look at this picture, he was actually looking in the same direction as Friend....haha so cute!

Di got her 1st invert after 10 weeks!

Congrats and so proud of her. It must have taken me at least 3 months to get mine.

Anyhow, did the darn dangerous death lay on the narrow beam of my studio....freaky!

Shame Shame! No camera!

I was performinging at an event attended by beauties. Not one but FOUR. The reigning Ms Hong Kong champion, runner-up, second runner-up and Ms HK Tourism were special guests of this event. They had their diamond tiaras and sashes on, and they really lit the ballroom. Too bad I had not my camera for I had no idea it was such a "glittery" event! Uurgh!

Ona totally unrelated note, later that night I went to Syed Alwi for a late late dinner. I must admit I'm usually prejudicial of the hygiene standards of Indian food/stalls, but I succumbed to my craving for bryani rice. I came home some 3 hours later with bad tummy cramps and I felt something brewing inside. What shocked me was when i looked into the mirror, my tummy was bloated beyond 3 month pregnancy! I quickly downed some bismac and even now I can feel the "bubbling"! Really scary, it will be a long night of farting! .

Ah Boy in My Car

If you have noticed from pictures or videos posted about Ah boy and his weekly park walks, it is rarely in my car that Ah Boy travels in. In fact, never. I once tried using my car and Ah Boy would not budge despite luring him with his favourite treat (FOOD! His such a glutton haha) It could be because he got used to friends car since the day he was rescued.

So yesterday I had to visit him alone. I was pretty sure he wouldn't get into my car so I brought extra treats. But he surprised me this time. He hopped on and got used to it really fast.



Ah Boy in My Car

The video is short, because er....I was driving, and alone..I know, it's more dangerous than using a cell phone but i couldn't resist cos I could see he was so cute from my rear mirror. Promise, won't do it again! :P

I'm not one who's good with dates...

......yes, I'm terrible at it. I don't remember friend's (er...and family members too-sis always has to remind me....guilty )birthdays, i don't remember how long I've bought my car, I give agaration reply (singapore slang for vague) when friends ask when i moved into my current apartment..

So when people ask me how long I've been practising pole, I'd always tell them FOUR. I don't know what makes me think that.

I guess it was when I first watched pole dancing on Jackie Wu's program, when interviewed, this really good participant (Niu Niu) claimed it took her 4 years to become that good. At that time I just started learning and an ex-colleague teased to say maybe I'd become like her after 4 years. At that time it seemed impossible, but secretly i haboured the desire to become that good in a shorter time.

So now that I tracked back my blog, I discovered I indeed started learning only in September 2005 (not 2004, don't know what gave me that impression), even celebrated (on my own) ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY in 2006

Looking back, I was damn gung-ho lor, was PERFORMING COMPLETE WITH WHATEVER INVERTS I COULD DO merely several months into learning.

Took me a while to ascertain from my earlier blog posts that the first lesson ever attended was 14 September 05. I really ought to remember this date as this has got to constitute one major turn in my life. If not for that, I would not be doing this today.

So for those people whom I've been telling you I have been into pole 4 years, sorry, it's not a lie, just a genuine mathematical mistake!

Short updates

Busy Busy again....so just a quick update.

So happy I've found (made) several new converts to pole addiction! heehee. Muaks to those who were at the studio more than once this week!

And it felt good that today after answering a long enquiry on what is taught, and who conducts....etc, she was actually establishing if I were going to be teaching the class, because in the end she made it clear that she had ONLY wanted to learn from me after researching the local pole scene! Wee!

Derrick or Britney

Check out this guy, Derrick impersonating Britney Spears! WOW!

And enjoy the rest of the impersonation.



Here's the actual Britney clip

How come we don't have "kids acts" like these?

Have you seen ours like those in our "An Pei Nah" Contest? I have a problem appreciating those little ge-tai wannabes

Anyway this is their audition clip

Sigh, here's another one, why are they so cute?

Pride & Joy of a "Parent"

....when my AH BOY learns his first command

Ah Boy learns "sit" command

We thought it was impossible for an ex-stray who almost lost his life to AVA (Agi Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore) to pick up anything at this age, as he spent the first 4/5 years of his life roaming the streets and only thing he probably knew was survival.

But today the sky was pouring and we couldn't take him out to the park, so friend decided to give it a shot at teaching him, see how well he faired! So clever, my boy

New classes starting-Pole Dance Fitness

Click on picture to enlarge

Refer to website for more info

Not a single dull day

Home sweet home now and showered.

Disregard the previous post, I must add that altho I'm working longer hours and probably a lot harder than before, I'm NOT unhappy. In fact everything in the week keeps me very happy (albeit tired)

Let me start with Sunday.

Sunday is visiting Ah Boy day. Haven't updated much about him but he has gotten so cuter. Now I combine taking him for walks in a park with "prawning", another activity I so enjoy, and it's very cute watching Ah Boy pretending to be excited when i have a catch. Guess he is learning to behave like a pet..heehee.muaks muaks.

Monday & Tuesday are classes day. I love the classes, I love the students, I love the co-teacher, I love the studio, and i just get so energized with each class no matter how tired.

Wednesday is pole practise day and I think the latest pole practise video (if you care to watch) is sufficient to prove my passion. Basically I can practise til everyone has left lor! guaguagua!

Thursday, if I don't have a gig, it's a night-off for me (well sort-of) It's my turn to jaga studio cos studio is booked for other classes and I get to sneak off for a massage when teacher conducts lesson.

Friday & Saturday usually performances otherwise I'd be chio-ing people to kopi & cake with me (durian expedition next ok)

Then it's Sunday and the excitement starts over! Yeah!

Live, breath studio

Suzie has been spending late nights in studio. So much to do, not easy! accounts, shows, enquiries, syllabus, cleaning, disciplining, forum, classes......but of course the occassional blogging, facebooking, gossiping to keep my sanity!

still in studio now at 12 and has been like that past few days. I gotto make sure the studio is mopped everyday before leaving. Pardon the sporadic erratic behaviour.

Think I better stop eating crab

Last week, Imp helped me name this move Pretzel. But today as I decided to take a proper picture, think I'm beginning to look more like a crab. Lol!.

Besides I held on to this pose like for like 45sec for dear Di & Princess to find a good angle, until my face cramped up. In fact this is the least contorted one already! Haha

And thanks Di for this picture (& remindling me to smile), I heart it

And altho I didn't say it just now, thanks Princess for the loveliest cup cake I've ever had. Eclairs also damn solid. Haven't tried brownie yet tho.

Di thanks for being a sweetie, you always helping others during practice. Hugs

When I turn 70

I've been performing for so long, from Suzie to Belly Fusion to now Pole, that people always ask what I'd be doing next?

I always tell them nothing, I'd be happy to perform pole for another 5 to 10 years. After that I'd still perform pole because I'm sure I'd create another market or interest cos have you seen a 50-year old performing pole? It would probably be easier because all the creases on my body may adhere to the pole better. Lol!

But this little lady just convinced me that it's not just a dream, it's possible to do til 70 (or 80?) if I keep training...ENJOY! (not?)



Seems s bit cruel la, but i hope she's enjoying the attentio

Who needs the ladder when there are poles?

Today marks the end of the Basic Pole-gram (beginner) and instructor Eunice decided to play a game to see who can climb the pole and & stay up the longest (as an intro to pole climb and invert).

They are allowed to use whatever ways they can most comfortably get up. Well, from the way some of them are gripping the pole (correctly), it is apparent that they have been secretly training or have been doing homework watching videos! haha :good job:

Peeved!

I was peeved at his suggestion of being substitute for a show tonight. Seriously there's nothing wrong with that, circumstances do happen and people do fall sick.

But first I was asked to sub someone who was taught by me, N and fell out. Then it was the way this person, J, asked. What would you do if you needed help urgently ? You would first ask if the person is free or available to do so first right? But not J. The conversation was :

J : "Hey Suzie! I have a show tomorow night. Some RC thing and really small budget (so scared I charge a lot like that).

Me : "Ah huh."

J: "You know one of those really cheena cheena shows, ah peks and all (wah, sound like getai). So originally I had asked N to do the show (oh well, ok, not my problem). But then ah, N just called to say she is sick la (too bad). Some stomache flu or something (cheh). You know la, people sick what to do right? Cannot force them to do what (excuse me, lao niang here has been sick, sometimes seriously ill and still execute the shows, and many times singing on the pole somemore hor!)

And this point, you would think that J would ask the more important questions like if I was available or how much i would charge if I accept the job. But no,

J : "So, can you sing in ALL chinese a not ah?" (excuse me? I haven't agreed yet, and of course I can sing all Mandarin, I'm but SUZIE WONG)

Me : "Yes I can, but I'm not available"

J : " Huh? Not available? About 9.30pm you know?" (that's a prime time. Even if I'm available, I'd rather stay home to watch the Olympic table tennis semi finals match because you are so arrogant and presumptious and tactless.......)

Anyway, don't get me wrong. I have been a nice Suzie, sub-ing more than once. But I hate it when people put a quatifyer at the beginning like "hey I need your help but I can't pay your rates". You need help, you pay (just like the recent joke circulating, the gahment help you solve traffic congestion, you pay). Again , I have also helped people who sincerely need help & don't have the means to pay (more) and it's all in the tact.

Seriously for J's case, I could have worked with him a different time slot and advised him on how to shuffle the program so that I can still make the show but not necessarily at his "9.30pm slot". I have more than once helped event companies who forgot to place a booking with me and last min told me I'm "on". These companies usually panicked big time and big sister here will come to the rescue and work with them the program, shuffle around my other engagements and in the end deliver all, and all these without charging more.

Anyway just some history between me and N.

N was a close friend (she was like a lil sister) and a student many years ago. She had wanted to perform in gigs like me and I shared with her many tips and opportunities. This sub-ing thing is not new because when I was her mentor, I already "sub" for her a few times, got one time up to a whole month's (Dec) assignments because she simply declared ill and depressed. Honestly after that episode, I alienated myself from her cause I was too tired and she never showed her appreciation. And when she sprang back to action, she (I guess needed the money) and undercut me. Ah well

TWO weeks went by!

so quickly....just as we were having so much fun catching up, she announced that she was leaving the next day. We quickly caught up for one more tea.


During departure time, we all felt a little emo but i knew we all held back tears....that prompted her to promise we won't have to wait fourteen long years for the next reunion.


Hmm..it's back to work!

One man's meat is another man's poison

Just 8 days ago, I met a company in the fiance industry that vehemently rejected my proposal of a pole show for their event. Their reason : too provocative.

Today, I had a call from another company of same industry. They wanted to check my performance rates. They were comparing the pole and non-pole ones (i.e singing ones). Then they went on to enquire why the pole show is more expensive and I explained that I needed to cover cost of truck and several men to deliver & set up the pole.

Her remark "Oh my men would love to deliver and set up the pole for you". So that probed me to ask "Oh, so you actually like the pole show better?". She said "Of course! The show is so good, I love it, by the way do you teach?". That of course set off another conversation.

It was enough to make me euphoric for the rest of the evening! Glee!

I Like this picture

Hahaha...it's a new pole move, un-named yet

Added later:

Hahaha, Dear Imp names this move Pretzel, very apt...heehee

SOTONG STORIES!

In Singapore, we like to refer to confused people as "blur sotong", like you would refer to a say "blonde"

SOTONG STORY 1:

The other day I received a rather impolite sms, no introduction and I couldn't recognise the number, it read :

"Hi! Do you has got any job vacancy available"


Ok, so you think it's a case of typing fast & with error.


So I replied "what type of job are you looking for"


Then the reply came "What job vacancy do you have? Cos I browse back last time contact so i msg to c if u has got wat job vacancy available".


I was so tempted to reply : " Look! What qualification do you has got to make my company has got a vacancy for you to has got to apply"!"

Ok I didn't, so I just explained I no longer in that company and that's when the joker clarified "I'm looking for a sales/admin job" !?!?!?

SOTONG STORY 2

Today my classic colleague was at it again!

A mutual friend (let's call him A) came to look usp for lunch and was complaining that his colleague, B was incompetent. A said he wanted to leave the company because of B. So I asked why didn't he (A) consider setting up his own company. His reason was "I don't want to open my own company because of B". Honestly it totally didn't make sense, was incomplete whatsoever but we chose not to probe further to complicate matters.

So after lunch, I was just gossiping with classic colleague how absurd A's reason was for not wanting to open his own company, and my classic clever colleague replied " Yah lor, what for open a company for B"...............My eyes rolled ! So blonde! Just like a chinese saying "the cow head cannot fit a horse mouth" .

Welles the artist

Welles of Sg-entertainer blog is such a sweetie. This is his impression of me, very apt, big eyes and larger than life mouth.

Digress...

talking about thick lips and big mouth, when I started consuming collagen supplements, my special friend whom some of us refer to as Spider used to pout his lips and warn : "wah, your lips going to be even thicker!" hahaha, very funny