Highpoint Community Services—23 Geylang Rd., 6440-2444. This is an organization for men recovering from drug addiction. They are in great need of all kinds of household appliances (DVDs, VCDs, radios, TVs, kitchen appliances) as well as men’s clothing.

HOME (Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics)—221A, East Coast Rd. This thrift shop helps support the work of HOME with migrant workers in Singapore. Most small items including clothing (especially men’s), small appliances and household items are welcomed. Call Jolovan at 9771-5349.

MINDS (Good As New Charity Shop)—800 Margaret Dr., 6474-1043. The shop sells clothing, accessories, household items, books, and toys with proceeds going to Tampines Home for the Intellectually Disabled. Call Katie Rawleys at 6736-0103 or Lynda Jones at 6476-3976 to donate.

Pertapis Children’s Home—993B Kovan Rd., 6383-0914. They are in need of household appliances like irons, vacuum cleaners and children’s clothing.

We all know about broken New Year resolutions, but perhaps one resolution that you should keep is your age-old silent promise to clean out your flat. After all, there’s no better way to start off the New Year with a spanking new space to call your own. Follow this simple rule: Do away with the old, make space for the new and redecorate along the way. Let’s get started, now!

Phase One: Clear Out and Clean Up

Like anyone else, your flat is probably swamped with items that you no longer need but have never gotten round to throwing. One thing to remember is to make space at all cost—so if you don’t need it, never used it and will never have the use for it, into the bin it goes!

According to our resident smart aleck Mr. Know-It-All, the simplest way to clearing out is to throw out everything that you don’t need, which includes the likes of:

• Super old, yellowed magazines with faded articles of your past idols.
• Old board games you don’t play with anymore.
• Gifts from people you don’t like.
• Dodgy videotapes/VCDs/DVDs that local video store will not want.
• Old books that are breeding grounds for the local silver fish community.
• Strange-smelling cosmetics.
• Shoes that even your grandfather won’t wear.
• Best-forgotten fashion faux pas that you only kept because they cost you a bomb.

... you get the picture. Things with sentimental values, like unused but beloved birthday presents, collectible CDs and vinyls should still be kept and stored accordingly.

After all the necessary clearing out, it’s time to tidy and clean up your living space. Local whiz cleaning company Amahs on Wheels (56B Somme Rd., 6837-2708, www.amahsonwheels.com) has the following valuable tips to dispense on how to clean up one’s space—in a snap:

• When it comes to cleaning, start from the top down. This is to enable the dust to settle on the bottom so that you can clear it last.
• Use wet wipes and hand-held dusting services to clean the floor, as they are easier to use than a mop. Plus, wet wipes are disposable, so you can just throw them away after use.
• After cleaning and dusting, open up a few bottles of baking soda and place them in different corners of the room. Baking soda absorbs leftover bad odors.
• It’s important to keep the momentum going. Procrastination or lapses only mean a return to clutter and a potentially bigger to-do list in the long run.

We asked five personalities what are some of the things they would like to get rid off.

Don't throw your junk just yet! Donate them at these places.

Phase Two: Reorganize

Without some sort of organizational structure (no matter how vague), let’s face it—your home would be a chaos. The key thing to keep in mind is the big picture. While you want to get organized, there’s no need to kill yourself over minor details. Just keep it simple and everything will flow.

The main thing you need to achieve when it comes to reorganizing is to know where your stuff is, and that you can get it when you need it. Think about your personal habits, likes and dislikes, your needs and your lifestyle—then plan your organizational system from there.

Start with the big stuff—like your TV and the various types of activities you might want to engage in the storage area. If you also play video games and watch DVDs in your living room, you might want to invest in a multi-entertainment storage unit for your Playstation and DVD player.

Aside from the floor, walls make good storage options too. If you’re out of floor space, stick some open shelves, CD or shoe racks on your walls and you’re set for action. But don’t put frequently used items high up—they should always be within close reach for maximum convenience.

If you’re still confused, just follow Mr. Know-It-All’s five-step guide to getting organized below:

1. First, you must sort your things according to categories that make sense to you. Think about grouping items together by type, activity, frequency of use and physical characteristics. For example, you might want to stuff incriminating magazines and DVDs into harder-to-reach places that only you know about.

2. Reduce the amount of your junk by selling or discard items that are worn or broken out. This is the perfect excuse to give away that Playstation that don’t work anymore (it ain’t going up in value, honey).

3. Give each category a specific storage location and store items close to where you need and will use them. Meaning, this will give you quicker access to your favorite magazines and DVDs that we talked about earlier.

4. Count and measure the items in your categories and determine the amount and type of space required. You wouldn’t want to break your favorite collector’s toy if it doesn’t fit into a miniscule storage unit now, would you?

5. With that all done, you can now determine your storage solution. Select storage solutions that match the physical requirements of your items, the space available and your taste. Make sure your storage units work for you, and not the other way round.

Tips on how to maximize your storage space

Phase Three: Redecorate

Here comes everyone’s favorite bit—buying new stuff and sprucing up your flat with spanking new items from swanky furniture shops and funky home décor stores. Mr. Know-It-All reckons that you might want to splash out a bit, so he’s included some extravagant main pieces, but threw in some affordable, yet funky touches as well so that you can be sure that no one else’s living room will look like yours. Read on to see how you can transform your living room into a heavenly boudoir:

1. This gorgeous, dramatic two-seater Emperado sofa in mysterious maroon will make a stunning centerpiece to your living room. Everyone will be dying to lounge on it. $3,000 from Bulb.

2. This über cool alternative to boring ceiling lights is quietly stylish and effortlessly functional. $79 from IKEA.

3. Colorful, bright, functional and funky, Every living room’s gotta have of these Elvis stolls. $100 each from Air.

4. This simple but striking coffee table with built-in lamp will light up your drab living room anytime. $2,100 from Air.

5. With a lamp as brilliant and lovely as this birdcage pendant lamp with light purple crystals, you’d never want to leave your house again. $2,600 from Bulb.

6. This Artistic Bettan Linje rug will funk up your living room floor the fuss-free way. $79 from IKEA.

7. Reflect your best side, every time, with this dramatic full-length Fuze mirror that will also help make your living room look a little bigger. $89 from Courts.

Useful Tips

Want to make the most out of the decorative space you have? Eddy Kuswandi from EJ Square Design Pte Ltd and George Budiman from Cynosure Design have some clever tips to dispense.

• Have correct space planning—this will really help you to maximize space.
• Spend some time thinking about the most space-centric way to arrange your furniture. The wrong arrangement can cause a lot of space to get taken up unnecessarily.
• A few well-placed mirrors and glass panels can enlarge your apartment and create an illusion of space.
• Don’t be hasty when choosing materials—pick them when you’re in a good mood to avoid making decisions you might regret.
• Consider the overall look of your home before picking your wall color. For instance, an urban chic resort home with natural materials would probably have a different wall color from a modern classical home with chandeliers.
• If you want more space, don’t pick oversized furniture for your home. Don’t buy more chairs than you really need.
• If you have a raised floor, make use of it and store stuff underneath.
• Try not to be too adventurous or overly ambitious—stay focused and don’t be half-hearted.

Enlist help from these people to decorate your room

Address Book

Air #01-18, Park Mall, 9 Penang Rd, 6352-7307

Bulb 8 Gemmill Lane, 6225-0158

Courts 50 Tampines North Drive 2, 6309-7888

IKEA 317 Alexandra Rd, 6474-0122

For storage solutions that work, we have the good people from IKEA to dispense us some handy tips on how to maximize storage:

• Use boxes to hide clutter and add color.

• Stash unused stuff under your bed.

• Be creative and stretch the mileage of your storage items—a laundry bag can store kids’ toys, while jars can store miscellaneous items.

• Use bookends for your CDs and DVDs.

• Utilize wall space—attach shelves on them.

• Get add-on extension units for more storage space above your shelves

• Get a customized wardrobe that’s tailor- made for the amount of space you want and need.

• Get furniture with dual functions— such as a bench with storage under the seat.

• Use shelf inserts inside drawers.

• Get stackable or foldable furniture so you save on space.

• Lastly, label your storage boxes.

“Soft Light” by Stephanie Forsythe and Todd MacAllen.

For the 2003 competition, Forsythe and MacAllen created, from translucent material with a honeycomb structure, pieces that vary in size, shape and function such as a glowing table and a sliding door. The original idea was a partition in a room to create a private space. Light source can illuminate from within the piece, be part of the piece or shine through the piece.

Why it won

“The brief to participants for the competition was crafted with the aims of the DesignSingapore Initiative in mind—to develop expertize in particular design disciplines, but also to promote a better understanding of design as an integrative and multidisciplinary process that is also of the emotional impact. The winning design demonstrates these qualities. It’s a design that draws on the interactions between space, light and our living environment.”
—Edmund Cheng, Chairman, DesignSingapore Council

“The jury intended, at a time when technology appears to be the only way to manage our lives, to award this elegant attitude and interaction with light that is able to create a varied and poetic atmosphere in the environment.”
—Piero Gandini, President, FLOS

I-S says

The piece, which can be twisted and turned to suit different purposes or environments, is expandable and leaves a lot of room for the imagination. And the way its simple honeycomb structure design filters light is harmonious and beautiful. In a nutshell, we love it because it is classy, modular, modern, subtle and, yes, hip.

How you can win too

We asked lighting and design experts what the secret of creating a good lighting design is.

Create an environment, not just a design
“Everything in and around the light is important. The environment and the light should compliment each other in the best of ways.”
—Kelvin Yong, a Product and Industrial Design graduate from Temasek Polytechnic.

Good to look at, good to use
“Both aesthetics and functionality has to go hand in hand. ‘Balance’ and ‘harmony’ are the keywords.”
—Jason Tan, Product Designer, Siemens VDO

Light for all
“Everyone can design good lighting. They just need
a sense of creativity and innovation.”
—Jason Tan, Product Designer, Siemens VDO
“Just look around and observe your surroundings, because all necessary information is there.”
—Tim Derhaag, Lighting Designer, FLOS

Pu’er tea

Pu’er is the name of the town from which this tea was originally bought and sold. Unlike other teas, the fermentation process can take anywhere from one to 50 years, and it is considered a medicinal tea by many Chinese.

“Pu’er is more expensive than other tea since it has gone through a long and complicated fermentation, then the leaves are compressed into solid bricks of various sizes to retain the earthy flavor for longer periods of time. Its flavor gets better and smoother with age,” explains Noppaporn Phasaphong, owner of Ong’s Tea. She advises drinking pu’er tea after a meal as it helps digestion. Beneficial to those with particularly stressful or hedonistic lifestyles, the tea is also believed to help lower blood pressure and detoxify the liver.

Green tea

Due to its minimal fermentation, green teas contain a high concentration of antioxidants. Although it has a shorter shelf life than other teas and generally loses flavor within a year, this tea is said to reduce the risk of cancer and improve cognition. As a staple of the Japanese diet, this tea is cited as part of the reason why they have the longest lifespan in the world. Although it certainly isn’t a cure, much research in the medicinal properties of green tea has consistently found it to reduce the risk of cancer and lower cholesterol.

But watch out: The so-called bottled green tea and iced tea drinks found in your typical convenience store barely contain any health benefits, but instead are loaded with sugar. “They should be called refreshing drinks instead of green tea,” comments Noppaporn.

Black tea

Black tea, commonly known as red tea in china, is the most widely consumed tea in the world. “Unlike green tea, the black tea leaves are fully fermented, which accounts for its higher concentration of caffeine and more robust flavor,” says Bousarin Methangkul, assistant marketing manager of Whittard of Chelsea. Due to its longer oxidation, black teas retain their flavor for far longer. As a stimulant for the central nervous system, the high amount of caffeine found in most black teas promotes alertness and wards off fatigue.

Oolong tea

A popular accompaniment of dim sum, oolong cha lies somewhere between green tea and black tea. “Oolong is half-fermented tea. If it is left longer to oxidize, it would become black tea and have a stronger flavor,” says Noppaporn.

Also, oolong combines the health benefits of both black and green tea but to a lesser degree. Like green tea, oolong is cool in nature and activates the enzymes in the stomach responsible for breaking down oils consumed during a fatty meal.

The discerning tea drinker would describe it as bitter but, like a fine wine, with a sweet aftertaste. “Oolong has a sweet lingering aroma and flavor. Its caffeine content lies between green and black tea, making oolong a great coffee alternative that also works well as a wake-up drink,” adds Ong’s Tea owner.

Herbal tea

An entirely different genre of tea, herbal teas (known as huacha in China) usually don’t contain actual tea leaves and are caffeine-free. The widely popular chrysanthemum tea is purported to prevent sore throats and reduce fever, while lavender tisane is a natural cure for insomnia as its soothing scent has a relaxing effect perfect for those in need of a good night’s rest. Different herbal teas usually cater to specific ailments and most are said to have mild medicinal properties, but it is recommended to consult a doctor before self-treating.

Where to Tea Off

Ong’s Tea
4/F, Siam Discovery, Rama 1 Rd., 02-658-0445. Open daily 10am-10pm
With its first outlet on Bumrungmuang Rd., this long-standing teashop offers almost every tea under the sun from pu’er to long jing. Teaware items are also on offer.

Whittard of Chelsea
Try G/F, Q House Life Center, 02-610-7519. Open daily 10am-10pm, and G/F, Siam Paragon, Rama 1 Rd., 02-610-7519. Open daily 10am-10pm
The English tea brand provides a vast selection of eastern and western teas. For those seeking to minimize caffeine intake, various flavored teas and decaf infusions are also available.

Erawan Tea Room
2/F, Erawan Bangkok, 02-254-1234. Open daily 10am-10pm
This beautiful tearoom has takeaway packages of tea from India, China, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Also, you can grab a seat and enjoy an ongoing promotion that allows you to enjoy the famous afternoon tea (2:30-6pm) for B150.

The Oriental Shop
G/F, Siam Paragon, 02-610-9845/6. Open daily 10am-10pm
At this Oriental outlet, there are about 10 kinds of tea, with prices starting at B300/can, for you to bring home. Instant tea packages are also on offer for those intimidated by the tea brewing process.

Wrap it well

1 Choose a box that matches your gift’s size and shape. Put the box at the center of a piece of wrapping paper, making sure that each side of the paper is enough to wrap the box. For a perfect result, when folded up each end of the paper should meet with the middle of the box.

2 Bring one lengthwise edge to the center of the box and attach with double-sided tape. Turn the other edge of the paper up, making it overlap the first edge. Fold the second edge in about an inch to hide any rough cuts before taping it.

3 Turn to a short end. Grab the left and right corner of the paper; push both sides in to make top and bottom flaps. Try to keep them close to the box as much as possible (don’t make it too tight or you’ll wreck it).

4 Tape both flaps to the box. If the edge is too long, do the same as you did on the longwise side—fold it in.

5 Don’t overlook small details—the ribbon you choose and how you tie it inevitably reflects your taste. Never match graphics, patterns or cartoon wrapping papers and ribbons together. Plain is classic, and safe.

6 Place one end of the ribbon at the center of the box. Leave about four or five inches free to tie a bow later.

7 Wrap a long tail around and cross it with the first end at the center of the box. Twist it, and wrap around the other side of the box.

8 Tie a knot tightly then make a bow.

9 Fold the ends of the ribbon in half and cut at a 45-degree angle.

10 Write a card and insert a tag—it could be almost anything ranging from a Christmas tree ornament to a toy to a glass mat, like this one.

Maybe you’ve been there too—that moment when you think the dry cleaner has shrunk half of your wardrobe in a terrible steam-pressing accident, causing your legs to no longer fit into your pants. A trip on the Sky Train is scrapped because going up those stairs seems far too much like hard work. And your two new boyfriends are named Ben and Jerry.

The solution: get fit, fast. But if you want to keep prying eyes off your cottage cheese thighs at the gym and your brain from inventing myriad excuses for you to stay at home (“the latest Entourage episode comes on in 85 minutes!”), there is only one solution: A four- to six-week long program called “Boot Camp” dedicated to making you and your fat miserable.

For three days a week at Lumpini Park and at around B10,000 a month, commitment is usually not a problem—even in the face of 6am starts and far-too-cheery motivational chatter before the first coffee of the day. Since exercises during the 60-minute sessions (ranging from hill sprints to innocuous-looking stretchy band things that are actually the devil) are time-oriented rather than result-oriented, people can feel free to work at their own pace. Goals include a higher heart rate, improved flexibility, lower body fat, and better confidence once your time is up. And if you feel dissatisfied with your experience, there’s even a money-back guarantee.

Be serious and be prepared: Boot Camp rewards the hard working and is only open to people who are committed to trying all of the exercises, even those murderous suicide drills. Cringing moments during the sessions (aside from crying like a girl during pull-ups and tripping over your jump rope) include the shout-out of how many calories you’ve expended at the end of the sessions. Women, on average, use up about 400-800 calories in a one-hour session, while men can go from 600-1,000. And if you’re looking to snag a cute, fit mate during the Camp, you will be sorely disappointed—most people are really into getting fit and you won’t be in any condition to lure anything other than flies. “We can be selective about who we work with, because we take our job seriously,” says Daniel Remon, head of Fitcorp, the company running Boot Camp.

Sick of the snarky skinny girls by the drinks machine at your gym? Tired of knowing the names of all the contestants on America’s Next Top Model? Think you’re up to the Boot Camp challenge? To sign up, contact Remon at 02-656-8828/-30 or email daniel@fitcorpasia.com.

Most of us have experienced the awful feeling of a sleepless night. You’re lying in bed, watching the clock tick away, your mind racing. You desperately need to sleep—a long day is ahead—but you just can’t.

How often does this happen to you? If you experience insomnia two or three times a week, you could be suffering from a sleeping disorder. You could also be stressed about your personal or work life.

Types of Insomnia

Insomnia can be transient, short-term or chronic. Transient insomnia lasts for a few nights, while short-term insomnia lasts for about two to four weeks. Both occur because of stress, external noise, extreme temperature changes, disrupted sleeping habits (such as jet lag) and the side effects of medication.

Insomnia is chronic when it lasts over a month and begins to affect your daily life. It is usually caused by medical, physical or deep-seated psychological problems, a sleep disorder, medication or usage of substances. In these circumstances, a medical consultation is imperative.

How Much Sleep Do You Need?

It’s all relative, but most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep every night. As you age, you need less sleep.

What Can Be Done?

You have more to do with your lack of sleep than you realize. You could be doing something continuously in your lifestyle that perpetuates insomnia. For instance, drinking four cups of coffee a day is probably not helpful. It pays to examine your lifestyle to see what can be done to improve the quality and quantity of your sleep.

Review Your Dietary Habits

Getting better sleep starts with your diet. You shouldn’t take caffeine, nicotine and alcohol four to six hours before bedtime. Coffee, caffeinated drinks like Coca-Cola and Pepsi, and tea all contain stimulants, which will definitely keep your mind alert and your eyes wide open. The same goes for cigarettes, as they contain nicotine—also a stimulant. So stop smoking too close to bedtime (that can be a good reason to quit). Sloshing down copious amounts of alcohol close to bedtime for a “nightcap” when you’re depressed or stressed will only keep you up, making you even grumpier in the morning.

Try not to take too heavy a meal before going off to bed. It will sit in your stomach and make you feel too bloated and queasy to doze off. However, don’t go to bed hungry either—all that endless rumbling will prevent you from getting your winks. Instead, have a light snack of wheat crackers or something similar. A glass of warm milk also works wonders.

Adjust Your Habits

Besides changing your dietary habits, make adjustments to your behavior to pave the way for a good night’s sleep. Never exercise too close to bedtime. You may feel good sweating it out initially, but all that adrenaline will just keep you awake later on. If you must work out, do it well before bedtime—at least four hours before. This will give your body adequate time to wind down.

The mind is also an extremely sensitive thing. If you keep doing work, watching TV, eating, or worrying in bed, your mind and body will eventually associate the bed with work. So much so that when you climb into bed, your mind will still be in active mode as it believes you should be engaging in activity. Try to use your bed only for sleeping (and sex of course!).

Go to sleep only when you’re about to zonk off. If you go to bed feeling all bright-eyed and chirpy, chances are you’ll take a long time to drift into sleep. However, if you’re already sleepy when you hit the sheets, you’ll fall asleep quickly and spare yourself the agony of tossing and turning.

Reading also helps. Pick up the dullest tome you can find. The mind-numbing monotony of reading your washing machine manual, for instance, is almost certain to make your lids close.

If you fall asleep but wake up and cannot resume your sleep, don’t lie there. If it’s been more than 30 minutes, leave the room and do something boring until you’re nodding off.

Get a sleep routine too. Try to retire and get up at the same time every morning and night so as to get your “body clock” tuned well. Stick religiously to this internal schedule—even on weekends and no matter how hard it is. Avoid daytime naps at all costs too. If you must nap, keep it short—less than an hour.

Change Your Environment

Unless you sleep in a vacuum, it’s pretty obvious that your environment has a part to play in your sleep. Always make sure the temperature in your room is comfortable—it should neither be too hot or too cold.
When you go to the bathroom, don’t switch on bright lights. This signals your mind to be awake. Instead, use a dim night light that’s just bright enough to let you see where you’re going.

Try not to feel apprehensive about sleeping in anticipation of insomnia—it’ll make things worse. Relax by listening to soothing music or sprinkle your sheets with lavender. The cool, sweet scent of it might have you asleep in seconds.

If you live in a noisy neighborhood, use a white noise tape or buy ear plugs to keep out noise. Sleep in complete darkness and use an eye mask to block out sudden light.

General Do’s And Don’ts

Never turn the clock towards you if you can’t sleep. It’ll drive you crazy. Turn it to face the wall where you can’t see it. Also, stop running the day’s events over and over in your mind. Clear your mind of all thoughts and get in a restful state of mind. If it helps, take a cool shower (not a warm one) before hitting the sack.
Insomnia is distressing, but you can do something about it. After all, sleep is one reward we all deserve after a hard day’s work.

Sleep Disorders

Insomnia is also linked to these sleep disorders:

Sleep Apnea—breath stoppages while sleeping that can last for about 10 seconds to one minute.

Narcolepsy—the urge to sleep no matter how much one has slept.

Nocturnal Myoclonus—violent leg twitching every 20 to 40 seconds that can last from minutes to hours.

Restless Legs Syndrome—uncomfortable sensations that are felt inside the legs and other parts of the body.

Nightmares and Night Terrors—frightening dreams and sensations.

Consequences of Insomnia

• Daytime fatigue
• Decreased concentration
• Impaired mood
• Higher risk for injury and illness
• Depression
• Falling asleep during driving
• Psychological distress

Why do some people uncontrollably convulse right before they fall asleep?

What is it? You’re lying in bed, just about to drop into blissful oblivion, when suddenly you feel like you’re falling, your leg jolts out to balance you, you jolt up to see what the hell is going on...The phenomenon of jerking yourself awake just as you’re dropping off is commonly known as “sleep jerks” or “hypnic jerks.”

Why does it happen? Scientists are divided on the subject and there are two different hypotheses, but not a lot of concrete research about causes. Some sleep researchers believe that the jerking motion is linked to the physical changes that occur within your body as you fall asleep; your breathing slows down, your temperature drops and your muscle tension changes. It is thought that hypnic jerks may be a byproduct of this muscular transition.

The other hypothesis is that as your body begins to fall into a state of total relaxation there’s a point at which your muscles really let go. At this point your brain can sometimes misinterpret this muscle relaxation as a sign that you’re falling and shoots out a message to jerk your limbs to stay upright—this would also explain why you often feel like you are falling right before you wake up.

Should I worry? This is an entirely normal phenomenon and as long as it only happens once or twice in a night you have nothing to worry about. However, there is a disorder known as “Periodic Limb Movement,” which causes patients to jerk for up to two hours at regular intervals during sleep, leaving the patient exhausted upon awaking but unaware as to why. Obviously if this is happening, it’s probably best to head to the doctor.

Why does asparagus make your pee smell weird?

What is it? Yes, it’s gross but let’s not beat about the bush here—you’ve eaten some asparagus and then about 15 to 30 minutes later you take a pee and you smell the strange stench of rotting egg. You try to convince yourself it’s not you, but there’s no denying it, that smell is coming from your pee.

Why does it happen? Asparagus is filled with sulfurous amino acids that break down during digestion into various compounds. These can give a unique smell to your urine as they are excreted.

“It’s the same sulfur group that makes skunks smell,” explains dietician Samantha Li. “Not a great deal of research has been done into the phenomenon so no one can say exactly why it affects some people more than others.” Indeed, scientists are again divided on the issue: One camp believes that only about half the population has a gene enabling them to break down the sulfurous amino acids in asparagus into their smellier components. Meanwhile, others believe we all digest asparagus in the same way, but only about half of us have a gene that enables us to actually smell the specific compounds formed in the digestion of asparagus.

Should I worry? According to the Dictionary of Medical Syndromes, which includes an entry on the urinary excretion of “odoriferous components of asparagus”: “The syndrome does not have any pathological significance.” In other words, you’re safe, it’s normal—just hold your nose next time.

What are those dust specks you sometimes get in front of your eyes?

What is it? When you are tired or have been looking at a light source for too long, you may notice strange specks floating in front of your eyes that look like a small hair or a spot of dust. These are called “floaters.”

Why does it happen? Floaters are actually tiny clumps of cells inside the vitreous (the clear jelly-like substance that fills the inside of your eye). So while they may look like specks or strands of hair, you are in fact seeing the shadows of floaters cast on the retina (the light sensitive part of your eye). This is why as you move your eye, the floater moves with it—because what you’re seeing is not in front of your eyes but actually within your eyes. The floaters can be a sign of strain on the eye and occur when the vitreous thickens and clumps. It’s also common for pregnant women to experience floaters on a regular basis—in this case, they are seeing little bits of protein that are trapped in the eye.

Should I worry? Most spots and floaters are a harmless annoyance that disappears over time. However, you should see a doctor if the eye floaters are accompanied by flashes of light, peripheral vision loss or migraines, as those could be signs of more serious conditions such as diabetes or retinal hemorrhages.

Why do baked beans make you fart?

What is it? Canned baked beans, soybeans, peas, cabbage and onions can all create the most potent and irrepressible gas.

Why does it happen? Baked beans (and many other similar products) are sweetened with a family of sugars called “oligosaccharides.” In a nutshell, these are big clumsy molecules that are too large to slip into your body through the lining of the small intestine. Normally when your food reaches your small intestine, your intestinal enzymes snap up all the useful molecules, but for some reason these particular sugars are too complex to be broken down and therefore pass through into the large intestine still bearing valuable nutrients. Within the large intestines sit bacteria, which break down any leftovers. When a useful molecule slips into their home, they divide and grow to take advantage of the new food. As they consume the sugars, they let out gas which then accumulates and collects in your intestines. So essentially a bean fart is millions and millions of little bacteria farts combined together.

Should I worry? Yes! No, just kidding. Like all these things, if it’s happening often and is harming your social life, then you should probably visit your doctor. If not, just grin and bear it...or blame it on your dog.

Why do you sometimes shiver shortly after you pee?

What is it? While some of you will have no idea what we’re talking about when we refer to the pee shiver, others will be nodding in an all-too-familiar manner. The pee shiver occurs within the last few seconds of urination; it’s an uncontrollable shake that takes hold of the entire body.

Why does it happen? No one has ever conducted a study on why this phenomenon occurs. However, after chatting to many waterworks experts, the most plausible explanation we discovered was from urologist Dr. Stephen Woo. “Basically, your autonomic nervous system controls your body’s involuntary muscles, like the muscles around your bladder that help you control yourself when you go to the toilet,” he explains. “It also regulates your body’s temperature control, making you shiver to warm up or perspire to cool down. So there is a theory that during urination, the autonomic system can get over-stimulated and in addition to the messages it is sending to your bladder to allow you to urinate, it may also cross-communicate to other areas; hence the shiver. It’s almost like your autonomic system becomes confused and sends mixed messages.” The longer you hold in your pee the more your body can become overstrained and more likely to send these confused messages.

Should I worry? The pee shiver is not normally a problem but when it occurs to a man, it has been known for the shiver to cue a drop in blood pressure, which can cause them to pass out at the urinal. But before you start taking precautionary friends into the toilet with you, this usually only happens to men above the age of 60.

Leo DiCaprio did it years ago. Nick Cage just did it a couple weeks ago. Angelina Jolie did it. Colin Farrell did it. Denzel Washington and Russel Crowe are reportedly going to do it, as is Sylvester Stallone (again). These are just a few of the actors who have seen their work take them to our fair shores. And it’s not just Hollywood but also Bollywood and of course our very own ‘Kokwood that is finding Thailand an ideal place to shoot movies. According to government officials, this is great for our economy and tourism (which is great for our economy), and we can expect to see more and more film and TV productions here, including Rambo 50 (just kidding: it’s “only” Rambo 4) starring Sly Stallone and American Gangster with Denzel Washington.

What’s good for Thailand can also be good for you. How, you ask? Well, making a movie is not such an easy thing to do. It takes a whole lot of bodies, and they can’t afford to send all of them over from Los Angeles or wherever. Aside from all the stylists and best boys and prima donna directors and crocodile wranglers, they usually need regular people—like you—acting like regular people to fill out the scenes and make them look realistic. These are the “extras.”

Film Extra 101

The dictionary definition of an extra is “a performer in a film, television show or stage production who has no role or purpose other than to appear in the background. Extras often require little to no acting experience and are hired en masse with little formality.” You know, one of those people running around screaming when the earthquake hits or the first dozen people Godzilla lays waste to in the first 10 minutes of the movie or, less glamorously, the people standing around in the background while the real actors strut their stuff. Those are extras.

One reason to get into this line of work is for the money—though in general you won’t get rich unless you’re a trained actor. Pinlak Eimsa-art, who makes her living from being an extra, explains: “Basically there are two types of movie extras. Local people and students from acting school. Everyone seems to think that good-looking ones will get better pay, but that’s a huge misconception. Actually, the amount of money they get depends on their talents and their physical characteristics.”

Pay for a regular Joe picked up off the street usually starts around B500 per day, but jumps to B3,000-5,000 per day for someone who is professionally trained. There are some well-known extras who earn as much as B50,000 per day, but that is fairly rare.

Many people become extras for the rush. There is a certain indescribable feeling that comes with being on the set of a film or television show—a sense that you are taking part in the creation of some of that famous movie magic.

Manit Tanakornprapa, a university student in Bangkok who was an extra in the Thai movie Payuk Rai Sai Nha, really enjoyed seeing all the behind-the-scenes work. “You get some really interesting insight into how movies are made and the system behind a production. I’m interested in photography, so of course I like to see how cameramen do their jobs. That was exciting.”

Jacqueline Hitzler, a German exchange student, was approached on Khao San Road to appear as an extra. “It’s the eclectic mix of people you encounter on a set that makes the job interesting,” she says. “There are students next to managers who just want a break from their everyday jobs; there are tourists and sometimes people who have been flown in. There’s never a lack of interesting characters to talk to.”
Another plus to working on a movie set as an extra is that you have a chance to rub shoulders with the stars. “I had a minor part in Nicolas Cage’s new movie Time to Kill,” Jacqueline says. “He was very nice. But most celebs just ignore you.”

On this point, Pinlak agrees. “Like every society, the entertainment world has a hierarchy. You might get the chance to meet stars, but don’t expect to have a long chat with them or share a meal. The stars usually are separated from the rest of the crew on breaks.”

Finally, some extras are hoping for exposure or a shot at stardom. Hitzler, for example, got a contract with one of Thailand’s leading modeling agencies after being noticed for her work as an extra. And acclaimed Hollywood stars Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Michael Caine all got their feet wet first as extras.

It Ain’t All Rosy

Like any job, being an extra also has its minuses. The first complaint you’ll hear from anyone doing this line of work is that there’s a lot of downtime. The long delays for actors and extras is actually fairly typical of a film or television shoot, due to the unpredictable nature of coordinating the efforts of dozens to hundreds of people for a single shot to come off right. Anyone who has tried to make a movie will certainly sympathize with this sentiment, but for the inexperienced extra, it can be boring as all hell. For this reason, and the pay, Manit’s first experience as an extra was also his last. “One day I was told to be there at 9pm, but the shot I was supposed to be in wasn’t until 3am. It was a waste of time—plus, I only earned B500.”

The next biggest complaint is that the pay isn’t commensurate with the time and effort. Suphasawatt Buranawech, a government official in Bangkok who occasionally works as an extra, brings up another typical pitfall. “I’ve played in four or five TV soaps and several TV commercials, including one for DTAC. But the pay is never right. I think extras are paid unreasonably low rates compared to the time they spend working.”
Remember that it’s usually necessary to repeat scenes many times over and over. Jacqueline recalls acting in a production called The Aftermath about the 2004 tsunami. The scene involved her and a few dozen extras running up the beach on Khao Lak away from the approaching waves. Of course getting everything to look right took take after take. In 37-degree heat, this experience was more than a little trying.
Another worry is not getting paid at all. Extras, like models, are particularly vulnerable to unscrupulous middlemen who don’t deliver what they promise or, worse, disappear completely with the money from the filmmakers.

“The bad thing about this career is uncertainty. The shooting is subject to change 24/7, but that’s normal. The real risk is being cheated. Since they will pay only when the job is done, the best way to avoid this is to work with a company you trust,” says Pinlak.

Getting Started

There are generally two ways of becoming an extra: Either someone comes up to you on the street and asks if you’d like a job, or you go out and actively find an agent. Modeling agencies and casting agents will take you on if you fit what they are looking for, and then you will be sent out on jobs.

Finding the right agent is important as this person will set you up with work as well as negotiate your pay. You should make sure your agent is really on your side and not just trying to fill his or her own pockets. If it’s a big job or the role is a speaking part, you may be asked to audition.

“We do a lot for our models. We take the strain off them when it comes to castings, since we do them at our agency and thus don’t have to send our models to other places every few days,” says Kiril Okun of JFP Talent and Modeling. “But we also expect a lot in return: Our models have to be serious about the job. They have to be reliable, punctual and aware of the time and energy commitment involved.”

So while a lot is up to chance, a lot is up to you as well. Adds Pinlak: “To survive as a good extra, you must not only have the ability to perform but also the ability to get along with all sorts of people, ranging from the director to the maid.”

DO’S & DON’T’S

Your ticket to stardom! Just take our tips to heart.

Do be patient. Sometimes agents won’t call or offer you a job in ages. That’s not because they hate your hairstyle or think you are too fat, but because there simply are no jobs at the moment. Clients are usually pretty specific about what they want, so don’t despair if you’re not the type they are looking for—the next job will come.

Don’t be too specific—at least not in the beginning. If you are serious about building a reputation for yourself, you can’t afford to dismiss any job that comes your way. Be it standing in the background at a movie or running through the picture in a shampoo commercial—no pain, no gain.

Don’t be a diva. There is no agent, make-up artist or production manager who likes to deal with snobs, and there’ll be plenty of time for demanding Evian and white flowers in your cloakroom when you’ve ascended to the likes of J-Lo. As model agent Phromayant Chansri says: “You have to respect your job and know what you’re doing. Sometimes profit has to be the last priority.”

Do be persistent. You’ll meet plenty of people at jobs, from agents to model scouts and casting directors. Don’t hesitate to call them and ask for jobs if they’ve given you their name cards. Just not every five minutes, if you know what we mean.

Do be dependable. If you’re told to be there at 5am, be there at 4:45. “We can only work with you if you’re always on time, don’t leave the location and respect the team”, says David J. of ND Modeling. Don’t fuss around when you’re told to do something, no matter how stupid it might be. Try not to complain too much, even if there is reason to complain. As bad as it sounds: You might have to suck up to agents or producers in the beginning and give them the feeling you’ll do anything for them. That way, they’ll trust you and give you more jobs.

Don’t expect everything to come to you in no time. Unless you’ve got Heidi’s curves and Giselle’s face, give yourself a little time for your ascent to stardom. Be nice to all the people you meet on jobs, no matter of their position: They might be your ticket to more (and better) work. And the more jobs you do, the more people will know your face.