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Last month, I took a two week break to Hong Kong and was able to catch up with Patrick Ng - Senior Buyer at Citysuper and advocate of the Midori Traveler's Notebook and all (good) things stationary.
We had met previously when I lived in Hong Kong for 16 months back in 2009 and since then have seen the Traveler's Notebook brand pass it's 5th Anniversary and now this year, it's 10th Anniversary! If you're a TN fan then you'll no doubt have seen the 10th Anniversary Tin Sets currently on sale, which contain a tiny version of the Traveler's Notebook, as seen below, as well as other print goodies.
We had met previously when I lived in Hong Kong for 16 months back in 2009 and since then have seen the Traveler's Notebook brand pass it's 5th Anniversary and now this year, it's 10th Anniversary! If you're a TN fan then you'll no doubt have seen the 10th Anniversary Tin Sets currently on sale, which contain a tiny version of the Traveler's Notebook, as seen below, as well as other print goodies.
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A folded, circular piece of leather used to hold together a wrapped up iPhone / mobile device cable is one of those simple ideas that draws attention-to-detail seeking Apple fans, who also like the old world feel of leather.
I don't think I'm fanatical, but I wanted and bought a mixed colour and mixed sized set from the maker Mike of 'This is Ground', just so I could keep my cables separated, but together, in my bag.
I don't think I'm fanatical, but I wanted and bought a mixed colour and mixed sized set from the maker Mike of 'This is Ground', just so I could keep my cables separated, but together, in my bag.
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Bought a Twelve South MagicWand and finding your Trackpad clicks harder?
Having recently decorated my home office space, I bought a wireless Apple keyboard and a Magic Trackpad to minimise the wires on my new desk. I'm as guilty as any designer in wanting my workspace to look good and work well.
However, I looked into a way to fix both input devices together as I felt it would also help orientate the direction input on the trackpad, rather than have it annoyingly rotate around my desk as it did.
I sought out the MagicWand from Apple accessorisers Twelve South, who through its claim of delivering the keyboard you dreamed of, package up an expensive polycarbonate rod, a piece of rubber and a stick of metal.
I actually read that this accessory makes Trackpad clicking a little harder on the side that's closest to the keyboard. I just dismissed this as being a surpassable inconvenience, in my quest for visual perfection.
Having recently decorated my home office space, I bought a wireless Apple keyboard and a Magic Trackpad to minimise the wires on my new desk. I'm as guilty as any designer in wanting my workspace to look good and work well.
However, I looked into a way to fix both input devices together as I felt it would also help orientate the direction input on the trackpad, rather than have it annoyingly rotate around my desk as it did.
I sought out the MagicWand from Apple accessorisers Twelve South, who through its claim of delivering the keyboard you dreamed of, package up an expensive polycarbonate rod, a piece of rubber and a stick of metal.
I actually read that this accessory makes Trackpad clicking a little harder on the side that's closest to the keyboard. I just dismissed this as being a surpassable inconvenience, in my quest for visual perfection.
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It's with a belated sigh and an inbox zero behind me that I can finally post up an entry about an article in the China Daily (a European Weekly - Winner of the 2011 UK Launch Paper of the Year), published back in February. The article, called "Finding Their Political Voice" by David Bartram, is also the cover story for the issue and discusses the development of the British Chinese role in UK politics.
David spoke to a number of representatives of the community including Joseph Wu via The BC Project and Merlene Emerson, co-founder of the Chinese Liberal Democrats, as well as myself and the role that my website Visible Chinese has to play.
Apparently, the story was well received in Beijing with the potential for a profile story in a future issue being discussed with the editor.
David spoke to a number of representatives of the community including Joseph Wu via The BC Project and Merlene Emerson, co-founder of the Chinese Liberal Democrats, as well as myself and the role that my website Visible Chinese has to play.
Apparently, the story was well received in Beijing with the potential for a profile story in a future issue being discussed with the editor.
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When you read and watch something like the riots in London, you feel frustration, sympathy but also distance. Well, right now, I live at the back of West Croydon station and down the end of my road, the pawnbrokers was torched. It's very close, and never more real than with my ten month old daughter asleep upstairs.
To get home this evening around 8pm, I had to walk the long way around to my street since the main road around West Croydon station was blocked off by riot police. Just a small area mind, and so our street actually became one of the routes that the looters were using to get in and out of the main road. I was closed enough at least to hear the clashes happening.
To get home this evening around 8pm, I had to walk the long way around to my street since the main road around West Croydon station was blocked off by riot police. Just a small area mind, and so our street actually became one of the routes that the looters were using to get in and out of the main road. I was closed enough at least to hear the clashes happening.
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The Problem
We all have busy lives and they aren't getting any quieter without compromise. Personally, I always have a persistent to do list ranging from menial tasks to major, creative, long term projects. And with home and family craving more of my attention, life is a constant struggle to get things done. And then there's "actual work" of course.
Things do get done, whether it's within a half-implemented GTD system, via my To Do checklist, stickies notes or reminders and tasks in my calendar. I even get inbox-zero once in a while. But I'm always wondering how to be more efficient, more productive. And I'm assuming I'm not the only one.
We all have busy lives and they aren't getting any quieter without compromise. Personally, I always have a persistent to do list ranging from menial tasks to major, creative, long term projects. And with home and family craving more of my attention, life is a constant struggle to get things done. And then there's "actual work" of course.
Things do get done, whether it's within a half-implemented GTD system, via my To Do checklist, stickies notes or reminders and tasks in my calendar. I even get inbox-zero once in a while. But I'm always wondering how to be more efficient, more productive. And I'm assuming I'm not the only one.
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A little after the start of 2011, I finished another Expression Engine CMS based website for IPCN (International Program Content Network), who are an Anglo-Chinese entertainment and media business specialising in the Asia Pacific region with a particular focus on China.
The architecture, visual design and layout were relatively simple as this was the approach my clients favoured.
The architecture, visual design and layout were relatively simple as this was the approach my clients favoured.
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Whilst selling photography to magazines is an everyday transaction for some people, for me it's not. So it is with an amateur's glee that I announce the publishing of one of my shots from Taiwan in the latest issue of Monocle, one of the only mags I actually still buy. I wish I could write a post on how to do it, but in fact, the Monocle photography assistant simply got in touch after seeing the photo in my Flickr account. A modest sum was arranged and I was a happy holiday snapper!
Even if the shot is actually so small that I missed it the first time I flicked through the Monocle Taiwan special. And that they spelt my name wrong. Unless you happen to be writing the pinyin from the Mandarin pronunciation of it (Hu). Publishing evidence below.
Even if the shot is actually so small that I missed it the first time I flicked through the Monocle Taiwan special. And that they spelt my name wrong. Unless you happen to be writing the pinyin from the Mandarin pronunciation of it (Hu). Publishing evidence below.
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Ever since the digital media industry has carved out roles such as visual designer or developer, if you've ever worked AS one of them, I'm betting my virtual soul that you've worked WITH the other.
Take this scenario. The designer comes up with a snazzy new interface that uses multiple colours, one for each section of a website. The designer's boss approves and even adds to the idea. He gets the sign-off and talks to the developer to make it happen.
The developer double-checks. "You want each section to have its own colour?" Yep.
The trouble is, the developer has to build this interface inside of an existing content management system that already allocates a generic colour and isn't built for such customisation. The developer rolls his eyes and declares that it's not worth their time to figure out a way to do this, just to have some "pretty colours".
Take this scenario. The designer comes up with a snazzy new interface that uses multiple colours, one for each section of a website. The designer's boss approves and even adds to the idea. He gets the sign-off and talks to the developer to make it happen.
The developer double-checks. "You want each section to have its own colour?" Yep.
The trouble is, the developer has to build this interface inside of an existing content management system that already allocates a generic colour and isn't built for such customisation. The developer rolls his eyes and declares that it's not worth their time to figure out a way to do this, just to have some "pretty colours".
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I recently met with a budding, young journalist - Carmen Kong - who was interested in talking to me about Visible Chinese and about British Chinese identity in general. She also hails from my ancestral home town of Tai Po in Hong Kong, so she had me at hello. The result is the following article for Euromight (a website that focuses on ethnic minority), reproduced here with kind permission from Carmen. Update: Carmen also posted the article on her own website here.
MARK WU: MAKING BRITISH CHINESE VISIBLE
By Carmen Kong
Meeting Mark Wu for the first time in central London inexplicably brings a sense of familiarity - busy traffic, chained-coffee shop and a very Chinese face screams "Hong Kong!" to me. We spend quite a long time reminiscing about the places and food, and chatting in a mixture of Cantonese and English.
Like me, the 34-year-old graphic and web designer has a vivid memory of Tai Po district, the suburban area in Hong Kong where I spent the first 17 years of my life. But Wu grew up in a completely different environment, as a son of British immigrants from Hong Kong. Wu's parents moved to the UK before he was born and opened their own takeaway food shop in North London. Like many Chinese immigrants, they worked countless hours every day, seven days a week, to provide a good education and decent living for their three children. Wu, who runs his own interactive design and consulting company, still recalls the days (and weekends) working behind the counter taking orders. And like many Chinese immigrants, they were silent. They caused no trouble and made no comments on society or politics. It was as if they were invisible.
MARK WU: MAKING BRITISH CHINESE VISIBLE
By Carmen Kong
Meeting Mark Wu for the first time in central London inexplicably brings a sense of familiarity - busy traffic, chained-coffee shop and a very Chinese face screams "Hong Kong!" to me. We spend quite a long time reminiscing about the places and food, and chatting in a mixture of Cantonese and English.
Like me, the 34-year-old graphic and web designer has a vivid memory of Tai Po district, the suburban area in Hong Kong where I spent the first 17 years of my life. But Wu grew up in a completely different environment, as a son of British immigrants from Hong Kong. Wu's parents moved to the UK before he was born and opened their own takeaway food shop in North London. Like many Chinese immigrants, they worked countless hours every day, seven days a week, to provide a good education and decent living for their three children. Wu, who runs his own interactive design and consulting company, still recalls the days (and weekends) working behind the counter taking orders. And like many Chinese immigrants, they were silent. They caused no trouble and made no comments on society or politics. It was as if they were invisible.
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Just before Christmas, I finished the new version of the Chinatown Arts Space (CAS) website. It's actually the first major project I've completed since returning back to the UK in May from my travels in East Asia.
It's by far the most ambitious Expression Engine project that I've developed and quite rewarding because of it. I've been able to really explore and work through a number of challenges in making some areas of the site work, namely the membership profile side and the ability for dynamic content such as the news items, to be loaded up to the front end, edited and saved back to the database.
It's by far the most ambitious Expression Engine project that I've developed and quite rewarding because of it. I've been able to really explore and work through a number of challenges in making some areas of the site work, namely the membership profile side and the ability for dynamic content such as the news items, to be loaded up to the front end, edited and saved back to the database.
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Over the last couple of days, when I've actually torn myself away from the screen, I pondered the change of the celebration of Christmas for non-religious folk. Every year, Christmas has often become the time to catch up with family and friends. Yet also every year, I've watched the number of physical Christmas cards arriving on my doorstep dwindle down to a single figure this year.
I'm ready to accept that I'm just unpopular, but the switch of communications from analogue to digital in all forms of community celebrations has been pretty tangible over the years. Whilst I yearn for the personal touch the analogue approach allows, I'm also enthused about the freedom that digital communications allows.
I'm ready to accept that I'm just unpopular, but the switch of communications from analogue to digital in all forms of community celebrations has been pretty tangible over the years. Whilst I yearn for the personal touch the analogue approach allows, I'm also enthused about the freedom that digital communications allows.
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Whilst I'm open to both sides of the story regards the recent demonstrations over tuition fees, I'm sure I'm part of the majority who are slowly turning our thoughts against our barely elected coalition government and in particular, the actions our UK police force are reportedly taking.
I've just read about the kettling in of student demonstrators a couple of days ago, some of whom are just school age and frankly, I'm disgusted that this strategy was used at all. The police knew what they were doing. Is the point to turn people off in the future? Because the only thing it will do is shift the attention from the streets to elsewhere. Perhaps that's why the police are seeking the power to shut down websites in the UK's domain.
Sure, the UK's suffixes aren't the only domains accessible in the UK, but even if one step at a time leads to policing of the whole world wide web, they'll always be a way for those governed to "govern".
I've just read about the kettling in of student demonstrators a couple of days ago, some of whom are just school age and frankly, I'm disgusted that this strategy was used at all. The police knew what they were doing. Is the point to turn people off in the future? Because the only thing it will do is shift the attention from the streets to elsewhere. Perhaps that's why the police are seeking the power to shut down websites in the UK's domain.
Sure, the UK's suffixes aren't the only domains accessible in the UK, but even if one step at a time leads to policing of the whole world wide web, they'll always be a way for those governed to "govern".
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Although social media commentary has saturated our technology news feeds, the BBC's Tim Weber wrote an excellent article analysing the various efforts of companies who adopt this strategy.
As a consumer, it is with some satisfaction that I read about the power and the influence that consumers "who tweet" now have over companies that could once ignore their unhappy customers, previously isolated from the world and in no danger of causing PR damage with their complaints.
The shift in power and the reported mismatch of timely reconciliation in the fast moving world of social media brings most misery to corporates who lack the agility clearly absent from their old world cultures. As individuals, we sometimes read with glee, how mammoths are brought to their knees, buckling under their slowly crumbling reputations that are subsequently picked on by that little blue bird. All power to the people - we're only asked to be treated right.
As a consumer, it is with some satisfaction that I read about the power and the influence that consumers "who tweet" now have over companies that could once ignore their unhappy customers, previously isolated from the world and in no danger of causing PR damage with their complaints.
The shift in power and the reported mismatch of timely reconciliation in the fast moving world of social media brings most misery to corporates who lack the agility clearly absent from their old world cultures. As individuals, we sometimes read with glee, how mammoths are brought to their knees, buckling under their slowly crumbling reputations that are subsequently picked on by that little blue bird. All power to the people - we're only asked to be treated right.
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Just over two weeks ago, I accompanied Linh as she checked into hospital in the early hours of the 16th September. Heavily pregnant, she was not due for another 3 weeks and our combined concern over sporadic pain and other effects that she was feeling, justified the visit.
Four and a half hours later, Linh gave birth to our beautiful daughter, Llithyia Yan Yi Wu at 6.02am. She had arrived amidst a flurry of events that began with the midwife's declaration that it was time, followed by an expectedly quick, but nonetheless painful three and a half hours of labour, eased slightly by the warmth and comfort of the birthing pool.
Four and a half hours later, Linh gave birth to our beautiful daughter, Llithyia Yan Yi Wu at 6.02am. She had arrived amidst a flurry of events that began with the midwife's declaration that it was time, followed by an expectedly quick, but nonetheless painful three and a half hours of labour, eased slightly by the warmth and comfort of the birthing pool.
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I was hoping to do a little post whilst Linh and I were still in Hong Kong and after we visited China during the tail end of April, but just didn't get a chance. We wanted to spend what little time we had left going out and about in Hong Kong after all.
As it happens we've already returned to the UK, and moving smoothly back to *normality*. I went for my first work meeting today and there was no better time and place to begin - right next to the Thames with blue skies and a warm climate. Welcome to Summer in London I guess. Some other various thoughts below.
As it happens we've already returned to the UK, and moving smoothly back to *normality*. I went for my first work meeting today and there was no better time and place to begin - right next to the Thames with blue skies and a warm climate. Welcome to Summer in London I guess. Some other various thoughts below.
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Since my previous posts Travel Stationary Geek and A Process for Travel Journaling, I thought I'd share an update on the collection of Traveler's Notebooks I've so far accumulated. Seven x 32 sheet notebooks, one for each country and a larger 64 sheet notebook for Hong Kong and Macau. I've also got a number of the Passport sized Traveler's Notebooks which are still fulfilling their functions as daily journals and for holding useful information.
For the sixteen month period that we're currently spending in East Asia, these notebooks will be all. In the middle of April, Linh and I are making our last trip to China and I've got a blank notebook for that. All the notebooks will eventually sit inside the four Traveler's Notebook folders you can see in these photos.
For the sixteen month period that we're currently spending in East Asia, these notebooks will be all. In the middle of April, Linh and I are making our last trip to China and I've got a blank notebook for that. All the notebooks will eventually sit inside the four Traveler's Notebook folders you can see in these photos.
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The plan was to leave the UK in February 2009 and move over to East Asia to visit upwards of ten countries in the region. To date, things have gone to plan, touch wood, and only the motherland, China, is left on the list. It would be ignorant to leave plans as broad as that and so we'd obviously made our travel lists covering the macro to the micro.
On the fun side of things, aside from keeping travel journals, I also wanted to find some kind of souvenir from each country. I hadn't really considered what until we had already past Vietnam in March 2009 and were in Japan two months later. It was with the purchase of a small, waxed red cotton owl, I had decided to collect key chains.
On the fun side of things, aside from keeping travel journals, I also wanted to find some kind of souvenir from each country. I hadn't really considered what until we had already past Vietnam in March 2009 and were in Japan two months later. It was with the purchase of a small, waxed red cotton owl, I had decided to collect key chains.
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So exclaimed the immortal Governator in the first Predator movie. Arnold Schwarzenegger - larger than life and undeniably a solid pillar of success resulting from such optimism - simultaneously overcame obstacles on and off-screen, from a barely comprehensive Austrian accent in an American acting industry to seven foot tall alien warriors.
He's also a movie icon, such that many think roles such as Dutch in the original 1987 Predator film are unsurpassable in a follow up. As the original "Terminator", his cameo in the latest Terminator Salvation flick even brought cries of glee from universal fans. And so it is that following a sequel (which just wasn't the same) and two cross-over films with the acid-for-blood xenomorph Aliens, comes the forthcoming Predators, produced by Robert Rodriguez.
He's also a movie icon, such that many think roles such as Dutch in the original 1987 Predator film are unsurpassable in a follow up. As the original "Terminator", his cameo in the latest Terminator Salvation flick even brought cries of glee from universal fans. And so it is that following a sequel (which just wasn't the same) and two cross-over films with the acid-for-blood xenomorph Aliens, comes the forthcoming Predators, produced by Robert Rodriguez.
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In December 2009, Linh and I visited Thailand and Cambodia. Since we'd already visited six other countries in East Asia apart from Hong Kong and Macau, I'd already accumulated a pile of "stuff". My minimalist instinct has been kicking in recently (along with thoughts of my baggage quota for the flight back to the UK) and so I've *tried* not to buy too many physical items. But Thailand is Thailand and I thought I'd share a few of the things I bought. Nothing too bulky.
I went to Bangkok armed with tips from stationary genius Patrick Ng on his Scription blog and was able find some excellent gear from Geo and check out other interesting shops such as Propaganda, the Q Concept Stores and the massive books, stationary and music store B2S.
I went to Bangkok armed with tips from stationary genius Patrick Ng on his Scription blog and was able find some excellent gear from Geo and check out other interesting shops such as Propaganda, the Q Concept Stores and the massive books, stationary and music store B2S.
