Bling Bling Baby


After my last two semi-serious posts about the philosophy of life, I thought I'd light things up and share a fun part of my job.

For those of you who don't know, I started a luxury company here in Hong Kong, predominantly selling luxury watches. We've since also expanded into jewelry and it's my job to source more suppliers for the Asia region. Here's a photo from a visit I paid to my spanish-speaking Hong-Kong native supplier (don't ask). We've been selling your garden-variety Tiffany's and Cartier at a discount, but I find the non-branded products to be just as exciting (and cheaper).

Ever a girly-girl with an attitude, I decided to try ALL the rings on at the same time (and that was from only ONE tray). I could have sat there happy and content for hours, dreamily enjoying the bling and drinking way too much green tea. I only wish they let me in the vault, where I'm sure there was enough shiny stuff to oogle for at least another few hours.

I hope to supply japanese soothe-sayers you see on Iron Chef, blinged out rappers or the person who owns this car. Needless to say, I'll continue to enjoy my trips to the diamond suppliers...



Life as a Cartoon.


I've been reading a lot lately, usually over a cup of hot tea cut with milk and sugar. I prop my head against the armrest of my chocolate-colored leather sofa and read thick books, trying to get a sense of life and all its persuits.

A reoccuring theme in my head (after reading these books about monks and peace and yada-yada) is the way I view my life... and how it needs to change. I'm currently seeing in black and white, I'd like to move to color and then, oh yes baby, full HDTV. For me, I think I'm happiest when I see my life as a HDTV cartoon series... I love when complicated structures melt into simplistic lines, it's where color is more vibrant and characters more defined and animated.

I remember seeing a girl riding a bicylce in Seattle, with long ribbons in her hair and bright green socks with red polka-dots. She wore brown-green cordroy pants and had a yellow basket filled with fruit. I couldn't help but smiling. I also remember an old man painting on the hills of Gas Works Park, with a rainbow umbrella sheilding his head. Here in Hong Kong, there's a tree growing out of the wall that I love, at a 40 degree angle.

I find beauty in animation - I feel the warmth and simplicity makes you slow down to the pace of life. To breathe deep, to laugh, to love.





In Pursuit of Happiness (Chasing something I have already.)


It's strange, isn't it? That with all this technology and ability to communicate, we can still feel lonely or distant from those we love. With families spread out over the world, you realize that in the end, where you are doesn't actually matter that much. It's who you're with.

I remember growing up in "ghetto" Jakarta, in a time when the Internet was just taking of, when international phone calls weren't cheap and Starbucks coffee was available only at the airportsw of neighboring countries. Yet my life was full and energetic and wondrous. My sisters - two individuals whom my heart now aches for, accompanied me to movies, ice skating and to the mall to take photo-box pictures together. What is it about our childhood that we reminisce about, what do we miss so much in our adulthood?

Sometimes I think that life was just simpler back then, but in my heart I know it wasn't. I think the difference is, as a child you react with your heart, you live from your heart (instead of your mind) and you're thus aware of your immediate surroundings. You're also more forgiving, loving, carefree and joyous as a child and haven't quite yet mastered the skill of judging yourself and others. As adults we tend to suppress these simplest of truths, believing that being more complex and sophisticated is actually a good thing. I hope that when I have children I'll be wise and sensible enough to not take life too seriously with them. I hope that we'll eat ice-cream that drips on our laps, spend days at the beach burying each other in the sand and nights together watching scary movies under thick blankets. (I'm almost certain I'll be more scared than the kids. I'm such a scaredy cat).

I also find that as adults, we allow unimportant things to cloud our lives and our judgements. Our priorities don't line up with what our supposed values are, we make unnecessary sacrifices and then lament the choices we make - mostly subconsciously. We learn not to express ourselves, to sweep our concerns and emotions under the rug, in hopes that they'll just disappear. I'm trying to just be aware of myself these days, hear myself, know myself...you can't imagine what I tell myself!

Anyway, I know I have not written in awhile and many of you were concerned. I have missed you too. But I believe that strong storms cause wild acorns like me to grow stronger, and I hope that taking to my writing again will force me to do a near impossible feat: enjoying the moment as it happens. So... here's me trying.

I am in Hong Kong, a city of constant sound and movement. I'm sitting in my garden, listening to the birds sing as they sway in the branches. They appeared in the spring and haven't left, they act as my constant companions. The air is thick with moisture, so much so I feel as if I just slathered myself with cream - but it's cut by a soft breeze coming from the hills. I smell sawdust and concrete, garlic and fresh laundry. The neighbors downstairs are playing music - the tinkling of an old piano loved over several generations.

I'm sticky and sweaty from the July heat, so I'll end here. Thanks for listening.





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