I gave up an opportunity to earn extra yesterday. I thought for a while before telling my supervisor that I was willing to give up three hours of my overtime to a new lecturer. It was a painful decision as I really could do with some extra money and I was so tempted to push myself to work extra hours despite the awareness that I would not perform well in class anymore due to the workload.

I wondered if I was a fool to let go of the money. I wondered if my reason of letting go was because I was just too lazy to work a little harder. But then again, what kind of life would I be living if I pursued on my desires? I won't even have time to spend with anyone, there will be no more social life at all. All my weekends will be used to mark assignments and exercises and I might just end up being a moody lecturer. I would not have anytime to bake cakes and cook, neither will I have anytime to prepare for the wedding.

Today, I got my new timetable. I was glad, I now have some space to breathe, I now have time for students who come in for consultation. I now have time to have short conversations with my colleagues, I now have time to prepare for lessons in campus. Oh! How I wish I lived in a world where money is not a necessity!

My little niece had an operation today. Initially when my sister told me that she was going for the surgery, I was cool about it. To me, it was just another surgery, there was nothing extraordinary about it and perhaps I was very much convinced that the surgery would be successful and that everything will be all right.

As the day of the operation drew closer, I started to feel slightly uneasy that my little niece would be operated upon. I felt uneasy with the idea that this little girl will have her body cut. All my life, I had never been operated upon, neither have I ever been stitched before and I would surely be disturbed if I needed to go for any form of surgery, even if it was as minor as having my gum cut to extract my wisdom tooth.

I wonder how is my niece right now. I wonder how did she react when she went into the operation theatre. Was she scared? Did she cry? She is 7 and I am 28. She is brave.