TGI Friday. Maybe.

1) The Fall of Christmas, by The Very Worst Missionary. She does mission trips, writes in a way I can only wish I did……. and was once a teen mum.

“…… I learned a long time ago to hold loosely to the things of this world, possessions and people both, to the degree that I honestly worry it’s too easy for me to let go of the things I love….. For me, it’s easier to pretend not to be sad than to be sad…”

It fell over. Literally, metaphorically…

“…Jesus didn’t come to fix it all.  He came to be with us in it all.”

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2) An Ebola Doctor’s Return From The Edge Of Death. (He HOPED he had Malaria…) 

In my former life I used to consider mission trips a good way to “detox,” between bank jobs. (As in, being in a place with people less fortunate than yourself – the real ones, not the ones who pretend to be – makes you feel rather ashamed of most of the stuff you whine about every day in your part of the world. Figured it was very good perspective-management before commencing a new job, a new chapter.) Yet even then, those in my mind were of the help-in-orphanage or help-teach-English sort in China or Vietnam. (Having to start new jobs, or finding myself pregnant got in the way – I have never been on a mission trip; and The Purpose Driven Life then gave me the idea my calling might be elsewhere. You know how your experiences, especially the tough ones, are meant as Refiner’s Fire to prepare you for what He plans for you…?)

What I can barely fathom is the incredible selflessness of health workers, doctors who, instead of a cushy private practice choose to risk their lives in areas of specialization like infectious diseases. (Ditto the SARS health workers, when I finally stumbled upon their memorial in a beautifully peaceful part of Hong Kong park.) Many of them have worked hard, gone to school way longer than I have – only to come out and have a bright future of their choosing – risking their lives for others.

What kind of people must they be? 

Dr Ian Crozier

““Anyone who was on the ground in Africa and not in West Africa, you would think, maybe we’re missing the bus, missing something remarkable.” …………“And my skills meet the need.”…..”

“…….Dr. Crozier signed on with the World Health Organization — expenses only, no pay………”

“……there were warning signs early on that Dr. Crozier might become severely ill. The viral load in his blood was extremely high, more than 100 times that of the other patients Emory had treated.”

Even as he surprised everyone and recovered, “…“I thought we’d be discharging him to a nursing home as a cognitively impaired person,” said Dr. Colleen Kraft, one of his doctors….”

Guess what he did next? Yup.

“There’s still a great deal left to be done,” he said.

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3) Things You Believed In Your 20s That Just Aren’t True

Could be here solely for #3: Being Good At School Means You’ll Be Good At Work.  In other words, a good student does not a good professional/ worker make. Very true on oh-so-many levels and the reason I care oh-so-much about the Rockstars’ character and social development. You need some academics sure, but people skills are hugely under-rated compared to academics, I believe.

And yet… #5 – (Not) everyone has to like you. Painfully and sadly true. I wanted so badly to be liked, to have lots and lots of friends growing up. Then I grew up and learned that my RMs will infinitely forgive me not going out drinking with them if I still made them and their clients money. One of the biggest privileges I came to value about being good at one’s job (former. Job.) is the prerogative to say no to getting drunk or whatever, to make my RMs like me. (Oh, and I have some really good “foul-weather friends” – everyone reschedules and reschedules around work (and now kids) and we can don’t see each other for months. Maybe even years, especially for those in different cities. But if you’re in trouble, i.e. the weather is “foul” – that’s when their schedule is wide open. I hope I’m a few people’s “foul-weather friend” too.)

Oh, and one more: #8: Competition is more important than collaboration. Yeah I really consider this one so not true. This is one thing I learned from 3 bank mergers (I don’t want to use the word “surviving” because it gives the impression you don’t get slapped around. You still do. (And how.) But in the office people all have to work with someone. That can be you, or that can be your so-called competitor. I would think you’d prefer it to be you. So always be the best you can be, the nicest you can be……. without people taking kindness for weakness. Nope, not an easy balance. But loyalty is under-rated. I had one very much respected yet no-nonsense boss (who btw quit the investment banking market for 4 years to have 2 kids – who went on to top and almost-top the Hong Kong public secondary school exams) who chose loyalty over sheer ability/ ambition (but of course you need some ability and ambition).

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4) OK too many words. So let’s do Vet Makes Wheelchair For Disabled Tortoise Out Of Son’s Lego.

‘Nuff said.

SO simple – tortoise has weakened legs due to growth disease

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5) Another creative one: Graphic Artist And His 2D Painted As 3D Creations. This is kinda fun – Rockstar’s been doing 2D vs 3D in school for math…

Rockstar would say the difference between 2D and 3D is volume. Ergo, how you paint this stuff theoretically is by faking volume in the 2D picture. But really why it’s here is because this painter has never had art lessons, and he left school at 15. “I think everyone is capable of anything – you just really need to want to do it…”

(Of course, you have to find something you want to do…)

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6) This week The Rockstars star in Sometimes It’s Just Really Hard To Get One’s Baby Sister Out Of The Coffee Table.

Like so…

“Maybe if I used a ‘Bis-kit’?”

(Don’t you know it…!) 

Gonna shoot this out quickly; the kids are taking turns at being sick – Rockstar had a blocked sinus that led to infected tear ducts (not very contagious because it’s a mostly internal infection) and had to be out of school to see the doctor – which is relatively rare, for a child who tries not to touch his face with his hands to cut down the chance of being sick… And now the Miss has a cough that keeps her up at night…

Good weekend dears. Will write again when I’m conscious coherent soon. I hope.