shalom today

coworker whose car was stolen at work returned my car today.

coworker whose house burned down last week returned to work today.

a/c at the apt was finally fixed today.

dinner with a friend, she and i are currently living opposite seasons, so good to have some perspective today.

time to rest at work.

replaced some fillings.

got rid of some decay.

there is momentary peace.

not always glamourous

preparing for summer camp next week. and filling out this 'survey' thingie. one of the first questions is "occupation".

sometimes 'dentist' sounds glamourous. and 'dentist in the inner city' sounds noble or honourable. or something. like, we are working hard to combat the 'bad guys' and fight disease.

at the end of the day, work is work. there are some 'big' things to do. but really, it's just a bunch of 'little' things. often these tasks are quite mundane.

true, there are some days when work seems more exciting or that work is making a big impact in some people's lives.

today, however, was merely a battle of heart.

called to be misunderstood

got my eyes checked down the street.
i live in chinatown.
they asked me where i am from.
i said i'm taiwanese.
and they said, "oh you're chinese! hahaha. but you think you're different."
so i explained why i'm different.
anyway, i didn't get angry.
because a lot of people don't believe what i know.
even though i believe what i know is truth.

getting the a/c fixed.
techs don't really know if i understand what they're sayin'.
i got a b+ in e/m physics. i can kinda follow along.
and i KNOW what it's like to talk to people who don't really know exactly what's going on

because i'm a dentist.

first time doing fillings on a 3 yr old.
thought i was gonna poo my pants, coz i had heard enough screaming kids this week, and i had watched a movie with disturbing torture scenes on sunday. but thankfully, she was the perfect patient. everything was done in 10 minutes. woohoo!

anyway, asked pt what her fav song was, and so i sang 'twinkle twinkle' with mom during the injection. it had been a while, so i forgot some of the words. i was singing 'how i wonder where you are', but i think it's supposed to be 'how i wonder what you are'?

this blog is supposed to be about kensington but i often refer back to childhood. philly experiences remind me of windsor sometimes. here's the version we used to sing in kindergarten:

'les etoiles dans le ciel, brillent, brillent, comme elles sont belles
elles s'allument une a une, pour bien eclairer la lune
les etoiles dans le ciel, brillen, brillent, comme elles sont belles

the gateway student led devotions this morning. and i remember now what it was like to be 20. to be excited about every little thing that i was learning and to have so much time to reflect and process and to write in a journal. where, every little surrender to the lord was a big deal and gratitude was fresh. i don't necessarily think i'm less spiritual, or less joyful. but, maybe less wide-eyed, a little aged by the turbulent 20's storms, and my hope is sharper but less plush.

no rhyme, no reason

at work we like to predict whether or not patients will come and postulate why.

-it's snowing; therefore, no one will show up
-it's raining; therefore, no one will show up
-it's extremely hot and humid; therefore, no one will show up
-it's pay day...
-it's medicaid renewal day...
-school's out...
-it's the day before the holiday...
-it's the day after the holiday...
-it's the assistant's fault...
-it's the front desk's fault...
-it's the dentist's fault...
-the patient is afraid...

anyway, it was pouring today and everyone happened to show up, so i had my first day of 17 peeps. which, maybe isn't a lot compared to other places, but it's a lot for me because i talk a lot and listen a lot. and we pray sometimes. which takes up some time.

really, people just come if they feel like it. this is where realities clash: my reality is that when i make an appointment, the point is to attend, and if changes need to be made, then i call as soon as possible to make necessary arrangements. for many folks here, their reality is that when they make an appointment, it's kinda like saying, "thanks for the appointment, and i'll come if my magic 8 ball tells me to that day". my reality doesn't make sense to them. and their reality doesn't make sense to me. we're even.