I badly feel like hopping onto a plane and getting out of here. Just being on a plane alone makes me so happy. I guess it's always connected to the excitement of going to a new place. Leon Spilliaert's works conjure in me a strange mixture of feelings- that wistful longing for a new place, gloominess and melancholy, and a sense of threat looming beneath the calm. Slightly ominous, especially the heaviness of the ships, which act as a dominating, oppressive force. The palette used gives a hazy, dreamlike effect, or that of fogginess.

Cage skirt- 3 ways

I watched a little of the TV show called 'Stylista' by the creators of Project Runway and it made me think that being the editor of a fashion magazine would be the perfect job for me! Actually I've entertained this notion before. I want to bring Teen Vogue to Singapore and be the editor of it. As you can guess, Teen Vogue is one of my favourite magazines because of the youthful, adventurous outfits. I find that Vogue has too many advertisements and I read it more for the articles. My other favourite magazine is a Japanese one- Souen. It contains very creative, artistic editorials as well as interesting features on art, architecture, lesser-known Japanese clothing brands etc. In other words, it's the perfect thing for me. I think the Japanese seriously have the best shopping culture- their shop decor is carefully crafted and the clothes so unique. No wonder Japanese streetstyle is so exciting.

Do you believe that you're special- that you're unique?

I do, but it seems that the place I'm in stifles me. It makes me feel bored, mundane, and like everyone else. Kinda like a member of the clone army in Star Wars. I have the courage to think differently, but I'm not brave enough to say my view out loud. I guess I try to break out through my actions- what I choose to do and how I choose to act. The thing is, I have to get used to everyone judging me, be it positively or negatively. And sometimes, I feel a little lonely and ask myself why I can't just be like everyone else. It's human instinct to want to be a member of the pack, I guess. It's hard to find somewhere I can truly fit in.

But one thing I feel strongly about is that no one should ever affect how you feel about yourself. And that's a belief strong enough to keep me going.

A drawing I did

I completed one of my drawing assignments for RISD yesterday. The task was to take a piece of paper, manipulate it in any way and make a drawing of it. I chose to twist pieces of torn paper and knot them together. The folds created are visually and conceptually fascinating to me, reminding me of sinews of muscle or barbed wire. I feel that the effect of tension is created both in the subject and composition. I also blended realistic and slightly graphic styles for interest and to highlight the quality of the folds, creases and twists.

Now I have two more drawings to go.

Amedeo Modigliani Portraits

Love his palette of muted hues, stylized figures and idiosyncratic use of red for hair colour. These paintings have such simplicity, restraint and elegance unique to his style. Less can be more.

I get the blues

I pay great attention to colour and its psychological effects. I like the effect of a little blue in home decor, either in small pops (the windows of the first house, the upholstery of the chairs) or in pale washes aka baby blue (on furniture).

My posts may be infrequent these days. That's because I'm working on my portfolio, in addition to assuming duties as the family maid. No kidding. Our third maid in six months has left and, in my mum's words, we should "take a break from maids for a while". Who knows, maybe our luck will change then. Cleaning the house, doing laundry and cooking for a family of six is no joke, especially as my cooking skills are minimal. Thankfully I have my sis to help me. This isn't the first time we've gone without a maid, but at that time I was young and wasn't expected to cook. We mostly ate catered food or my mum's food when she had time to cook.

On the positive side, I'd say that I pay more attention now about what goes into my food. I hate oily stuff 'cos it makes one so greasy cooking it and it makes a mess of the kitchen. Not to mention getting the oil thoroughly off the plates. No more oily food for me. On the other hand, I love salads and vegetables in general as they're easy to prepare. I could eat salad every day.

I really admire Japanese cooking and cuisine. I think it's the perfect thing for me because it's healthy and follows the philosophy of eating a variety of dishes in small portions. Plus it emphasizes the presentation and aesthetic quality of the food. I'm a person who likes to be surrounded by beautiful things. While that may sound superficial, I believe that beauty is often a sign of quality and requires sensitivity on the part of the beholder. Aesthetic pleasure is one of the main components that give my life fulfillment. In Japanese cuisine, food looks beautiful often because it is fresh. Some day when I have more time I'm going to immerse myself in cookbooks and learn to cook Japanese food.