Rainy Week
It has been cloudy and rainy all week long. The gloomy weather seems to match the many downcast faces seen on the streets. The 5th pandemic wave has eased with daily confirmed COVID cases in the low 3 digits and related deaths in single digit, however, the gloomy atmosphere in the city seems like it will linger for quite some time in the near future.
I’m starting to feel anxious about my upcoming trip to Canada. With about 3 weeks left, I’m starting to run out of time to finish up some of the tasks I have in mind in order to enjoy a relatively stress-free trip.
Spent a lot of time doing Chinese calligraphy this past week. The rainy weather seemed perfect for the occasion. Finished writing about ~120 characters for a small collaboration project with a friend, the work is scheduled to be exhibited in June. Also wrote out the many bible scriptures that I created while WFH earlier, I’m hoping to kickstart a calligraphy project that I’ve been dreaming up before the Canada trip.
Also met up with my good friend’s dad and a late uncle’s son for dinner. The last time our trio met up was in Oct. last year. We finished 7 big bottles of beer and had a cheerful time. I seem to cherish and enjoy the social time with friends much more after the devastating 5th wave. Will try to meet and catch up with more friends before I fly.
A New Chapter?
The city had appointed its new CE on Mother’s Day, a foreseeable authoritarian chapter will officially begin on July 1st. It’s sad to witness the once free and creative city deteriorate and people emigrating and separated from their families.
Life goes on… My weekly calligraphy class had finally resumed since the 5th pandemic wave began in Feb. I started a new chapter to learn an informal awkward script. My social activities also started picking up and I had my first dine-out with friends since Feb. Still have a steep social deficit to fill, will try to meet and catch up with more friends in May before visiting Canada in June.
Started the countdown to my month-long visit to my other home on the other side of the globe. Plan to meet and catch up with my family and friends there, the last time I visited was already back in summer 2019. I’ll be flying there with a high school friend and his family of 4, will see if I can lend a helping hand here and there to get them settled into a new life while I’m there. My last purpose for the trip is to keep an eye out for prospects in case I need to move back there for good to start a new chapter in life. May God guide my steps. 🙏🏻
Home Art Studio
Have moved out to live on my own for nearly 2 years now, I finally decided to clean up the living room this past week. After clearing up and organizing much of the junk that had accumulated since moving in, I had a little corner set up for painting. I couldn’t resist to start painting right away as the long weekend began.
Decided to experiment with painting one of the CR animal caricatures I had been drawing recently. Tried to imitate Takashi Murakami’s anime painting style, found out that the black outlines were very difficult to paint. Maybe because I didn’t have the right brushes. Or maybe it’s due to my lack of practice, the last time I painted acrylics was back in summer 2018 when I visited Canada. Regardless, it was nice to experiment with a new style and indulging myself with some art therapy.
Since the current pandemic wave hit in Feb, I’ve brought home much of the art supplies from the studio. Little by little, I’ve transformed my home study and living room into a little art studio. I think it’s actually good to move my art endeavors back home, art is probably better to be kept as a hobby rather than a way to make money. And now when I go back to the studio full-time, I can better focus on engineering design work.
Had indulged myself with much art during this pandemic wave, it’s really time to get back to some serious studio work in May! 💪🏻
🌏 Weekend
It was Earth Day on Friday, I seized the opportunity to do some gardening and pampered the many succulents in the studio.
Earth Day became Earth Weekend. On Sat., after having dim sum lunch with my family (my first dine-in since the 5th pandemic wave), I went home and cleaned up my little green corner. In the evening, I went back to my parents’ place for dinner and weekend stay over.
I initially planned to do more gardening and care for the few neglected succulents in my old room at my parents’ place, but I didn’t bring home enough soil from the studio, plus I was a bit tired from the earlier Earth Weekend activities. My Earth Weekend didn’t end however. One of my neglected succulents bloomed overnight, I stayed up late to record the magical blooming process. After searching my IG photos, I realized the same succulent bloomed at roughly the same time 4 years ago! Really grateful that I didn’t miss this rare treat from God’s wonderful creations.
Wrapped up my Earth Weekend with a couple more endangered animal caricatures for my new ongoing art project/experiments.
Easter Weekend
The current pandemic wave has receded substantially from the peak of 50k+ COVID cases daily to the recent 3 digits. The Easter long weekend provided a good time for people to head outside for a little breather from the exhausting pandemic marathon. The streets were flooded with people as a result.
I was still awaiting for the official date of pandemic restrictions easing on 21st to start restoring my steep social deficit. Other than seeing a small-scale art exhibition briefly on Sat., I stayed indoors for the entire long weekend. Completed 2 more animal caricatures during my second weekend artist residency programme in my old room at my parents’ place.
Have been doing many art-related projects during the past 2 months or so of working from home. Little by little, I have brought home many art supplies and references from the studio, and before I knew it, my home study has been transformed into a little art studio! As much as I enjoy making art, it’s quite unrealistic economically to do it full-time. I’ll continue to pursue it as a hobby while I transition back into working full-time in the studio after the holidays.
The death toll from the current pandemic wave is severe, especially in the elderly age group. I myself have been thinking more about the grim but inevitable topic of death during this pandemic. Not sure if it’s the pandemic or me getting old or both, death doesn’t seem so far-fetched as it used to be in my mind. At times I would get really anxious as I imagine what would happen after I die. This Easter seemed especially memorable as I was reminded of my faith in the God who had beaten death and is alive with us today.
