The 'Tyranny of Normality'

 (This fancy title was inspired by a song title of a ROCK BAND – Papa Roach. Yup so if you think ROCK is all and only about loud music & meaningless repetitive lyrics, think again!)

‘NORMAL’ was something I kind of despised when I was younger (& undiagnosed). I’d always remember this conversation I had with my student(s):

A student(s): Miss Lee, you are so… hmm… (uncertain) strange! 

Me: THANKS FOR SAYING THAT! I hate being just ‘normal’. (big grin)

Well I certainly enjoyed being different! It was not just my dress sense I suppose, think it was everything else I could manage then – even my fingernails & toe nails! I remember doing a lot of my own prettifying (read: Sally Hansen ‘Salon Effects’). See some of my DIYs below:

So in terms of my dressing, I was also into wearing neon colours, bold prints, asymmetrical designs featuring cut-outs and extra layers with “cool’ looking folds etc. Yes, I was vain. VERY VAIN.

Therefore, in conjunction with that, my attitude and behaviour in/outside of the classroom as a teacher must duly be LOUD & PROUD. Ha ha~

But now, I work SO VERY hard everyday to be ‘normal’.

I’d like to appear as normal as possible despite my ataxia. However, it’s not easy for me not to draw attention to myself with my wheelchair, incomprehensible speech, incontrollably loud choking (on top of my retarded eating) and occasional breathlessness.. oh there are other countless symptoms regarding this ataxia but I shall not elaborate on them yet. I might do so later…