When the Rain hugs her,
Sun is weaving Light spectrum.
Does she see the arch?
Singapore – June 22, 2020 / 23:32
—-
I love the rain as it warms my heart and waters my hopes.
May all beings be happy.
Author: rike jokanan
Me, now here
What’s In My Steamed Cupcake – ranting
There is so much to learn in a cup of steamed cupcake.
There is love surrounding it. There is pain inserted to it. There is patience blended in it. There is hope. There is despair. There is smile and frowning at the same time.
I love learning to cook but the process of searching and trying the best recipe has been part of the journey. Some recipes were just failure and more were not shown to public because I have not enough patience to read my nasty good friends’ comments – trust me their love is bigger than their sarcasm but I still can’t deal with it.
I always hope that I have more time to try on more recipes but there are a lot of limitation that bump me like the bumper-cars on the arena – work, household chores, books, movies…. Name it. But the despair is more about thinking too much of who will eat the food as I am alone in this small apartment. Sometimes I will just call the cleaning lady to bring some home, or ask her to share it with the other cleaning staffs and security guards – some despair is just not reasonable and mine isn’t exception.
Yet I still love learning to cook, exploring ingredients and techniques, trying some different cooking from different places of the world. I’m not big fans of culinary but all the food that I’ve made myself has built some side of mine to know that I still want to go around the world some day to try on the original food in its place of origin.
Just smile more and frown less.
Here is the process of my steamed cupcake today! The result isn’t as good as the real recipe yet I smile at myself for today’s joy.
May all beings be happy.
Ingredients of my simple steamed cupcake
These are the cup and paper sent by my friend from Jakarta.
Mix, mix, mix….
Put pandan pasta into half of the dough
I know it is not even… The recipe said for 8 cups but maybe the size of the cup is different from mine. No problem!
Into the steamer….
8 cupcakes: 3 successful, 5 “next time better” – still it made me happy!
Morning Greets Sweetly – haiku
Morning greets sweetly
Eyes that open lazily.
Love is truly blind.
Singapore – June 19, 2020 / 21:40
—
Only human beings own the ability to manipulatively respond to anything, while other beings will always respond honestly as they are. Morning will always present bright colours either with the shining sun, cooling rain, wrapping cloud, awaiting meeting, and other possible hustle-bustle of the job; yet people will not always smile in the morning. There are those choosing to start the day with heavy burden and drudging steps.
If you wanna see what true love is, find the love shown by the nature and learn through it.
May all beings be happy.
Can Wind Vanish, Love – haiku
Can Wind vanish, Love?
Look how pressurised we’ve been!
Just give me soft Breeze.
Singapore – Jun. 18, 2020 / 21:30
—-
Sometimes you wonder why the wind blows all the hopes. Sometimes you want strong wind to dry your sweat. Sometimes you are longing for soft, nice breeze to accompany you in a solo journey. Nothing is permanent….
May all beings be happy.
Listen To The Masks – haiku
Listen to the masks
Hanging ear to ear. Take one,
Let the party start.
Singapore – Jun. 17, 2020 / 19:45
—-
You need your masks, not to hide but to show the kindness of a human being even if you have to suffer in the dark.
May all beings be happy.
Awake While Asleep – haiku
Awake while asleep:
Concocting cocktails of dreams,
Or mocktails of facts—
Singapore – Jun. 15, 2020 / 18:30
—
If you think your life is too crazy, drink some mocktail. If too plain, add a bit of cocktail. Don’t let any concoction make you either 100% asleep or fully awake.
You get that, dear Self?
May all beings be happy.
The Lost Paradise – tanka
The lost paradise
Found— By whom? Where? When? And how?
By you, here, now….. Halt!
Between two heart beats, you see
The realm of a peaceful mind.
Singapore – Jun. 10, 2020 / 21:45
Layers of Self – verses
There is time when Mr Grey is reluctant to evaluate others’
Actions,
Motions,
Emotions,
Notions—
For as much as the head’s dullness, true colours won’t lie
And untrue intentions will reveal.
In the mode of working class,
Putting layered of dignified masks in silence,
Enchanting intelligent chorus in public,
Smirking in the dark.
Beloved dedication
Decorated with
Stabbing behind—
….
Doesn’t it matter?
No—
Take a time
As long as Time wishes to be with you:
Hiding behind true Smile,
Singing in the Heart,
Reciting poems in the Soul.
Someday
When the floor invites you to dance,
Offering the best music of Life,
Then down to the floor!
Dance until the Light fades away
Which is never.
Now
Observe all the moves
Of the masks around you
Which will undo themselves
One by one.
May all beings be happy.
Singapore – Jun. 9, 2020 / 21:58
Sweet Scar – my mood
May all beings be happy….
Who’s That YouTuber – haiku
Who’s that YouTuber
Breaking the bones to pieces
But reviving Self?
Singapore – Jun. 7, 2020 / 22:11
—
I never imagined before that I will have enough time re-watch Studio Ghibli’s then watch history-based Korean TV series —Hey! I don’t watch that Itaeawon Class type of thing— then take random choices in Netflix (If you know Dead Poets Society, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, The Little Rascals, The Hobbits, 47 Ronin or Assassin’s Creed then you know what random means to me) and…..
…. additional contents in YouTube other than those I’ve been following for years. Too much information: I’ve read less recently 😷
And here is what might have been one worst result of all the watching thing: I found Chloe Ting’s YouTube channel and decided to join the 30-day challenge to get flat belly. And I can’t just give up! I’d better make Super score for myself! Or else, I’m gonna hate gym forevah!
Thanks, Chloe Ting!
May all beings be happy.
🙏🏼
Some Dream Grow So Fast- haiku
Some dream grow so fast,
Move on a lane full of pain–
Like a lil bamboo?
Singapore – Jun. 6, 2020 / 11:19
Color vs Color?
God bless those with “color blind”….
May all beings be happy.
It Says Thanks To You – haiku
It says thanks to you
For showing true and untrue
Through this emotion.
Singapore – Jun. 1, 2020 / 22:15
—
Realising that a gift is not merely about a special thing wrapped beautifully but more about the true among the untrue is a gift itself. No matter how it feels inside until now, I still thank you.
What a beautiful Life!
May all beings be happy….
Maru & Hana – my mood
Cats and river sound:
A bit of tranquility—
What a piece of peace!
Singapore – May 30, 2020 / 21:21
May all beings be happy….
Time’s Bringing Good Acts – haiku
Time’s bringing good acts.
Places add good vibes to it.
How I miss your peace.
Singapore – May 25, 2020 / 22:29
—-
I miss two places the most right now: Bali and Ayutthaya. Once this circuit breaker is exited, those two will be my destination.
May all beings be happy.
Rendang for Eid – my mood
What is one of the most delicious food in the world?
Rendang!
People think it is of Malaysia original. NO, it is not. It is originally an Indonesian food, more exactly from Padang, a place situated in Sumatera. Is it that important to debate where food is coming from? Not at all…. Yet I think I would be gracefully proud to tell people that I’m successful to cook one of the most delicious food from my own country rather than that from neighbouring country.
I present this rendang to all Muslim wherever you are…. Eid Mubarak!
All my cooking is always started with “Browse the Net, dear Self!”
Let me boast my knowledge about spices and the rest of the “squad”: nutmeg (powder), turmeric leaf, cumin seed, coriander seed, cloves, lemongrass (I love this piece), tamarind, ginger, galangal, kefir lime leaves, red chilli (small and big ones), shallot, garlic, coconut milk (instant though).
I normally use traditional stone pestle and mortar but this high quantity of herbs will hurt my hands so allow me to use the food processor. Such a sin haha
My rendang is accompanying me in this Eid — no home country visiting this year, no gathering in the Embassy, no friends will be visiting due to the Gov policy of social distancing. It is fine. Hope this pandemic is over immediately and leaving good memory for the rest of my life….
May all beings be happy….
Singapore – May 23, 2020 / 12:08am
Which One Is Your Sign? – tanka
Which one is the sign?
Lightning or thunder? The one
Striking you. It is?
If they know, either isn’t.
The message is what it is.
Now here —
Note to self: whether it is the lightning or the thunder isn’t significant if you can’t read the sign.
Interesting!
You’ve Got A Friend – my mood
No matter what
You’ve got a friend….
Befriend with your own self first!
May all beings be happy.
Nina Simone – my mood
You don’t know what love is
Until….
Even when I have lost love that yet never dies, I still don’t know what love is….
And so I’m blessed for not knowing what love is.
🥰
Smile – my mood
With just a smile
You’ll change every single of your day into a joy!
May all beings be happy….
Jazzy evening – my mood
I’m missing you…. from afar
Far from the place
Far from the time
Maybe far from your heart….
But still I’m missing you.
💝
Celebrate your days! – haiku
Celebrate your day!
Every day! For all blessings
Poured down to your life.
Singapore – May 5, 2020 / 00:52
—-
Dear Self,
Every day is counted blessing, none of which is unworthy even if you experience unworthiness.
Never underestimate small detail. A piece of missing puzzle will break a big picture.
Thanks for all the blessed days, dear Life!
May all beings be happy. 🥰
Lady Rain – Sunday evening mood
Gemintang (Stars) – my mood
Stubborn emotion, stubborn feeling
Just see it come and go,
Don’t take it as a burden,
As long as the stars are there,
Just relax….
🥰
What Is New Normal? – haiku
What is new normal?
A set of taboos maybe
Or ancient practice—
Singapore – May 1, 2020 / 20:00
—
I feel an acceptable level of my new normals after two months of flexible work arrangement and no business trip. I wake up almost at the same time everyday – in my old normal I woke up in different time almost everyday because either of my flight, the pick up time or time zones.
I did my groceries very rarely; now regularly and enjoyably! Oh my god, I feel like going picnic in fact just going to either wet market or to Cold Storage 😁
I used to cook only at the weekend or holiday – sometimes not even because I would prefer going to my home country for short trips to meet my family and friends; now I cook literally every single day and I love it!
I did my laundry sometimes if it wasn’t done at the hotel; but now I handwash my clothes twice a week – big fabric like towels and bedsheet will still be thrown to washing machine.
I used to wear casual or sometimes dress for work; now I wear pyjamas, rompers or even just underwear when working as long as there is no conference call for the day!
And my plants have become happier – blooming orchids and growing rhizomes. 🥰
If these are new normals, would it be my normal even after the outbreak is cured? Might not all be….
I wish I have a better life after this circuit breaker and can keep some of the good and enjoyable things as my forever normal.
May all beings be happy.
It’s My Life – my mood
🤩
And Then Her Heart Broke – ranting
And then her heart broke.
Pieces of which are scattered
In this self journey.
Singapore – Apr. 23, 2020 / 22:04
—
You can find many pictures in Pinterest showing how human beings help and love each other but also destroy and hurt each other. Some pictures so touching remind me to childhood friends who have gone from contact list.
As a child I lived with my parents -both civil servants assigned in one remote area in the edge of a teak wood forest in East Java- working to take care of the people’s health in one dry district where we met unexpectedly poor community at that time.
I remember I had schoolmates whose parents were not able to buy them new clothes or school bags. Some students in my school wore shoes only on certain days to keep their shoes last long. Some had to help their parents sell something -snack, toys, kites, anything sellable- after school. Hey! They were laughing every day though. They laughed at their own life story, which I thought not ok to do so.
Sad? Yes, seeing the poverty. But they were happy people although others might think they were not lucky. Maybe that’s why it is easy for me to get stirred to see unfortunate situations as part of childhood memory but at the same time it takes very cheap things to make myself happy as part of lesson learned ☺️
In later age I grew up in a more structured culture, modernised and lack of empathy. I found some people act fake: fake smile, fake friendship, all fake as long as not fake money they were fine. People ground each other to win. Cruel!
Since then I promised to do all best to work in a place that promotes balance between business and people, that enables me to improve people’s welfare.
Once I taught children for free when I was in uni. I joined organisations that helped the underprivileged. I volunteered in free school programs for society. Ideal thing to fight against poverty. Me against the world! Gosh! Why was I so serious?
And now? Me against me! Realising the wicked problem is all within me…. So funny!
May all beings be happy. 🙏🏼
Universe Moves Us – haiku
Universe moves us,
Forcing life between two poles—
Swinging pendulums
Singapore – Apr. 23, 2020 / 18:00
—
We are constantly in motion, tracing lined-up momentum among extreme points in life.
If we think we stand still, that’s a momentum on which we meditate before pushed to the next vector.
A split second stillness,
An infinite balancing.
May all beings be happy.
Have You Seen A Saint? – haiku
Have you seen a saint
Walking on earth with no sin?
Yes? What a non sense!
Singapore – Apr. 23, 2020 / 00:30
—-
No saint—
There is never a saint.
What there is
Is someone whose soul is awakened,
Whose life is eaten away by humanity
Whose heart is shining
Through it.
At least those are saints I believe having lived in human form.
May all beings be happy. 🙏🏼
Is River The Water? – haiku
Is river the water?
Is river the flow? Either’s
Gone, it’ll never show.
Singapore – Apr. 21, 2020 / 23:16
—
What do you know about river?
Water?
Flow?
May all beings be happy. 🙏🏼
link of picture: https://wartawisata.id/2018/06/17/bengawan-solo-mengalir-sampai-jauh-destinasi-sejarah-dan-kekayaan-alam/
rike jokanan 
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