Grey water is wastewater generated from domestic activities such as laundry, dishwashing, and bathing. ~ Wikipedia

Below are the few small ways in which I conserve water:

1. The laundry machine and toilets use rain water.
2. Rain water is also used in the garden and for the aquariums.
3. Hand washing small laundry items after pre-soaking in mild detergent.
4. Reuse grey water from the hand-washings to wipe floors, or for cleaning furniture and terrace.
5. Run the dishwasher only when the machine is full and at the lowest temperature and shortest time possible.
6. Most importantly, I try not to use that much water in the first place. Now if I can only do without my showers. Kidding…let’s not get too extreme, shall we?

Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don’t need.  ~ From the movie Fight Club, based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk.

I can’t say it better…

I’ve worked closely with 5 other designers who were also friends. Each and everyone of them have other realms to expand their minds. When graphic or web design is work; making music, movie watching, painting and cooking becomes play. The infusion of audio, visual and various sensory experiences nourish and sharpen creativity and imaginations.

Cooking – my other creative output – allows me to experiment, to hone my skills and to experience the joy of making something from scratch. Sounds pretty much like the design process, doesn’t it?

1. Completed Belgian Integration classes. Finally, after 2 years!
2. My parents had a lovely time. They get to experience and understand my life here.
3. Went to Paradisio (yippee, train rides!) and visited a few popular cities in West Flanders.
4. Visited Amsterdam because we were in the area. Had fun at Gentse Feesten. But otherwise, this is what you call a staycation.
5. Made full use of my library membership. Read 2 fantastic Steinbeck novels. From now on it will be children’s books in Dutch.
6. Ate out less, cooked more. Had our first ‘lunch’ guests. Cooking is my other creative outlet. I shall explain this in a future post.
7. We watched a lots of movies. Some great, some bad and many in-between. I finally watched Taken. Was good. Sci-Fi is my thing.
8. Been cleaning the house like a mad woman! But these are not mundane activities because I create low impact processes along the way.
9. Purchased and installed semi see through roller shades. Not only do the shades cut out direct sunlight, they also soften up the living room.
10. Doing more in depth reading and research regarding foreign exchange, namely the Euro Dollar duo. It is to my advantage to forsee the trend. Yeah, I know, sounds like gambling. In a way it is!

Well, that’s it. A quiet relaxing summer.

Cheers and Happy Malaysia Day to my multiracial, multi-religion, multi-language, multi-culture fellow citizens. Let’s celebrate peace, unity and merdeka.

Selamat Hari Kebangsaan!

I think D and I are already living a rather green lifestyle. We have a well insulated mid sized house, D drives a small car, he bikes, I take the public transportation to school, and most significantly we don’t have children or pets. Below are a few new processes that I acted on this summer:

1. Try buying more seasonal and local produce.
2. Going vegetarian as often as I can thus reducing weekly meat intake and food cost.
3. Plant herbs and vegetables, making use of the land we have.
4. Instead of vacuuming, I clean the floors with rainwater and tiny amount of soap.
5. Changed the settings on the dishwasher to reduce wash time and temperature.
6. I recycle, but my first attempt is always to reduce. The logic: if I do not buy, I do not have to recycle.
7. Soak and hand wash small laundry items and air dry. This reduces laundry load in machine.

Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well. ~ Voltaire

Don’t get me wrong, I count my blessings. But I sincerely wish that I can be more appreciative of people and things around me. I hope to be intelligent enough to not blur the lines between appreciation and convenient contentment.

Vice versa, I also wish that I am more appreciated for who I am and what I do. That I am not just mere convenience for being here at the moment. I do not wish to be an invisible soul, or a fleeting sense of contentment…

For some weird reason, it feels like a fire has been lighted up. I am becoming eager and feeling all ambitious again.

Can you believe that I am going through my previous lesson notes and books? My desk is like a paper war zone right now. As if I have an upcoming exam…

Well, D is giving me the looks of disbelief. Haha!

Mediocrity is climbing molehills without sweating. ~ Icelandic Proverb

I refuse to live a life of comfortable mediocrity. I refuse to believe this is it for me. I refuse to just exist!