overslept.

this morning somehow decided to turn off BOTH my alarms and sleep in for another 3 hours...! not the first time I slept in eh. =S ended up missing the first tute, but rushed to school after that.

had the "Treatment of Nicotine Dependence" tute where we all got to try a form of nicotine replacement therapy. I had the gum...horrible peppery-type taste in your throat when you first chew it (I think that's the nicotine) but after that got used to it. unfortunately it didn't seem to work for me! others had symptoms like nausea, palpitations, lightheadedness, heavy head, surreal surroundings, inability to concentrate, feeling like had a few glasses of wine, etc. I think mine was just feeling more awake and not so hungry! lol. =P interesting experience, worth the cycle there just for that!

on a more serious note, yesterday had the chance to visit a residential addiction recovery centre where 10 men were staying in an effort to kick their addiction. it was a really good experience, cos it made me think of how in that situation I wasn't judging them for using whatever substances they did, but looking at them from a different light. compared to if I was walking down the street or something, or hear about such people from others, I almost immediately judge them. what double standards...

my colleague and I sat in on the meeting at the start of the day, where a "word of the day" and a passage was shared, as well as saying what you're thankful for that day. we went around the room and each person said something. the word was "progress" and my interpretation was that it is something you have to do step-by-step and not a leap. make a goal and work out your steps to get there. the passage was about values and self-respect. I explained about how I valued life and how each day was a new day and that I was alive to see it. that tied in with what I was thankful for, life, and also the ability to make choices in life.

after that we got to meet a client each and ask them whatever we wanted about their life story. at first I thought that I'd kinda not know how to ask things like that but my client was very open about his addiction. and I'd like to think I was quite professional about it, even if I was rather informal at times. was good to know that there are people who DO want to change. attended the graduation of another client in the afternoon, 180 days drug-free and counting upon completion. that shows kicking an addiction is possible.

anyway, felt like taking out my camera to shoot some photos today, although it was kinda cold outside and not exactly nice skies as a backdrop. shall leave yous with some of the nicer photos...

end of autumn.

bare against the sky.

my (somewhat) trusty bicycle.

seeing life through the wheel.

a bicycle used well.