The life and mind of Adeline Ong

Recently I have met up with a High School mate. She has not changed one bit and according to her, neither have I. I am not sure how much you can gauge the change in a person just by meeting up over a cup of coffee (Or in my case, frozen lemonade. I have been trying to cut back on my caffeine intake) After all, it has been about 5 years since we saw each other.

As usual, being girls we caught up about the past. This means High School and anything and everything related to our beloved former alma mater. Perhaps that is the only remaining link we have with each other. We have led separate lives for all these years, to be on the same page on our big journal of life.

Despite the fact that so many years have past since high school, some classmates are getting married, already married or even having little versions in their image littering the world; we are mostly still stuck being our petty little selves. That high school version of ourselves. You know, once a geek always a geek, once a jock, always a jock etc. That type of attitude, people who never change. Still clinging on to their past.

You are probably wondering why I am writing this. It all started with a line about another particular former classmate.

‘You got to be careful with XXX’ she warned.

‘Why so?’ I asked.

Apparently, at one of the gatherings which I happened to miss, this person led a group to start a bitch fest about me. First they attacked my weight (It should be obvious by now that I am no match for their waif like model bodies, thus making me an outcast in the all pretty girls only club. Hahahaha!!! I sound a bit bitter, don’t I?), my temper (Well, this I will admit. I am not the nicest person back in high school when it came to my temper. I am a good person but at times I am not nice. I will admit that. But then again I wasn’t born perfect. I am getting better now; a much calmer version of me but still improving. It is still a very hard journey to fix this problem.) and my weird obsession for all things kooky and awkward. (Heck, I am a Goth, the last time I checked, it was not against the law.)

But to that, I laughed.

‘That is just so her.’I replied.

I find it rather amusing. Even after so many years, we all are just those high school kids back in their cliques. We hardly change at all.

For that day, during our conversation, I felt that I was transported back to my high school years and cringed about the many mistakes I have done, the people I have hurt and know that there is never a way for me to turn back the pages of time to undo those things.

Looking back at the past, I will say I have regretted a lot of my actions. But then again, if I were to act otherwise I would not have been the person I am today.

What I have now is today is to do good and do what is right; choosing the lesser of two evils. Striving to be a better person.

Thanks to my brother for getting me a 4Gb memory stick, my camera phone is now a super phone.

You see, I take a lot of pictures and sometimes do not have the luxury to transfer them into the computer as fast as I like.

Since the memory stick can also be used for other stuff I have, I am super happy!!!

I got this from KT, a childhood friend.

If I were a cartoon character I would be:
Hmmm… I got a few favourites. From X-men it will be Rogue. From Bleach it will be either Rukia or Soi Fong. From Teen Titans, it will be Raven.

If I were a month I would be:
I do not know if it even matters. But I’ll choose my birth month, July.

If I were a day of the week I would be:
Monday. You know you hate me but you know you still have to live with me.

If I were a time of the day I would:
This is unfair. What about the night? Doesn’t anybody care about us people who love the night?

If I were a planet I would be:
Pluto.. Eh… wait Pluto isn’t a planet anymore or is it? Hmmm… Mr Sin has already claimed Ur-anus. That leaves hmmm… I think I will go for Jupiter.

If I were a sea animal I would be:
Dolphin…No doubt.

If I were a direction I would be:
Going down South… hmmm… wanna try me? Hehehe!!!

If I were a piece of furniture I would be:
A throne.

If I were a historical object I would be:
The Great Wall of China. Well I know it is not an object. It is a huge monument. Well it is big, Chinese and many men have died trying to build it and get over it. Hahaha!! Feel the power.

If I were a liquid I would be:
liquid gold. Ummmmmmmm Rich baby…

If I were a tree, I would be:
cherry tree. People from afar come to see me and my blossoms.

If I were a bird, I would be:
Bird? What bird? I am already a chick aren’t I? Oh, ok, a Falcon.

If I were a flower/plant, I would be:
Red Poppy. Beautiful and addictive

If I were a kind of weather, I would be:
A cyclone or hurricane. Heck that was the nickname my parents gave to me.

If I were a musical instrument, I would be:
Dave Navarro’s Guitar… Wink!!

If I were an animal I would be:
A silver wolf. Wild, fierce and loyal…. Awwwwwwoooooooooooooooooooo!!

If I were a color, I would be:
Blackest of black or Bloody Red

If I were an emotion, I would be: emotionless.

If I were a vegetable, I would be: brain dead.

If I were a sound, I would be: very loud.

If I were a car, I would be: a Hummer

If I were a food, I would be: Chocolate Cheesecake.

If I were a place, I would be: New Orleans

If I were a taste, I would be: whatever you want me to taste like. Heck, how should I know? Do you think I spend my free time licking myself?

If I were a scent, I would be: irresistible.

If I were a word, I would be: Sui Generis

If I were a body part I would be: skin. I am all over the place.

If I were a facial expression I would be: an evil grin

If I were a subject in school I would be: pretty boring or interesting. Whichever way you want me to be.

If I were a shape I would be: out of shape.

Being a born again Buddhist or at least in my own understanding, I am beginning to find life very fulfilling. There are many things that I have taken for granted. Right now, I am grateful for what life has unfolded for me.

My current job, working with refugees have taught me a lot in the past two months than what I have been trying to learn in my past 3 years of university. I have started to become more active in Buddhism when I was in University but somehow find it very hard to grasp the actual meaning of it. I know it theoretically. Though not perfect, but I know them. Yet it is rather hard to practice.

Lately, I am applying the values in my everyday life. Buddha was indeed a great teacher. It is His followers throughout the centuries that I doubt. Information tends to get distorted with time. But as most of you know, I only follow the Kalama Sutta right now. I am lucky to meet many little Buddhas in my life. (Unfortunately, most of them are Christians. Hahahah!!!)

Through my students, I have begun to start contemplating before meals. This has come to a shock of many of my other friends who thought I have converted to Christianity. I respect the Christian faith but have found Buddhism to be more fitting of myself and my lifestyle as a whole.

May you be enlightened with whichever faith you choose to practice.

After 2 months of being baseless, our new office has been properly set up. I could not be more happy. For a person who claims herself to love organized chaos and mess, this mess was too much to handle.

Now we have shelves, tables and chairs, the space finally feels more personal. Which makes all of us very happy bunnies.