Speedy Gonzales

My daughter Leilani stays calm in traffic by taking selfies!

Yet another day goes by,  and yet again I'm gesticulating in traffic, or swearing at the person who just cut me up/tail-gated me/ didn't indicate, you've been there, you know what I mean (my kids certainly do, they tell me I'm Jekyll and Hyde in the car!).  You get home or to your destination totally frazzled and either grumble about it for a bit or  have to take a few moments to calm down.   I usually wonder to myself "what's the rush?"  Will being two cars ahead get you to your destination faster?  Are you that late that you have to drive like a maniac?

Idiot driver on wrong side of the road trying to muscle in with school KIDS onboard!

There's traffic even in Marseille, but at least the view's great!

But then this attitude is not only  relegated to when ones drives, it's with everything you do in life. For example, when I started my first TV show, man I was pushing and pushing and knocking on the doors of everyone and everything.  I had to get the show out, it was do or die, now or never, what if TOMORROW never comes!!! I pushed so hard I got my sponsor on board within a month, and just like that, even after signing the contracts they pulled out!... just as we were going into pre production. Fast forward two years from that after a really bad bout of depression, a couple of very shitty jobs and 3 lawsuits, I thought well this is it isn't it, I can't go any further down.  I remember  venting to my close friends, they said "what's stopping you from doing your show now?" , "we'd love to help you".   It's incredible how faith, luck, timing and some incredible partners can change everything.  5 months to the day they said it, we had "the Art of living show" on Air.  It is all about timing, which brings me to my point.   I rushed around like a blue arsed fly and it all blew up in my face.  You can not see all the outside forces that are influencing those moments, and sometimes when you push too hard, it pushes back.  Plus my sponsors this time round were so supportive and just the best sort you could hope for.  (Yes mum, patience is a virtue )

I've got my second TV show ready, but this time I'm not rushing around, I'm being methodical, taking my time, allowing the natural order of timelines to flow so it can and will be taken up by the right people with the right attitude for the show.  I'm not saying sit back and let it all fall into your lap, ha ha ha , it that was true, I'm sure we'd all be sitting at home watching the idiot box and waiting for the phone to ring!  I'm saying it's just like fishing, you have to put all your lines in the water, be patient and when you get a bite, reel it in patiently or it will get away if you rush the process.  (Who would have thought I'd use a fishing metaphor, thank you to Xtreme Fishing!)

My wonderful friend Reza who let us use his Shop

Here's another example, (err not a fishing one ok)  I've known Lisa for years, we've met irregularly at best,  but last year everything clicked between us, friendship wise, work wise, creatively(the timing was right).   We've been slowly building towards working on several creative projects together, and individually.  One of them is for her exhibition of up cycled lamps.  I must admit I was pushing for her to have her exhibition sooner, I felt it would be beneficial to get it out faster, get the word out and push her a  little harder.  We worked out the timelines and got to looking for exhibition spaces.  But you see, yet again the timing wasn't right, pieces were delayed,  the space we agreed on wasn't what she really wanted in the end.  So leaving all that aside, I carried on with some of my other ventures and whilst having a couple of hours to kill I decided to visit an ol friend who owned a shop in one of the prime locations of the 'golden triangle' in Kuala lumpur.  As we chatted over lunch together I told him about what I was doing and how were were looking for space for the exhibition and needed sponsors as well, and just like that, he offered his place... timing yet again is everything.

She was taking pictures of the place but the cat insisted on posing!

My Celadon pot that will be used for Lisa's work!

I brought Lisa for a visit the following week and she absolutely loved it!  It was perfect for her.  This time we did delay the timing for the exhibition further into the next month where she felt most comfortable and what suited the owner of the shop as well.   Yet again here is an example of not rushing, of taking the time to plan and organise, of fate, of luck.   Now that we've got the dates locked down for Friday 13th of May! (great date)  we'll create a FB page to extend an invitation to you to come see these beautiful upcycled lamps that Lisa has called "Scandelabra" .  Stay tuned for more info on that

 I guess as we get older as well,  one begins to wonder why?  Why are we rushing around?  Is the world really going to come crashing down on our shoulders if we slowed down?  Why are you working at break neck speed setting aside what you really want to do, and sometimes all you want to do is earn a decent living doing what you enjoy and spending time with the ones you love.  We've lost the ability to "stop and smell the roses.   So what I say to you is this, take a deep breath, slow that pace down a tad and look up... what do you see?

I see you !

Plotting away!

March , I believe is going to be an interesting month for me ... it's when all the plotting and planning comes to life. Where presentations are made and possible sponsors are met.  It's not only for my next show that I've conceptualised but also for an exhibition that I'll be helping my friend with.

Prepping for the next project

It's all quite exciting , through the months of posting about what to do whilst looking for work/sponsorship we've been slowly putting together some projects and it's all coming together.  Through inspiring each other, my friends and I have supported each other and forged alliances that will last the test of time.  This as also one of the main reasons I said to find your tribe,  they provide important feedback and encouragement. 

Can't wait for the exhibition to happen!

So this month we're sourcing different types of spaces to exhibit a modern take on functional upcyled lamps that one of my dear friend has designed.(location location location!!!)   The upcycled lamps are absolutely to die for, crafted with so much loving creativity,  and for those lucky few who've been privy to seeing them before the exhibition,  just a few weeks more to wait! (they've  all wanted to purchase them outright! ) 

Not only have we started the ball rolling on that side of events, I've also been perfecting a product of mine which I hope to launch soon online.  We're now in the middle of figuring out a name for it and getting some inspiration for the labels.  Oh yes, how you brand and position your product is very important.   I have an idea which I'll let you know about soon which will give home made products a boost (big smile) 

I love mason jars don't you?

Apart from that we've been also sourcing the raw materials, we'd like to keep it "made in Malaysia" as much as possible,  as well  as keeping it organic and eco friendly too!  It's  as much fun testing and creating the product as it is to come to this final step, so a road trip should be on the books soon. (research research research!) Note to self bring the camera!!!

decisions decisions!

In the mean time we're busying ourselves with all the mechanics that go into an event and good thing too as the waiting for responses back from possible sponsors for my new show would have been nail bitingly hard to do without other work to distract me!  They say sometimes you have to do something totally out of your comfort zone to get where you need to go, I couldn't agree more and the way I view it? It's a magical mystery tour lets see how the adventure goes! 

Half way there

Penang is always a pleasure to work in, we had a great time filming there for ep 5, apart from the wonderful developments they have, the food is always something to look forward to! As for entertainment, there is plenty, we went to both Bagan Restaurant and GSpot to see our fav artists perform, bumped into a few KL friends (can't get away from em!) and managed to find ourselves an excellent make up artist to take over the make up duties in Penang that our very talented one in KL couldn't be present for. Penang's got talent!

There has been a bit of a reshuffle in the company. We have a new marketing director on board, who is sprinkling magic dust on all our developers, I am sure their heads must be spinning ! It has done miracles though with our production schedule. So used to working furiously for short bursts of time, we can now pace ourselves.. not quite what we are used to!

Episode 5 went to air last night after we were bumped off last week for the CNY specials on the FTA station that we purchased air time from, but that is fine as we believe this week's episode captured a load more of viewers, well I say so as I'm getting more tweets, sms's and fb alerts! Oh yeah every Wednesday night my phone is lava hot!

We are now in the midst of completing ep 6 & 7 which brings us to the half way mark of the show's season. I can see we have evolved somewhat from the first episode, (well I don't look like a wooden doll anymore!!!) the format has become more defined and now to ensure updates on next weeks show, kind of hard as we work on a current development basis, but we will try.

We will be incorporating a competition into the show as well, it all very exciting and I am sure with iproperty creating their own video page, using our videos which are linked, we expect more traffic to our website! Ep 6 we will be mentioning the competition.

Keep following us on our quest for the perfect lifestyle!
Dx

splash page

*We have the PO!* says Jo Jo*s text to me, and two minutes later she calls, in her sublime Polish accent * what do you want me to do with it? and who*s gonna pick up the original copy*
I smile, and say * Jo, it is the weekend now, just go and chill out* She says * I just wanna get this over and done with * and rings off. We are now officially with a major sponsor for our Air Time, which is ICI Dulux, and a huge weight lifts off all of our shoulders. My exec Producers have been working really hard to pull in all our Developers, they had just come back from Penang, which was a successful trip.

The phone goes off again * Why did*t you call me back* Jer Jer my Media Consultant and good friend says. * I was in the middle of texting you* I reply. *Tsk, Just call me* He says. * Ok we have an Agency should we need to use one* He informs me.
Great stuff, everything is coming together and shaping up really really well. Our show is confirmed to go on air on the 5th Ja 2011, we had just had a meeting that morning with the Broadcasting station.

Sometimes I have to take a deep breath and count all the good things that have happened in the last few months, my show is really taking off, and when my web designer sends out the link for our splash Page www.artoflivingshow.com, it just makes it all so REAL. I have the Film Director I want on board, and excellent Editor whom I have worked with before, Make up artist as well, now we are just waiting for the Clothes Sponsor and BMW to confirm.
I also received a wonderful e mail from the MM2H Agents Association, and they are happy to endorse the show with the MM2H logo! Truly truly good news, we had been negotiating with them for months now.

Now the real work begins, I have to start storyboarding all the developments we are going to showcase, and gear my self up as I will be hosting the show as well... Am I a control freak.. naahhhh

With all this going on, obviously my social life is down to zero! However, I prefer being the Hermit for now, staying focused on my goals is paramount at the moment. (My excuse for staying home and I am sticking to it!) Ok Ok so the occasional cuppa with an old friend from waaayyy back can still be arranged... I am only human!
Next week, we will be sending out the press release and we start the opening graphics for the show.. SO EXCITED!

Thank you Ana for our text logo. XXX
Dx