Killing me softly--with her song

Songs are like perfume. They have the capacity to transport you back to a certain place and time. They could also easily affect your emotions—happy or sad memories. This happened to me yesterday. As per usual I went to work before the crack of dawn and I was happily driving in alpha mode. I decided to listen to a Norah Jones CD “Come Away with me”. As I approached a red light in Exeter, I heard the first strains of a song “It’s not the pale moon that excites me, that thrills and delights me, oh no, it’s just the nearness of you…” I sat there instantly transported to a place and time in my distant past. I don’t know what chemicals are present in my brain that made that moment so real. I sat there transfixed only to be rudely reminded of the present from a car behind me honking. The lights turned green and I didn’t even notice! Totally amazing. The funny thing is I wouldn’t want to go back to that time in my life! I try to remember the good and gloss over the bad.
I am looking forward to the weekend for some relaxation before the start of another 10 week stretch before the Easter break. Wahey! In a perfect world, I would be living within spitting distance of my best friends and well chosen family members (hehe). I love shopping and having coffee with my sister or best friend and watching the world go by. I miss the jokes and conversations with someone who shares the same history with me. In that same perfect el mundo, the food would be wonderful all of the time. I am not bothered with the weather as with not having good food.
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I realise that as I grow older, I am getting more and more obsessed with cleanliness. It is getting worse I noticed of late. Just this morning I was about to use a pen left on my desk but before I could do that I wiped it with hygienic gel! And the reason for this? The pen did not originally belong to me and I didn’t know who used it last. I am one sad person. It’s just I cannot bear the thought of someone else using it with unhygienic hands! Yuck. When I visited Manila in July, my friends and family called me an “OC” (obsessive-compulsive). Surely I am a borderline case? My staff at work are aware of my compulsion. I have ordered bleach and air fresheners. Even the cleaner says I have the cleanest and tidiest room in the place. Yes! Don’t even ask about my PC, keyboard and monitor. I clean them with a special cleaner almost everyday. At home I go through bottles upon bottles of disinfectant and fabric/air fresheners. Everything must be sparkling clean and shiny. Poor Sam had to learn to pick up his toys from his toy box in the kitchen! My hubby says I have a keen sense of smell. I know if he had kippers for breakfast when I come home at night. I have to clean the microwave and spray with my trusty kitchen cleaner to get rid of the smell. So yes, when it comes to cleaning I am an expert on the subject!