I am still coughing and sneezing all day long😷. Since I am still consuming anti-biotics after the wisdom teeth removal surgery, I decided not to take any pills. (I probably got a cold on last Saturday). But there is a piece of good news. I received the phone call from the HR of a large NGO that focus on mental health in Hong Kong. Hope I will get this offer💪.
At night, I listened to a podcast recorded by a woman who had suffered from eating disorder in Hong Kong. Although I have never had eating disorder, I found her story very shocking and sad. It is hard to believe that some people assume that being a professional dancer is a stigma in the 21st century🤡.
Still waiting for feedback from the hiring managers. I haven’t even received an email for an interview yet. 😪 I need to apply for part-time jobs and launch my pilot scheme to kick off my project.
I may record my own podcast to share the interesting stories in my life.
My physiotherapist told me that some soft tissues were clinging to the muscle, which explained why my left shoulder’s neck muscle is slightly higher than the right.
The physiotherapist is the husband of my father’s female friend. He has more than 30 years of experience, and I have faith in him. However, I am not sure if he can 100% fix the issue😭. My money is flying away🤑.
Leaving the clinic, I decided to walk around Mong Kok and took a few photos of the street. The people were as busy as always.
Apart from that, I want to share the tool I am using to take photos. Since I have to reserve money to support my living cost, almost all gear is second-hand.
My darling, my friend, and my child 😂 Panasonic Lumix GH5, Cost: 3500 HKD (446.97 USD) (body only)
I bought it at the Sim City in Hong Kong. Many sales people told me that it was sold out. It took me a few days to find this treasure. It was cheaper than I expected.
Panasonic Lumix 14-45mm lens
And the lens began with an interesting story. This time I looked for a cheaper lens on a second-hand product online platform. All lens were expensive, except for this one. The cost was too low that I suspected it could be a scam.
After calculating the cost (51.08 USD) offered by the seller, I chose to give it a try. It turned out to be a big surprise.
Big Bird🤡 on GH5! The camera straps of an unconventional photographer!
The seller actually was a professional video producer that had collaborated with MacDonald in Hong Kong. He taught me how to use and protect the lens.
Knowing he is the expert in videography, I showed him the video I made for the de-miners’s operation in Laos. After watching the video, he asked,
“Have you ever learned photography or videography before? You have the “sense”.”
The novice in the plain of Jar.
“No. I just followed my instinct and edited the video. I know nothing about photography except for aperture, ISO and Shutter Speed. I also had never learned about professional video editing.”
He encouraged me to make more videos. However, he also said,
“Don’t turn your interest into a money-making tool.“, he added.
“Understood. OKAY.”, I replied
“If you improved your skills and want to upgrade your gear, I can offer cheaper price next time. Please send me your videos in the future.”
Life is strange.
PS: I’ll release a short video on my Instagram account to record my trip to Discovery Bay. If you don’t want to miss it, click the Instagram icon below!💪
If you have similar experiences, or want to express your opinions, feel free to drop a comment below, I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.😃
It maybe the best photo I’ve taken today. No filter. 100% Natural
Latest Update:
Although I haven’t posted anything related to my job application or statues recently, I will share the good news if I successfully land a job. Since I still have some savings to support my life, everything is still OK.
The biggest problem how can I maintain my discipline without a stable job. How can I make sure everything is working well?
Let’s go back to the main story.
Used the Cross-processing filter again
When I was still in my bed, the idea of visiting the Discovery Bay suddenly appeared in my mind. I listened to my heart and head to the island.
This is the first time in my life visiting to the Discovery Bay. It is well-known for its comfortable and relaxing vibe. Many expats live and enjoy their life place, explaining why the transportation fee is expensive😅.
Not a good photo. But it is for showing you the ferry.The view from the insideI GAVE UP. The window of the ferry wasn’t clean enough for me to take a decent photo.The beautiful beach in Discovery BayThe genius
Before I left the island, I saw an extremely beautiful purple bird standing on a railing with one leg. Its feather was shining under the sun light.
Unfortunately, when I tried to grab my camera and took a photo of it, it flew away. Still, I found it very interesting since I was saying to my friend that I am a legless bird yesterday.
3 responses to “Day 18: The purple bird on the island”
I left a tennis ball in the room. It was for showing the estimated size of a bombie in Laos.
There are some good news for you guys. Yesterday, I came up with an idea to make more money. While I am looking for a job, I’ll land a pilot scheme to test my business idea. I will record the process in details.
However, I must share what I did today. I first met my friend in the afternoon. We prepared the materials for the sharing session on life and working experience in Laos. Initially I prepared the scripts for my part, but I forgot to grab my phone when I started my presentation. Basically, I just wing it.
Fortunately, the students listened to our talk and asked questions related to the slides. During the Q&A session, they inquired about the food, weather, culture and life style of the people in Laos. It showed that they paid full attention to our powerpoint slides, and I was very grateful for that.
Until the end, the staff gave us money as honorarium. The amount was beyond my expectation. I was very happy to receive their generous gift, but my friend felt a bit guilty since she was unsatisfied with her performance.
When we walked out of the building, we saw the beautiful sunset in the sky. I quickly took out my GH5 and captured the beautiful scene in front of me. Let’s see the result!!!!!📷
Panasonic GH5 with no filterI love the color tone.The same filter, different objects. The filter does not work well with this white object. The contour is a bit confusing … 😅Still the cross-processing filter.So far it is the best photo I’ve captured today. Used the cross-processing filter again.
To be honest, after removing the wisdom teeth, I decided to take a short break from WordPress.
The post-surgery chocolate ice-cream
Since I was still recovering from the surgery, I decided to take a short break. My right jaw became very swollen that it made me look like a hamster for this moment. Hope everything will return to normal a week later.
Tomorrow I will have a sharing session with some local secondary school students. Hope they will enjoy my presentation.
Finally, I went to the hospital to get rid of those annoying little things in my mouth. Before entering the operating room, I was scared to death. I kept imagining gruesome scenes of my teeth being pulled out in a bloody mess.
Fortunately, once I was on the bed, I couldn’t feel any pain at all. But the dentist’s method was a bit rough. I could feel my jaw being tugged from left to right, and I wondered when it would all end.
However, the outcome wasn’t too bad. My wounds stopped bleeding after about 45 minutes. Hope everything is alright.
Life is full of possibilities and… unexpected accidents…
Being unemployed has made me wonder about the lifestyle I truly want. In these days, I’ve kept asking myself what makes me feel happy. All I can remember is the peaceful, quiet life I lived in Laos. Even though my job there was tedious and annoying, living alone enriched my soul 👻 and nourished my body.
my little paradise, a large bed for myself
In that apartment, I felt safe enough to be my real self. Compared to living with my family, I could spend time alone without worrying about interrupting anyone or triggering my parents. At that time, I thought I was living in paradise. Somehow, it was similar to entering Nirvana*, a state without any worries or negative emotions. But those moments didn’t last long. Soon after starting my second task, I returned to my anxious and stressful old self.=
*For those who don’t know, “Nirvana” refers to a state of enlightenment in Buddhism—the highest stage of spiritual freedom.
Until now, I’m still trying very hard to recreate those peaceful, worry-free moments in my life.
I probably will share more about my journey and my current progress on creating a blissful life.
Reality Check:
Apart from that, today I also realized I need to be more practical to reach my goals. In the morning, I joined a training session for the sport coach program. I overheard the coaches and social worker discussing the program’s details and development—they’d just received the second round of funding. When I heard this, I knew my plan wouldn’t work out: relying on slashing (multiple gigs) to earn a living wage. Even with high hourly pay, it doesn’t mean there are enough job opportunities for coaches. I nearly missed that point when planning my future. I must get a full-time job first.
Even though the river was trying to soothe my mind, I still felt nervous.
It was another ordinary day in life. No drama. No specific plans. The privilege of being unemployed while still living under my family’s roof has created new troubles for me. I keep thinking about my future, my possible paths, but nothing seems to work out in my imagined world. When can I stop overthinking?
Out of boredom, I tried to challenge myself to learn juggling. I let Grok guessing how long would it take to juggle 3 balls. It guessed less than an hour. At last, I successfully learned this skill within an hour. Maybe it explained why I was very good at stabilizing the camera😹.
Bumped into my secondary school Chinese Literature teacher
Let’s go on with the unfinished story.
I got the interview and I think I performed very well.
But something strange happened.
For the first time in my life, I felt overqualified for a job—and at the same time, I didn’t feel I should get the offer.
The full story
When I arrived, there were seven boys already in the room. I soon realized we were all applying for the same position: Program Assistant at a youth center. The job required shift rotation, including late nights (2 PM to 6 AM).
Half an hour later, the interviewers asked us to form a circle and introduce ourselves.
The climax?
As everyone shared their stories, I suddenly felt like I was living in a different world. Most of them were high-school dropouts or current university students with very different life paths.
At that moment, I knew I shouldn’t have applied for this position.
So I turned into a professional actress. I shared my personal experiences, my strengths 💪 and weaknesses 💩, just like everyone else. Even though I knew I wouldn’t get the offer, the show 📽 had to go on.
The hidden story
Later, the interviewers asked us to share any personal experiences working with or relating to marginalized youth.
A few of them raised their hands. Their stories were incredibly touching—one even cried while speaking.
“People always neglect youth facing domestic violence, drug addiction, or street violence. But we really need others to care about us.”
He was talking about himself.
In that moment, everything became crystal clear: they were the better candidates. I couldn’t take this role—I simply didn’t have enough relatable lived experience.
Have you ever walked away from an interview knowing it wasn’t the right fit for you? Or realized someone else was more suited?
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