Second Wave

March 22, 2020

Our city’s number of confirmed COVID-19 cases had seen a second wave of surge this past week due to an influx of travelers returning from more inflicted countries. Experts are urging people to continue practicing social distancing. Looks like I’ll be sticking with my isolation routine for at least 2 more weeks. It’s not easy, even for an introvert like myself.

My calligraphy classmates actually just created a WhatsApp group to discuss if we should change venue if we were to restart our weekly class in April, but I guess that won’t be necessary now seeing how the pandemic is worsening again.

Still checking the number of global confirmed COVID-19 cases on a daily basis. Many countries are seeing their numbers skyrocketing and have shut their borders. It’s desensitizing just seeing the rising death toll numbers without being able to put a face to any of them. This together with countries urging their citizens to fly home and stay home feels very worrisome. Feels like war if not the apocalypse.

Started talking to some of my friends in North America again, they are now starting to see the first wave of the pandemic. Without the experience gained from SARS by many Hongkongers in 2003, my friends seemed less prepared. However, having lived in Canada for 1x years, I feel their situation should be relatively less worrisome because they’re not as densely populated, not too reliant on public transit, and are much easier to practice social distancing.

Oh God, please be merciful to your people. Help us through this pandemic, save those who are infected and protect those who are healthy. Please be merciful to every single soul that has left us. We are sinful people, but we are also your precious creations, please don’t turn a blind eye on us. 🙏🏻

Sketch… Sunday Service

March 22, 2020

Global Pandemic

March 15, 2020

WHO finally announced the P-word after being criticized by many experts of its inaction. I started checking the list of global confirmed cases and deaths almost daily. It felt a bit like checking each country’s medal ranking during the Olympics.

I continued my alternate working days routine this past week and still finding myself surprisingly creative and productive during these social-distancing days. Started experimenting with resin 3D printing in the studio, the newly purchased budget MSLA 3D printer surprised me with its exceptional print quality! The technology is very promising, but will need to research more on its material’s environmental impact before I’m comfortable in devising and offering products/services with that medium.

A couple of fellowship brothers asked me out for dinner on Friday. I was a bit reluctant to join, but one of them seemed troubled and could use a good listening ear. The subway was unexpectedly crowded, and after so many days of isolation, I felt overwhelmingly uncomfortable in the crowd. Turns out my friend was ok, he seemed to be likewise worried about me as I have been absent for a long time since our weekly fellowship meetups moved online.

In these social-distancing days, I seem to have reconnected with my introverted side and have been spending much of my time alone doing R&D and drawing cartoons. I think I’m coping very well with this pandemic in comparison to some of my more social friends. Nonetheless, I really hope the pandemic won’t drag on too long, it’s very saddening to see people’s unhappy masked faces on the street. Oh God, please be merciful to us and help us see light during these gloomy days. 🙏🏻

Sketch… Sunday Service

March 15, 2020

Weathering the COVID-19 Storm

March 8, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread and worsen globally in South Korea, Iran, Italy, etc. In midst of the depressing atmosphere, I seem to be getting used to these social-distancing days.

Continued my alternate working days in the studio this past week, successfully carried out a few “experiments” in translating black and white ink art using laser engraving/cutting and cnc machining. On other days when I work from home, I kept myself busy drawing cartoons. Art and creativity seems to help me weather the COVID-19 storm. Separating the digital fabrication work (logical side) and cartooning (creative side) seemed to improve the productivity of both sides, strange. Will continue with this new found routine again this week to see what happens.

Oh God, please continue to carry us through this pandemic, heal those who are sick and help the rest stay vigilant and protected from the spread of the virus. 🙏🏻

Sketch… Sunday Service

March 8, 2020

Isolation Continues

March 1, 2020

The COVID-19 has become a global pandemic, whether WHO has the guts to announce it or not! There is seriously no denying of it as it has caused serious local community outbreaks in South Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy, etc.

Life under isolation feels a bit suffocating. Admittedly, I’m not too social to begin with, but before the epidemic I would at least see my calligraphy class and church b&s weekly. It’s been around a month since I’ve last met them now. Maybe I’m not as antisocial as I thought I am.

Went back to the studio 3 times this past week. Living under isolation seems to have given me some unexpected quality time to dream up new ideas for work. With a good friend’s assurance to help, I’ve filled up an application for an upcoming tenant opportunity. If that works out, I’ll probably dedicate a significant amount of time and effort on that endeavor. In addition, I seem to be constantly picking up new ideas for digital fabrication, something I’ve been researching and experimenting since starting the studio in 2014. I’ve started experimenting with the studio tools once again and had gotten some preliminary positive results. I’ve also ordered some new tools to compliment the studio’s digital fabrication lineup.

The economy is still falling as the epidemic doesn’t seem to be dying anytime soon. I figured the best use of my isolated idling time during these slow days is to do more R&D and be prepared and ready when the economy picks up again, whenever that may be.

Oh God, please continue to help us through this global pandemic, let us be patient and not lose our faith and hope in You. 🙏🏻

Sketch… Sunday Service

March 1, 2020

Isolation Under COVID-19

February 23, 2020

Second week attending Sunday Service remotely from home. Under the COVID-19 epidemic, fellowship, calligraphy class and all social activities has come to a complete halt, feeling rather isolated even though I was never quite a social animal.

Only left home for work twice this week. My colleague gave me red pockets and that made me realize that the last time I seen her was already before CNY holiday about a month ago!

Have been working from home mostly. Finished going through the boring Chinese dictionary of 4-letter words and done streaming through all 12 seasons of The Big Bang Theory, will move on to more interesting projects this week.

Oh God, please continue to help us through this gloomy epidemic, heal those who are sick and let us not lose our faith or hope in You. 🙏🏻

Sketch… Sunday Service

February 23, 2020