Short Story : In One Moment [Page 1]

IN ONE MOMENT by Tobin Cheung [Page 1]


A velvet rainbow colour hat bounces past me. It’s decorated with fins, big googly eyes and a little bell on the tip that rings in unison with the strides of its owner. It’s another Saturday night and the sidewalks are lined with street performers busking their way to fulfilling unrealized dreams.   

Opposite the lamp post, protruding out for all to see; is the hairy belly of a married man. Flung across his back is a fifty pound knapsack that has been slowly tearing into his shoulder since his arrival. Even from this distance the beads of sweat rolling off his balding head is clearly visible. He has had a full day and is taking a few precious minutes for himself while his wife and kids use the restrooms.

A girl dressed as a woman struts by, donning a cocktail dress, a string of pearls and large looping earrings. She is, I assume, in the arms of her grandfather. Sometimes I find life simpler if I invent a lie to believe rather than questioning the obvious.

It has been a sweltering day. Between the jumble of people and the smog hanging over the city, I am ready for the comfort of my tiny condo. My girlfriend, however, is lost. Or perhaps, I am lost. In either case, we haven’t seen one another for the past hour or so. I’ve tried searching for her but it’s that time of day, the exchange of social classes, when families pack up their kids to return home and lovers venture out for the evening. Steady streams of overweight, department store attired baby boomers clash with fitness-crazed, designer-styled, yuppies as they all try and make there way through the Harbourfront district.        

It is the Du Maurier Jazz Festival, or what was formally known as the Du Maurier Jazz Festival, before cigarette companies were banned from advertising. The new sponsor, a bank, is the only other corporation capable of funding such a large tax deduction.

“Hey Liz…… Liz!” I scream as she strolls past me, not five feet from where I’m sitting, oblivious to my waving hands. “LIZ!!”

It’s no use. Her hair drapes down the sides of her face and her head is pointed straight. She sees nothing, like a horse with blinders on.

Pushing and shoving my way through the mob of people, I manage to catch up to her, “Where were you? I’ve been looking all over.” I almost scream from frustration. Crowds of people within the vicinity slow their pace as if witnessing a car accident on the highway.

Liz looks at me stunned, quite possibly forgetting who I am.

“Geez, you scared me. Don’t grab me like that.”

“I was sitting right there, didn’t you see…..”

“I’ll be back, I’m going to the bathroom,” she says shoving off on her own again.

I follow her into a building, down a hallway, past a glass blowing studio and watch her waddle up a flight of stairs to the bathrooms. I considered taking this opportunity to also use the restroom but decided against it, not wanting to spend another hour looking for her. I would wait till she’s done and inform her of where I would be.

Outside the sound engineers are setting up the stage for the next band.

‘Testing, testing. One, two, three.’

[To be continued...]

Music : Three Minutes Are Up

THREE MINUTES ARE UP

It’s near the tail-end of the rush-hour mob, still a lot people, but no pushing. I have this dream of being accidentally shoved off the platform onto the tracks and no matter what I do, I am unable to climb out. Nobody helps; everyone is withdrawn into their own world, willingly oblivious to what’s around them.

It’s the typical Wednesday evening crowd, cubical workers staying an hour or so late in hopes of leaving on time Friday afternoon. Above a 42 inch TV teleprompts the news but no one seems to notice. Every so often someone might glance up for the arrival time of the next train. Three minutes and counting, the maximum time we are willing to wait for our morning coffee, at the grocery checkout line or for a Big Mac combo. Three minutes is the new five minutes.

A warm gust of wind wafts in the stale subway air. I peer down the tunnel just as the train pops into the station. The doors slide open and we begin to shuffle in. With nowhere to sit, I lean up against a pole and try not to stare at anyone in particular. On my right an executive of some sort, wearing a nicely tailored suit, is busy checking email while listening to tunes on his iPhone. On my left is a teeny bopper. She has blond pink-ish hair complete with fake nails and fake lashes. She too has ear buds on, listening to mp3’s on her fully accessorized gem-covered Blackberry.  Further down, a college basketball star in size twenty shoes with his knees up to his chin, is impossibly squished between an overweight lady and a beefy construction worker. Nevertheless, he seems content enough with his super-sized headphones swallowing his head and pounding funky beats into his ears.

People magically remove themselves from a crowd of strangers through the act of listening to music. Headphones enable invisibility. It is an unwritten law. Somehow we agree that though we can see the person, as long as there are headphones, they are really not here and are to be ignored. Listening to music in public raises the question of enjoyment versus distraction. Has music dwindled to a three minute activity with modern music producing only three to four minute songs? Everyone’s on the move and can only spend one minute to download an mp3 and three minutes to listen before they go back to buying coffee, changing trains, or going back to work.

I remember one time a friend and I went down to a jazz club one evening for kicks. I like jazz, where as my friend is simply up for all things life has to offer. We pay our ten dollars at the door and find a seat near center stage. Shortly after, the band begins to play. We settle ourselves in and listen to the intro. Within the first few seconds you know if the song is good. It is a lively Saturday night crowd. The waitresses are busy running around with food and drinks. There is nothing fancy on the menu, typical bar and grill type of food, burgers, wraps and nachos. We order a couple burgers and turn our attention back to the band. They are in full swing.  Around the room everyone is bopping along and we join into the atmosphere created.

At some point, food arrives, rather large burgers with chunky fries. We chomp down onto our food but our attention is diverted back to the band as each musician commences in spotlighting their talent. The burger was messy, far too big to bite through in one chomp; more like taking a bite off the top and then some off the bottom. My friend, on the other hand, loves food and had no trouble polishing off both burger and fries. I could only manage the burger, spending the rest of the time picking away at the fries and watching the piano player do his thing. He is the last to solo before the band joins in for the chorus and the final verse. 

Every band member got their chance to be creative and do a bit of well deserved showing off. It wasn’t until the song ended and I pushed away my unfinished fries that I realized the band had started this very song when we first came in and sat down. Now I know what it means when they say, down in New Orleans you could come out to watch a street performer, walk home and have dinner, walk back, and the street performer will still be grooving on the same tune. 

This ain’t no three chord, one page music that repeats itself until three minutes are up. This is storytelling, setting an atmosphere and letting the audience day dream away before pulling their attention back for an all out slam. It is an experience, a ride.

Squealing around a curve, the subway pops into light. There are more people lined across the platform waiting to get into an already filled train with more iPhones, more Blackberries, more headphones and more three minute songs.

Article : Tobin

Events : Allied Beauty Association Show 2011

DO OR DIE

Being a woman myself, I can safely attest that women are CRAZY-EEEE when it comes to their hair!  Not to say that guys aren't CRAZY-EEEE either, but just not as prominent...for now.  

On March 27, 2011, RAZ Magazine went downtown to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre to check out the ABA Hair Show (aka Allied Beauty Association).  This show is geared towards hair or beauty industry professionals who are looking to compete in catergorized hair or makeup competitions, seek out useful tips, information and educational seminars, or snab a great deal at the cash and carry booths. 

Being a makeup artist, I naturally gravitated towards the makeup booth, more specifically Modern Basic.   They had some amazing deals - tweezers for $3.75 CAD, eye shadow palettes for under $20 CAD, etc.  All I really wanted were just a few items, but apparently the lineup to get to the cash register was going to take over an hour.  And I knew for a fact if I even remotely tried to cut to the front just to pay, that I'd probably get my head chopped off by those in front.  So I just shrugged my shoulders, put the goods down and sadly walked away.  

Wella, Sebastian, L'Oreal and other big names were on stage throughout the day giving presentations about their products.  I even scored a free L'Oreal Infinium Lumiere hairspray for filling out a form.  Hope I don't end up with massive spam emails from that one...this hairspray better be worth it!  Moroccanoil was giving out free samples too - Light and Regular Oil Treatments.  An amazing product for frizzy dry hair I might add.  Basically there were deals, irons and cash flying everywhere. People were rolling in with empty suitcases and walking out with it full and then some. I guess the ABA show is the best time to stock up. Deals AND no tax for most of the booths. Score!

One of the show's highlights was the book-signing and stage presentation of Tabatha Coffey - Slice TV's host and star of "Tabatha's Salon Makeover"!  There were lineups galore to get her signature on her new book "It's Not Really About the Hair : The Honest Truth About Life, Love, and the Business of Beauty".  Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to catch her presentation, but rumour has it, it was mega-inspiring and simply amazing.  That's what the ABA's goal is really -- to inspire...and it has done just that. 

My co-editor in chief TC has this theory about women and trying to look good. He says, "Women don't get dolled up for guys, they get dolled up to compete against other WOMEN!!!"  The competition is fierce and every woman out there is trying to out-do one another.  It's DO or DIE!  I guess that explains why women look each other up and down at clubs -- it's why they pay top dollar for the best cut + colour or lie on a table for 2 hours getting lash extensions or subject themselves to something as painful as a brazilian wax.  The ladies are doing it for the other ladies. So at the end of the day, a woman can look herself in the mirror and tell herself "I'm fabulous and you ain't got nothing on me B-TCHES!" Amen. 

For more information about the ABA Hair Show, please visit : http://www.abacanada.com

Article : Maggie Ng

Photos : M Studio Life

Venue : Metro Toronto Convention Centre

Beauty Product Review : Lise Watier Shine Control Moisturizing Gel

Lise Watier : Shine Control Moisturizing Gel [$37 CAD 50 ml]
Beauty Stars : 4

Review : I originally bought this because I had a really oily T-zone.  Somehow my face is now really dry [probably due to the uber dry winter season!], so I used it in my makeup kit instead.  But whether my skin is dry or not, I usually look for products that are oil-free [since I'm prone to acne breakouts].  This product is great because it’s a gel, it feels very light and fresh, yet moisturizing. It’s geared more for people with skin in their 20’s, so I used it a lot on models for prepping their skin before photo shoots and such.   Shine Control Moisturizing Gel is rich in apple extract [Beta-Hydrumex Complex] – so it has all the benefits of the apple for the health of your skin and even smells like apples too! Yum!

This product is recommended to be used every morning on the face and neck, avoiding the eye contour area. This is definitely a great product used on its own or even under makeup as a base. Unfortunately it doesn’t have SPF, so you’ll have to use something separate for sun protection.  I think the best part about this product is the packaging design – it’s a locked air pump, so as you use the product, you can see through the packaging exactly how much is left and product is never wasted because it gets pushed up all the way to the top.  Brilliant! I say this because a lot of products that are in tubes – if you cut the tube open after you “think” it’s done, there’s actually a lot left that didn’t get squeezed out.

Makeup Review : Maggie Ng

Beauty : MAC "Airbrush Basics" Masterclass

FRIEND OR FOE?

Airbrushing has been around for decades, but has become re-popularized within the last 5-6 years in answer to HD everything!  Airbrush is definitely making its presence everywhere...in infomercials, spa and makeup trade shows, etc.  It's widely used for television, film, bridal work, spray tanning, body painting, special effects, etc...airbrush makeup has a wide range of versatility and uses.

However there are many pros and cons to using this system, which Melissa Gibson (MAC Senior Artist) tells us at the MAC "Airbrush Basics" Masterclass.  If used properly, airbrush makeup can look flawless, seamless and spectacular on the skin, but make a mistake and you've got to start over again.  Eek!  It's a craft you have to really practice to get good at.  Hence the dot and sweep exercises you can do on paper, as well as practising on face charts.  Gibson also advises makeup artists who are starting out to practice on themselves to get a good feel for the PSI levels of air coming out the airbrush gun and consistency. You can't be heavy-handed with airbrush. If you see product on the face, then most likely you've applied too much and it ends up looking like a mask.

Some of the advantages of using airbrush?  Works well on all skin types - especially large pores, wrinkles, etc.  Makeup looks as if it floats on the skin (almost seems non-existent but provides coverage) and dries to a natural matte finish.  And the staying power is unbelievable. When body painting, colours stay true and can be layered without getting mixed and looking muddy.  It's considered more sanitary too - because product is being sprayed out, there isn't any contact or cross-contamination of bacteria. 

 Andrea (MAC Artist) demonstrates body contouring using airbrush on model : Kenneth.

So why doesn't every makeup artist go out and get one of these puppies?  One thing, it can be expensive. You have to buy a compressor, airbrush gun, airbrush specific products, etc.  It can really add up fast!  All the equipment can be heavy to lug around. You'll need access to an electrical outlet for it to work (unless you get one that has a portable battery).  The airbrush gun gets clogged easily. With improper use, product can spurt out unexpectedly - ruining your beautiful work. If you make a mistake (ie. incorrect product placement or accidentally smearing something with your finger), you basically have to start over.  And after each session, you have to take the airbrush gun apart piece by piece and is a pain-in-the-butt to clean.

At MAC (www.maccosmetics.com), they've partnered up with Iwata (www.iwata-medea.com) and is offering the airbrush compressor ($350 CAD) and airbrush gun  ($170 CAD). The airbrush gun comes in two options : side or gravity feed. They have a full range of silicone-based foundation called Micronized Airbrush Formula ($35.50 CAD each). These foundations can be used for airbrushing or on its own using your regular makeup brushes. They are transfer-resistant but not waterproof.  You can even use water-based MAC Face & Body foundation for airbrushing. You can sheer it out with MAC Mixing Medium ($22 CAD) depending on the coverage/consistency you want.

Personally I own an airbrush system for doing makeup, particularly for brides and photo shoots. I don't know if it's my friend or my foe.  Most times, it produces amazing results and well worth every penny spent invested in this.  But there have been a few times it didn't work the way I wanted and the result looked horrific!  It's a lot of trial and error.  You definitely build a love-hate relationship with this thing.  I'll admit, I DESPISE cleaning that airbrush gun at the end of each of my gigs!  Sometimes you hope some of your clients choose not to go with airbrushing just to avoid the inevitable!!!  But honestly, at the end of the day, with huge advancements in foundation formulations, if you were to do one side of the face with airbrush and the other side with conventional makeup, it'll probably look the same or quite similar.  The only difference, is the airbrush side might feel slightly lighter on the face then conventional makeup. 

Melissa Gibson (MAC Senior Artist) doing airbrush demo on model : Julia.

So yay or nay?  If you have an airbrush machine and you're good at using it, you'll definitely be at an advantage over other makeup artists.  But it's really up to you as an artist to decide if it works with the type of makeup jobs you tend to get, the location you do your work and your budget.  As Melissa Gibson mentioned, "it's really an extension of your tools."  In the end, it's up to you to practice and hone in on your craft.  Even though you can do eye designs and artwork with your airbrush, it will never replace all of your conventional tools like your brushes, powders, etc.  It's about being creative and just having fun with it.

Article : Maggie Ng

Photos : M Studio Life

Venue : MAC Pro Store (Queen St)