Semi-Finals

This post is a month overdue so....

The four of us were rushing like mad on that day. It's always very rushy when we get ready for shows. Don't ask me why. And I always call it our grrrrrrand ritual:

1) Wash face, tissue off, put moisturiser, pat face
2) Slap on stage make-up base
3) Fix up any skin tone imperfections
4) Dust loose powder
5) Brush MAC Dollymix blusher on cheekbones
6) Load on lots, lots, lots of eye colour
7) Paint on thick thick eyeliner
8) Stick on long falsie lashes plus curl them
9) Outline lips and fill up with colour/ gloss
10) Dot Glitter on the eyes

THE STEP THAT I SPENT THE MOST TIME ON: 3)
THE STEP THAT I OVERDO : 5)
THE STEP THAT IS MOST TRICKY : 8)
THE STEP THAT I LOVE MOST : 10)
THE STEP THAT I SOMETIMES FORGET : 9)

So by the time we rushed backstage, this was how we looked. Even when we WAR PAINT our faces with loads of stage makeup, the lights and the photos always make it seem like we never had any on.

I didn't dare snap too much pictures backstage as the MSU girls were all in various stages of undress... all getting ready for their swim wear segment. Spray spray the hair, adjust the crotch lines of costumes, touch up faces and *gasp!* if lord forbade them... nervous smiles!

I can totally, totally understand how jittery one can feel like to be one of the contestants. But then again, girls these days are braver and much bolder than my days. How I envy youth!! The things young folks, or rather, sweet young girls can get away with!!! I think I am at least 5 years older than the oldest contestant there.
Okay, we were rather hungry so we got ourselves some breadtalk to munch on. *Me and my applewurm as usual*. The thing is: we didn't count on the backstage being so squeezy with more than 20 contestants (not counting in their nannies, stage helpers, racks of costumes, bags strawn all over the floor, countless pairs of heels, etc). So while they were all busy prettying up, sucking in their tums and examining themselves critically in the mirror, the four of us looked like hungry giraffees. And that made me feel fat in comparison. So when I really truly opened up my eyes huge huge to survey round the room, it astonished me to find that they are really really thin!! Oh man!


We did a veil number for the opening... Cos of the T-shape runway, we had to space ourselves out. This is the first time I felt really scared of losing balance and falling off the stage as the runways were real narrow, particularly when executing veil turns. Well I am the one in red in the above pic, can't really see me cos was a back shot of me. .. but you get the idea. If anyone do fall off the stage, it will be right smack before the audience. *Shudder*

I know what you people are waiting to see.... PICTURES OF CONTESTANTS, BOOBS, SKIMPY WEAR HUH??!!!

So I won't disappoint y'all.....
.............................................................
.............................................................
TA -DAH!!!!!!!
A lot of them are quite tall, and each of them has their endearing feature; or at least I find some of them have very pretty face shape, or striking features, or really long legs, or melt-your-heart smiles, or decent huge jugs. I guess the key is to find a rep who has got it all; or at least someone's closest to the you-got-it-all package.

I know most 'write off' our local pageant as something insignificant, bland at best and bimbo at worst... even most guys feel that our girls are not up to mark, not tall enough, not enough poise/ grace to compete internationally or no boobs/ butts to shout about. But the fact remains that these are brave girls. Knowing full well the stigma of pageants in the Asian context, and knowing how hard it is to shake off that notion that a Singapore contestant would never measure up to the Indian beauty or exotic Latino when up on the international stage.

But the fact remains that at least they were strong enough to fark care what the rest of us think. Sometimes, instead of bitching about the lack-of in such pageants, ain't we even ashamed of why we are not supportive of our own girls?

Which is why I have nothing but respect for them. I respect that they can look you in the eye and taunt you with a "so-what-you-think-I-am-shit" look. To those that I have met backstage, thank you for proving to me that you are not as bitchy as you look and that you are also a human with your own beliefs.