Everyone wears masks

East, west, we all same same.

Below is how we present ourselves to the world.

Only young children don't wear masks; they have not learned how not to say what we really feel, what not to say in public, and the art of hollywood in the workplace!

The Kitchen Sink

Everything but the kitchen sink!

We've heard or used this expression before.


The poor kitchen sink. It gets no love.

Quick!

When was the last time you spent any time thinking about your kitchen sink?

Maybe that one time you done up your kitchen?

Even then, its probably a cursory decision wasn't it?

You didn't visit multiple showrooms like for other home accessories or appliances, did you?

The above is an expressionist painting by John Bratby.

He founded the Kitchen Sink school of social realism painting style that depicts the working class activities of his time in UK during the late 50s to early 60s.


Who would want to paint a kitchen sink?

And from a working class household some more!?





Have you noticed many seeking to "escape" the drudgery of "work" often paint and write about an "idealistic" or "romanticised" story of their journeys or plans?

Its like those Mills and Boon romantic novels or Kpop dramas that so captivate our hearts.

OK, this could be hard on you if you read books and watch movies/plays without thnking.

For those who do, try recalling those movies/plays/TV dramas/books that were in the social realism style.

And contrast the two emotions you felt when exposed to Romantism and Social Realism.


Yes, its not your fault for not taking Art or Literature in school. But hey! Art and Literature are all around us. Just take the time to smell the flowers once in a while.

What's the point?

I know some may think got money can already. 

Well, you'll have to ask yourself whether you eat to live or live to eat.

And then you'll look at the kitchen sink in another light.

Wink.

Minimalism

Quick "Trust but Verify" test.

What's the first thing that comes into your mind when you read or hear this word - minimalism?

Close your eyes and no peeking below!

If you "see" minimalism as in architecture, art, literature, music, fashion, and home decor, you are on the right track. You are Western educated - "ang moh pie".

You know minimalism is a visual arts movement that started around the late 60s in the States.


If you think of Zen, you are also "technically correct" since minimalism got some of its influences from Japan. In Japan, the philosophy of Zen got intertwined with the Japanese aesthetics of simplicity or ma (間) - empty or open space. You are more Oriental biased.


You know your aesthetics. Wink.




No. Minimalism is not about saving money or frugality.

Minimalism is about stripping down to its bare essentials, aesthetically speaking.

Yes, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg are "minimalistic" when it comes to their work clothes - its the same turtuleneck and T-shirt - although they may own 10 pieces of the same clothe!

Not exactly "frugal" is it?

Minimalism is not about using the same detergent for washing your dishes, clothes, and bathing - that's when policemen still wear shorts - you really want to use that Lam Soon long bar soap for dishes, laundry, and bathing now? Seriously?



To appreciate minimalism, one cannot be hungry or worried about roof over head matters.

How come people are talking about minimalistic living or lifestyle in financial blogshpere?

Well, clever marketing isn't it?

I mean if I want to start a blog or sell a book, which sounds sexier - frugal living, "giam siap gui", thrifty squirrel, or the minimalist?


Who wants to be known as a miser?

So you convince your wife minimalism is about having one pair of shoes.

If you wife believed in your "Jedi mind trick", well, I am most envious of you...

That meant she has a pair of big big ding-a-ling-ding-dings! 

Sculpture Art At Hindoo Road

Wednesday afternoon, I went to Mustafa to do some shoe-leather research.

After which I just roamed around Little India a bit bit.

Lo and behold!

I chanced across these sculpture art pieces at Hindoo Road.

Brilliant isn't it?

I think we can do more of such activities on empty plots of land instead of those boring "No Trespassing" signs.

If I more entrepreneur, I would go sell ice-creams there!

Marina Bay Sands - A day in reflections

From the depths of hell to the heights of heaven all in 4 days!?

Yesterday, another family member invited me to their staycation in Marina Bay Sands to cheer me up.

Here are some philosophical reflections:

That's the "wow" view that hits you as you enter the front entrance of Marina Bay Sands.

Is it a chicken coop? Or is it a cloud? 

Hmm... Looks to me like a fengshui net to trap the monies from all the gamblers. 

LOL!

How's this for geometric art? 

I can't decide to call it "Railway To Heaven" or "Stairway To Heaven"?

Why heaven? I don't tell you! You figure it out ;)

In our pursuit of what's "right", we sometimes see things in black and white.

And we forget the most important ingredient - the human element.

Can you see when we add the human element, it gets "brighter"?

 

Ah! Shades of grey. That's better! 

A life that's dull and grey can better appreciate the accents of colour when they appear in our lives.

Similarly, a life that's a riot of colours may long for the simplicity of black and white.

A tunnel vision is great for the single-mindedness needed in pursuing our "SMART" goal. 

But what if an opportunity appears in our peripheral vision?  

 

 I've always found curve lines pleasing. 

Then I realised why.

Here's looking at you girls!

The lotus flower. Untainted by the mud from where it has sprouted. 

Judge a person for who he is today; not from his birth place.

Least we discover our roots are joined to the same ancestry and motherland.

I've found a lovely spot to meditate on a lazy afternoon. How nice! Reflections under and beside the lotus :)

Spent 2 hours dipping in the waters and bathing in the sunlight. 

Bukit Timah hill is in the distance and it's fun picking out the buildings below.

So this is what's like to "live" on top of the world!?

Wait, something's not right in this picture!

Can you spot it?

Nirvana! 

Now you know why property developers always use the same technique when advertising in newspapers. Boys will be boys...

We need more power women executives in the boardroom and in the advertising circles. 

It would be interesting to let men see from women's eyes for a change. 

"Woman, you have worked hard and played hard (buy this condo). Look! Here's a toy boy with a mean six pack (buy this condo). What are you waiting for (buy this condo)? You deserve it (buy this condo)! 

The subliminal message is that if you flaunt your wealth and status, bimbo men will come!

LOL!