Author Archives: memoriesandsuch

World Down Syndrome Day       

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Last week, on 21 March, the world celebrated World Down Syndrome Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about Down syndrome and promoting the rights and well-being of individuals with Down syndrome. First celebrated in 2006, 21 March was selected as it was the 21st day of the third month of the year which signifies the uniqueness of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome which causes Down syndrome.

Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that occurs when an individual has an extra copy of the 21st chromosome, resulting in intellectual and developmental challenges. Down syndrome affects people of all ages, races, and ethnicities, and it is estimated that over 250 million people are living with this condition worldwide. Chromosomes are “packages” of genes in the body. They determine how a baby’s body forms and functions as it grows. Around 1 in every 800 babies will be born with Down syndrome which occurs naturally as there is no known cause. Down syndrome usually causes varying degrees of intellectual and physical disability and associated medical issues. Despite this, many people are still misinformed about Down syndrome and individuals with the syndrome often face discrimination and stigma. World Down Syndrome Day provides an opportunity to educate the public and promote a better understanding of Down syndrome, and celebrate the unique contributions and achievements of individuals with Down syndrome.

One of the main goals of World Down Syndrome Day is to raise awareness about the rights and needs of individuals with Down syndrome. This includes ensuring that individuals with Down syndrome have access to the same opportunities and services as their peers, including education, employment, healthcare, and independent living. It is important to recognise that individuals with Down syndrome have the same aspirations and dreams as everyone else, and it is our responsibility as a society to provide them with the support and resources they need to achieve their full potential. This day also celebrates the accomplishments and achievements of individuals with Down syndrome. The day showcases the talents and abilities of individuals with Down syndrome and highlights the contributions they make to their communities.

The theme for the 2023 edition of World Down Syndrome Day is “With Us Not For Us”. The message of With Us Not For Us is key to a human rights-based approach to disability. It is based on moving away from the outdated charity model of disability, where people with disability were treated as objects of charity, deserving of pity and relying on others for support to a human rights-based approach that views people with disabilities as having the right to be treated fairly and having the same opportunities as everyone else, working With others to improve their lives.

World Down Syndrome Day is a day to celebrate the diversity of individuals with Down syndrome and to remind us all that we are all more alike than we are different. In addition to raising awareness and celebrating the accomplishments of individuals with Down syndrome, World Down Syndrome Day is also an opportunity to advocate for change. This includes advocating for policies and practices that support the rights and needs of individuals with Down syndrome, as well as working to remove barriers and promote inclusion in all areas of life. A common activity on this day is to wear colourful or mismatched socks, to show support for people with Down syndrome because socks are shaped somewhat like chromosomes. An animated short, Freebird, was created to recognize World Down Syndrome Day in 2021. The film, set to a song, Freedom by Jordan Hart, won the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival the same year.

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World Down Syndrome Day is a day to raise awareness, celebrate the accomplishments of individuals with Down syndrome, and advocate for change. It is a day to recognise the unique contributions and strengths of individuals with Down syndrome and to remind us all that with the right support and opportunities, anything is possible. On this day, let us all come together to celebrate the diversity of individuals with Down syndrome and to work towards a world that is more inclusive, supportive, and empowering for everyone.

2023 Week 12 Update

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Today’s quote is from the American talk show host, Oprah Winfrey, who tells us that we get in life what we dare to ask for. What this means is that if we don’t ask, we don’t get what we want, need and deserve. And so we need to ask to receive and what’s the worst that could happen, they say no. Plucking up the courage to ask for what you need and want will pay off hugely.

GG had two admission interviews this week, but there is still no news from her first-choice university. I’m praying hard that she gets a callback from them soon. BB is still waiting for his enlistment letter after which we will know when he will start his national service.

My parents have more or less settled down in Singapore and are adjusting to life here. After arriving in Singapore, they were given a one-month visa, so we need to renew the visa so that they can stay here for the scheduled two months. We are planning to take them to some of the new places they have not yet seen, but that is for another day.

That’s all for today, stay safe people and have a wonderful week!

In My Hands Today…

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How to Be Idle – Tom Hodgkinson

Yearning for a life of leisure? In 24 chapters representing each hour of a typical working day, this book will coax out the loafer in even the most diligent and schedule-obsessed worker.

From the founding editor of the celebrated magazine about the freedom and fine art of doing nothing, The Idler, comes not simply a book, but an antidote to our work-obsessed culture. In How to Be Idle, Hodgkinson presents his learned yet whimsical argument for a new, universal standard of living: being happy doing nothing. He covers a whole spectrum of issues affecting the modern idler—sleep, work, pleasure, relationships—bemoaning the cultural skepticism of idleness while reflecting on the writing of such famous apologists for it as Oscar Wilde, Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Johnson, and Nietzsche—all of whom have admitted to doing their very best work in bed.

It’s a well-known fact that Europeans spend fewer hours at work a week than Americans. So it’s only befitting that one of them—the very clever, extremely engaging, and quite hilarious Tom Hodgkinson—should have the wittiest and most useful insights into the fun and nature of being idle. Following on the quirky, call-to-arms heels of the bestselling Eat, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss, How to Be Idle rallies us to an equally just and no less worthy cause: reclaiming our right to be idle.

Poem: Self-Discovery

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A journey through life, I embark on this ride,
Exploring the depths of my soul and my mind,
A path that is winding, with twists and turns,
Where every step taken, my spirit burns.

I search for my purpose, my reason to be,
To find who I am and to set myself free,
From doubts and from fears, from the things that I hide,
To embrace all my qualities, both the dark and the light.

And as I journey on, I come to understand,
That self-discovery means taking a stand,
For my beliefs and my values, for what I hold true,
And learning to love myself, the whole me, through and through.

For with every step taken, with every breath drawn,
I uncover new pieces of myself that have formed,
A tapestry woven, of all that I am,
A unique and beautiful being, with a story to stand.

So I embrace this journey, with open arms wide,
For the destination of self-discovery, I will always abide,
For it is in knowing myself, that I truly find peace,
And a sense of belonging, that will never cease.

In My Hands Today…

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Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long and Well You Live – Becca Levy

The often-surprising results of Levy’s science offer stunning revelations about the mind-body connection. She demonstrates that many health problems formerly considered to be entirely due to the aging process, such as memory loss, hearing decline, and cardiovascular events, are instead influenced by the negative age beliefs that dominate in the US and other ageist countries. It’s time for all of us to rethink aging and Breaking the Age Code shows us how to do just that.

Based on her innovative research, stories that range from pop culture to the corporate boardroom, and her own life, Levy shows how age beliefs shape all aspects of our lives. She also presents a variety of fascinating people who have benefited from positive age beliefs as well as an entire town that has flourished with these beliefs.

Breaking the Age Code is a landmark work, presenting not only easy-to-follow techniques for improving age beliefs so they can contribute to successful aging, but also a blueprint to reduce structural ageism for lasting change and an age-just society.