Day 50

I am thankful for growth and environments that nurture and encourage.

Today is Day 50 of work in Lionland. It's been pretty incredible so far, with a patient LaoBan, a nice immediate colleague and wonderful extended colleagues, a work space that constantly changes depending on what stock arrives or what is pending shipping. Ooooh, and my name cards arrived today!

People ask me what I do. It's hard to explain. I suppose my main focus is admin, but it's a small company, so really, we all do everything. I'm definitely still in the music circles, in a different way than before, but I look forward to start teaching again. Yes, there are plans in the works!

I've gotten to attend a workshop, been given tools and instruments to 'play' with. There's one shipment that's a monthly affair that I get to open (most of the time) and I happened to mention in passing that I felt like it's my birthday every time I get to do this. My amazing LaoBan remembered and has told me a few times of the expected arrival of 'my present' or asked me to 'go open my present'.

Someone said to me recently that it seems like I am getting paid to learn. I guess I am. It's not a bad place to be at all.

Other things are happening like MuRa's moving forward, me joining a community music group regularly (we're playing movie music next!), getting connected with a 'family' in church and back with serving in the music ministry, doing more admin stuff and learning to be more organised.

TC. Where do I even start. Thank you for watching out for me, for being generous with your time and helping me to settle in. Thank you for taking time to come share meals with me and make sure that I'm not alone during closing on days when I'm alone at work. I know you said that it's sort of kind of in the way in a kind of sort of way, but before this, you would just head straight on home to have dinner and wind down for the day. Just...thank you.

It's definitely a different phase in life, and different may sometimes seem daunting, but it's not all bad. There's still so much to learn, not just work-wise but also in personal discipline, in relationships, getting back into shape not just physically but also musically.

Stay focused, desselBoS. We're alright.

<3

I'm back.

I'm thankful for an unconventional learning journey - one only possible with Him.

October last year was when the non-stop thing started.

I got to attend a training day on pad replacements and some other general stuff that was conducted by technicians from (arguably) the top flute maker in the world. Little did I know it was part of my 'interview' process.

In November, I went back to my homeland for a week to do a sound system installation - my first back there, but not my first with my mentor. I did learn to crimp CAT6 cables then. It was fun.

December saw me getting back into orchestral work, albeit small scale (45 notes?).


This year has also whizzed by with some milestones.

More fun repair with the lady tech from the US amidst a crazy heavy week substitute teaching in school and a flute buying trip on behalf of a student of mine.

One of my girls rose up to the challenge to prepare for a music competition (Yay! School trip!), which to me, she won. She grew by leaps and bounds, displaying a keen sense of musicality. She didn't make finals, but from the start, we had both agreed that that was not the final goal.

I was offered the opportunity to stage manage for the annual Fine Arts Festival for the school that I was kind of sort of a part-time staff of. That was a crazy week. I got to work with a great crew team.

Following that was another series of crazy events, a church anniversary, family visiting with our newest member, a full-week children's camp, then another concert under the baton of someone I've known as a tutor from my youth orchestra days.

I really felt like that last concert brought me full circle, and I'm really ready to move forward.

I'm back in Lionland. It still feels surreal. I am officially employed for my first real full-time job.

I was offered this job a while ago, but the timing wasn't quite right, till now. Things started clicking into place two weeks ago, and here I am now, having completed my first week of work. I've got a great employer, a wonderful colleague plus extended family because yay for group of companies! I'm loving the work environment so far, and looking forward to more things.

It also happens to be a usually mandarin-speaking community, so I'm sure that I'll improve on my uh...caveman cheena along the way.

Yes, I'm back blogging also. I think. We'll see.

But yeah, I'm alive and well.