The Start of TFWA...

Marks the start of The Fearful Week Ahead for me!

This happens twice a year, one in October at Cannes, and the other in Singapore this week!

Guess which one keeps me on my toes?

Duh. It's where everyone gathers at Suntec and I don't see daylight. This year, I'm fortunate we do not have a booth, but instead, we've booked a suite at the Conrad to hold our business meetings. This doesn't mean I need to prepare any less than usual.

It's still the usual last minute coordination of products to be delivered...
It's still the usual rush to buy food and beverages so that we can feed our guests...
It's still the usual madness of printing presentation booklets 2 days before the event...
It's still the usual need to decorate our 'suite', but at least this is just a simple 3 posters totalling $600 instead of the 6m x 6m booth that cost us a whooping $40k last year!

So why does the RUSH still get to me? I wonder too...

Fear Factor

In a fear factor episode on Sunday, the contestant called Raine was elimated in the first round.

It was a battle of love as the host, EK, challenged the contestant to drink half a glass of milk in declaration of her love towards him. The claim was that milk was good for the contestant in terms of calcium intake, with added long term benefits when the contestant becomes old...

After being coaxed out from under the bed covers, contestant Raine took her seat at the table.

For a whole 5 minutes, contestant Raine stared at the half-filled glass of milk in front of her. To aid her along, EK handed the contestant a spoon and a cup of plain water to ease it down.

"One spoonful at a time" he persuaded.

With shaking hands, contestant Raine brought the spoonful of milk towards her mouth.

Da den da den da den daden dadendaden...

Milk - Glup.

Water - GLUP GLUP GLUP.

Spit.

Puke.

Contestant Raine spat the spoonful of milk into the glass of remaining plain water, but compelled with fear, she ran to the sink and puked out whatever was stuck in her throat. Thankfully, it was only milk and water. Nevertheless, tears ran down her cheeks as she cried over the horrid taste of the milk and puke.

As she took the walk of shame, the reflected:

I don't know which I fear more. Milk or the fear of puking after drinking milk. I am hopeless when I puke and I cry a lot because I absolutely cannot stand the horrid feeling that runs from my stomach up to my throat. Perhaps that's what scares me. Maybe it's pscyological as well. I am so afraid of puking and I think if I drink milk I'll puke. So when I do drink milk, I scare myself to think I'll puke and I try to coax myself not to puke but I end up thinking about puke and doing the deed, leaving me crying like a baby. Or perhaps my body really can't stand the taste of puke. I don't know.