the only constant is change

Ok, this is going to be grousey post so you should skip down to the lovely pictures below if you want to preserve your good vibrations.

If not, you've been warned.

The speaker phone is one of mankind's most horrific mistakes. Users of the aforementioned agent of evil first dial a number, then sit back while enjoying the repeated purr of the ringtone. Then as soon as they hear someone answering and expressing a polite greeting, these inconsiderate users pick up their receiver and rudely INTERRUPT the person on the other line with a brash,

"Hello? Hello?"

This is utterly unacceptable behavior of barbaric proportions.

I can't count the number of times I've had to repeat my greeting simply because I was cut off in mid-sentance. Firstly, no one likes to be interrupted. Secondly, no one likes to repeat themselves. And finally, everyone hates it when both occur back to back. Trust me on this.

So if you are one of those people who have to endure a speaker phone on your desk or at home, and are forced to use it at gun-point, please WAIT for the other person to finish speaking before responding.

If not, simply pick up the receiver BEFORE dialing. Somehow that makes a world of difference.

My dad was allowed to return home yesterday afternoon. Thank you all for your prayers, visits and generous gifts during his hospitalization.

However, he has to return for 2 more follow up appointments to ensure that there are no unwanted aftermath effects. And it will be another few weeks before he fully recovers, too.

He's resting and picking up where he left off on his reading and violin-playing. I'm sure it's a nice treat after staring at the twirling fan on the ceiling for a week!

It was really raining cats and dogs in the late afternoon today. I was waiting in the car for my mom so we could visit dad in the hospital and I decided to snap some shots of the deluge to pass the time.

As it turned out, every picture was a unique work of melancholic "art" (I'm using this term very liberally here). With each water rivulet running down the window, a new texture and form was created in every misty shot. Here are some of my favorites:

What do you do when an exam's over? Well, DUH, you celebrate!

And in case you're trying to avoid reading what the description of the ice-cream is, here it is for you so you know precisely what you're missing right now:

Fudge-covered, peanut butter-filled pretzels in Vanilla ice-cream with Fudge & Peanut Butter

*goes into sugar overdose from just typing that*

I made a horrific discovery in the bathroom today. I realized my temples seemed unnecessarily 'spacious' in the mirror - which lead me to conclude that male pattern baldness has finally started to work its dreaded curse.

*stifle sob*

Well, I suppose it was bound to happen sooner or later (though much, much later would have been greatly prefered).

*fatalistic sigh*

I wonder if it has anything to do with my bouts of insomnia?

A few days ago I posted a little entry while waiting for my racing mind to let sleep take over. And I'm sure everyone has 'enjoyed' tossing and turning during the unearthly hours of the morning at some time in their lives. Unfortunately, that seems to happen on a fairly regular basis for me now.

But who really knows? It could be anything from my diet to the tension of my glasses on the sides of my head to pure genetics.

Guess the bottomline is I'd better brace myself for an ebbing hairline over time.

*stoic tear glistening down cheek*

I'm ok, really. I can handle this...

I've mentioned in an earlier post about my American lecturer for the Romans class that was just concluded. One day he was sharing with the class about how complex names from different cultures can be a source of confusion for him. The other Caucasian in the class, a British gentleman who's married to a Singaporean Chinese, suddenly quipped:

British Guy: Well, I have a Chinese name.
Wide-eyed-in-warm-surprise-and-anticipation everyone: Oh, really?!

Earnest British Guy: Yes, my sirname is 'Foo'.
Warming-up-to-the-revelation everyone: Oh, that's so interesting!

British Guy: And my Chinese name is 'Ling-you'.
Enthusiastic everyone: Cool! Did your wife give you that name?

Deadpan British Guy: So I'm Foo Ling-you.
Clueless everyone: How did you come abou...

Grinning smugly British Joker: ...
Suddenly-catching-it everyone: !!!

** ** ** ** ** ** **

After the initial gasp of realization, we all broke out into collective peals of laughter at having been taken for ride! It was a corny ride (I was especially miffed at being out-cornied), but a fun one nonetheless.

And you all thought the kind of people who would study Romans would be witlessly serious, didn't you?

My dad's week-long fever had not subsided and the sudden outbreak of a red rash all over his body caused some alarm for my mom and I. So last evening, at 7:30pm, I drove him to Changi General Hospital for a blood test at the A&E. It wasn't long before we could see someone who asked a load of questions to determine the potential direction his symptoms pointed towards. Then my dad was assigned a number, and after another short wait, he was called up.

This time, the doctor (or at least I think she was a doctor) took a blood sample while asking him similar questions. She sent the blood sample for a test immediately. In the meantime we were to wait for the results. My dad was given a bed in the observation room where he was able to rest with other patients who were also 'in-limbo'.

I had 90 mins before the test results came back. My mom stayed with dad so I took off to grab dinner and went home to pick up my notes for the Romans exam. I called her before heading back to the hospital and was told that they were ready to admit him - the prognosis was dengue.

From the observation room they transferred my dad to the ward. Most of the patients there were already asleep. A very pleasant and pretty nurse took charge, asked him nearly the same set of questions from before (!) while prepping him for the doctor assigned to the floor or ward.

"He'll be here very soon", she soothingly assured us.

It was about 10:30pm when he arrived. The doctor looked like he just stepped out of his JC uniform into the sky blue scrubs (maybe it was the dim and flattering lighting)! But he did some tests and, get this, asked my dad the exact same questions the nurses just moments earlier had gone over in cheery detail.

That made it, what, the fourth time that evening?

"Why don't you get the form that nice nurse just filled out and look through it?", I wanted to blurt out but didn't, of course.

Admittedly, I don't know anything about how a hospital should be run so maybe it's standard protocol to distract the patient by getting him/her to repeat themselves over and over.

Eventually, the doctor turned to us and filled us in on his diagnosis. Yes, it's dengue and they will have to continue to monitor dad's blood platelet count while keeping him on a drip to bring down the fever. Mr "does-your-mother-know-you're-out-so-late?" closed his file with a resounding clap and gathered his things before striding off to his next case.

We made sure my dad was comfortable (well, as could be possible) before leaving. When we got back I took a quick shower and settled down to begin my revision. The time was close to midnight.

I was worried for my dad, and also for my mom. She had been taking care of him the past week and was starting to come down with the flu and a bad cough herself. I knew that she wouldn't be able to rest if my dad had not been admitted to the hospital.

"I'm supposed to take the final exam in the morning! But I can't concentrate!"

I wrestled with the frustration at the bad timing of the bottle-necked events and the guilt of putting petty acadamia above my parents' well-being. The usual string of 'what-if's' played out in my melodramatic mind and coupled with my body's clamour for rest, I found it harder and harder to focus on what I was reading. By 1am, my eyelids felt like lead and I drifted off to an uneasy sleep.

I awoke at 6am to a swelling sensation of horror. The night is nearly over! I read what I could of my notes through bleary eyes before preparing to meet my doom.

"Oh well," I resigned, "not getting an A isn't the end of the world."

And really, in the big scheme of things, it isn't. My instructor overheard me talking about my dad's condition, found out about what happened the night before and graciously asked if I wanted to take the exam another time. A big weight rolled off my cramped shoulders.

In the afternoon, I spoke to my dad on the phone and he told me he felt a little better. The restful afternoon also did my mom good.

I am very thankful for how things turned out. And at the end of the day, it turns out to be the well-being of a loved one that always weighs heavily on the mind.

Shame it usually takes an illness or crisis to bring that thought to the forefront where it rightfully belongs.

It's happening again - past midnight and I'm still wide awake, staring at the computer screen.

My mind is teeming with incessant random thoughts. It nearly drowns out the soothing low murmur of the ceiling fan above me.

Was it something I ate earlier?

My body is tired. I need to be up just after sunrise, but willing myself to sleep simply has the unintended effect. I just have to let my mind grow tired of soaking in the dark shadows surrounding me.

In the meantime, I try not to let my thoughts corner me into panic. Good night.

when all around is darkness
when all around is naught
then the soul can contemplate
the soul can contemplate

when all around is quiet
when all around is still
then the soul can shed a tear
the soul can shed a tear

for the colors and the textures
in the circus of our life
tug at every corner of our heart
and of our mind

we grasp them close so forcefully
to dull the sting of truth -
that these trinkets we so cherish
will one day slip right through

when all around is frozen
when all around is clear
then the soul can learn to heal
the soul can learn to heal

when all around is timeless
when all around is truth
then the soul can learn true peace
the soul can learn true peace