Little Stories 255 : A Week Summed Up

This week felt different.

How different? This part, I'm not exactly sure. I'm in the process of deciphering the current state of my mind. Maybe I was too occupied with catching up along with a sudden massive amount of work that I had. Perhaps it was due to Sofi's week in trial daycare, I had more time to do my own stuff. Maybe because of the extra socializing that went on throughout the week, while at the same time having so much extra alone time as well. The burst of energy was then replaced with continuous silence. 

I did so many things, and at the same time, I felt like I did so little.

Liberated and yet, restrained.

These conflicting feelings are confusing. 

Or it is just, new.

This week went by so fast and each day was quite different that even I can't wrap it up. But it is a week worth mentioning, a week worth deciphering. There are days when I went out and walked the whole day, and there are days when I was stuck in front of the computer from morning till night. 

And the food, so much nice food.

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Day by day:

I had a good breakfast and lunchtime with Af last Monday, he showed me around his office area, showed me where he had breakfast most days, showed me the lookout point from his office building, and brought me to have lunch at the place that we used to go to (still the best sambal so far). I walked so much later on that day, even spent almost 2 hours in Kino between breakfast and lunchtime while waiting for him. Thank you for that day, it was special.

On Tuesday I spent the day with my mom and siblings - because we had insurance errands to deal with. 

On Wednesday, I spent the whole day working at home, stuck in front of the computer.

On Thursday I went out to have breakfast with Ms Chin before I start working full-time. I need to update her on my life lately and she updated me with her current affairs: the activities, the previous Hokkaido trip, friends, food. Spent a good 2 hours in a cafe toying around with our now-cold breakfast after chatting for so long. We wrapped it up nicely, I hope she had a good time as well. I don't know when the next time will be. 

Then, I asked my brother to join me for lunch (okay, not asked, he had to pay for my lunch because I paid his' the previous day when we went out and I didn't want to go back home just yet). We went to Pizza Mansion in BB and again, I spent a good deal of time talking with him while waiting for the end of Sofi's daycare. Good company, good food (although I was bloated later on, but not as bad). 

On Friday, I was stuck in front of the computer from really early in the morning until late at night, again, working (or catching up because I wanted to utilize the whole week with activities while Sofi in daycare).

Then on Saturday, it was PRN day. So my siblings and my mom stayed over at my house for breakfast and lunch (because the school for our polling is just 100 meters just my house). This was not wholly a a perfect day because it was election day so you can imagine the 'heat'. But all-in-all, a hectic socializing day as well. 

Finally, on Sunday, I was stuck at home with Sofi for almost the whole day, and later that late afternoon I decided to go back to Nilai - unplanned. Aja came and picked us up, we went out for an ice cream stop and suddenly we were back at my mom's. Then from being only the two of us for days to the whole crowd. 

That summed up my busy social week. 

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On work:

Who wants to talk about work when life is much more colourful and interesting? 

It has been occupying my time and space lately. 

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On having beautiful meals at home:

Okay, honestly I'm not making an extra effort every day. There are days when I eat just porridge with fried egg, there are days when I eat white bread and kaya spread only - I just choose not to take the photos la, sbb tak lawa, that's it. But when I make an effort to prepare nice meals, then I'll be proud of myself sbb I'm mostly malas nk makan proper. Hah hah hah....

I really wanted a more protein and fiber-based meal when I'm home so I'm experimenting with the different types of veggies because they don't make our food colourful when we eat out - other than salad starter (lettuces make me bloated so I had to be creative). 

So, here's to some of the rajin moments:

Apparently sourdough bread is a better version of bread because it is richer in nutrients, less likely to spike your blood sugar (pretending I don't drink 3-in-1 coffee along with it), less gluten and better for digestion. Note: I bought the whole loaf of sourdough bread at dodoo to try. 

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Observation on the PRN:

I am mostly feeling ashamed, baffled by the nonchalant hatred thrown at each other, the layers of masks people choose to wear based on who they are talking to, the shameless name-calling, malicious slanders, things that came not out of love for each other as human, but according to our religion, the colour of our skin, the ethnicity, the difference in our status, our level in society, the badge we are wearing. 

To make sense of this, I referred to Shams Tabriz's 40 rules of love - because when I'm disappointed in human beings, I find inspiration to love again:

Rule 16: Real faith is the one inside. The rest simply washes off. There is only one type of dirt that cannot be cleansed with pure water, and that is the stain of hatred and bigotry contaminating the soul. You can purify your body through abstinence and fasting, but only Love will purify your heart. - Shams Tabriz

I can't teach people how to love; the love that is selfless, pure, kind, and beautiful. The love that comes simply by knowing we are out there struggling and it is supposed to bring us together. When you tell me your pain, it is not the time for me to tell you that my pain is bigger, but the time for me to listen and to know that I am not alone. 

We are one, whether you noticed it or not.

 

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On books: Really busy week, no books. Boo. 

But I started reading Sally Rooney's Conversation with Friends, I didn't know that it is a story about love affair connections between these 2 college students and an older married couple.