Learning a new craft: Modern Calligraphy

I remember in high school, my classmates always told me good things about my penmanship. It was very legible and very consistent and straight. And then I entered college and suddenly, my so-called nice penmanship started to look ugly. Well, not unreadable ugly but not as nice as how it previously looked. Maybe it was the laziness, or the lack of things to write (more of typing than writing) that made me forget how to write in beautiful cursive.

About two months ago, I joined a super short workshop on modern calligraphy. Thanks to a friend who suggested such when I told her I was running out of things to do in my free time. So I gave it a shot. It turned out to be the best thing I did to start my year. It's always a good idea to stock up on your skills. It was really a bit too short but I guess it was just for the purpose of introducing the craft and we can carry on ourselves later however we want.

I'm still in the process of polishing my strokes, but I do have a style that I want to establish. I suddenly recall having nice penmanship when I was younger. If I had learned calligraphy back then, my output would have been super beautiful! Right now, my strokes are very shaky and with a lot of rough curves. But practice sessions are always so much fun, and so addictive! I have also enjoyed buying the art materials to use. Being in an art supply store always feels so exciting to me.

Recently, I came up with a few cards to try combining strokes with watercolor, also to give out to my special friends before I leave Singapore. It is looking very promising and nice for the first try.

Learning a new craft is great. It makes you feel like your brain is so full of ideas you cannot wait to start right away! That may be what people mean when they say you are "bursting with excitement."

Hello and Goodbye

A few more days before I finally say goodbye to my beloved Singapore. It has been home for me for the past twenty months. I've had very good times and some bad times but all the friends and colleagues that I met while I was here are people I will be thankful of meeting. All the days that I felt stressed, angry, lonely and sad are now okay because there were so much more good and happy times to make up for those.

I leave feeling both happy and sad. Happy because it is a decision that feels right, for my family and for myself. Life here had not been the life I had envisioned two years ago but nevertheless, I am taking home with me some valuable lessons in life and love. So there are no regrets. There are things in this world you will never truly understand until you have experienced them yourself. I feel somewhat sad because this place is close to perfect to live in. I say close to perfect because even though everything may be so convenient and easy here, for me, life still feels empty. Being away from your home and your family and friends is something I thought I would never be bothered with. It is still in the comfort of home that I am able to excel and be happy.

And I think every single day we wake up, we all continue in our pursuit to life's end game: to be happy. Everything we do in this world, even love, is all about happiness. And while we're at it, we try to contribute to others' lives and make a difference in this world no matter how small. After all, isn't that what we're here for? To have a purpose? Something. Anything. I'm pretty sure we were not born to just pay the bills and die.

I will miss the cleanliness of this place; the ability of its residents to follow the rules; the proper behavior the community instills in its citizens; the feeling of safety wherever you go, even when you're out in the streets at 11pm or when you are alone at home the entire day. I will miss my favorite food, the mala hotpot and the pizza and the wanton noodles. I will miss having so many options in a shop when I want to buy something, may it be clothes, shoes, gadgets or arts and crafts materials. I will miss speaking Singlish to locals until I realize how funny I sound. I will miss the convenience of everything in this place.

I know home can be so chaotic and dirty and smelly and inconvenient. But despite that, it's those things that I've grown up to so you I've learned to accept it. Because it is home and that's where everyone you love are. And wherever your heart feels most at home, that is definitely where you should also be.

I took sunrise photos at Kallang River weeks ago. It was a great way to start my day.

Just Married: Mark and Blessy

Enjoyed a short and fun shoot with Mark and Blessy, just after they tied the knot last Sunday. We were lucky to catch the warm and fuzzy sunlight of Singapore's golden hour. And what better way to end the day but with a sumptuous dinner at Sakura's International buffet (hey, that kinda rhymed!). Thanks for a great time, Mark and Blessy! We all send you our sincerest congrats!