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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.
