Hit By Recession
After hearing stories after stories of recession and its repercussions, I finally have one of my own.
Last friday, all staff of Yellow Box was called to an urgent meeting at the head office, only to be told we’ll be getting a 20% pay cut due to bad times with effect from April.
From the silence that followed, I guess everyone was trying to digest the information and like me, probably had flashes of bills, insurance policies and other commitments in their heads. For one of my foreign colleagues, it was much simpler. With the pay cut, he basically can’t stay in Singapore anymore.
We have counter proposed for a 4-day week so each of us have time to make up for the 20%, either by freelancing or just staying at home, not spending a single cent. We’ll know by this week if the management approves of this, if not, we’ll probably have to reconsider our options.
Has recession hit you yet?
Theremin
It’s one thing to catch my eye, it’s another to fascinate me. I’m completely bowled over by the Theremin, an electronic instrument I wonder how the hell I did not get to know earlier.
A Theremin resembles an old-school radio and is operated WITHOUT TOUCH from the player.
“How?”, you may ask.
It’s impossible to explain in words. Watch this video:
Amazed? The left hand controls the amplitude (volume) and the right controls the frequency. The distance between each hand and the 2 antennas will determine the amount.
Before you think that this 1928 patented creation (yes, it dates back that long!) is only capable of playing kitschy tunes, take a look at this:
I want one!!!
i like!
When it rains, it pours.
How true this statement is and it’s especially applicable to my blogging! When I start, I can go on and on, sometimes up to 3 posts a day! Then suddenly, I go into a dry spell.
So here it is, the 3rd post for the day! Notice the new addition to the side bar? Yes! That little box named ‘featured i like’. with a twinkling star. Well, for those who haven’t noticed, I’ve got a penchant for interesting, funny, out of the world… basically, just about any random pretty things I can find on the web! So I’ve decided to start a little archive of my own, containing all the things I like! It can include just about anything from wallpapers to waffles, lomos to lamps… anything at all! So if you’ve serious time to kill, just click away! Well, one click for now anyway.
The very first ‘i like’ is wallpaper designer Aimée Wilder. Now before you start wondering what’s so great about wallpapers (it’s so passe, solid paint jobs are better etc) take a look at this picture, and tell me if you don’t love something like this.
Forget about those lao bei texturised types in dull blue with white highlights. This is the future of wallpapers! When I get a place, I’m going to fill every room with pretty pretty wallpapers till the graphics blind me! Yipppeeee!
Oh I forgot to mention, the links I’ll be putting up will include plenty of online shops, so if you can’t resist these pretty little things, make sure your credit card is well hidden from yourself!
And if you have plenty of quirky sites to share too, feel free to make your own ‘i like’ corner! That means more sites for me to be entertained by! :)
Meng & Fang Photo Montage
This video should’ve been up first! But I had to satisfy people’s excitement about seeing themselves on screen first. Hee.
The song choice is “Beautiful” by Mandalay.
Min, Meiqi and I were seated at the lounge area, each on our own laptops, waiting for more well wishers and my itunes was playing on shuffle mode. Then this song came about! I was browsing the photos that Fang had given me, and I almost cried at that instant.
I think it’s the perfect song, for the perfect couple!
Enjoy!
Oh, by the way, Meng & Fang will be receiving the raw footages of the interviews as part of their yet-to-be-prepared wedding gift! I’m sure they’ll enjoy sifting through 2 hours of bloopers as I did while editing it! Those who said some silly things (ie. Zong Xuan) better ‘fess up before you get found out!
Hur hur.
Realistic Sound
An ad for Loewe television. What a smart idea! I just wonder how the makers got the prim and proper choir singers to be so spontaneous.
But the idea isn’t new! In fact, it dates all the way back to 1945, from the film “The Naughty Nineties” starrng Abbott and Costello. Enjoy!
Sound Advice
The Sound Advice Project is an anti-drug campaign targeted at teenagers. Basically, the site allows you to record a message and the sound wave that forms will be created into a bracelet. You can then purchase that one-of-a-kind bracelet for a mere 18 bucks!
The bracelet above is the sound wave of someone saying “I believe in you”. Besides aiding the drug abusing teens, I think it’s a pretty fab gift idea for just about anyone!
Next cool sound-related item I found is the Forsta Speakers!
It’s a new speaker system concept of using bamboo as a sound box. A speaker is planted at the bottom of the plant, so the greener your thumbs, the higher the bamboo speakers grow, and the better sound quality you get!
The light blue button on the base of the speakers is actually a lever to control the volume, treble and bass amounts. How considerate of the makers.
To end things off, just a reminder for everyone with a phrase made famous by Evan, “Take care, don’t take drugs!”
New skin!
After the crazy rush for Meng & Fang’s wedding and striking my first 4D (thanks to them!) later, I’ve decided to change my blogskin! Yipppeee!
A fixed width skin is so much neater. No more unnecessary shocks by messy layouts when I check out my blog with the studio’s 20″ Apple cinema display (yes, the one many of you are eyeing to steal). Now, it’s a little sweet I know, but I love the colours! I’m in my ’shu nu’ phase, so just give it to me lah.
Anyway, my cross processing film has been stuck in my lca which has been hiding in my bag for much too long now. I want to finish it soon! I wish the rain will make way for the sun so I get those really bright and colour-warped images. And when those days happen, I should just grab my camera and bask in the sun rather than lament about how hot it is. Matt’s starting to think I sold the camera.
I was also thinking, to take advantage of this recession period, we should take a holiday… in Singapore! All the prices of tourist attractions are going low low low low low low low low low.
So, anyone up for a Singapore flyer trip with me sometime soon?
Congratulations Meng & Fang!
Here’s the video for those who weren’t there that beautiful night.
If you’d like to revisit your ‘performances’, by all means too!
Enjoy!
Let’s make…
Seriously, the next ipod shuffle is going to be as small as a hearing aid. Or no, just a chip behind your ear, controlled by brain waves movements and plays the song of your thought.
Technology is mind blowing.
