Hey Hongkonger, how are you doing?

As an ordinary middle-aged apolitical Hongkonger I think it is good to share how I have been doing in these three months.

I wasn’t on the frontline, I didn’t really attend rallies and protests. I have not been tear-gassed, injured, arrested, stabbed, shot, or killed. Well I smelled tear-gas once. I was changing trains at Admiralty and the platform was three stories underground, but it was okay, just some retreating eczema and weird feeling in my throat for an evening. I am okay, physically. In fact I started jogging again. Doing intervals and stuff. You know sometimes you need to run. I’m not sure when I am gonna need this.

People of my age are not affected directly. I couldn’t attend a meeting on one day, and was late to work on the other, we went on strike for one day. Our daily routines are not affected at all, perhaps except for some occasional train and bus delays. Everything is the same, but sometimes you feel lucky for the day. Sometimes we get to leave work early for emergencies, sometimes I could even find empty seats in trains. Restaurants are less crowded. The streets are quiet. It’s like how it used to be when I was a kid.

Our friends are doing fine. We used to have friends who love arguing in WhatsApp groups. They are people who just won’t agree with whatever young people do. Perhaps some people get old faster than others? These friends have disappeared, they are nowhere to find on Facebook either. I guess they stopped socialising with ordinary people? Among friends who are staying, we share videos and pictures and news. We have never been so into latest news. It’s good to know more about the society right? We learn new things every day. We learn how to recognise different types of guns and bullets (less-lethal ones mainly). We learn how to treat chemical burns, wounds, tear-gas, and paints. We learn what to do when someone gets arrested (say “ngo5 mou5 je5 gong2”, that is “I have nothing to tell” no matter what), we learn how not to get seriously injured if we get caught. You learn something everyday. We also find ways to donate cash to people in need, we send funds to crowdsource projects. You know there really aren’t many ways you can spend your money wisely here, nothing is affordable anyway.

I don’t get enough sleep recently. I watch the news on my way to work, during work, on my way home, before I fall asleep. It’s addictive to watch news every night, but I simply couldn’t stop. Is it just me? I can’t tell. I often get emotional these days from watching too much news. I’m angry at their wrongdoings, and I’m touched by how we react. I swear a lot but I try to suppress myself, for anger needs to be directed to the right place. But that’s okay, it’s all about time management isn’t it. I stopped writing my blogs. I stopped being patient to kids (but I try to, at least when they have nightmares). I stopped doing what I like, and oh of course, I stopped talking to my relatives. I cut ties with aunties who sent us crazy dehumanising clips. I blocked their numbers, but they should have my address if there’s any funerals to attend, if they care to invite a cockroach, and if I outlive them.

Don’t worry. I am perhaps the most unaffected person in Hong Kong.

I am fine.

and I know I have to be.