By Charmaine Yu

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Currently en route to Hong Kong, Ragasa is no regular storm – weather reports are calling it a “super” typhoon, with its name taken from the Filipino word ragasa, meaning rapid or fast motion.
As Ragasa skirts around the Philippines and Taiwan, Hongkongers are being advised to stay in safe, sheltered environments and avoid leaving home.
With all planes grounded and schools, offices, shops and restaurants to close across the city, your day’s itinerary may look a little different – but different does not have to mean dismal.
Here are five things to do at home while the city waits out the storm.
1. Read about the mythology behind storms
Shenlong is a spiritual dragon in Chinese mythology who is a master of storms and rain.
His control over the weather made him an essential part of worship in ancient China, and it was thought that he could be invoked during droughts or floods by conducting rituals and celebrations.

It is not just mythological creatures in Chinese folklore that can command the weather – there exists an entire celestial bureaucracy of gods and goddesses said to be able to do so.
This includes Lei Gong, who is the duke of thunder, and Dian Mu, known as the mother of lightning. There is also Feng Bo, who is the earl of wind, and Yu Shi, the master of rain.
Why does lightning strike before thunder? There is a Chinese mythological answer for that, so use the downtime afforded by the stormy weather to find out.
2. Use up the groceries in your freezer

We are all guilty of hoarding items in our freezer that we tell ourselves we will get around to using sometime, but never do.
With most shops and restaurants closing during a typhoon, there is no better time to look through that freezer and make good on that thought.
Let your creativity run wild with rogue ingredients and experiment with bold fusion flavours – you may just leave this typhoon with a new favourite home-made recipe.
And, if you end up hating it, at least you will have cleared out space for future groceries.
3. Rewatch old Hong Kong classics
The 1960s to the early 2000s were seen as a golden age of Hong Kong entertainment, from music to cinema.
Many veterans of that era continue to work today, starring in movies and shows and releasing songs, but there is something especially comforting about popping on an old film to keep you company on a stormy day.

From exhilarating kung fu films starring Jackie Chan to quiet movies about life in the city by Fruit Chan Gor, viewers have a wide selection spanning decades to pick from.
That list of classic films may include Twelve Nights (2000) by Aubrey Lam Oi-wah, Happy Together (1997) by Wong Kar-wai, or A Better Tomorrow (1986) by John Woo.
For a binge-worthy television series, perhaps revisit War and Beauty (2004). There are even documentaries such as Be Water (2020), which offers an intimate look into Bruce Lee’s rise to stardom in the 1960s and 1970s.
4. Dust off those board games
In this digital age with mobile apps and social media, any physical board games in your home are likely just collecting dust.
But with a super typhoon about to hit the city, it may be the ideal time to rediscover the magic of board games – if nothing else, just so you have a backup plan in case the power goes out. Grab your family members, partner or roommates to make a rainy day a little less lonely.
Scrabble, Monopoly and Uno are all classics, and a day off from the office or school is a rare chance to rediscover the simple ways of having fun.
5. Rest with the rain

There is a certain sense of calmness that comes with every storm.
Instead of streaming a four-hour YouTube video of rain sounds for your meditation session, take advantage of the real-life weather in the city.
Neuroscience studies suggest that listening to natural sounds, such as rain, decreases activity in your brain’s centre for stress and anxiety.
Listen carefully to the rhythm of rain – sit with the noise and allow your body to rest.