ej is somewhat happy

My stint at the museum is ending soon. Next week will be my last week there. Honestly, the first 10 weeks of my time there really just zapped me of my enthusiasm totally. Honestly, dealing with old things can be mind-numbing, absolutely non-inspiring. That feeling is further multiplied tenfold when you know that you aren't actually doing research work on them (maybe it'll be better), but just some sorting and filing them. It made me question, on a basis of no less than 3x per day, the soundness of my move in getting myself into the internship.

BUT! Things started to turn around on my 11th week (this). The rush to get the exhibition up and running for the opening was tiring, sometimes downright pointless (IMHO, but shall not post them here), but yes there you have it. The adrenaline of trying to get something up at as-close-to-perfection as possible certainly helped making my stint there less worthless than I have been imagining for the past ten weeks. I might even decide to go back to work on a Sunday because of the tight schedule I know my boss is facing. hmmmm.

I also got to know a bit more about 'academic/research' life too - through my more in-depth talks with someone whom I haven't really tried to connect with for the past 6 weeks. It's funny how people only try to make the effort to connect only when forced out of one's comfort zone - maybe this will be a good tutorial lesson for my Vancovuer 'expedition' (just 38 days more)! Besides, it was also a lesson in life - worldviews really matter; so do personal beliefs. Can you actually believe someone described me as 'kind' and 'good' (ok, stop sniggering already)?

An unexpected 'reward', too, was an unanticipated encounter in the lift, with a lady (sorry, no racy content coming up). She was actually my senior in my college dept. Her Honours thesis was one factor - the factor, even - that got me all excited about studying museums. I never had the chance to see her in my first 11 weeks - until today! Although the encounter was somewhat brief - a mere 15 mins or so - but it did give me some intangible... rewards, in terms of thoughts and ideas etc.

Just one more week to go in this place. And I think I'm starting to miss it already. Whoever would have expected me to think this way?

It's funny how life can be contradictory, but that's life, right?

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On a separate note, this blog post also made me realise the importance of work/life experience outside of my comfort zone. hmm. Cliche, yes, but now I really feel it and not jsut giving lip service to this old-fashioned idea. I've really haven't had an introspective blog post like this since.... the end of my army days?

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50 days to UBC

so its 50 days more to UBC. I hate it when the paperwork simply cannot move because of other people, but oh well. So long as it DOES move - however slow - at least there's progress.

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My stint at the current workplace is ending in three more weeks (19 days, 15 workdays more, to be exact). On the bright side, I've finished Phase 1 of my project, but on the other hand, I don't know if there's going to be a 'Phase 2' - meaning to say that I might become (1) prematurely unemployed (unlikely; though I really dun mind either), or (2) I have to somehow continue dealing with those old stuff that's just numbing my brain, or (3) suddenly get a new exciting job-scope (unlikely). In any case, I should add that the stint was a most valuable experience, though not neccessarily for the right reasons. Shan't comment further.

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On the other hand, I'm not sure if its a good idea to return to my old workplace for the 3rd time round, but i guess that will at least help (1) re-sharpen some of my old skills, and (2) put me in a more sociable mood for exchange overseas. Which is good! Especially (2), because my current work is so solitary, I can plausibly NOT come for work and almost nobody would know - at least as far as my supervisors are concerned.

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I guess I'm looking forward to the exchange, though the paperwork, finances, planning, responsibilities etc. lumped with it does dampen things a bit. But hey, i guess its like that with everything in life - we can't experience things out side of our comfort zone without the effort made, right! One friend just returned from an extended stay overseas, and it seems to have a positive effect - not that s/he really changed substantially (identity protected)? LOL.

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Just 50 days more!

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