Connoisseur

We went to Stanley today. It was good that we went to the Peak yesterday as the skies were very foggy today. If you look hard, you could still see across the bay, but the pollution is so intense that you would imagine there is nothing across the waters if your Hong Kong geography is dodgy.

I was on the hunt for something to hang on my wall. I wanted something special, something that would make me smile and I would appreciate. We saw some copies, which were medicore at best, and then some amazing one-off originals that were way out of budget, which I would buy if I had the money. So I got a four panel piece of waterlilies in oil and watercolour mix by some chinese Mainland artist. I don't think she is very famous or very profilic as the more well known artists command extortionate prices for their art. Chinese art is becoming popular amongst collectors, and this has hiked up the prices in general for original pieces. I like my purchase as it is very calming and soothing. I had wanted another one by the same artist but that was sold, and a similar one was not to my liking. Then the saleswoman brought out this series, and it really is very nice. I now know how good proper lighting would make paintings look ever so good. The dutchman thinks it is a very expensive splurge, and the banker thinks I am crazy to spend so much. But I think that if I had HK$25000 to spare I would have bought the other piece, no questions asked.

I now need to figure out how to hang them up. I don't dare to tell my mum how much I spent on them, as she will just go on about how money flows faster than water in my hands and how I shouldn't spend so much money and rather, repay my dad for my education. I personally think I should be allowed to spend the money that I make. I know that I will face all kinds of people wanting to control my spending and tell me what to do with my money. They are normally people who wouldn't understand and I don't really care. I don't take to aquaintances who think they can tell me what to do. Most people who know me will know I don't listen anyway! =P

I shall now be very very good and won't buy anything else for a while. I am planning to buy myself a handbag for Christmas, but that is about it. I shall NOT buy anything else to wear, to watch/look at or on a whim. The egg tart pillow is now cancelled off the 'To Buy' list.

If I am ever caught in a fire, I will grab my paintings, throw my duvet out the window to land and use my curtains as a parachute. Who cares about my ID card or my passport. I would have all my baubles on me anyway.

The elections are still going on and it is very lively. People are standing about, young and old, and showing their support for their chosen candidates. The candidates go about with loudspeakers on their vans and waving out the windows to people. There are people going on with microphones and loudspeakers telling people how their candidates are the most amazing and the most efficient and can do the most of the people. The news reports only 33% of the eligible population turning out to vote, which is 2% higher than 2003. Let's hope more people turn up. Even if we don't have any one we want to support, turning up to spoil a vote would show we are dissatisfied with the current administration. It is all about exercising our civic rights, and we should truly use them.