One more for us.

And so, just like that, the week is over. How strange (for lack of a better word) that such extreme and rash-inducing suffering is so ephemeral. You keep telling yourself this will end, this will end even while your weak heart is telling you a week is forever... And then, it is over. My last presentation, my last review paper, my last few lessons in a classroom that's becoming more than just that to me, I think I spilt my last coffee a couple of weeks back..I think. In a month, I will take my last exam and put my pen down, after the last futile scribbles, and it is done. Thankfully(?), when I walk away from here with the gift of hindsight, the only thing I will remember are the people.

Thank you to all who have, in one way or another, helped keep me sane with hang-in-theres and toast-toast and gogogo jo, kept me company while I was scratching my palms to death and made me laugh...I am alive and normal now, in part, because of you...

I've been thinking a lot about being yourself among people, friends. Being who you think you are around people whom you admire and in some deep, Freudian-ish way, wish to emulate is hard. For me at least.... I'm too afraid to offend or be challenged to stand up for who I am or be judged by those I like. Yeah, it's human and normal and we're all like that to some extent but I would like to be less afraid, more me. All of a sudden, I realise that maybe, just maybe, I haven't even learnt to love myself for me.

You only live twice or so it seems,
One life for yourself and one for your dreams
You drift through the years and life seems tame,
Till one dream appears and love is its name.

And love is a stranger who'll beckon you on,
Don't think of the danger or the stranger is gone.

This dream is for you, so pay the price.
Make one dream come true, you only live twice.