Volunteering at the Food Bank

One day, I decided that I wasn't doing enough for the community. I wanted to make a change in my life and do more selfless things, so I called up my good friend Nicole and we met up to discuss some things we could do to help the community. We looked online for volunteer opportunities and found one for a food bank. Without much thought, we both signed up for the contact list. A few weeks later, we received a call telling us they needed help collecting food at an elementary school. STOKED!

So today, early morning 7:00AM (I don't think I've gotten up this early in years) Nicole and I woke up in our respective homes (after grogglng a "good morning" wake-up call to each other) and we met up in Zhongxiao Xinsheng MRT at 8:00AM. We were to meet at RenAi Elementary at 8:30AM, which was a 2 block walk away from the Luzhou MRT station.

After a quick breakfast at 7-11, we arrived at the school around 8:30AM. It was a moderately small-sized school, but we could already hear the joy and laughter of children from the outside. I knew instantly I was going to enjoy the volunteering. Nicole, as you can see, probably was quite excited as well:

Don't worry, the bike was not harmed

So, after getting past security and taking some selfies, we got to the location where they were collecting food

and there were children EVERYWHERE! Well, it was an elementary school, but I mean, there were tons of children willing to help this cause! Actually, some children had no idea what was going on and would even ask us, "what's this for?" in which we responded, "to help families in need!"
They seemed satisfied with that answer, and would leave with big, proud smiles.

"Who hasn't received a "thank you" card from us?" We thanked each kid with a thank you card. If we tried to give two, they would say, "I already got one!" or "Can I have another one for my friend?" haha. Children are so sweet

Nicole, passing out Thank you cards

Modeling with our glorious purple vests

So children were told to bring what foods they thought people would like to eat, or foods that they liked themselves and would like to share with others. We received foods from rice, noodles, canned foods, to cookies, candy, and oatmeal. Below is an example of how we would put the foods in boxes. 

The collection is growing!

That's me, packing the boxes

So the organization is called "Andrew Food Bank" and if you're interested in looking up info (which you should! They need the helping hand!) go to their Facebook fan page:

http://www.facebook.com/chaca.org.tw

Or look below for other info on the poster!

We grabbed a kid going to class to take a selfie with us. LOL

The organization poster

                                                            Hot day! but fun day!

Look at that sweat! That's real MAN sweat!

A lot of rice! After all the collecting and packing, it was time to bring all the foodstuffs to the van. I definitely got a work out because we definitely collected about 30-40 boxes worth of food! Excellent!

Thank god we had that trolley!

Banner

The "Thank you" card

Interacting with the kids and telling them how to put the food in the boxes.

"Here's your thank you card! Thanks for your kindness and donation!:

I think we live in an ever-growing society where we reside too long in the cyber world of the internet and smartphones, that we start to become naturally insensitive for the needs of others around us. That's why Nicole and I decided it was time we did more selfless things. I hope I can encourage others to do the same because I really think with the strength of more people, we can do more good for this society. A lot of people complain "what has this world come to," so, if you really have a problem with it, then be more proactive and go out there and do something about it! Volunteer!!!!

Peace

Tips on Auditioning

Let me tell you, auditioning for commercials is extremely challenging. Not only are you given an oftenly-vague script, but you're also given less than 5 minutes to show yourself to the casters. Every movement, every smile, every second really matters. The first few times I auditioned for commercials, I was so nervous I think my smile was crooked and trembling. After your performance, (setting aside the fact that at least 100 other people are auditioning for the same part)， the casters send the top 3 or so performance videos to the actual business shooting the commercial and the director himself chooses the best candidate. What are the chances?

So, after saying all that, I wanna offer some helpful tips I have for anyone who may want to audition for commercials someday. I, myself am not a pro at auditioning yet, but I think I can speak for the noobs out there and maybe make the initial starting process a bit easier to slide into:

1) Get plenty of sleep the night before. When you wake up, go to the mirror and practice certain expressions and movements you might need for the audition (for example: if it's a toothpaste commercial, practice smiling or holding a toothbrush and finding the right angles) Angles and being natural with a product is EXTREMELY important.

2) If your audition requires speaking, try verbally saying aloud some slogans or words that are related to the product to set your brain in the right track. It helps to be ready for the script they give you at the auditions, especially since most of them don't give it to you prior to your audition.

3) Put on light make-up, and do your hair. Nobody wants to see a sleaze audition! Also make sure you bring the appropriate attire!!!

4) Do some research. Go on youtube and look up videos of the product of the audition, or similar ones. What kind of actors get the part? Study everything - from the way the actors carry themselves, how they hold the product, etc. etc.

5) At the actual audition, whatever the caster says to you, make sure you LISTEN. They are usually quite helpful, but obviously they can sometimes get irritated and make rude remakes; just smile and be polite. NO ONE LIKES an audition candidate who has attitude. You have to understand; these casters have to see 100 other auditions in just one day, so anyone in their shoes would be agitated. Don't take anything they say too personally.

6) Believe in yourself. When you walk in to the audition, be polite. Don't spaz out and look like a deer trapped in headlights. Relax, smile, and stand up straight. When you see the caster pull out the camera, look into the lens as if your are looking into the eyes of someone you know really well (a good friend, a family member, a lover). It will help you relax.

7) NEVER be embarrassed about your own performance. Don't waste the caster's times OR your own time. When you need to do something, do it without doubting yourself. This is easier said than done, but take pride in what you do. Each time you audition, you have to promise yourself you are gonna get better and better at it. If you are continually not being chosen, it might not necessarily be your fault, but it might also be a sign you have a big room for improvement.

8) If you are able, bring your manager/friend with you to the audition. Make sure you ask if it's ok if they come into the audition room with you (some casters are fine with this as long as no one gets in the way). Ask your friend/manager to watch your performance and even tape it if they can. Make sure you ask for their feedback and watch your own performance. Study yourself. What are your strengths? Keep those. What are your weaknesses? Find a way to fix them and make them your strengths.

Alright, well, that's about all the tips I give at this moment! I hope it's been somewhat helpful and I wish you the best of luck if you are planning on auditioning for something. If not, I hope this was fun to read anyways. :P

Come here Pigi Pigi...... + Brown Sugar

Recently, I have come across a VERY delicious restaurant that I highly recommend to everyone who loves Japanese-infused burgers. Actually, prior to eating at this restaurant, called Pigi Pigi, I really never had any contact or experiences with Japanese burgers. However, the experience was definitely surprisingly delicious and I really want to spread the food love. 

Alright, so first things first. The address to this wonderful, wonderful restaurant is:

Da An Road, Sec. 1, Lane 51, No. 22

Taipei City, Da An District

Phone: (02) 2741-9717 (No reservation needed)

Open Hours: Everyday 12:00-02:30

Nearest MRT: Zhongxiao Fuxing on the Bannan Line (Blue)

When you reach the restaurant, the first thing you'll notice is the pig at the front door. Yes. A real life pig. I'm actually quite sure that in many countries, keeping a pig in such a small pen is considered animal cruelty, but if no one complains about it, neither will I. Anyways, once you get past the novelty, you'll enter a relatively small-sized restaurant. I've been twice to this restaurant in the past week (I liked it THAT much) and both times, it hasn't been really busy, which is quite surprising considering the moderately-inexpensive menu. There are a lot of burgers and Japanese-style cuisines to choose from, as well as a large drink menu (the restaurant becomes a bar after 9:00PM). 

I ordered the Japanese deep-fried pork burger with "hard" bread. It was AMAZING. Make sure you add cheese because the melted cheese on top of the deep-fried pork cutlet makes the burger a LOT better. I chose the special home sauce the first time (which is sweet and tangy), and the curry sauce the second time. I have to say, the curry sauce is SO, SO good! The curry taste just right; it isn't too heavy or too light. I was really impressed. The burger plus the fries were only 180NTD + 30NTD for the cheese (WORTH IT). Also, if you order an entree, you can get the "combo", which only includes any drink on the drink list for half price. I got the oreo milkshake, which I also highly recommend. It was just the right amount of oreo, and wasn't too sweet.

That's me, taking a food selfie. I look happy because the serving size was quite large. If the picture was taken afterwards, I would have been even happier because the food was really good

Dinner was with my ol' friend Teena, and my dear brother, Charlie. We were all satisfied with our meals. They both ordered the Pork Cutlet Burger MENCHI style, which was essentially the same one I got, only with onions. Teena got the Salsa sauce. I didn't have any of it, but she said it was good (I still think you should get the curry!)

_________________________________________________________________________________

So after a satisfying dinner, we headed out to BROWN SUGAR, in Xinyi District to listen to our lovely friend Eve Ai 艾怡良。 This girl can SING! If you are interested in live music, Brown Sugar is definitely a good choice. For the rest of May 2014, Eve will be singing here starting at 10:00PM until midnight, so come out! If you are ever are in the mood for some good live music, Brown Sugar is one of the classier choices of pub music in Taipei. The drinks are priced moderately-high in Taipei standards, but are generally well-made. I hear Salsa nights are really fun too if you are into that kind of thing. 

Address: No. 101, Songren Road

Taipei City, Xinyi District

Phone Number: (02) 8780 1110 (Reservations only accepted before 8:00PM. After 8:00PM it's first come first serve and there's a minimal amount you need to order per table guest- generally on weekdays, reservations aren't really needed and you can always choose to sit at the bar where there isn't a minimal charge)

Nearest MRT: A good 10 min walk from MRT Station Taipei City Hall Exit 3. Bannan Line (Blue)

Open Hours: 12:00PM-5:00PM; 6:00PM-4:00AM

Website：http://www.brownsugarlive.com 

 

STEPHEN'S SCORES! (Out of 10)

Pigi-Pigi   :  ********* (9)  Great food, great price, lots of drinks to choose from
Brown Sugar: ******* (7) Great live music (esp. with Eve), great atmosphere, may be a bit pricy for some, and reservations not accepted after 8:00PM can be a bit inconvenient.

Charlie's in town!

 Looky who's in Taiwan!! That's right! My brother, Charlie, has taken off 3 weeks from his job and flown all the way from DC to visit me! Well, he's also here to eat lots of delicious, scrumptious, mouth-watering Taiwanese food, but I'd like to think I am priority. Charlie had a good first few days, but I guess the older we get, the more prone to the effects of jet lag we are:


For the first few days, Charlie would fall asleep around 9:00PM and wake up around 4-5:00AM. Unfortunately, that also meant I would wake up at those ungodly hours because he is a bit terrible when it comes to staying quiet. He didn't quite understand the concept that just because he had jet lag didn't mean that I didn't have jet lag. Needless to say, I had really dark circles under my eyes for days, but I do love my brother and I'm so glad he is here to visit!

Sindy was in town! Sindy is a friend fromVirginia Tech and she happened to be in Taipei the same time Charlie was, so we met up with her (and DJ host Kris) at a popular Japanese restaurant called “瞞著爹” located near Wei Feng (Address: No. 17, Alley 9, Lane 346, Section 2, Bade Rd, Songshan District, Taipei City, 105). They have THE best sashimi rice bowls and awesome food! Check it out if you are ever in the mood for some Japanese rice bowls. I recommend the salmon rice bowl and the sea urchin steamed egg. The fish miso soup was also very well-made. 

One thing that I've been trying to do more of lately is helping the community in one or another. My friend, Nicole, and I have started to plan out different organizations that we would like to help. One group that I've come across is one that helps dogs in shelters find homes. I've only helped out twice so far (since it's only once a month). The first time I helped, we went to a shelter in Dong Hu and helped the really nice caretaker (who said I was handsome lol) de-rust and repaint the fences. This time was a lot different; our responsibility was to take dogs out of their cages and to walk them while jotting down their specific characteristics and taking pictures of them so that we could post info on the Internet for adopters to look at. It was an awesome experience and I really fell in love with a lot of the dogs there. If I had money and a bigger apartment, I would definitely adopt one of the dogs there:

His name is RUSTY! I actually gave him that name, and I think he is one of the CUTEST dogs in the world. I loved how one of his ears was up and the other was down, and his tongue was always sticking out. Rusty was also very chill, and would just sit there and daze off into space. Such a cute dog!!! Someone adopt him and give him a wonderful home, please!

 One night, my manager (a mother of TWO, can you believe?!?!) Yvonne, asked me to attend a party with her in Taipei 101. The event was a celebration for the 10-year anniversary of Taipei 101's magazine.

 The event card

 Taking a picture at the front of the event.  I still need to work on not looking awkward and feeling out-of-place in front of the camera in these types of events. I do feel like I'm getting better at it though....It's a lot harder than it looks! When all the flashes go off, you just have to remember to stay natural and composed. Otherwise, you'll look like a deer trapped in headlights

Also bumped into my lovely roommate, Vanessa, and our friend Christine at the event. We definitely had a good time there, having probably more champagne than socially allowed. Hahah, it's never a dull moment when I'm with Vanessa.

Anyways, this was mostly a gateway to more blog posts. Now that posting pictures has become even more convenient, I'm going to try and make posting...posts more of a happening thing. I think I say this every time I post, and I there's usually another year before I post again. I will try and be more disciplined because I want to remember my life when I get old and wrinkly.