Episode: back on track
Monday, June 30, 2008

Woke up very early to school today. I do not quite know why, but when I came to school, I was the first to arrive. Usually, I am not. I think it was because everybody else watch the Euro 2008 final match that morning. I missed it of course.

The first lesson was about 3D modeling, then followed by a guest lecturer from a photography company. He was really good in what he was doing, I can see. When he was giving out the lecture, we were paying attention, though there were still a few who slept. I am not going to mention who.


After the lesson, we had around a couple of hours break. I used it to do some of my work. The next class starts at 2, only around 1.30 I went down by myself to get something to eat.

Soon, the class started. My lecturer gave a short lecture about the 50+ design that we were going to do afterwards. He wants us as a group to come up with the concepts. Since it was for class one(my class), and my group members are from class two, I just sat at my table doing my own thing.

At around 3, my gal called me letting me know that she was going home and asks am I going home with her. Since there was nothing left for me in my studio, I went home with her. I was glad that she told me that one of her results were awesome. I wanted to congratulate her, but she(just being with her) distracted me..hehe. Deep down, I was proud of her.

Got home, out of my own time, I decided that I should get my works, assignments and life back on track. I had to organise the piles and piles of work that I had to do, in order to make time for any 'life'. I mean, work is work and life is life. It has to be balanced. In the end, I decided to draw out my timetable. A timetable to follow, to cope with the tons of work that I have.


First I arrange according to their deadlines, then its importance and finally I give out the works evenly throughout the months. I prefer drawing, rather than doing it on computer. It is more relaxing that way.

Ivan wanted me to try this online game. It is called wolfteam. I am giving it a try, but only after I complete what I need to do according to my timetable.

I feel that everything seems to be back on track. It seems that ever since my gal and myself get everything settled, I feel much much better. In a way, she gave me energy to do the things that I do, and do it with quality. I wonder what I would do without her..hmm, better not. It is better to maintain the way it is now, and improve on it along the way.


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Aidie blogged @ 5:24 AM

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Episode: my friend's sister's marriage
Sunday, June 29, 2008

Got ready and got out at around 1. Made my way towards my gal's block, so we could go together. Soon, she arrived. We made our way towards a bus-stop where we wait for the rest to arrive. At around 1.50 or so, they all turned up.

Then, we made our way towards the block where the wedding was held. Just like any other Malay wedding, we were treated to a feast. We got our seats, and had some food. After we got our food and took our seats, the groom came. It was such an event that was nice to see.


After eating, we made our way out of the area. We gave out some cash to the bride's mother and was on our way. It is a Malay custom to do such things. It was great to see my secondary school friends. It has been a while.

Before we go home, Alifa, my gal and myself went to CDANS to chill. The three of us just talked and share some stuff together.

Was suppose to meet Ali at 8 to play some soccer, but when I messaged him, he replied that it is canceled. So, for the rest of the day, I took a chill pill.


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Aidie blogged @ 5:44 AM

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Episode: switched off
Saturday, June 28, 2008

My sleep was disturbed by two people. It was as early as 11.30am. Yuni called me and at the same time my gal sent me a message. Yuni was from BBDC and wanted to come and chill at my house before he go meet his gal at 2. My gal messaged me to confirm that she is not going out to catch a movie with me together with Liyana and her guy. It seems that they would have lots of fun together, while I am stuck at home, again.

Anyways, soon Yuni came. We played some games and he suggested me to join The Showdown banner design competition. Which in the end I did. I made a banner for The Dreamers which consists of Live the Dream contestants. This was the design.


Ya I know, it is very simple. While Yuni was still in my house, he booked his next driving lesson for motorcycle. During that time, Ali instant messaged me. He invited me to play soccer tomorrow at night. I said ok, since no one else is asking me out. He also sent me a beat and a part of his lyrics and wanted me to come up with a verse and sing to make a recording. It sounds awesome, so I agreed to it. Soon, Yuni had to go, go meet his gal. As he walked out, I sighed.

For the rest of the day, I just sat around my house, watch TV and played some games on my PSP, just me and my grandma. Today, I feel low. I was quiet the whole day. I did not eat much and most of the time was spent staring at the wall thinking about the past and thinking how life would be better if the 'what ifs' in my mind happened. It seems that I was switched off today.


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Aidie blogged @ 6:28 AM

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Episode: TGIF
Friday, June 27, 2008

Got up, and got to school. I reached my studio at around 8+. I though I was late for school today, but lesson starts at 9. It seems that I did not get the message. Anyways, Bruce gave us a short lecture about how big and important design user research was. He was giving the lecture way up in front....

And the class was further away from him. There was even an uncle who out of nowhere came in and cleaned the studio. It seemed that the lecture was a little bit dull to them.

Then, we got started on rearranging the war room and putting it into groups, and then regrouping them again. This was to find key themes and deep design thoughts for 'Aidieation'. During that time, my stomach grumbled. I was in the mood for Sausage McMuffin. So, I pasted a note on my group's board during class and left with them for breakfast.

This was what it says:

It has been a while since I stepped into the campus' McDonald's . I like the new furniture and settings.

I find the "Caution I'm hot" sign on the drink, interesting. So, what I did was that I put my name on top of the sign, and it turns up like this:

Soon, the lesson was over. Bruce and Stephanie together with Thomas are flying back to Chicago on Sunday. We all took a picture together.


After school, I went home. Then from home I went for prayers. After that from the Mosque, I went home.

When I got home I got ready to go out and accompany my gal to do her GEMs assignment. I set the time to meet at 3. Then, my gal message to meet at 3,30. This was something I don't like. I do not know why I even bother to set the time when in the end my gal is going to change it. It was 3.30 when I went out of my house, I thought I was late, but my gal came later. This was another thing I do not get, even though she set the time, she came late.

At vivo, did her assignment. She chose this to explain about. It was new, and it was very cool.

After we did the assignment, we went to Banquet to eat. There, we met our secondary school friend and her guy. We sat with them and had lunch together. After eating, went to third floor of Vivo and just chill there until 8. It was very cooling, and cosy. Then we went home. I got home at around 9.

Notice that it has been a while that my gal and me go out. The last time was when we went to East Coast Park to skate. Just wished to got out with her often, but it seems impossible...


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Aidie blogged @ 6:23 AM

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Episode: prepare for tomorrow
Thursday, June 26, 2008

Received a message from my lecturer that my class for this week we had to go to the School of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering for our lesson. The class was alright. One funny thing happened during class. The lecturer was teaching us on how to use the machine there. He was scribbling the information all on the white board. Though we knew what he was doing, but it was messy. There was this one point when he was writing vertically. Yup, vertically. We had to tilt our heads sidewards to see what he was writing. In the end, he realised it and decided to erase it away and write it again, but horizontally this time.


Like a very good boy, I wrote down some notes.


From noon until 2, we had a break. The next lesson was History and Theory of Design. During that time, my group decided to get together and do up the war room for tomorrow. After awhile, the whole class was busy doing the same thing.


It was 2pm and the lecturer came. He saw us busy doing the war room and then decided to postpone the class to next week after having a discussion with my lecturer who was there. Poor him, his classes with us is always postponed. This would be the third time, I guess.

Anyways, my group and myself finished doing the war room in the end. It is neat, but tomorrow we are suppose to group the post-its.


Went home, and I think I reached home at around 5. I was not sure, maybe later, but not too late.


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Aidie blogged @ 7:05 AM

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Episode: three in one
Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Got up, and got to school. Even though today I had no school, I had to come to do my assignments with my group members. On the platform of the MRT, this guy approached me and asks,"Are you a graphic designer?". I was wondering why that Indian guy asked me that, but I answered that I was not a graphic designer, but a experience and product designer. He ask me quite a few things, and then it hit me when he asks about the folio that I was carrying. It seems that my design portfolio caught his eye. After that, I did not talk to the guy anymore. It was weird and all, in one of the questions he asks, "Where am I working?", I answered that I am still schooling, but in my heart, I wished that someday I could answer that question with a company's name.


Anyways, I reached my studio and than get started on the Azimuth cartoon music video. I had to draw Mr.Roboto walking this time. While Ivan was scanning the drawings that I did yesterday and compiling it to make the animation, I looked around and saw the toy cow. I wonder why it was quiet all his while when it is suppose to moo whenever people press its belly(My classmates always did that). I took a look at it and found out that the cable that makes the sound was pulled out. They said that it was Kah Hui who spoils it. After some adjustments by me, I manage to fix it. It was mooing again.

Glenn was on the radio this morning. On 938 Live, speaking about the 50+ workshop. It was cool. Anyways, soon we decided to go to Chinatown, but there were some complications, so, in the end only my group went to there together. Ivan was suppose to come along, but I can see he is pissed off. So, as he did 'Aidieation' with his group members, my group members and myself went to Chinatown.

Before that, we went to Plaza Singapura to eat at Long John Sliver's. It has been a while since I eat there. It was nice.


My group, who also seem to have the same GEMs at me, decided to go Clarke Quay to do one of the assignments, so I followed along.


Before we went off to Chinatown, Carolyn brought us to this pub. Since it was still too early, it was closed. We just went to take a look from outside. It was very interesting. The pub had a hospital concept. From the seats, to the environment, it was all hospital theme. The lights was those from an operating theater lights. Carolyn even said that the employees there even wear those standard dress code for doctors and nurses and the drinks were like those water bags that usually seen in wards, where it is hung above and the person had to suck on the tube and the drink would flow downwards. In other words, it sounds awesome.


Next, you would recognise the place when you see these signs on MRT stations.


Yup, we reached Chinatown. The place there was very, how can I say this, it was very old. Simply due to the residents living in that area. It seems that it is a place enjoyed by many old people. When I look around, I know why. The place is filled with china national ladies. They were there to so called 'entertain' the uncles living in that area. Some were there for sight-seeing. Many cheeky old man over there.


Over there, we had to go around take pictures of the place. Experience the surroundings over there. We also had to interview a couple of 50+ people over there. Our first victim was this guy who was an SP student, graduated in the 70s. He was alright. Quite open and ready to talk. The other one just gave one word answers. My group members did the approaching and asking of questions, because (1) most of them do not speak English and (2) I was shy..hehe.


After that, we met a lot of our classmates there doing the same assignment. We got together and relaxed for a while, walked around the place before we went home. Some of them went to have dinner with our lecturer, but some went home, just like me.


Got home at around 7.30. Yeah! Just in time to watch Puteri on TV..hehe. The rest of the day, I simply did my work, bit by bit. Today, I am glad to do three things out of my assignments. The Mr.Roboto, GEMs and Chinatown interviews.


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Aidie blogged @ 8:34 AM

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Episode: it keeps piling up again
Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Off to school. The first lesson was by Bruce and Stephanie from University of Chicago. This time, they get deeper into the interviews and posting of notes to make a war room.


He gave us a small assignment. Consisting of three parts. The first part was to view two of the interviews that we had during the 50+ workshop and take notes. The second part was to view the explanation of the 50+ mood boards, which was also recorded using video. The third part was to go to Chinatown, explore and do an interview and record it using an audio recorder.


After the lesson, we had about 3hours to our next class. During that time, I downloaded two videos from the 50+ interview and one mood board video. In the mean time, I did the cartoon drawing for the Azimuth watch for their music video. This was what it look like.


The next lesson was at 3pm. It was not a design module. It was more of a argumentative essay writing and debate module. To me, it was very dull. The reason I join my course was to have fun and do the things I like best. This module was the opposite.



At the end of the day. I look at the assignments that were going on, and found out that it was piling up again. There is the Azimuth cartoon music video, a group presentation on a topic for discussion for CRS, furniture design competition, history journal, communication device re-do, the 3 part mini assignment, my gems field trip and hands-on work and finally, the culinary design assignment ( currently in 'Aidieation'). I am just doing it bit by bit, and hopefully in the end, I manage to finish all of it on time.


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Aidie blogged @ 9:33 AM

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Episode: Sentosa internship interview
Monday, June 23, 2008

After three weeks of "holidays", we were back in school. The first thing that everyone notice when they walk into the studio is there were no more tables and the arrangement of the tables were different.

We sat down, and VC lesson starts. Maniya showed us the slide shows we did for the photo taking journal. Then, we handed in our food photo taking pictures to her. She showed it to the class, but the class seems to be more interested in what their classmates did during the holidays.


At around 10, the people from the University of Chicago came to give us a lecture about the importance of user research in design. They were the same people from the 50+ workshop. They are Bruce and Stephanie Tharp. Yup, they are husband and wife. Actually Stephanie is a few months pregnant as I can see.

They first started off by introducing themselves and the things that they do in the Unversity of Chicago. Then, after a short break, they get into their main lecture. It was very lengthy I could say, but it was meaningful and I can put that application to my studies. Too bad that most of the class decided to doze off on such interesting information.


At times, I do get distracted, especially when we had a class committee discussion a few minutes before. These were more of distraction of 'Aidieas'. What happened was that, Glenn said we need to have some cosy area, as well as a place to keep books for our own library and some furniture for the studio. I thought about it until the lecture starts and mid way into the lecture, I did a sketch of one of my furniture design ideas, but with added features.


I was thinking of making a furniture that can be used in the cosy area and at the same time has a storage for keeping the books in the furniture itself. I thought it was brilliant. This design was one of the unselected few by Edwin(lecturer) that I really feel that there is still something to it. I feel strongly about it, so it would be cool if I were to make one or more for the use in the studio. If after doing it, if it seems unsuitable, then I would gladly put it to my own use.

At around 4, my class ends for the day, Ivan, Rui Hon and myself went to Sentosa for the internship interview. We took the NEL to Harbor Front and then, took a complimentary ride towards Sentosa island. Rui Hon was arranging his portfolio.

I was familiar to the Sentosa office, as I went there with my gal for her interview months ago. The auntie at the reception counter, I think still recognized me. After a few minutes, we went into one of the room for the interview.

I started off 1st. I think, I could do better. My portfolio was not that updated, and it was still filled with year one exploratory works but more to sketches. Rui Hon was next, he did better. But the best was Ivan, he was really trying to convince the employers to choose him. I was not comfortable with the interview, mainly because of one of the interviewer. She is the designer there. Throughout the whole interview, all she did was sit back, observe and folded her arms. With her short hair and clothing, she look like a tomboy. In my opinion, her body language tells me that she is showing that "I-am-better-than-you" face. I mean, come on! Lighten up! Even my lecturers smile, and famous designers make slight humorous speech. She did not smile or hardly even speak at all.


The interview ended at around 6+. All the way home, we were making funny comments on the lady designer. In the end, we felt that either one of us who gets to spend our intern there, needed lots of luck..haha. None of us feel that we wanted it, just because of the attitude that lady designer had.

I made a joke, it seems that us three are like the three guys in the M1 commercial coming up with the four handles mug. We should do the dance that they did as well..haha. That would be comical.


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Aidie blogged @ 9:59 AM

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Episode: prepare for school
Sunday, June 22, 2008

Enjoyed my sleep today. Woke up at around 12 or was it 2. Anyways, I got up and did some notes. It was like any other normal day. I did up my resume today. I have no idea on how to do it, so I google it and get an outline of a resume. In the end I did it and sent it.

Other than that, today I just ate with my parents at the food court near my house at night.

Tomorrow, school starts early. Oh I know how much I am going to miss my beauty sleep, especially when assignments starts to pour out.


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Aidie blogged @ 7:10 AM

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Episode: last minute
Saturday, June 21, 2008

I was lazy to wake up early, as it was still the holidays. For the past few days in this week, I have been waking up early. I mean, come on, its the holidays. Anyways, today was like any other day. Got up, ate and do up some sketches for the furniture design.

At around 4 or so, my aunt and uncle came to visit my grandma. They did not take her with them when they got back home. They just want to see her, and leave. Ya, it seemed like my house has turned into a welfare home.

Soon, I received a call from my brother. He said that my cousins were planning to play futsal at Jurong West area. Then, I asked what time is it. He said 8 until 10. I clearly thought that it was 8am to 10am tomorrow, but it was 8pm later. Then, I got ready and made my way to my aunt's house, as they were to gather there first.

I got there, and soon enough my uncle came and pick us up to go to the place. The place was called Fico sports hub. There were already a few people playing there when we arrived there.


It was awesome! I hardly get to spend time with my cousins. To play soccer with them at an place where there is artificial grass wonderful lightings and more, it was great fun. We played five against five. Every match has three goals, so the team who loses have to swap to another. Just look at us go. It was awesome!


After the whole two hours, we went back to my aunt's house for a feast. There were Arnold's fried chicken, fries, pizza, coke and many more.


Then, I was sent home by my aunt. Her car had GPS. It was so cool man! It helps you find the easiest route to take to anywhere. So, you don't have to scratch your head in finding your way around.


Thanks for the ride home. I appreciate it. Well, reached home at around 11+. My day would have been like any other day if not for the last minute futsal.


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Aidie blogged @ 8:48 AM

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