Hari Kartini ki mesthi dadi dina paling dieling-eling marang bocah-bocah wedok jamanku ning Indonesia. Ngapa? Merga saben Hari Kartini bocah-bocah wedok jamanku paling ora pisan pindho nate bayakan (nganggo kebaya), jarikan, gelungan, sing wong tuwane nduwe ragat ya macak ning salon barang. Sing wong tuwane dhompete kandel ya anake ayu moblong-moblong. Sing sederhana ya wis biasa ae, ketok wedhakan, bengesan, jungkasan mening wis lumayan mbois.
Ning maknane Hari Kartini ki kok ora pati mancep lan nilas ning ati lan jiwane bocah-bocah ya? Nek diarani tokoh emansipasi wanita Indonesia, apa iya bocah-bocah sing jarikan macak nganti ayune uleng-ulengan ki paham maksude apa? Kok nganti saiki wong-wong wedok ijik akeh sing didiskriminasi kaya jamane Ibu Kartini.
Apa cukup carane memperingati Hari Kartini ki nyang sekolah utawa kantor nganggo klambi daerah mblenger ditutuli benges, sedow lan celak ben ketok medoki?
Sakjane ya kudune rada jeru ya masiya nek isane ngono ya wis ben ngono sik. Ning muga-muga ae bocah-bocah wedok Indonesia ora mandheg maknani Hari Kartini mung dadi tetenger wiyose Ibu Kartini, tapi luwih meneh maknani laire rasa setara, dudu kompetisi antarane lanang lan wedok, rasa melengkapi antarane lanang karo wedok ana ing urip iki, ora balapan, ora royokan.
Alhamdulillah wis enek Hari Kartini. Paling ora enek sing ngelingne lek wedok ki kudu piye lan isa piye. — wedok ki ora mung sumur, kasur, dapur tapi ya oleh tandur, tutur, ngatur barang. Wis piye?
Sugeng ambal warsa, RA Kartini.
Selamat Hari Kartini, para perempuan Indonesia. You’re well respected whoever, wherever, whenever you are, no matter what. 🙏🏼
Perfect, Beloved Indication of moments, Not about others—
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I thought there was perfection but then life showed me that the only thing truly modified by the word perfect is time or in some situation called moment. Other than those two creatures are never essentially perfect, they are perfect through some agreed points of view.
When it is over, it is perfectly done – time is up. When it is cut, it is perfectly completed – time is up.
And I accept a “time is up” sincerely or forcefully. A let go. A move on. A celebration. A moment to remember. A memory to save.
Oh life…. A set of perfect moments you are!
Thank you!
how do you hide imperfect look? make it black and white, that’s exactly what some human beings do to judge others – black, white — or, slice the thing, don’t see big picture and perfection is as if there 🧐
Good life, Beloved Surrounded by them most loved In green serene air—
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I like to tell some colleagues that I’ll be the host for our reunion dinner in my home 15 years from now. It must be a good time to talk about how we’re doing what we’re doing.
Though not soon, ‘m looking forward to a long life to make it happen.
See you in a green serene garden, fellas! 🥳
water, greenery, away from parties – life as I love it 💓 – one spot in Singapore Botanic Garden 😍
It’s silence Filling the air, Expanding time that kills With infinity and mystery.
This strand has threaded millions of pearls of breathing taken one by one. This is also a ribbon that goes miles and miles scripted with memories loaded with emotions.
There is one last pearl and there is a period. Only time knows at which point—
Only flowers can fill the gap while waiting. They are food and garnish at the same time, Bride and groom, Prayer and curse, Bright and pale, Symbolised and clarity, Birth and death, Duality in one bouquet.
This lounge feels alive With the flower arrangement sitting at the corner, Silently Accompanying everyone Waiting to depart.
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Life is forever, crossing one bridge to another. Alfatihah.
Away from real life In real life: watching movie— One perfect weekend!
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Good movie is not always that with good cinematography quality, to me good movie is one released and on when there are many to run away from for some time in real life. Sitting in a huge space among those we don’t know feels like a freedom with responsible limit: we enjoy ourselves and try our best not to disturb others who are enjoying the same thing with us in different way — some people scream watching some scenes, I simply close eyes and block ears; some giggle, I laugh loudly; others eat and drink, I enjoy Fisherman’s Friend, and so on, and so forth.
Life is full of blessings if we can see it from the right point of view.
Salaam.
the best place to run away from reality: theatre 🥰
Hi, little bird. Befriend with your wings which look weak but bring you freedom. Befriend with your feet which look twiggy but hold you balanced. Befriend with your feathers which look light but give you warmth. Befriend with your eyes which look dark but show you pixels others can’t enjoy. Befriend with your tiny beak to sing only happy songs because sad songs are only for you when you’re with a trusted circle — hush! Untrusted flock will spill your sad stories everywhere to make themselves happy and feel important, and that will make you even sadder. Sing, perch, fly and enjoy your life responsibly freely.
Look, little bird. The sun shines brightly giving hopes to the heliotropic, while the air is yours through its pressurising differently every moment you move. Enjoy every second that you can capture, no matter what. Sing!
“I’m little bird, oh little bird in a short pretty life. I’m little bird, oh little bird in a realm of colours. I’m little bird, oh little bird, oh me.” 🪶
Have a wonderful weekend!
Salaam.
found one beautiful photo of a lil bird in Instagram and couldn’t stop the temptation to put it on my humble media 🪶
It’s dark, Beloved, I’m afraid. Where should I go? Walk through the shushed wind.
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One wise teacher said,”Your path might be dark and you can’t see anything but don’t worry, my child as the hearing works without the light.
Listen. Listen carefully”.
at times I should thank the pandemic…. for making this area the least crowded, so quiet, only sound of water then hair dryer…. the rest is silent air❣️
When the evil giant is in danger, What will he do?
I see the giant beats the air like a storm. The giant kicks the trees blindly. The giant screams on the top pitch with anger. The giant pushes down all fences around him and stomps on everything and everyone on his way.
The giant rages wildly forgetting the land isn’t only flat plateau. Hidden canyons can put things to an end.
Hey, evil giant! Why don’t you open your eyes? No one steals your food. It’s you having stolen their food and now they’re taking it back from you! And open your eyes! A deep dark canyon full with poisonous snakes, sharp dagger-like thorns and hungry fire ants is far more dangerous than the bear, tiger or T-Rex. With those creepy crawly you simply don’t see them coming.
Hey, evil giant! You’ve created too many broken hearts and broken hopes. You’ve torn apart many other creatures’ pride and property. If you don’t stop, See what’s coming.
The evil giant doesn’t listen. There’s something about his pride nobody can understand. There’s something about his greed nobody can accept. He still walks in rage, this time with hidden fear and shame. He knows he’s going to fall but he denies any fact to it.
I know he’s going to fall.
Soon.
Very very soon.
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God rescue and protect the weak, the ill-treated, the oppressed from the oppressors.
War? Yes it is also about war; but not only that. It is about those who are the victim of any kind of oppression, harassment, abuse, discrimination.
Alfatihah ❣️
Mahesasura, the evil giant in Javanese shadow puppet — he wants everything, at the end gets killed by Subali the white monkey king
A tree was a seed Nurtured through time. Some is missed, Killed before sprouting.
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I had some conversation about friendship with a friend. She said she just experienced an underestimation. I said to her that it is not a new thing, people like us should befriend with it; that underestimation will never negatively affect her if she does two things, one of which is staying calm.
In many cases underestimation is like manure thrown on to soil, looking and smelling bad but triggering growth of natural fertilisers. What happens next is predictable: what won’t grow beautifully? Just know that with the growth of flowery plants, annoying weeds will also be around.
Don’t let others’ negative actions ruin your good characters, my friend. I’m here silently always a friend.
Then at the end of the convo she asked me “Why you never reply my comments in Instagram?” Bloody hell! 🥸
I want to not eat But get full. My palate says “Go talk to the wall”.
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My palate is greedy yet very loving and worth loving. It tells me to eat more tasty food although I’m not hungry. In Ramadhan it whispers to me, coaxing me to “collect good-looking food” on the day to reward my good deed through breakfast (ifthar). Damn good influencer!
Dear, Ms Palate. At least please support my weight loss program. 😚
pizza, good when rather hot — ordered at lunch time in the office at 1:25pmheated pizza at home at 7:12pm — good? slightly dry but good!
Those of men, women and children who are weak, ill-treated and oppressed be rescued and protected from the oppressors. Amen.
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I see many curse one specific invasion, raise the flag and upload country symbol to take side of the one whom they consider the weak; however, they ignore the bigger part of those invaded by another giant who has invaded way more places for so many years.
I don’t blame them cursing and taking side, understanding that for some people life is about losing, winning and guarding pride. Just that that type of people should be —excuse me— considered intelligent-but-ignorant. Intelligence is the highest pride of that type of people, yet they miss the point that —excuse me— ignorance is the root of all evil.
Once I heard one of my teacher talked about “history of fart’ in which this old wise man talked about a person farting and blamed and cursed and laughed at without everyone’s thinking over what chains of events have preceded the fart: what the person eats, why one eats it, when one eats it, who gives that food to one, and so on and so forth….
But yeah, who wants to think about fart? Almost no one! Maybe only that particular teacher did then he reminded all of his students to be careful not to judge from what’s readily accessibly sensible only. There is history to be considered. In fact, history is very complex that many people claiming to be historians have missed the true points. Why? Because they are attached to history written one-sidedly, while missing other sides which are almost always forgotten or the least accessible, buried with the death of the weak and the holders of the next generation.
Alfatihah for the weak everywhere you are. 🦋
those kings and aristocrats don’t care about those underprivileged, don’t you realise?
is he still a representative or just a name of fame?
Intoxicated Without drink, just dream of you. Sensing from afar— From a distance it is you. The true you? A perceived you?
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I learn about fasting gradually, starting from child’s fasting to earn presents then knowing it as shoum then as shiyam. All refer to the same activity but have different level of loaded meanings. In Arabic when word is added with one letter, the type of word changes, the voice changes and the depth or load of meaning also changes. The word صوم (shoum) has three letters, while صيام (shiyam) consists of four letters. Therefore, the word shiyam has a deeper meaning than the word shoum. There are even some circles that distinguish the meaning of the two words.
The word shiyam means to refrain from things that cancel (eating, drinking, sexual intercourse) performed with good intention, while the word shoum means leaving things that cancel fasting or not talking. In the Quran the word shoum can be found when Maryam the mother of Prophet Isa (Jesus) intended to stop eating and talking after the birth of him. While shiyam can be found as an instruction to do fasting in Ramadhan month.
I wish my fasting flies to the place where even Angel Gabriel (Jibril) can’t go in then my fasting goes back bringing me better understanding of how a human being should serve the living.
Sweetness, Beloved, A limit everyone sets. She has for good words, Not for sugar. It is fine. World gives space to all tastes.
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Life can be seen from many different perspectives. It can look bitter, sometimes sweet but the level of bitterness and sweetness is not standardisable. If someone wants to set a standard of bitterness based on her/his limit, s/he will suffer for her/himself. 😁
May all beings be happy (with different level of sweetness)❣️
there is a limit of sweetness that everyone can tolerate – don’t judge ❣️…. to this! sweet boba!from this: tapioca starch, cocoa powder, brown sugar
There is a crystal clear ribbon Flying through a cavity Bringing a message About love To whom I say “This painting is made for you from the first stroke to the last dot in the artist’s signature.”
I’m mixing colours to find the best hue to paint you. I’m balancing the real and unreal to find the vibe of you. I’m panning my own work to find if this is truly a gift or stolen relic from you.
I keep these hands engraving But eyes focusing on you. All to find you.
And every second I can see myself reading another message on another ribbon: “Is this a hide-and-seek? Or simply a peek-a-boo?”
Ahh! You maybe only smile, enjoying the scene of how funny this could be.
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won’t stop learning how to depict what’s in mind on physical media 🖼
Up and down the hills The feet walk, the heart stands still. Journey of the nights—
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Nights and days are the consequences of sun and moon fixed courses. Or is it the other way around: sun and moon fixed courses are existing due to the need of nights and days in this particular planet.
Many say day is for activities, night is for resting. I don’t deny but I have my own interpretation of activities and resting. Activity is when all my concentration is for transactional economy, resting is when my concentration is for relaxation and personal. Rest day? Of course all my rest days will become nights. 💞
No! It is not unlucky number. 13 is a number indicating productivity, optimism and life long education. Who said so? Me! 😁
13 ladies —1 master and 12 false beginners— compile their writings in one book after completing a writing online class. Most of the main characters in the stories are female who fearlessly face the reality of life. This book is about how tough yet simple daily life is portrayed through special angles that others will agree that simple can be special.
Simple but special! That’s the key!
May all beings be happy. 💝
cover of our first anthology – more projects to go❣️
Regret and sorry Not easy to feel and say, Yet flushing the guilt. Look! It’s rain water pouring On the roof, sweeps away dirt.
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Ramadhan is starting tomorrow, it’s my 38th year in which I do full fasting. I’m so grateful with this achievement. Achievement? Yes! Imagine for one full month during the day we don’t drink, we don’t eat, we don’t smoke, we don’t sex, we don’t let out uncontrolled emotion, we simply hold whatever we normally let out easily with no delay. We are human beings though, we can do all those at night. Ahem!
As a Javanese Muslim welcoming Ramadhan is as special as the fasting itself. We welcome the Ramadhan with a small celebration called megengan which literally means holding (esp. the breath).
In megengan a Javanese family will deliver a basket of rice with dishes to neighbours and extended family members living separately. While each family can choose what they share, there is one must specialty in this occasional delivery so called “apem” in Javanese or “kue apam” in Bahasa Indonesia or Malay.
Apem is steamed cake whose ingredients are rice flour, coconut milk, coconut water, yeast, sago starch and some sugar.
The word apem is derived from the word “afwun” (an Arabic word) meaning apology. Why apology? In Ramadhan when a Muslim is fasting, s/he is not only holding her/himself from hunger, thirst, lust, uncontrolled anger, and exercising her/his integrity; but s/he is also recommended to contemplate her/his own “action records” for the past one year. It is not easy for one to bear the guilt during the contemplation, so it is recommended for a Muslim before Ramadhan to apologise to their family and friends or to whomever s/he did wrongdoing, to ease the contemplation process. As it might not be easy to say sorry through a naked word, Javanese Muslim will include a symbolic apology in the food called apem when they deliver the whole food package. Everyone knows what it is, what it does— it is up to each person whether or not to accept the apology. And there they go starting the fasting month with a light heart to physically, mentally and spiritually exercise her/himself for one full month.
I used to think that that celebration was a waste of food. For one week I used to see sooooo many plastic and bamboo baskets piled up in our dining table and shelves — all those megengan packages which would be eaten just a bit and end up given to our chickens at the back yard. Fyi, the apem is never wasted though as every family has different taste and ways of how to make their best apem – maybe it’s a symbol that everyone is taking the apology seriously. I used to say to my mom that megengan was more about chickens celebrating than human beings celebrating. However after I understand what is symbolised through those simple deliveries, I highly appreciate the way we Javanese hold the integrity through our humble tradition.
I used to tell my mother to not do it, but now I’ve always been a reminder to her to not forget doing it and done it myself although I’m living around those not familiar with this tradition. I normally cook some simple food for the cleaning ladies and the gardeners who are assigned in the block two days before Ramadhan. Unfortunately minus the apem, simply because I am not confident enough to make my own apem. Tried this year though and failed 🙃
I promise to myself that this year is gonna be a good Ramadhan.
Welcome, month of holding, month of exercising integrity. It might not be always easy but doable.
I’m sending out apology to all the people having felt hurt by me. I’m sorry with my heart and soul in naked words. 🙏🏼
May all beings be happy.
my private megengan in 2022 minus rice, the white one is my own first apem in life – taste good but imperfect texture 🥰
This cool boy is Indonesia’s sweetheart! The other one is comedian, the Indonesian women’s public enemy! The boy’s father is named “Indonesian’s Father of The Year” and “Father of YouTube”, he’s raised this boy since the divorce and almost everyone in our country consider he has raised his son successfully.
So hilarious and satisfying boxing game of the year! 👍🏽
What a great victory against a playboy! Thanks, Azka!
It sets, Beloved, When birds swoop in to the nests And you go to bed.
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Sunset doesn’t suddenly come. It sets as a process slowly through time. Just like this life: before birth… then birth, infant, child, teenager, adult, old, end of life — aging before the great divide coming
Some wise men said to me “death should be thought of as an ordinary thing, it shouldn’t be afraid of”. Not easy, it invites fright of uncertainty to me personally, but death has become a relevant thing to ponder at my age — I’ll be 50 a couple of years soon. 🥳 Although I am not prone to heaven and hell after life, I believe there is another cycle of life after the physical death whose quality depends on how the earth life is enjoyed and celebrated. A huge enigma!
Good thought that has motivated me to see death positively is a chance to be beautifully remembered by those loving me. I’m not afraid of being disliked by some (even those that I love) because I know I am loved by those whose life I’ve touched. Enjoying life to the fullest joyfully and responsibly is both a game and a goal at the same time. I don’t regret what I’ve done because there is always lesson behind. Now I just want to be a human being around human beings who appreciate each other properly and help each other grow.
Who doesn’t want to be like a sunset whose existence is realised and enjoyed by those who can sense the scene and the moment? No one.
May all beings be happy.
Damn! I’m being melancholic for just a bit. 🥰
hey, Sun! thank you for sharing a moment and being a reminder
Smile is a good mask Than a mask can be. A mask Masks a masking smile. What masks a mask? Or who does? Unmask! A soul has missed you.
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Sometimes she doesn’t know why she feels a blissful joy. She tries her best to find a reason but seems to fail. When people ask why she looks radiant on certain day, she will just say I love the food, I love the weather, I love this, I love that — simply for courtesy with a bit of honesty compromised due to inability to give exact reason.
Perhaps the reason is because the footprints of falling in love is greater than the scars of broken heart. Alas! It might not be. Or, it might be. Come on, it might not be. Ah! That’s not important.
Oh? She doesn’t know. And it is ok to feel that way – blissfully joyful with unknown reason like when she is falling in love, unreasonable — her love did go to that that she never ever thought of getting on the way then suddenly gone away.
Tragic comedy! 🙃
❣️
guess why happy? the salad counter is at least 50% open! eyes can’t hide a smile 🙂
Laughter is healing And killing at the same time. Lessons for two sides—
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Many people love laughing at funny jokes and at themselves. Yet secretly perhaps they feel some jokes are crossing the line. I myself don’t always tell those friends who make either impolite or improper jokes about me or about someone/something in front of me especially when I know they don’t have sensitivity to listen to others’ feedback. Bitter smiles or sharp shrugging then making effort to change the topics are my bad strategy – yes, I’m a coward and (to some extent) stupid. So far most friends know but some new people don’t (want to) know and keep acting funny with their own limits making fun of others.
There is always a limit; however some limits are not easy to define and pertaining to private life and can only be understood by the individual. Moreover, where privacy is already “co-owned” by public (celebrity, politician, spiritual leaders, etc), the limit might be vague, misunderstood or disagreeable.
Harassment, publicly, privately, verbally, mentally, physically are all not acceptable. Verbal one sounds less painful but hey! No one wants one’s family members to be fooled around and laughed out loud if it’s related to disability or illness.
And hey! A slap on the face can be medically treated especially if not severe BUT the embarrassment and resentment can sustain. Oh hey! Sometimes it can be well capitalized…. Especially in that particular place where money is the foundation of almost everything.
In a nutshell both are violence!
Punchline got punched!
Ouch! Ouch! Ooouuuch!!!
oh my God! that must have been a combination of pain and embarrassment – for both sides
Perfume, Beloved, Won’t be enjoyed by blocked nose. Eyes though see bottle, But the fragrance goes away Leaving no trace but the spray.
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Once I had a chat about “Touch ‘n Go” card of Malaysia. One Malaysian friend made what he called a joke “Life is like touch and go la. You touch then you go la. As long as you pay, it is ok! The problem is after touch and go, you realise you run out of fuel and there is no gas station there, then you are stranded in the middle of nowhere.” None of us laughed. He said “Alamak! You all don’t get it la! Boy’s joke, boy’s joke!’
Only today I can really get it. I should text him to confirm a fresh understanding. He must be happy receiving a message from a long lost friend who is now “smart enough”. 😁
I prefer not to live like “touch and go in nice cars” touching here and there for temporary pleasure then losing the ability to detach from irresponsible people who can only suck joy out from my only self through the excessively irresponsible exchange of memories. I prefer “going on foot” consciously although it looks less luxurious.
‘d only build precious memories with those reciprocally loving me and not playing touch and go 💝
rike jokanan 
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