e.g. Conference

After my daughter's Yao Ming portrait video went viral on Youtube, she received many offers. The two I liked best were an invitation to exhibit her art, along with other young artists, in Casa Batlo, Barcelona, and the other was to participate in e.g. Conference in Monterey, California in April this year. After checking e.g.'s site, I told Yi that the e.g. invite could be a hoax. The people invited to speak, and the people who attend, are renowned astronauts, scientists, musicians, explorists, writers, people from Ivy League schools. In e.g.'s words, " EG convenes 500 of the most extraordinary talents from an rich array of fields: artists, scientists, educators, entrepreneurs, entertainers; Oscars, Nobels, Pulitzers, MacArthur laureates; rising stars, and living national treasures.  I told Yi that maybe she was asked to attend or help in workshops.

Then Mike Hawley, an MIT professor and one of those left and right brainers, called to tell her last month to inform her that she is to be one of the presenters at the conference. She can speak on any topic, 20 minutes being the max time given for any speaker. There will be 50 to 60 other presenters plus hundreds people from around the world attending the conference. Yi will speak on 14th April morning, so if any of you are interested, do sign up at e.g.'s website. The fee is not cheap but you are going to hear extraordinary ideas and network with top industry people. Here's a description of the conference:

EG is the premiere gathering of and for innovators in media, technology, entertainment and education. The conference explores our most creative enterprises, by engaging a gifted mix of people — from rising stars to
living national treasures, the people who attend EG are among the most industrious and iconoclastic talents of our time.

If you want to out-think or out-create your competition, you need more
than fresh ideas: you need individuals and teams who are driven to
develop them. EG overflows with these exemplars.

I thought it was so great I want to attend every one.

Steve Wozniak, Apple co-founder

e.g. has found a sponsor who is paying all expenses for two of us. Other than the chance of visiting the pacific coast of the US, which is gorgeous, I will also have the intimidating privilege of rubbing with the the top brainy and talented people of America and the world. I'll think about who to present myself as when I get to Monterey. Home maker I think.

As I sat in my car today waiting for my son to pick up his SPM results from his school, feeling anxious and unhappy, this thought came to me. I think God in His wisdom gave me both types of kids--the easy and the hard--so that I can empathise with others. Many people tell me that they envy me because of Yi. Yi is one kid. They don't know what else I go through as a mom. When friends tell me about their struggles with their kids, I truly understand because I've been there. The highs and the lowest lows. The people I can't stand are those who ask their kids when they score 80, 90% and above in their exams, "Why can't you score 100%?!" What ungrateful parents! These people just haven't been there. Some of us just ask for passing grades.

Wey passed SPM. He didn't do well. But I am hopeful.

Yi's profile on e.g.:

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Red (aka Hong Yi)Architect and Unconventional Artist

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Red grew up in Sabah on the beautiful tropical island of Borneo. She dreamt of becoming a cartoon animator and Lion King is still her favourite cartoon.

Red’s paintings of Yao Ming, painted with a basketball for a brush, and Jay Chou using coffee and a cup, were Youtube hits, giving her 15 seconds of fame on CNN, ABC, Gizmodo and other media around the world. Her previous work includes portraits of Ai Weiwei using 100,000 sunflower seeds and Justin Bieber using gochujang (Korean chilli paste). Red is currently experimenting with unconventional materials and exploring structural design principles for her next projects.

Red holds two degrees from the University of Melbourne (Architecture; and Planning and Design). She was awarded a Melbourne Abroad Scholarship to study at the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands, which broadened her perspective and exposure in the field of European architecture.

An Australian national finalist in the SONA Superstudio competition in 2009 and 2010, she was given Jury Special Mention and awarded the Elenberg Fraser Prize for Best Presentation in both years. She also received Special Mention for the AA Prize for Unbuilt Works 2010, and featured in the Jan/Feb 2011 issue of Architecture Australia Magazine.

She is currently working in the Shanghai offices of HASSELL, an established Australian architecture firm. She absolutely enjoys being an architect by day and an artist by twilight.

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