Not as easy-peasy

"I just made a father the happiest man on earth when I told him his 6-year old autistic daughter could jump backwards for the first time today."

My job is NOT easy. That being said, no job is ever easy. And jobs that are easy are often rendered as low in satisfaction, meant only for the lazy worthless bums.

In so many ways, my job involves SO much of patience. Progress in some children are so slow, I can hardly see it happening. I often need to be reminded to look back at their old files, to see how severe they were, before allowing any chance of dejection to slowly creep into my emotions.

"7-year old ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) girl under my care, is now able to pay attention long enough to learn at school"

Apart from patience, I trained myself to toughen up in the face of disappointed parents. Parents who hoped for nothing but for their children to be "normal". Parents who literally passed their world from their hands to mine, in hope that I can help their children achieve the developmental milestones that are expected of them.

"My case of a severely dyspraxic 8-year old boy can now play ball... just like a normal boy!"

I think its unavoidable in areas of work like mine, to doubt myself sometimes. Am I capable of making a change in these children? Am I really good enough to help these children go about their lives independently like the rest of their peers? Can their parents really trust me so much with their children's future?

I can honestly say... I don't know. I don't know if I'm good enough. I don't know if I'm capable enough. I don't know if I'm smart enough. And I SURE don't know if I can work miracles.

But what I know, is that I do my best. I put in my 110%. I do what I can. Anything within my means, my knowledge, my abilities and skills. Everything I've learnt in training, in books, in observation, in research... I devote to my work in helping these children.

"For the very first time, a 5-year old autistic & ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) communicated with his mum. He wanted to brush teeth on his own :) "

More often that not, when one looks back, the journey is one of the best... that is the journey of helping a child achieve his/her full potential in life. But when one is right smack in the middle of the journey, its one hell of a roller coaster ride. The pain these kids will put you through.... sometimes PHYSICALLY *stares pitifully at scratch scar on the arm*... you end up thinking if its worth it at all.

"A 4-year old autistic boy could finally answer "I'm fine" to the question "How are you?" for the first time last month"

Then again, I constantly remind myself how grateful and appreciative I am to be given an opportunity at this job. Its one of the best job any fresh graduate with an interest to major in child psych would hope for.

First hand experiences in helping these FORTUNATE children step out of the world they're UNFORTUNATELY trapped in.

I honestly can't ask for more. All thanks and glory unto His name.

May the good Lord continue to grant me the patience, the wisdom and the heart to help the children, one at a time.

"I LOVE BEING A CHILD THERAPIST"

I chao first,
Ah Moi

ps: the quotes in "..." are my very own cases :)

Best of Edinburgh 2010 (Part 1)

Hai elibadi.

Here're some of my favorite pictures from the city of Edinburgh, where we stayed for some good 5 days.

The Scott Monument just outside Edinburgh's main train station (Waverley Station)

Edinburgh is a beautiful place to visit. Its so European, yet in so many ways, it is also so different from other European cities.

View of the Edingburgh Old Town

Princes Street would be undoubtedly my favorite street in the whole of Edinburgh because it reads... "SHOPPING HAVEN!!!!!!"

I bought so much of clothes & boots & jackets that I had to buy an extra luggage to bring them all back. Too much. I know. But hey, I'm working now! I think I deserve to splash a lil every now and then :D

I think this is the St. Paul's church. Sorry, my memory is as good as a potato nowadays.

To make things even better, weather was nothing but awesome. Chilly but sunny almost every day.

Perfect for someone like me.

I don't like it when it rains. I hate cloudy weather. I love the sun. But I hate the heat.Ppl tell me I'm hard to please, but I donch know what they're talking about.

That was me in one of my stupid moments.

Picture above was taken on board the Royal Yatch Britannia. Basically the Royal family's ship.

Did you know that Prince Charles and Princess Diana had their honeymoon on board this ship? I even saw the room they made Prince William in. ahem.

Only kidding. Bout the making Prince William part. I DID saw the room though. Nothing fancy.
In fact, the whole ship was nothing to shout about. The Queen E wanted the ship to be somewhat humble and normal. Guess she could use a bit of normalcy seeing how she's being fussed around everyday.

(>.<)

And by the way, the ship is adjacent to the Terminal Shopping Complex. Supposedly a relatively new & happening & nice complex. But still, nothing beats One Utama & Mid Valley :D

I obviously couldn't see anything because I will need to put in coins. And. I'm just too kiam siap for words. wtf.

The long plastic thing I was holding was the audio guide.

The first question asked by the person at the audio guide counter was whether we want Chinese audioguides.

Please read the conversation that follows:

AudioGuide fella: Hi there, would you like a Chinese audio guide?

Me: Nah, I'd like an English one please.

Mum: Children nowadays don't know their roots. My daughter here can't even speak decent Chinese. Puts me to shame really.

Me: -__-"

AudioGuide fella: *smiles politely and hands my mum and audioguide* Here, madam... a Chinese one for you.

Mum: Oh sorry, I'd like to have English.

Me: -___________-

AudioGuide fella: *tulan-ed*

Can anyone tell me how was this conversation even possible????????

Sigh. That'll be all for Part1 of the "Best of Edinburgh 2010" series. Eh cheh.

Stay tuned for Part 2. Coming not so soon. wtf.

I chao first,
Ah Moi

Doodling is good for you

Hai ahli psikologi sekalian,

...Dan juga orang awam yang berminat pada bidang psikologi!

Mengikut eksperimen yang amat baru, adalah didapati bahawa jikalau anda berconteng-conteng, memori berkerja (working memory) anda akan diperkuatkan!!!
...

I shall stop attempting to type in B.M. before I make myself a national embarassment -__-

Anyways, its true!!! According to Dr. Tracy Alloway (*click here* to visit her website), a recent research that has been conducted indicated that people who doodled had better recall compared to who didn't doodle :)
Now I know my doodles, though it has harm many many many trees, may be the one "technique" that got me to graduate university! Lol.

Those who knows me will know that I am a big time doodler. Seriously.

On a whole other topic, I think having a Cambodian maid is HILARIOUS sometimes.

Here's a conversation few months back that had me laughing till now:

Maid: Miss, Cody (my dog) bark when you touching Fido (another dog).

Me: Yealah! So damn noisy...

Maid: Ya, Miss. I know... Cody "jialat".

Me: @.@

It took me half a day, to realise she was trying to say the word "JEALOUS".
-_______________-"

Takutkan I.

I thought she learnt it from me. Not that I use the word a lot. But you know. Ppl talk in their sleep......... *shifty eyes*.

By the way, it's school holiday period for one week. And that means work work and more work at the centre. Today alone, I had back to back appointments. As is tmrw. And the day after. And the day after that. And after that. And not to forget, I'm working this Saturday.
I shouldn't be complaining though. I am learning SO MUCH from this job. It gives me the opportunity for hands on experience, interaction with different types of children with different types of childhood disorders. I get to conduct and run assessments. I get good support for continual learning and every day, as much as the kids "learn" something from me, I think I learn something from them as well.

I think life is going on pretty good for me. I don't have any complaints. Why should I.

I think I have a lot to be happy about.

That'll be all for today. Sorry for the random crappiness. Have got some steam I wanna get off my system :). At least I did it constructively.... in a way where I benefit all. Don't tell me you weren't impressed with the doodling-helps-your-working-memory info.

*know-it-all face*

I chao first,
Ah Moi

Isn't this fun?

One of the perks of having a boyfriend... is receiving flowers.

Some girls never got used to the idea of getting them. They say things like... they NEVER like getting flowers because they have to put them in a vase, then they gotta fill up water when it dries up, and when the flowers die, they gotta throw it away... and hence the debate of "why receive gifts that you eventually gotta throw away".

Want my opinion?

I think thats just cuz nobody bothered buying them any flowers. HAH!

And with that attitude, I think its unlikely ANYONE will ever buy them flowers. HAH (2X)!

Anyway, all that trash talking is due to the fact that I suck at opening topics, and today's topic is really about me receiving flowers.

:D


Big fat dark red roses :) Delivered to my office. Should I be happy I received flowers at my work place, or should I be worried that my boss will get jealous? :P

(Lao Pan, if you're reading this....... I'm just joking, please don't cut my salary).

Btw, there were 7 stalks of roses. Reason for the odd number is open for your own interpretations :)

Anyway, while walking out of the centre to my car, Aunty Nat (the restaurant next door, not senior me)'s owner called out to me and said "woo hooo, flowers again??".

You can imagine me grinning from ear to ear. But no, I acted macho and replied...

"YEAHHH, WHAT TO DO... *YAWNNN*"... All the while while rolling my eyes so far back I can see my brains :D

Anyway, thank you, Chang... for the flowers. You know I love them :)

You may be in Australia, but you make every effort you can to make me feel as though you never left. For that, you deserve way more attention from me than anyone else deserve.


And so I suppose this is how LDR is supposed to work. BOTH parties making an effort to stay in touch. To be close to one another.

I'm looking forward to a new start.

I chao first,
Ah Moi