realizations

i just realized that i only listen when i know that the person talking was listening to me. when they repeat what they say after i explain what i mean, that's when i know that they're not worth my time.

so tired

xkcd

http://xkcd.com/1141/

encouraging the discouraged in textile

cramming at its best. here's my take on how to revive the philippine textiles industry. my homework for ct 109 ^_^

The status of the textile industry in the Philippines is very discouraging. It is a product of poor planning and pressures brought about by globalization. Common economics knowledge dictates that those who can produce should produce, and those who can’t should simply buy. If it is cheaper to import goods from other countries, we shouldn’t be wasting our resources in it. Rather, we should simply turn our energies towards products that we are capable of excelling in. The Philippines is a miniscule country compared to first world countries. Opening ourselves up to globalization just caused our local industries to admit defeat to multi-national companies, leaving us dependent on imported goods.

It is too late to say that we shouldn’t have let USA bully us into accepting our 3^rd world fate. Our current status is probably better than being ostracized, because there’s nothing worse than being labeled as a terrorist country and be bombed constantly just because. All that we could do is conform to the economic system and analyze how we got to where we are, what we could have done to prevent our unfortunate status, look for ways to mitigate loss, and act on possible solutions to our problems.

It is only the government who is capable of causing a country-wide change with just the country’s interest in mind. There has to be a serious, honest to goodness re-assessment of the status of the country because we can’t just keep on producing stuff that will not contribute much to our economy. We can put extra efforts in cultivating crops that can be our star fiber producer or develop new and innovative ways to synthesize fibers for fabric manufacturing. This way, we can easily market ourselves better because we can offer the world something that is not available anywhere else. We can treat the industry like it is just in its infancy stage and train a new work-force for research and for production. As clothing technology students, we can be pioneers in transforming the textiles industry into something that the country will be proud of.

There’s a lot that needs to be done before we can be anywhere near a thriving textiles industry. The government would have to eliminate corruption to ensure that the budget for research and development of our textiles really gets the funding that it deserves. Government institutions should find better motivations for their employees. Unlike private companies who require their employees to work quickly and efficiently, government offices are not pressured to present outputs immediately because income is not part of the picture. There should be a more effective rewards and recognition system to hasten developments in our technology. Education will also play a big role in helping our country. Values such as patriotism should be instilled in each and every citizen of the country. We must work hard with our country’s status in mind, and not just for our personal gain. Knowledge is also important in improving the textiles industry. A good academic foundation is crucial to ensure that all these efforts are taken care of by capable thinkers.

The presence of more than one fashion school in the country means that the Philippines is still willing to keep the clothing industry alive. We, clothing technology students, have the most exposure to critical issues. We are expected to contribute a lot more for our country especially because our education is subsidized by taxes. We should make it a point to pressure ourselves to give back to the country as early and as much as we can not just because we are expected to, but because studying in UP made us think this way. We must never forget to think and act, and never stop seeking solutions until the textiles and garments industry of our country is back in its full glory.

commute

there have been a lot of responses to that girl who wrote about her jeepney ride, published on inquirer. The one where she realized a lot of "profound" things that, in my opinion, are too mundane for a respectable broadsheet. I actually pity her for being told about her ignorance in front of the whole nation. I also pity the people who laugh at her because they don't know that they too live a sheltered life but don't know about it. Maybe not in the same extent as that girl, but compared to the majority of the population, they don't know the extent of their ignorance.

Unlike them, I am aware that I live a sheltered life. I live a very comfortable life. I don't have a problem finding cash, and I have the freedom to do anything that I want. I am a privilaged person because when I commute, it's my choice. When I expose myself to the hardships of life, I know that I have other options. But I don't think of i am naive. I used to be, but I went out of my way to get to know the world around me. I commute, I observe, I explore, and I am not afraid to try out things.

I wish that people don't just base their knowledge on what they read or hear. I wish people would expose themselves, be vulnerable and step out of the classroom. I don't want to change the educational system, I want people to go beyond the classroom experience. I'm not talking about exposure trips or alternative class activities, because it doesn't matter how unstructured it may be, it will never be real life.

reformat

i'm slightly anxious because of the fact that Jam88.3 has announced that it will have a different format come sept11. i got so depressed when Nu107 shut down. i wasn't even able to listen to zach and joey's last show because the signal was crazy with my cheap player. i hope jam won't resurrect as a non-alternative/indie/rock station. i hope that jam will prove to us that opm is not dead, that there are radio stations who prioritize local music and rising artists. nangangarap akong magbubuhay muli ang dating astig na nu pero may lambing ng jam.
change is sometimes good, but it doesn't have to be too drastic.

educated

i hate it when my academics interfere with my education. i can't wait for the sem break. i need new clothes. i need a dress-form now please

schedule

last friday, the class decided that the final project would be an exhibit. this would be done at the end of the semester. it would be the result of all the things we learned for the whole semester. i realized that even if it was announced as early as now, we can't really do it yet because we haven't learned everything yet. starting it now means we rely on our own understanding. it's like we're saying that we don't need to listen in class in order to create an exhibit. so, we're going to do it after learning what we need to learn. but, when i saw the schedule, at the end of the sem we have to prepare for our workshop, which takes a lot of preparation, and our case study, which takes time because we have to coordinate with another person. the only logical thing to do is to multitask, which is the most unproductive thing anyone could do.
this is the first semester where requirements pile up all from the same subject. it's the only semester i've had where i literally don't have a break. there's no room to breathe. instead of resting my brain, it goes on worrying about the other 5 requirements that i have to finish. it would have been better if requirements were done in class and not brought home. i calculated the workload for ct11 and it summed up to 10units. 7units for 7hours of lecture per week, and 3units for an unlimited number of hours of lab done at home. i have an impression that projects were required for the sake of producing an output. learning has become the last priority. there is a tendency to rely on stock knowledge because of the lack of preparation time. i really wish that the number of activities were reduced to only the essentials. not every topic deserves to have a major output.

embroidery, applique, paint

It's the very hungry caterpillar! I embroidered it on my sister's apron, which she made herself. I love satin and chain stitches.

It would have been better if the output for each workshop is not required to be complete products. I wish that the development of skills were the main focus because finishing a whole product takes too much time and effort. It's quite draining. It's too much effort for a 3-unit subject.

And I hate multitasking. It's the most ineffective way of getting things done. (http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2001/08/multitasking.aspx and http://blogs.hbr.org/bregman/2010/05/how-and-why-to-stop-multitaski.html) Finish one task before you start another, or else the quality of work will suffer. And I don't think I'll be able to learn anything new if things keep piling up, so I chose to learn the simplest thing from the workshop. I forgot what it's called, but it's when a cord is stuck between those threads that bind the fabrics together. It wasn't discussed in the workshop. The details of the production process wasn't emphasized, but at least it was in the handouts.

My applique project is simply patchwork. I don't know if I could do anything with this. At least its done. In hindsight, I really wish the techniques were discussed more during the workshop. These are things that I really want to learn some more because this is the only class where I get to have the opportunity to learn. I easily get frustrated when I don't learn anything in class. It's like MY hard earned money is being flushed down the toilet. Not a pretty sight.

I was very pleased with the printing and painting workshop because it's something I'm really interested in but haven't got the opportunity to try out. It involves materials that are not easily accessible for me. These are reagents that would have to be acquired commercially. There are home-remedy types but might not be as effective. It was great that we got exposed to these techniques in the workshop.

Once again, I chose not to put too much effort to this project, unlike my earlier projects. I have to remind myself that even if my goal is to pursue excellence in all the things that I do, I have my priorities. I want to have time to do the things that would contribute to my over-all growth. There's more to education than academics.

Oh, right! it's cnidarina! http://oneonefour2012.tumblr.com/post/18596291171/si-cnidarina-ay-isang-dikya-na-may-balat-na-duyan and http://malayadesigns.blogspot.com/2012/04/jellyfish-gowns.html

handy

i think my arm has had enough manual labor. i'm having a hard time lifting it. my biceps are tense and has some sort of tingling sensation going on. i think it's just tired... i hope it's just tired so that it will be better tomorrow when i wake up. :-D my world will shatter if i loose the ability to move my arms. maybe i should have them insured... hmmm...

oh look! glowing people!



this is what tutoring a kid with adhd does to you. zzzz...

what? where?!? zzzzz....

insomnia

don't sleep the whole afternoon if you have an early class the next day. my hormones are really tripping. i really wish i get my period soon because my pms is not helping my productivity. at least i was able to finish my earrings. will make one more tomorrow using macrame. or maybe i'll try making something else.

it really is weird that i'm studying things that i've known since i was in elementary. (maybe it's because i'm the grand daughter of martha stewart). i can't wait for the workshops about things i've never done before. that way, i'll feel like the tuition i've paid goes to good use.

happiness

we do things because they make us happy. does this also mean we should stop doing things when we don't feel satisfaction? part of being mature is being able to commit to our responsibilities even if it is not what we want. if we are mature, we make goals and accomplish our goals.

i need to grow up. i need to start making lists that get shorter, not longer ^_^ i need to be more producting. it's time to carry my butt off my bed and force myself to create something new. yeah!

sleepy posting

this is my version of drunk posting but instead of being drunk, lowered inhibitions is caused by the lack of sleep, or inability to sleep, aka insomnia. i used to do this before i go up to my room, when i'm in front of my laptop. now, thanks to advances to technology, i am actually on my smart phone, typing on an app that i just downloaded. horay for android!

so i want to post something since i'm already here. this is an illustration that i submitted for a 'decades of fashion' plate. this is supposed to have been inspired be 30's fashion. maybe i'll take another shot at this some other day. i could try to make illustrations for all decades. hmm... that could be a great summer goal. yeah, i'm too sleepy to make life decisions. i'll think about it again tomorrow. for now, i sleep.

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