Miss Universe 2011: Nothing and Everything for Deborah Henry

Deborah with Brazil, Netherlands, who made top 16, and Aruba

Everytime I spoke to someone when I was in Sao Paulo, Brazil for Miss Universe, it was pretty much the same thing.

Before Miss Universe 2011 final night:

"Oh my GOD I LOVE your girl! Malaysia is VERY impressive this year!"
"Look at my list! Look look LOOK I made a list! LOOK your girl is # 1/2/3/4/5!!"
"WOW your MALAYSIA IS STUNNING! STUN. NING!"
"SHE'S MY FAVOURITE!"


(You kinda get the picture..)

After Miss Universe 2011 final night:

"WHAT HAPPENED?? WHY DID SHE NOT PLACE??"
"I am so sorry. Something must've gone wrong. SOMETHING SOMEWHERE"
"Darling. I just want you to know, I thought she should've at least placed. She was beautiful in the prelims!"
"Its not your fault, its not her fault, its the JUDGES! HOW could they overlook HER!?"


(again, you get the picture..)

I had the same response to both types of comments. I just smiled, and said thanks.

It hurt, and I felt sad. For Deborah, she put in so much work into preparing herself.. For her family, who travelled more than halfway around the world to see their daughter (who many predicted would WIN), go unplaced. Of course, I was sad for Malaysia, our people and country, whose hopes were riding so high on Debs. And why not? People from ALL around the world predicted her to be the one to beat!

An unprecedented level of support flew out to Debs and I before and even after the pageant. We are both touched with the love that our country had in their hearts for us.

But it's still sad.

Now the 1 million dollar question is: If Deborah couldn't place, how will any other Malaysian do well at Miss Universe?

The answer is simple: There are different judges every year. Different political situations, different dramas, different countries hosting. I firmly believe that Deborah could've won, if situations would have been different. She would be just a deserving winner as Miss Angola, the reigning Miss Universe, is right now. But the thing is:

SO WOULD MANY OTHER GIRLS THAT NIGHT. (Be deserving winners, that is)

We must remember that all 89 girls had a certain level of beauty. A lot of them did not place, who were on the same 'level'. Arguably, some even were better than Debs! (My prediction was it'd have come down between Greece, Malaysia and Ukraine, and whoever answered the question best would win..)









The videos above are of the Preliminary competition, of which the girls were judged BEFORE the final night, in order to select the TOP 16 finalists. These videos do not do the girls justice, as they really did have much more stage presence than what you see on the vids.

Anyway. Bottom line is this: Such is the nature of competitions. The ones you think are best may not necessarily win. Point is, Deborah made us SO proud. I have not come across a Malaysian who did not firmly believe that she should've at least place. Furthermore, she played a role of actually bringing Malaysia TOGETHER in support of her. How great was that? Twitter was flooded with well wishes, the media covered her journey manically, and did you know that "Miss Universe" and "Miss Malaysia Deborah Henry" was the 3rd fastest rising search quotes on the net in Malaysia last week?!

Sometimes to win you just need Lady Luck on your side. Instead, Debs had all of Malaysia. She's come home with her head high, with 'Nothing' to show for the 'Everything' that she should be proud of!

Malaysia Boleh, Miss Universe! And one day, some day, you will recognize that too!

Deborah Henry, 26, Malaysia: The Perfect Miss Universe!

Now I've alreay explained, in detail, in my post below why Debs is such an amazing young woman. Here's a 1 minute clip which captures everything I've written and more.

Miss Universe Malaysia 2012 finalists, take your notepads out. This is how it's done!

2011 Miss Universe - Malaysia?

Deborah Henry. 26. Malaysia.

Since her crowning on the 27th of January as Miss Universe Malaysia 2011, there has been lots of hype around Deborah being a potential winner at the Miss Universe pageant at Sao Paolo this year. Now I'm a firm believer in 'jinxing' things by talking about that, so I wont. (Sorry guys!).

What I will share with you this:

Debs is an amazing young woman whom I truly respect. And here's 5 reasons why:

1. She walks the talk.
 "World Peace" and "Eradicating Poverty" are in the top 5 answers for most cliche Beauty Queens. Deborah runs her very own school for children of refugees in Malaysia. Click here to see more.

2. She is humble and sincere.
 If you go back to the Fugee School website, how much of Deborah do you see on it, taking credit? So many people begin foundatons named after themelves, they can't stop talking about how much good they're doing.. What does Debs do? She tweets when she needs volunteering at her school. She humbly asks for help when the school needs it. It's really refreshing to see a celebrity in this day and age not wanting to be all about the limelight.

3. She's determined and disciplined.
 The two hardest qualities to find in young girls these days. Most girls want the fast-track to fame and aren't aware (or willing) to put in the blood and sweat that comes along with the job. Reality Check. You'd think Deborah can just sit back and sail through to Miss Universe just because she's done a pageant before? Oh hell no. Samba training twice a week, till she gets blisters on her toes. Gym 4 times a week (minimum), total diet planning, vitamins for hair nails and skin, Portuguese lessons -- and that's all done on her OWN. The Miss Universe Malaysia Organisation is overseeing other things such as: QnA training, wardrobe planning, fitness advice, skin consultation, .. basically the bigger picture items, of which Deb takes it into her own initiative to get there. A National Director really appreciates this bit especially because seriously -- there is nothing more tiring than having to drag a horse to water and trying to force it to drink..!

4. She's professional and sticks by her principles.
 "Deb, I think we ned to whiten your teeth, tone up your abs, lower body. You need to increase your muscle mass. And your hair. You need to take multivites. And your skin -- why are you breaking out? Please darling do a million sit-ups before the photoshoot tomorrow to make you abs really pop. Why are your nails brittle? Are you not taking enough Calcium and Vitamin D? Why aren't you comfortable talking about yourself hunny, that's what interviews are about! And hmmm. Perhaps we should get you some facials, eh?"

I'm not the most tactful person in the world -- I get to the point and I get there fast. What I love about Debs is that she takes everything you say into consideration, and uses her own head on (1) whether or not my advice/request is reasonable and (2) if she should follow it. For example: Many girls at Miss Universe have had breast augmenation. It's a fact, I'm laying it out there. I have nothing against it, in fact, for many girls it can make or break winning or whether or not they even make it to the semi finals.

Does Deborah need breast augmentation? No. Would it be a disadvantage against all the other cosmetically enhanced women at Miss Universe? Of course. Did Deborah think about it? Yes. Her answer to getting cosmetic surgery? No. Was I happy about it? Oh yes.

She has her principles and she sticks to them. And whilst she listened to what I had to say, she took no offence whatsoever. She knew everything I said and advised her on was borne out of a sincere want for her to look and be her best.

5. She would make a great Miss Universe.
Coming from Malaysia, growing up in a multicultural home and country, Deborah has proved on her own that she has the guns to stay in the industry. Combined with all her traits above, she is guaranteed to make one of the hardest working, real Miss Universes ever.

Her look trancends all commercially driven racial boundaries, her passion for children ignites hope where she can bring it, and her ability to speak well and forcefully about her thoughts and beliefs would pierce through every stigma that a Beauty Queen may still have in today's day and age.

She would make a great Miss Universe. She really would.

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Now I'm sure there are alot of other candidates this year who would make equally impressive winners. I can only speak of Deborah as I've grown to know her personally and professionally. I'd be elated if she won, because she deserves it. But even if she didnt, I'd still be glad that the world got to meet this gorgeous gem of a young woman, who hails from Malaysia.

The sweetest song in the world.

Enjoy! :)

My thoughts on Osama's death.

The killing of a man should never be celebrated.

Don't get me wrong - I do believe that he had what was coming to him. Planning and organising terror will get you hunted down and killed.

However seeing footage of Americans celebrating in the streets at the announcement of his assasination has left a bad taste in my mouth. Not towards them specifically - but to the world and how we handle things these days.

What has happened to us that we think it's okay to kill completely innocent strangers - in the name of Religion that is supposed to teach us to love, respect and take care of one another? Why is Religion polarizing us?

Why is it okay for one government to think it's okay to murder another country's leader? What is fair in war these days? Is terrorism the only resort left to the much poorer party in this war, and does that make it okay?

And what has happened to us that we now think it's okay to dance and sing at the news of a man's death? Who's fault is this?

There are two sides of answers for every question above. Who knows which one would hold more water... But one thing's for sure though.

Innocent lives - American and Muslim - have been lost in this raging war. The blood of these people are on the hands of everyone that thinks this is a war worth fighting.

Because it's not.

Beauty 101: I got it from my Momma.

First of all, apologies for not updating as often as I should've. It's been crazy times, and .. well, I just got a bit lazy. Facebook is killing my urge to blog, I have to say, because I update EVERYTHING there! But then again there's nothing like a good article, for long term reference, eh? :)

Anyway on to the topic - Beauty 101. I got it from my Momma. Seriously.

When I was little I used to admire beautiful women (yes I started young), and I remember how I kept asking her, "Ma, is she beautiful?". Mommy knows best, right? Mother used to surprise me sometimes, because she'd say, "No, not really" to someone whom I thought was absolutely gorgeous. When I asked her why, she'd go on to explain to me:

There's a difference between being 'pretty', being 'attractive' and being 'beautiful'. To see if someone's really beautiful (judging purely on outer beauty of course), you have to look first at the eyes, then the nose, then the mouth, then bone structure, and overall face shape. Last but not least, the facial balance is important - that is how all the features complement each other! A Beautiful woman will be beautiful yesterday, today and tomorrow. Add 10 years, 10 pounds, it wouldnt matter. That lady you pointed out was 'pretty', not 'beautiful'. That 'Pretty' lady won't age as well as a 'Beautiful' lady.

Like with many other things explained to me as a child, I didn't understand what she was talking about, up until now. I totally get it now though, based on my own experience, and based on learning from how my mother critically evaluated Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys and Pamela Anderson -- when I asked her to. (Of course plastic surgery has helped two of the three ladies stay 'attractive' to many, but only Alicia Keys was judged to be 'Beautiful' by Mommy - and that was, "only just"! )

Example:

VENUS RAJ, MISS UNIVERSE PHILIPPINES 2010

Me: Mommy, is she beautiful?

Well, her face is very symmetrical - that's very important. Her eyes are quite nice, but they are slightly too close to each other. Her nose is a good shape, with a high enough bridge to complement her face. She has very nice, full and balanced lips, and they are of good shape. Her forehead-face proportion is perfect - her forehead is of one-third of her face, with her nose being one third, and  from the top of her nose to her chin, one-third. Her best features are her cheekbones - very strong. Her jaw is slightly square, but it suits her! Overall very attractive. She will age gracefully, if she takes care of her skin and weight.

LUPITA JONES, MISS UNIVERSE 1991

She's very very beautiful.
Her eyes are beautifully balanced, of good size with high brow-bone. Her nose has a high bridge, perfectly balancing her very very high cheekbones. With such beautiful eyes, it is good that her lips are well shaped, even if they are not too thick. She has a very slender jaw, complementing her overall beauty. Only thing if I were to criticize - her forehead is a touch too big. But that's okay - it doesn't stand out, because her face is so balanced! She will age very gracefully, and will retain her beauty well.

Really? I ask.

Lupita, 10 years on. *Jaw drops, homigawd.*



 But Mommy, what about all these people whom everyone is crazy about??



Britney, younger, fresher



Britney is not beautiful, she's very pretty and attractive.

Her eyes - if you look closely - slope downwards at the outer corners. It is not so noticable with make-up but as she ages, that will be a problem for her. Her brow-bones are not very strong, her cheekbones not pronounced. She has a good nose, and pretty lips though! Her face is also very evenly balanced - forehead, nose, chin. Good face shape. But will not age well. She's pretty, and attractive.

Well, mum was right about this one - we all remember how Britbrit looked when she got a little chubby, and had hair issues. ;)

GISELE BUNDCHEN

She's very attractive, and quite beautiful. Good eyes, though they are not spectacular. Nice lips. Her nose is too long, her tip too low. That's the biggest technical flaw on her face, but it goes well with her face shape so it's okay. She looks a little gaunt, and her features can be of a very pretty man. But that's what makes her such a good canvas to be a model! She will age well, provided she stays slim. If she puts on weight, her nose will be the center of attention (as it is the case in most people!), so she must be careful. Her face shape and bone structure (cheekbones and brow-bones) are her best features.

ME: Mommy, what about my Miss Malaysia, Nadine?

NADINE ANN THOMAS, MISS UNIVERSE MALAYSIA 2010

Nadine is pretty, very attractive, and beautiful. Her eyes are the most striking thing about her - it is very much like in the case of Lupita. They are beautiful, long, almond shaped. Her nose is slightly large towards the tip, but that is forgiveable and with the right make up you won't even notice it! She has a small mouth, which should be played up more because it is of a cute shape. Good face proportion, and very good cheekbones. But really, her stunning feature is her eyes - it is one of a kind, which is what makes her uniquely beautiful. This girl will also age well. But if she gains weight, her face might overwhelm her eyes, and they will not be the center of attention anymore - so she needs to be careful with that.

Andrea says: !!!!

XIMENA NAVARRETE, MISS UNIVERSE 2010

Perfect. Even more beautiful than Lupita, in my opinion - at least in this picture anyway. Perfect face proportion, good bone structure, cheekbones. What I especially like (besides the perfect eyes, nose and mouth) is the fact that she has a full, healthy face. She doesn't look gaunt, which can be a problem for models, when they get too thin. She looks healthy, wholesome, and a plump face at her age will serve her well as she gets older. She will become even more beautiful in her 30s, trust me.

Next post - perhaps I'll get my Mummy to evaluate MY face. Hmm. Don't know if I'll be able to take it tho. ;)

Vblog entry one!

Done just before I crawled into bed. A little pale - no make up.. ;)

xoxo and Happy New Year!

Love Long Distance

So... Now that you're MARRIED....

"So when are you moving to Australia?"

Uh, I don't know.

"*blur look*"

Well, you see, Paul just got awarded Directorship at his firm, and I'm running the Miss Universe Malaysia Pageant, and neither of us want to sacrifice our careers just yet so...

"*Attempting to hide surprised look* Wow.. Okay.. that must be.. hard...?!"

Yeah, it is, I miss him. We still see each other once a month on average though.. *awkward smile*

"Heh..heh.. yeah. Wow. Yeah. .. WOW."

....Yeah. Oooh look I'm just going to.. uh... yeah go to my friend..over..there....

------------------------------------------------

Okay so maybe that's not how it always goes, but the conversation above is a true story! I know its not conventional, since a "Good Wife" will be with "Her Husband" at all times...

But lets think about it this way.

I'm lucky enough to have found the man of my dreams, who supports me in everything I do, and my happiness is his. I am happy as National Director of Miss Universe Malaysia. I am happy to be able to see my now 72 year old father every morning and night. I am happy with my friends, my social life and my career.

If I have the rest of my life with Paul to look forward to, I don't see why enjoying what makes me happy for a while longer yet is such a bad thing!

The same goes for Paul, who has finally found an area of the Law that he enjoys. His friends and family are in Perth as well. I can't drag him away from that to stay in Malaysia to be my man-bag! (though it was tempting even to him at times LOL!). He would not be able to practice Law here, and would miss out on valuable years at the firm.. it just makes sense for him to be in Perth for now.

Yes, we trust each other. We speak every day, in fact, a few times a day! I travel with our framed photo in my suitcase, I text him on average 10 times a day, and we try to plan two big holidays a year together. When I am not working, I take time to go to Perth, and when he has the time, he flies to KL.

It's expensive, but its worth it.

And if I had a choice between having my soulmate far away, than not at all, I'd much rather pick the former! Wouldn't you?

Rempit-ing in Phuket

Peas in a Pod!

..Distance; a tiny obstacle with a bond this strong!

Love at first sight

Love at first sight

Thanks Kee for the really cute write-up!

Just to note tho - Paul and I didn't met last September, we met May 2008. :)

xox
A.

Nadine's journey begins: its a long distance relationship for now!

Nadine's in Mandalay Bay, Vegas, I'm in downtown Manhattan, New York.

But I'm still in control *muahaha!*

Here's a pic Nadine has sent to me for me to keep up to date with her progress. Due to her allergies and the INSANELY salty foods in Vegas, she's started to retain a little bit of water - have spoken to her about that and we're going to try to change her diet a little.

Keep up to date with Nadine's progress @ Miss Universe here and here.

On to other things -- as mentioned I'm currently in NYC for a week for a little work and alot of play. I really like where I'm at, it was love at first sight really. Am staying with one of my husband's best friends, Mark Pieri, who has been in Manhattan for four years now. Taking pics on my journeys, catch them here.

Tonight I'm making my speciality Spag-Bolognaise for Mark and his sweet flatmate Maureen. :) Fun times, FINALLY a day of relaxation...!

How to get that Winning Smile..!

As you would know, if you've been following my FB page, you'd know Nadine and I have both gone for extensive teeth whineting at MyDentist. Results have been amazing, especially in Nadine's case, as you can see from the pictures in my posts with her!

I really have to seriously recommend it (and you know I don't anyhow-recommend-things on my blog). Dr. Foo has not paid me for this at all:: I've been to alot of dentists and there's a reason why he's known to be the best in his field. :D

Thanks Doc! :D

Training Nadine Entry 04: Almost there

Latest picture from Nadine's Official Photoshoot: Thanks to Anneff@Parkson, Melinda Looi, Elegance Club, Xpression Master with L'Oreal Paris and A Cut Above. Photos by StudioROM. For more pics, hop over to the Miss Universe Malaysia Organisation Official Facebook Page.

Nadine's been going very well, keeping up with her Bikram Yoga @ True Yoga and gymming at True Fitness. She's been quite disciplined thus far and is taking on instructions well.

The shoot was conducted in one day, with a total of Four looks, (Plus National Costume, but I can't upload that:: Officially Unveiled on Monday at Parkson, Pavilion KL!).

Basically our angle was to experiement with looks, to get as many different 'types' of shots as we could. We infused the good Old Hollywood Glamour charm to see how she'd look as a Malaysian Marilyn Monroe. It worked pretty well as you can see form the link yourself!

Right now Nadine is under house arrest as we went to Dr. Calvin Chan for an incredible facial called the .. er... I can't really remember. But its similar to a chemical peel, whereby Nadine's skin will flake for about an entire week, to reveal a fresh, spot-free face. Other things that we have for her preperation:
- Vitamin C Serum: To brighten and nourish
- Rejuvenating Serum: To .. er, rejuvenate her skin
- Pigment Bar: To even out her skintone (especially elbows, knees)
(All from the Calvin Chan Aesthetics Line which he has inhouse).

We also got a LOVELY line of products from L'Oreal Paris. I highly recommend the Hydrafresh line, its moisturiser in a lovely gel texture. Also do try the White Perfect Double Essence. It plumps up your skin, and promotes a "Rosy Glow". I've personally been using it for a while now, and I would recommend going in this direction if you can't stay in your house for a week just for your skin to peel off!! ;)

Nadine's also been working on her QnAs.. and we'll be going over her catwalk next week with some luck! I've been SO busy with my wedding, I'm feeling a little guilty on not training her enough. But that's just me being a perfectionist;; If I had my way, Nadine and I would be living together!!

I went over to Nadine's place on Tuesday to drop by and say hi to her Mom, it was the first time I was going to meet her. I can only understand a mother's concern over the safety of her daughter.. I'm sure Aunty Christine was like, "Who is this woman! Why is my daughter looking so thin now!! WHY is she attending events at this hour? (er, 10pm only what? heh!), IS SHE SAFE???"

Needless to say it was a smooth meeting, I assured Aunty Christine that I was here solely for Nadine's best interest.. to give her as best a chance as she has at the Miss Universe Pageant.

After that, we looked through Nadine's wardrobe to see what could be used to supplement her full casual wardrobe supplied by Parkson to take to Vegas. Bottom line was: PARKSON WE NEED MORE CLOTHES LAH NADINE WEARS WAAAAY TOO MUCH SOLID COLOURS!! ;) Parkson heard me, and I'm looking forward to accessing all the AMAAAYZING brands they have in house: Desigual, Sisley, FCUK, Miss Sixty, Bread n Butter... *rubs hands in glee!*

My angle for Nadine is not to be too OTT at the Pageant. Nadine is exactly what the pageant is this year: Hip, Urban, Relevant and Real. She will not be in cocktail dresses 24/7 -- she's a jeans and top kinda girl. But there are ways to wear such clothings, and then there are ways to wear such clothings in order for it to look stylish, chic and effortless. I really do believe that Nadine has what it takes to pull the MTV Awards-esque sort of look where you look stylish, but not overdone.

Two weeks or so before she's off to Vegas. Wow. Before we know it, it'll all be over!!

Till next time,
xox
A.

Training Nadine Entry 03: A Star is Born

Having alot to smile about

Am really happy with the finished result of Nadine's shoot -- we went to The Thistle Port Dickson Resort for her first ever full swimwear shoot.

In short, she blew me away.

She took every little piece of advice, was a trooper on hard tree branches, sand, stones, I cannot say how dedicated and hardworking this young lady is. All her physical lack of training/grooming have now been addressed:

Bad habit of hiding her neck when she takes pictures: Gone!

PS: Notice how you can't run away from rubbing off on people... LOL!

..anyway back to Nadine... ;)

Learning her best angles

Major Toning UP - check out the oblique muscle just catching the light there -- the hours of Bikram Hot Yoga has done wonders!

I always knew she had it in her, I think she knew she had it in her as well... she just needed that extra 'push' to go further. Am so happy she joined the pageant, and I daresay she is one of the most beautiful Miss Universe Malaysia winners in history. (Coming a close second to my mother perhaps? ;) Love you Mom!)

In fact, for those who are unaware -- the judging panel consisted of 6 former Miss Unviverse Malaysia Queens , and two other male industry experts. They all unanimously agreed that Nadine was the best choice to represent Malaysia, and looking at these pictures, they really got that right!

Just in case you were wondering, I wasn't involved in the judging on the Final Night at all! ;)

Anyway back to Nadine: We actually went to Dr. Calvin Chan in Singapore to get her full body hair removal, even out her skin tone, and he also prescribed her topical medication for the scars left behind from her younger days of raging acne. (Nadine had Chronic Cystic Acne up until two years ago)

We did several treatments, amongst them are:

Medilite C6 Laser Toning

Medilite is perfect for facial acne scars, open pores, and it also reduces hair thickness and rate of growth.

ZAP! Ingrown Hair, Open pores, Scars, BEGONE!

and Cutera XL Coolglide, the best option for darker skinned ladies who cannot undergo IPL treatments and need to get permanent hair removal. Nadine did it on her underarms. Its a *little* more painful than the Medilite, but much more powerful in permanent hair removal.

I chose to drive all the way down to Singapore with Nadine and Kelly (our make-up artist) simply because Dr. Chan is a doctor that I've been going to for the exact same treatments since 2007. I would never put Nadine through anything I have not experienced before... I guess that's one of the benefits having me as a mentor; I'm so vain that I've tried every possible facial / hair removal treatments possible..? ;)

Whilst I am a firm believer in technology and science helping us to look our best, I do however draw the line at invasive procedures: I do not think Nadine needs to go or should go for any form of plastic surgery. She has a wide jaw, full cheeks, quite a wide-framed body (not narrow like some models) -- but I think that all ads to her Hip Urban Relevant and REAL feel about her.

I am sure you can get the above treatments in Malaysia but as I've never tried anyone in Malaysia and I know Calvin very well (he used to play cards with Paul in Uni! Small world!), and on top of him absolutely trustworthy (he wont perform procedures he doesn't think you need - a rarity in this industry!), the 4 hour drive was well worth it.

Nadine's skin is glowing now, and we will be going back for more follow-up visits.

Physicality aside, I am constantly getting to know her better, which helps me build a sense of *self* about her for her to believe in as well. I am brutally honest in telling her off (say thank you for lunch! You forgot to say thank you to our sponsor!), in the manner of which she talks, and stands. She is actually a very vibrant girl with a wicked sense of humour and a contagious laugh -- she just doesn't open up when you simply press "PLAY". We're trying a few techniques soon to combat that, which I will be recording... so that's what our next post update will be. :)

Till then, Momma Fonzie is Signing Off -- need to update my Wedding Blog soon!

Pageant Week Webisodes: Pretty interesting stuff!

A little delayed, but what can you do. ;)

Training Nadine Entry 02

~~As mentioned below, part of Nadine's Training is to make herself up first thing in the morning, time how long she takes, and then emails the shots to me. I then advise her on how to improve the shots, and how to make her features stand out more.

In this case, as it is a fully frontal shot, she needed to shade her face a little more (her jac) and also highlight her cheeks and the bridge of her nose more. Her eyes are very nice, (that's her trademark), but I will definitely caution her against always having the same 'safe' make-up. It may become boring. She'll need to be more adventurous, and with T-50 days to Vegas.

That's right!!! its FIFTY days to VEGAS for her. Time to pull up our socks and get into it!!

Tomorrow, Nadine and I are attending a Sex And The City Moet Preview and Party, and we're going to the Thistle Port Dickson Resort for a sssizzling bikini shoot. She's looking very good right now (don't let the chubby cheeks fool you -- she's just been to the dentist hence some swelling), so am very excited on things.

Wil definitely update once all is done.

Till then, You can call me Momma Hen Fonseka. Or Momma Fonzie for short. ;)

xx

Ps: in the middle of all of this, I'm also planning my WEDDING! I'm rushing for time, and .. am a little anxious to be honest. 0_O

Nadine Ann Thomas: Candids

Training Nadine Entry 01

Pics I took of Nadine today, first was after her shoot with Ieaye of Murai.com.my with Amir Luqman! (*mwah! Thanks guys!*), the second at the Redberry event this evening. Apologies on picture condition, Nadine's Brand New SonyCyber-shot was out of battery!! Silly girl. ;)

Nadine's progress is coming along really well. We've been working on several aspects:

1. Teeth -- Gotta have that winning SMILE!

MyDentist has given Nadine SPARKLING white teeth -- Dr. Foo is God-Sent!

See, Nadine had braces before for many years and as a result, she suffered from severe staining on her teeth. Last Monday she went to The Smile Doctors and they scaled, whitened and gave her a transparent retainer (not a permanent one like she had before for her lower teeth), and they've done a reaaaally great job.

2. Fitness

With Nadine now going to True Fitness, she's really toning up. I am a little concerned with her though as she tends to put on muscles very easily -- am going to need to speak to her trainer on that. We can't have her looking too bulky -- a good balance of being toned and lean would be best. I do think she's putting on a little too much muscle -- Mr. Personal Trainer and I will need to have words!!

3. Skin

With L'Oreal Paris on board, we've amaaazing products for Nadine to use, both for skincare and cosmetics. However she did suffer from severe chicken pox when she was younger, and we're remedying the scars with some creams I got from my trusted skin-doctor Dr. Calvin Chan, whom I swear by (swing over he's in Wheelock on Orchard road in Singapore - his treatments are ah-may-zing!). We've spoken to her family physician who also recommended Moenomycin for her skin -- Nadine sometimes breaks out on her back and upper -- its a mild antibiotic to help her skin's "good bacteria". It seems to be working a charm!

I also went to Perth recently and brought back St. Tropez Tanning Mousse to even out her skin-tone and give her that olive-glow finish on her skin. Will be going over to Nadine's place tomorrow to test it out! (Pictures to come I promise! ;))

4. Fashion

In my travels I also pick up accessories that I believe will suit Nadine, especially when they're on sale (This morning @ Perth Intl Airport: Diva was on sale, THREE bunches of whatever you wanted for AUD10!!) . And I have also bought the most beautiful one-piece for her to do a shoot with, can't wait to show you all how that goes. I'm really excited, we've got Michele Yong, whom I would say is goign to be oe of Malaysia's most talented exports (she's moving to Paris at the end of the month) and we're going to do a shoot with her, soon! [[[top secret for now]]] ;)

5. Public speaking and Presentation

Have been taking Nadine to many of the best events in KL just to get her used to the camera, to break her bad habits on how she poses in pictures. She tends to slouch forward with her chin down, which creates the illusion that she has a short neck --> Not True! So when I am with her, like I was today at Redberry's launch I keep reminding her on her posture. She also needs to smile more! Especially now that she has those amazing teeth!!!

:)

Its not going to be a walk in the park, but I have to say that Nadine, luv if you're reading this: Love you lots. I'm going to be coming down hard on you for the next two months, but its only because I know you're worth the effort I am putting into this. You are an intelligent, beautiful young lady, and I am sooo happy that you are willing to work with me wholeheartedly on this.

Next Up:

1. More GYM: I forsee ABS in VEGAS!

2. Styling lessons: Nadine must learn how to put together a 'look' with make-up and hair in an hour --> People are surprised that Delegates actually have to do their own hair and make-up most of the time at Miss Universe! There are make-up artists, but Nadine must be confident on her strongest points and capitalise on them. With 85 candidates from around the world, it is forseeable that Nadine will not get 100% love and attention from her designated make-up artist in Vegas, hence she needs to learn how to take care of herself!

3. National Costume: As some of you may know, Amir Luqman is the Official Designer for this year's National Costume. We're going to be having a spectacular photoshoot, and reveal it in all its glory in a press conference! :)

4. Hair: I need to consult Winnie Loo on Nadine's hair colour. Its beautifully black right now, but with her new skin and complexion, it may be worth while to look at other colours to further enhance her beauty.

5. Catwalk and Interview skills: Am actually going to be renting out a meeting room in a hotel in Petaling Jaya, to get Nadine to practice speaking into a microphone, as that is how she will be communicating to the judges (and the audience) in Vegas. Will then get Sony's Handycam (thank GOD they came on board as sponsors!! ;) to record her speaking, and also her catwalk, because there's no better way to learn that to watch yourself on TV. ;)

Well its a full month ahead, I'm also going to have to plan a wedding. :S More on that later. All I can say is: Thank.God.For.Jovian.Mandagie. xoxoxoxox!!!! :D

Congratulations NAT!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you.. Nadine Ann Thomas!

Very proud of our New Miss Universe Malaysia 2010 -- she's been working very hard; I personally believe that she has what it takes to do very well at Miss Universe!

Pageant Week : Outside Looking In

Venezuela's representative to this year's Miss Universe ~ Just one of the Competitors our New Miss Universe Malaysia 2010 will have be up against!

Okay so whilst the Finalists for the Miss Universe Malaysia 2010 pageant have been busy blogging and what-not, I was busy.. well, being with them, talking, advising, helping, scolding, feeding, training, (trying to be) inspiring them.



It wasn't easy. It was the first time I've done this, I am sure I could've done more, or made better decisions at any one point.



Here's what I found:



The girls were Hip, Urban, Most of them were Relevant, and not all of them were Real. Well, not initially anyway.



Yes, its a competition. Most of them became fast friends, ALL of them were well behaved in my presence, (apparently I scare them?), but.. for most, their true competitive colours only began to shine through after day 3; when the Challenges started.



I guess its when we throw mini-competitions their way, did it finally dawn upon them how THEY WERE COMPETING AGAINST EACH OTHER!



I mean, it was Day One that I informed them:



Look around you. For 17 of you, one girl you see will beat you, and win. Are you going to let that happen?



I guess it took a while for that to sink in?



But everyone became "Best Friends" and "everyone was lovely" by the end of day 2. Okay that's all fine and dandy, I was actually pleasantly surprised.



And then, apparently, it began.



We had the Sony I-Spy Challenge, the team with the fastest time did not win - it was the team with the most perfect pictures. (*whisper-whisper-grumble-grumble*)



Then we had the Parkson Style Challenge, where each girl was left to her own devices to grab clothes from the rack to style themselves for it. Some girls were left without much of a choice, others were allegedly pushed and trampled on. (*grr. Arg.*)



The next day we had a True Fitness Challenge, one girl got two out of three awards. (*raised eyebrow*)



[Mind you - Team MUMO and I were there, 24/7, to ensure that everything was executed in a fair and precise manner. We were judge and jury when it came to issues down the line, and we ensured that ALL finalists had as equal a chance as their peers to compete and win. The activities were planned for the sole intention of building team spirit, and allowing the reality of competition to dawn upon them at the same time.]



I find out later, (recently), that there were some unhappy finalists, that it wasn't as rosy as I initially had surprisingly thought. Some finalists have confided in me -- *Andrea says in Yoda voice* judge them or their 'foes' I do not, but interested in the psyche of how things have "flipped", I am.

Does that make the Finalists bad people? Does it make them hypocrites?

...



No.

It makes them Human. It makes them finally, Real! It showed us all how they handled stress, how they handled losing, and winning. (Tune in to Webisodes to witness their Journey to Real-ness!)

I mean, Seriously. Do we really expect 18 strong, ambitious, intelligent young women to get along, under the pressure of Stress and Competition?

Please-lah. ;)

There's a cracking point for all of us. There's a reaction to every action. There's a legit reason for their feeling the way they do.

.................I guess that's why we have Pageant Week - and not Pageant Day?

***Note to Finalists who are reading this: Lets be real from this day forward? Lets kinda take a line out of Avatar, and use it to context:: I see you. Deep, them words are. (Again in Yoda Voice please?)

If you don't like someone, you needn't layan them -- its absolutely fine. However you must remember that its common courtesy to be at least civil at all times. I am not saying we should all tolerate bit*hyness, I am saying that its absolutely normal to get upset when you lose out on something! Its absolutely normal to feel threatened in a state of competition, or to become more competitive! The key is: How to handle it so that it makes you the bigger person, and How to not allow things to upset you so much so that you are side-tracked from the obvious goal that you have in mind:: To win!

Read the Art of War, and the Art of Power. Whilst ruthless, some of the advice in those books do make some sense.

And to the girls who have truly made fast friends, good for you. Sincerity is key here, its when you can look at each other in the eye, smile and say, "I hope I beat you!" - and know that you can still be friends tomorrow -- THATs when you should really know that you found a friend. ;)

I'm so PROUD of them!

Check out the blogs of the Miss Universe Malaysia 2010 Finalists!

Not just pretty faces... ;)