Category: Learning

Dream Weekend

Learning, Map It!, Poetic
What is dream weekend?
Mine is
A walk in the green,
Smiles under the blue,
Jokes with warm sun,
Chats with cool breeze,
Glanced by rice herons,
Chased by crazy ducks,
Followed by spoiled dog,
Side by side with good friends,
Wrapped up with 5-cent luxury in banana leaf
And huge thanks to
Whomever-whomever.

—

i rented a room in a Balinese banjar belonging to a family — it is living as a Balinese in Central Ubud 💝 hey, Pongky! let’s go to the rice field, buddy!
Mount Agung and Mount Batur from distance 💝
ducks are herded in rice field here – beautiful scenery 💝
how beautiful you are! 💝
a farmer burning the dried rice stalk to sterilize the land — don’t say what you don’t know like carbon footprint, what he does is a natural process and nothing compared to what all the industries have done to Mother Earth
turn left
turn right
go straight
follow the flow within, dear self
hi, rice herons! i was blessed to see you 💝
my best friend said “that’s your dream island in the middle of rice field!” 😝
she also said “are you sure not moving to Ubud someday?” i said “i love the rice field of Ubud but when i retire i guess it is gone, so let me enjoy my tiny greenery in Yogyakarta, we can always give friendly visit to each other” 💝
water hyacinths
pisang kipas (Ravenala madagascariensis)
big brands building their hotels in the valley – greenery, please survive 🙏🏼 or you might be gone when i retire
my breakfast was for 5 cent! 💝 nasi jinggo ubi (rice with some yellow sweet yam — clean, tasty and cheap: that’s food in Bali and Jogja 😍
also 5 cents! 💝 nasi jinggo kuning (turmeric yellow jinggo rice)

Bali, A Space In A Place

Learning, Map It!, Poetic
I don’t need a place.
They can build a palace
To place me.
I’m not a queen,
Please gift it to someone more beautiful and loving luxury.

I deserve just a space.
It can be a table for two
To chat with me.
I’m a traveler,
Please go on a quest with me through joy and challenges to be.

Let me clean my place
For a little space.
Now and here
With or without
You—

—-

i went melukat with one of my best friends in Pura Pacampuhan Sala on Saturday to welcome Seclusion Day and Ramadhan month — it was such a blessing for both of us

About MELUKAT

Linguistically melukat is derived from the old Javanese word “lukat” which means to “cleanse” or “purify”.

Melukat itself is understood as bathing or cleansing with water that aims to cleanse both body and mind, to refresh the spirit and dissolve away any negative influences. It is also believed to cure non medical diseases and sickness of the spirit and whether it does or not, a session bathing in holy waters will certainly make you feel good.

It is a symbol of letting go or releasing something burdening within us. It is a ritual that can be performed many times, in fact the more, the merrier as it can only lead to good things. It is also a kind of self purification that is very common by Indonesians of Hindu and Javanese Muslim in different ways as ritual.

Hindu in Bali will do it as frequent ritual, even for tourist attraction in some way.

Muslim have daily ablution (washing face/nostrils/earlobes/hands/feet) and mandatory bathing for women after menses or married couples after sexual intercourse. They also have another self purification affected by original Javanese tradition called “Adus Suran” or “taking a bath in Assyura/Suro month” in which they will do bathing in Javanese New Year’s Eve called “1st night of Suro”. Muslims are also suggested to do cleansing ritual (normal bathing with strong intension) before Ramadhan.

While in Bali why not I committed myself to self-purify? My best friend did it for Seclusion Day. I did for Ramadhan. Both of us did it for health, happiness and joy. 💝

Salaam.

walking along Sok Wayah’s rice field the whole morning on Sunday
after a long walk, Pukako’s drink and sweet potato is the best choice 😎

Love

Learning, Poetic
I found love
In your eyes
Only to find it none of yours.
It was mine 
Reflected by mirror
Standing facing me.

This love is light
Shining incandescently 
Within a glass,
It does stay
Yet radiates
To all directions.

Never so much
Simply bright—

—

walking around only to find love 💝

Silence

Learning
Silent’s eloquent.
No engine sound, just birds’ songs
And doubt about you—

—

Just want to rest this body that gets weaker and silence the mind that gets doubtful

🌺

last night’s dinner spread in Minang Saiyo, a Padang food restaurant in Denpasar — on the way to Ubud
Padang traditional altar as part of restaurant decoration

Bed of Tulips

Learning, Poetic
Bed of tulips bloom
Under April’s sun. They smile
Through linen canvas.

—

Monet’s
April 2017, Musee d’Orsy

Hope

Learning, love, Poetic
The sun rises, sets
At two ends to tell the time
To the open eyes.

—

I always become guilty when my nieces say they want to be like me after breaking up romantically. They might think being single is the best choice in that situation, which is true yet nothing is permanent. Don’t be too sure about what you think, that’s what I always tell those young ladies.

The wedding of my niece recently was truly one miracle to witness after so long she thought she would not trust marriage institution. She finally trusts a man, a lucky one as much as my niece is lucky to be married by that funny guy! 💝

Behind the wedding scene one of my nieces approached me and asked me questions and here is the interestingly funny abridged conversation.

N: Auntie, you still hope to get married?

Me: You?

N: You know what happened. I believe mother told you. She said to me you disagreed with my decision.

Me: Of course. You are young. No reason to not getting married.

N: You? Tell me.

Me: I am slightly different.

N: Old?

Me: Yes.

N: Are you abnormal?

Me: Like what?

N: Homosexual.

Me: No.

N: You hate men?

Me: No

N: You are afraid of being poor?

Me: I am not. But I won’t want to be poor.

N: So what makes you single for so long?

Me: The same as you.

N: Trust?

Me: Yes.

N: Do you think I can get my trust back faster than you?

Me: Yes. Look at Dan. It took her only some years to finally getting married.

N: I hope I can.

Me: When you still talk about hope, it means you will get it.

N: But I hope you get married first before I do. Please…

Me: I hope….

N: (she smiled and went to fetch some snack)

Sometimes you’ve gotta show your beloved how much hope you have to make them keep hoping for the best. To me although I have to pretend…. 😝

N: (she got back with some snack on a plate) Do you really hope? It’s been 16 years!

Me: 😂

—

never give up, dear kids — everyone has love to share
there’s always love in hope
💝

Dream Life

Learning
What is dream life?
Working with passion,
Living in peace,
Befriending those on the ground,
Keeping safe distance from those in the sky.
It comes true in no dream.
Why still dreaming
While morning has broken?

The sun is the answer.

—

Today’s early morning’s conversation with a friend after so long as we’ve both been so caught up with work has made me thank life for being me, standing on the ground with enough sweet life around.

F: Join me here this weekend.

Me: Whoa! You’re there already on Thursday?

F: I’m on a leave.

Me: Enjoy your long weekend there. I prefer Bali, I will be in Ubud this weekend with my friends.

F: Go horse back riding with me here. Try once, you’ll love it. Don’t you find Ubud is boring?

Me: Boring things might suit me. Ha ha ha…. Have a good weekend horse back riding. And hope your dream of flying private jet can soon come true.

Time to leave the bed and clean the undergrowth in my path. 🐣

never my dream life; if it’s yours, you’re off from my route ☺️
i’ll do it if horse is the only transportation mode ☺️ i prefer an Audi for now 😁

Dream Catchers

Learning, love, Poetic
Catch my dreams, my love
The ones I could not.
Share the joy, my love
The one I would enjoy.
Let’s smile together
At the road we’ve taken.

You might have missed some dreams
Caught by your beloved around.
We’re dream catchers
Catching the ones
Delivered by the brightest fireflies.

Happy for good
Joyful forever.

—

i’d always wanted to be a journalist, i can’t for some reason — but she’s the one reaching my dream even much better 💝 god bless you, Dan! 😘

By That I’ve Been Taught

Learning

Tuhan, Aku Berguru Kepadamu

a poem in a song
Tuhan,
aku berguru kepadaMu,
ajarilah bagaimana mendengarkan batu,
membaca suara,
menggenggam angin yang bisu.

Tuhan,
kedunguan memberiku pengertian,
buta mata menganugerahi penglihatan,
kelemahan menyimpan berlimpah kekuatan.

jika aku tahu
terasa betapa tak tahu,
waktu melihat
betapa penuh rahasia gelap
yang dikandung cahaya

Tuhan, aku berguru kepadaMu,
tak tidur di kereta waktu,
lebur dalam ruang,
karena setiap satu mengandung seribu
berguru kepadaMu.

Tuhan,
kuragukan setiap yang kutemu,
kutimba ilmu dari yang paling dungu.


Tuhan,
aku berguru kepadaMu,
gelap dan terang saling menegaskan,
garis batasnya memusnahkan jaraknya,
pada pertentangannya memancarkan kesatuannya.

[Emha Ainun Nadjib, dari majalah Horison edisi Desember 2007]

A Blessed Day

Learning
What is a day called
When heaven showers blessings
Above humans’ wish?

A blessed day—

—

Today is a blessed day attending my dear niece’s wedding matrimony and party. I clearly remember how she would sweetly tell me what she would be growing up when she was a sweet little sunshine. She is now a woman.

I love you across the universe, Dan! 😘😘😘

Salam.

he said “we want to contribute quality next generation in this country”; we shouted “have 10 children!”; she said “what?!!” 😘😘😘😂😂😂

Numbers

Learning
Numbers give her signs.
They give her signals.
They also show her luck.
And above all
Numbers help her track
If past, present, future
Are intact.

—

I’ve been feeling lucky as angel numbers are everywhere.

Today was especially.

The car plate from Erawan to Svarnabhum was 88. My seat number from Bangkok to Singapore was 55, boarding at 15:55. My aeroplane from Changi to Soetta is B777.

Good number. Good flight. Good feel.

lucky like having Doraemon 💝

Hold My (ranting)

Learning

Life is wonderful when it has ups, downs and plateau at the right time. In fact, time is always right at least twice a day when the clock is broken. When time seems not right, it will be right by deploying the right genre— prose, poetry or drama? Your decision! 😊

Realist: Stop drama now.

Me: Oh! You mean I should not use acts and scenes?

Playwright: She means no life drama.

Me: Ok. I will try prose.

Novelist: She means don’t be too much, my dear.

Me: Alright. I will use poem.

Poet: She means the content!

Me: Ahh! So it is about genre?

All but me: (speechless)

Critic: Hold my beer! I mean my teapot!

—

hold my teapot!

Nails, Eyes and Mirror

Learning

These nails are torn
Peeling your characters.
That you’re unlimited
Has dipped me in
Soup of paradox
Whose extremes don’t follow physics law.

These eyes are blurred
Scrutinising your characters.
That you’re detailed
Has distracted me in
Spectrum of colours
Whose pixels don’t show readable frequency.

There’s a place though
Where phenomena are sensed
Clearly by a mirror
Showing real shadow, same size, same distance—
Screenshots don’t apply,
All are mentally captured.

—-

for nails, eyes heart and soul, i can never say no when life is calling — i wish to take you in it

Par

Learning, Poetic
This tongue says
What belly doesn’t.
Under par, Tongue shouts
Then never stops complaining.
Above par, Belly says
Then waits until the next par.
Is it fondness or fullness
The ruler?
Up to you,
Said the Tongue
Who whines about the taste.

Beloved,
You’ve raised a double agent.

Ha!

—

what an excessively oily aglio olio, said I — but I was sooo happy that I slept earlier 💝