I’m a grown up now! My parents left me with my siblings and went on a ten-day holiday; and I survived! I managed to wake up to send my brother to school, myself off to work, buy groceries and make it home early enough to watch my brother complete his homework and still cook dinner and coax him to eat green leafy (albeit icky) veggies (I had to eat them too, to set a good example)!
I did not collapse in hysteria, nor did I lose my mind juggling all this! The only major shift that took place was in my mind, I realised just how much my mother manages to accomplish on a daily basis as a domestic-manager! It looks so very easy from the outside to sit at home and watch soap-operas (or Hindi soap-serials in this case), while the house cleans itself! Well, in my parents’ absence, I learnt that the house does not self-clean! Rags, brooms and mops need to be wielded with two hands, and it is not beneath me to do those chores, no matter how educated, well-read, cultured and independent I may be.
My parents’ trip, while a break for them; was certainly an eye-opener for me! Not just have I learnt to respect my mother a hundred times more; but I’ve developed a healthy respect for maids as well! Some of them come to Singapore far younger than me to be domestics, and although they must have dealt with their share of chores back home; it is always different in a stranger’s house!
I know of employers who will deduct the price of broken crockery or scratched Teflon (happens when a scourer meets the face of a non-stick pan; a concept not familiar in the rural villages where most of our household help comes from, and something most employers don’t bother to explain) from the wages of their maids. While I understand the concept of paying for mistakes, I think this is too literal an application of it.
Not so long ago, it was a big deal in the press about mandatory days of leave for maids; well as an employed person, I realise the importance of some break time. While all jobs, domestic work included, have downtime, where things are not as rushed, this is far from sufficient for the human mind and body to relax and rejuvenate for more work. It is in such moments that mistakes happen and glasses break. Domestic workers will find it difficult to comprehend a glass costing more than their monthly wage; crystal holds little meaning, especially if they are not forewarned of the consequences and told to take extra care when washing certain dishes.
I don’t think I would like to have the help of a maid when I have set-up home, and especially not a live-in maid. I am not ready for the responsibility of having another human being living with me and having to worry about her eating habits and dietary needs. It would be most unfair on my part to employ a maid and expect her to conform to my eating habits (I dislike most meat and am a largely bread person). I know of Chinese families who love pork and do not make alternate eating arrangements for their Muslim house-help; sometimes leaving them with little other than plain rice.
While I don’t claim to be a perfect person, or very morally-upright; these 10 days without my parents has drawn me out of my mother’s sheltered veil; and away from her apron-strings, I’ve begun to see the darker shades of life and the world a little more clearly. Many people I know are setting up home and a maid is a mandatory addition to their homes, whether needed or not. Many of my compatriots feel it beneath them to mop the floor once in a while; and a maid is almost a status-symbol of their bourgeois lifestyles.
When my parents return home, I know that I am going to make a far greater effort to help her out with little chores, for anyone who takes care of me and my household (be it mother, grand-parent, or hired help) must have an amazing level of patience; and is more than worthy of my respect.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
No pain no gain!??
Thanks to various credit card companies, I have recently been the lucky recipient of a number of vouchers, covering the entire beautifying process from facials to relaxing and deep tissue massages! After I overcame my delight at receiving such goodies to beautify myself before my first day at a new job, I sat down with my calendar to make appointments!
I have never actually been for a facial, and so my first appointment was for a “bio-oxygen facial”! After trekking across Chinatown to find the wonderfully hidden little spa, I was sweating and frazzled! Stepping into the cool interior of the spa and inhaling the (so-typical) incense did help to calm me before I faced a stack of forms and disclaimers to sign, having to reveal details like my weight and height. While I was wondering how this affected a facial; my beautician turned up and led me to a private room.
As I relaxed on the bed waiting for her, I thought about how relaxed I would be in the aftermath of the facial. And indeed, the facial did start off well with a cool scrub, then a steam. The worst part began when she started using her nails on my face to dig out blackheads! While I was worrying about the hygiene level of her nails and open pores on my skin, she was gleefully humming a tune to herself! Just as I thought I was no longer going to be able to take the pain of her long nails squeezing my pores, she began to use what felt like a needle to pierce my skin to remove the said blackheads. When the tears began to flow, she asked if I would like some anaesthetizing cream to help numb the pain. As at this point I was literally sobbing, I just nodded while she muttered that it would be an additional $50 (for a facial that only cost $38).
She rubbed some cream on my face and continued prodding and poking; I do not know about the pain reduction; but my tears must have washed off most of the cream. Thank goodness, it ended soon after and after a quick mask, I was ready to go. As I stepped out of the room, I was ushered into another room for a “sales talk” where they tried really hard to convince me that I wanted to cry in sheer pain once every three weeks for 6 months, at a discounted package price of only $3000! As I escaped the spa, I praised God that I had the wisdom to schedule a massage with another voucher instead of another facial.
Delightedly, I went off for my massage session the next week, and at the risk of sounding like a prude, the idea of wearing nothing under the gown except disposable knickers was a terrifying thought to me. Telling myself to grow up, I lay down on another bed in another spa and awaited another beautician/masseuse. This time though, the pain began immediately! What was supposed to be a “relaxing massage” involved the masseuse (a rather healthy-sized woman) clambering onto the bed, knees on either side of me, and kneading my poor back with her full body strength. After shedding more tears (believe me, I am not usually a cry-baby); I squealed for her to lighten up! Which accordingly she did, and I breathed easy, for about ten seconds… eventually I gave up trying to tell her to go slow and simply told her that I was in a hurry and had to go, so she could cut short the session.
As I admired the leftover sore spots on my face from my first facial and the huge blue-black bruises that decorated my back from my massage session; I picked up the phone and cancelled the remaining “free” sessions the vouchers offered. I fully understand both the clichés “no pain, no gain” and the concept of “no such thing as a free lunch”. Perhaps I am not meant to enjoy such beauty treatments, be that as it may, I am pretty happy the way I am. As a lesson learnt, I went out and splurged on a new book to relax (alternative to massage) and a box of Tate’s lavender tea (alternative to detox facial). All my credit card companies take note; I prefer tea and books, so keep such pain-free vouchers coming!
I have never actually been for a facial, and so my first appointment was for a “bio-oxygen facial”! After trekking across Chinatown to find the wonderfully hidden little spa, I was sweating and frazzled! Stepping into the cool interior of the spa and inhaling the (so-typical) incense did help to calm me before I faced a stack of forms and disclaimers to sign, having to reveal details like my weight and height. While I was wondering how this affected a facial; my beautician turned up and led me to a private room.
As I relaxed on the bed waiting for her, I thought about how relaxed I would be in the aftermath of the facial. And indeed, the facial did start off well with a cool scrub, then a steam. The worst part began when she started using her nails on my face to dig out blackheads! While I was worrying about the hygiene level of her nails and open pores on my skin, she was gleefully humming a tune to herself! Just as I thought I was no longer going to be able to take the pain of her long nails squeezing my pores, she began to use what felt like a needle to pierce my skin to remove the said blackheads. When the tears began to flow, she asked if I would like some anaesthetizing cream to help numb the pain. As at this point I was literally sobbing, I just nodded while she muttered that it would be an additional $50 (for a facial that only cost $38).
She rubbed some cream on my face and continued prodding and poking; I do not know about the pain reduction; but my tears must have washed off most of the cream. Thank goodness, it ended soon after and after a quick mask, I was ready to go. As I stepped out of the room, I was ushered into another room for a “sales talk” where they tried really hard to convince me that I wanted to cry in sheer pain once every three weeks for 6 months, at a discounted package price of only $3000! As I escaped the spa, I praised God that I had the wisdom to schedule a massage with another voucher instead of another facial.
Delightedly, I went off for my massage session the next week, and at the risk of sounding like a prude, the idea of wearing nothing under the gown except disposable knickers was a terrifying thought to me. Telling myself to grow up, I lay down on another bed in another spa and awaited another beautician/masseuse. This time though, the pain began immediately! What was supposed to be a “relaxing massage” involved the masseuse (a rather healthy-sized woman) clambering onto the bed, knees on either side of me, and kneading my poor back with her full body strength. After shedding more tears (believe me, I am not usually a cry-baby); I squealed for her to lighten up! Which accordingly she did, and I breathed easy, for about ten seconds… eventually I gave up trying to tell her to go slow and simply told her that I was in a hurry and had to go, so she could cut short the session.
As I admired the leftover sore spots on my face from my first facial and the huge blue-black bruises that decorated my back from my massage session; I picked up the phone and cancelled the remaining “free” sessions the vouchers offered. I fully understand both the clichés “no pain, no gain” and the concept of “no such thing as a free lunch”. Perhaps I am not meant to enjoy such beauty treatments, be that as it may, I am pretty happy the way I am. As a lesson learnt, I went out and splurged on a new book to relax (alternative to massage) and a box of Tate’s lavender tea (alternative to detox facial). All my credit card companies take note; I prefer tea and books, so keep such pain-free vouchers coming!
Give back!
070707 was the day my graduation ceremony was held; the guest of honor is an acclaimed alumni of NUS and the arts Faculty. Having majored in political science, she then went on to dedicate her life and work to the needy. Ms. Eunice Olsen, a lady who became one of our youngest NMPs, and has indeed given to society in many ways. The question I asked myself when they announced her name was “are they inviting her as a hint to us”. Are we supposed to think less about money and success and focus on making society a better place?
As a fresh graduate, I have enough dreams to make my head swell! I am still obsessed with noble aims of wanting to write a novel that will change the way people think, that will inspire people to be true to themselves and ask what they can do for themselves, others and their nation before asking what others and their nation can do for them.
Yet in all these airy fairy dreams of mine, there is the cynic in my head which repeatedly yells that these are just dreams! The facts of life and our society dictate that as a fresh graduate I first find a job that offers a salary commensurate with what the papers keep publishing. The starting salary of an SMU graduate who entered the oil industry sometime last year was a reported $12000; with such news bites sprinkling the media, how can any self-respecting fresh graduate, who probably has a tuition fee loan running in the tens of thousands, or a CPF loan to pay off, take on a job that offers self-improvement over a high salary?
I challenge my fellow graduates to tell me how many of them would give up cushy pay packets for job satisfaction. I know I could not do that. I have to think of the costs of education loans, laptop loans, transport costs wedding and housing costs; in our society we have forgotten the less fortunate in our bid to keep rising up. The more we have, the more we want. The cycle just never ends.
I am glad that on the occasion of my graduation, the guest of honor was not another PhD candidate with a secure tenure in a top university spouting words that mean little. I am glad that NUS invited someone whom we can all identify with, a Bachelors degree holder, who has worked and earned and lived the same life we have, in the same society, and yet made something of herself; not in terms of cash perhaps, but in terms of personal growth and giving to others.
I have often written about making courteous comments to service staff in order to make their day; and to reiterate, this too is one way of giving to society. There are so many little things we can do every single day, in every single place we go, that the common excuse of “I’m too busy” simply does not stand.
Instead of throwing away that almost-new but slightly too short/tight/outdated miniskirt, stop and give it to the Salvation Army instead. Before relegating stacks of Enid Blytons and Roald Dahls to the garbage truck, box it up and donate it to various thrift shops, or the stall that currently sits outside Wisma Atria collecting and selling second hand books for charity!
Neither of the acts I described above take excessive lengths of time; and all of them seem immensely do-able to me. So since I myself lack the courage to donate all my working hours to charity, I am hardly able to challenge anyone else to do so; so while I admire Ms Olsen for her work, I am honest in my self-assessment and declare myself unable to do the same. However, since I have donated old clothes to thrift shops and books to charity, I can request the same of my peers. Give back some of what we have got, I urge you! We studied for 3 to 4 years on highly subsidized fees! It’s time to give back, with a grateful heart.
As a fresh graduate, I have enough dreams to make my head swell! I am still obsessed with noble aims of wanting to write a novel that will change the way people think, that will inspire people to be true to themselves and ask what they can do for themselves, others and their nation before asking what others and their nation can do for them.
Yet in all these airy fairy dreams of mine, there is the cynic in my head which repeatedly yells that these are just dreams! The facts of life and our society dictate that as a fresh graduate I first find a job that offers a salary commensurate with what the papers keep publishing. The starting salary of an SMU graduate who entered the oil industry sometime last year was a reported $12000; with such news bites sprinkling the media, how can any self-respecting fresh graduate, who probably has a tuition fee loan running in the tens of thousands, or a CPF loan to pay off, take on a job that offers self-improvement over a high salary?
I challenge my fellow graduates to tell me how many of them would give up cushy pay packets for job satisfaction. I know I could not do that. I have to think of the costs of education loans, laptop loans, transport costs wedding and housing costs; in our society we have forgotten the less fortunate in our bid to keep rising up. The more we have, the more we want. The cycle just never ends.
I am glad that on the occasion of my graduation, the guest of honor was not another PhD candidate with a secure tenure in a top university spouting words that mean little. I am glad that NUS invited someone whom we can all identify with, a Bachelors degree holder, who has worked and earned and lived the same life we have, in the same society, and yet made something of herself; not in terms of cash perhaps, but in terms of personal growth and giving to others.
I have often written about making courteous comments to service staff in order to make their day; and to reiterate, this too is one way of giving to society. There are so many little things we can do every single day, in every single place we go, that the common excuse of “I’m too busy” simply does not stand.
Instead of throwing away that almost-new but slightly too short/tight/outdated miniskirt, stop and give it to the Salvation Army instead. Before relegating stacks of Enid Blytons and Roald Dahls to the garbage truck, box it up and donate it to various thrift shops, or the stall that currently sits outside Wisma Atria collecting and selling second hand books for charity!
Neither of the acts I described above take excessive lengths of time; and all of them seem immensely do-able to me. So since I myself lack the courage to donate all my working hours to charity, I am hardly able to challenge anyone else to do so; so while I admire Ms Olsen for her work, I am honest in my self-assessment and declare myself unable to do the same. However, since I have donated old clothes to thrift shops and books to charity, I can request the same of my peers. Give back some of what we have got, I urge you! We studied for 3 to 4 years on highly subsidized fees! It’s time to give back, with a grateful heart.
I read republican trash!
Obama Hails a Unicorn
by Ann Coulter
Fox News ought to buy a copy of Monday's Democrat debate on CNN to play over and over during the general election campaign. For now, the Democratic candidates need to appeal only to their nut-base. So on Monday night, the candidates casually spouted liberal conspiracy theories that would frighten normal Americans, but are guaranteed to warm the hearts of losers blogging from their mother's basements.
B. Hussein Obama got the party started by claiming he couldn't get a cab in New York because he's black. This line was a big hit with white liberals in the audience who have never been to New York.
Even writers for The New York Times don't drag this canard out anymore. Last year, a black writer in the Times pointed out how things had changed in New York in the 10 years since he had been out of the country. Not only did he have no trouble getting a cab, but he cited statistics from taxi sting operations that showed a 96 percent compliance rate among cabbies in picking up blacks. (Remarkable, considering that New York cabbies' compliance rate on daily bathing is less than half that.)
As the Times writer noted, even 10 years ago, "most of the drivers who refused to pick me up or take me to my destination during that time were of African descent." When he asked one cabbie -- 10 years ago -- why he avoided picking up black customers, the driver displayed a scar across his neck, a souvenir from a black customer who had robbed him. "I have to choose which is worse," the driver said, "a fine or death."
Thanks to Rudy Giuliani, cab drivers in New York no longer have to make that choice. Under his mayoralty, New York City became a lot safer for cab drivers -- and everyone else. The murder rate went from about 2,000 murders a year under Mayor David Dinkins to about 700 by the end of Giuliani's term. The last time a cab driver was killed in New York was in 1997.
In addition to making it safer for (mostly African-American and Muslim) cabbies to pick up African-Americans, Giuliani made it costly for them not to. He started "Operation Refusal" in 1999, sending out teams of black undercover cops and taxi commissioners to hail cabs and give fines to those who refused to pick up blacks.
Even back in 1999, in the first 12 hours of "Operation Refusal," out of more than 800 cabs hailed, only five cab drivers refused to pick up a customer -- one of whom was a white woman with children. And by the way, I've had dozens of cabs refuse to stop for me on Fifth Avenue. Sometimes they forget to turn on the "off duty" light, or they're daydreaming or maybe they've read my columns on Muslims.
Next time, B. Hussein Obama ought to tell us the one about Kool cigarettes being owned by the KKK and causing impotence in black men. There may not be overwhelming evidence disproving that one as there is for the yarn about blacks not being able to get a cab in New York.
Overall, Hillary appeared to be the only Democrat even dimly aware that there will eventually be a general election. But she too played to her audience with wacky conspiracy theories. Oops, I mean she "discussed the Democratic platform in detail." No need for me to get judgmental.
Hillary raised the Bush-stole-the-2000-election fairy tale, saying: "I think it is a problem that Bush was elected in 2000. I actually thought somebody else was elected in that election, but ..." (Applause.)
On Nov. 12, 2001, The New York Times ran a front page article that began: "A comprehensive review of the uncounted Florida ballots from last year's presidential election reveals that George W. Bush would have won even if the United States Supreme Court had allowed the statewide manual recount of the votes that the Florida Supreme Court had ordered to go forward."
Another Times article that day by Richard L. Berke said that the "comprehensive review of the uncounted Florida ballots solidifies George W. Bush's legal claim on the White House because it concludes that he would have won under the ground rules prescribed by the Democrats."
On Nov. 18, 2001, notorious pro-abortion zealot Linda Greenhouse wrote in the Times that the media consortium's count of all the disputed Florida ballots -- in which the Times participated -- concluded "that George W. Bush would have won the 2000 presidential election even had the court not cut the final recount short."
If three prominent articles in the Treason Times isn't enough to convince Hillary that Bush won the 2000 election, forget the White House: ABC ought to hire her to replace Rosie O'Donnell on "The View." I know that's a big seat to fill, but maybe she can finally convince Elizabeth Hasselbeck that 9/11 was an inside job.
Ann Coulter is Legal Affairs Correspondent for HUMAN EVENTS and author of "High Crimes and Misdemeanors," "Slander," ""How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must)," and most recently, "Godless."
Here are a few of the comments submitted by readers.
-What a joke, as per usual!
I love the line "liberals in the audience who have never been to New York" - that's a great one! After all, most liberals hail from the hillbilly infested South and Middle American.. oh wait! Those are all the RED states! Yeah, New York City isn't fiercely liberal.. I think Ann just closes her eyes and types and whatever comes out, comes out.. and it's usually ridiculous!
I also love how she still thinks it's funny to play around with Barrack Obama's name to make him sound like a terrorist! Ann apparently still thinks like she's in 4th grade.. I wonder what she'll have to say when he's either her President or VP, cuz it's going to happen! Will she refrain from "bashing the Commander in Chief", the same thing she kills the left for? Right..
Without the Treason Times, there would have never been an Iraq War.. without the Treason Times, Bush would have never been elected a second time (they waited until after the elections to break the ILLEGAL wiretapping story). I love how a reputable news source that has been around for 100 years can simply try to do their job and tell the truth about our political process and our incompetent leadership, and suddenly they're traitors.. I sincerely wish all you righties, all of you, would just follow each other right off a cliff. The world would be so much better off without you!
CK, PhillyJul 25, 2007 @ 07:54 PM
-Annie you are a disgrace to womanhood,America, and the republican party.
cpburns, huntsville,txJul 25, 2007 @ 07:58 PM
-ahhh CK. That's the difference between liberals and conservatives. You want us to step off a cliff when all we ask is that you step off your soapbox.
fedupwithbs, washington, dcJul 25, 2007 @ 08:02 PM
by Ann Coulter
Fox News ought to buy a copy of Monday's Democrat debate on CNN to play over and over during the general election campaign. For now, the Democratic candidates need to appeal only to their nut-base. So on Monday night, the candidates casually spouted liberal conspiracy theories that would frighten normal Americans, but are guaranteed to warm the hearts of losers blogging from their mother's basements.
B. Hussein Obama got the party started by claiming he couldn't get a cab in New York because he's black. This line was a big hit with white liberals in the audience who have never been to New York.
Even writers for The New York Times don't drag this canard out anymore. Last year, a black writer in the Times pointed out how things had changed in New York in the 10 years since he had been out of the country. Not only did he have no trouble getting a cab, but he cited statistics from taxi sting operations that showed a 96 percent compliance rate among cabbies in picking up blacks. (Remarkable, considering that New York cabbies' compliance rate on daily bathing is less than half that.)
As the Times writer noted, even 10 years ago, "most of the drivers who refused to pick me up or take me to my destination during that time were of African descent." When he asked one cabbie -- 10 years ago -- why he avoided picking up black customers, the driver displayed a scar across his neck, a souvenir from a black customer who had robbed him. "I have to choose which is worse," the driver said, "a fine or death."
Thanks to Rudy Giuliani, cab drivers in New York no longer have to make that choice. Under his mayoralty, New York City became a lot safer for cab drivers -- and everyone else. The murder rate went from about 2,000 murders a year under Mayor David Dinkins to about 700 by the end of Giuliani's term. The last time a cab driver was killed in New York was in 1997.
In addition to making it safer for (mostly African-American and Muslim) cabbies to pick up African-Americans, Giuliani made it costly for them not to. He started "Operation Refusal" in 1999, sending out teams of black undercover cops and taxi commissioners to hail cabs and give fines to those who refused to pick up blacks.
Even back in 1999, in the first 12 hours of "Operation Refusal," out of more than 800 cabs hailed, only five cab drivers refused to pick up a customer -- one of whom was a white woman with children. And by the way, I've had dozens of cabs refuse to stop for me on Fifth Avenue. Sometimes they forget to turn on the "off duty" light, or they're daydreaming or maybe they've read my columns on Muslims.
Next time, B. Hussein Obama ought to tell us the one about Kool cigarettes being owned by the KKK and causing impotence in black men. There may not be overwhelming evidence disproving that one as there is for the yarn about blacks not being able to get a cab in New York.
Overall, Hillary appeared to be the only Democrat even dimly aware that there will eventually be a general election. But she too played to her audience with wacky conspiracy theories. Oops, I mean she "discussed the Democratic platform in detail." No need for me to get judgmental.
Hillary raised the Bush-stole-the-2000-election fairy tale, saying: "I think it is a problem that Bush was elected in 2000. I actually thought somebody else was elected in that election, but ..." (Applause.)
On Nov. 12, 2001, The New York Times ran a front page article that began: "A comprehensive review of the uncounted Florida ballots from last year's presidential election reveals that George W. Bush would have won even if the United States Supreme Court had allowed the statewide manual recount of the votes that the Florida Supreme Court had ordered to go forward."
Another Times article that day by Richard L. Berke said that the "comprehensive review of the uncounted Florida ballots solidifies George W. Bush's legal claim on the White House because it concludes that he would have won under the ground rules prescribed by the Democrats."
On Nov. 18, 2001, notorious pro-abortion zealot Linda Greenhouse wrote in the Times that the media consortium's count of all the disputed Florida ballots -- in which the Times participated -- concluded "that George W. Bush would have won the 2000 presidential election even had the court not cut the final recount short."
If three prominent articles in the Treason Times isn't enough to convince Hillary that Bush won the 2000 election, forget the White House: ABC ought to hire her to replace Rosie O'Donnell on "The View." I know that's a big seat to fill, but maybe she can finally convince Elizabeth Hasselbeck that 9/11 was an inside job.
Ann Coulter is Legal Affairs Correspondent for HUMAN EVENTS and author of "High Crimes and Misdemeanors," "Slander," ""How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must)," and most recently, "Godless."
Here are a few of the comments submitted by readers.
-What a joke, as per usual!
I love the line "liberals in the audience who have never been to New York" - that's a great one! After all, most liberals hail from the hillbilly infested South and Middle American.. oh wait! Those are all the RED states! Yeah, New York City isn't fiercely liberal.. I think Ann just closes her eyes and types and whatever comes out, comes out.. and it's usually ridiculous!
I also love how she still thinks it's funny to play around with Barrack Obama's name to make him sound like a terrorist! Ann apparently still thinks like she's in 4th grade.. I wonder what she'll have to say when he's either her President or VP, cuz it's going to happen! Will she refrain from "bashing the Commander in Chief", the same thing she kills the left for? Right..
Without the Treason Times, there would have never been an Iraq War.. without the Treason Times, Bush would have never been elected a second time (they waited until after the elections to break the ILLEGAL wiretapping story). I love how a reputable news source that has been around for 100 years can simply try to do their job and tell the truth about our political process and our incompetent leadership, and suddenly they're traitors.. I sincerely wish all you righties, all of you, would just follow each other right off a cliff. The world would be so much better off without you!
CK, PhillyJul 25, 2007 @ 07:54 PM
-Annie you are a disgrace to womanhood,America, and the republican party.
cpburns, huntsville,txJul 25, 2007 @ 07:58 PM
-ahhh CK. That's the difference between liberals and conservatives. You want us to step off a cliff when all we ask is that you step off your soapbox.
fedupwithbs, washington, dcJul 25, 2007 @ 08:02 PM
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Singapore Art Show - NYT comment
“The thing I’m worried about is, everything we’re trying to do here is economically orientated and that’s disturbing to me,” said the artist Amanda Heng, whose work will be part of the “Curating Lab.” “Now that they’ve found art is a cultural capital, they want to get hold of it. So we put money into it, but this cannot be done with art. Art is something that you nurture slowly and it develops over time.”
She added: “Developing the art is not like making instant noodles. It takes time. The very colorful things you see from other countries come from a very long, historical art past, which we don’t have. I hope we can recognize this and start building and understanding our short art history.”
She added: “Developing the art is not like making instant noodles. It takes time. The very colorful things you see from other countries come from a very long, historical art past, which we don’t have. I hope we can recognize this and start building and understanding our short art history.”
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
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