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Got some pictures to share from this year’s IDN DesignEdge conference. I think many would agree that last year’s IDN MFC 04 was maybe not so… confrontational… those who were there on day 2 would know what i mean.

I will not cover everything that i saw, cuz there is just too much, but i’ll share what i personally liked of the conference. If you wanna know more about the presenters, etc. do check out the DesignEdge webby.

Was really excited for this conference and when i finally arrived, i have to say the setup was nice, with multiple hanging screens and beanbags in the front for people to slouch. I did not take much pictures on the first day, so here are some pictures from the 2nd and 3rd day. The main segment that i was looking forward to was the “DesignSingapore Internation Panel” and just by the looks of the panel members and their credentials, it was definately a power packed session.

This is Toyo Ito, the designer for Singapore’s new Vivocity at HarbourFront. I’m looking forward to see the mall when its completed. I think i’ll love it + all the reno going on in Sentosa, i think the other end of the NEL (North East Line) is going to be a real hangout in the future.

Toshiyuki Kita is well known for his industrial design work and one of the products we all know is the Sharp Aquos series of TVs. One trivia he mentioned was that the internal staff in Sharp found it hard to accept the radical design, due to the two curves at the bottom which was somewhat erotic. lol…

There was a discussion session when some of the members on the panel had to ask others a question. Here is Ogilvy & Mather’s Steve Hayden (who wrote Apple’s award winning ad back in 1984) asking Toyo Ito a question.

Delta’s work is quite inspirational. The way he talked about the process being sometimes more important than the final outcome was really good, i think alot of us need to be reminded of that. I particularly liked the concept of “Urban Mould” which he shared.

The longest queue had to be Faile’s booth, they were busy silk screening away.

Here is a Joshepine sharing about her label Hansel. She is a friend of my cousin, i knew her back in the days when they were all in Lasalle.

I was suprised to see eeshawn, cuz it was just a night before i looked thru the collab he did with Sex, Lies & Fairytales. Also, he did a fantastic doodle for Rojak 2.

Here are all the presenters who were present at the end of the conference. It was a good ending, although there were some bits where it was abit tense when the audience complained about the conference being a show and tell of sorts. But just to add, i think everyone really enjoyed Rostarr’s segment on day 2 and the resfest sneak preview on the day 3. But in general i think it was an okay conference and the best wisdom i took away from the conference was from Richard Seymour where he said poets, artists, dreamers all dream of the future, but designer make the future.

Keep designing solutions… keep it real.

Last sunday, i went for the opening of Audrey’s Salon at Sembawang and boy was a it nice place. Audrey is my friend’s gf and she have been a hair stylist in several well known hair salons in Singapore for about 10 years now, so with her skills and experience, its really time for her to have her own salon.

Here is Audrey cutting the very first customer in her Salon… ME! After i paid, i still got an invoice # 00001 WOW! This is history in the making.

This is another lucky customer that got his hair cut by Audrey on her opening.

I don’t really know how to judge hairstylists, but what i can say is that i usually will leave hair salons 1. regretting having a haircut, 2. feeling nice for 1 day and hating my hair after 2 days… But after about slightly more than a week after having my hair cut by Audrey, i still feel my hair is still quite nice.

If you need a hair cut do give Audrey’s Salon a try. Its along Sembawang Rd, its at where Upp Thomson ends and where Sembawang Rd starts, its also just opposite Nee Soon Camp. I would also like to take this opportunity to wish Audrey much success in her new business and may she have so many good customers and regulars that she will become real famous in Singapore one day.

Photos by Case Woo.

Audrey’s Salon
56 Sembawang Rd #01-04
Singapore 779086
Tel: 64581200

Life is indeed busy and i’m glad i made time to spend with my girls. Here are some photos.

Cleo and Daddy at at Café Ritazza.

Clié and Daddy at Swensens.

Clié and Mommy at Swensens.

Clié hugging Cleo

Warning
Religious content, don’t read if you don’t want to.

Idols, statues, image of deities, what ever you call them, many treat them as some sort of God and worship it for many reasons, some just want peace, some want prosperity, some want to better their fortune, some want success, some want power, what ever the reason to me it’s more than just a false sense of security. Some even go to the extent of flying to Thailand to get one.

Just for the record, I want to blog about it and get it off my chest. You see there is a four face whatever-you-call-it in my office and to me its a problem. An idol is nothing more than an empty piece of clay, cause its ridiculous for man to make an object and start worshipping it.

Exodus 20:3-6

You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third generation and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

With this verse in the bible, I’m quite sure the person who placed the idol in the office will be punished and not just him, but also his children to the third generation and fourth generation. I’m not cursing that person, but thats what the bible says. Wah lau serious case!

I think Singapore have many people who have the “better believe and be safe than sorry” mentality. When all the myths and superstition unfolds during major events like weddings, child birth, moving into new house, a lot of people even the younger generation will listen to them and do what they say by having this “better believe and be safe than sorry” mentality. Ok if you want to think like that, do remember Exodus 20:3-6 which states “punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third generation and fourth generation”. Wah Lau, even if you don’t believe and want to “better believe and be safe than sorry”, then you better not have an idol around if you don’t want to be the cause of punishment for your generations below.

I can’t stand it, its so irritating to see the golden statue in my office, its like the golden calf in the bible, the people who worship will kena punish. I really don’t want to be punished for grave sin that others have committed out of ignorance.

Aaaaaa stress…

I think my life is just too busy. I’m rushing back to back my full-time work, travelling, web design projects, my church projects, my own pet projects, etc. etc. Come to think of it, i’ve been living such a life ever since i graduated from uni, and if i calculate properly, i think i’ve been living such a life ever since after my military service. WOW 8 years! Often its 4 – 5 hours of sleep, then a coma session periodically. Its not funny and i think i’m coming to hate this lifestyle.

I’ve been so busy that i think i’ve neglected alot of people, from my immediate family, to my extended family, my close friends, my church friends whom i see all the time but hardly got time to hangout with, and not to mention the lack of new friends. Aiyoh… My wife always say she feels like a furniture at home, cuz i hardly spend time with her and when i do, i talk about work. How terrible a husband can i be. But i’m glad although my wife is not happy with the situation, but still appreciative and understanding enough to know i’m working hard to provide for the family.

Even for my own parents i can only manage to go to their place maybe just once every 2 – 3 months (i know thats terrible), but because i work with my parents i see them everyday, so don’t really miss them, but i better plan more visits for the sake of my kids. My in-law’s side is slightly better, cuz my wife puts in effort to visit family and at times we just hang out at her grandma’s place, but when we get there i’m usually so tired and have naps there. Just as well, cuz the the aunts and my wife hit it off very well together with my wife’s sis and they talk about anything and everything in the room and all the uncles are in the other room playing Mahjong. lol.

I loved the army when i was in it, maybe i should have signed on to be a regular, cuz the pay is definately better initially and there is already a well planned out career path and if you do well, you can really go far. My brother in law is in the airforce and if i’m not wrong he is an instructor and he recently graduated from his part-time degree course, wow work and upgrading at the same time, how i hope i can do that too.

My cousin runs his own business and his life is doing well too, cuz he can do anything that he wants while earning good money. He only need to do one thing, so he can focus all his energy and ideas in it. But for me i’m in 2 industries, web and toilet, i wonder how many people in the world have this strange combination. lol.

I hope I can spend more time to bring the kids out, go Sentosa, go Botanic Gardens (my in-laws went recently and it seems to be a happening place), go to grandma’s place, go overseas for holiday… aiyoh… now when there is time, i just try to catch up on my sleep. *sigh*

I think maybe because i got 2 kids, maybe because i really want to do more internet stuff… midlife crisis? i dunno… anyway i better change my lifestyle soon… somehow… else i’ll rot in my room with my computer…