Blogging and what nots.....

Interesting thing.. blogging... what to me started a few years ago.. some have been doing for ages.... and now there are so many 'blog' sites appearing... twitter etc etc.. to name a few...

I already have a few yahoo email accounts, a hotmail account for MSN Chatting, a skype account, a gmail account and this blog account... to add another like twitter etc.. man.. it'd be hard to keep track.

When I was single and had a lot of free time when I wasn't going out.... I could blog almost every day... and there'd be times where I'd even blog during office hours... let's just say I am good at my work and able to finish the priorities thus leaving me with some time to spare and blog :) even if it was just a few lines.

Some blog because they are Narcissitic (as my hubby puts it), I blog coz it's an outlet for me and at the same time, does update family & friends around the world on what's happening in my life.... yeah i know others will be reading it.. and spammers will be spamming my c-box with all sorts of posts and what nots... c'est la vie!

Recently, I have been following the posts of my hubby's 12 going on 13 yr old daughter, whom he has lost contact with, sadly and much to his disappointment. I shan't go into details here but whatever it was, all had their bad points and made their mistakes. What is important is moving forward, how do they get on....

Well, my hubby is trying, doing nothing short of extraodrinary to make a living and a life. Despite the odds, he has come through and continues to strive. Why? He was living and doing all this for me, for his daughter and for his own sanity :D

Yet, his daughter, has in his own words, 'Changed'. Perhaps it was because he couldn't be there, not by choice. His daughter, to me is lucky that her father still wants to be a part of his life.

For me, most of the last 15 odd years, and maybe even longer, I never had a relationship with my father. Which is odd, because, to-date, he is staying with me, cooking for me and contributing (minimally) towards the bills. The relationship we have today is far different than most father-daughter relationships go, but I'm happy.

I look at it this way... my father had to 'grow-up' in his own way and time... and I as a daughter had to give him that time to do so... and in my own way, i came into my own thru my own perserverance.

Deep huh!?!?!

Hatred is actually very sad. It eats at you from inside, and changes you. I haven't experienced that kind of hatred... personally. But I've seen how it can change people.

My mantra has always been to let go... people who have hurt me, stepped all over me, maligned me and whatever... i just let go.... Karma... what goes around, comes around. I don't wish ill on them, in fact, I wish them all the best! Life is too short to have hatred and plan revenge whatever.

I know I have changed... and i hope for the better.... before, I always thought about myself first... of course, love for family and close friends ranked a close 2nd... but now, I have a husband and we want to start a family... I have in-laws: an older brother and sister of sorts and 3 lovely nieces to call mine...

Priorities have changed.... life seems normal... ups & downs will come and go... but life goes on.... it has too....

And... the most important thing.. is FAITH... yes... I've come to adopt that approach as well... it makes me stronger... it does....

Carpe Diem!

Designed in Singapore... Original or Not?

In the recent weeks, there's been some news on a lil known place called Designed in Singapore (www.designedinsingapore.com).. well.. now after reports in the Straits Times, CNA and updates on Yahoo! News.. it's not so lil-known but maybe known a lil bit more.

Curiosity got me wanting to go check it out.. for a number of reasons.. mostly because
1. I'm Singaporean
2. I'm a designer
3. I'm looking to expand my base of clientele.

However, I was to be disappointed. I trekked over to Mohammed Sultan Road where DIS is situated... almost got it mistaken for Martini Room or something like that.. luckily I was with my cousin, who I give much respect as she's not only got style, but has been in the Marketing/Media industry before. So her take is something I consider seriously.

DIS is on the 2nd floor and is open till late apparently. Upon entering you are greeted by a friendly sales staff who explains the different sections of DIS... there's 3 sections, Space, Lifestyle & Wardrobe.

In Space, a number of local designer's have displayed their furniture or work of art e.g. paintings, deco, lamps etc. One thing I did like was the mural (they just painted it in time for the launch) on one of the walls... partly because it had Christopher Pereira - The Tree Wizard and also pictures of Singapore past & present. Other than that.. the furniture looked like pieces I've seen at Icon and other furniture places.

In Lifestyle, there were displays of pottery (that's good), decorated books/albums, fabric printed laptop bags, ipod holders etc. And the jewellery section, contained a lot of nice & simple trinkets I wouldn't pay more than $30 for... but they were grossly over priced! I say that because.. I design and make jewellery. What I price for a full necklace of Semi-precious stones, is what they price for a dainty pair of dangly earrings... wrong wrong wrong! There were some other pieces worthy of the prices... but majority... well.. let's just say my cousin said.. "I think I've seen those in Chinatown for much less!!"

In Wardrobe, we thought at least we'd see some unique and distinctive designs.. but again.. we were disappointed... some of the T-Shirts... I've seen tons better in Bangkok... and even more so for the dresses and silks they had on display. I didn't even dare to look at the prices.

All in all... if this is truly supposed to be things designed (made) in Singapore... then we lack the originality and creativity. Why then is there so much hype about this place? Truth be told... there are many designers out there who have done more original and unique pieces that deserve mention yet, maybe because they lack the connections or know how.. they are often looked over.

How then does a deserving designer get recognition for his/her work? Who do you have to sleep with or cadoodle with to get the 'hype'? I'd really like to know.... So.. Tell me!