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Cultivate your artsy-fartsy side with these ongoing art exhibitions

Do you know that artists frequently employ common things around us to alter our perceptions of the physical realm? When you intentionally dwell upon what you’ve seen within the gallery, you will slowly notice that you start perceiving the outer world in a new light.

Additionally, art displays are powerful generators of new ideas. The more concepts you discover and the more you explore them in your head, the more probable it is that you will come up with your own. This is fantastic for anyone who works in the creative business or simply wishes to engage with their artistic side.

Continue reading for some of the fanciest ongoing art exhibitions running till selected dates in April on our little red dot.

Topic No. 6 Eat Read Use

Date: Till 5 April

Location: National Design Centre, 111 Middle Road, Singapore 188969

Topic No. 6 Eat Read Use, a compilation of eight surprise box sets, is presented by National Vending Gallery. Each box comprises an edible, a visual book, and a practical item, all of which are linked by a unique tale expressed in a catchphrase.

All things in the box sets are made on our sunny island by an artist, brand, writer, or designer. There will be new objects on display, as well as standouts from prior subjects that have been reintroduced.

Design Superposition

Date: Till 10 April

Location: National Design Centre, 111 Middle Road, Singapore 188969

Superposition is a term used in quantum physics to describe the combination of all conceivable states in a system. A similar phenomenon is happening in aesthetics and its various fields: design is nothing and everything. It makes us question the significance of the designing process. Is design beneficial to society, or is it just jargon for businesses and design enthusiasts?

The DesignSingapore Associates Network (DAN), which was founded by DesignSingapore Scholarship winners in 2017, investigates design’s schizophrenic character via self-reflection in Design Superposition. 10 participants look into their distinctive routines to elicit experiences that make them think about the significance of design for oneself and their community.

Good Design Research: The Local Tree Project by Roger&Sons

Date: Till 10 April

Location: National Design Centre, 111 Middle Road, Singapore 188969

The Local Tree Project by Roger&Sons exhibits thanks to Good Design Research. This exhibition combines technical requirements with an awareness of the many types of local wood to investigate more efficient resource utilization.

They study the procedures of developing better use of local wood where trees fallen in Singapore are repurposed into meaningful artifacts and furnishings as part of their attempt to restore them. You will see for yourself the process that occurs behind Singapore’s fallen trees and realize the value of employing resources in the great outdoors, as well as basic information on local timber.

Between the Silent Eyes

Date: Till 17 April

Location: Objectifs, Lower Gallery, 155 Middle Road, Singapore 188977

This display takes a look at the life of Máy, one of Nhàn Tran’s subjects. Máy’s tenacity and precarity as she copes with the trials of starting a family at 19 years old are captured in the form of photographs.

Many young Hmong women, who form one of Vietnam’s largest indigenous minority groups, face comparable challenges in reconciling traditional rituals with modern requirements, as well as their youthful spirit with household responsibilities. Beyond everything, this initiative emphasizes the significance of listening to and caring for underrepresented and disadvantaged populations as part of a larger push for social, economical, and sexual equality.

7 Financial Commandments for Your Thirties

Hitting your thirties signify that you are halfway to retirement. After establishing a financial foundation in your twenties, it is up to you to use the following decade of your life to build and protect your wealth.

Whether you want to purchase a flat or to travel the world, these seven financial commandments can help you stretch your dollar.

#1: YOU SHALL LEARN SELF-CONTROL

Throughout your childhood, your parents or teachers taught you to practice self-control. The sooner you learn the importance of delayed gratification, the better off you will be. Applying self-control makes it easier to stay on top of your finances.

Select consciously spending cash rather than swiping your credit cards. Credit cards are convenient, but you must pay your bills on tip to maintain a good credit score. Do you really want to pay interest on a pair of jeans or a box of cereal? Think about it.

#2: YOU SHALL GET YOUR INSURANCE IN ORDER

Let us face it! You are not getting any younger. You need to sort out your health insurance, life insurance, and other policies. Considering a life insurance is prudent, especially if you have people depending on you.

#3: KEEP ADVANCING IN YOUR CAREER PATH

Developing your skill set occurs in your twenties. In your thirties, you will need to apply these skills to increase your earnings. Start by researching potential career paths and identifying companies where you can fit in. If you have the resources, you can go back to school to further your studies. Alternatively, you can take free online courses to boost your career.

#4: YOU SHALL INCREASE YOUR EMERGENCY FUND

The pandemic highlighted the importance of keeping an emergency fund. Having an emergency fund can help cushion the financial blow of unexpected events. If you started an emergency fund in your twenties, you followed the standard rule of keeping at least six months’ worth of your expenses.

Image credits: unsplash.com

As your income increases in your thirties, you should also boost the balance in your emergency fund and take your family in consideration. Make it a habit to save money and to pay yourself first!

#5: HONOR YOUR PAYCHECK

Stop spending your entire paycheck in less than a month! Live within your means and do your best to save a portion of your paycheck to propel your future. Gradually increase the amount you save while decreasing the amount from which you live off.

Use the 60-80% of your income to fulfill your needs and allocate the remaining 20-40% of it to your savings and investments. Transferring the money automatically to your savings ensures that you will not be tempted to use it.

#6: YOU SHALL WRITE YOUR WILL

Do you still think that you are invincible? Try waking up in your thirties after a night of heavy partying! Protect the people you love by writing a will. Without one, others will have the power to decide how to split up your estate and how to raise your children.

#7: YOU SHALL NOT COVET THEY NEIGHBOR’S THINGS

As you reach your thirties, you may find yourself in a place where you tend to compare your accomplishments to your peers. Scrolling through your feed can highlight the milestones that your friends have reached such as purchasing a flat or getting married. You can admire your neighbors’ new car or new job. However, you do not need to stretch your budget to keep up with them. Doing so will ruin your finances.

Focus on your financial goals, live within your means, increase your savings, and do your best to be content. Acknowledge your inner strengths and use it to succeed!

Sources: 1 & 2

Make full use of the rest of March school holidays with these family-friendly activities

It’s mid-week and this means the March school holidays are approaching an end.

Whether you’re secretly cheering inside for your kids to return to school or upset that you haven’t been able to spend enough time with the kiddos, we want to help you make full use of the rest of the school holidays. Read on for some family-friendly activities you can participate in with your children before they return to being grumpy students again.

OddSocks

Date & Cost: 17 to 20 March, S$30

OddSocks is a wacky and enjoyable theatre piece celebrating the value of individuality. It examines what it feels to be the oddball in a society of uniformity with lots of socks, a sprinkle of fantasy, and a touch of comedy. This show will inspire kids to be bold and accept their distinct personalities, no matter how challenging they are.

Changi’s Sweetest Treat

Date & Cost: Till 3 May, from S$33

Head on down to Changi’s Sweetest Treat and sign your kids up for a variety of engaging and interactive S.M.A.R.T workshops:

Storytelling with Neil Humphreys: With 27 books under his belt, Neil Humphreys is Singapore’s best-selling writer. His works have routinely topped The Straits Times Bestsellers chart, and his novels have also gained widespread acclaim in the United Kingdom.
Magic discovery with Max Ling: Max Ling has been conducting magic publicly for over 10 years at live shows and events. He has worked as a director, theatre performer, and drama arts instructor since graduating from LASALLE SIA. Since 2005, his job as an educator has allowed him to interact with kids of all ages.
Arts & Crafts: Learn how to make small souvenirs out of polymer clay and other craft supplies. Kids will be taught about the many different methods to work with polymer clay in this session, as well as fundamental designing and shaping skills. Gift your kids the chance to produce their personalized wearable pieces, from little popsicles to cupcake keychains and donut pendants.
Robotics and Technology: Your kiddos will be able to have fun and acquire useful knowledge through experiential learning. Robotics and programming may be an excellent learning opportunity for piquing your children’s interest in the world of tech and laying the foundation with a practical session on programming a gadget.

The World Of Nickelodeon

Date & Cost: Till 17 April, from S$32

Fans of PAW Patrol, Bubble Guppies, Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, don’t miss out on the first-ever Nickelodeon-themed entertainment center on our sunny island. Fans of all ages will certainly enjoy The World Of Nickelodeon.

Embark on a journey of interactive games with your child; join on a Jellyfish Hunt, assist the Adventure Bay Fire Rescue, take on The Ninja Vertical Challenge, and bounce to your heart’s content at the Jungle Jump-a-thon. Before tackling your last Mutant Mission or the Bikini Bottom Bubble Bash, rest at the one-of-a-kind Slime Lounge. Set up your cameras for the settings from your child’s favorite Nickelodeon shows, and keep an eye out for possibilities to meet the most well-loved Nickelodeon characters.

National Museum of Singapore

Date & Cost: Till 18 March for drop-in activity spaces, S$0

Don’t miss the museum’s two free drop-in activity zones, where families will feel encouraged to start family dialogues as they take a closer look at intergenerational exhibits and interactions.

Stories of You & Me: Explore the intergenerational exhibit, which includes little HDB flat dioramas, queries given by children to their elderly pen pals, and a collection of treasured school mementos. Use the discussion cue cards on each table to spend some quality time with your child discussing schooling experiences. To redeem an HDB apartment diorama template, create a picture of your own contemporary home and show it to the crew on-site.
Not Just an Otah Sticker: Do your little ones like collecting stickers? DIY stickers based on the museum’s William Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings and characters from Otah & Friends in this self-guided activity! An A4 sticker sheet with innovative suggestions and characters will be given to each individual. Your kid can personalize their stickers or make them as gifts for their classmates.

There are also various paid on-site programs if you don’t mind spending out of your pocket for some meaningful experiences. Prices start from S$6.

Artifact Hunts with Dennis and Family (till 18 March): Join Dennis, Mama Binturong, and Papa Sunbear on two fun Artefact Hunts! Tour the exhibitions, answer riddles to learn little-known information about the intriguing relics and finish the search to get a Plano gift.

Going Camping with Otah & Friends Picture Book Workshop (17 March): Create your picture book with characters from “Otah & Friends: Camp Stardust” and creatures from the museum’s William Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings! Attendees will be taken through the principles of figure design and innovative narrative, followed by sketching, coloring, and language arts, all led by Khor Ke Xin, Creative Director of El Masnou, the company that produced Otah & Friends. Each participant will receive a one-of-a-kind picture book as well as a souvenir keychain.

Which Instant Camera is Worth Buying in Singapore?

Do you miss the days of snapping vintage pictures that you can easily put inside your wallet? These pictures can be displayed in an album or in a frame to beautify your home. If you are yearning for this, you will find a lot to enjoy with today’s best instant cameras.

While the Instax Mini is one of the most popular choices when it comes to instant cameras in Singapore, there are other great options out there.

Let’s begin by defining what an instant camera is and highlighting the things to consider when purchasing one.

WHAT IS AN INSTANT CAMERA?

You do not need to apply advanced developing techniques to print your photos through instant cameras. You see, instant cameras use film that self-develops.

These instant cameras have a few buttons that can be easily used by everyone, typically consisting of a flash and a shutter button. In terms of its physical features, each camera differs based on size, quality and style of the photos, type of films, and other unique features. Features that may be good for you, may not suit your friend’s personal preferences. One size does not fit all!

Apart from these, instant cameras have a maximum number of films that can be held inside at once. Instant cameras are entertaining, and it takes practice to shoot beautiful photos, but the results are worth it.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO CONSIDER AS A BUYER?

#1: PRICE OF THE FILM

When doing your research to compare which instant camera suits your budget, do not forget about the cost of the film. It is important to keep in mind because films can be expensive, and they get used frequently.

For instance, a pack of Fujifilm Instax Plain Mini Film can go for S$10.50 as of writing. You will be surprised that this number quickly adds up!

#2: QUALITY OF THE PHOTO

Just like any other camera, the photo quality of instant cameras varies depending on the film ISO, the built-in settings, the distance between you and your subject, and other factors.

Photos from Fujifilm seem to be consistent when it comes to the colors and white balance. On the other hand, Polaroid film brings unique style and colors to its photos. It is important to know your personal preferences.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

#3: STYLE OF THE PHOTO

Identify the photo style that you desire. For instance, Polaroid cameras provide a vintage-style photography, which is what many people are looking for in their first instant camera. This makes your photos look different in each setting in which you are shooting.

In comparison, Fujifilm does a fantastic job in getting accurate coloring each time you snap a photo. It may not be able to give you that “vintage look” that you are looking for.

#4: BATTERY LIFE

Instant cameras can last a long time because they do not need to power a bright, high-resolution display or other complex features that drain the battery.

While some instant cameras need batteries, other models charge via USB. Often, they last for around 100-300 shots.

WHICH INSTANT CAMERAS ARE WORTH BUYING?

#1: FOR BEGINNERS WHO OPT FOR EASY-TO-FIND FILM

You cannot deny the popularity of Fujifilm Instax among the instant cameras in Singapore. The Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 is a good choice for creating memories with your family or for snapping travel-friendly photos with your companion.

Despite its size, the high-performance flash can calculate the brightness in the environment and adjusts shutter speed. You will always have quality shots, even in the dark. Unlike the other models on this list, this camera is easy to find, and it comes with an array of fun film presets such as comic strips or pastel borders.

Price: from S$95 at Carousell

Film: Instax Mini Film

#2: FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE THE RETRO PHOTOGRAPHY

The retro looks of Polaroid OneStep+ would make a delightful addition to your collection of vintage cameras. This camera comes with close focus so you can seamlessly switch between landscape and portrait shots.

It can also be connected to your handphone via Bluetooth for creative shots that use double exposure, light painting, and so on. You can even digitally scan your photos to keep them if you do not want to print them yet.

These modes can be accessed through the Polaroid Original app, which includes other features such as enabling shots to be taken with a noise trigger and using different flash options. With a self-timer and a variety of flash options, what is not to love?

Price: from S$195.69 at Amazon
Film: i-Type and 600 film

Image Credits: unsplash.com

#3: FOR PEOPLE WHO ENJOY THE CONVENIENCE OF PRINTING FROM MOBILE

You can enjoy the convenience of printing photo through your phone with the Kodak Mini Shot 3. This instant camera is a 2-in-1 device, which has photo-taking abilities as well as the ability to print any photo from your phone via Bluetooth.

It uses LED display with self-time and auto-flash mode. You can also select options for filters and borderless photos, giving you a freedom to choose your preferred style.

Price: from S$148.00 at Lazada
Film: Kodak Instant Print 3” x 3” Cartridge

Sources: 1 & 2

How to know if I’m burned out at work?

Burnout is a condition that results from continuous working stress that has not been effectively controlled. It occurs when someone is exhausted from completing the work at hand, and the expectations placed on you surpass your capabilities.

Burnout is far more than a bad day or a terrible week since everyone has those in their jobs. Burnout occurs when you don’t have any days to rejoice for an extended length of time. You should be able to quickly grasp the situation when it’s something that has lasted more than a week or two. However, it might be difficult to shine the flashlight on yourself and notice when you are on the verge of becoming burned out at work.

Let’s look at a couple of the most prominent burnout symptoms to see if we can make things clearer for you.

Insomnia

Prolonged stress, according to research, disrupts the complex neurological and hormonal mechanism that controls sleep. It’s a downward spiral, because not sleeping causes the system to get even more out of balance. If you’ve discovered that you can’t snooze easily at night, you may be suffering from burnout.

Impatience

Perhaps you used to be a patient person who could participate in complex conversations with others. However, you’ve noticed that you’re growing increasingly annoyed with even the smallest request from your coworkers. In other words, your capacity to solve problems and interact productively with people has dramatically deteriorated.

Exhaustion

Image Credits: unsplash.com

Burnout is typically identified by weariness and a general sensation of depletion. You may experience not just physical tiredness, but also an emotional emptiness and exhaustion. So, if waking up in the morning and heading to the workplace each day is becoming more of a challenging task than usual, you might be on the verge of burnout.

Reduced professionalism

It may show itself as a refusal to speak with coworkers, tardiness in completing urgent duties, engaging in other tasks during work hours, or a lack of enthusiasm in professional development and upgrading current expertise. It could also be a sense of being misplaced or detached in work meetings and conferences.

Changes in eating habits

Burnout might also manifest itself in eating more or less than normal. People may eat less as a result of being too busy or fixated, or they may constantly need comfort foods that we all crave when we need something to lift our spirits. Hormonal changes may also impact appetite, making individuals feel fuller than normal while they’re under a huge amount of pressure and more famished than usual when the stress subsides.

Some of these subtler indications might be hard to detect, so consider the habits that are affecting your day-to-day life. Personal awareness is critical to keeping track of your health. Consider consulting a mental health expert if you’re suffering prolonged physical symptoms that might be signs of burnout to check if they’re caused by situational stress or anchored in other physical illnesses. Help is readily accessible; don’t dismiss the signs and symptoms as unimportant.

Insomnia

Impatience

Exhaustion

Reduced professionalism

Changes in eating habits

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