London 407

During my stay in Amsterdam,
I've been seeing lots of people and reading lots of emails.
There is so much information to digest. I'm exhausted!

With infinite courage, I use my last bit of energy to leave
a voicemail to Keith from W+K at Schiphol airport.
( My voice gets lower and lower... I feel embarrassed )

London 406

He is serious!
He even searched for my work on the internet. I'm touched!

London 405

London 404

It's bad news!
But I really appreciate that Penny hasn't forgotten me as a team-mate.

London 403

oh no, He is the guy staring at me in the lobby.
I regret having rudely stared at him back.

London 402

Agency: Cayenne
I'm early, I wait in the lobby.

London 401

Strawberryfrog was always mysterious to me.
The mystery isn't solved after this visit.
Let it remains wrapped in mystery.

London 400

Agency: Strawberryfrog

London 399

As suggested by Astrid, I go to the office again to
leave my books and portfolio before leaving Amsterdam.
She'll show them to ECDs when they are less busy.
I run into this Adidas guy at the reception.
"Again?", I guess he is Richard... is he?

London 398

Astrid brings me to say Hello to Richard.
I just show him my sketchbook.
He keeps rubbing the legs of my landlord!

London 397

To be honest, I hesitated to approach 180 when I read
what's needed to work there from their website:
three recent references and a list of international creative awards.
I'm afraid of those who always mention award winning.

Luckily Astrid was very friendly in emails.
When she is seeing my portfolio,
she yawns without incentive to hide.
She explains that she is just too full after lunch,
not being bored by my work.
This makes her even more friendly in person as you can only
be yourself when you're with real friends.

London 396

Astrid is the Creative Talent Manager of 180.
She must be brilliant as she is able to manage such an abstract concept
- CREATIVE TALENT.
Both she and Keith at W+K have told me that they are good friends,
they must be very good friends then!

London 395

They are all in Adidas!

London 394

Agency: 180

London 393

Dagmar is an art director.
She is the first creative who I've met in Europe also loves Japanese Ad. I'm a big fan too!

London 392

Alvaro is the creative director of Nike Team.
He is in Nike from head to foot!
oh, I've better to hide my Adidas watch.

London 391

Because of global warming, polar bears keep swimming
in water as he can't find any iceland for landing.
From Asia to Europe, I'm really tired ...
I wonder whether there is any wonderland for creatives in this world?

London 390

London 389

- He tells me " We want to make things, that's why Al and me are here."
I must speak out this time ...

London 388

I'm not allowed to draw John ...
so I'm writing the result of our meeting.
- To my surprised, he said my English is good, I feel less pressure to speak English in Amsterdam than in London.

- When he's seeing my work, he said he worked in design, he loved to make everything by himself too.
He said " You're the kind of art director we want."
I want to say " You're the kind of ECD I want. "

- When he has seen all my work, he showed me some of their work too. Same as W+K London, they like to make books for presentations too.
He said "Yes! We love books!"
I want to say "Yes! I love books too!"
Before leaving Hong Kong, I've collected 13 big boxes of art books in the office.

London 386

Jet-lagged John Norman and Joakim

London 387

London 385

London 384

Al has a very nice and genuine smile.
He doesn't talk much, but such a simple sentence makes me happy.
He's refined in manner, like a noble.

London 383

I'm arranged to see the ECDs by their elegant and caring PA- Verity.
She looks worried and tells me that my whole body is pulled by the heavy bag, she even demonstrates it, ha!

London 382

Keith is trying to find more people to see my portfolio.
What a big cup of tea... just like using Facial Steamer...

London 381

Keith is the recruiter.
He stands upright.
He should be an upright citizen, I guess.

London 380

Agency: Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam

London 379

San Francisco? I'm no fool!
I try to challenge his sincerity.
( I'm still in the shadow of the bad experiences in Edinburgh )

London 378

Amsterdam is awesome!
Even youth hostel is cooler than anywhere else.

We? I don't know him!
Am I in the same category with him? Gosh!

London 377

I spend the whole morning to locate the four offices.
Oh, I see this even though it's not the Red Light District here.
Well, she's not attractive.

London 376

Smoke second-hand weed, relaxing!

London 375

London 374

To my surprise, Paul hasn't forgotten to pick such
a little people out after so many months.
He is quiet. He gives a gentle smile and says "good"
when he sees work he likes.
He suggests me to go there for a couple of weeks
when I come back from amsterdam.

London 373

Small company. Big People.

London 372

London 371

I got another email.

Interesting, I like him!
I took physics, chemistry and biology at A-levels,
I majored Economics and Finance at university,
then started as an art director after graduation.

London 370

I sent an email to Steve Henry few weeks ago.
I wanted to tell him the reason why I didn't go to TBWA after W+K
as what he suggested.
I even made a gutsy request...

Oh, he replies me!!!!

London 369

I have had enough hard times outside.
Now it's his turn to step on me. Annoying!

(you may wonder "who is he?"
I had the same question "WHO IS HE?")

London 368

"What? after all those bad experiences in Edinburgh,
you still want to go to Amsterdam?
You've been to many interviews in London already,
so what, nothing comes up! Do you know why?
I really don't understand you, you're still like
a fresh graduate after working for some years.
Do you know how many more months you could survive
on your saving? Then you'll have to go back to Hong Kong!
What's wrong with you?..."

One values the results, the other one values the experiences;
One is practical, the other one has dreams.

Rabbit: The problem is someone doesn't know to respect others!

London 366

I write this email to a friend first.

London 367

Then I write to Gerry talking about the money concern politely.
Again, He disappears!

It's like a benefit acrobatics.
He will never know how bad I felt!

London 365

London 364

When I return to London, I get Gerry's email.

London 363

I watch him enjoying his decent-sized dinner.
He tells me this the moment he asks the waitress for the bill.

I feel sick. So sick that I'm able to vomit a pineapple fried rice
for him to take away as night snack.

London 362

Gerry text me that evening.
He would like me to work on a tv spot with one of their copywriters.
He suggested us to meet.

This guy claims to be so busy that he has to
go back to the office after dinner.
I suggest to have a quick drink at pub.
He picks a Thai restaurant,
he orders quite a lot of food.
Isn't he in a hurry?

He takes a laptop with not much power.
(It sleeps after showing just two 30 seconds tv spots)
Aren't we meeting up in order to know more about each other's work?

London 361

Another song by Beyond.

lyrics:
Where does the road ahead go?
Who comes along with me?
There is no guide, I have to find out the hard way.
Following dreams is like moth flying into fire,
are there some crazy like me?
It's getting dark and cold, I try my best to hide.

How many dreams have you followed naively?
How many dreams have you given up dejectedly?
Facing disappointment with silence.
it hurts in my heart of hearts.

London 360

After Gerry said "IF we will be able to win a pitch in MARCH,
we MAY hire." ( he said something different in email page 1 page 2 )
no matter how he praised for my work, none of his words could get into my ears.

Edinburgh isn't beautiful anymore.
I'm cold. I want to go home!

London 359

London 358

How comes Managing Director is here?

London 357