I wanna run with a reckless emotion;Find out if love is the size of an ocean;Even if I crash down or burn out;At least I'm gonna know what it's like..

Since it's my last week of work at my current job, I thought this work quote would be fitting. We have a 'thought of the week' every Monday. It really gives me something to hold on to in my personal thoughts throughout the dynamics of the work week.

“Always you have been told that work is a curse and labour a misfortune.

But I say to you that when you work you fulfill a part of earth’s furthest dream, assigned to you when that dream was born,

And in keeping yourself with labour you are in truth loving life,

And to love life through labour is to be intimate with life’s inmost secret.”
--Kahlil Gibran in The Prophet

I think to love your work is so important. No matter what that job is, there is a purpose in it. I think you can even learn to love the purpose in a job even if you don't love the job itself. Sometimes unconditional love doesn't seem to exist when it comes to work. Isn't that funny? Finding purpose--it's half the battle in any aspect of life.

For example, if you stock shelves at a grocery store, it's because of you that buying food is made more convenient. Imagine if there was no one to place a can of soup on a shelf so that a mother could pick it up and put it in her shopping cart so she could take it home and feed her child. From one hand given to another, but hardly ever seen or recognized, let alone thought about. There is immense purpose and emotion in the smallest gesture. And yes, I do believe that gesture can be as simple as placing a can on a shelf.

When work becomes too much or perhaps not enough, know that every movement you make with your physical and mental self, has a purpose. Again purpose--I do a lot of this where when I'm struggling with something, I try to break it down to it's most simple elements to reveal what purpose it serves. Not always a pleasant experience but once I arrive at the realization it becomes more bearable. Purpose does make everything more bearable, doesn't it?

Here's to a week filled with labour and love for each of you.

Earth spins and your mind goes round; Green comes on the frozen ground; And everything will be made new again; Like freedom and spring

Had a bit of a scare today. I thought I had lost my little special cosmetic case with my lip glosses and lip liners in it. Perhaps this is not a very big deal to some, however, my lip essentials are just that to me: essential. I hardly ever lose things and when I do, it really bothers me. I had four lip glosses in there along with two lip liners. One of those glosses was brand new. The other three have done their time. When I thought I had lost them, I thought oh well that means I really only have to replace one b/c the other ones would be replaced soon anyways. I thought to myself, well at least I didn't lose my new red lip gloss (I had left that one on my dresser). Yes, red lip gloss! I was with Laura when I got it--I was wanting something different and fun. And red is a fun colour and you can achieve some good looks with it. I might even wear it to work tomorrow.
I'm excited about tomorrow b/c it's Jeans Day at work for the United Way and that means I don't have to wear dressy clothes. My workplace isn't overly dressy, but it's not a jeans environment. I just miss wearing my regular fun clothes. I only get to wear them on the weekends and that's not very much. I think Jeans Day should be every Friday or maybe even every second Friday. I think it makes people a bit more relaxed and they look forward to it, hence making more more pleasant and as a result it increases productivity. I'm going to be the bestest HR person ever! I'm going to do it all! Which reminds me, Shereen still hasn't given me back my Little House DVDs. I bet she loves them.
I am getting together with the old rcmp crew next month for a retirement party for one of the corporals I worked with. It's interesting how the old rcmp gang have all gone our separate ways but for some reason we have remained connected and we're still interested in each other and have kept tabs. That doesn't happen very often. It's actually quite a miracle considering we are from different backgrounds, ages and paths in life. Maybe it's because we all shared such an intense work experience with each other--- but I think it's because we all genuinely like each other aside from work. Looking back, it was a very significant time for each of us, not just in work but also in our personal lives. It was like a family of sorts. Funny, because the men that I worked with there were much older than me and were married with kids. However, I don't think i have ever felt more like a lady than I did around them. They always made me feel special and they were all very chivalrous. I remember when Gambs took Bumba and I to the special valentines party at the Mess Hall as his dates so we could get roses (becasue every girl that came in got a rose). I remember how John would always help Bumba and I with our coats and pull out our chairs for us when we'd go on our special lunches with the gang. I remember having some good talks with John about relationships and he really helped me understand the faults of men. I remember MervSherv's jokes and how he would always be ready for a good time. I remember Brutha Doug's sweet demeanor and how he would always compliment me. I don't know why, but I just seem to be blessed with these great male role models who have helped me and who have respected me. I think this is why my intuitions about men are strong. When you feel special and admired and respected in your everyday life by good male role models, that's what you seek out in the men who come into your potential relationship life. You look for substance and you're just better at distinguishing what's real and what is not. It's so easy to lose your instincts when it comes to men sometimes. I think it is because of the male role models in my life that I've been able to make good choices for myself.
I always wonder why girls don't ask more questions to the guys they are dating. I remember discussing this with Laura and Doug (not a work Doug, Doug Clarke Jr.) about asking questions on the first date. Doug thought it was interesting that I would ask my types of questions. Well, what am I supposed to do, just sit there and wait for a guy to like me? What about me liking them? That's the only way you know if you are compatible, and isn't that the purpose of dating? Well, I can go on and on regarding this topic, but I don't have all the answers, but I sure do know how to ask a good question. Good night.

There's a wind in my sails; Will protect and prevail; I just spent 6 months in a leaky boat; Nothing to it leaky boat

Speaking of which, I saw a lovely boat last night. It sure was pretty and shiny. It sparkled. Kind of like mini yacht. Something like Seth would have on the OC. Ahhh Seth.

Why does the phone ring when you don't want it to?

First day of school was really good. My HR Management class. I didn't feel like going as I didn't get enough sleep the night before and it was a busy day at work. When you have to use your brain so much throughout the day problem solving for others, the thought of going to school and doing a few more hours of it isn't always appealing. However, I got to class and saw that the seating arrangement had us all sitting in a circle. All 9 of us. 8 women and 1 guy. Marty--he's a lucky man. What I absolutely enjoy about my class is that we discuss real issues in the workplace and the possible solutions. The problems make you think critically of all possible solutions, not just the right and wrong way. The class is more of a seminar than a lecture. Our teacher gives us an HR question and we have to work in our groups to come up with an answer then present it and discuss. That's basically the way the class is designed. I think I will like it.

I like my teacher Alex. He laughed at my jokes. But then, so did everyone else. So, in that class the participation mark is quite high, 25%. So basically it's a giveaway that you should have some relevant things to say in class. He let us go early that day too, and I was thankful b/c I was quite tired. However, I felt like I put in a good day's work.

Another teacher I am going to enjoy. I made a point to tell the guy upstairs thank you for blessing me with such great teachers. I was getting swells of tears in my eyes thinking about it.

I also started my Management class. There's a lot of work in that one. 10 assignments. That's quite a bit.

And there are voices that want to be heard; So much to mention but you can't find the words

So many changes happening at this point in life. It's kind of overwhelming. Not only in my life, but in the lives of those around me. Maybe this is the natural stage of an adult's life where you go through changing directions or making new directions. There is just so much to think about and so much out there to experience. I haven't felt like this in a long time and it's a good feeling yet a scary feeling at the same time.

As an aside, I have put in a photo of the wedding I was in a little over 3 months ago. It feels like it has been a lot longer than 3 months though. Just to keep on the wedding theme for a minute: congratulations to my friend Chris who got married over the weekend. It sounds weird referring to her as Chris, which is in fact her real name, but I have always called her Hannah. It's a name we kind of gave her. It's a long story, but often times I forget that Hannah isn't her real name.

I just said goodbye to a couple of my friends who were here visiting from out of town. We had a great day with them. They are newly engaged and the planning is underway. They actually checked out a ceremony site today which was very exciting. I'm excited about it and for them! They are such good people and friends. They are going to try and pull off an outside Indian wedding. I hope their wish will come true.

I start school tomorrow. I'm taking two classes and it will interesting to see how this semester turns out. From my experience of working full time and taking a class during the summer, I have come to the decision that I will never again complain about being tired doing anything less. I have had a good 3 week break from school and have had some great times and have been able to make some great memories. It's been nice coming home and not having to study or work on an assignment. But that's all going to change as of tomorrow. According to my calculations, I will be having a 53.5 hr week of work, school and commuting. This doesn't include any study time which according to BCIT standards should be about 21 hrs/week. This totals 74.5 hrs/week for the rest of this month. It's going to be eventful- I can feel it, no joke.

Pull out the stops- Got your attention; I guess it's time again for me to mention....

This week's work quote:


"The beauty of work depends upon the way we meet it,

Whether we arm ourselves each morning to attack it as an enemy

that must be vanquished before night comes--

Or whether we open our eyes with the sunrise to welcome it as an approaching friend

who will keep us delightful company

and who will make us feel at evening that the day was well worth its fatigue."

-- Lucy Larcom

I wish that I could believe that there's a day you'd come back to me, But still I have to say- I would do it all again

Last night was my Aunty's 40th birthday party. Thanks be to Shereen who basically made all the food and all the preparations. She is a superwoman- so humble and beautiful and basically I can't see a selfish bone in her body.

It was a very special night, which is not surprising because my Aunty makes everything special when her presence is involved. She looked so pretty-- her friend did her makeup and hair, and I got to see just how curly her hair really is. It was amazing-- she has these tiny corkscrew curls which you never get to see because she always has the 2 minute mom hairdo which doesn't allow for much styling or much of anything for that matter.

The most special thing about that night was that my Aunty made a special toast to all of the imporant people in her life which Rohit videotaped for our out of country family members. It was so touching and so like my Aunty to do something like that on a day that's supposed to be about her. She raised her glass to each of us and through her tears, said something about each of us and how we've affected her life. There was not a dry eye in the place. In my books, she really is the matriarch of our new found family. I have often wondered where I would go or what would life be like when my parents are gone. Who would feel the loss like my brother and I would, and who would be my family then to belong to? Those fears of mine have slowly been subsiding and that is largely due to my Aunty who has given us all a place to belong. I'm so thankful for that and for her.