Why Service is Bad in Singapore

Sometimes, i feel that the waiter over the Starbucks counter has better mannerisms than the rich spolit brats in my country club.

Maybe they are deluded by their wealth that they have became ignorant of their/family humble beginnings. The service staff are treated quite badly, they are like surrogate maids.

I have been telling my mum to correct her sentences when she asks for a cup of coffee… she would go something like:

“Can i have this and that?”

And i will immediately correct her;

“MAY i have a cup of coffee please?”

And she will give me a nasty pout and explain that she is Chinese educated and her English is not very good etc etc…

Or maybe i am just more sensitive to such stuff. I tend to smile at the waiters and treat them like equals. After a few encounters they will be quite happy to see me around and i get better service from them (hehe). There was once i left my notebook on the chair and the next time i returned to the cafe, the waiter came up to me and gave me back the notebook personally. This is indeed first class service! No need for the hassle of going through the management to fill up some ridiculous form.

The government has been harping on improving service quality but the real deal is that our people treat service staff like maids. The better approach is to improve service levels is to introduce etiquette classes in schools to improve our interpersonal skills.

Service starts with the people. The state of having third class citizens in a first world nation is going to bring down our service standards further. We should learn from SIA, we can have first class services on our planes so why is that not possible in our country?

Starting Out in Modelling?

Starting Out

Welcome to the journey of modeling ! It is a big world out there and you will get to meet lots of different and interesting people. It is a life changing experience as you start to know yourself better and express yourself with your own style. To make this journey as smooth as possible, here are some tips and tricks i would like to share with you today on how to create a great portfolio and land yourself with a reputable agency.

How to create a good portfolio

In the starting phrase, don’t expect to get paid immediately. You got to prove your worth! So this is where TFCD (Trade for CD) comes in. It means the model and photographer would exchange their time and effort into producing a good images for each other.

1. Look for a photographer WITH a Portfolio

To produce good images, you got to have a affinity with the photographer. Before agreeing to work with someone, view his portfolio first to get a rough idea on his style. If you like his style and ideas, there is a match! The likelihood of producing good photos is much higher as well. It would be even better if you two could work on a long term relationship to develop each other. In this industry, both the photographer and model will get equal recognition and rise up the same time. If your photographer becomes famous, most likely, you will become famous too!

A fine example is zemotion and Kagetsuki.

2. Increase your value over time

It is interesting to note that while some models become prettier and others become unslightly over time. The way around this is to keep working upwards. What i mean is, keep looking for better photographers to work with as your portfolio grows. Remember, a photographer can increase or decrease your face value from the way he portrays you in the photos! It is advisable not to take sleazy shots in an unprofessional manner no matter how much money the photographer is willing to pay as it might decrease your value and have severe consequences on your career. There is a very thin line to fine art photography and plain porn. Be VERY sure before accepting an assignment and bring along a friend especially if it is done in a studio.

3. Respect yourself and your values

As a model, you have the basic right when to say “No” if you do not want to do something. If you learn to respect yourself, others would respect your decision as well. If you feel uncomfortable in certain positions do not hesitate to say “Stop”. A model’s facial expression is very important in photos. If you are uncomfortable or unhappy, your expression will show through the photos. Stick to your instincts and be yourself. The best photos are always natural. Do not be too self conscious, you have to accept the way your body is and accept it the way it is. Once you are able to let go, the feeling is amazing… and the photos will turn out excellent. This might take some time to develop but don’t give up!

4. Work with the Lights and Make Up Artist

Other then the photographer, you have to be aware of other factors that would affect the outcome of the photos. As one of the jobs of being a model, you have to take notice of the lighting conditions. Be aware were the light source is coming from and make sure your features can be seen. Ask the photographer where you should stand or position yourself to “catch the lights”. After a while, this will become natural.

Another point to note is that you have to work closely with the make up artist as well. By knowing each other better, she can help you cover up your flaws while you can suggest to her what type of look suits you best.

4. Get your portfolio ready and contact a reputable agency

So you have it! You have a great portfolio and you are ready to enter into the commercial world of modeling. There is where the real bucks are (not clubsnap for the matter). If they ask you to pay for a portfolio, be sure to measure the pros and cons of doing so. Some agencies are out there to make money out of false promises. Do not hesitate to do additional background checks on the agency before signing up for their packages. If your portfolio is good, they have no reason to ask you to do another portfolio (most likely they want you to pay for packages). Be confident and assertive, if you are good, they would see it and they would sign you on without additional fees.

Here is a list of reputable modeling agencies

I wish you all the very best in your modeling career and have fun !

Right from Wrong

Children should be taught not to lie.
The greatest skill that we have for survival today is none other then

Lying.

Somehow the world is made of make believe, and go about getting the things you want in the way you want it to be… you just got to lie to get it.

There are several reasons why we have to lie.
It can be good or bad lies.

1. We lie to protect others

Ever wanted to keep a secret away so as not to lose the people you love in this world? Somehow you know that the truth will hurt them, and you do not want them to be hurt. You fear that they would not accept the truth or they would not accept the way you are. Somehow, you do not have a choice but to lie to them so that they would not be hurt.

2. We lie to get what we want

One of the fastest and easiest way to get things done is to lie your way through it. Anyone can swear by this. Sales people lie all the time, there is no way they are going to say that their product is bad, or they exploiting child labour or releasing harmful chemicals in the air. They have to hide the truth if not people would not buy it. Pick up any newspaper on the stands today and see how much lies are in it. People still do believe them as they do not know the real truth anyway.

3. We lie to protect ourselves

Somehow it is not nice to let others know how ugly you are inside. Or that you have a criminal record when you were in your youth or you abuse animals for leisure. Somehow, you would not want others to know the real you. So you hide behind a happy facade and appear to be normal. That is lying to yourself, you are just putting up an act. Somehow it protects you because people do not know the real you at all.

If you are still wondering why there aren’t much nice people around these days, blame it on commercialization. The world is about money. Money is the solution to everything. If you are nice and you don’t lie, chances are you are poor or you are just plain normal. You do things right all the time, but things are not necessary done in the appropriate manner. There are loopholes that can be exploited for great gain, and if you don’t do it, someone else would…

So why not you?