little laborious enjoyments

My family had just caught up with the Skype phenomenon... hohoho finally... but anyhow.

I was talking to my sister earlier over the phone, and whilst we had a little bit of commiserating over our little patch of not-so-illustrious luck in life, I had to admit I enjoyed the following:

- genuinely using up stationery
I had always been an avid stationery purchaser, and having accumulated a sizable stash, now I am just starting to gnaw at it (read: using it in a productive manner.) There is a sense of accomplishment, besides the slight panic, when one discovers the pencil lead refills in that little tube has gone flat. Same goes with erasers, which previously were replaced because (a) I was bored of them or (b) I lost them. Also, for being able to use four different pairs of scissors with legitimately justified different reasons: fabric, sticky tape, paper and threads. And a pair for kitchen business.

- looking at different, interesting things
Exhibitions, museums, library roaming, taking in street trends. Looking around with justification, and side effect of not actually taking time off work. Or being inspired whilst actually not working. It generally lasts for approximately two weeks at the beginning of every project, before hermit studio mode kicks in... which takes something like, three months? six months? That probably explains why some legendary fashion designers have equally legendary interpersonal skills (but then, it's not always the case, there are nice fashion designers out there these days.)

- fabrics galore
Many of those around me would attest that I have a passion (unhealthy obsession?) for satin ribbons. I can recall enjoying the touch of them since as young as three years of age. So, my little desire of running my hands on different textures of fabric actually gets an academic/professional justification these days. I don't design with satin that much these days, but I still use the first half-minute of entering any fabric store to run my hands up and down bolts of satin fabrics. It's such a joy.
Oh, and please don't cheat and try to sell off any satin-weave fabric as silk to me. I can tell.

- having a physical result at end of heavy toil
Actually being able to show and tell the results of my work is one of the joys of doing what I do now. Not just spreadsheets or arguments, actual physical stuff. It comes with a side effect of non-recognition of endless preceding failures (only the good stuff gets presented and circulated around) and distinct amnesia of "it actually takes hard work to get to the glamour bit", but hey. I can wear my final pieces around town. Spreadsheets sit on nicely labelled yet nondescript virtual corners of a hard-disk; printed out, their blank reverse sides become notepaper (if they are blank. Otherwise they get shredded right away.) Oh well, to each object their own end use. Old clothes bits end up as rags for shoes.
The downside is, if the produce is c***, I wouldn't want to show them around. And people will think I've been spending the past few months doing nothing, since nothing was being paraded around.

Take care, people.