Winter Solstice and a Wet Winter

Yesterday was the shortest day of the year. It sounded interesting but then the day just quickly passed.  However, mild temperature did welcome the winter solstice. When we stepped out for lunch, it was windy and that wind is cold! Good thing that i brought my grey coat anyway. The sun never came out though, and next thing I know, I was turning the headlights on as I left work at 5pm.

Starting today, the forecast is rain, then showers. Looking at the next 10 days, it'll be the same wet weather forecast.

There is something about not seeing the sun for at least 2 days that's casting a gloomy spell over us. I do feel lazy, forcing myself to go to work when the truth is that I just want to stay at home and maybe watch TV. Not that there is anything good, nor are there any new videos in our collection. But it would be nice to just stay in bed all day.

There something about the impact of climate change. June may be the official start of winter but it only feels like it's Autumn. We had long warm days this year.

Yesterday morning, I literally saw my son disappear into the fog as he walked to school. I would've walked with him but then I couldn't at that time. He's used to this kind of independence but I'm also used to seeing him all the way until he makes a turn to the school front court. And this is me standing from our driveway.

Good thing that I've got a few things that I am looking forward to this Winter, which are mainly celebrations and personal growth. For the first time since we moved here, I am actually able to do something for myself, and that is going back into writing. Winter is probably a good time to ignite this passion.

Fallen Leaves

I feel a sense of excitement as I waited for the lights to turn green
I walked down the steps towards the grandstand
Passed a group of men making their way back to work
The road ahead lies empty, the green field lay bare
No one was playing, perhaps the weather's put them off
The sun playing tag with the clouds
Lots of fallen leaves in amber, red and brown

Why I Love to Write

Stories are everywhere.

A young adult is seeking advise on when to submit his resignation as he waits for his student visa to be issued. He lives in Singapore and is looking at studying in New Zealand. Why he wants to venture to a new country for his studies is beyond me. But it is always interesting on the many possibilities, the what ifs and why he has put himself in such a situation. There must be a lot going on in his mind right now.

A certain Mr. White wants to apply for a job vacancy in Auckland. He's still in the Philippines and has his residency visa being processed.I can't help but wonder what the hiring manager would think if he finds out about his situation. Hiring someone new to the country is risky but I suppose, depending on their skill set, it'll be up to the manager to decide on whether he is worth the risk.

An hour from now, I am about to meet a young man who will offer me coaching services. He's probably at least 10 years younger than me yet he spoke quite maturely. Either that or he's well versed in their Genratec approach. How he came to doing life coaching and be a team leader of a development team is probably a story in itself. Who knows where this will lead to.

Can I tell you a story about being a new driver? It's a story about breaking some fears, finding independence and building confidence on the road. It's part of my story.

Then there are these women writers. Most of them are too busy to write but they make an effort to find snippets of time to do what they love, writing. They write stories about their childhood, their lives as migrants, their sacrifices and other aspects of life. I can write a novel just based on this.

So I suppose there's never an excuse not to write. For how else can the world remember if not for these writers. They make up what we know of ourselves, our history and our heritage.

A Birthday Party

They say, what the children will remember the most are the activities that they did during the party. My son's 7th birthday was simple but fun. The kids spent an hour at the YMCA stadium where there's a range of circuit, sport and and gym activities already laid out. The kids loved it and wanted to stay longer. Afterwards, they all went to the party room for the food. The fruit kebabs, sausages and fairy bread were a hit. They didn't like the cheese twisties nor the brownies. The lollies disappeared too quick for me to notice. After blowing the birthday cake, there kids were eager to go outside. Some played with light sabers and eventually, they all went to the flying fox. As it was getting cold and I had only 15 minutes left before pick up/ closing, I ferried them all back to the room. They asked for games but I didn't have one ready. So I gave them the loot bag since it's got a balloon and a toy inside. It kept them occupied until the parents arrived. It was a bit of a mad rush as we had to clear up the room right away as well. So that was just 2 hours. It felt longer but looking back, it was just right. I'm glad the kids came and that everyone had a blast.