seeing yourself seeing.

Inertia


Too much information. Information overload from the conference. Went to the Union of International Architects'(UIA)Regional Forum 2004 for two days...i think this's the reason for the massive brain-matter-loss this weekend. Today, i have effectively squandered 22 hours of my day. i think 12 hours went to oversleeping. another 7 hours to television, 1 hour to cycling around the neighbourhood, and the other 2 hours spent eating. oh wait. did i get any work done?





I can't explain why it is that i've got this massive inertia in my body, my brain, whatever, that makes it so damn difficult to get down to doing things. I lay on the parquet floor for an hour after lunch just staring blankly at the telly. I still don't know what channel 5 was showing; i wasn't paying attention. I think my mind has temporarily shut down, thanks to the massive overload of information. "Sustainability....mobility....identity..."





Got to meet and listen to japanese architect ingenue, Toyo Ito. Check out his stuff, it's good.





Pictures from the Union of International Architects Regional Forum 2004, held at the Biopolis in Buona Vista, Singapore

writing gnitirw

Forgive the lack of photos of late, i just found out my dad's been hiding this Nikon camera in his cupboard all these years! So i've taken the poor thing into my keep, and now its serving me well. Guess if i get any good shots i'll have to scan them in. haha.

But enough of my photo exploits, they've just finished painting my house! so for a few weeks, maybe three, my house was surrounded by towering, rusting, orange-paint-peeling scaffolding, with jarring green netting and rotting wooden planks. how awesome. i get to see the whole process. but then again, they do all the work when i'm in school. ok, enough architecture nerding already. then you're faced with the daily - walking past the painter dudes. decided to chat with them a bit, a bit of small talk, you know, like hey, how was breakfast, makan already? when are you gonna finish this thing, blablabla. i mean, they were there for weeks on end; i'd much rather get to know em rather than do the bratty cold shoulder thing. and its amazing how much hokkien the indian and the thai guys know. they put me to shame.

speaking of which, how many of you reading this actually know, seriously know how to speak your dialect darn well? ok, maybe not damn well but good enough to engage in conversation with the everyday hawker vendor? or how about ordering a bowl of noodles entirely in your dialect. i realise that a lot of us today are neglecting this. Its no wonder we feel rootless; its because we choose to neglect our roots. For those of us( chinese, sorry bout the rest, guys and gals), we have to feel at least the slightest bit proud of what and who we are.

And you know what i realised? Ironically, (some of you may have discussed this before) its those of us who have gone overseas, and experienced life with other cultures, that have come back home and realised and cherished, and treasured our true roots, and who we are. know your roots lah.

rambling gnilbmar

For those of you who've been to school or who're still in school..


Have you ever had a dictator for a tutor? or what about a reclusive hermit. or what about a madman. or what about a madwoman. But Anyhow. The present Design module tutor is a-ok.
A bit old-skool, but she's okay; at least she's open to newer ideas these days.


But she's not like him.


Yes, him. He, will be the one to tutor me through my second semester. He, who has been labelled all the above. He, who one of my ex-teachers told me, should not even be let out onto the streets. He, whom Bernard, who's in His studio now, claims has effectively severed all ties from his previous life. Back when he had one. Yes, He.

As the first semester ends, and the break approaches, i brace myself for the most enjoyable vacation ever. It has to be enjoyable. In fact, it has to be so enjoyable so that i won't feel a tinge of pain next sem. Because next sem, the COLD WAR begins. Yes, the COLD WAR that is about to be waged over my freedom, my studio's collective freedom, and for the freedom of the WORLD. Yes, you heard me, this guy is bad.

Was just talking to Bernard and Adib, and they were saying, "You don't know bad till you've met him."; "You can say what you want, but go meet him first," "I'll be so relieved when i'm no longer in his class." Spoken like true prisoners of war.

Viva la Revolution!

Let's hope i have the courage to stand up against his taunts to fail me, or to refuse to see me for consultation. This one's goin down, baby.

Kent Ridge Park, Singapore





MacRitchie Reservoir, Singapore


Second-time visits to familiar places;
i see different faces.

School of Design and Environment, NUS


Have your folks ever stopped telling you to clean up/ clear up/ tidy up/ make neat/ re-pack/ pack up... your room? they don't ever realise what lucky people they are..wait till they compare this room of mine with some other wonderful examples. anyone wants to sacrifice their neat reputation? Hah. maybe that's why i'm spending more time in school; so much that i'm even taking pictures of it..