You Never Let Go
What reminds you of emptiness? Of loneliness?
Food courts remind me of loneliness.
Food fills the stomach, but the soul is still empty.
I've been eating dinner a lot at food courts these days, imprisoned within my own barriers of language. My host's father has been ill so she's been busy taking care of him so I've been eating at food courts in malls the past few weeks.
Is it lonely? Yeah it is but at the same time I keep myself preoccupied by observing.
Observing what?
People. Stores.
I guess it's safe to announce that within the five months I've been at my first job, I've transferred positions. I now am officially a Fashion Analyst working directly for the CEO doing trend reports, competitor case studies, company-brand case studies and marketing. It's quite exciting. They literally came and moved my entire desk near to the CEO's office and gave me a better monitor.
In a way I love it. I love how I am getting paid to learn. Say what?
I don't claim to know much about why this company is successful and why it fails in other areas. I have my hunches but what I love is that I can act as a student, do a lot of research and come up with hypotheses based on my research and then start testing them out with various theories and strategies.
What I realized after I graduated is that upon graduation one does not cease to learn. In fact I still remain a student.
I will always be a student. I am a student of my company analyzing information and material that is presented to me as I seek to find correlations and patterns within consumption habits of customers. That old saying, "you can never teach old dogs new tricks" is a load of baloney. Old dogs are just unwilling to learn. Who can claim they know let alone understand the whole world? Added years don't make a person old, stubbornness and pride make people old.
I've been given a design assignment and I've started looking at the people around me for inspiration. You can mock big corporations but I admire them. I admire stores like H&M and Zara who probably know their customer better than the customer's own social circle. To be a successful fashion store you need to understand the customer beyond what they wear. Fashion permeates what you eat, what you watch, what you do on the weekends. Often the lifestyle reflects the clothes they wear. I was behin a a girl walking from the subway today who resembled a customer who would fit perfectly in one of our fashion brands. She was wearing a short dress covered in florals, a studded beret hat and a leather jacket. Judging by all the trends she was wearing (leather this past fall/winter, florals this spring and studs the past winter), I would judge the clothes are less than a year old since date of purchase. She fit perfectly into the consumer I wanted to capture so I took note of the trends, colors, silhouette and fabrics that she was wearing. What was she holding? She was holding a Jill Stuart shopping bag. If she was my customer, she would like the Jill Stuart look- girly, feminine, pink. How big was the bag? The shopping bag was very small so I'm guessing she bought jewelry or most likely, makeup/cosmetics (they recently issued out a new eyeshadow set in pinks, red and gold) which must mean she's an aspirational shopper. The aspirational shopper would love to own an entire wardrobe of Jill Stuart but because of her financial limitations, can only buy a piece of that dream by purchasing cosmetics at a lower price.
Yeah, I love looking, observing, note taking all this stuff. I find fashion fascinating because the success of a company is directly rooted in how well one understands one's customer. Understanding the customer takes perseverance, a lot of observation and a huge dose of humility and sensitivity.
Observe first, speak second, design last.
What store can successfully pipe baroque music into their speakers and get shoppers in the mood for buying?
Muji.
I find Muji a fascinating store as a consumer case analysis.
What Ikea is to America is what Muji is to... everywhere else. While Ikea predominantly focuses on furniture, Muji focuses on smaller home furnishings.
What are people buying when they buy Muji?
1. Control: who doesn't want to grasp the reigns on their life? Everyone loves to FEEL organized. Muji offers the promise of a control of one's life through organization and compartmentalization of STUFF. Isn't it ironic? We all own so much stuff but Muji makes you think we need even more stuff to organize our existing stuff.
2. Customization: blank, minimalist design of plastic clarity offers the possibility of personalization. Mark your territory your own way: Muji products are a blank canvas for the consumer artist.
I love walking through this store and examining all the different products. It's highly addictive.
---------------------------------------------------------------
The more I observe and design in this realm of systems, the more I realize the possibility and existence of God. The person who says 'God does not exist, the universe is one big cosmic accident,' to him I ask how the complexity of each system in life is so beautifully balanced. Like my host says, a minor stroke can impair a few nerves in your brain and throw off the digestive system or your ability to speak. The fragility of life is a display of the precision of God's workmanship. Go against the way things were created, you go against God's design.
You never realize the gifts of God until something goes wrong or is taken away from you.
The gift of health- I never really appreciated how natural the digestive system works seamlessly to recognize vitamins from each other without being conscious of it until I got stomach flu twice. When I was sick, I couldn't wait for the day I could go to the bathroom normally as a marker of my health restored.
For the person who says the earth was some mystical stew that brewed over so that we all evolved as apes into humans, I wonder where they get their self worth from. I am learning to be free as was said this past sunday, to be free not only in the knowledge but through experience. I often catch myself saying things like, "your feet are so big, I wish they were smaller," (Yes I talk in third person to disassociate myself from my body at times) but I remind myself that if God has planned my genetic makeup, surely there is a reason for my size 9 feet. Not a mere coincidence, not an accident but a reason: the reason being that God created us for His pleasure. His workmanship is perfect. Perfect? You mean flawless? I am flawless? Created in the image of God and above the angels, yes. Perfection in God's eyes is not measured by human standards of fleeting beauty and self worth.
Much of my self worth is built upon my exterior AND interior (my success in work). The human side of me finds satisfaction in how other people weigh in on my exterior and my ability to design. If my skin breaks out, my self esteem drops, if I get stuck in creative rut, I get depressed. I've wondered why I value human approval over the Creator of this world. It logically does not make sense at all. Naturally you would think one would want approval from the highest rank. For me, would I not want approval from the CEO above his VP? I find our whole world is backwards.
Sorry I am lacking eloquence and it irks me that the above paragraph sounds very caveman-esque. Shortage of sleep and listening to worship songs is impairing my ability to write and think 'out loud'.
------------------------------------------------------------
But God is good. It's all I can say.
Someone once told me, "Why would the CEO listen to you? Someone who came for her first job and has only worked here for two months. Do you have any right or credentials that will make him care to listen to you?"
I am reminded of the book of Psalms.
Five months later, I have become a pseudo Daniel (a whole lot less discipline unfortunately =S). Fresh grad, first job and now working directly for the CEO (aka King Darius). I've been given a position that no one has ever filled before in the history of this company. I don't have a sense of pride, more like a sense of gratitude towards the grace of God in His deliverance. The best thing about this position is that I know God placed me here for a reason thus I know He will be with me every step of the way. I am uncertain and naive about many things in this business, but if I got this job, I know this is no mere accident. There is no weight on my shoulders or burden to please my superior because when the time comes, God will come through. I am only here as long as He decides me to be here for.
I love this song: Matt Redman- You Never Let Go
And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?
And I can see a light that is coming
For the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We'll live to know You here on the earth
My only words of advice is this: if you are frustrated with life, recognize the opportunities of your life and take them. Don't consider them unworthy projects or too small of an opening for you to take up. Recognize the parts of your life or aspects of your job you CAN change or do better and excel in them. I realized I got this transfer because the CEO recognized and appreciated the excellence in which I wrote a four page paper for one of our upcoming projects. I didn't have any fancy adobe programs so I created a manifesto type layout on Word and planned/fleshed out the exact specifications of the project and the necessary manpower for the job. I did it because I realized my ability to offer input in this project because of my strengths in fashion, blogs and the media and most of all, I have a passion for this kind of stuff. I realized that even though the project was small (I actually took the initiative to do it), I knew that if God has given me the insight and the interest in matters such as these, I could offer a lot with the small amount I was given. He recognized that and so did one of the other managers today who told me that the CEO appreciated my work on this simple project. God is good. Remember, do all things for the glory of God.
A new chapter begins. How fitting. Kung Hei Fat Choi!
Food courts remind me of loneliness.
Food fills the stomach, but the soul is still empty.
I've been eating dinner a lot at food courts these days, imprisoned within my own barriers of language. My host's father has been ill so she's been busy taking care of him so I've been eating at food courts in malls the past few weeks.
Is it lonely? Yeah it is but at the same time I keep myself preoccupied by observing.
Observing what?
People. Stores.
I guess it's safe to announce that within the five months I've been at my first job, I've transferred positions. I now am officially a Fashion Analyst working directly for the CEO doing trend reports, competitor case studies, company-brand case studies and marketing. It's quite exciting. They literally came and moved my entire desk near to the CEO's office and gave me a better monitor.
In a way I love it. I love how I am getting paid to learn. Say what?
I don't claim to know much about why this company is successful and why it fails in other areas. I have my hunches but what I love is that I can act as a student, do a lot of research and come up with hypotheses based on my research and then start testing them out with various theories and strategies.
What I realized after I graduated is that upon graduation one does not cease to learn. In fact I still remain a student.
I will always be a student. I am a student of my company analyzing information and material that is presented to me as I seek to find correlations and patterns within consumption habits of customers. That old saying, "you can never teach old dogs new tricks" is a load of baloney. Old dogs are just unwilling to learn. Who can claim they know let alone understand the whole world? Added years don't make a person old, stubbornness and pride make people old.
I've been given a design assignment and I've started looking at the people around me for inspiration. You can mock big corporations but I admire them. I admire stores like H&M and Zara who probably know their customer better than the customer's own social circle. To be a successful fashion store you need to understand the customer beyond what they wear. Fashion permeates what you eat, what you watch, what you do on the weekends. Often the lifestyle reflects the clothes they wear. I was behin a a girl walking from the subway today who resembled a customer who would fit perfectly in one of our fashion brands. She was wearing a short dress covered in florals, a studded beret hat and a leather jacket. Judging by all the trends she was wearing (leather this past fall/winter, florals this spring and studs the past winter), I would judge the clothes are less than a year old since date of purchase. She fit perfectly into the consumer I wanted to capture so I took note of the trends, colors, silhouette and fabrics that she was wearing. What was she holding? She was holding a Jill Stuart shopping bag. If she was my customer, she would like the Jill Stuart look- girly, feminine, pink. How big was the bag? The shopping bag was very small so I'm guessing she bought jewelry or most likely, makeup/cosmetics (they recently issued out a new eyeshadow set in pinks, red and gold) which must mean she's an aspirational shopper. The aspirational shopper would love to own an entire wardrobe of Jill Stuart but because of her financial limitations, can only buy a piece of that dream by purchasing cosmetics at a lower price.
Yeah, I love looking, observing, note taking all this stuff. I find fashion fascinating because the success of a company is directly rooted in how well one understands one's customer. Understanding the customer takes perseverance, a lot of observation and a huge dose of humility and sensitivity.
Observe first, speak second, design last.
What store can successfully pipe baroque music into their speakers and get shoppers in the mood for buying?
Muji.
I find Muji a fascinating store as a consumer case analysis.
What Ikea is to America is what Muji is to... everywhere else. While Ikea predominantly focuses on furniture, Muji focuses on smaller home furnishings.
What are people buying when they buy Muji?
1. Control: who doesn't want to grasp the reigns on their life? Everyone loves to FEEL organized. Muji offers the promise of a control of one's life through organization and compartmentalization of STUFF. Isn't it ironic? We all own so much stuff but Muji makes you think we need even more stuff to organize our existing stuff.
2. Customization: blank, minimalist design of plastic clarity offers the possibility of personalization. Mark your territory your own way: Muji products are a blank canvas for the consumer artist.
I love walking through this store and examining all the different products. It's highly addictive.
---------------------------------------------------------------
The more I observe and design in this realm of systems, the more I realize the possibility and existence of God. The person who says 'God does not exist, the universe is one big cosmic accident,' to him I ask how the complexity of each system in life is so beautifully balanced. Like my host says, a minor stroke can impair a few nerves in your brain and throw off the digestive system or your ability to speak. The fragility of life is a display of the precision of God's workmanship. Go against the way things were created, you go against God's design.
You never realize the gifts of God until something goes wrong or is taken away from you.
The gift of health- I never really appreciated how natural the digestive system works seamlessly to recognize vitamins from each other without being conscious of it until I got stomach flu twice. When I was sick, I couldn't wait for the day I could go to the bathroom normally as a marker of my health restored.
For the person who says the earth was some mystical stew that brewed over so that we all evolved as apes into humans, I wonder where they get their self worth from. I am learning to be free as was said this past sunday, to be free not only in the knowledge but through experience. I often catch myself saying things like, "your feet are so big, I wish they were smaller," (Yes I talk in third person to disassociate myself from my body at times) but I remind myself that if God has planned my genetic makeup, surely there is a reason for my size 9 feet. Not a mere coincidence, not an accident but a reason: the reason being that God created us for His pleasure. His workmanship is perfect. Perfect? You mean flawless? I am flawless? Created in the image of God and above the angels, yes. Perfection in God's eyes is not measured by human standards of fleeting beauty and self worth.
Much of my self worth is built upon my exterior AND interior (my success in work). The human side of me finds satisfaction in how other people weigh in on my exterior and my ability to design. If my skin breaks out, my self esteem drops, if I get stuck in creative rut, I get depressed. I've wondered why I value human approval over the Creator of this world. It logically does not make sense at all. Naturally you would think one would want approval from the highest rank. For me, would I not want approval from the CEO above his VP? I find our whole world is backwards.
Sorry I am lacking eloquence and it irks me that the above paragraph sounds very caveman-esque. Shortage of sleep and listening to worship songs is impairing my ability to write and think 'out loud'.
------------------------------------------------------------
But God is good. It's all I can say.
Someone once told me, "Why would the CEO listen to you? Someone who came for her first job and has only worked here for two months. Do you have any right or credentials that will make him care to listen to you?"
I am reminded of the book of Psalms.
Five months later, I have become a pseudo Daniel (a whole lot less discipline unfortunately =S). Fresh grad, first job and now working directly for the CEO (aka King Darius). I've been given a position that no one has ever filled before in the history of this company. I don't have a sense of pride, more like a sense of gratitude towards the grace of God in His deliverance. The best thing about this position is that I know God placed me here for a reason thus I know He will be with me every step of the way. I am uncertain and naive about many things in this business, but if I got this job, I know this is no mere accident. There is no weight on my shoulders or burden to please my superior because when the time comes, God will come through. I am only here as long as He decides me to be here for.
I love this song: Matt Redman- You Never Let Go
And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?
And I can see a light that is coming
For the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We'll live to know You here on the earth
My only words of advice is this: if you are frustrated with life, recognize the opportunities of your life and take them. Don't consider them unworthy projects or too small of an opening for you to take up. Recognize the parts of your life or aspects of your job you CAN change or do better and excel in them. I realized I got this transfer because the CEO recognized and appreciated the excellence in which I wrote a four page paper for one of our upcoming projects. I didn't have any fancy adobe programs so I created a manifesto type layout on Word and planned/fleshed out the exact specifications of the project and the necessary manpower for the job. I did it because I realized my ability to offer input in this project because of my strengths in fashion, blogs and the media and most of all, I have a passion for this kind of stuff. I realized that even though the project was small (I actually took the initiative to do it), I knew that if God has given me the insight and the interest in matters such as these, I could offer a lot with the small amount I was given. He recognized that and so did one of the other managers today who told me that the CEO appreciated my work on this simple project. God is good. Remember, do all things for the glory of God.
A new chapter begins. How fitting. Kung Hei Fat Choi!
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