Category: People of Inspiration

Joseph Schooling Is On A Victory Parade, Here’s How And Where You Can Catch Him!

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Image credit:

The Joseph Schooling Effect: 6 Things That Will Never Be The Same

Unless you’ve been living under a really big rock, you know who Joseph Schooling is and what he did this weekend. To commemorate his big win, here are 6 new things that have caught ablaze since Schooling nabbed a Gold at the Rio Games.

1. ‘Schooled’

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Image credit: Mediacock

These 4 digits, will forever be etched in Singapore’s sporting history. Schooling not only nabbed the gold medal in the 100 meter butterfly in Rio (against Michael Phelps) with his timing of 50.39 seconds, he’s also the only Southeast Asian male swimmer to cinch a gold medal at the Olympics. Which is probably why, this set of numbers was
Sure Tinder has been around awhile now, but since Schooling got us our first Olympic gold, we’re seeing a new found interest in the dating app.

(If you haven’t read it, a college student basically matched up with Joseph Schooling on Tinder in April and unfortunately for her, stopped replying.)

And really who can blame us? You never which future Olympian/singer/actor/ you could be matched up with.

5. Dreams Do Come True

Image credit: SGAG
You’ve seen the meme, it’s pretty much everywhere right now. While we can definitely enjoy, pre-Rio Joseph Schooling, the underlying message radiates with us all, work hard and dream big. You never know, your childhood idol could be giving you

Image credit: SGAG

If you enjoy a quiet morning swim on the weekends, don’t bother. Swimming pools public and private are going to be choke-full of kids and their extra kan chiong parents cheering them on. Don’t be surprised if you see a jump in the number of swimming classes available and ads with the tagline “Be the Next Joseph Schooling”.

Also, read Singapore Has Local Produce Too! These 4 Are Super Odd & Surprising!

Not Just Dino! Grab These 7 Other Pouches & Bags To Show Your Support!

Recently, Ho Ching, the wife of our PM, PM Lee Hsien Loong, made headlines with a very particular fashion item. She was spotted carrying a blue Dino Pouch while attending an official ceremony at the White House with Michelle Obama.

Blue Dino Pouch

Turns out that the Dino Pouch is not any avant-garde brand typically associated with people of her league. Instead, she chose to use one with a humble price tag of $14.80 designed by a student with special needs. Hours after the photos surfaced online, the Dino Pouch sold like hot cakes.

The Dino Pouch is designed by 19-year old See Toh Sheng Jie, a student with autism, who has been on Pathlight School’s Artist Development Programme (ADP) since its inception in 2011. Under this program, students with autism have the opportunity to work with professional artists to nurture their talents.

The Dino Pouch is currently sold out and is available for pre-order only, with an estimated 2 months wait time. You can place your order here.

Alternatively, check out the following 7 bags and pouches to support students with special needs, just like what Ho Ching did!

1. Leather Travel Pouch by Sheng Jie

Made with genuine leather, this travel pouch/clutch/wallet/wristlet is also designed by Sheng Jie, who is extremely into dinosaurs. His illustrations and miniature figurines of dinosaurs are actually produced from his personal knowledge and memory. He used no references! Priced at $48.00, this pouch can fit a passport and boarding pass comfortably. Get it here.  A coin pouch variation is also available at $28.90.

2. Multi-purpose Case by Jun-Yi

Jun-Yi enjoys drawing a myriad of animals in vicarious situations. Although he rarely takes the initiative to socialise, his drawings are usually themed around a big group of animals. Priced at $19.90, this pouch is available in 4 different variations- Flamingoes, Giraffes, Animal Exodus, and Koalas.

3. Denim Pouch Secret Garden by Jolie

Jolie has a unique approach to art. With a marker or fine pen, she draws frogs and human characters that show off her cheeky personality. But don’t be fooled by her mischievousness. Just look how detailed her artwork is! It definitely makes you want to see things through her eyes. Priced at $14.80, the pouch is available here.

4. Animal Procession Weekend Bag by Jun-Yi

Another masterpiece by Jun-Yi, this multi-purpose canvas tote bag fits A3 size items! This sure sounds like the perfect college bag! The bag is equipped with a side zip pocket and quilted lining. It also comes with an adjustable side sling. Priced at $59.90, you can get this casual tote here.

4. Denim Pouch Dragon by Tia

Tia’s canvas is always filled with happy illustrations of animals. Just look at that dragon! Probably the cutest and loveliest dragon you’ve ever seen! Priced at $14.80, the denim pouch is available here.

5. Leather Coin Pouch Ice Cream & Lollies by Grace

Like most of us, Grace has a sweet tooth. But unlike us, she draws delicious cakes, ice creams, and sweets on paper with colour pencils and ink. This super cute coin pouch is available in pink (photo above) and in cream, and is priced at $28.90. A travel pouch option is also available here and is priced at $48.00.

6. Leather Travel Pouch Feather by Selena

Selena has a way of portraying birds in her artwork – it usually exudes a sense of serenity and calmness. If you’re wondering how she achieved drawing the feathery details, the answer lies in very well-sharpened colour pencils. The leather pouch is priced at $48.00 and is available in Cream and Beige. If you’re looking for a coin pouch of the same motif, it’s priced at $28.90, and is available in Cream and Beige as well.

7. Chinese Flower Sling Bag by Nicole

Nicole may only be 16 years of age but she is extremely expressive through Chinese calligraphy and watercolour landscapes. Just look at the colour choice of her doodle! It’s so vibrant, and energetic with a hint of strength.  The sling bag’s flap is interchangeable with 4 designs: Chinese Flower (flap, bag), Animal Congregation (flap, bag), Dolphin Waves (flap, bag) and Soccer OK (flap, bag). The changeable flap is retailed at $24.30 while the bag is sold at $48.00 each.

These students may have special needs but WOW! they’ve got so much talent! What better way to raise awareness and support students with special needs. If you’re in awe, like we and Ho Ching are, click on the links and purchase a little something to show your support!

https://www.facebook.com/discover.sg.official/posts/2056688974556794

Header Image: The Olympics Is Back! Here Are The 25 Singaporeans Representing Us For Rio 2016

The Olympics Is Back! Here Are The 25 Singaporeans Representing Us For Rio 2016

The 2016 Summer Olympics, Rio 2016, is set to take place in Rio, Brazil this 5th of August! Yes, there may be some bad press clouding the games, but let’s put the negativity aside and support our Singaporean athletes at the world’s most prestigious sporting event! Before that, get to know who’s who and what event they will be competing in. #OneTeamSG

The 25 Singaporeans

1. Feng Tianwei – Table Tennis (Women’s Singles, Women’s Team)

Dubbed “Singapore’s Swim King”, Rio 2016 will be Joseph Schooling‘s second Olympics participation. There was a lot of pressure on him back in London 2012, but this time round, he is more Image source: Singapore SEA Games Organising Committee / Action Images via Reuters[/caption]

Quah Zheng Wen may only be 19 years of age but he’s got some serious swimming background to boast about. At the Southeast Asian Games last year, he took part in 12 events, winning 7 golds, 4 silvers and 1 bronze. On top of that, he also broke 6 Games records (3 individual and 3 relay). You can catch this flying fish in action at Rio 2016 on the following dates: 8th (100m Backstroke), 9th (200m Butterfly), 12th (100m Butterfly) of August.

4. Quah Ting Wen – Swimming (100m Butterfly)

Elder sister to Zheng Wen, Quah Ting Wen is an experienced swimmer having represented Singapore for international events since 2005. She did not have the best season in 2013 but her stellar performance at the SEA Games last year boosted her confidence greatly. Catch Ting Wen fighting for her a-Quah-tic dream on the 7th of August.

5. Timothee Yap – Track & Field (Men’s 100m)

When she’s not training, Neo Jie Shi is a human resource and admin assistant manager. But when she’s got her running shoes on, she goes all out. Her routine (before and after qualifying for Rio 2016) is fairly simple. She trains after work, one long run followed by one rest day. She clocks in about 70km-80km per week, which is half of a full-timer’s mileage. It’s extremely effective as she went from a recreational runner to an Olympian! Jie Shi’s event will take place on 14th of August.

7. Derek Wong – Badminton (Men’s Singles)

[caption id="attachment_11923" align="alignnone" width="1619"] Image source: Ronald Susilo. Xiaoyu will be making her debut at Rio 2016 on the 13th of August!

9. Saiyidah Aisyah – Rowing (Women’s Single Sculls)

Four years ago, windsurfer Amanda Ng‘s Olympic dream was shattered after she missed out on qualifying for the London 2012. But after switching to the 470 category, she and partner Jovina Choo edged out other Olympic hopefuls to top the Singapore Sailing Federation’s (SSF) selection trials for Rio 2016. They’ve been training at Rio for the past 3 weeks and we’ll get to catch them in action on the 11th of August!

16 & 17. Griselda Khng & Sara Tan – Sailing (49er FX)

While everyone else struggles to lose weight, the 49er FX pair Griselda Khng and Sara Tan actually struggled to gain weight to ensure they achieve the optimal weight to keep the boat as flat as possible on the water! They consume about 4000 calories a day (double of the recommended calorie intake of a regular woman) and burn about 1300 calories per training session. The girls will be making their Olympic debut on the 13th of August.

18 & 19. Justin Liu & Denise Lim – Sailing (Narca 17)

Do you know that Justin Liu and Denise Lim are partners on and off water? Last year, they sailed to victory at the Nacra 17 class at a World Cup leg in China and bagged the one and only Rio 2016 qualifying spot on offer. However, the price they paid was not cheap at all. They had to shell out nearly $100,000 for this dream! A hefty price, but one that is definitely worth it. Catch Justin and Denise in action on the 11th of August.

20. Jasmine Ser – Shooting (10m Air Riffle & 50m Riffle 3 positions)

Jasmine Ser made Singapore proud by bagging a gold medal at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. She then went on and outshone every other Asian shooter at the Asian Qualifiers despite contracting food poisoning. People say third time’s a charm. Will this be Jasmine’s chance to come home with a medal? She’ll show you what accuracy is all about on the 6th (10m Air Riffle) and 11th (50m Riffle) of August.

21. Teo Shun Xie – Shooting (10m Air Pistol, 25m Pistol)

Header image: Singapore National Olympic Council

Also, read A Peek At NDP 2016 – Fireworks Both Indoors AND Outdoors!

Besides Nathan Hartono, Check Out These 6 Local Youtubers Too!

The age-old notion that Singaporeans don’t have talent has since been debunked by the rise of singer-songwriter Joel Tan (better known as Gentle Bones), folk-pop quartet The Sam Willows, comedy-skit channels Wah! Banana and Night Owl Cinematics, and recently trending Nathan Hartono who impressed even Jay Chou! These promising local YouTubers have been making waves online, spearheading the blossoming YouTube scene here.

While we sing along to Geniuses & Thieves in the shower, swoon over Ben Kheng’s ridiculously perfect facial features, and share every NOC video on Facebook, you will be elated to know that #localpride doesn’t stop here – we have shed light on 6 other undiscovered local YouTubers that are equally deserving of your support.

1. Cilla Chan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYQkN3mxu-A

Cilla has definitely put our tiny nation on the musical map by being the first Singaporean to appear on The Voice, one of the world’s biggest singing competition. Her powerful vocals and stripped-down arrangements of some of our favourite pop hits are sure to win you over. I mean, country music sensation Blake Shelton swivelled his chair around for a reason.

YouTube: cillachan429
Instagram: @cilla_chan

2. Jude Young

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr7m6ivx08w

22-year-old Jude Young is an emerging musician in the local scene with a strong sense of individuality. This home-grown lyrical genius took his music a notch higher by penning “Waves of Tomorrow”, a heartfelt, patriotic number for last year’s SG50 celebrations. Jude has since gone on to drop a new single this year, “Young”, an empowering anthem about chasing your dreams and seizing the day.

YouTube: splatterdashed
Instagram: judeyoungmusic

3. Howard Chan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFFuNkiB9tE

It’s hard to believe that this soulful, multi-talented YouTuber is barely 20. Possibly our budding, local equivalent of international YouTube star Kurt Hugo Schneider, Howard produces, arranges and mixes all of his covers on YouTube. Check out his rendition of Sorry by Justin Bieber – he makes it entirely his own!

YouTube: howducation
Instagram: howardchanman

4. Jonathan Chan (Jawn)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaBdZqB0kjs

Jonathan Chan, who goes by his stage name Jawn, is a melancholic crooner with gravelly vocals. His country-folk single, “Fade to Black”, tells a bittersweet tale of letting someone go and wishing them well. Fans of John Mayer and James Bay, we reckon you will really dig Jawn’s music. We’re loving the raw and heartfelt lyrics in his original songs.

YouTube: thetumbleweedproject
Instagram: jawnchan

5. Sabrina Lim (SabyLoves)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlZajE08Rx4

Local talent should not be limited to music. Independent designer Sabrina Lim – or SabyLoves on YouTube – takes to this video-sharing platform to showcase her artistic craft talent. Using polymer clay, Sabrina moulds everything from kaya toast to our favourite chilli crab. Apart from her DIY clay miniatures, Sabrina also gives us a glimpse of her bubbly personality by sharing her first world problems in the form of light-hearted and entertaining sit-down videos.

YouTube: sabyloves
Instagram: sabyloves

6. Roseanne Tang

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymZVrm69tH8

This beauty guru is a professional make-up artist with her own beauty school, Bloom by Roseanne. When she is not busy conducting make-up classes, Roseanne channels her passion for make-up in the form of beauty tutorials and product reviews on YouTube channel. Her easy-going personality paired with her vast knowledge of make-up makes her videos both informative and engaging. Check out her latest hot pink lips make-up tutorial – perfect for our sunny climate.

YouTube: roseannetangrs
Instagram: roseannetangrs

These six individuals are just a handful of many rising local YouTubers with so much to offer. There is a strong sense of pride in witnessing our fellow Singaporeans flourish, fearlessly chasing their dreams in a highly competitive industry. It is time to #supportlocal and show some love to these aspiring home-grown talents.

Also, read The Perfect Shot – DarylAiden’s Photography Journey & DreaChong

The Perfect Shot – DarylAiden’s Photography Journey & DreaChong

With his boyish good looks and impeccable style, it’s relatively easy for one to mistake Daryl Yow for a member of the latest K-Pop boy band. Just take a look at that beach-tousled hair and perfect everything. Sigh.

For the social media savvy, the 25-year-old photographer hardly needs an introduction. Better known as @darylaiden, Daryl is the man behind some of @dreachong’s most stunning shots. With 24k followers on Instagram, we’re really not sure if we should be more jealous of his incredible works or the fact that he’s Drea’s photographer (and one of her best friends). Oh, did we mention that Daryl is also the co-founder of One of Daryl’s many stunning works[/caption]

We managed to grab the talented man for a quick chat, to find out how it all started, his tips for taking the perfect photo and most importantly, how he became the goddess’ personal photographer and one of her best friends.

So Daryl, tell us how you got into professional photography!

Oh, it started with praises from others when I first started out. Okay, this is a funny story really. I’d wanted to save on the photography costs when I started Everyday People so I decided to shoot the photos instead. I got a little more creative and people started praising my works on social media! I currently do portraits, interiors and food photography for my clients.

What do you think are the main challenges in pursuing this profession?

People tend to underestimate the amount of work in editing and shooting the photos. Clients can sometimes try to undercut the budget and get you to do a lot more for a lot less. Plus, you need to spend on lenses, camera bodies so it can get pretty hard to survive.

In that case, how does one build his portfolio?

You need to have quite a bit of savings. Some of my friends didn’t know about this at first, but you need a good camera and lens in order to capture details and colours for that perfect photo. If you’re intending to go into fashion photography, you’ll have to pay for your models and makeup artist. Plus, you’ll want your photos to stand out so you may want to conduct an overseas shoot or you’ll end up shooting at botanic gardens like everybody else. Essentially, you cannot really progress as a photographer if you don’t have the budget.

Woah, so what’s the most expensive gear you currently own?

That has to be my Canon 5DS – the body alone is around $6000. Cue gasps. Its lenses are pegged at around $3k-$4k.

What’s your favourite subject matter so far?

I like shooting human portraits! I used to underestimate the power of the models, but the difference between having an average and high-end model can be quite drastic. Their expressions and movements are what make the photo. Every model needs a direction, but some less-experienced models will try overly hard and become stiff. That’s when I’ll get a little frustrated.

In that case, which is your favourite portrait shot?

The shot of Andrea in Maldives where she was flipping her hair! Okay here’s the backstory, she was very doubtful of this photo and saying that it’ll end up looking messy and crazy. The water level was up to our waist and the waves were so strong they almost got to my then-new Canon 5DS. She’d flipped her hair about thirty times and was getting a headache. But I told her to trust me and we got a good shot in the end!

Okay, we have to ask, how did you and Andrea meet?

Oh, Andrea followed me on Instagram first (though she will most likely deny this). I approached her at an event and we talked about photography. After which she said she was wearing clothes from my online boutique and asked if I can photograph her. After a series of omg why you take so long to edit and I really love your photos, we began to speak more on a daily basis. I then shot most of her photos and our Hong Kong trip last year late November was our first trip.

How long does it take you to get the perfect shot?

The timing ranges from 3mins-30mins (especially when the location gets too crazy). Many people ask what camera I’m using, thinking that they’ll achieve photos if they get the same one. But honestly, when it comes to photography, it’s 25% photo-taking and 75% editing. I take roughly two hours to edit a photo and will do up three editions before deciding on the best!

What is your ultimate tip to getting that perfect photo?

Framing, framing, framing. People usually focus on taking a photo from just one angle. What I usually do is to take a photo from a certain angle before moving closer to the subject or shooting it from the floor before deciding on the best.

Which camera would you recommend a budding photographer start out with?

 The Cannon 6D is the basic and takes pretty decent softer images. It’s priced at around $1k-$2k so it’s not too bad. For richer colours, one can try Nikon!

Despite his gorgeous works, we’re glad to say that Daryl is one humble photographer. Pursuing the art of photography may not be easy, but after browsing through the stunning, we reckon the effort  be worth it. Nobody starts out a professional, where it takes months if not years for one to build a reputation. So if you’re a budding photographer anxious about rising to fame, fret not. If it took Daryl two years and a hell lot of work to be where he is now, it’ll be your turn to come.

Also, photos are courtesy of Daryl unless otherwise stated.

Also, read These S’porean Youths Are Realising Their Dreams, What About You?

How A Poor Boy Became #2 Richest Man In S’pore – Goh Cheng Liang

We all aspire to greatness in our lives. Here’s a story of how a poor boy, with only primary school education, made it in life. He is now Singapore’s #2 richest man, with an estimated A young Goh. Credit: Image Credit: Image Credit: Forbes[/caption]

It just comes to show that Goh’s rag-to-riches story abolishes the common belief that you need to be rich or educated to be successful in life. It took only selfless dedication and the refusal to accept defeat for the paint tycoon to achieve his goals.

Ben Franklin once said that anyone can do anything once they set their minds to. Should we adopt even a small portion of Goh’s resolute mindset, our own goals and dreams might not seem that impossible to achieve.

Do you know of any other inspiring stories from Singaporeans? We would love to hear from you!

(Header image credit: Photo by ST, Zaobao, Overcoming Your Own Imperfections – Story Of Chong Phit Lian