Art, creativity and well being

I always thought of having a birthday trip this year. However, when I got very serious flu from Christmas last year and couldn’t recover for weeks, I thought I might have to stay at home instead. After seeing my GP and having some medicines for a few days, I started feeling better. Thus I wanted to have good memories in my birthday while being cautious, and staycation was on my mind.

According to social expectations, I am literally a loser.

Why? I have no properties. I have no girlfriend and even marriage. I have no money. I have ever quit my job recently.

But I'm not. Because I just can't meet that social expectations and thus keep the economy running.

It's 2025 now and my age just reached 40. 40 may be an entirely new era for most people just because of the figure 40+ vs 30+. Just like products with something like £9.9 vs £10. But thing is: changes are always incremental…

And I wonder why we must always be productive, and why we must always be fast. Why can’t we slow down or even stop for a while? Why getting things done? Why do we have to feel miserable when things are falling behind?

Now I have more than 30 pieces of original artwork showcasing different places and aspects of Lewisham, which is one of the boroughs in London. They are in A3 or A4 sizes and they need to go before November because I will need to move and can't keep them. If you are interested in buying my works, feel free to choose DM me on Instagram, or email me himalbum@gmail.com.

On the phone there is a function called ‘airplane mode’ with an plane icon that will turn off all the internet and telephone signals. Usually people tell you to turn airplane mode on as one of the battery saving tips, and during the flight to prevent signals from interrupting the plane you are taking. This icon seems to be reducing and even preventing risks that can affect us (no battery, flight accident), but I realize that it does gain more than save.

During this summer I was glad to collaborate with That Boat Is at Dock to provide illustrative materials for the zine workshop, as a part of Pixelated Chronicles: Tales of Hong Kong Outlying Islands exhibition. My postcard is being sold there too!