A gloomy day to kick-start possibly my last academic year. Being part-time, it seems like my schedule will again be quite flexible this year – requiring to complete 2 electives, 1 design project, 1 dissertation, and an IT proficiency test. The most critical and time-consuming part will definitely be the dissertation, but strangely I’m kind of excited and looking forward to it. Given the freedom, I hope that I’ll have the self-discipline to finish all the requirements early and move on to a new stage in life.
Back to School
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Aquarium
Spent much my time last week setting up a small aquarium in my home studio. Unlike most common aquarium setup which requires electricity 24/7, my idea is to design a self-sustaining and low-maintenance miniature ecosystem that is solely powered by the Sun. A rather challenging task that will require continuous design and experimentation.
So far, without a pump & filter plus the still rather hot weather, I’m already seeing signs of eutrophication! Need some immediate remediation…
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Anniversary
Today marks my 1-year anniversary of returning to HK, it was also this same day in 1996 that I left this place to study in Toronto. Much had been changed over these 13 years – my family of 6 had grown to 14, my parents had been officially designated as elders, and we had moved from NT to KLN.
I’m pretty much adapted to my new life here – finding it ever more convenient to take public transit, loving the closeness of places, and slowly adapting to my new church life… However, I still find it quite challenging to find calmness and tranquility in this busy city that never sleeps.
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Perseverance or Stubbornness?
Poured hours into solving the Rubik’s Cube this past weekend, it’s only by luck that I successfully accomplished the mission this morning. It’s not intelligence but rather perseverance that got me through the frustrating task. Or should I call it stubbornness? I’ve been known to be the most “stiff-necked” member of my family!
RIP for the tourists who lost their innocent lives in the tragic hostage incident in Manila today.
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WZQ Design Competition
Rushed myself into completing a submission for a design competition before my trip to Australia. I don’t hold too much expectation as this is my first ever entry into a competition of this type, and honestly, I don’t even know if the panel had received my submission as I have yet to receive any feedback from my electronic submission. I participated mainly just to fulfill one of my new year’s resolution! =)
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Australia Trip
Came back home from Australia yesterday. It was a delightful and worry-free 7-day vacation with my family.
Australia is similar to Canada in many ways, but the country is much more captivating for its diverse landscape and exotic flora and fauna. It would be difficult to forget the experiences of seeing the Great Barrier Reef up close, stargazing in the pitch-black Southern Hemisphere sky, being surrounded by LED-like glowworms in the rainforrest caves…
Thank God for the safe and wonderful trip.
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Design Competition & Family Trip
For the past few days, I’ve been rushing my way into completing a proposal for a design competition held by Wu Zhi Qiao Charitable Foundation. My submission tonight marks my first ever entry into an architectural design competition! Don’t hold much expectation, the research and design process was rewarding enough, and participation was the key objective.
I had to rush in order to submit it before heading to my week-long trip to Australia with my family. I’m now all packed and ready for a light sleep before heading to the airport in less than 5 hours.
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沒有牆的世界
Going through a bit of an emotional low lately, perhaps due to the many arguments I had with my parents.
Found my consolation from a TV series in the RTHK archive. It’s a series of stories about people with disabilities (e.g. deaf, mute, blind,…) who managed to cope with and even strive in their everyday lives. Too often I’ve taken things for granted – my time, health, family, friends, religion, freedom… and it’s often too late when I realized they’re gone and wasted. When would I learn to be thankful and cherish the many things that God had so lavishly entrusted me with?!
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Feels like Crap…
Had another argument with my parents during dinner. All I did was to decline going to an upcoming monthly/quarterly dinner gathering during which shark fins soup are usually served. It’s not just for the benefit of the endangered animal, I don’t like going to extravagant banquets in general. I have trouble training myself to appreciate the taste of expensive delicacies when I know that there are so many people in this world who can’t even afford to buy a loaf of bread!
Unlike the argument last time, I was pretty calm and kept silent while being unreasonably scolded. But I feel just as crappy.
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Rainy Days
Starring through my studio window, the far mountaintops are barely visible behind layers of slanted rain. This familiar scenery always brings me back to a particular episode when I was in grade 1 or 2 studying at a boarding school in HK. I remember myself sitting in a classroom with my desk close to the window, I was starring at the yet to be familiar gloomy and harsh scenery outside, daydreaming and wondering whether I would be picked up by my father. I don’t remember all the details, but I still remember the happiness I felt when my father arrived.
The prolonged rainy days is giving me an excuse to be nostalgic.
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