sick of being sick

Yeah, I'm sick of being sick.

Had to visit Changi Hospital at 4am a few days ago cos my stomach was hurting so bad, I couldn't sleep from 2am onwards. Turned out I had gastritis, cos apparently my stomach was still sick as it hadn't fully recovered from my food poisoning a week before. Sigh. And I still had to conduct a workshop at 8am that day. Two days of MC were wasted just like that. But, well, I'm not complaining am I? In times like these, you have to think twice about letting your colleague handle a whole class of students on her own. Not that she couldn't do it, but she would have needed help.

And now I'm down with flu, which I believe I caught from another colleague. It's crazy. This organisation is fast-paced you know? But, well, I'm not complaining am I? Cos I still enjoy work... just think about the number of times I had to deliver drums to the office... voluntarily.

There are things that I'm siao on about, I guess. Have been sleeping every time I have a pocket of time to spare. Had to play for worship service today too, so am pretty tired now from having woken up at 6.30am. Shall sleep soon.

I hope I get well. Completely well. Soon.

Today's learning point from pastor's sermon: I'm determined not to commit the folly of fear (and insecurity). I must have faith in Him who is faithful, in Him who loves me for who I am, in Him who will not shortchange me. Lord, help me be focused. Lord, help me know you love me.

The Sorting Hat

On my Facebook, I have The Sorting Hat application. After doing the online test, I was sorted into the Gryffindor house, just like Harry Potter was.

One night, I happened to mention this to X who was staying late with me. She got really excited about it and decided to do The Sorting Hat test at once. I predicted she would be sorted into the Ravenclaw house, and I was right! I figured that since she was a person who prized logic in solving problems, she'd probably be the type who would be able to solve riddles like the brilliant Ravenclaws did in JK Rowling's book.

X then commented: "Maybe JK Rowling has invented a personality test somewhat like the DISC type of test."

And I thought, hey, why not?

Both of us, being very boh liao, then decided to start guessing which people we knew would be sorted into which houses. And interestingly, we came up with similar guesses. When we finally came to a particular person we both knew, we both burst out laughing because we realised that the person did not fit in any of the houses.

Immediately, X looked at me and said: "That's because she's muggle-born!!!"

Yeah. I know in the Harry Potter world, even muggle-borns can become wizards, and be sorted by The Sorting Hat. But you know what, this person would be the muggle-born who would never believe in witches and wizards. Blinded. And pretty darn daft, if you ask me. Am I glad she would never be sorted.

fill in the blanks

Today, 18-year-old B, wrote in his feedback form for me:

"Thank you for being there and helping to fill in the blanks in my family."

This has been, by far, the most poetic feedback for me. I need to draw it out. Thank you, B.

deciphering me (by Brooke Fraser)

Verse 1:
Friend, it's getting late, we should be going
We have sat here beneath these flickering neons for hours.
While I am cracking their code, you are deciphering me
For I am a mystery, I am a locked room in a tall tower.

Chorus:
Oh can you feel the gravity falling, calling us home?
Oh did you see the stars colliding? Shining just to show,
We belong.
We belong.

Verse 2:
Your telescope eyes see everything clearly
My vision is blurred but I know what I heard
Echoing all around.
Well I am tuning you in and you are deciphering me.
Not such a mystery, not such a faint and far away sound.

Bridge:
It's love, it's love that holds us
We will be alright
It's truth, it's truth that shows us
As we walk in this life.

It's love, it's love that holds us
We will be alright
It's truth, it's truth that shows us
As we walk in this life.

tummy woes

I don't know if I played too hard. But after a night out with olduvai at Blujazz Cafe and Timbre@The Arts House, I fell sick. I wonder if it's the beef lasagne I had at Blujazz, cos that very night I was purging, and the next day I was puking and down with a fever. And I had to miss the cell bbq at Jo's place! Boo hoo.

Despite tummy woes and rolling in pain in bed, Sunday was great. For the first time, I received quite a few compliments for the sounds I played on the synth! It was great fun fiddling around with the brass and motion synth patches. Fun :) Thank God I was well enough to play with the band.

Today, well, I'm on mc. It's pretty nice staying home actually, cos I get to read my notes from the creative arts therapy course. It's really inspiring reading about the Space Of Her Own (SOHO) programme in the US, where the arts professionals team up with the courts to help at-risk teenage girls makeover their bedrooms. Through doing so, they build up their self-esteem, learn new skills and stay out of crime. Wish Singapore had something like that. It would be so fun and valuable. I wouldn't mind volunteering to be a mentor for something like that!

If you're happy and you know it...

If you're happy and you know it, say cheese. It's such a warm fuzzy feeling when a little kid snuggles up to you happily when you ask him to take a picture with you. And he's not even my kid. Like today, in church, he shouted "aunty dawn" right across the entire row of seats. And then he walked from one end of the row to the other end to give me a hug. Really melts your heart you know...

+++

Yesterday was a happy day, although I woke up from a nightmare because the ex's birthday falls on the same day as ethan mummy's. There were some disturbing thoughts in the morning, but the rest of the day was pure bliss with the cell at J's beautiful built-from-scratch home in Orchard, and later on to celebrate ethan mummy's birthday with other CS friends at Timbre. Yay :)

Taking a course: play dough

Course title: Creative and Experiential Therapy with Adolescents in Groups.
Today we kneaded, pressed and twisted plasticine onto our porcelain cups and saucers. Purpose: to represent the experience of a conversation on the very ordinary. Mine touched on the very ordinary task of buying the cup and saucer from Daiso at Plaza Singapura yesterday. And as always, an application/theme/pattern in my life was derived from that "single moment". Of course, it always helps to be working in the social work sector, because you tend to be more aware of such reflections. I loved looking at all my coursemates' products. They were really cute! I love these creative sessions! Great stuff.

forehead

After the spa therapy on Fri with Ethan mummy, my forehead suffered a breakout the next day. Luckily my fringe can cover it. But it's itchy, and dotty. Irritated! Trying to figure out what caused it, cos it's definitely an allergy to something. Maybe it's the green tea oil used for the massage... it wasn't used on my face, but my hands had some of it and I used my hands to comb through my hair. Quick quick go away, you awful thingies!

On a separate note, I'm on course tomorrow! YAY! THREE WHOLE DAYS!!! :)