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A sum up of 2011

2011-12-31T14:12:00.005+08:00

Seriously, reflecting back the months I had lived through, it is not a simple matter as I think. But as I traced back my blog and started figuring things out, this year, in fact, probably turned out to be a year of "something"

1. Took a lot more photos this year, thanks to the invention of instagram
2. Hottest degree in my head of 40.5 hit on my birthday this year
3. Figure out after going in rounds for these many years, I love to draw/illustrate after all. As simple as that.
4. Made very good friends with Wawa the scaredy cat. Always there when I want him to be around.
5. Earned my first graphic design award.
6. Someone dear left and head to another world of unknown, while another dear embark on a new life and a child.
7. Went to Hong Kong for the first time in life.
8. Own my first Mac Book Pro, Wacom and Ukulele.
9. Went to the Gardens by the bay. lovely place
10. Failing memory and managing stress slightly better.

I dunno. what have 2011 done to me? I don't really remember much actually.

2012 resolution?

Keep things simple,
Keep learning,
Keep loving,
Keep drawing,
Keep breathing... on.

-tw

A sum up of 2011

2011-12-31T14:12:00.002+08:00

rabbit

2011-12-08T00:30:00.003+08:00

rabbit is locked up in the cage. being instructed what to do, how you should move, scolded for making wrong moves. blamed for doing the correct and wrong things. asked to eat what is given...

rabbit belongs to the grassland, forest and nature. rabbit wants to run wild and fast on vast lands.
rabbit yearn to escape. escape to somewhere where rabbit could breath once more.

spirit already left the rabbit,
what is left of it is just a soulless bunch of ugly fur.

-tw

bye tagboards

2011-12-08T00:27:00.002+08:00

bye cbox tagboard.
you suck all spammers here.
for goodness sake I dunno why.

pissed off.

-tw

stress reliever

2011-11-19T22:10:00.002+08:00

Brought a stress reliever.
As time goes by, you will realized some things can never be put aside. And I am going back for it.

-tw

Baker

2011-10-25T01:01:00.003+08:00

Things I feel attached to are when they are created without the aim to create.

wacom does wonders.
And afterall, I still found out I really (x3) love to draw...

still.

-tw

瞎想

2011-10-09T01:45:00.004+08:00

心不知為何凍結，
雖知忙不是藉口，
但似乎早已習慣。

習慣成遠離一切，
彌補是虛擬幻想，
實現未必能成功。

努力不一定回報，
修禪不一定成佛，
做人不一定完美。

泥濘里奮力翻身，
或只在源地打滾。

-tw

what you really love to do.

2011-09-08T01:29:00.008+08:00

Tonight, I felt foolish all the while searching for what I love to do. I simply mocked at myself for being such a loser.

I questioned something that all the while it has been part of me. I thought I had a different answer. I thought I have grown out of what I love to do. But its only when I start to think back, which then, I truly realized all these search for answers was totally redundant.

My first dream in my life is to become an artist.
Bingo.
What have I been thinking? Adulthood has made us so analytical and logical that one forgets about those thoughts that were so called naive.
It is not about producing the best to make you love it but its about loving what you do to produce your best.

What is with all these struggles to find a new adulthood identity when (probably) I already have one since the day I picked up that paper and pencil?

So what do YOU really love to do?

-tw

Questions?

2011-08-30T23:09:00.003+08:00

Life is going at such a fast pace that I always felt guilty for resting, for wasting time.
Whereas people in the past do great stuffs and commit to only one thing because their pace is slow, they had the time to think and accept failures... they had the time to experiment and slowly perfect things.
What about us? Even meals become a chore that we end up throwing some instant noodles down our throat.

Is it possible to live somewhere slower? Will my impatient soul accept such slowness?

Came across some questions that I never thought of, maybe its time to ask myself what have I been doing all this while. The fast pace seems to hit me stronger and stronger.

"‎If grades were not important, what would you be learning?"
Probably psychology, geography or something to do with nature and animals. what is more amazing than the universe?

"where would you wish to wake up tomorrow?"
in a cottage sitting on a green pasture at the foot of a mountain.

design should not harm people. actually, so much of branding and advertising out there are making everyone slaves to money. Externalism, appearance... to signify one's status. everyone race to get latest product, limited edition.
what are the use of all these things?
the more we need, the less we should have.
isnt it?
so why design?
why communicate when we don't need them?

I am confuse.

-tw

Self-portrait

2011-08-04T23:45:00.002+08:00

Insanity sets upon me these days.
Sprees that I must stop.

-tw

A dead blog. Is that it?

2011-07-24T23:09:00.003+08:00

For once I thought I have left here for many months, leaving dust to accumulate on its own. But truly enough, it was only a month ago since I visited. But days passed like years. (Not quite the same compared to school.)
For I fear that days pass like years for the rest of my life...

We always end up doing things we ARE suppose to do. To do it for the SAKE of doing.
So what's left of us?

Things weren't as bad, but they weren't as good. Maybe it's just that I don't appreciate what I have and scream at it when I lose it.

I must be out of my mind.
No doubt.

-tw

Forgetful

2011-06-28T22:05:00.003+08:00

Have we all forgotten something?

Something that we once look forward to each new day.
The joy of doing nothing...
Driven by the money industry, have we all forgotten about what is our purpose on earth other than being efficient, fast, effective?

Human are such social animals that we don't do something odd one out unless you are trying to be funny or insane.
It is no longer easy to keep to your initial purpose... because everyone isnt.

In the mist of the efficient-driven economy, how can we continue breathing and keep reminded of the purpose of our existence?
We are not money making tools. We shouldn't be slave to money. We shouldn't be slave to our own species.

We are part of the earth. Why do we keep doing things to harm ourselves?
I don't understand why...

-tw

True face

2011-06-27T23:25:00.002+08:00

Animals hv the truest, most direct in expressing emotions.

When they are happy, they jump and look cute.
When they sense ur sadness, they stood by quietly and accompany u till u are better.
When they are scared, they bow their heads, ready to run and hide.
When they recognise u, they will surely come to u and greet u.
When u laugh at them with their silly stuns, they just do more to make u happy.

Whereas humans are never that true.
We hide our feelings, thinking that it may offend people, being laughed at, look weak..
And the list goes on. We filter what we want to show and hide the rest. At the end of the day, everyone are competing who has that fakest face.

If only the world can be as simple and direct.

-tw

Ask

2011-06-24T01:40:00.002+08:00

How did u end up here?
It's true that passion lost to patience.

Do u know why u are doing what u are doing?
Did passion lead u to do it or is patience that lead us?
How long can passion last before patience get frustrated.

Does it mean that u can't do anything eventhough u got passion but no patience?

election and exams

2011-05-06T20:31:00.003+08:00

Tomorrow is the election day.
So happening these days.
monday is exam.
tue is proj due
wed is exam...

But I produce more random illustration during exam period.

We tend to appreciate what we really like to do when we are force to do something we hate.
I think that's y

I almost forgotten that I am mugging.
whatever.

-tw

inspiration

2011-04-24T07:08:00.002+08:00

I still don't quite get the flow of creative juice going through my mind. you know you are dead meat already but there is something that u just couldn't understand and you definitely know something is missing from everything. you wait and wait. frown and frown... walked like a zombie thinking when the solution will stop by my brain.

it is that extremely irritating feeling that you think you can get it right yet its not there.
how frustrating.

to put simply, its a perfectionist waiting for an eureka within an eureka.
you can't simply articulate those thoughts.. asking others to do the eureka for you.

and eureka solutions sounded so normal to others when told yet it wasn't easy to coming up with one.

I will probably grow way to old for my current age....with all the crazy thinking.

-tw

New Motivation?

2011-04-17T00:52:00.001+08:00

some changes to keep things moving..

llamafont.com
via kailee

-tw

dream or dream on?

2011-04-16T00:59:00.002+08:00

recently I have been thinking about ambitions and dream. not that I have one but I just really wonder if having a dream (or clear goal) makes a successful person.

knowing what u want to achieve is actually a gift to one's life. And it is not fair to impose this on everyone because not everyone is shaped to know what they want to do.

its starting to sting me when I know I wont want to be a graphic designer for life. these "terms" for occupation listings seem to construct restrictions for dreams to happen. dreams to me, are open ended stuffs that I don't always stick to. and they often exist for a moment of excitement and later put aside for admiration. (without the courage to strive for it)

so what's left to work towards?
you dunno what to do and vaguely tell yourself that "its for your future..."

Its very contradicting to live a life when I want to know more about everything, picking up random knowledge and skill but yet the reality wants you to specialize... and people come to you for that expertise. People want you to focus on something and do it. The worse thing is that they want you to propose a specific area of your "interest"

It's time to hit myself back to the pure form and ask.. "what are you really interested in?"

-tw

Perseverance

2011-04-06T22:25:00.002+08:00

Snap yourself back. Nothing will come by if you don't persevere till the end.

-tw

Push on

2011-03-24T23:30:00.003+08:00

If there isn't any dark clouds, then where does the sliver lining come from?

so...keep pushing on even when dark clouds loom....
Forgetfulness is evil. I need constant reminder about dark clouds will eventually float away...

photo taken when I visited the MBS art science museum.
the landscape is much more interesting than the inside. period.

-tw

Japan's quake

2011-03-19T01:10:00.006+08:00

A poster thought I came up with while I was flipping through JAGDA book.

But really, I am really shocked with how quick everything happened.. But at the same time, very moved by their civilized and calm attitude.

Gambateh Nihon friends! Mono no aware
Really hope their life will be back to normal soon.

-tw

I wonder...

2011-03-17T20:02:00.006+08:00

And I finally understand the difference between butterflies and honey bees. ouch.
And how surface concept projects are being produced. ouch ouch ouch.

honey bees have an aim. and they work all life to fulfill that aim to generate a greater concept that is to give life to the next generation. they are organized and hardworking. knowing what they should do at different timing. They dun stand out in the crowd but rather, knows how they can help each other to achieve the goal.

Butterflies on the other hand fly around to feed themselves. they flutter on their own and work individually. Aesthetics are the priority in their world. Their aim is to attract the opposite sex with their aesthetics and carry on the next generation.

While people thinks butterflies are beautiful and nice to look at, bees are often avoided and think that they sting, probably bcos of their seriousness at work. who would rather admire at bees than butterflies? And the world is unfair that butterflies gets all the attention, while bees are the ones with a greater mind.

butterflies wants to trash everyone with their aesthetics.
bees just want to work towards a common goal with other bees. hoping that what they do will benefit others, not themselves.

bee gets drained out with just one butterfly around. what's more if its more than one?
how's this bee going to survive in the world of butterflies?

(*disclaimer: bees and butterflies here have been stereotyped. No intention to harm any species or the lovely nature)

-tw

not 2

2011-03-14T23:57:00.002+08:00

not too great,
not too bad,
not too good.

not to do,
not to see,
not to feel.

-tw

earthquake and tsunami in Japan

2011-03-11T23:24:00.002+08:00

I was watching videos online about Japan disaster..especially the one where tsunami just quickly flooded the farmland at the country side..mixing everything into a huge mixture of debris... for goodness sake dunno how many life in there, houses, cars, ships, trees... together into the earth and water.

For a split moment I thought I got incepted. this must be a joke man...
nope. its real. no hollywood effects.

Suddenly I recall all the doom thoughts I used to have, all the troubles, sufferings, unhappiness, they are totally minute compared to this. Or probably not even up to comparing such disaster.

Yet what I can only do is to watch videos, cry, heartache and can't help at all.
For years human attempted to control mother nature. But its just a foolish attempt.

What are we doing? what have we really done?

Sometimes I really wonder when will we really start loving and respecting what we have, pple around us, the things we own, the resources we have..
Human are foolish animals. We can only truly start loving and respecting AND regretting when everything leaves us.

Now I hope tsunami don't hit that many countries and hope as many life can survive through this ordeal.

"If you think you are formidable, open up google earth and see how small you are."

Split

2011-02-18T00:23:00.003+08:00

Mindset happens in a split. It's like one foot on one boat and the other on another boat. You sit on the fence. which side to take?
Your right foot is stronger and can stand better. You always depend on your right foot. You then shifted your weight towards the right, feeling positive that you have made the right choice.
But later the boat on your right shook.
freaked out, you quickly change to left.

then everyone around you boo at your change.
you stuck to the right in the end.

hiding in a corner on the boat, you kept wondering if the choice was correct. or maybe here isn't safe at all. the vast open sea cornered you to stick to that boat.

you wish your brain is dented somewhere so your foot can take charge of his own.
Till then, your feet will no longer irks with a smell.

-tw

Signs that you're a cat molester

2011-02-14T17:10:00.007+08:00

You know you're a CatMolester when:

1) Seeing your neighbourhood community cat on the way to work in the morning makes your day (me: of cos! just that I will disturb their morning naps)

2) You can't walk in a straight line across community-cat territory without going off-course to pet them (me: made me explore weird places of void deck)

3) You check for cats under your car before driving off to work (me: I look suspicious to be walking around cars thinking I will commit some crimes)

4) You greet your neighbourhood cats out loud (and by name) when you see them(me: cats remember by our shape and eyes i think. u go up close to them and they know its you. )

5) When you see someone petting the community cat you immediately decide this is someone you could be friends with (me: lol.)

6) You have cat conversations with the residents in the neighbourhood you live in (me: of cos!)

7) You are attuned to the cat politics in the area - which cat is friends with which cat, and which cats hate each other (me: definitely. how can you miss those out? e.g black cats are being discriminated by all other cats.)

8) Your smart phone is full of cat pics you've snapped (me: and videos too)

9) One of your proudest achievements was winning the trust of the shyest neighbourhood cat, and finally getting to pet her (me: oh yes! *smile* they might be scardy but actually want lots of love from us.)

10) When you go on holiday, you miss your community cats (me: will wonder if they are still okay)

11) You always have cat fur on your clothes (me: and in my room too =O)

12) You know exactly which neighbourhood cat likes chin scritches, or hates to have his paws touched, or enjoys getting his butt patted (me: some cats hate pple touching their heads. or anywhere close their heads)

13) You sport light cat scratches on your hands without complaint (me: painful but its part of cat interaction)

14) You carry cat treats in your bag (me: the only no. becos cats are too well fat that they need some slimming programme)

15) Not seeing a community cat on the way home makes your feel a little sad and unfulfilled (me: sometimes the more you want to find them, the harder it is. bad mood of cos)

A repost from CatMolester

pokey birthday

2011-02-14T17:05:00.002+08:00

first time in my life I didn't eat a birthday cake with family.
first time in my life I got a 40.5deg
first time in my life I got my butt poke by a needle (except baby which I have no records of memory)
it was the first time the doctor is stationed at the clinic.
it was my first time going to that clinic

first time I lie in bed whole day without going into sleep.
first time my phone rang non stop with birthday wishes on fb, sms and watsapp.
tons of warmth from everyone. thank you.

and sure it is, a very memorable birthday that is all unplanned but it happened.

-tw

Photo loh

2011-02-12T00:38:00.004+08:00

Instagraming every other day. You can see them here

many things are starting to exhaust me. thoroughly.
I use a fish tail to slap back to positivity. And I hope that fish will continue to live till the day I decided that the tail needs me more than I do.

-tw

slip off your hand

2011-01-27T23:01:00.002+08:00

decisions are hard to make.
and no matter what decisions we make, it is inevitable that we will think whether that decision we made was the correct one.
Because no one knows what will happen at the end of the two choices. No one even cares whether you made the right choice but only ourselves. You can't turn back anyway.

still pondering decision made 6 years ago was correct. to choose one passion over the other. Will I even get it back one day?
It's pretty dumb to have a vague 20years prediction of what I want when I don't even have any idea what I want 3 years down the road.

money is the root to all evil I guess.
crap.

-tw

Norm

2011-01-19T22:28:00.005+08:00

也許在此呆久了，天空變成遙不可及。
如果一切都能倒過來，這是否意味著自由的到來？

平凡，一律，不止。
爲什麽一定要做個平凡人才安全？
平凡人的字典沒有與衆不同。

平凡人都一律的活在一個不夜城，
在每時每刻，感官都被填的滿滿，
幾時耳朵有刻呼吸的時候？
觸感何時真正觸碰這世界？

月亮依然這麽遙遠。。。

yummy

2011-01-16T12:00:00.004+08:00

lovely ginger.

red ant

2011-01-04T19:10:00.001+08:00

Amateur attempt to take a red ant with a standard lens.

-tw

fireworks

2011-01-01T21:33:00.002+08:00

welcomed 2011 behind marina bay sands.
the fireworks all seem to be hiding behind the building and most of the photos turn out bad.
still soooo beginner.
=/

-tw

Happy 2011!

2010-12-31T17:27:00.002+08:00

And in terms of the chinese zodiac, next year is the rabbit year.
I remembered when I was young, I anticipated the rabbit year a lot. But upon the second rabbit year, sad to say, it doesn't represent anything other than growing old.

human. irony.

-tw

My Music

2010-12-28T00:40:00.005+08:00

my music in my comp is in total mess. so just before year 2010 ends, I did some re-categorizing...

But again, I ended up spending more time finding icons then to categorize my 36GB of music. But I grew to find categorizing therapeutic =)

Many weird representation of the categories, I know.. but was quite desperate already cos most don't appear as .ico. bleehhh..
okay, very lame I know. but visual peeps need this!

ps: old iTunes icon still look waaayy better than the new one.

-tw

shopping in the forest

2010-12-12T18:36:00.003+08:00

I had this weird thought these days...

To think that we walk in a forest full of things to see, to compare.. we look high and low in the forest, watching the surrounding.
We walk by rows and rows of trees, hoping to find the right plant to settle with.

We stand in front of those plants, thinking which species to pick up.
Some monkeys swift by, hitting your butt and laugh.

---------

We dress ourself trying to make ourself look like another species. We get things as if we manage to grow an extra limb. But after all, we all belong to the same species. Yet everyone are busy trying to create a unique look to make themselves new among the uglies.

---------

So if you are starting to find this familiar, the shopping malls and supermarkets are the modern version of forest. Once, our ancestor hunt in the forest, now we hunt in shopping malls. A good hunt is normally labelled in Arial white font on red background and says in caps, "SALE".

---------
In the past, they pick food up under the sunlight, we now pick food under fluorescent light. We choose what type of fish we want... where the fishes lies stagnant on the icy cold platform. How many hours have they been dead?
We look at which ~~brand~~ species is more worthwhile. They laid silently along endless rows of shelves.
---------

People might think I am crazy when I was smiling to myself when this metaphor popped up on my head while I was drifting in a supermarket one afternoon. Felt sad and disappointed with modernism..apparently, I bought nothing. But it such an irony that how much consumerism have changed our life... most importantly, our earth.
For once, I wonder if I am able to listen without my eyes, feel without my mouth, think without money.

Nothingness and emptiness have disappeared.

-tw

the next day

2010-12-08T23:03:00.002+08:00

"While we are in the mist of talking efficiency and productivity, we probably have forgotten how many lives on earth are struggling to even live to the next day."

When we are still hating how hard and procrastinating on our work, some lives in this world doesn't even have the chance to procrastinate and have to continue to fight against our human acts. They lost to us and disappeared from earth.

When human are inventing new medicines, fertilizers and farming so called "organic food", bull-dozing forests to build nice buildings to compete for a new landmark, its destroying homes of many living creatures...

We all know it, but no one takes an action. Bacteria and viruses may one day just kill all selfish human off and start a new earth once again.

It's so traumatizing yet I am stupidly sitting in front of a computer making stupid layouts that look nice and convincing.
stupidly memorizing and mugging for a 2 hours paper and throw them away after that.
Printing and consuming more papers then I ever did in my life...

So what is it that we can do? like now?

How much have we already lose when we are in the mist of doing useless things that only cause harm to the environment?
Deep down, I know I am not going to do this for my whole life...
Something else calls for a more meaningful purpose instead of self-fulfillment

-tw

why isit so?

2010-12-06T21:28:00.003+08:00

why is it that the things I create/design only appear pretty for a few minutes. And not even all of them happen to have that chance to appear pretty to my eyes.

why is it so that I am totally disgusted with what I did yesterday and just feel like throwing everything away and redo.

why is it that the books I admire never bore me out even though I flip it a hundred times?

I don't choose to love what I did. And they never look good. So how can I consider them my babies?

terrible eyes I have....
so nerving.....

-tw

刮目相看

2010-12-04T17:06:00.000+08:00

Fly 尽全力在飞起来
没有后悔不后退
我让你刮目相看
Just fly 向世界证明我存在
努力过的汗水
不断灌溉美好未来

還是非常有感覺的一首歌。
曹格-刮目相看

-tw

heights

2010-11-24T15:31:00.005+08:00

freaked out in cold sweat, tightly holding on to the railings and camera... standing high on the 30th floor.

I just wanted to get a footage for my work.
but...

I didn't realized till just now that I am so freaking afraid of heights. trembling with difficulties pressing that record button on my camera...
holding on to the railings wasn't even sufficient to calm myself down.
standing at the edge on the 30th floor made me realized that I belong to the ground, where I can dance with cockroaches and praying mantis.

that is why my maximum degree of amusement park rides is only the pirate ship.
I don't even call it amusement parks because they are totally not amusing at all. =(

now I have to spend time recovering from the flu I have, and also to work on settling down that fright I just had.

I finally appreciate that the moon is so small from where I see it.
If I m the moon, you would probably never see me up in the sky.

I swear I will never work/live on high floors in my life...

-tw

Weekend ended

2010-11-20T00:28:00.001+08:00

It's friday.
My weekend has ended with a full moon tonight.

Tomorrow will be back to chionging work....
-tw

life at its core

2010-11-18T23:04:00.002+08:00

Life wouldn't be complete without troubles and torturing processes.
Life wouldn't be complete if one doesn't make mistakes.

Everything won't work if you are aching all over and is as hungry as this cat.

I am still trying....it's hard.

-tw

gone crazy

2010-11-13T23:36:00.000+08:00

-tw

Systems and changes

2010-11-10T23:46:00.009+08:00

If I ask you, have you ever thought of how many systems are we caged in each day in life? The moment we wake up at certain time, snoozing to brushing your teeth and changing clothes. How many systems are we moulded into in our whole life?

The day we are born into this world, we are already placed into an invisible system. They have not change over centuries. Systems made by human and executed by human. Some are invented, some are faded. But if we think about the set of systematic behaviors we have when we are in the public. Like queueing up for food, walking on walkways... these are systems in our life that shape who we are, our thinking, our culture and way of life.

As the world changes, technology rises, constantly injecting new systems into our life sub-consciously each day, did we ever stop to think why we are forced to follow the norm and follow whatever is set by from the top? (FOLLOW THE RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS... SHADE ONLY ONE ANSWER....)

To listen to a life story of a Singaporean would be boring because we live in a tightly controlled system where pragmatism is the key to success. Kids go to school, go through streaming, sat through PSLE. Go tuitions and CCAs. Forced to do subjects that you don't find meaning in. Fixed number of subjects as many as 8-9 subjects. O level.... Jc, poly, NS, university.
Systems are put in place to make sure the human resources and raw-human resources will make good statistics in future found in nation's growth reports.

Human become fleshy robots who are programmed to achieve a certain degree.
If one does not, you either loiter at the bottom void, move overseas if u have money or take a lift up to the top floor and fly down.

Coming back to education, as proven, education are closely related to systems. But what about design schools? Innovation is what makes a designer different. It makes me ponder what kind of education I went through all these years. Is it true that strict design systems or methodolgies will produce innovative results? In a way, they are teaching us mathematical formulas to deliver innovation, and we have to follow through, otherwise you fail.
They make you go through their formulas, forcing you to derive an answer they want, leaving little or no space for experiments to happen.
So do you still think they are training designers or training ~~dogs~~?

When systems fail, changes take place.
But most of the time, people are so used to the system that they deny and doubt changes. How do you know the grass is greener on the other end?

Maybe systems moulded us to follow, which reflects the herd mentality. Where does the risk comes in? When one sheep decided to make friends with a wolf? Who knows that the wolf is a sheep in wolf skin?

Sometimes it is not that you are lousy.
Not everyone can fit in the same mould like your friends did.
Maybe instead of fitting into moulds that have been created, why not challenge them and make one yourself?
Isn't that what innovation is all about?

Coming back to reality, does this stronghold of systems fall with your tiny attempt
to poke the walls and persuading people to believe in your innovation?

rants and thoughts-- fullstop.

-tw

mid

2010-11-08T15:51:00.003+08:00

How come it happen again?
It hit me so hard when I was in poly.

Now the same question, same bad feeling comes back again.
Is that an exactly-in-the-middle curse?

What's wrong?

-tw

"we stood up waiting for the next fall. we try so hard to stand up again but another wave beat us down like nothing happen."

designer installs a prog

2010-11-03T23:45:00.003+08:00

what happen when designer installs a programme for work.

1. Intending to use 3D software to do some simple drawing
2. Installs prog. check prog worked.
3. Pulls prog to dock.
4. Finds that the icon is fugly pixelated.
5. Google for better icon.
6. All lousy resolution.
7. Google further.
8. Found one nice one. download.
9. Puts icon to dock.
10. Realized the icon's shadow doesn't align with other icons.
11. Open photoshop
12. Change the icon position. save for web.
13. Refresh icon.
14. Finds that icon is not proportionate to its neighbours.
15. Edit.
16. Refresh.
17. Now that looks good

18. Realized is a icon freak. tweeted and blogged.
19. screen shot. make sure it looks good.
20. upload photo.

21. HAVEN'T STARTED PROPER WORK!
DANG!!

(life of a designer.....)
okay. start work!
-tw

identity

2010-11-03T00:25:00.004+08:00

a new name card finally since after I graduated from poly like 2.5 years ago?
time flies and doing portfolio for a module and acting like i m ready for employment makes me reflect who am I last time, who m I now and what will I be in future. although I m not quite sure what will happen in future and still can't figure out what will I do... maybe I shldn't think so much and just keep doing whatever I can.

Obstacles comes in waves this semester. And that fear of looming deadlines in a month's time... fyp coming very quickly and all the things that will happen in life makes me feel uncertain. simply to put, no confidence.

but that's what everyone go through.
and what can I do other than try to keep crawling through?

-tw

Affairs with graph paper

2010-10-17T00:54:00.003+08:00

Designing typeface on graph paper reminds me of the secondary school times when we plot graphs on the paper.

Reminds me of the days when I had maths tuition.
Reminds me of the days when my ass sat on french curves.

relunctantly plot graphs for physics lessons.
my favourite chapter, geometry for Emaths.

Faint memories of the evil sin cos tan curves for Amaths.
Collecting graph books from pigeon hole.

These little squares grew up with me.
Just like everyone else.

-tw

discourse

2010-10-10T23:43:00.005+08:00

Discourse with twinny leading to some enlightenment.

If one remember what we have lost and forget what we gained, one stays in anxiety and depression.

If one forgets what we have lost and remember what we have gained, one would become complacent.

If one forgets both what we lost and gain, it is like seeing each day like a newborn. Everything is interesting, new, fresh and always curious to learn.

But how many people can actually have the determination to erase the memory of lost and the joy of gain?
-tw

pluralism

2010-10-10T18:13:00.009+08:00

An ambulance slowly came by and park at the unloading area. a guy meticulously cleaning his car's rims with chemical spray while his girlfriend waits in the front seat with an iPhone.

the paramedics slowly pull out the bed from the back of the ambulance. So its a mission that requires not much of an emergency.
Not far from the ambulance, a lady with a green rubber silicon cover iphone circling impatiently on a patch of grass waiting for a car to pick her up.

The black cat name Socks came by smelling the foreign ambulance while the guy squats beside his car cleaning the 2nd rim.

the lift went up to 17th storey. the cat moves to inspect the guy's car rims.
a while later, the paramedics push an old lady from the lift. the cat flips over on his back and lick his own white tummy.
the ambulance doors close, with blinking light on the roof. the cat walks away.
3 kids ran by the stage, oblivious to what had happened.
An indian girl peeps out of the window from her house, curiously looking at the ambulance.

screams from the club opposite. some pink and white balloons in bundles flew up to the sky, flying across to the right in a light breeze. more flew up, until the last bundle disappears at the edge of the HDB flat.
-------------------------------------

Watching the world move by, in 10mins.
Watching pluralism go by.
Despite that the globe spins in one direction, events that happen don't give a reason why they happen and they just happen concurrently.

there is no such thing as concentrating on one task since the day we are born. nothing waits for you, nothing stays for you. The world is spinning... and forget about a singluar self.

-tw

let go

2010-10-07T22:40:00.001+08:00

The Japanese Popstars Feat. Green Velvet - Let Go from David Wilson Creative on Vimeo.

you try too hard to keep control, just relax and let go

-tw

taught thoughts

2010-10-04T23:45:00.003+08:00

So many things going on in my mind that I don't know which one to attend to first.
They are like wind, thoughts that come quickly, feelings that punch you in your face and breeze pass you like a stranger. You can't exactly recall what happened, but they have made a mark on you.
And that mark is often represented by something that have caught the wind and taught you something.

How to I pen it down?
How do you pen anticipation and worries at the same time?

In this crazy pace of life in Singapore, how can one enjoy the breeze and make that breeze stay within you?

something's is unstable,
struggling to let out.

-tw

Invisibility skill

2010-10-01T00:07:00.003+08:00

From very long ago, the girl found out that she has the skill of invisibility. She stays far away in the rural called the Grey Area. (not Bay Area)

People can't spot here. People can't see her.
They walked past her as if no one was there in the first place.

One day, she waited very long for her food to be served at her seat. Sitting alone, she observe everything and including how that waiter walked 4 rounds in the restaurant without spotting her presence. She didn't speak up, wondering that talking and laughing seen as visible and a pair of observing eyes following the waiter is equivalent to invisibility?

Has the Black and White Area grew to become a place where only loudness exist and silence is omitted? The disappearance of silence grew louder each day in the areas outside the Grey Area..

-tw

Umbra

2010-09-19T00:21:00.001+08:00

Umbra (HD - 2010) from Malcolm Sutherland on Vimeo.

I dunno why but this work echoes a lot about myself.
The unspoken fear that keeps coming back to me... and sometimes appearing in dreams.

-tw

the distributions

2010-09-18T00:46:00.004+08:00

I just realized something about this whole journey of learning in uni.

Year 1 is all about how great the western art are, the renaissance, john berger.
Year 2 moved eastern.. China, Japan.. the roots of my culture. Asian and neighbouring countries.
And year 3, what I am learning just walked right up to my doorstep; exploring (and not re-exploring) my own homeland. Reminding me how little I know about the place I live in my whole life and how much I have neglected in the probably 20 years of my life.

Things just miraculously fall into place, without much planning. The curriculum just so happen to be like that. It's quite lovely in some ways.

I used to feel ashame for knowing little about other countries. Now, I am extremely ashame for knowing even lesser things about my own country.

"Nothing is old and everything is unknown. Appreciate what is nearest to you and get the most out of it."

-tw

Disjointed

2010-09-13T17:37:00.002+08:00

Yes. Indeed.
Time just fly. I couldn't catch up.
What's new?

-tw

follow the crowd

2010-09-03T18:20:00.003+08:00

Is following the crowd better or being against the crowd is better?
maybe I am like a timid cat hiding among all other cats, who runs in one direction when the feeding woman comes. but got trampled by other cats and gets only an empty food bowl in the end.
left behind is only the fragrance of the food crumbs.

on a side note, how I wish I can bring a kitten back home and not destruct any objects at home.

picture from here

-tw

back to school

2010-08-30T22:46:00.002+08:00

tmw is the "back to school" day after 4 months.
in fact, this 4 months isnt a rest at all but at least I am able to keep up with my own momentum.

I tried my best to think of an image to post up here but failed terribly. that is a very bad sign that my brain is deteriorating in terms of thinking visually.

another war is starting and hope I don't get slashed badly in this chaos.
time to think tactfully how to move and hide to get through this war.

swords and baseball bat are no longer useful. guns is just a joke.

I shall try...

-tw

Aug 2010

2010-08-15T00:20:00.005+08:00

Ironically, I have no title for this post. It's actually quite long since i last blogged.
Now I am suddenly feeling a little old to continuously blog since being old is to be more focused on what I am suppose to do rather than "playing with blog". whatever. it just sounds more like an excuse...

Well, today is the start of YOG2010. And without much hopes to have a chance to catch fireworks. But sometimes it is because of this "low expectations" that good things just come. Unexpectedly got a space with still a not bad view for the fireworks.
With the low hopes of taking fireworks, I din lug a tripod with me either. And photos still turn out much better than I expected!

I still prefer these classy silent fireworks that have nice gradients. creates a good mood too~ so nice...unlike those bomb-like fireworks that just blast.. leaving so much smoke after that.
I m starting to feel like a noob holding a D90. there are just so many functions that I could play with but I am just like one goon-do over the past 1+years.

so many things to do, yet so little time to do it.
how many more times m I going to say this?

-tw

A full course meal

2010-07-29T00:51:00.003+08:00

Maybe life is like a full course meal. What we have now is only an appetitizer or soup, light and getting you in tune. Until to a stage that whatever you do starts to become serious and heavy, they are your main course. And they take up majority of your life. Lastly comes the sweetest dessert. Is when we all turn old and enjoying the sweet moments of life. Life is fair. Accept it. It's just the order of dishes we take and how fast we finishes the food.

If each day, we do micro thinking of our daily life and link it to an idea, the possibilities are endless.

-tw

graduation

2010-07-19T00:18:00.003+08:00

attended my bro's commencement last week. time flies..
two years later, it will be my turn.

-tw

design is like kungfu.

2010-07-18T17:53:00.003+08:00

"Maybe design is like mastering kungfu. You focus, learn from every detail of life to be part of you & uphold the never-die spirit till the end."

-tw mean it.

Quote

2010-07-14T00:20:00.001+08:00

"We don't find it remarkable when our expectations are met – only when they are exceeded."

from here

-tw

sleepy

2010-07-08T21:10:00.002+08:00

oh god, I am trying to be like a eureka light bulb all day long and I am super exhausted.

I NEED MORE REST.

-tw

brighten up

2010-06-25T08:58:00.000+08:00

maru brighten up the stormy morning today..
with his own fur...

-tw

face it

2010-06-24T15:41:00.002+08:00

It has been a while since impromptu thoughts and illustrations happen.
Now back to work...

-tw

blog?

2010-06-22T00:27:00.001+08:00

I find difficulties coming up content to update my blog.

and I am hungry at this hour. again.

-tw

Tetsuya Ishida

2010-06-17T17:51:00.002+08:00

Surreal paintings by Tetsuya Ishida

Surrealism. My taste.

-tw

prints

2010-06-13T13:10:00.002+08:00

love life.

Added: Kelly, this is how your fat footprints look like ^^

-tw

Up there

2010-06-10T18:55:00.003+08:00

Black Cat in Bugis.

How I wish DSLR are lighter in weight...

-tw

complication

2010-06-08T12:01:00.011+08:00

縂是愛把事情複雜化，腦子的連接也許比平常人多，但腦容量卻不比一般人大。原來腦筋太細也能對身心帶來許多困擾。壓得窒息喘不過氣，大喊救命沒人理。因爲是你腦筋在作祟。想太多，責備沒努力而内疚，閉門修煉練到駢體鱗傷起不來。叫媽，媽罵你，怎麽喜歡一頭埋進海一般的腦漿裏？掙扎的想逃脫，但抽離需費更多力。語無倫次說不出，最終猛吞吃虧苦。

教訓是身邊有更美麗的花園圍繞著，不妨把自己連接與即將瞬間錯過的事。人縂是為過去和未來而活，儘管‘現在’使勁在眼前揮舞，也沒人發現他的存在。

-神經婉發作中。

Doraemon

2010-06-06T18:33:00.004+08:00

the only children cartoon I watch every weekend. (my motivation to wake up too)
I am not watching it just because I love Doraemon. In fact, its just that I like the brain of those japs inventing plots and doraemon's props. Because they can think of links that is totally unrelated and turn them into something convincing.

in short, is their endless imagination and passion for life that is very inspiring.
so, next time don't roll your eyes at someone this old watching doraemon. We should all appreciate the amount of brain put into making this cartoon.

(but probably sub-consciously, doraemon is a cat..)

okay, a post of randomssss

-tw

TW miss TW

2010-05-31T18:50:00.001+08:00

Not just because of this, but many other things...
=(

-tw

No waiting

2010-05-26T23:56:00.003+08:00

"No one waits for you.
We live in a place where you are suppose to do what is told."

I shall imagine myself and imagine I stay in another place...
Maybe I will be happier that way.

-tw

missing slot

2010-05-24T21:09:00.004+08:00

What you think of others might not be the truth of others.
What you think it might be, might not be real.

What you take for granted, it may disappear one day.
What you think you enjoy today, may be what you hate tomorrow.

What you think you will want to do, it might not be done at all.
What you think you can do, is actually beyond your capabilities.

-tw

in my next life

2010-05-21T12:30:00.003+08:00

I want to be a house cat in my next life.

-tw

SO S

2010-05-19T23:35:00.004+08:00

Saw this on a graphic design magazine yesterday.
lol.

(btw, its a typography joke for those who might have difficulties understanding it)

-tw

Information Overload

2010-05-11T21:20:00.005+08:00

(Click to view it a little bigger)

You know that whenever the main character is dancing at the center, what is more mesmerizing is the sub characters's role of supporting the whole performance.

And that works for designing as well.
Simply to put, the subject will never appear most exciting but the subordinates does.
And these bombs are the subordinates.

I finally realize these subordinates are the ones I look for in design.
But still learning to use them well and make them function well...
Information overloading accumulated from the semester...

M U S T keep going~~

-tw

An end marks a new start

2010-05-01T23:59:00.002+08:00

An end of something is always a mark for a new start.
tomorrow will be a new start, and more to come.

(This is a page from my recipe book project)

it is the end of year 2 in uni.
I may say this semester is the most impactful semester since the start of uni. Everything I learn is starting to make sense, starting to connect into a whole philosophy. The hard skills is a must, but what's more important are the soft skills that makes you different. (or rather intangible skills) Despite I haven't quite gotten down to rethink what have I derived since the last 4 months, but I am quite sure it was quite a huge change from who I used to be.

Other than telling myself to do work and keep improving, I guess what is more important is the attitude to keep going.
Changes are not brought forward merely by saying, but by how you want yourself to think yourself to be. Understanding concepts is insufficient. Carry out concepts is showing what you understand. Stepping out, charge and be open-minded is what I am suppose to do at this part of my life. It is impossible to fly yet, but observing how others fly would accumulate to your own experience that is vital for youself when the time comes.

How do I pen everything down? I do not know.

But what I know is through this process, I am starting to see myself.... which was not intended in the first place. you know, the harder you try to define yourself, the worser it gets.
Maybe that's how things works. If we try hard enough, live without regrets and let nature takes its course, everything will start fitting in perfectly.
That's life.....

Maybe the greatest change is in the growth of many more complex neurons and synapses.....

-tw

Go with your feeling

2010-04-18T13:02:00.003+08:00

"Sometimes, we should let our mind rest and go with the feelings."

-tw

The rugby concept.

2010-04-07T18:49:00.000+08:00

"When the rugby ball is in your hands and the goal is in front of you, all you can do is take and run!"

-tw

Enlightenment

2010-04-02T19:58:00.005+08:00

"Sometimes there are too many choices and

possibilities that we end up lost in a maze.

The path to the answer is actually very simple

and straight forward."

I find that I really love walking in a maze and later end up crying

for help. But no one could help me because I am lost in my own maze.

-tw

it's up

2010-03-31T00:40:00.000+08:00

-tw

maru cat

2010-03-29T20:25:00.001+08:00

"Hey Maru! Where is your head?"

made my day.

Maru the cat

-tw

its here...

2010-03-26T00:59:00.001+08:00

-tw

Floating Dreams- minature worlds

2010-03-24T20:20:00.002+08:00

from here

-tw

Minimalist Boardgame Poster

2010-03-21T16:50:00.001+08:00

from here

-tw

Impurities

2010-03-21T15:22:00.001+08:00

-tw

pieces of life this week

2010-03-19T21:47:00.004+08:00

commute commute

take photos, distracted from readings and start talking about apps

leveled up from level 8 to level 11.

OT in print shop

feast to pamper myself at the end of the week.

A week of torture is over.
5 more cycles of samsara to go.

-tw

Roughs

2010-03-06T00:39:00.004+08:00

Click to enlarge

An eagle with a missing feather visited the sky of ADM school today.

Even an eagle is going through a rough week.
But still trying his/her best to soar high...
and move on.

-tw

Bandit Rabbit

2010-02-28T21:05:00.004+08:00

Random thought again...
It may turn out to be a cool rebellious brand...

2nd March 2010:
A chinese version.

I am itching to change this childish animal kingdom to bandit rabbit.
But I doubt I would have the chance. Either I have to wait till the end of the world or sacrifice some sleep for the rebel.

-tw

Plant talk

2010-02-21T11:59:00.004+08:00

Almost fainted with joy while doing my watering routine this morning. Saw my Zanzibar Gem, aka jin qian shu blooming flowers! All along I thought its growing some stalks again and never thought that it will grow flowers.

Must go buy 4D later. haha
and no wonder this cny ban luck games was the most profitable of all.

just love greens and not flowers actually. now I appreciate flowers when they are growing from my own pot. 2 years of gardening..my watering routine has increased from 5 mins daily to 15 mins already. maybe that's y I am reaching school later these days.

okay, sorry peeps.. I sound like a grandma on rocking chair talking about plants.
BAH!

-tw

illustration by miriampersand

2010-02-19T21:39:00.001+08:00

by miriampersand

-tw

jealousy

2010-02-16T11:48:00.003+08:00

I am jealous with people who can take 4-5 modules per semester at other universities when I have to take 6 or more modules per semester in order to graduate.

How to balance life when even a survey of art history module have exams where we are placed in a huge room with endless rows of seats and forced to churn out things we have tried remembering the night before?

rants.

-tw

Tiger year

2010-02-15T00:24:00.001+08:00

-tw

22nd birthday

2010-02-13T12:34:00.004+08:00

Updates on birthday, which happen to fall on the chinese new year eve.
But felt as if I started celebrating two days ago.. receiving presents and birthday wishes from everyone. =) thanks peeps!

jpeg card from twinny!

Spoka light and some other stuffs which I am suppose to upload but not yet taken -from my uni mates. Will list down their names soon!
IKEA loves from them. lol. Anything from there makes me happy.

will update photos in this post again!
New year is sure busy!

Yep, and finally took photo of the potted plant.

it is still trying hard to adapt to the environment.

Thanks evo, fwa, cwa, flwo, chriwsty, triwxie, kai qing!
-tw

random mechanical bird

2010-02-09T22:46:00.002+08:00

random stuffs. BORED. So many things I want to explore... but life is going to get hectic and I may not have a chance to try things out already. booooss... =(
But still hope I can at least do it once a week or in 2 weeks..

boooss...

-tw

"A" monster

2010-02-05T18:17:00.005+08:00

"A" monster drawn with Helvetica Rounded.
The monster is anticipating the silk screen session in school tomorrow!
He is all packed and ready for it.

-tw

A gift from a cat

2010-02-03T18:42:00.005+08:00

A drawing by evon, who fiddled with my iPhone sketching app.

Came across this writing when I was browsing for books today.
And shucks, I forgotten to note down the book's name.

You're walking down the street in your neighborhood and notice a small, black cat several yards ahead of you. She is looking at you.

She doesn't move as you approach. You stop, stooping down to her level, and slowly reach out a hand to her. She rubs against you hand in a friendly gesture and enjoys your scratching behind her ears. You stay there some moments.

You blood pressure lowers.
Your breathing slows down a bit, is steady and full.
Your mind disengages from the worries and concerns of just a few moments ago.
Your facial muscles relax.
Your eyes soften.
Your voice lowers to a soft tone.
You are speaking soothing word-sounds to the cat, a mantra to yourself as well as to her.
Your feel the softness of her fur, the movement of her supple skin over her neck and shoulder bones.
The vibrations of her purring soothe you.
You are quiet. You are only here. Only now.
Then she's off to other places and adventures.
And you too continue on your way to other places and adventures, but changed by a gift from a cat.

Find an animal, make contact. Today.

This whole writing struck me totally and it sung to the emotions of my heart. That is exactly how I felt and why I fell in love with cats. No matter how unhappy or stress you are, find them. For that 5 minutes, its another world of its own.
And its different sense of attachment between owning a pet and coming across stray cats. Owning a cat means you hold responsibilities. But for stray cats, I think they need more love and concern than house cats.

There was an incident a few days ago when my dad was limping with a sprained ankle, walking back from carpark. And a "carpark" cat (we call her "carpark" cat because she hangs out there) actually escorted my dad safely back home, right up to the lift doors. Occasionally stopping to wait for my dad to catch up. How on earth did the cat knows where we live? And isn't that so amazing that when we show love to them, they return love back to humans.

Maybe that is the way how man and nature interdependent on each other for so many years..

And it will never change.

-tw

w

2010-01-26T23:27:00.003+08:00

-tw