Dancing Dolls

Dolls dance following the rhythm of the carver’s breath. Standing ovationβ€”

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dancing dolls, how attractive you are! i enjoy watching your unmoved movements then applaud as that’s what you are made for 🎎

Lazed

Is it lazed or slowed? The day seems long without you around the pink sky.

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indomie is the best in lazy day 😍

doesn’t look amazing but tastes like soul! πŸ₯°

Welcome

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Welcomed by a home with greenery to be cooked, she builds a sweet mood.
fridge gave me a surprise to make lunch – thanks for the left over of vegetables and beef 😁

Home Missed

There’s home that’s missed lingering around the heart. Let it in with joy.

β€”

slightly boring, yes β€” back home is the happiest πŸ’ i miss the kitchen, the orchids, the bikes, the books, the canvas, the paper and all that I can do in that tiny space
oooh and time to bring my luggage to its repair center 😘

Reflector

Reflection kills her night.
The tower dramatically sways,
Dancing with the street light,
Gleaming with the moonbeam.

She grabs a cloth
To wipe her mirror.

Oye, her little heart.
You need a janitor.

β€”

one Petronas tower reflected perfectly through a skyscraper’s glass in a dim evening πŸͺž dramatic yet poetic and romantic 😎

Old Friends

There is memory shared around a round table at a starry night.

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so blessed to meet friends β€” they said β€œChinese food for dinner ok lah, Rijk, no pork lah no pork!” ok lah, everyone…. 😘 thank you! πŸ™πŸΌ

Two Towers

Towers will mostly collapse of weak foundation…. Or the strongest quake

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Petronas Twin Towers from taxi πŸ‘πŸ½
solanum on the reception table πŸ’
no one can make me feel not good if I don’t allow myself to – it’s a commitment as strong as tower with solid foundation, not only a lip service. KL, see you soon πŸ”₯

Nothing Is Left

She travels light.

She brings a few packed
And you, in a locket
Kept safe with a chain
Worn around the neck
Reminding the traveler
That nothing is left.

β€”

dear river, this is my empty jar with which i keep your water before it flows back with you to the vast ocean – nothing is wasted, nothing is left πŸ’

A Home (ranting)

A bird builds a nest in what its mother describes a home. Protectionβ€”

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No one is truly detached from one’s root and that is a foundation that should not be shaken. Foundation is the last and foremost protecting part of a building. When others try to shake adult mature’s foundation principles, they are sooner or later surely destroying a construction that has been built carefully and systematically through parenting, education and culture especially in early age.

Still want to change your friends to be like what you want them to be? It is either killing them inside or killing you inside. Worse is both don’t realise that the other is dying or dead inside; even think there is a good change considered β€œa success to educate (wrong) friends”. Ah….! Illusion.

Solution? Eh? How would you treat a beautiful gift given to you? Don’t try changing others’ foundation principles. Instead accompany them grow to their best version as they are.

And for those not even appreciating their own or others’ roots: congratulations, you are doomed. Oops! I mean it takes longer time for you to reach true goals. 😁

Salaam.

πŸ’

fly, achene. find a home where you rest your dreams.

Ceremony

There’s fire kindled, prayer sung, fragrance bellowed in ceremony.

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Life is humble as a simple smile at the same time sacred as a ceremony, enjoy it with bare heart (RC Gorman’s Ceremony)

(Day)Dreamers

A white lamb on the lap of a dreamer daydreams of her dreaming sweet.

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don’t judge your dream, accept it πŸ’— you can do it by calming down

Deep Sea

White foam on turquoise sweeps back to dark blue deeper to where secrets are.

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dive more deeply to this deep sea and let yourself be greeted by the calmness and warmth of your own honesty and acceptance β€” there is something that doesn’t demand you to be anyone else but you πŸ’—

Angels (sharing)

The wings are flapping sprinkling blessings through the air. Breathe them. Be blissful.

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In Arabic angel is called malaaikatun or malaaikah or simply malaaikat (Ψ§Ω„Ω’Ω…ΩŽΩ„Ω°Ω“Ψ¦ΩΩƒΩŽΨ©Ω) literally meaning β€œpower that governs”. In Islamic tradition the β€œpower that governs” are grouped based on what type of assigned power they govern that are many and one of them is β€œpower to govern protection”.

I always believe I am fully protected through the existence of the angels surrounding me although I am not interested to discuss about their form; people say angels have wings, others say they are made from light, some say malaaikah are systemic laws to run the universe, and so on and so forth. It doesn’t matter to me. That they exist and follow the assigned β€œpower to govern” is enough for me.

Only when we listen, we will hear. We will hear the songs of the angels, the songs of universe, the songs of the heart, the songs of the soul. I prefer my angels to sing jazzy songs in this end of long weekend. 😁

Listening to heart…. πŸ’—

Salaam.

β€˜ve met feathers almost everywhere walking recently; i took it as a sign that protection is everywhere and decided to always wear this silver pendant this year as an appreciation of the protection β€” thank you for the protection

Heaven & Earth

Does heaven and earth exist other than in a lover’s smile? Yes. Dream.

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although not there, I still seek heaven and earth in you through my dream πŸ₯° happy new year to the other time zones until every spot on earth is covered by Jan 1, 2023

3 1st on Jan 1st

There is always first.
A tree greeting breeze and sky
Comes from minute seed.

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1st breakfast to make
1st movie to (re)watch in 2023 – an energizing movie! always love Sandra Bullock
1st chore while 1st movie rewatch after 1st breakfast completed β€” more 1st things on Jan 1st of 1st long weekend in 2023 β€” i’m gonna love 2023 much πŸ’—

Year by Year (Life Long Resolution)

Thank you, 2022 for every single second spent together. You are a stronger part of what I’ve been building with love. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

And thanks to all years passing, too. I’ll miss you. πŸ’

β€”

Life is wonderful that she is eager about it and is willing to expand and to keep up with what she is becoming. She is the pilot, she is the plane. She is the destination, she is the direction. She is the standard, she is the conformance. She is the alignment, she is the aligned. She is enough.

It is not others’ responsibility that she feels good or not good. The feel existing is because she allows it to be. And the vice versa.

β€”

2023, be my excellent canvas of feel-good-no-matter-what. Clarity, sufficiency, integrity as in good life, beautiful love, genuine laughter πŸ’—

Alfatihah.

πŸ’

3 buceng (tumpeng) kuwat mini for today’s end of year blessing πŸ’
this type of buceng/tumpeng is made of sticky rice and grated coconut cooked in palm sugar; it is a buceng served in Javanese traditional ceremony for health and strength in physical, mental and spiritual β€” made it mini so i could enjoy it for today’s portion of breakfast, lunch and dinner πŸ’

About tumpeng or buceng (in Bahasa Indonesia)

clarity, sufficiency, integrity as in good life, beautiful love, genuine laughter
DC said β€œhey, 7! stop the call, firework is ready!” DC and I worked in the same office and stayed in the same rented house strictly for ladies, belonging to a rich Maduranese family in Greater Jakarta – the family always threw New Year celebration with some of us in the huge garden between their mansion and the rented house – we both were always excited because we never liked going out with some other ladies to celebrate it outside πŸ₯° oh my! it was me in the year 2002 welcoming 2003, calling my mother in new year’s eve from my Nokia πŸ˜€
waking up on Jan 1, 2003 morning in DC’s bedroom (hers was #4) that was full with stuffed animals β€” we probably only slept for 1 hour before she woke us up β€œladies, wake up! pose before you even bath and brush your teeth, i will go develop the pictures today as new year’s gift for you all” and it is a true gift in 2023 for me πŸ˜‚ thanks, DC! love from where i am πŸ’

Pho Bo

β€˜m preparing and tasting homemade Vietnamese pho bo! This beef noodle never fails my day. Thanks to anyone who invented and perfect this recipe. This is main course in this New Year’s Eve. 😊

Count down continues!

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boom!
doo doo doo
doo doo doo
boil pho noodle, this time it is real pho noodle, last time i used pad thai noodle
simmer the purified beef and the herbs together. simmer. once again sim….mer…. for about 5 hours 😎
char the ginger
char the onion
this time simpler than my 1st pho
boil it in high heat to separate the beef from its impurities – oh beef inferno πŸ˜‚
beef bone marrow and rib

St Elmo’s Fire

Water! Water!
St Elmo’s fire!
Water!

No.
No water for St Elmo’s fire.
A good omen.

Amen! Amen!
St Elmo’s fire!
Amen!

β€”

New year again! Thanks so much for reaching this point like a plane (an inch to) landing smoothly. Seat belt still on! Airplane mode still on! Yet the pilot is smiling widely with fire in her heart brighter and brighter, no red anymore, now almost blue to white!

Count down! πŸ’—

love theme from St Elmo’s Fire movie πŸ’

😊

About another St Elmo’s fire

Karma Pala

Ing karma pala tan ana kang isa mlayu. Kudu ngunduh.

Nandure siji, thukule satus. Panene pitungatus.

Tan kena kinira, mung Gusti kang pirsa. Janma mung krida.

Anteping kalbu, tekating jiwa. Slamet
Ing kabeh mangsa.

Rahayu.

(geguritan Jawa)

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cute seeds whose name i know not – hope 2023 will bring me harvest seasons with excellent crops; what? new year? again…. 😎πŸ₯°

Counting Blessings

There’s always blessing counted through breathing. Close eyes, the air prays for you.

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this is enough for the whole day! no rice today 😊
1st plate for breakfast πŸ’ urap Jawa in cassava leaves, long bean, kecipir (square bean), carrot and sprout + raw long bean and damn kencur (fragrant ginger leaves)
that raw leaves are leaves of kencur (fragrant ginger), fragrant and refreshing 😊 the yellow leaf was not wastedπŸ˜€
tempe and tofu, side dish that rocks! πŸ˜‡

Days Hum with A Smile

Days hum with a smile,
Swiping hours of hunger
Leaving only joy.

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opening the freezer, i found a bag of oxtail; bought 1kg even before the trip β€” ok, the best choice was making oxtail soup! 😎
1st serving – i love delicious oxtail soup! πŸ’•
2nd one, there were 3 more β€” thanks god i don’t have cholesterol issue so it was a 2-day oxtail soup every meal with smiles and hums πŸ˜€

Be Light-Hearted, My Dear

Heart should be as light as a swaying feather to enjoy life with only feel good no matter what.

In Javanese someone with heavy heart is called mbentoyong which literally means β€œbent and almost broken by the heavy loads”, it is associated with a tree whose branches are bent and almost broken because of heavy loads of ripened fruits”. This kind of person will not find happiness and joy in any point of one’s life; one will misunderstand alone with loneliness and so one will always find refuge among crowd; one is confused about one’s self; one will always refer to what others say about one as if their opinions are more important than one’s own. As long as one is not willing to unload the unnecessary burdens in heart, one will always be mbentoyong better and better and finally be a master of mbentoyong.

It is heavy. I know it is heavy. It is painful. I know it is painful. Be cured, dear heavy hearts whenever you feel heavy. Lightness of heart is a comfort even in discomfort. πŸ₯°

I bless this heart which is light and swaying with the flow of clean river inside. Calm and witty and fun! Thank you for the feel good no matter what. Not easy but doableβ€”

Salaam.

πŸ’—

β€œlet’s go to Turkey, Rijk” my best friend texted me last week; β€œwhy not, Mbak” said i light-heartedly β€” it’s time for Konya πŸ’—

Romance

Romance is a dimmed space under a dome bedazzled with glowing stars.

β€”

dear glowing stars, let’s celebrate this light warm heart…. dear clean sky, keep being a space for this light warm heart…. dear centred earth, hug this light warm heart in a serene mood forever

Love Eat or Love Pray? πŸ₯° (sharing)

I can’t know anymore what makes this area special for me, whether the Masjid Sultan or Wardah Books or two favourite restaurants here. Anyway at least two are in must-visit list at the same time. After visiting Masjid Sultan to submit charity from my fellow Indonesian, today’s preferred was Hokkaido (halal) ramen as Wardah Books was closed and the Turkish restaurant was too crowded β€” I don’t like crowded restaurant.

FYI, Masjid Sultan is surrounded by hundreds of restaurants and shops; it is an equivalent with old-time mosque which was always built around market place in order for people to reach it in no time.

When I meet friends in this area, it is either with a statement β€œlet’s meet up at the mosque” or β€œmeet at *** restaurant” or β€œWardah Books this time?”. There is one question that my friends and I like to ask each other as either teaser or respect: β€œeating 1st or praying*) 1st?” The answer?

*) praying here is not a flash pray before starting activities  like simply saying β€œIn the name of The Gracious and The Merciful” but praying is around 5-10 minutes protocol that is normally done by fellow Muslim.

Group #1 (religious friends, they can pray β€œforever”, wow!): Pray first. It is more important than anything including eating. We should prioritise God who has given us everything, others can wait. Don’t make God jealous.

Group #2 (rascals, will let you pray while they start eating): Eat first. God won’t force you to pray when you are hungry. Better you eat remembering that you will pray rather than you pray and your thought is wandering around all kinds of food.

Group #3 (clown, bitter that makes all chatters jokers): Don’t ask me, I am fasting everyday because of having no food at all and so I don’t pray because I have nothing to thank for.

Group #4 (good jugglers, like Group #3 but to the next level): Why so picky? Can’t we do both at the same time? You can choose at the mosque or in the restaurant!

Some jokes are actually dead serious that the way people respond can either be considered as intelligence or harassment or abuse rather than as just fun. Yet I share mine as part of showing how religious comedy exists among Javanese Muslims (there are way more that I will never share publicly to avoid misunderstanding and misinterpretation); no harassment or abuse whatsoever. I even see philosophy in many if not all jokes. 😝

Ah! Life is so rich, why feel no good just because of one point of view?

Salaam.

open for everyone πŸ™‡β€β™€οΈ

About Masjid Sultan or Sultan Mosque

more than just a bookstore; my Arabic class was here by then

About Wardah Books

good! my colleague of course said β€œno!”

About ICHIKOKUDO

this is how Hokkaido (halal) ramen looks – eater can select ramen with light-consistency broth that’s why I like it yet the presentation is not up to my expectation: messy kelp, wet spoon, no wet tissue 😌
berry jelly tea – yum!, sweet
today’s drink, also good 😊

The Right Pink

The rose apple is pink enough to be harvested. It’s the right time.

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waiting for the flight home, once again looked at the pink Lucy and once again blessed this key ring β€œwill definitely be suddenly Lucy Van Pelt to the snobbish and to the arrogant” πŸ˜‡

About Lucy Van Pelt

They Call It This, I Call It That

Or I call it this, they call it that. It is it. Pronouns that fool aroundβ€”

Some know, like telling. Some know, don’t tell enjoying the fun of knowingβ€”

Some names are easy. Some are hard. All refer to one uttered many.

Some are fooled with words, some with views, lots with both. Few are clear with both

Which one is called a blessing? Ah…. Choose a door and say your oath.

Salaam.

β€”

they call it this, i call it that
they call it red anthurium, i call it anthurium
they call it golden shower orchids, i call it oncidium
they call it layered yellow alamanda, i call it alamanda
they call it fragrant orchids, i call it orchids
they call it patterned pink rose, i call it rose

Travelers


We are all
Full time travelers
Visiting space of everywhere
Staying in faraway nowhere

Oh, Beloved.
Listen to the whooshing comets
Telling you flash news
About your singing heart.

Oh, Beloved.
Look at the satellites
Showing you hopes and vibes
About your cheering head.

We are all
Full time travelers
Finding space called a home
Among houses that were loomed.

Found!
After lostβ€”

Thank you, Love.

β€”

πŸ’—