About Nude Not Naked

SMS conversation between E and I late last night

9:00 p.m. 1st March
E: Coffee during lunch hour?

Otto: Alright. See u noon then.



9:30 p.m. 1st March
E: We're joining the Amazing Race. Get ready.

Otto: Haha, who? We 2? Aren't you traumatised by singing in d Sony contest n the dance we did for the Campfire? Hahaha.. it'll b fun, won't it?

E: Come on, it'll be good 4 us n we're interesting ppl. Sign up together k.

Otto: Yay, u find details n I'll sign with you. Yay! It'll b fun. Wanna wanna? We'll talk abt it 2moro.

E: Find out details online. Me no internet @ home.

Otto: Check where? Give URL at least, babe. So how?

E: Don't have URL.



10:30 p.m. 1st March
Otto: Damn it. Googled n checked. U sure wanna join?

E: Of cos we are. Adventure, babe.

Otto: Nd video ourselves explaining y we r PERFECT 4 d race. Deadline 15/3. Taping mid yr n lasts 40 days. Lots of rules.

E: Come on, we're great together. We'll do it together.

Otto: U must b kiddin. LOL.

E: A pair like us is perfect 4 d show!

Otto: U set d words n we'll talk abt it 2moro. It'll be fun, m sure. Or we hav another story 2 tell whn old. MUAHAHAHAHA...

E: Scripting. We wear *** outfits thn change 2 racing outfits k. Hehe.

Otto: Hahaha, I can't believe this. Will we b kinky n all? I nd hair wash. N some *** outfits. N perhaps some guts and a sense of humor. Knw which shop sells them? Talk more 2moro k.



12:30 a.m. 2nd March
E: We nd a video camera.

Otto: With Alex. How how?

E: Borrow camera, HAH! Discuss 2moro. Tired thinking abt it oredi. Nite n c u 2moro.



1:45 a.m. 2nd March
Otto: I'm going in with open mind. I'm going in with open mind. I'm going in with open mind. It'll b fun. It'll b fun. It'll b fun.... *reassuring myself*

E: Haiyoh, just 1 video only mah. Put on ur thinking cap 2 mk us get in tts all! Worry abt d rest ltr if it happens la.

Otto: Get this 1st part done, get us in n think later. It'll b adventure of lifetime. C u 2moro.




Today lunch time in Starbucks
Sat down in front of E. She was surfing for more information on the Amazing Race Asia. She had a serious look as she digested each and every rule and regulation for The Amazing Race Asia Edition.

"So this is how we are going to plot it," E said, then explaining her scripting, "and we'll go to all our favouite bars and clubs, ask strangers whether they'll watch The Amazing Race if we were on it."

"We can get DJ*** to announce it this weekend and video the whole thing with people screaming yes they'll watch Amazing Race if we're on it," I said as I recalled teatime last week when DJ*** repeated "E is so hoooooot!" perhaps a million times over. Am sure he will be more than willing to do this for E.

I winked. E laughed, then blurted, "Oh yes, we can get the rugby boys to do the same - Watch E and Otto on The Amazing Race."

I pointed out that participants were often categorized into the geeks, the dumb blondes, the bitches, the agrressive lot etc. You do not see Plain Janes in any of these reality TV shows. There must be chemistry between the participants. I have also considered what the show might actually do to our careers because I can imagine myself cussing a lot. Especially while driving. I am private as a person and privacy becomes an issue for me. I am sure E has her own issues as well, if we were exposing our every pimple and pore across the TV.

Conversation went on for more than an hour as we went through the rules and regulations.

"I hope the auditions will be in Singapore," E said. I looked puzzled, took a sip of the ice latte as she explained.

"We'll have to pay for it," came the reply.

"Oh E, I'd rather it be everywhere else. What will we lose? We'll just go for a holiday! We've always done that anyway," I said.

E agreed. We have not gone to Hong Kong, Taiwan or Indonesia, so who cares if we have to pay? We would eventually go through the countries in coming months/years anyway. Won't lose a thing by trying.

"We make a good pair, come on. We're ***," mentioning our similar profession, "and we've been friends forever, it'll be nice to see if we would eventually quarrel under stressful conditions. Or we'll end the race as bestest friends."

Few seconds later. "We are watchable, physically good looking and fit, funny and amusing. We speak good English. We are smart girls," she went on. Three seconds later she added, "Plus you swear a lot."

"E, you are really selling us, aren't you?" I asked.

"The video session is for us to sell ourselves and let them producers know that we will make the show watchable." E shrugged her shoulders, feeling so complacent as if this was something that happened to her every day.

"So who's going to be the ditzy blonde?" I asked, "Perhaps one of us should end the whole video by saying, "Do you think we'll break our nails?" or something totally Jessica Simpson".

We took a walk and did some window shopping. E needed a pair of nice sandals for her rugby sessions with the boys, so we were in Adidas, Puma and Royal Sporting House, looking for the elusive pretty sandal for her. I repeated, "Do you think we will break our nails? Do you think they'll let me bring my curlers?" every so often while giving my best Jessica Simpson on a camping trip impression, much to E's amusement.



***
It all started on 31st December 1999. E and I were at the dinner table, having our New Year Eve dinner with our partners. When it came to the obligatory question of new year resolution, somehow I said that E and I should try all the things that we would normally be afraid/shy to try. And the new year resolution was the perfect reason for us to do all the things that we never dreamt of doing or experimenting.

And oh boy, have we come a long way.... see, we are still keeping our new year resolution 6 years on! All we need now is the video camera and hell, we'll give it a go. What is the worst that can happen? We don't make it... big deal. At least we have something to laugh over dinner for years and years to come. Something that we can tease each other, just like the time when we sang for a Sony Contest when we were both 14 and danced in a campfire when we were 15.

"Do you remember the time we made The Amazing Race video?" I can just imagine us slurring this phrase during vodka overdosed nights.....




*****
Small Talk
Woah, hold my pretty horses.... E is known to be excited about a particular topic and often does not complete her tasks. Personally my mind wanders so fast, I often catch myself thinking two thoughts while conversing with her in Starbucks *hahahaha* So all this might just be NATO - No Action, Talk Only. Do remember, we still have to find a video camera....

Wished it was the same for the petrol hike. Why is the government so efficient in things that its citizens do not want it to? *smiles* Honestly I find the price hike a pain since my income does not mirror the new cost of living. However I understand the government's need to reduce its subsidy. How is our government going to build us nicer schools or make better roads, if it continues to subsidize the Mercs and Bentleys?
*****




Tags The Amazing Race Jessica Simpson Asia Entertainment TV AXN