Author: Leo Goh

Singaporeans first had their hearts broken when it was announced that one of the two analogue display boards in Terminal Two was set to retire a month ago. Now at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems that a month ago felt like it a lifetime. Time is now nothing but a social construct as we stay socially responsible amidst the new circuit breakers and stay home, dreaming of the day when things return to ‘normal’. This novel coronavirus has affected not only the way we live life but also society as a whole, with the aviation industry taking…

In these times of the novel coronavirus, I must give it to to the government for stepping up their game in proving swift and decisive measures in such a short amount of time. Following PM Lee’s address on 3rd April 2020, our Finance Minister, Heng Swee Keat just announced a third round of financial support measures to help Singaporean households and businesses affected by COVID-19. Named the Solidarity Budget, here are four main takeaways from Minister Heng’s address to parliament. 1. Cash payout to Singaporeans aged 21 and above brought forward and increased In the previous Resilience Budget announcement (18…

Are you guilty of buying that super-expensive camera in the spur of the moment? You told yourself that you’ll be more than motivated to learn how to use the camera because of its large price tag, but alas, that is not the case. Your camera has been sitting on the shelf, collecting dust for the past few months, just staring at you as each day passes by. But now that you’re stuck at home and have more time than ever, it’s time to break that bad boy out and practice your photography skills. What’s more fitting? Free online photography classes…

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—if there were such thing as a ‘best’ time to experience a global pandemic, then it probably has to be now, especially with the current state of the internet. Thanks to the endless possibilities provided by the worldwide web, we have more than enough forms of entertainment to keep ourselves busy as we stay inside. And the most magnificent thing of it all? Streaming. Streaming has largely changed the way we consume media, gone are the days of having to rent or buy CDs, now that we have Netflix and discover new…

Yes I know, you might be thinking ‘why would you be writing about a spa when we should be responsible humans and practice self-quarantine and social distancing?’ I get you, I really do, but hear me out—Singapore has yet to enforce a full lockdown yet and yes, going to a spa is not essential per se, but if you’re one who has been staying mostly indoors for the month of March, save yourself from going stir-crazy by treating yourself to a relaxing time at Donna Spa. What better way than to spend your limited time outside your home than a…

I don’t know about you, but I am thoroughly enjoying the resurgence of 90’s fashion in this decade. The scrunchies, flared jeans, chokers, and the over the top chunky shoes are absolutely iconic. I can only thank the sneaker gods when shoe brands decided to bring back the iconic silhouettes like the Nike Air Max 97, the FILA Disruptors and Dr. Marten Combat Boots. Now speaking of chunky shoes, the third-largest athletic footwear brand from the United States—Skechers is bringing back their ‘ENERGY’ shoe, which made its original debut in 1999. With the new designs, relive the fun times of…

As someone acutely aware of the global problem we have with plastic, I often try my best not to contribute to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch by forgoing disposable plastic as much as possible. Other than reducing our usage, we should also recycle when appropriate and replace our disposables with long-term sustainable alternatives. This journey of sustainability led me to wonder what else could be done about the plastic problem other than using sustainable alternatives. I decided to do some research, which brought me to Associate Professor Soo Han Sen and his team’s research on turning non-biodegradable plastic into useful…

It’s 30 March 2020, as of writing, the government has limited gatherings of no more than 10 people, entertainment venues are closed and there have been three coronavirus related deaths. Welcome to our new dystopian reality, everyone. Despite the fact that the economy it’s not at its best, and the virus seems to be getting worse, we as a nation must stay resilient and embrace reality as it is. Part of our new every day includes virtual reality, from video conference calls, to virtual university open houses and now virtual career fairs. Thank goodness for the invention of the internet…

You received work from home (WFH) schedule from your company and your inner introvert jumps for joy. No more having to spend money on travelling back and forth from work. You dream of all the money saved from those pesky expensive CBD lunches and not having to see that manager that seems always to be looming over your shoulder. You’re ecstatic at the thought of all the free time you’ll have simply from just staying home. Fast forward to today and suddenly, it’s week two of working from home, and you’re lethargic from your odd bedtimes. Productivity is at an…

It is 26 March 2020, as of writing there are a total of 631 cases of COVID-19 in Singapore. The government has imposed new regulations that will limit the number of people into malls and all entertainment venues such as clubs, cinemas, and karaoke outlets are to be closed until 30 April 2020, dependent on the situation in Singapore. With each day passing, it seems that the novel coronavirus situation in Singapore is getting more serious. Now that even entertainment venues are closed, there are even fewer reasons for anyone to leave their house unless necessary. How are we going…

Humans are creatures of habit and often require some form of motivation to change their ways. As much as consumers shape the way retailers sell their products, retailers, in turn, reinforce our shopping habits—a cycle that feeds off one another. In a Singaporean context, that motivation often comes from not wanting to pay extra for a plastic bag. It is a good thing. If money is the primary motivator for us to change our habits for the better, so be it. However, any form of change will always cause an uproar before acceptance, which is understandable for we often are…

Have you always wanted to read that book but somehow managed to finagle an excuse to not read it? You actually want to read the book but something always pops up randomly in your schedule that prevents you from doing so. Well, now that you’re at home being the socially responsible person that you are, what other excuse do you have? Ah but you can’t just stay still and read a book, can you? That’s alright, listen to an audiobook from Audible while doing something simultaneously—this way you can learn something while doing chores. Audible made the decision to make these…

Hello from day 1 of working from home. Now with all of us being socially responsible by practising social distancing measures, it begs the question: What other things are done to prevent the spread of this novel coronavirus? Jure Tovrljan, a graphic and motion designer from Slovenia, answered that question in jest by designing some quirky parodical logos of companies and brands that we’re all familiar with. Here are some of my favourites from his list of 12 designs: Mastercard—the multi financial services corporation typically has their two circles overlapped, but just in case the red circle has some dormant…

These times of social distancing and having to work from home probably got you itching to have fresh garbs to don when you make your glamorous re-entry into the office. I totally get it. When it comes to retail therapy, there’s no such thing as overkill. And it never hurts to spice up your office looks—we wouldn’t want to wear the same old pantsuit that Jenna has from accounting. You want to exude the confidence that Samantha, your managing director, has. She’s always dressed to the nines and looks like she can take on any challenge that’s thrown at her.…

I’m not one to typically work at home unless absolutely necessary. But with the ongoing COVID-19 situation, like everyone else, I too have been assigned a work from home schedule. I’m one to be motivated by my environment and given the current state of my desk at home, it’s high time to revamp my space to ensure utmost productivity for work. Pout is a South Korean lifestyle brand that sells a mirage of home goods. As part of its brand philosophy, Pout wants to remove the unnecessary stressors in your life and they reflect that beauty in the minimal design…