I would like to escape to a place,
To focus on doing my lighting portfolio,
While blasting music from my laptop,
Drinking lots of raspberry vodka mixers,
And watching the sunrise and sunset outside my window.

I'm missing that little room in Handen.

I would like to point out that,
Whatever I have said so far,
Does not indicate that I don't like my work place.

On the contrary,
I do enjoy the scope of work,
And the people there are nice.

Redirecting myself from Architecture to Lighting Design,
Is certainly not for the sake of more money.
Because a learnt lady has told me,
Most lighting designers actually get less money,
And probably less respect than architects.
Just look around at the number of lighting consultants,
Or even people who call themselves lighting designers,
Who have suddenly appeared out of nowhere,
When the government decided to light up the city.
With the influx of bandwagon jumpers,
What credibility is there?

Also, I don't want to do another Masters,
Just for the sake of a few hundred bucks more.
(In fact, I already can get a few hundred bucks more,
Without that M. Arch degree.

The resolution for the next 12 months:
Find a direction.
MY direction.

The talk with the directors finally happened yesterday.

The verdict:
I have decided to go try out lighting design -
Which means trying to find a job all over again,
This time probably out of Singapore.

My contract ends by end June,
So the company will actively look for people.

I believe at the current moment,
There are actually more firms wanting to hire,
Than people wanting to be hired.

Then, one may ask,
Why am I looking outside Singapore?
It's easy.
It seems like good design firms in Singapore,
Somehow always try to squeeze every drop out of you,
Such that everyone starts to believe,
It is a myth to work for a design firm,
Plus earn decent bucks.
Also, it is difficult to live feeling poor,
When I am the only kid at home,
Who can support the family when Mom retires.
Not to mention the medical bills that are to come.

This is my philosophy:
You get what you believe in.
If one thinks there isn't such a thing,
As a good design firm that pays,
Then you will never find the firm.

Relocation and re-applying for jobs,
Ain't gonna be easy for sure.
But it isn't impossible.

Wish me luck.
No I should say,
Wish me Chance.

When the people in my company scoff,
At the others working in large(r) architecture firms,
Who are being paid really well,
I used to enjoy throwing my two cents' worth.
Lately I found all the criticisms rather bias,
And perhaps even too critical.

Just because people are paid more,
It doesn't mean they don't enjoy their work,
And, no, they don't necessarily work like hell.
Just because we are a boutique firm,
That places emphasis on design,
Doesn't mean we have to be paid lesser,
Than those working in the 'commerical firms'.

Because there are indeed firms out there,
Who have a similar profile,
That are still paying the market rate.

I feel like going for Lighting Design.

Why Do Prostitutes Earn More than Architects?

From Freakonomics:
"... when there are alot of people willing and able to do a job,
That job generally doesn't pay well.
This is one of four meaningful factors that determine a wage.
The others are specialized skills a job requires,
The unpleasantness of a job,
And the demand for services that the job fulfills.

The delicate balance between these factors helps explain why,
For instance, the typical prostitute earns more than the typical architect.
It may not seem as though she should.

The architect would appear to be more skilled (as the word is usually defined),
And better educated (again, as usually defined).
But little girls don't grow up dreaming of becoming prostitutes,
So the supply of potential prostitutes is relatively small.

Their skills, while not necessarily 'specialized',
Are practised in a very specialized context.
The job in unpleasant and forbidding in at least two significant ways:
The likelihood of violence,
And the lost of opportunity of having a stable family life.

As for demand?
Let's just say an architect is more likely to hire a prostitute than vice-versa."


Although I can't say I agree with everything,
That SDL and SJD had written,
I must admit that the last two sentences,
Made me laugh out loud in agreement.

Another important note to make about today:
My company's joint entry with another architecture firm,
Has been selected as the top five entries,
To enter the second stage of the NAG competition.

There is just far too little time,
To do all the stuff I want to.
It is really difficult to find time,
To blog about whatever I have done.
Where do people find time to be bored??

Highlights for this week:
Dinner with Liam and Vicki on Tuesday,
To celebrate her graduation plus new job;
Mari told me on Wednesday that she might be coming,
With her grandma to Singapore in August;
'Queenie' started her new job on Thursday;
Karaoke with Ruth, Chris, Yan, G and Celine on Saturday;
Grandmother got sent to hospital on Sunday,
After fainting somewhere in her neighbourhood.

And I have given the bike back to my uncle,
Since it keeps stalling everytime I slow down,
Or stop at the traffic light.
Yes, it is a total piece of trash.
(But beggars can't choose.)

A sharp pain runs through my right hand,
Almost each time that I bend my second finger.
It might be RSI again.
Gonna see the doctor tomorrow.

Achievement of the weekend:
Painted 50% of my living room ceiling.

It finally happened.

This rainy morning,
Despite biking at low speed,
My bike did a small skid,
And I fell with it,
On Upper Bukit Timah stretch.

Before I rode off,
I had watched the rippled patterns,
The raindrops were forming,
On the swimming pool surface,
And thinking,
"Ok my first rainy day bike trip,
I hope I don't fall."

The nice man in the car behind me got out to help,
And as I was pushing my bike to the side,
Cars honked at me cos I was in their way.
Wow, thanks for the concern.

I couldn't ride off again,
Cos the handbrake broke off,
And the right footrest was all twisted.
The IU fell off too.
(Actually for bikes,
It should be called the OU,
Since it is on the vehicle,
No?)

I called my uncle who said,
"Huh, ride to the workshop can?
Handbrake broke ah?
Aiyar still can ride what.
Oh foot rest twisted ah.
Ok I go and settle it for you later."

And my very nice but crazy uncle,
Really went to ride the broken bike,
Back to his usual workshop,
While I was slowly making my way to work.

I guess I am lucky to be here,
Suffering from just some bruises and abrasions.

A picture of the bike,
From which you can spot all its 'injuries'.



(I took one the knee wound too,
but I guess it might be too graphic?)