Not about the food,
More about gluttony. Good!
At least I still chew.
I joined โEat Well Challengeโ in which whatโs consumed is calculated and whatโs burnt is regulated. I thought it would be as simple as submitting what is eaten. Now I see how healthy both my body and brain will be as the calorie calculation include my weighing the ingredients and decision making on whatโs best to combine.
The plan to cook duck has twisted a brain. Duck contains a lot of fat, which is the best part of it. Yummy!!! So…. Duck it is! When calculated, the calorie is high and when it is reported to the challenge platform, it is not counted as the expected healthy food…. Ggrrrrh!
herbs and spices lovey lovey!cute duck!hot duck!only the veggies are accepted as healthy food and the calories are not even half of the duck itself ๐
Donโt overestimate whatโs called healthy eating because the calorie calculation will overwrite all the estimation exactly like when you think expressing love honestly will result in respectful rejection, instead youโll get ignorance and humiliation.
Thanks God for always leading me to self respect and kindness.
Deep dive the seabed
Where giant pearls wait for you.
Ride your Nautilus.
Not 100% hitting me at all points but below video explains a lot about why some people are genuinely sweet and kind without having to personally relate to you….
To me one of the best messages from this video is โif the emotion is not managed, it will dieโ.
I wonโt die before I die, Beloved. But at the same time, I will die before I die…. ๐
When you canโt do the best performance in what you do, it is not because you are not capable of doing it. It is a matter of finding the right motivation.
Wind is sent to Cloud
Who pours Rain down to Soil. Grow!
Seeds inside emerge.
Imagine despair is like the earth longing for rain until suddenly the wind comes pushing lines of clouds that canโt suspend the heavy droplets anymore so turn into rain…. The earth welcomes each of the raindrops happily, hugs each of all seeds which have been buried beneath the dry layers of soil, almost broken, damps and pushes them up above the ground to grow….
Wind…. It takes just one blow of wind to see beautiful colours.
I do what I do
In my way. You do, too. With...
One goal: happiness
Different directions donโt show different purposes. Everyone wants to be happy in oneโs own way.
Iโm happy with 100 dollars, theyโre happy with 101. Iโm happy with biking, they with cars. Iโm happy with chatting, they partying. Iโm happy with this, theyโre with that.
Spectrum of happiness
Happy Chinese New Year!
I bless you happiness! ๐๐ผ
Long holiday! Yaaay!
๐๐ฝ
two teenagers parked their scooters in front of me when I was writing this – incredibly coincidently presented!
Rain, rain! Run, run, run!
Umbrella left behind! Ruined
All the bag and clothes and shoes....
Been soaked alone โcoz rain stopped
Right when reaching gate. They laughed.
Donโt forget to bring umbrella when going out in rainy season. Donโt heroically run to reach home in a hurry under the rain. Chin up even when you are soaked in rain water on the way home, while the rain stops right when you reach the gate….
Todayโs life is a cartoon. If not liking it, draw it as 3D cartoon tomorrow to make it more fun!
Respect should be earned
Not through masks on the back but....
Genuine face on.
If you think Iโve ignored you, Beloved; perhaps you might want to turn around. Youโve had your back to me all this time…. Face the mirror and see who you really are. ๐
Gotcha!!! ๐๐
rose is beautiful even from the back…. but beautiful mask turns ugly coz fake fades away….
Name is a short spell.
Not yours, Beloved. Itโs mine
Hanging in Heaven,
Echoing after yours called.
You can have it all.
How many names have you spelled in prayers? Are they the bold or the beautiful ones?
I call your name, Beloved โcoz I know it infuses power into prayers like smoke of burnt incense billowing into the sky escorting dreams to meet the doors….
Loyalty: old-aged,
Mined, Rubbed, faceted carbonโ
4C through life time.
Many women love diamond with different reasons. Some do because of its beauty. Some do because of its prestige. Some do because of following the trend. Some do just because of spending money on anything seen and wanted. Some do because of what it symbolises…. In fact its value has a wide spectrum like why we love someone.
Diamond is just a type of carbon. Carbon is whatโs burnt to cook steak. Carbon is whatโs chosen for media to grow orchids. Carbon is activated to be a medication for food poisoning. Or simply think of other things containing carbon!
Diamond though is a certain level of carbon which has been buried between layers of earth for millions of years, tested by the pressure, temperature. Itโs hardened, purified, strengthened, crystalised.
4C is a familiar acronym for diamond lovers. These 4 Cโs show diamondโs quality.
Cut: Quality of the angles, proportions, facets, and finishing details ~ level of craftsmanship and precision play important role
Color: How colorless the diamond is ~ less colour is the best but colour is at times defined by preference
Clarity: How clean the diamond is of inclusions and blemishes ~ the more flawless, the more valuable; but who is flawless, Beloved? The Death is flawless….
Carat: The weight of the diamond ~ small carat of diamond can look big; also determined by how the craftsman cuts it
Imagine a human being is a carbon processing oneโs self to be a diamond. Stay regardless the pressure and temperature exposed to you, Self. Once you find you, youโre diamond in the making.
Lammie, Khanyisa,
It is the least I can do.
Friends are forever
When no discrimination.
Can I do? Need a try, sure!
Animals have taught me a lot about many things. One of those is unconditional friendship. Lammie and Khanyisa are a sheep and an albino elephant calf who have been friends without asking why their tails are differently shaped and attached, why their hairs are of different colours, why their teeth are of different length…. Language, religion, nationalities, and so on are never problems. They just grass, rest, play together. What a beautiful world!
If you wanna support Lammie and Khanyisaโs unconditional friendship, you can buy a mug with picture of them printed on it. Mine arrived today through DHL, welcoming me at the front door. Happy yay!
Thanks, Lammie and Khanyisa and HERD! Youโve been much smarter than many of my human kind. Iโm sending love to you and your family….. ๐๐๐
Boneless tongue can lie
And taste, too. Leading the mood
To where you have been.
I miss Ubud…. Spending time alone or with some friends in a place where mind can freely digest whatโs been hoarded through daily interactions at times bringing negativity and pessimism against life, is one of lifeโs great blessings.
Missing a place and canโt visit it? Cook the specialty!
Missing someone and canโt even contact him? Me? Hmm…. Just whisper his name….! ๐ฅฐ
sate lilit ayam, urap kacang + sambel matahguess what – ground spices and herbs for the chickenall are finely sliced for sambel matahminced chicken + grated coconut + ground spices and herbs skewered around lemongrass
Foraging culture
Taking from nature for free.
She should gratify.
When biking, I see many kinds of flowers at the side of the roads and most of them just dry and fall off. Falling in love with them, I stopped and plucked some. Did I regret….? A bit of regret, yes but then I whispered to the reservoirs that I thank them for all the freshness and beauty they lend me every time I pass by…..
Showers of colours
Splash cheery hello to time.
I wish you warm heart.
Colours can bring certain vibes to a home. And so different colours of flowers create different atmosphere. Although not taking all for granted, I mostly check the meaning of flowers and wish that the supportive qualities symbolised by the flowers will be the energy filling the air.
Seeing morningโs sun,
Warmed by noonโs, serene through moon.
Only where I am.
Ever thought that where you are is not the best place on earth? Change your mind soon!
Iโve always loved Asia especially South East Asia. People might think itโs because Iโm now living in that place and never go anywhere else. Yes, thatโs a primary reason but there are other reasons.
Long story short, I tried short stays in different places with different climates and culture and I conclude that where I am now is the best place: enough sun everyday, relatively same length between night and day the whole year. Whatโs more we can find friendly neighbours โin big cities people are less warm but relatively quite friendly, access to more vegetables and fruit, food is tastier with touch of herbs, more affordable living cost, and so on and so forth.
Last but not least in where I live spirituality is a daily life blended with natureโ no Iโm not talking about religion, institutional religion isnโt an interest of mine anymore. People donโt have to wait until certain days to pray, God or god is just a daily reality, sacred in the heart normal topic in public. People donโt have to organise registered charities to help others; not all people are trustworthy but I love in a circle where integrity is topmost criteria to survive. People donโt have to be certified to teach spirituality class; when I was young I simply knocked on neighboursโ doors and asked them about cultural and spiritual wisdom and we didnโt have to pay a cent.
Not ideal to all, but thatโs a perfect life to this person
Iโve always dreamed to have a home base in culturally-integrated-not-so-crowded city like Bali, Yogyakarta or Ayutthaya when not traveling. Itโs gonna be a sweet, warm landed property that once in a while welcomes family and friends to share ideas about this fun life and their great mind. Oh, donโt forget with lots of plants and at least two cats around! Dog? Maybe, the lazy one so that we donโt have to walk it everyday ๐
Dream on, dear Self. Hug the imagination while weekend is around. ๐
Breakfast is ready:
One recipe, two kitchens;
One smile, one grimaceโ
If we start with wrong breakfast, weโll treat the whole day wrongly? Luckily Iโm not a breakfast person. But when my lunch goes wrong, the next half day will be a disaster! ๐
Lines of working ants
Build meaning through voice and tones.
Hiragana drillโ
once per day!
When learning foreign languages with totally different alphabets, no choice but investing time to drill yourself! Up to now Iโm still spending some time everyday to write Hiragana and Katakana characters to improve handwriting. My Sensei has shown or told me about the handwritings of one young learner which according to her is consistent and cute. Alamak….! The elementary schooler has pulled my confidence down ๐ To me, mine is more beautiful but yes my handwriting is bigger and not so cute especially at Friday class after my work. Feeling excited to learn at the same time wanting to put this head on the thick dictionary ๐คฏ
While Hiragana look damn cute and elegant like marching ants, itโs a constant test as the ratio among the curves, line and dots are not precise after months of exercise. Katakana characters looking more rigid and alike with just straight lines and stripes have misled me – I thought itโs easier but NO! Baby step, baby step! Drill writing, drill reading, drill speaking, drill listening.
้ ๅผตใฃใฆ to myself! ๐
For those liking to learn art of Japanese handwriting there is a very good content creator in YouTube that I also like to refer to for โgolden ratioโ of Japanese characters.
Gear change in the rain
Between slippery road and
Raincoat left behindโ
With years of biking experience Iโm supposed to have no problem speeding with bike in Singapore, thatโs what my siblings think. But thatโs totally misleading. I feel high alert when biking in the rain here. In slope pavement or road I will constantly put hands quite pressure on both brakes, put the easiest gear combination making me look like a beginner biker โ slow, doubtful, awkward. While in home country I would go to alternative routes which are many to get to the destination with the same speed enough to bulldoze a wall.
In the rain with blurred goggles because of water and wet body because of no raincoat, it makes it even more awkward coz this mind is swinging between โwanna be careful and go slowโ and โrace to get home quicklyโ. Whatโs more, the big vehicles in the road would either splash water with no mercy when traffic is good or floor the gas pedal not to rev but to let the steam off from the driverโs head in heavy traffic.
Yet there is always good side: I can sing as loudly as I want or curse the drivers with no mercy too โcoz no one will hear me….
Eh? Human beings are confusing – wanna go safely but taking high risks, wanna curse at people but donโt wanna get heard, wanna be dry but forget raincoat at home…. ๐คช
Life is such a paradox, like biking in a heavy rain with no rain coat.
No, Beloved.
You are not red
You are not yellow
You are not blue
Only.
You are all gradationally spread from one point to another,
Occupying Space,
Led by Time.
Time makes all matter.
It becomes every milestone of journey.
It gives chances to clarify the direction of journey.
It sets free what should be said and what should be held back. Enjoy.
Space is a secondary supporting detail.
It doesnโt talk about the essence of journey.
It shows whatโs been hoarded by a traveler.
It ย neglects whatโs importance.
It helps slow down when break is needed
But at times it obscures the signs and messages. Beware!
Stay where you are, Beloved with no nerves
Knowing that space wonโt corrupt you.
It is a lining of colours in different levels of degree that beautifies your existence.
Donโt quit, Beloved whichever the speed is
Knowing that time sharpens your perceptive.
It is what will be weighed and presented as a gift.
You see that, Beloved?
Or not?
Oh, I know youโre tipsy!
๐
โ
A free verse about time and space between the Lover and the Beloved.
Bored to death! Thanks God itโs Monday tomorrow!
Singapore - Jan. 17, 2021 / 22:00
gradation can make things either bright, dull, intriguing, boring โ focused or bokeh, both are beautiful
Raining cats and dogs
Leaves laundry damped and undone
But plants glorious.
When a mountain of clothes after two weeks of undone laundry is waiting to iron and the cleaning lady isnโt available to help this weekend, it feels like…. ๐คฎ
Better playing with some of the happy plants in between the work, moving them to a place where they can enjoy the sun while they can
Shower room windows give them chance to sunbathe after days of rain in another corner.
rike jokanan 
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