Everyone Deserves Good Design

The power of give and listen

:: Give ::
Finally I mounted all my courage to meet my dean.

I saw my academic supervisor right out of the corridor. He frowned his eye browns, with a angry look. I am sorry to say so, but I have never had a good experience with him. That's maybe because he made me project some bad memories.

In contrast, I feel a loving glow in T's room. His NUS striped tie hanging at the back of the door, made me thought of dad.

After half an hour's talk, my burdened heart seems relieved. I have never thought he would like to supervise the project our team is working on. I felt so grateful for his surport, at the same time gained more confidence in the passion we have for music.

It is never easy, but I think if we can get people more connected through music, what a better world it will be? Good quality is not about $, while people are willingly paying for good quality.

:: Listening::

Sending messages on linked in to E. I am amazed seeing his profile. Such a accomplished person! I enjoyed reading his recommendation to one NUS student, specifically he mentioned her listening skills. Although I got 180 in Mensa test and rated at 99% of the population, I felt there are much more I can improve if I can pay more attention to listening and details.

Stay humble, keep learning.

The Trend of Flatted Design

Starting with Microsoft flattened color tiles, the technology design field is now overwhelmed with the tide of flattern design. As google published new visual assets guidelines, it becomes an interesting piece to feed the office email circulation. I am actually quite delighted to read one of the respons from our UX designer.

Thanks !! It was good read... It's surprising the way entire graphics design trend is moving towards 2D and flattened designs. Some of the icons on Mac and iPhone now  look piece of art with Retina display. Too much flatness is killing artistic graphics experience. Windows 8 flat tiles are horrible, it takes  time for me to identify the apps. Now apple is following same with iOS 7, I hope we will not move back to Stone Age monochrome graphics :), just a thought!

Google Visual Assets Guideline
Part 1: Product icons and logo lockups
Part 2: User interface icons and Illustrations

The flattened icons looks geeky and trendy at first sight. Everything is abstracted as a 2D art, like the avatars we used in old digital games. However, I truly believe people will miss the delicate designs, the realistic shadowing and perspectives. The changing of taste will be like flashes, like the seasonal updates in fashion world. What a fuzz, only leave a blink in our mind, but nothing lasting.

I am quite disappointed iOS 7 is following the principles android and Microsoft already created. Apple is gradually losing the gut to be different and outstanding.

I miss Jobs.

The learner, the moment.

You are not going to believe me, if I told you I found my courage in academic work from Miranda Kerr.

She has a sexy, sweet, and yet very strong character. Being a super model, a hot mom, published a book, and started her own business, at the same time enjoy her every moment with her handsome and successful husband. Isn't she obtained everything a woman could possibly dream about? 

When she was asked, "how could you achieve so much." She said it is all about the plan. 

I was motivated, and thinking of plan my future. 

I am going to be really really focused, and one day I will realize my dream. I told myself. 

But wait. Aren't I quite focused and hardworking? But am I satisfied with my life now? Well, partially. Sometimes, I feel lucky that I am involving with the most brilliant human beings on the earth. When my friend said, I really admire Keven Kelly. I told him the author is my facebook friend. 

I feel you can have a direction and leave more options to life will be a wise decision. Do not try to intervene life too much. When it is time, it comes.

Therefore, I pray. I told all my wishes to God. And I want to start plan my life. But in a much more small scale. I just want to plan my time of today, of this week or this month. Everything else is left to Him to decide.

Be Still

In the age of internet and technology, every question seems can be asked online, and as long as you want to search, you will find some answers somewhere that suit your taste.

However, I think there are some questions that can never be perfectly answered. I am asking, searching and waiting. And here I want to share with you what do I think about them now.

Love 
I still do not know what is love. There are so many interpretations and answers, but I know there is a longing in my heart to validate my unique existence in the love from someone. I do not know wether I am asking too much. What I know is, love exists. I can feel it. I experienced it. It brings the most beautiful and brave part out of me. I am still learning how to express this tender yet strong power.

Freedom
Freedom is not to do whatever you want, but to live up to who you are no matter what's the circumstances. I wish to be free all my life. It's like running on the beaches and feeling that you could be forever young, right after your passion and dreams. Can we be like that? Can we be like the child for ever and ever?
I wish I can.

Dream
My dream has never been clearer, at the same time I have never felt this uncertain about where will I finally end at.
I have to be honest. I cannot fake my confidence up. But I will give it a try without concern about the final consequences. Destination is not the only thing matters, the journey makes us full.

Good night, my blog.

The Pain of Being Real

I am thinking of abandoning this blog and starts a new one, a more professional one talking about business, PR, Marketing and probably digital music, which is my biggest passion.
I am a bit timid to review so much about the real me. Because I am thinking maybe the world would expected a more professional me, a more capable me, a more pretty me. Constantly, you feel the world is asking so much from you, do not you?

Yet, it might be ok to just preserve this freshness and softness of the part of my heart. Being dreamy, talking about love, trying to give, being broken and silly, crying and gloomy as I seems always am. (while, you know I can be happy most of the time. It is a choice, but I just do not feel like to choose being happy. So Shallow. :)

I cannot be anyone else. Please, let me, be me.

The old Topic, Love

I was chatting with S this morning, and he was kind of complaining how easy it is to get a girl in HK if you are an investment banker, which eventually make him feel sick. Then we embark on the forever no-ending topic: Girl is chasing after money and Guys are chasing after sex. 

It is cynical. I have to admit I find investment banker sexy, too. Money is important as in it is a side prove of a man's quality and capability. Also it will be the foundation of one's confidence most of the time. But it takes greater courage, deeper bond, and longer time to reach that stage. 

Someone asked me, do you love him？ I was confused because i have never thought about that. It become tricky then, because I was treading my not loving emotion hoping that he will return me love. Also I am afraid that if I am in love and he is not, that will make me unbelievably stupid. 

What is the cost if you do love someone and regardless the outcome, you won't think less of yourself? 

I found this letter from Nobel laureateJohn Steinbeck(1902-1968)  in his book Steinbeck: A Life in Letters.

New York
November 10, 1958

Dear Thom:

We had your letter this morning. I will answer it from my point of view and of course Elaine will from hers.

First — if you are in love — that’s a good thing — that’s about the best thing that can happen to anyone. Don’t let anyone make it small or light to you.

Second — There are several kinds of love. One is a selfish, mean, grasping, egotistical thing which uses love for self-importance. This is the ugly and crippling kind. The other is an outpouring of everything good in you — of kindness and consideration and respect — not only the social respect of manners but the greater respect which is recognition of another person as unique and valuable. The first kind can make you sick and small and weak but the second can release in you strength, and courage and goodness and even wisdom you didn’t know you had.

You say this is not puppy love. If you feel so deeply — of course it isn’t puppy love.

But I don’t think you were asking me what you feel. You know better than anyone. What you wanted me to help you with is what to do about it — and that I can tell you.

Glory in it for one thing and be very glad and grateful for it.

The object of love is the best and most beautiful. Try to live up to it.

If you love someone — there is no possible harm in saying so — only you must remember that some people are very shy and sometimes the saying must take that shyness into consideration.

Girls have a way of knowing or feeling what you feel, but they usually like to hear it also.

It sometimes happens that what you feel is not returned for one reason or another — but that does not make your feeling less valuable and good.

Lastly, I know your feeling because I have it and I’m glad you have it.

We will be glad to meet Susan. She will be very welcome. But Elaine will make all such arrangements because that is her province and she will be very glad to. She knows about love too and maybe she can give you more help than I can.

And don’t worry about losing. If it is right, it happens — The main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away.

Love,

Fa

7 Inspiration on Beauty

Truth, beauty and goodness, are three ultimate human virtues. However, today, when we talk about beauty, it is almost always sexually charged and is perceived as shallow. For me, a elegant shot, a expressive melody, a piece of well thought through mind, a dress and a maner are what makes life beautiful. Too often, I felt I am not eligible to enter the realm of beauty, but I am willing to spend my whole life pursuing it: beauty, something more than a skin deep.

Here posts 7 videos that inspired in on beauty.


Beauty as a Call to Justice: Elaine Scarry



Miranda Kerr on Ellen 2012 April



Taylor Swift Interview



Audrey Hepburn winning an Oscar for Roman Holiday



Why art still matters



Elizabeth Gilbert: Your elusive creative genius



Queen Rania

10 thousand miles

verse 1

Walking on the street in this new city

The autumn is beautiful, like a poem 

I must be happier with your witty lines

but do you ever know?

Maybe you are too far and the world spins too fast 

With young and undecided hearts  

We are searching, seeking, asking about love

verse 2

Dreaming of one day we again said hello 

You are with your son, as fearless as you. 

There maybe a lady on your right hand side

sweet and beautiful. 

It has been too long and the memories are lost 

We can never go back in time

But keep searching, seeking, asking about love

Bridge

I traveled across the world to find an answer to life.

Happiness is a choice even I am 10 thousands mils from you. 

When the night is falling or the dawn is coming

When I am reading under the sunlight 

or watching the street through the window 

I want to share my heart with you

Chorus

10 thousand miles 10 thousand miles 

We are half the glob away. 

If you think about me even when we are that far

If you feel the same way as I do

Then I know this love is not only in my mind, but real.