Protected: What not to say during goodbyes…
Valentino Retires at 75
“There is little creativity and too much business”
Valentino has spoken out about his reasons for retiring from the fashion industry saying he is ‘bored’.
The fashion legend held his last show in Paris yesterday after announcing his retirement last year and no one would expect him to go quietly.
“The world of fashion has now been ruined,” he said after showing his final collection at Paris Couture Fashion week, ” I became rather bored of continuing in a world which doesn’t say anything to me.” more…
Photo: Reuters
If there is one thing common between Valentino and Bill Gates is that they quit for the same reason. Time has changed the playing field for both industries they are in. Valentino is dismayed at the current state of fashion where there is too much competition and luxury doesn’t seem to hold the same value today. These days “affordable luxury” is the buzzword. Top luxury brands have began sourcing their product manufacturing to China.
Meanwhile Bill Gates retired because his company is facing probably the biggest challenge yet to Microsoft. The internet has changed it all and Software as a service (SaaS) is becoming the norm these days like many Web 2.0 utilities. There is also a vast number of OpenSource software available to anybody for free. Does this mean we’re going see more dancing videos of Steve Balmer in future product launches? Not something to look forward to. 0_0
Sneak Peek
The first prototype was finished last week, this is one of the first bags :D. Watch out for them on February 2008 @ desmendoza.com
Joy Division Tribute Sneakers
Nike and New Balance made prototypes of these sneakers that pay tribute to Joy Division. I would love to have these but I’m not a sneakers type of person so they will probably end up for display purposes. I know four of my friends who would die to have a pair. Unfortunately, they’re just that… prototypes.
The sneakers shows an image from the album Unknown Pleasures by Peter Saville. He also worked on many Joy Division, New Order and a number of punk album covers.
Heath Ledger, 1979-2008
This is so heart breaking, Australian actor Heath Ledger was found dead in his New York apartment. Sources say it could be accidental drug overdose. I loved him in A Knight’s Tale and he made me cry in Brokeback Mountain.
Bye Love 
Photo: Michael Caulfield/Associated Press
Pre-divorce Michelle Williams & Heath Ledger, Oscars 2006. Awww. Michelle William’s dress was fantastic!
Photo: Lucy Nicholson/Reuters
Viral site for the The Dark Knight movie, WhySoSerious.com also made this nice and subtle tribute. Damn, it would be so creepy to watch this Batman installment since his interviews tell a premonition of his untimely death.
That’s My Kind of Company
That’s My Kind of Company
words/music: John Clinebell
it started with three guys from southern california
who wanted to design sites for real estate agents
they opened up an office that overlooked the ocean
and went out to the water every morning…as they grew the business things got really hectic
it seemed like overnight they were hiring everybody
they built a thousand websites in southern california
and took the whole damn company out drinking…
oh that’s my kind of company
the kind that works so hard to be
just my kind of company
where thursday starts the weekend
oh that’s my kind of company
that works us hard but knows just how to
kick back with a beer along the beach
that’s how to live
we had to pack the office and move east of the pier
took out all those boxes, and the ocean disappeared…
but now we’re growing bigger, and getting organized
and thank you, lord, i still don’t wear a tie…
oh that’s my kind of company
the good old folks of TDP
vinny heads up IMD
and jack’s the sales maverick
mitra’s leading custom sites
val and chris, small business time
bregan’s blazing mortgage like
a montez on the run
that’s my kind of company
emil’s still taming agentsuite
brainchild of sir tait the great
and topher’s on the drums
gunkel’s helping crabby clients
suzy’s laughing all the time
force of sales is betsy’s tale
and who forgets manila?
that’s my kind of company
the high fives start with luigi
jon k’s finance dynasty
rules with a heavy hand
all right, that makes two of three
tiger, visionary, sees
exactly where he knows we can
steer the whole damn thing…
oh that’s my… kind of company…
you guys… all owe me 20 drinks…
for writing you this tribute song…
seriously.. i’m just kidding!
no, seriously.
The End is the Beginning
You’ll meet them all again on their long journey to the middle. Lester Bangs, Almost Famous
Today, I made one of the most difficult decision in my life. I finally decided to leave the great company I have loved for five years. I will be there only until June 2008.
At this point there is no such thing as a happy decision. I loved it at the The Design People and always treated it as my own. The people who are working there I care a great deal about. I was there when we grew from five to over a hundred employees. Most of them I knew on a personal level. I saw people come and go. It is always sad when we see someone leave to look for better opportunities but I remain grateful and honored to have known such talented people. Now, it’s my time to say farewell. But I still have five months to fulfill whatever goals I have set for the company during the start of the year.
I foresee that this going to be a long series of goodbyes.
There is no longer an intention for me to look for a 8 to 5 job. This is the beginning of a long, difficult, crazy yet fulfilling road to entrepreneurship. I am ready. Sabi nga ni Madonna - I’m not afraid of what I’ll face but I’m afraid to stay.
I’m excited to see what the future holds for my one-woman empire. 
Who’s Your Daddy?
DJ Tiësto is engaged to a girl half his age. Should I be relieved because there used to be rumors he was gay (not that there is anything wrong with that.) Tiësto is amazing so as long as the music doesn’t stop coming who gives a damn. I’m just jealous cause she’s gonna get mix CD’s.
Like I Need Another Planner.
I redeemed my Powerbooks Planner today. I prefer this one over the Starbucks Planner because the design had a Nick Bantock feel to it. The planner has blank dates so you could you use it any year or any day you want without wasting space and paper.
I think it was Starbucks who started this free planner thing and the rest just followed suit. Heck, even Jollibee has planners. The 2008 Starbucks Planner, I must say, is very cute! Just that I wasn’t willing to gulp the extra latte calories. So cute that even my not-a-planner-type friend, Preck wanted one. She had a small 2007 planner, which I vividly recall wrote in it once sometime in October.
Still the Powerbooks Planner is too big and heavy to lug around. So I am opting for the pocket size 2008 Moleskine Red Weekly Planner. Simple layout, acid free paper, small, light, portable and best of all, it’s in sexeyy color red.
If you are the patient and crafty kind you can opt to make one with the help of this site. They have printable planner templates in various forms and sizes. Some of which are templates like Franklin Covey-type planners, GTD, grocery list, food diary, ex-boyfriends to kill list and many more. If you are the obsessive planner kind, DIY Journal is your match.