Incandescence

Tell us more about your job as a Store Manager. Do you enjoy what you do?
I manage a bag retailer in Joo Chiat called The Bag Creature. Here, we distribute a number of brands from all over the world such as Topo Designs, Sumu Goods, and Tokubetsu Na Mono.

I’m so grateful to be working here in such a laid-back environment and with a bunch of goal-driven individuals. All of them are pursuing side gigs like web developing and photography, which really inspires me to go out there and pursue my own aspirations too.

Within this job though, I would say I’m the face of the shop. My favourite part about working here is the connections I make with people and the cool stories that they have to share.

It’s also been nice to witness the exponential growth in not just the store traffic, but also in Joo Chiat’s up-and-coming scene within this one year that I’ve been working here.

What’s an interesting encounter you’ve had with a customer?
There was a man that visited the store one day to look for an everyday carry bag, so I began recommending some to him.

As we talked, we somehow spiralled into the topic of conspiracy theories, and he proceeded to spend the next two hours showing me footage of UFO sightings in Pasir Ris and elsewhere around Singapore, as well as the text conversations that he’s with his community of local alien enthusiasts. It was so weird, but so interesting all the same!

You mentioned that you have other aspirations too, tell us about them.
I really like going for parties, so I’d love to eventually work in events.

I’ll also be starting on a motion graphics course at the end of the month just to explore and have fun. I wouldn’t call myself a creative, but I love to play around and create new things.

Ultimately, I feel that my purpose in life is to be the bridge that brings people together—it’s what I’m doing right now, and is what I will continue to do.

How do you spend your time outside of work?
I like to cycle and party—a lot! My girlfriend and I enjoy going to different events. In fact, we first met at a techno party (laughs).

Aside from that, I recently reignited my flame for writing. I’m slowly starting to journal again; I wouldn’t call myself a poet though, I just like pairing words and rhymes together.

What was the last party that you attended?
I’ve just returned from a 10-day trip to London, where I attended a nightclub, fabric London, on my last night there. Their clubbing scene is crazy sia! They party from 11 at night till 8 or 9 in the morning, it’s literally like clocking in for a night shift. I only managed to stay until 5AM, then I couldn’t tahan and went back to sleep.

You mentioned you met your girlfriend at a techno party. Tell us more about that.
The techno scene is typically for introverts, so people don’t really talk much at these parties; it’s all about the dancing and the music. Both she and I used to go for such parties alone, so we knew of each other for a while, but that was it.

One day, we just started talking and really hit it off—my friends all say she’s a female version of me, but really, she’s just a Nigerian ah lian (she’s half Chinese, half Nigerian). Legit, I’m not even kidding (laughs). She’s quite the personality.