Bugs, Hobbits and Adventures

Every year, I seem to be hit by at least one debilitating attack of acute bronchitis.

About 2.5 weeks ago, I caught a flu bug. Through a combination of factors - such as low immunity, lack of rest, overestimation of one's physical strengths, underestimation of how badly cold/rainy weather can exacerbate respiratory problems, gluttony and negligence - it developed to acute bronchitis. And that cost me 4 visits to the doctor, 5 days of medical leave this month and some strange side effects of the prescription medication such trembling fingers, blurred vision, headaches, nausea and disturbed digestion. I'm still not clear of the disease, but surely getting there.

The care and concern received from family, friends, colleagues and doctors have been overwhelming and great in aiding my recovery so far. Also, I've discovered the benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar with honey when a colleague made me try some.

Shu, for your sake, I hope there were some lessons learnt in this experience. Like NOT going on a hike to the Botanic Gardens when you were given 2 days of medical leave by a doctor TO REST.

 Nearer to the Tanglin Entrance of the Singapore Botanic Gardens

Swan Lake, Singapore Botanic Gardens

It was good weather to be outdoors!

I even found a reptile to stalk

These orchids were called Golden Showers. However, back in Sri Lanka they are called Kandyan Dancers because of their resemblance to dancers of a traditional dance originating from my hometown.

The outing turned out to be good for my soul, but bad for my lungs.

At the peak of the wretched disease, my parents began to worry obsessively about me. Mostly because all my housemates had left the country on their respective holidays.

Mother : If you are not careful, the next stage is PNEUMONIA (aka. death in the Dictionary of Mothers).
Father: Do not drink anything cold or eat anything right off the refrigerator.
Mother: STOP entertaining that cat and change your linen because there must be cat fur lying around!!
Father: Do you have any of the herbal oil I gave you? If you apply that before sleeping, you will have some relief from congestion.
Mother: REMEMBER to inhale steam before you go to sleep! And cover up.
Father: If you don't recover, may be you should fly down home so we can look after you.
Mother: DO NOT touch cold water!
Mother: STOP showering in the early mornings and getting exposed to the cold air outside! No wait, STOP showering altogether for a few days.
Mother: I WARNED you that you are having a bad spell according to your astrological influences. Are you remembering to be religious and all that???
Father: Why don't you let your mother come over there for a few days to look after you?

Shu: Whoa! No, that won't be necessary. Let me ask around to see if any of my friends would like to babysit a bronchitis-ridden patient for a few days.

Luckily, I found a willing volunteer. Ryuu, to the relief of my worried parents, very kindly agreed to leave behind all creature comforts and watch over me last weekend. You know, in case I died from pneumonia according to my mother. Ryuu ran to my aid from the room next door several times when I woke up in the middle of the night with coughing fits and brought me hot water to soothe the throat. Thank you immensely, Ryuu. I owe you about two month's supplies of lentil curry.

I would like to say the same about myself in being a good nurse. Unfortunately, human patients in my night watch will not receive the medical attention they need since I probably won't wake up to hear their calls for help. I promise I'm a better nurse during the day watch.

We made the most out of a depressing situation by doing a movie marathon of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013). That was fun and compulsory because I planned to catch the finale of the series this week. I've grown 2 years older since Mr Peter Jackson started the The Hobbit movie series in 2012 and ended it this month! And 4.5 years older if I counted the time since I first read The Hobbit.

Hurrah!! A day off for Christmas and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) awaits.

The Hobbit

In preparation for the movie The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in December this year, I just finished reading The Hobbit! I felt like I read a brand new story all over again (I had forgotten most of it!) and loved it even more than I did two years back.

The Smaug I pictured was more pink and less-evil looking!

The style of narration and the vivid descriptions of Tolkein are EPIC, for lack of a better deserving word in my limited vocabulary. And he didn't forget to add in a good dose of humour here and there for chuckles! For the whole book, I felt like a child very eager to keep on reading to see how the story unfolded. The voice in the book takes his time with the narration too, so that I was able to picture all the mountains, the rivers, Gollum, the dwarves, the elves, Gandalf, the eagles and of course Smaug the dragon in full colour while 'listening'. I suppose watching the Lord of the Rings movies helped with the imagination of scenes and characters. Fantasy elements aside, this heart-warming story shows so much courage in the face of odds, friendship among the main characters and even some darker sides of 'human' nature. I can't wait to see how the movie (or movies, rather) turns out! I am glad they decided to make more than one movie to try and cover all the details in this book, or justice will not be served in one rushed movie. The price to pay is having to wait till 2014 to see the third concluding movie.

December, I look forward to you!

Just one blog post ago, I was harping about practicing equality and tolerance towards differences so when I saw it, I couldn't resist the urge to pick on an article like this one! I suspect bad translation skills also played a part in addition to narrow minded views, bad research and poorly planned content behind this article.

Quote (in black)-

The Education Ministry had endorsed "guidelines" to help parents to identify gay and lesbian "symptoms" in their children so they can take early corrective measurements. 

Translate: The highest government authority that represents intelligence and knowledge has called upon parents with immediate urgency to identify any symptoms in their children relating to this horrifying disease of homosexuality so that together, they may avoid an epidermic of catastrophic proportions and possibly eradicate it like small pox.

The guidelines list four symptoms each of gays and lesbians:

Why stick to four, is it a magic number?

Symptoms of gays:
Have a muscular body and like to show their body by wearing V-neck (the key letter here is "V" shaped, no, not "U" shaped or "W" shaped) and sleeveless clothes; Prefer tight and light-coloured clothes (that is such an over-sized generalisation, but that's okay, light-coloured clothes still make up 50% of all clothes, compared to dark-coloured clothes); Attracted to men (notice how this is symptom number 3); and Like to bring big handbags, similar to those used by women, when hanging out. (if he is carrying a sporty bag when hanging out, then relax, he's definitely not gay) 

Symptoms of lesbians:
Attracted to women; Besides their female companions, they will distance themselves from other women (wow, these lesbians are so anti-social); Like to hang out (who doesn't luurve to hang out?), have meals (Oh, they like food too!) and sleep in the company of women (wait, isn't that duplicating symptom 1?); and Have no affection for men (no affection even for male friends, male teachers, fathers or brothers? So depressing. Tsk Tsk)

"Once the children have these symptoms, immediate attention should be given," the guidelines warn.

Translate: RUN. TO THE NEAREST MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTION/ POLICE STATION/ EXORCIST. GET THEM CURED AND PLEASE HURRY. IT MIGHT BE CONTAGIOUS.

-Unquote

Give me a freaking break, Education Ministry of Malaysia.