Boarding School Begins Again
Met up with some good old friends for lunch and exhibition seeing in TST. Last time we met was already back in Jan.! Good to be socializing again after nearly half a year of social distancing.
After parting my friends, I took a stroll alone in TST reminiscing the days when I used to go to boarding school in P.1-2. Back in the days, my family usually went for dim sum at the same restaurant in TST on Sundays. After lunch, my parents would usually stay for mahjong while one of my sisters would take me for a ferry ride to Central where I would take the school bus to Stanley for a week of boarding school. Occasionally, my family would visit me at school during opening hours on Wednesday. But usually I would only see my family again when I go home on Friday evening. Everything would repeat again on Sunday.
Finally moved to my new place tonight after dinner at home with my parents. I told them this is just like boarding school all over again. They used to tell friends how they sobbed in the van while seeing me off on the first day of boarding school, and I would go off immediately making new friends and playing with them. I don’t know if my parents would sob seeing me off tonight, but I’m actually sobbing now while writing this post.
Oh Lord, please take care of my parents while I’m away. Help them understand somehow that I’m in Your good hands, just like the time in boarding school when I first got to know You and started praying to You. ??
Transitioning…
Met and caught up with my UW friends last night, this is officially my first social meetup since the pandemic broke out in Jan.! Haven’t really been socializing for so long, I felt especially happy seeing and chatting with everyone. Thanks to COVID-19, I now realize how important it is to have friends to share with regardless of how introverted I am. It’s good to have my social life slowly transitioning back to normal.
My church fellowship and Sunday service are also transitioning back offline, but I decided to delay my transition until July. I actually didn’t feel like I miss my fellowship that much. Fellowship life over the past couple of years seemed a bit stale, repetitive, and lack of growth. Relationships with b&s is ok, but still feel a little superficial after so many years. Would it be ok if I stop going to fellowship altogether? I can probably put the Friday evening time to better use than superficial gatherings, right?
Also transitioning to move into a new place on my own. Finally bought a bed and washer and had them delivered last week. Will dedicate most of my time and effort this coming week to have it ready for move in by Friday!
The future of HK still looks grim politically and economically, but thanks to my parents and the gracious love of God, I don’t really feel all too worried. Looking back, I have always been graciously given more than I need. Recently, I’ve been realizing more and more that I’m in a good position to serve and help than needing help from others. Oh God, please continue to help me see how You want me to serve the people in this city with all the gracious gifts and resources You have lavishly given me. Please continue to guide me to become a good steward on Earth for as long as you allowed me here. ??
Contingency Plan
The political and economic situation in the city continue to spiral down since the National Security Law for HK was proposed last week and unilaterally passed this week.
I started asking my friends to hear their thoughts. A couple plans to hasten their plan to emigrate to Taiwan, another friend asked about renewing their colonial BNO passport, and another friend has always planned to move back to Canada with his family but worried about finding a job there. My family also had a couple of serious conversations over this, but no concrete plans were made, our situation is less worrisome as we can always move back to Canada as a last resort.
Had a little breakthrough with my studio work. I successfully designed and made my first furniture using digital fabrication techniques and hacking an IKEA chair. Quite satisfied with my first attempt, but there is obviously plenty of room for improvement, will continue to experiment with digitally fabricating furniture designs in coming weeks. The more I do R&D in digital fabrication, the more I realize its great potential. I imagine the day when I can move to any place around the world, and rather than buying new furniture, I can simply print all the furniture I need! This may very well be my contingency plan in a world of growing uncertainties.
Oh God, thank you for keeping me and my family safe and healthy amid the harsh political and economic situations locally and globally. Please continue to guide us through this difficult time, help us to stay hopeful despite the circumstances. ??
HK is Dying
Beijing announced on Thursday the National Security Law for HK. The stock market plummeted on Friday (greatest single-day drop in past 5 years) and everyone on the street was talking about it.
The sacrifice of HK’s economy was likely already accounted for before PRC proposed the Law that clearly violates our city’s “One Country, Two Systems”. Looks like China has lost patience to wait till 2047 to take over HK.
I’m worried too, not because of the economic downturn, but more of the freedom and human rights that Hongkongers were promised under the Basic Law. Rumors started to spread on the net about censorship as soon as the Law was announced, I checked quickly and shockingly confirmed it. The horror didn’t cease even after the “bug” was corrected a few hours later. Can’t help worrying when my faithful search engine hinted on bowing down to evil dictatorship.
The city is dying and you know it… but what can you do really? Updated my FB status and some of my friends asked if I would move back to Canada. I replied saying that I needa consider that option now. Seriously, I’ve been thinking more and more about that since Thursday.
Oh Lord, please continue to lead and guide me in life. Help me see You more clearly and follow You more closely. ??
Living with COVID-19?
Feeling a bit low this week… Just when I thought the masked days are nearing end, a few local COVID-19 cases of unknown origin broke our city’s 23 consecutive days of zero local cases. Experts foresee that we may need to adapt and coexist with the virus for quite some time and urge everyone to continue wearing masks.
While seeing no end in the pandemic, our city’s marathon civil protests concurrently bounced back after a series of blatant moves by our lying government and its brutal police force. Like the pandemic, I’m seeing no end in our city’s political turmoil.
Virus continues to keep people distanced and civil war continues to tear the city apart, but I’m not really in a position to help either one. Maybe that’s why I’m feeling low? Rather than sulking in discontent, I decided to indulge myself with solitary studio work. Have been experimenting with larger scale 3D printing in the last couple of weeks and getting good results. I should be ready to start my plan of designing and making functional furniture for the new home this week.
Oh Lord, please help me understand my role in midst of the pandemic and civil unrest and act accordingly. Let me not lose faith or hope in You despite the gloomy circumstances. ??
