My Service Don’t Come Cheap

I bump into my colleague in the machine room (a room where all the photocopying work is done) today. So here’s the conversation:

D: So you are going back to school when?
Me: July lor… I mean start of August.
D: Wah… So good. Can work and can study.
Me: 哪里会~ Ok lah…
D: So you got do freelance doing school time ah?
Me: Got lah… But hardly. Sleep also no time liao.
D: You got do animation mah?
Me: 没有啦~ I specialise in graphic design. Never do animation.

Thinking back, I’m glad that i say i dun have time and i dun do animation. I suddenly remembered either she or her girlfriend is preparing for wedding. I am bitching about this because she sits right in front of me. All day long i have overheard things about preparing a wed. I have this guts feeling she wants to test water and ask me to do an animation.

Well… Firstly, i don’t know her enough in person. Secondly, in terms of work, she will get her work done and just do what she is within her scope. And anything out of that, she will not help and close her eyes. Thirdly, i dun like her boss, her department. I’m sorry but to be bias, i won’t like her as well. So these 3 reasons are enough for me to stay out from her.

I started to imagine… Imagine… Imagine…

Freelance life is pathetic. Pay is low, dateline is tight, demand is unreasonable, work is unsatisfactory, health is poor, school or work is cannot concentrate! 年轻不懂事就可以做 freelance. Slightly mature, you will think twice before taking a freelance. 再大一点,我就要多多地陪我自己 before 我进棺材, 不做 freelance 了.

On the other side of the coin, for those who engage freelancers, just think for them… Your 1 second frame of animation takes dunno how many sketchings and storyboardings before execution. Your 1 poster requires how many times of considerations for color combination, typography and layout. If you can afford, just go to a proper firm to do your job. Satisfactory guranteed! 谢谢大家~

Working Life

Hasn’t been doing much except spending the premium part of my life (morning) working. Life back in the office ain’t really different or hard to adapt. People are the same, politics are the same and etc.

Chan and me talk over our dinner. I commented that i prefer to work with angmo, preferably with them as my boss. At least they will say things like “You’re a star!”, “You not just have a pretty face!”, “Great job!” and so on. While chinese bosses sometimes forget about these encouraging aspect and continue to slave you off. Angmos are more humorous. But most of the time i dun really know how to or even should i response to their jokes which is my failure.

In terms of work, once they are done, they move on faster. They don’t stay put and look too much into the nitty stuff. They move on, i move on. I thought this is the way i will stay creative and kicking in the company. They give me more freedom. Like or don’t like is just two choose one, very frank answer. Asian tend to beat around the bush, trying to be nice but not speaking what is on their mind. So the process becomes longer and slower, dragging like forever. And “maybe” is all i have heard.