Keenan Cahill

Say whooooo?

The name Keenan Cahill didn't ring a bell to me even though he's already like a superstar! If you watched Uncharted MTV on my previous post, then you will notice this boy who's in blue t-shirt that says something about lip sync !@#!@# ... that's him. Keenan Cahill. Apparently, he's a youtube superstar simply by lip-syncing to popular songs. Not only his videos get lots of hits but just look at how by simply doing what he loves he gets to meet these people .... (3 videos shared below). So what if he has Maroteaux–Lamy syndrome, the fun still needs to go on. Now I really understand why he is being featured into Sara Bareilles' song. He really does say "YES" to life. Great job!

Jennifer Aniston Goes Viral (With Keenan Cahill) for Smartwater Viral Campaign


David Guetta - One More Love Album Megamix


Down On Me (With 50 Cent)

Who Needs Instruments When You Have Yourself - 1 Voice Zillion Effects

Talents are seriously everywhere and the world just never fail to surprise me with the growth of amazing talents! I stumbled into this French post on my Google reader, top 10 acappella that consists of only 1 person.

And my favourite are the following:

1. Michael Jackson – You rock my world by Jean-Baptiste Craipeau

2. Lady Gaga Medley by Naya Marie

3. Jason Mraz – I’m Yours by Del Soul

4. Katy Perry – Teenage Dream + Bruno Mars – Just the Way You Are by Mike Tompkins

The Beauty in Black and White

I seriously can't wait to share these beautiful black and white photographs by various photographers. Some are just so captivating to the soul. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Which one is your favourite?

Mine is ... this mysterious looking one by Toni Frissell

Don't Assume

You may hear about the term "Assume" can mean .... making an "ass" out of you and me. What it means is that most of the time when you assume instead of find out about the facts, you will mess out the situation for yourself and the other party involved. But anyway, I'm not here to be so philosophical. My friend sent me this video and I think it's worth sharing. This guy is very very talented ... not only that, he teaches as not to judge before we see the complete picture. I guess life works like that too. :-)

Enjoy.



Just found out in Portuguese, Os Seminovos means "the newbie or semi-newbie". And ao mestre, com Carinho means "to the master with love".

Sir Ian Mckellen????

Yes. That's my not so glamorous cheek with Sir Ian Mckellen behind it.


For those of you who don't know who he is ... well, here are a few other photos of him which I believe you will be able to recognise who he is:

He's Gandalf in Lord of the Ring Trilogy.


He is Magneto in X-Men


And he is also Sir Leigh Teabing in Da Vinci Code


I can't believe to this moment that I'm in the same room with him. What an honour to be in his presence. Well, he was also enjoying the local production of Happy Endings, well of course he went there with the director, Ivan Heng. Happy Endings is a theatre work based on Singapore first gay novel ever - Peculiar Chris by Johann S. Lee, which was adapted by local playwright, Alfian Sa'at.

How do I rate the show?
9 out of 10.
Why?
For its blatant honesty and like one of my friend put it ... "poignant happy endings".
Eventually, all endings are written by ourselves and we are the decision maker to our happy endings ... no matter how tough the plot may seem like but eventually ... it'll be fine.

Why Me?

Isn't that the question that most of us always ask ourselves or others when we are swarmed by problems?

Why am I the one with the headache?
Why is it me who needs to face that stupid person?
Why do I have this disease?
Why ... me?

Remember Mattie Stepanek, the boy whom knew most of his life that he's at the edge of death and still had the desire to not only live but to be the ambassador of peace to earth? After blogging about him, I straight away went to a shopping-spree-mode. I called every bookstore and CD store to grab hold of any products that they have about him. I managed to get 4 books and 1 CD, but that's not the point.

I discovered one paragraph from his book - Just Peace (which featured former US president, Jimmy Carter) - page 21 and it says ....

"I am not looking forward to death, because I love life on earth so much. I love people and I love nature, and I love being with my mom and I love being alive, even during the times that are so tough or painful that I complain. Like anybody else, I've asked the question, "Why me?" But then I think, or pray, or talk, and realize,"Why not me? Better me than a little baby who cannot understand what is happening. Better me htan someone who already has just too much stress on his or her life." As much as I would like to not be the one living the challenges of my life, I cannot think of anyone else that I would give them to."

And yep .... he was only maximum 13 yrs old when he wrote that. He died before he reached 14. And such wise words could be uttered in his constantly deteriorating body. Amazing ... I asked one of my friend to read that paragraph, at first she read it in a not-so-serious way until the part it says "Why not me ..." and she just broke into tears at that moment.

Mattie ... Mattie ... no wonder Oprah and Jimmy Carter are just a few of your honorary friends ... you are such a great soul. It's an honour to know you and your writings even though you are no longer with us. Hope everyone of us can be like your aspiration - the ambassador of peace throughout the earth.

Thank you, Mattie.
You teach me to stop asking "why me" and start asking "why not me".
And that is a profound lesson by itself.

When There Are Will and Passion ...

there'll always be ways ...

Speaking about determination and perseverance, nothing beats the following video so far. It's truly inspiring and ... towards the end it almost made my heart stopped. When the whole mediocre people are complaining on what they don't have (when they still can walk), here's this young man who see beyond on what he doesn't have and work it out as one of the most beautiful piece of art.

Hope he'll keep on dancing and one day may perform around the world.



P.S. Just found out their names are Reynaldo and Claudia. And more videos ...

They Are My Sisters

Remember my post about the African Girls whom Oprah discovered? Their stories have moved me and I've decided to bring them around wherever I go, in my wallet. I'm proud to have sisters who are upbeat, positive, intelligent and most importantly always grateful with whatever they have in life. So introducing my sisters in my wallet:


Image source: www.oprah.com

1. Thando: She recites poetry very well and her dream is to be an actress.
2. Lesego: Her mom left her when she was very young and hence the very tough personality's running all over her. She did say something profound to her class which was - Don't blend in. Blend out. I wonder how many people at such age even understand what that means when they only focus on being accepted among their peers.
3. Zodwa: Her passion for school and the love of learning are so strong that she woke up every morning at 4AM, walked through the dangerous path of the city just to get to the bus stop that will eventually bring her to school. My goodness .... When I was 3 - 14 yrs old, my school was just 3 houses apart and I was so reluctant to go every morning. -.-
   
4. Megan & Sade: Ultimate forgiving souls who only remember the good things and not the bad!
   
5. Mahlatse: She wears specs. Me too. Since 3 yrs old. :-) Though she's ultra shy and quiet, she tops the class easily every time though she studies only with one candle light.

They are my sisters, my friends and inspiration. One day, hope to meet them personally and give them a very big hug for their courage and humility.

Can You Be Like Them?

It's the first time in my life that I've ever cried and consumed 6 tissues after watching a video. And it's not even some sad story, it's the other way round.

Some of you may have known that I'm a big fan of Oprah Winfrey. And this post is again related to one of her show - "Building a Dream: The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy". But before you turn your back around and be biased after hearing her name for whatever preconceived ideas you may have about her such as, she can do things because she's rich, she appeals only to auntie auntie's group, etc. I am begging you to just continue reading and discover that it's not really about how much she has and what she's doing with the money ... it's about 152 girls that may just change the way you look at life and most importantly, the way you look at yourself.

Brief Introduction
In 2001, Oprah told Nelson Mandela (former South Africa president), that she'd like to build a school for girl leaders. She'll commit US$10 million. And on the 6th of December 2002, she started to build her promise and that project has consumed $40 million instead on 52 acres of land. The rest is history. Out of 3000 applicants, only 152 were chosen. Their lives will never ever be the same again.

For the CNN coverage on this you can check out this link on Youtube..

Enough about her and her project. She's great. And believe most people know that.

What I'd like to touch on are a few of the girls whom have "spoken" to me and touched my heart the moment I laid my eyes on them.

Who Are The Chosen 152?

They are few of the brightest girls from South Africa who not only posses leadership potential but also great academic result. Most of them stays at very terrible neighbourhood. (That's one of the criteria to receive the scholarship to the Leadership Academy. The girls must be under privileged.)

So it'll not be surprising if you hear the following comments from them about their background:

1. There are 30 families in this neighbourhood and we only have 1 toilet
2. When I walk back from school everyday I pray to God that I will not be raped and abused in this dangerous neighbourhood
3. There's no in-house plumbing, so we have to carry big pail of water on our head every day (Oprah tried half of the pail and couldn't do it. She couldn't even fake it. She felt like she's going to break her neck!)
4. My parents are dead because of HIV/AIDS
5. I'm sharing a room with mom, dad, etc and I've to sleep on the hard cold floor

What's So Special About Them?

After understanding a bit of their background, and how they normally live their life, I'd like to invite you to what they say when they are being interviewed:

1. Lesego: The book I'm reading right now is Charles Dickens' The Great Expectations. I love that book it's really fantastic. It's got the edge to it. I love mathematics. Not knowing the answer just turns me on.
   
2. Thando: I want to be an actress. I see myself living the life that I've always dream. I want to work hard and be the best that I can be
3. Zodwa: I wanna be a leader. I believe in girl power. I believe that girls can do whatever boys can do. I believe in myself.
   
4. Sade (12 yrs old): I want to find the cure for AIDS because most of the people in my community are affected by HIV.
   
5. Megan & Sade (sisters, whose mom was shot by their dad and then dad shot himself in front of them when they are 6 & 5 yrs old respectively). This is what they've got to say - Megan: if we get picked in, we will work hard and succeed in life. Sade: Don't say if we get picked in, I know I'm in and both of us are in. I'm not angry with father because I know God has a reason. Just remember the good times not the bad.
   

I guess I don't even need to end this story as you all should have known that those girls are among the 152. They are embarking to a world that they used to dream of and now it's their reality.

The point is this ... how can you not be amazed by their attitude towards life and especially towards themselves. What they have gone through are not even on par with what we are going through. It's tougher and more humanly unimaginable. But yet they still have high hopes. Big dreams. Unlimited gratitude and humility. Confidence and sincerity.

My wish for all of you who are reading this is to stand in front of the mirror and tell yourself that you are great and that all dreams are still possible. And nothing in this world is tough unless you label it as tough.

Videos

If you'd like to see personally the interviews of some of the chosen girls, you can go to this link. You'll meet all the girls I mentioned above plus additional - Mahlatse - the only girl that wears specs (I can relate to that when I was 3 years old) due to no electricity in the house and she loves to read with only one candle lit. (MAN!!)

If you are counting the 10 key words I've given you in the email and wondering where's keywords #9: Mariah Carey, Chris Rock & Mary J. Blige. You'll be able to see them with your own eyes on this video below.



Enjoy! And always live your greatest life every second. No compromise! Like the girls.



Image source: http://boutique.oprah.com/product/show/5830

Jennifer Hudson

Image source www.theflickchicks.com

Yay ... she won the Oscar. So happy for her ... whether her acting deserves an Oscar or not, I can't be the judge and I don't think anyone can. I must be honest secretly I'm hoping little Abigail Breslin would win though. Little Miss Sunshine has left deeper imprint than Dreamgirls but well, I was not in the panel of judges for Oscar, so, great job, Jennifer.

What impressed me most was ... bringing myself back watching her on American Idol. Just simply by hearing her voice gave me some chills. That voice was so unforgettable, though deep inside I knew then it was quite impossible for her to win American Idol ... but who can resist such voice?

Apparently, Dreamgirls producer or even the casting director must have had the same feeling too ... hence out of hundreds of applicants (including Fantasia, so I heard). When I watched the movie, honestly I was confused who's the lead actress in the show? I thought it's Jennifer Hudson. Her acting and singing talents have overshadowed Beyonce's so much that after watching the movie, I only remember Hudson. And it seems like I was listening to great divas of old time like Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, etc ... time was really turned back when I heard her opened up her mouth.

What can I learn from her? Guess Jennifer Hudson is the real Dream Girl. In her we see that dreams do come true in the most miraculous way possible. She was an American Idol reject ... has no experience in acting and yet she won the Golden Globe & now ... Academy Awards!!! If that's not some kind of miracle despite all the nasty words some people give .. then I have no idea what it is anymore.

I love what she said to Chicago Tribune - "I haven't changed," she said. "My life has." We'll see how her life will evolve further after this. :) Must be an interesting journey for her.

Dream Academy Presents Multiple Personalities Disorder

Image courtesy of The Dream Academy Productions - www.dreamacademy.com.sg

Q: What's better than being a potato couch on Sunday evening?

A: Watching a great quality local production by local talents with great price and great sore throat due to the never ending laughters :-)

The Dream Academy Productions proudly presents "Multiple Personalities Disorder" starring one of the most talented actor in Singapore - Hossan Leong.

In the 1.5 hour (without any resting time), he has "suffered" more than 10 personalities starting from Ricky Martini, Julio the Sexual English Teacher, Share, Whitney Whoseturn, Kenny Rogered, Barry Moneylow, and even ... the most unexpected 6 Million Rupiah Man. So, what's all about?

It's parody about this civil servant name "Ng Wai Kum" (Don't ask me why his name is like that ya ...) who had a very important task - to attract foreign talent to Singapore and make them stay and contribute to the economy. So, his quests made him discovered so many interesting comments from the "foreign talents" such as:

• James Bonded doesn't know that he needs to renew his license to kill even though he's not killing, if not he'll be fined.
  
• Merlion (Singapore's trademark symbol. Mermaid body with Lion head) has sent a confused sign to some of the foreign talents as whether he should swim or crawl for his mode of transportation.
• One of the guest even promised to give all the domestic workers 2 parachutes just in case they fell down while cleaning the windows. (alamak ....)
• And the most hillarious and my favourite when "Richard Semens" was teaching his customised exercise for fellow Singaporeans who would like to get involved in the meet and greet with fellow citizens. One of the exercise is used when meeting any smelly hawkers, so the "shake hand and look away" will come in handy.
  

The reason I'm making the time to write about it right after I'm watching it because the show has just been extended due to popular demand until 10th Feb 2007. You can book it from Sistic. You really gotta check it out when you can. (I even met my boss there :p ...)

D.D.'s Ratings
9.99 out of 10 Diamonds
It's original.
It's super funny.
It's down to earth.
It's simply awesome!

So where does the 0.01 go? Well ... I just wish the show can be longer ... 1.5 hours really not enough larrrrrrrrrrr.

Selena!!! I want moreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee :-)

Great job, guys! :-)

D.D. Discovers "ViVa"

For those of you who watch local TV lots, you definitely can't miss "The Dance Floor" - Singapore first reality dancing competition. Yesterday was its long awaited premier and as my friend is in it, I waited very long ... long ... long to catch her in action.

So who's my friend? She's Chen Chin Fee from VIVA. She was my ex-business partner (that's how I got to know her). Now we are good friends. Why? Because we are SCORPIO and we are proud of it. Haha ... alright ... I'm crapping. Don't you want to see her in action? Let me give you some sneak preview of what she can do. :-)



How about that, pals? I can only open mouth big big.
Not only she's a dance instructor, business owner, student, and even infant care teacher. Haha!!! And now she's taking the chance to showcase her talent. Taking the ups and downs of the reality TV industry. Hope you can support her during the voting show. :-) Oh ya have I ever mentioned when you feel hot (I mean the real temperature hot ya!!!), and you've no solution, you can look for Chin and she'll sure rescue you with her collection of fans. :p

Once again, vote for V.
V for Viva!
:-)
Hehe ... (Shucks, I sound like some cheerleader!!! -.- I'm stopping now.)



PS. Chin!!! You owe me teh-oh-peng (Iced tea in Hok Kien) ... and Hello Panda (strawberry, please) and Bistik (Dry) from Makan Place. :p ... Done deal! :p

D.D. Discovers "ChristGer"

It's my beloved student, Miss Isabelle Ow, who keeps asking me to put this link on to my blog. It's her Youtube profile where she shares all her videos.

But hey ... I discovered something better. A talent in the making, may be. So I decide to share her video (which I believe she'll kill me if she finds out I'm putting it here) ... But heck ... like she said,"who will read your blog anyway?" .... well, she never knows ... :p

Enjoy, everyone!!! :-)



PS. After seeing her video taping herself singing....I'm inspired to do the same also but ... aren't you glad I don't have a videocam yet? So, you would not be tortured .... YET! hahaha ...