As a senior, I would never imagine myself to be another Dorian Gray.
I grew by 2.5cm when I was 21, a privilege I had for three decades. But last year, I paid back the bonus as my body shrunk. Perhaps this is all because of my hunching back. Light and swift steps are the stance for youth. When people age, they either get obese or shrink.
Almost everyone is obsessed with their diet these days, but people my age should really watch how slim they become. There is an old Cantonese slang describing the skin condition of the elderly as a 'mandarin orange on the altar' - or appearance like a dried prune.
And at the age of 50, I am no longer a label victim - after years of experiments with fashion styles. Now, I just wear whatever is next to me. I do not spend much on clothes, and I never look at price tags. I do not try them on before buying; I would never buy anything if I did.
To me, a $100 shirt or a $1,000 one makes no difference. Clothes should not cost that much anyway. We men never spend more than $10,000 on shoes, but women wait in line for a $50,000 handbag.
Coincidently, Hong Kong has gone out of the age of exuberance and people are less rich. The result is Boy George without his hat and accessories - the glamour is gone.