I have been chanting the mantras of turning the other cheek and of a half full glass. What else can a mortal do when old man Weather died and in his place is his PMS wife lashing out. While Mrs. Weather floods our home with rain and flood, Lady Greed has her hands firmly around the hearts of financiers. Thank goodness for Mr.Obama and the rest of the world leaders. The financial winter is almost over but yesterday the weather forecaster said that we can expect heavy rains in Singapore until January 2010. So more flash floods in Bukit Timah and Sixth Avenue, the homes of the riches financiers in Singapore.

Those who live in denial that the weather pattern hadn't change, suffers from a tragic delusion of yester-century. Flood, hurricane, high energy prices, bad healthcare, unemployment and an ever shrinking paycheck are today's norm. Every where there's change and unfortunately the changes doesn't seem to be for the better. We were told by our government that we have to work until we're 65! Well I guess change has always been a strange bed-fellow to a transgender such as I. So what's new when we face the bad, the ugly and the worse on a daily basis. We small band of gurls have found a slice of heaven, in the tight lgbt belt of Singapore, namely in Tanjong Pagar. With each other for solace, we find acceptance and friendship. So cheers to the rain which makes the sweet beer. We only pray that Lady Greed will release the hearts of bald fat bankers so that they can understand that the money and gold barsin their vault are belong to the caretakers wanting to make everyones' lives better.

The rain was relentless on Friday th 13th but it could not be more perfect for SGGURLS' big bash. The temperature dropped from a smouldering 31 deg C to 26 deg C. Perfect for looking and feeling glam.

The Indonesian dishes piled on the kitchen table top tantalised our senses. If the food didn't spice things up, our super emcee sure did. I was given the privilege to kick off SGGURLS' program. Though it was an easy assignment, I had struggled with it for two weeks. There was a drought in the inspiration creek. It should not be suprising since the gurls had searched for the meaning of SGGURLS' existence for two years. There I stood in my 5" heels in front of my friends, nervous like a newbie clown. Something unexpected happened when I looked around the gargantuan hall. In 35 pair of eyes, I found inspiration. I realised that they have enriched my life beyond any monies the world could offer. My mouth moved involuntarily. I started talking about the fabulous dishes that reflected the diversity of our group. That night, not only did the "T" in the lgbt celebrate but it was a night which we celebrated the enjoyment of each other's uniqueness. When my short blurb was done, I was relieved but more importantly I was speechless that I found enlightenment in the most unexpected of times. 

SGGURLS' very own diva, Destynee,  gave two awesome performances despite dancing with bruised ankles caused by her shoes. Still she danced her heart out. Kayla invited some of the gurls to speak of how they felt about SGGURLS. It was humbling and motivating to know that a group like SGGURLS meant so much to so many people. Adaline stepped forth and told us how SGGURLS got started. Deanna's very frank testimonial melted our hearts. Florence, Elisa, Daniel (founder of SGB) shared their insights on transgender lives. Our multi-talented Trish, who made our beautiful logo, told us said that SGGURLS had encourage her to socialise more.

The star feature of the program entailed celebrating the birthdays of two very special friends, Rebec & Hendricka. Rebec has been very supportive of SGGURLS'. We met Rebec at Cows & Coolies. She made us feel at home when there were trepidations in our hearts. Our talented mujeres bonita,Claudia, graced us with two unforgettable spanish numbers. Kayla closed off the program with lucky draws. When the official program ended, the party went into fifth gear.

A big thank you the moderators who made this happened (a big giant hug to Kayla who was the anchor woman who made this happen, Trish, Ada, Des, Deanna, Elisa, Ivys' Jr+Sr, Joy) and our friends who braved the rain to be with us.

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For more on Asia's transgenders, please visit the following sites.

China: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chinagurls

Thailand: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bangkoktrans

Malaysia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mygurlz

Singapore: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sggurls , http://www.sgbutterfly.org

Singapore

I think we may have found the second chick central in Singapore. I went there to meet my gurl and girl friends for a usual Saturday powwow. Lo and behold, when I stepped into Ootique there was a sexy dance class in progress. Alex & Shirley from SDAM (www.sdam.sg) joined our Sat night drinking session. I finally got to meet Alex whom I have had only perved on his facebook. He's an awesome person in real life and looks so much better than the pics. Warren & partner joined in a little later. A quick kiss to my favorite in-house Sexologist, Dr. Martha Lee (www.eroscoaching.com), who saw to our creature comfort. Michelle, Ootique's owner (www.ootique.com) sported a new sexy blond look. Gosh, I wish I could just take these two back home with me. Once we were all settled down, we didn't get to talk too much as our heads were permanently tilted towards the the pole dancing class and the ensuing hen party. Gosh, I am so addicted to women! The bevy of women were driving me nuts. There were a couple of women in there that looked like magazine models.

In the little discussion that we had, we did firm up a few things on Halloween night. Shirley said that she will get back to me on the bulk discounts for SDAM's Halloween night. She told me that SDAM faces a big challenge on their 16th October ALTERNATION event in DXO (http://www.dxo.com.sg/index/index.aspx). Shirley said that she was confident that they will see about 80 pax but DXO, which is owned by NTUC, expects a minimum of 100 pax in order to continue making the space available to SDAM. So if anyone of you loves goth fetish art & indie music, write to Shirley (http://www.facebook.com/people/Shirley-Zhong), alex (youknowjustwho@hotmail.com) or Saito (slave@sdam.sg) or just go to their website to findout more about ALTERNATION (http://www.sdam.sg/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=441).

As for our joint SM & trans halloween night, please do check our networks.

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For more on Asia's alternative lifestyle:

Goths & more: http://www.sdam.sg , www.sdam.asia

Transgender network: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sggurls, http://groups.yahoo.com/bangkoktrans, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mygurlz, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chinagurls

BDSM network: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bdsmASIAnetwork, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sgdomsubs, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bdsmCHINAnetwork

Eros coaching (the only one of its kind in Singpaore): www.eroscoaching.com

Ootique: www.oohtique.com

There was a lot of work but we didn't forget to stop and smell the roses. The goofing around was way funnier. The gurls were on tight schedules so you can imagine running in and out of the aircondition trying to get their next outfit for the shoots.  

Singapore

This Satuday I learned that sometimes last minute and no plan can be quixotic formulae for a fun filled night? It was an auspicious day with triple nines in a date, the eve of Hariraya Adilfitri and the first night after the Chinese hellgates closed. I was quite confident that things would workout eventhough it was the first time we held an SGGURLS outing in Ootique. We had to pickup a girlfriend of mine from the early SM days. She's the archetype Singapore Airlines stewardess: exotic, beautiful, cool and oh so girly.

When we arrived in Ootique, there was a hen party in progress. I was absolutely delighted to see a bunch of beautiful girls (real girls mind you), spotting strap-ons and hopping around the shop. I just can't help but grin silly at the much sexier versions of the Everready bunnies as they disappear into the horizon. We were greeted by Ootique's resident sexologist, Dr, Martha Lee (a real life qualified clinical sexologist). Mistress Cyra spotted a wicked smile when I did the introductions. I wanted to ask but I had learned not to bug a beautiful woman on her bemusements. Martha gave Mistress Cyra and slave a tour of Ootique. When we entered into the toy shop, Tiffanie and Annie were like deers caught in headlights. They were hunched a display case ogglig at battery operated devices. :-P Martha revealed that Michelle had been slowly stocking up very high quality adult toys. Ooo ... i wanted them too. 

We waited patiently for our dear Trish to show. A few of us pooled our resources and send one of our dear friend on a brave mission to TCC to get an extravagant cheese cake. Our beautiful Trish finally showed up, much to our relief. The birthday celebration went in full swing. While we ate our cake and had fun, we decided to make full use of Mistress Cyra's slave. In return for crashing the on-going Hen party, we made him give the beautiful bride-to-be a foot massage that rivaled Osim. 

Before more chaos and amorous activities set in, our head bunny, Kayla, called our SGGURLS' meeting to order. On the agenda were the status of the 2010 calendar project, the donor's money, the plans for the 2nd anniversary and halloween. No swords were crossed in the meeting but I can't say the same for the two duelling nymphettes swashbuckling their red hot vibrators after the meeting. I am not sure what the gurls were doing to the two poor manequines. When midnight rolled by, the gurls were itching to go to Dixie's for their round usual rounds of KTV and pool. I think the KTV and pool were not the attraction but the permission to smoke in an aircond room. As for the outcome of the meeting, I'll leave our Chairwoman to announce them.

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More on our transgurl groups and ootique, please visit the links.

Ootique: http://www.oohtique.com/information.asp

Singapore's trans groups: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sggurls ,http://www.sgbutterfly.org

Malaysia's trans group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mygurlz

Bangkok's trans group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bangkoktrans

China's trans group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chinagurls

It was a nights when good friends met for a round of umbrella drinks to exchange experience about our personal trek through the bleakest economic winter. It has been tough for everyone and the tired smiles showed. The consensus is that things are improving and Singapore has been luckier than most places. There was a brief discussion of the slow pace of the Calendar 2010 project. *Choke* Well, with everyone working multiple jobs to stay afloat is not a wonder that there was miniscule progress made. It takes time, energy, patience and faith to transforms free spirited friends into a cohesive work team.

A very deep philosophical discussion cropped up. The topic revolved around dealing with personal issues and revealing the hidden half to loved ones. Adaline gave us two wise advises when it came to opening the closet: one has to consider
the consequence from the wider social circle and one's ability to take gossips in stride. There were five obvious facets to transitioning that we could conclude. Life is a journey with a start and an end. In the course of the journey, we will learn as well as educate others. Thirdly, the destination is not as important as the journey. It's like climbing up a beautiful mountain early in the morning to admire the sunrise for a few hours. Eventually we have to descent. Fourthly, we can't escape from the circle of people whom we are associated with no matter how hard we try. Lastly, how we treat others is important. The fourth and last conclusions were derived by looking at how human lives were designed: we are meant to learn and teach. The endeavor to unleash the inner student and teacher requires tremendous courage. After the dizzy round of deep discussions, the gurls went over to Dixie's for a few rounds of pool.

For more on our tgurl groups, please visit our network:

Singapore: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sggurls

Malaysia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mygurlz

Bangkok/Thailand: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bangkoktrans

China: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chinagurls

Singapore

2 weeks before our munch, we still had not found a suitable place to host this month's BDSM munch. Our beloved bar, DYMK, was moving to a new location. Thus, the hunt for a new home started. Our SM moderators and community suggested, short listed and debated. But the finicky group could not settle for a place. The last few days to D-day, we finally decided on a place called Oohtique (http://www.oohtique.com/parties.asp). A few of the moderators reconnoitered the place and gave their thumbs up.

It was my first time in Oohtique and it was love at first sight. The place is private, cosy and most importantly classy. Oohtique is a gurls dream come true: a bar attached to a private shopping mall. Oohtique sells exquisite lingeries, imported dresses and decadent TOYS :-). The 70% discount sign just made this gurl drool. I finally met the OMG super gorgeous owner, Michelle, and her sexy assistant.

This August munch easily saw 25-30 participants with luminaries like the chairman of SDAM, gifted artists, busy execs and a founder of an SM bar in Thailand. There were plenty of hooks & crannies in Ootique for people to chit-chat privately. There was a lovely massage cum bondage bed in the main lounge. As the night wore on, people loosen up with Oohtique's cocktails and chilled beer. The ambience was the perfect mood setter for play. Master Alex (our very own Shibari expert) worked his ropes on hapless Annie. Before too long, Annie was hogtied on the bondage bed. We got to try all kinds of wonderful toys brought by Master JP. Mistress Karen did a demo on how to properly use the crop and flogger. Ouches & ooohs filled the room. The newbies watched with mouth opened and the lifestylers smiled. Of course, there was the constant SSC reminder (safe, sane & consensual) generously dished out by the moderators.

Ootique was kind enough to keep the place open until the last of us left. It was a perfect evening in a perfect place that set the mood for kink lubricated by delicious drinks served by the sexy Oohtique team.

For more information on our alternative lifestyle social network, please visit our associated sites:

Singapore BDSM: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sgdomsubs

SE Asia BDSM: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bdsmASIAnetwork

Singapore's Dark movement: http://www.sdam.sg

China BDSM: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bdsmCHINAnetwork

Ootique & Ooh louge: http://www.oohtique.com/parties.asp

3rd August 2009

I have to admit that I was nervous meeting my idol, Decima after all she is the stuff of legend. For those newbies not familiar with SM in Asia, Fetish Fashion was the epitome of SM sophistication. Unfortunately it was also the Mecca of controversy in Hong Kong. Googling "Decima" and "Fetish Fashion" will turn out tomes on the early evolution of SM in Asia. Decima seemed to be the only voice that that spoked against the oppressiveness of the self-righteous. While the battle raged on in Hong Kong, the SM scene in Singapore had just started. While the Singapore SM group was using hand signals and a little bear dressed in leather, Fetish Fashion boasted two haute couture dungeons designed by the famous John Bannister of Fetters. It even had a retail store catering to kinksters. Let's just say that the three fellows and I felt a little silly staring at the tiny teddy. Yes, we were green with envy.

When I first received Decima's email, I did a double take. Could it be that after so many years, I finally get to meet my heroine? Decima was and will forever be Asia's beacon of sexual revolution & style. I read her email once, twice, thrice and finally realise that it was not a mirage. After a few exchanges, I was certain that it was really the founder of Fetish Fashion on the other side of the keyboard. My heart went pitter-patter, knees rattled and grey matter afire. I finally get my wish granted. Good things do come to those who wait. I SMS'ed a few of our key members from our local SM community to join our private gathering.  

Monday arrived none too soon. I was a bundle of nerves. 8:30pm on the dot, Decima and Master L rolled in. I treasured every minute. We traded scene news. There was so much similarity. A few myths were also debunked. We thought that after the Fetish Fashion court case debacle, Hong Kong was conservative. We found out that our Hong Kong cousins are more open than us in the South. When the clock struck midnight, I was thoroughly in love with Decima. She was everything I had imagined and more. She was witty, intelligent, elegant, refined, humorous and definitely had the pinch of wickedness that made her such a wonderful icon. Deanna helped me out with making our meet a little more interesting. In attendance were some my dearest friends: Mistress Karen & slave, Master Warren & slave, Master JP, Kityn, Mistress Fifi (co-founder of bdsmCHINAnetwork), SDAM Maestro DJ Saito, slave deanna and our friends in DYMK who made our meet a comfortable one. Thank you Ben, Muscle Man and Uncle.

You can find more on our SM social and networking groups in the links:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sgdomsubs

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bdsmASIAnetwork

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bdsmCHINAnetwork

The Singapore BDSM monthly munch held on the last Thursday of every month saw 23 people. About half of the attendees were new faces and they were beautiful faces with very HOT bodies. I just wonder that why I don't see these people every day. Surely Singapore can't be that big. The newbies that joined the munch were a bit disappointed initially as the munch appeared to be another after work drinking & chill out session. Though the glbt friendly munch started slow, it was a busy one. Besides the usual catching up, we got to trade experiences from a few well travelled SM practitioners. We got to share nots from the scene in Tokyo, Shanghai and Amsterdam. Though our scene is modest, Singapore still lags behind. However when it comes to relationship, we are on the forefront. 30 days do make a difference in who's with whom in the SM scene.

As the night wore on, I itched to put my bondage skills to work. What better way to do this than to look to my good gurlfriend, Deanna, as a volunteer. She was a very nervous bondage model but she was a good sport eventhough this was her first. As the ropes coiled around Deanna, I got some got tips from Master Alex aka Mr. Bondage King, our Shibari supremo. Alex shared some of things he thought in his Shibari college. Master Alex knows that I am a little sloppy when it comes to tying clean and beautiful knots. Boosted by Alex's tutelage, Deanna unwittingly found herself in a hogtie. We left her in her new yoga position for a bit.

For more on Asia's BDSM groups, please visit us in:

Singapore: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sgdomsubs

South-east Asia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bdsmASIAnetwork

China: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bdsmCHINAnetwork

http://is-magazine.com/feature/fringe

Singapore is not as boring as you think. Zaki Jufri, Andrea Lin and Walter Sim walk the wild side as they bring you through the alternative scenes and activities across the island.

They sport eyeliner, dark and shiny patent wear and listen to music from the likes of Bauhaus, Meza Virs and Angel Spit. Yet others enjoy being tied up, or tie others up, with the occasional spanking thrown in for good measure. Some like to dress up as their favorite comic or cartoon character and then act out scenes from these graphic novels; and then, there's the group who enjoy nothing more than to trade punches and kicks after a hard day's work. There is a more unusual side to Singapore among the usual punks, metal heads, ah bengs and whatnots. Contrary to popular belief that our people here are straight-laced, uptight and unimaginative when it comes to leisure options, here's proof that there are other alternative activities that regular folks engage in. So if you want to unleash your inner Goth, kinkster, fighter or Pikachu, read on to find out more.

In the Dark
Its 10pm and you're in the middle of Mandai. You've received news that there is going to be a dance party somewhere in these surrounds, which explains why you're here but not at the Night Safari. You walk up the long and lonely road in and soon, you hear the distinctive thumps of low drums, growls and distorted guitar sounds. You see people in the distance. You inch closer ... but you can hardly believe what you see. "Am I at the right place or is there actually a Twilight crowd in Singapore?" you ask yourself. All around you, everyone is dressed in all shades of black-tight jeans, spiked leather collars, thick boots, some in elaborate Victorian dress, eyeliner, guyliner ... and then there are the trenchcoats-and they're all dancing with wild abandon to the heavy industrial beats. Welcome to the world of Goth, where all things dark and dead are chic. And yes, it's alive and well in our sunny island.
  "Just to set things straight, Goth is not cosplay," quips Saito Nagasaki, leader of Singapore Dark Alternative Movement (SDAM), the country's only Goth and other alternative sub-cultures group. "People have this misconception that Goth is cosplay but cosplay is like the Diet Coke to the Goth subculture. We have much more in common with the punks and metal heads," explains Nagasaki who, by day, goes by the name of Mark Koh, an events manager.
  According to Nagasaki, the Goth scene here started way back in the mid '90s during the original "Far East Kids" days, but seemed to all but gone underground again when these kids grew out of it or moved away. When Nagasaki returned to Singapore in 2005, he started SDAM-diligently organizing events, concerts, gatherings and parties-all in a bid to revive the scene. SDAM parties have seen the who's who of the alternative scene gracing its decks. From Eskil Simonsson, frontman of Swedish EBM band Covenant, Australian industrial outfit Angelspit and our very own DJ Mentor, or X'Ho, in disguise. Most recently, they held their biggest event to date: Outbreed at Mandai Orchid Gardens with Goth metal acts like Cosmic Armchair, Aesgrade and Meza Virs.
  Nagasaki and his fellow Goths' efforts have certainly paid off. As a result of their active recruiting efforts, the Goth scene here is said to be 2,000 strong with both new and inactive members, while a regular 100 loyally attend the SDAM events; and Goths do come from all walks of life-students, investment bankers and other corporate types. Still, Nagasaki admits that the scene has still a long way to go before it becomes as vibrant as similar scenes in Australia and Japan.
  Although they are seen to be fascinated with the macabre, death and all things dark, followers assure us that there embrace of the dark and death is not in a violent or evil bent, but as a larger understanding of what life is about. "Death is part of life. One thing this subculture has taught me is to accept who I am. To be different is perfectly normal and now I have an avenue to express myself and voice my emotions and opinions easily where previously, I was quite an introvert," says Vanessa Toh, a polytechnic student. Toh, who is also a SDAM committee member and DJ at its parties; she also designs most of the Goth outfits she wears at home, and there are plans to expand this into a SDAM fashion line in the near future. "Being part of this movement has been the most positive thing I did in my life," she says.
  "One of the many misconceptions about Goths is that we are violent people, but we at SDAM dissociate ourselves with drugs, violence and all other nonsense. We're quite the peace-loving bunch," Nagasaki explains. Other than organizing parties, SDAM also acts as a support for troubled members, whether it is sexuality issues or psychological ones.
  "The kids will come to us because they relate to us and we're one of them. When they're around people who understand them, they will open up. Being responsible adults, we counsel and advise them that certain things they are doing to themselves are bad for their wellbeing," he explains further. For those too young to attend SDAM parties, Nagasaki organises chalet outings for them, screening DVDs of Goth concerts and even teach them DJing. Not bad for a group that in the eyes of the public are deemed social misfits or troublemakers.
  So who can be a Goth? According to Nagasaki and Toh, the answer is "anyone"-anyone with an open mind, a taste for the alternative and a rebellious streak. It helps if you like black ... and eyeliner.

Some like it Rough
It's easy to play a game of associative words when you mention "BDSM"; quickly, terms like "leather," "collars," "ropes," "whips," "chains" and "dungeon" come to mind. Our minds thought the same way when we ventured into the world of BDSM (which stands for "bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism") here in Singapore. On the evening of every last Thursday of the month, a group of like-minded individuals or "kinksters" meet up at DYMK (9 Kreta Ayer Rd., 6224-3695), a quaint little bar in Tanjong Pagar to exchange notes about the finer points of kink, to mingle and impart knowledge to those who want to learn. Of course, what's a BDSM munch (social gathering) without the bondage and occasional whipping?
  BDSM, by nature, is shrouded in a world of hushed fantasy and is still considered taboo by most; that's why people here don't really talk about it or know much about it other than finding the occasional scene in movies, says Nicole, a prominent member of SGdomsubs (groups.yahoo.com/group/sgdomsubs), a social network of local kinksters. The male IT professional by day transforms into the PVC-clad blonde dominatrix, Mistress Nicole, by night, complete with riding crop. Dressing up, Nicole explains, is part of the whole role-playing aspect of BDSM-much like acting.
  "We need to teach people about BDSM. So far, the public does not even know what it is, and yet it is viewed negatively based on ignorance," says Nicole. "It's not about doing things that are dangerous and things that break the law. 80 percent of it is communication, and then comes the skills parts," she adds.
  Nicole has observed that there are a lot of couples here who want to try BDSM but don't know how and where to start, or simply have the wrong perception of it. Hence, the need for education, as Nicole sees it.
  Between 5 and 10 percent of Americans engage in what they identify as BDSM behavior each year, according to a 2002 study by the Kinsey Institute, a sex research center at Indiana University. Although there are no similar studies here, it is valid to suggest that figures should be pretty much the same. With people becoming more well-traveled and exposed to different things, it's only natural to open up and explore.
  "I think there are people who wouldn't consider themselves practitioners of BDSM, but who have experimented with tying themselves up or done a bit of spanking here and there," says Nicole.
  "Everyone, subconsciously, is engaging in some form of BDSM everyday," says Hendrick Kwan, another prominent SGdomsubs member who practices scarf bondage.
  "Managers in a company, for example, play the role of the dominant and his subordinates the subs," he quips. "But usually, if this manager practices BDSM, he will likely be the submissive one. It's like a power exchange thing. Some people do this as a release or a form of therapy; while others adopt it as a lifestyle," he adds.
  "It gives people a better sense of perspective-about power, sensations and knowledge about the limits of the body. We learn the difference between power and force," adds Nicole.
  BDSM, Nicole assures us, is perfectly safe if practiced properly. The slogan for the BDSM scene is "SSC"-which stands for safe, sane and consensual.
  Other than the monthly munch sessions, SGdomsubs also organizes workshops like "The Shibari College" where members sign up to learn more about Japanese rope bondage from Master Alex, a Shibari expert. Nicole and Kwan told us that responses for these munch sessions and workshops have been positive and they hope to see the scene grow.

Costume Drama
You become who you want to be for a few hours after work or school; you throw away your given name as you hit the sewing machine, and at the end of it all as you don the masterpiece, you live and breathe Bleach or Naruto. You are on top of the world. Welcome to the world of cosplay-more than just costume-donning, this is full character immersion and requires up to three month commitment as cosplayers assiduously put together their own costumes.
  Reno from Movie Mania (one of the partners for Singapore Toy, Games and Comic Convention) explains what drives cosplayers, "each person wears costumes for their own reasons. Some for fun, some to role-play and bring to life their favorite character, others do it to impress their friends, for photo shoots, for contests as well as just to hang out with other like-minded people." 
  For these anime and manga fans, like Takahan Tan from Singapore Cosplay Club, it is the excitement of putting together a costume stitch by stitch, to witnessing the final transformation into a character that gets most cosplayers-commonly teenagers here-going. For many teenagers though, this hobby isn't easy on the pocket.
  Not your usual Halloween get-up, cosplay is more of a skill and an art, rather than plain dressing up. Cosplay costumes can cost from $100 to a whopping $1,000 each. Although it is deemed more credible to make your own, there are alternatives for ready-made costumes from Pan-in-the-box (#02-09 Chinatown Point, 6221-3293) and Otaku House (#03-01 Iluma @ Bugis, 201 Victoria St.); and many new cosplay shops on the rise like Black Tactical (#01-477 Block 202 Bedok North St. 1, 6245-9975), which are focused on providing cosplay props.
  Eight years ago, when the first COSFEST event was organized by the Singapore Cosplay Club, there were just 200 sign-ups; at this year's COSFEST VIII in July, 15,000 names of interested cosplayers singed up. Reno, too, notes, "(Back then), there were not many cosplay events, and Halloween was one of the few occasions we get to wear costumes in public. These days though, there is practically a cosplay event or contest here every month."

Battle-Hardened
You may enjoy programs like Contender Asia and WWE. But what you may not know just yet is how reel life is slowly creeping into real life as the martial arts genre slowly but surely inches back into the mainstream.
  The-then widespread popularity of Bruce Lee and Jean Claude Van Damme films that made skirmishes the "in" thing from the '60s to the '80s has since seen a steep decline. But it is surely and slowly finding its footing back in the arena.
  An array of martial arts courses these days range from Western forms such as the Brazilian jiu-jitsu, boxing and wrestling, to Asian forms such as muay thai, taekwondo and karate, to even West-meet-East amalgams of both in the latest fad of mixed martial arts (MMA), where different skill sets are catered for and different muscles of the body are worked on. There is bound to be something for anyone looking for a good workout regime, while pumping some much-needed adrenaline through the veins.
  It is with the aim to promote competitive martial arts in Singapore that John Leung, general manager of DMX Technologies Group, started up Fight Club (www.fightclub.sg). He said, "When I first arrived in 2001, martial arts was very niche. You will not even hear about events and it's only provided in the odd gym here and there. The amateur scene in boxing arose as the sport was neither Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) nor Singapore Sports Council (SSC) affiliated. I think the only martial arts of note back then was silat, which itself was in the SEA games."
  Yet, change in favor of the martial arts scene here is undeniably underway. Leung attributes this to increasing television coverage and new media such as Youtube. Most schools today also offer some form of martial arts as a co-curricular activity that students can take part in. As Leung attests, "In the last three years we have had three pro-fight events including Showdown in Singapore (www.showdowninsingapore.com) which had 1,000 audiences, five white-collar boxing events and several amateur and pro muay thai events."
  Explains Leung of the appeal: "a lot of our participants were frequent gym-goers who ended up getting tired of merely going to the gym without any goal. Engaging in martial arts provides them with the avenue to do something more athletic, while it also poses an ultimate challenge test, both mentally and physically, to get into the ring. Just you, your opponent and the referee in front of hundreds of people-the psychological push is intangible."
  Fight Club has also teamed up with Fight G (41 North Canal Rd., 6438-5788) and Fightworks Asia Gym (#04-00 Standard Photo Building, 565 MacPherson Rd., 6285-6028) to provide complimentary training for its 18 amateur white-collar competitors who have signed up to duke it out in the ring in an upcoming event, Showdown Inside The Ropes.
  The reasons instigating these competitors to join in the martial arts vary. 32year-old Rob White, a Consultant for The Henley Group, is looking at boxing for the extra boost in stamina and fitness so that he can achieve his goal of completing 10km races in under 40 minutes. Meanwhile, Will Boneham, 39, is a huge fan of WWE who joined in for the chance to lose weight.
  Leung and several martial arts competitors we spoke to also believe that while the costs of engaging in martial arts varies from gym to gym, it is definitely an affordable recession-friendly sport that they will urge people to consider taking up. Nicholas Fang, a Business Editor of MediaCorp says, "In comparison to other sports such as golf, triathlon, fencing, or even signing up for a gym, martial arts could be considerably cheaper." White explains, "It is not that expensive a hobby as you can easily do at home a lot of the fitness and outside work. It's only the technical parts you will need an instructor for, and regarding equipment it appears that most of it is provided for."
  Yet detractors who frown upon this choice of working out still abound. White said, "Yes, a few friends have said I must be a nutter for doing it, but I think they have only seen the professional-style bouts, which do look pretty nasty and ferocious." Leung, putting things in perspective, says, "I think every sport is dangerous. People have died after jogging even. It is all about the mental will to fight on."
 
The Parties & Gigs
A Necessary Evil
DJs Saito Nagasaki, Mentor and Murderfreak unleashes some dark doses of goth and grinding Industrial beats. Every first Saturday of the month from Sep 5, from 9pm. Alley Bar, G/F, Peranakan Place, 180 Orchard Rd., 6738-8818.

Original Sin
If rock and indie have Beat! and Poptart, Original Sin will be the goth version of it. Expect lots of post-punk, and goth classics from the likes of Siouxsie & The Banshees, The Cure, Depeche Mode and Joy Division. And don't forget to come in black. Aug 15, from 9pm. 3/F, Blu Jaz Café, 11 Bali Lane, 6292-3800.

Too Fast Too Crust Too
If you're in the mood for furious head-banging action and moshing, come down to rock it out with bands like Bad*, Firstblood, Tormentress And Black Terror. Aug 1, from 5pm. Crawlspace, Behind Straits Records, 766 North Bridge Rd. $8.

Xtreme Noize Terror
Like its title implies, this is going to be one extreme and noisy gig. Twelve metal bands like Eargasm, Thy Fallen Kingdom and Beyond Suicidal go head to head for seven ear-splitting hours. Don't forget your earplugs. Jul 25, from 4pm. Crawlspace, Behind Straits Records, 766 North Bridge Rd. $7.

Your Existence Is Meaningless 4
Feast your ears as local noiseniks Stellarium, I D, Under the Velvet Sky and Terrible Chamber celebrate the pointlessness of living in the fourth installment of this series of gigs which features experimental rock, nu-gaze and other leftfield opening. Aug 15, 8pm. Crawlspace, Behind Straits Records, 766 North Bridge Rd. $6.

Are You Underground Enough?
Take this simple quiz to see if you have what it takes to be considered fringe-worthy.

1. What's your response when you hear the sound of the whip?
(a) Say "Hit Me Baby One More Time!"
(b) Secretly get turned on but jokingly say "Ouch! That hurts!"
(c) Flinch in pain.

2. What is your favorite song to bob your head to?
(a) Black Sabbath's "Cardinal Sin": "Every tongue is screaming fool, only Satan hears your cries."
(b) Michael Jackson's "Beat It": "Beat It, Just Beat It!"
(c) Lady Gaga's "Poker Face": "Mum Mum Mum Mah!"

3. What would you rather do on a lazy Sunday afternoon?
(a) Dress up in a bright pink wig and kawaii school uniforms.
(b) Sleep in-you just had too many drinks partying on Saturday night.
(c) Sip a cup of latte and read a novel.

4. How will you retaliate if someone assaults you?
(a) Fight back like Brad Pitt.
(b) Bite back like the grandma in Drag Me To Hell.
(c) Run away like a little girl.

If you answered mostly:
'A's - Congratulations! You're well-suited for a lifestyle under (the grounds of mainstream) and out (on the fringes of normal).
'B's - Come out of hiding, your underground closet is calling.
'C's - Forget it, just stick to the middle you enjoy so much.

Where To Get Your Underground On
The Threads
Atsuki GL, #03-10 Liang Court 177, River Valley Rd., 6338-7278.
Alice 88th, 15A Bali Lane, 9270-7369
Black Alice, #04-09 The Cathay, 2 Handy Rd., 6836-4037.
Haru Goth, 03-42/46 Far East Plaza, 14 Scotts Rd. Email haru.house@yahoo.com for enquiries.