Thursday, June 21, 2007 > My Drastic Change?

For those that don't know, I am currently on my Uni placements. Everyday 9am-5pm. Knowing me, I tend to whinge about the drastic change in my daily habits. Some examples of the things I whinge about:

1. Having to wake up early everday. It is the hardest thing known to mankind, I am telling you.
2. Throwing off the comforter only to experience extreme cold.
3. Stripping off warm clothes only to put on cold ones.
4. Having to clean my fogged up car (one morning it was ICE!!) before its drivable.
5. Driving in a freezing cold car which only heats up when I am already almost at my workplace.
6. Trying to pass by 8 hours of my life everyday.

Ok, since many people have been asking what I do at my placement, I will explain. I am working with the South Australian Government. It's this huge project they are working on about providing alternative accomodation in the community for people with disabilities, so they are not stuck going to a nursing home. Cause some of their families are already unable to support them and they need to go somewhere that support is available. So yes, I am just working with them, basically, learning how things work.

So as part of my learning experience, I went to see these homes that some people have already moved into. I met this man that just moved into the place, he was probably in his mid-30s and had a condition called Multiple Sclerosis, a neurological condition. A good-looking bloke. My workmates told me a little of his history. He was on his way to earning his first million before be even turned 30 and had a wife and 2 children. He had to leave his huge house he build himself to go and live where support was available for him, cause his condition was deteriorating. It didn't at all affect him cognitively, he was only imprisioned in a body that was slowly dying.

I didn't know what to say when he said, "Compared to what I had before, this is all bullshit." It broke my heart to look into his red eyes and hear the things he said, none of which we can argue with, cause we just don't know what it's like. It broke my heart to see pictures of his children everywhere, and how he hardly gets to see them anymore. It broke my heart to see his wheelchair there, and how he is just sitting in his couch watching TV. I just didn't know what say.

When people think of disability, they usually think of mad, crazy people making weird sounds and flapping their arms everywhere. But some of them are just like everyone else, only that they have acquired a disability. There are so many out there we just don't know about. I may have met others with disabilities, but it still doesn't make it easier each time I meet someone else.

My "drastic change" in daily activities do seem rather minor when I hear about their drastic change. The having to wake up early everday, throwing off the comforter only to experience extreme cold, stripping off warm clothes only to put on cold ones, having to clean my fogged up car before its drivable, driving in a freezing cold car which only heats up when I am already almost at my workplace and trying to pass by 8 hours of my life everyday really doesn't seem too bad anymore. In fact, seeing the people that are behind this project makes it all worthwhile.

Actually, it still is a drastic change for me. A drastic change of not whinging and seeing the big picture instead.

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Friday, June 15, 2007 > Lost!

My long absence was due to the fact that my browser hasn't been working for the past 2 weeks. I did everything I could to redeem it, but nothing worked. So I was advised to reformat my computer, as there may have been some sort of virus present.

And, I did just that. Now I have NOTHING on my computer. You know the default wallpaper that comes when you first install Windows? The one of the green land and sky. Yes, that is now my wallpaper with only one icon on the desktop. The Recycle Bin. Just looking at it makes me feel lost. Honestly does. All my little personalised features that I have set on my computer are gone. True enough, I may have backed-up all my important files, but I lost all my programs. Along with the sound and the ability to play any songs or videos. Tragic. Also, I don't have any of my drivers, and I was told that I needed them to have my sound and all that back. OH NO. Any other suggestions on how to fix that please??? Well, at least the browser, that was the cause of this tragedy, is working.

My laptop was my life! Having that all messed makes me feel all messed up as well. Morover, being the control and organizational freak that I am doesn't help. I just want to get all this in order again.

Ok fine. I am being a bit of a drama queen.

I am exhausted. I feel like staying up to do the most I can to return my computer back to the way it was, but I am truly exhausted. And an early morning tomorrow. Augh.

Yes, I know. I have no life.

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Friday, June 01, 2007 > A Sizzling Hot Update!

Yes, we are burning things again! I remember last year blogging about burning up our pot of barley. We may have exchanged Anne for Amanda as the 3rd housemate, but it looks like the tendency to 'spice up' our lives is still occurring.

Amanda burnt pasta she was cooking along with the pot last Sunday:

And my monster of a heater burnt my towel yesterday.

Monster leh! My original heater runs for only like 15 seconds at a time, and in this freezing cold and wet weather, I freeze.

It's been more than 24 hours and my room still smells badly of smoke. Looks like my common phrase, "so hungry can die!!" has changed to "so smoky can die!!!!!!!" Haha.. I am so uncool. My poor towel, brought all the way from good-old-Malaysia:

I certainly hope Gracie won't be the next one to burn up something. Cause our fire alarm sure isn't in the state to detect anything:

This household is definitely smoking hot!!!!!:)

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