Yup, it is finally over. Over a month of preparations, just for the burst of 4 days.
With bated breaths, we were most afraid with the beeping of incoming messages, and the haunting ringing of phones.
***
I was hoping for a smooth sailing Tuesday, so I could just stay home if I could on Wednesday, getting ample rest for Thursday’s big start.
It just simply wasn’t meant to be.
I arranged to meet up with Eva for some help. I went to Sim Lim to meet up with Brian to make sure the printing went on smoothly. I just couldn’t sit there and wonder how was everything, so I just had to be there.
Next up, I met up with Eva, before rushing down to City Plaza, where I had buy comfortable boots for my girlies.
I chose square heels, so their poor legs wouldn’t be tortured.
I am just glad I wasn’t mistaken to be a whore who works at nearby Geylang, cos -gasp- that was what Janise informed the ill-informed me that the place was known for such.
Phew.
I carried boxes of boots back to Sim Lim, where we finally waited for everything to be done, picked up the costumes, and then rushed our ways down to Suntec where the set-ups were being done, to drop off the stock of boots and costumes, so that there wouldn’t be any screw-ups.
I met up with Stella, who met me up to get her 2nd fitting done.
Pretty Vernice was with them, and they just had to remind me how hagged and tired I looked. Hahaha. Yah, stress does magical things to you, you know?
One of my lovelies went MIA, and I went into panic-mode.
My lovely sluts, FF and JD were there drinking, and I didn’t manage to join them cos I was at the booth till 11.30pm, and by then, Dad had came by to pick me up.
We couldn’t help but drop by the lavish Sony set-up to watch a slim, toned 31 year-old lady strutting her stuff with impressive dance moves, and saying hi to Janise who was there doing last minute set up too.
You thought I could rest.. but NOoOOOooOoOo. Email. Email. Email. Planning. Planning. Planning. I even messaged Roy to ask if there was any thing he wanted to add to the list of ground rules we drew up.
Brian had asked me to look for a replacement and I managed to get one, and went to sleep around 2am.
And then an email came in and the horror struck me.
I was really too tired and I needed to unload the stress off my mind before I go crazy.
Show Time. Day 1.Â
Woke up at 8 plus(dammit, just too stressed to go back to sleep a little more) and then rushed down with another few sets of costume for the next day.
10.30am, everyone was there on time, reporting.
I got a makeup artiste for my girlies, to make sure they looked tip-top condition, and to touch up.
Uncle Roy requested for bright, vibrant colours.
The first hiccup came when my replacement came down too, but the other model came down as well. Sadly, I had to send the replacement home.
The replacement girl was sweet, and I feel extremely bad. Sigh.
Brian had wanted to replace the original model and kept her on close watch, but we thought of a different perspective, and gave her a try.
But I am glad how it turned out.
We got them changed by 11.50am when all their make up were done, and then briefed them cos the briefing we waited for, didn’t seem to get to us.
The striking quartet marched up with us leading them up.
Sharon’s outfit was a tad too loose, cos that kooky, funny babe had just measured the outfit to her body when she came down for the fitting on Tuesday, and not wore it on.
Masking tape, tube, safety pins were all over her, and the girls joked, “We are covered in makeup and Sharon is covered in tape!”
Me with Lin. I knew this babe for a long while since the biking days. She rides a fierce R1, and she is the most responsible of the lot, bringing makeup kit, tapes, and whatever you need, she has it.
She prepped herself really well, and asked of everything that was needed to be done, double checking dates and timings, and what was required of her.
She was punctual everyday, and despite the last day leaving at 11am, she was still inevitably caught in the silly jam.
Her working attitude was a definite A plus.
The new star… Stella. Her first time working as an event girl, and her pro-activity was impressive. She got really bored just standing around looking pretty, and decided to get her hands busy with sales. After the event at 11pm, a customer actually called to her cos he wanted to buy 2 more laptops, but when we reverted back to my client, they had already closed.
She is a spunky lass, and I absolutely adore her.
I had reminded myself to take pictures with Sharon.. somehow, out of all the girls, I feel for her to most. I mean, I am familiar with Lin, and I love working with her, but for Sharon, it is just.. different.
I am not sure, but beyond her kooky and ditzy-ness, I kinda feel that she is like an insecure little child. I might be wrong, but somehow, it is a kind of empathy and she is someone I would feel like taking care of like a sister, but of course, our communication and interaction was minimal.. but you know, it is just a vibe you have of a person just base on instinct?
She became our teasing target for the rest of the show days, and on the 2nd day, the rest of the girls were trying to plump her up. She was nicknamed ‘Chopstick’, ‘ironing board’… and just about anything and she took everything in her stride.
The BRATs! The Papasan(I asked Wilson for the picture of the girls but he gave me this one instead. DUH), who had to run around to meet clients on the first day, and was a great help ‘taming’ the girls.
So, back to the horror email I received… my company had a full day event at.. you guess it right, Suntec.
So, while rushing up and down, and also scooting to Carrefour to pick up socks and some insoles for the girlies, I snuck into the auditorium.
I was so tired that I fell asleep in there. Power nap man.
While I tried to snuck out during the break, my boss was on a smoke break and then asked if I was going up too. Uh oh! Got caught! So I had to be ushered into the auditorium.
The launch lasted till 7pm!
I actually snuck out to run back to the client’s booth, to meet Brian to make sure things were okay, and finally the 2 of us had our lunch at…. 6 plus.
We had wanted to meet friends for lunch at 12.30…. but of course, it didn’t happen. I was famished. I bought some snacks for the girls and brought them up, before I had to make a move.
We went up to talk to the client, before making some calls, and I left the overly-crowded Suntec for Velvet Dragon.
I was so desperate for a cab when the cab queues everywhere were crazy. I was superbly late and I was even contemplating walking to Havelock Road.
I went on the road, and just anyhow-ly hailed.
And wah, a minibus-styled cab stopped for me!
But unfortunately, I reached only when the entire rehearsal was drawing to a close.
But nonetheless, I had a nice talk over drinks with Meiling.
They waited for a cab with me, before I made the long, tiring journey back home.
***
Day 2Â
The dreaded 2nd day of event… came.
I was there early again, but this time, to collect the uniform and gears from both booths, get the girls started on their makeup, and then…. sat down for makeup myself.
Gasp.
I was nervous since the night before, and that I barely slept.
My hands were shaking, and as usual, my self esteem wouldn’t bring me far enough.
I was just scared.
Scared of people. Scared by my self-consciousness. Scared of leaving the running of the show to Brian. Scared of clients’ reviews. Scared of forums’ reviews. Scared. Scared by myself.
And of course, the usual tiredness and jadedness were left for the moments when I could have a break, before the chin high, chest out, stomach in rituals kicked in again, with a little smirk to the face.
And here, the 3 Dicota girls, with me being the fattest and shortest!
The smoldering Evangeline, and fabulous Yongyee, who flew in from Thailand just for this show.
I adored working with her, cos she is the nicest, most unassuming babe around, with an air of innocence. She was the most helpful, and client and Roy both sang her praises much.
Weipeng with me. Eh! I know him for so long, this is the first time we take picture together.
The bubbly Xuesha(I tried refraining myself from pinching her cheeks) joined us when she had her 5 minutes break, and finally I not shortest. Hehehehe.
Demure Yongyee, Bubbly Xuesha(she damn cute), Sexy Evangeline, and er.. Auntie Ting!
Evangeline and I during lunch break.
My pimp!
Soon, we were walking around the exhibition hall to get ourselves seen, and then we bumped into the other babes from Panasonic. Drusilla, Pauline and Casse.
Casse, Pauline, Drusilla, Evangeline, Ting and Yongyee.
Yongyee actually looks like a combination of Lynn Poh and Ong Ailing on picture!
My favourite picture of the lot, when we paraded around our products and posed for the photographers who stopped us outside the halls.
Yongyee, Xuesha, Stella, Evangeline, Lin, Sharon and a very short me(who asked me to stand beside Sharon one?!).
And then, me doing “an Evangeline” whilst she became smiley!
Photographs courtesy of Simon.
The day went on rather smoothly in my opinion, before we called it a day, and went for dinner at Changing Appetites before Roy and Meiling joined us, and I had to take a dreaded long walk to find a cab.
Cab fare was fucking 20 bucks, without FULL midnight charge.
I was very tired.
***
A little episode during the show, drained me further.
I saw a dear friend, who went through so much phases of my life with me.
She cried, and I was on the verge of crying with her.
Hurt and disappointment. I know. I felt.
Makeupcannotrun.
Too many don’t-knows, like she said.
I am as lost as a puppy.
I held back.
Before I finally couldn’t take it and needed another break far away from the booth.
It was then the entire show’s stress crumbled me, and I just… broke down, nevermind the make up.
Brian thought I was crazy. Oh well. I just went on and on about how much this show means to me, and yet how scared I was, and yes… I spoke of her tears and hurt, and wondered if I did it right, or perhaps, wrong.
Of course, it was then, breathe, chin up, and a smirk to head out, where I bumped into Linus and April. 
***
I was quite out of it, and SBB decided to drop by just to offer me some comfort and hear me talk, and the occasional squeezes on the shoulders to relax them.
I fell asleep in his arms after some ahem, hot loving, that put me to sleep with great comfort.
***
I woke up to leave early for Meiling’s big day – her graduation show.
I kissed him on the forehead just before I left, though he had wanted to wake up on a Saturday morning to send me to work.
I just left the spare key for him, so he would have a longer sleep.
I wished I could just sleep a tad longer in his arms.. it was simply too tiring for me to continue the day on.
And since I wouldn’t be able to be at the Comex, I left the entire show into Brian’s hands.
And then… it was hours of preparations before the show starts at 8.30pm.
I was there at 9.40am…. and after almost a couple of hours… the curlers were finally on..
I felt like a cockroach with the amount of hairspray that was sprayed on me for the entire day.
Thank God SBB brought my camera and my shawl for me when he finally woke up, or else I would have really froze to death.
It was a challenge to get changed with the big head. And then it was my turn to do my makeup.
The theme was mannequins. 
My makeup artiste’s features are so delicate, so pretty right?
I think his looks are like so much more feminine than mine.
And then, my head was so heavy that my neck was aching to much to hold my chin up for him to do my lips.
It was hard on him.
And then, I had that makeup on for hours, as well as the curlers.
We weren’t allowed to go anywhere because we would melt under the sun.
So I became a little kooky with the long waiting.
All in all, it was fun as I had a break from the Comex, though I was terribly worried about how Brian was coping with the girls. I was afraid he would be too harsh with the girls, but thankfully it didn’t happen, though over the phone calls, he kept telling me how he had to babysit them like puppies. Hahaha.
We took the bus to Velvet Dragon(Finally!) at 5.30pm, and then it was waiting, rehearsing and checking of ICs.
Finally it was show-time, and my curlers came off at 8pm, after I had them on for like almost 10 hours!!
My scalp ached as much as my neck.
The final preparations.
I am so proud of Meiling, who won the outstanding student award, as well as coming out as the 5th person getting a special achievement award out of the 20 over batches of students who took up the course.
I had to slouch a little so she could reach my hair 
3 other mannequins.
Why I no tattoo??
I had dinner with Brian and Roy dropped by briefly, listened to his update for the 3rd day, discussed some stuff, before I hopped on a cab to head home to finish some paperwork, and rested for the night.
Finally, I managed 7 hours of sleep for the last day of Comex.
***
Final Day!
I find it absurd to close the road to Suntec especially when Comex was of its final day.
The jam was not funny at all.
Even Lin who was on bike and had left on at 11am, was not spared.
I had left home to reach the hall early, but was trapped too.
And the fucked up cab driver took it out on me when he got caught in the jam. Hello?! I asked him for a receipt and he ignored my request. Bugger.
I hope he was trapped in the jam for long long.
He dropped me off when his cab was in the middle lane when I asked him to go to the side of the kerb.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And with me engaged in a heated argument with Brian on the phone, I was just so surprised that I actually breathed in a deep breath, and not scream at the rude uncle.
I reached the booth with the guys thinking I looked tired and sleepy.
I wasn’t. I just didn’t have my makeup done well.
Yongyee helped me with it, and Sunday was a partnership of Yongyee, Cindy and me.
I love working with Cindy!!! Her injuries were still pretty bad, but she wore gloves, which looked kinda stylish.
Us at the booth.
Us pouting up for the camera.
Client loved this combination because they were really pro-active, and really helpful. The 2 lasses even involved themselves with sales, or sales process when the booth got too busy with the blooming business.
Simon, Weipeng and me.
I don’t know why he always look so constipated.
Brian on one of his breather breaks from mothering the girls.
He just slumped onto the entire pile of bags, before his phone rang and he mumbled some expletives, fearing for his life that something had went wrong.
He was glad to realise it was a call from a friend. Heh.
Me, slacking, and slumped onto another box.
Russell and Simon.
I actually thought it was immensely fun to work with them! A passerby was behind and he looked as if he is part of the picture. Haha.
The part-timers. The medicine student, the childcare teacher, and the aerospace student.
Uhm… waaaaaaah. I think I should be so honoured that I had this bunch as part-timers.
Me with lovely Cindy.
And the very nice Yongyee… just before she flew back to Thailand on Monday.
These babes made my day. You wouldn’t believe how all 3 of us didn’t go for a single break since the start of the show, and neither did we even leave the booth to give out flyers, except when it was break time, where Cindy, Brian, and Joo Yau, went to Kenny Rogers.
The 2 cuties, who were hardworking too. Gee. Nicholas and Shawn.
Dicota booth rocks! Acting cute!
Looking all prim and proper.
The girls with the part-timers.
The girls actually stayed on till 9.30pm, just to help with further sales, as they sat on high stools, helping to push the last-minute sales.
Impressive!
In fact, I was mistaken to be fighting for commission when Shawn asked if I was paid commission and that I was pretty aggressive. I laughed and told him how Roy is a personal friend and I know his quotas and figures, and all I was doing was to just help to achieve that.
Roy and Russell were pretty slack with me, and whenever I had sprung up from my break, I would go to the crowd, took a minute or 2 and then went back to Roy with a sale.
I am starting to think that I do have a little gift with selling.
When I wasn’t arranging payment with Brian, and going through the figures and updates with him in the store, I would either help pack the bag, pose for pictures, or just help with the sales. Or, just getting feedback from client.
I ended up selling most of the hard-to-sell models. =DÂ Happy! Happy!
I am very happy with my 13 sales(I like the number 13 since I was young!) with the minimal amount of time I spent selling. Hehehe.
The synergy between the girls was fabulous, even the client was telling me he was satisfied, and Roy was exceptionally happy with their pro-activeness.
Pictures from Zhiyong.
Don’t mind the tummy, thank you. I should be spared from the scrutiny since I am a mother of one okay.
Yongyee and me.
There are much other pictures, but I guess I will upload them once the photographers send them to me.
It was such a great last day.
And the girls asked us out for dinner(more like asking Brian), and we asked the part-timers to join us too.
I had wanted to take pictures with everyone but I guess everyone was too hungry and just to tired.
The most bubbly of the lot, Xuesha and Sharon who brought forth so much laughters and joy. They made us laugh, and made us feel terribly old. Lovely ladies.
Eeee I look ugreee.
I wish I am just back in those days when I am still young, crazy and fresh….
Yes, return to innoncence.
I got back home after another expensive cab ride, and it started raining.. I just embraced the night, and reveled in the cosiness, the heavy load off the shoulders….
***
SBB dropped by after I had finished my shower.
And he demanded the redemption of the little kinky promise I made. A promise to fulfill those upon the completion of Comex since I was too busy over the past few weeks, and too tired. Though the little promise was too tiring for the half-conscious Ting to carry out, and was bestowed to him by installments.
The first installment was made just before we concussed, and then, the 2nd installment was fulfilled after he had woken up early and I had stubbornly refused to greet the day.
But gee, what a way to say ‘Good morning’, on a rainy day.
It was waaaaaaaaayyyy good.
I remember the dream that accompanied the sleep. It was a long dream. And I remember I was dipped right in your chest when I had it.
One that was utterly sweet.
One that had you inside.
Alas, you wasn’t you in the dream.
***
It was a rainy day, as we sat by the table yet again.
We went for lunch together as he sneered at my cute, blue Tare Panda brolly.
We sat around, talked for a while, before we took a walk to the MRT station in the rain for me to draw money.
It was freaking cold, and he had his arm wrapped around my shoulder, tightening his grip, pulling me close to him. I snaked my arm round his waist, and instantly felt warmer.
We walked back in the drizzle with my arm wrung around his… and him smacking/poking/disturbing me with the brolly.
I haven’t breathe this easily for quite a while. I laughed easily.
But it is just the beginning…. not the end.
Few more jobs, and lotsa backlog to clear.
I am starting to wonder if I should too, get a lappy. I am starting to wonder if I should get an assistant or something.
Sigh.
Oh sorry. But I can’t afford one yet. Dammit.
And why am I up so late? Cos I am still rushing…
Breeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaattttttthhhhhhhheeee.
