2011 has been an eventful year for many reasons. At the end of February 2011, I left my full-time job and started working independently as a designer. I’ve been blessed to have had the opportunity to work on interesting projects with some amazing people and do a bit of travel in 2011. I’ve also enjoyed working from my home studio and spending more time with my family. Given my problem with remembering things if I don’t write them down somewhere, I’d like to write briefly some of the highlights of the past year:
JANUARY
Tied up some loose ends on remaining projects at work.
FEBRUARY
Prepared for the transition of projects and tasks at work. Goodbye dinners and lunches with colleagues. Here’s my favourite Mamawich! Singapore’s best vegetarian & organic sandwich.
Went to Dubai and Sharjah to visit my relatives and my cousin who got married. Met my little cousin nephews and nieces for the 1st time. 
MARCH
Took about 2 weeks’ break. Read 3 incredible books which I bought when Borders bookstore was closing down:
- Leaving Microsoft to Change the World by John Wood
- Arctic Diary: Surviving on Thin Ice by Sam and Richard Branson (I HAVE to go to Antartica someday)
- Cooked: From the Streets to the Stove, from Cocaine to Foie Gras by Jeff Henderson
Set up my workspace at home. Bought a Macbook Pro for work. Registered myself as a sole proprietor of my design practice. All was done online and the business was registered within minutes. Singapore is really the easiest place in the world to do business. Put up my portfolio site online. Speaking of which, I really need to update the portfolio with recent projects.
Started playing basketball with my sister and cousin. Also, I stopped running due to a heel injury.
APRIL
Worked on my 1st project: an android mobile application which was later scrapped. Attended my 1st classical music live performance by my alma mater’s music graduates.
MAY
Worked on the re-design of a site for a startup that my former colleague started in Indonesia called Jobloker. I voted for the 1st time during Singapore’s 16th General Election. It was a landmark election in which the opposition won a GRC for the 1st time and my town went from an opposition ward to a PAP ward for the 1st time since like ever.
I attended a huge rally at a stadium, said to be the biggest rally turnout that election year.
Attended my 1st concert at the Esplanade. Sara Bareilles, who plays piano pop / rock music performed for the 1st time in Singapore. I know this is going to sound really really cheesy, but her 2nd album helped me go through a tough break-up.
Went to Cherating with the family to fetch my sister home. Had some really funny memorable moments with the family.
JUNE
Worked on a property site for PropertyGuru, Singapore’s leading property site. It was fascinating immersing myself in the property world for a bit. Joined my 1st live sketching session with the nice people at the Urban Sketchers Singapore at Tiong Bahru.
Started making some really yummy Veggie Shakes, inspired by Maggie Q.
JULY
Worked on a restaurant reservation site for a start-up. Launching in 2012, insyalla. This was a really fun and intense project. Didn’t get much sleep in this month.
AUGUST
Ramadhan! Took some time off from work. Had a blast having Iftar with my family everyday, except for the few evenings that I had meetings. Voted at the Singapore Presidential Election 2011. It was a really close contest. Since presidency is really a ceremonial position here, I didn’t give it much of a fuss.
SEPTEMBER
Eidul Fitr! Worked on the designs for an iPad site re-design for a Telco company. Went to New Zealand for about 2 weeks where I made a new friend almost everyday, a new thing for me. Visited Waitomo, Auckland, Queenstown, Arrowtown, Milford Sound, Te Anau and Christchurch. Cried so many times because the place was so beautiful.
OCTOBER
Worked on a government project with a new partner Mindlens, a design research firm. Had an amazing weekend at Startup Weekend Singapore. Designed a volunteer management system called Do Something Good which is now in beta. We’re launching in 2012, insyalla. Met some crazy smart talented dynamic kind people there. The momentum at the event was just infectious.
Also, my elder sister gave birth to her second child, Omar!
I got myself an android phone, switching from iPhone to Android was a bit scary in the beginning!
NOVEMBER
Worked on my 2nd government / public sector project for the Singapore Tourism Board. This was a really fun project. Visited the Marina Bay Sands for the 1st time with friends from KL. Started playing Risk, the world domination game with my siblings. We became really obsessed with this game. Painted my room all white!
DECEMBER
Worked on my 3rd government project, this time for the Ministry of Defence. Attended the Visual Interface Design program at Cooper U, San Francisco, partly funded by a SingaporeDesign Council grant.
Visited my sister and her family in Atlanta, including my newborn nephew Omar! Read two amazing books:
- Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua
- Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me by the hilarious comedy writer Mindy Kaling.
Also, my siblings taught me how to play Poker and I started playing chess again. Old school board games and card games are in again at home.
There you have it. Have a great year ahead!
“Cried so many times because the place was so beautiful.” I need to go NZ soon!!! Looks like you had an amazing year, 2012 will have big shoes to fill.
Meem, I’m so proud of you!!! x
Thanks
Have a great year!
Meem, so good to catch up with what you’ve been up to! Your design projects are awesome, the Yahoo Places theme is cute! I love your Moko design as well. Seems like you had an amazing year, with so many adventures abroad. May you continue having more exciting journeys to come. And next time you visit Atlanta, let me know!!