#Day 11

Posted April 17, 2020

Hello everyone,

How are you? It’s been some time since we last spoke. I decided revive this blog after a 1.5 years hiatus. The last I blogged was in 2018 and many things had changed. My thoughts has changed, my belief has changed, my taste also changed (I thought the last version of this blog “Ueki” is immature) and so is my diet (I am currently now a vegetarian for over a year ish! :p) But I guessed, this is a very personal learning journey.

Today is 17 April 2020, day 11 /28 of the Singapore’s circuit breaker and our store is temporarily closed. Some of my colleagues are still on standby to assist our partners from essential services thus Blessance and I are working from home. Mr. Toh had brought home stacks and stacks of books on antiques to read and rest. For Hock Siong whom never shutters for 360 days a year, this is indeed a drastic change. For my mom Betty, she is back to her old job – a full time SAHM (stay at home mum) who provides us a 3 meals + snacks + laundry on board and care on board.

Home cooked lunch of congee, canned “Cai Xin”, braised peanuts, eggs with Chye Poh (for me) and pan fried fishes for the rest

For me, other than work, I spent my time over Netflix, Coursera or just lazing on the bed out of sheer weariness. I have to admit, tardiness is a good excuse for fear. I’ve also began chanting and meditation almost everyday (which I will talk in another post on what I did to cope with fear)

So why did I decide to start writing again? Maybe it was boredom, but I think I want to start connecting to my dear customers and friends who had built a community around Hock Siong. On the other end, I feel that even though we had much larger following in Facebook or Instagram, traditional social media can be too “noisy” nowadays. I think this is a nice platform for us to keep updated with the happenings of one another. Most importantly, I think why not keep words? If we cannot keep materialistic belongings during this time, why don’t we have words as keepsake? While they can hurt, they touches. While they can kill, they can nurture.

If we cannot keep materialistic belongings during this time, why don’t we have words as keepsake?

Last night, Singapore announced that there were 728 cases relating to foreign workers. Every night, I will keep track of the number of cases and share it promptly with a friend like a news anchor reporting it. Last night, the number is worrying because it looks like there is no improvement but deterioration, and leading to it, the fear of unknown – if the circuit breaker would be extended, how would my livelihood be affected, would I be infected, would anyone from my community be infected… is limitless.

I guess it is a time for cultivate patience. Singapore had only been “circuit-breaking” for the last 11 days though some other countries had been doing this for more than 30 days. We must be patient and have faith that every thing on earth have its start and end and this too shall pass.

Ok, I have to go and do some work for now. I will take some time to slowly build up the aesthetics (time to go back to my DBIT/CSS skills though nowadays WordPress is WYSIWYG) of my blog. Yesterday, I caught a Netflix series “Call to Courage” by popular writer/researcher/person who studies “shame” Brenè Brown and at her talk she mentioned the importance the small things in life, and in times of adversity and when it seems that your thoughts is drifting to worries, come back to gratitude. Gratitude will shift the energy back to the present moment, and that is what that matters isn’t it?

While I write, I remind you and myself the same. Take care and stay safe everyone!