Day 62 – Candlemaking Musing

Day 62 – A candle making class has not only given me $100 worth of scented candles (not the parrafin kind that causes headaches) but also a handful of musings.

1. Just because a candle is good for a 6 hour burn means you have to let it burn for 6 hours. It is best to blow out the flame after a couple of hours, trim the wick and re-light the candle. Reminds you of why hardworking folks need to take vacations regularly, why date nights are important to keep married life exciting and why people in relationships need time away from their significant other doing things on their own from time to time. You last longer at work and with your relationships when you give the wick (yourself) a break.

2. What is good for you doesn’t always come cheap, take soy candles for instance. You can take the cheaper alternative but be aware of unpleasant consequences. I heard the candlemaker say that parrafin candles cause headaches for some people as it is like inhaling petrol — note to self : read up on how parrafin is produced to verify the information.

3. The wick matters. If you have a really big candle, make sure you have the right sized wick. If what you have is not thick enough, get two wicks. It reminds me of the importance of knowing your own strengths when assuming big responsibilities. If you can’t hack it on your own, get help. Or you end up with a tunnel of wax, a waste of wax potential.

So there you have it, musings from a candlemaker wannabe . Think about it the next time you light a candle.

Day 61 – Baklava

Day 61 – I am a baklava fan. This morning, when I couldn’t find my favorite brownie stand at the Kings Cross market, I saw a stand that had baklava. This was Syrian baklava, different from Greek and Lebanese baklava, according to the shopkeeper. It can stay crunchy for up to 10 days and must not be refrigerated. Somehow I really doubt it can last for 10 days. Half of it is gone already because I remembered my diet.

Day 60 – How Far We’ve Come

Day 60 – Can you forge real friendships with co-workers ? With the frequency of interaction and shared experiences in the workplace, it is easy to think you have become friends with people you work with. Unfortunately, not all friendships survive once you remove the common denominator -work.

I have been blessed that most of the people I have been friends with at previous jobs have passed the test. M is one of them.

We met years ago while working in OD. Multiple career changes later, there we were, as close as when we were dealing with shifting schedules and having rant and rave sessions over people and issues at work.

The fact that we have remained friends is something to be happy about. That we manage to have long talks regularly – like tonight- despite the distance and time zone (M has been in different continents because of her work with MSF) is even better.

At one point in our conversation we realised how far we have all come since our OD days – literally and figuratively – that was the best part of my day.