A bird builds a nest in what its mother describes a home. Protectionβ
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No one is truly detached from oneβs 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 matureβs 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 donβt realise that the other is dying or dead inside; even think there is a good change considered βa success to educate (wrong) friendsβ. Ahβ¦.! Illusion.
Solution? Eh? How would you treat a beautiful gift given to you? Donβt try changing othersβ foundation principles. Instead accompany them grow to their best version as they are.
And for those not even appreciating their own or othersβ roots: congratulations, you are doomed. Oops! I mean it takes longer time for you to reach true goals. π
Salaam.
π
fly, achene. find a home where you rest your dreams.
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 doesnβt demand you to be anyone else but you π
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 doesnβt matter to me. That they exist and follow the assigned βpower to governβ 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. π
Listening to heartβ¦. π
Salaam.
βve 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
Does heaven and earth exist other than in a loverβs smile? Yes. Dream.
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although not there, I still seek heaven and earth in you through my dream π₯° happy new year to the other time zones until every spot on earth is covered by Jan 1, 2023
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 iβm gonna love 2023 much π
Thank you, 2022 for every single second spent together. You are a stronger part of what Iβve been building with love. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
And thanks to all years passing, too. Iβll miss you. π
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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 othersβ responsibility that she feels good or not good. The feel existing is because she allows it to be. And the vice versa.
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2023, be my excellent canvas of feel-good-no-matter-what. Clarity, sufficiency, integrity as in good life, beautiful love, genuine laughter π
Alfatihah.
π
3 buceng (tumpeng) kuwat mini for todayβs end of year blessing π
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 todayβs portion of breakfast, lunch and dinner π
clarity, sufficiency, integrity as in good life, beautiful love, genuine laughter
DC said βhey, 7! stop the call, firework is ready!β 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 π₯° oh my! it was me in the year 2002 welcoming 2003, calling my mother in new yearβs eve from my Nokia π
waking up on Jan 1, 2003 morning in DCβs bedroom (hers was #4) that was full with stuffed animals β we probably only slept for 1 hour before she woke us up βladies, wake up! pose before you even bath and brush your teeth, i will go develop the pictures today as new yearβs gift for you allβ and it is a true gift in 2023 for me π thanks, DC! love from where i am π
βm 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 Yearβs Eve. π
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 simβ¦.merβ¦. for about 5 hours π
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 π
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!
Thereβs 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 π1st plate for breakfast π 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 π the yellow leaf was not wastedπtempe and tofu, side dish that rocks! π
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! π1st serving – i love delicious oxtail soup! π2nd one, there were 3 more β thanks god i donβt have cholesterol issue so it was a 2-day oxtail soup every meal with smiles and hums π
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 βbent and almost broken by the heavy loadsβ, it is associated with a tree whose branches are bent and almost broken because of heavy loads of ripened fruitsβ. This kind of person will not find happiness and joy in any point of oneβs life; one will misunderstand alone with loneliness and so one will always find refuge among crowd; one is confused about oneβs self; one will always refer to what others say about one as if their opinions are more important than oneβs 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. π₯°
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.
π
βletβs go to Turkey, Rijkβ my best friend texted me last week; βwhy not, Mbakβ said i light-heartedly β itβs time for Konya π
Romance is a dimmed space under a dome bedazzled with glowing stars.
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dear glowing stars, letβs celebrate this light warm heartβ¦. dear clean sky, keep being a space for this light warm heartβ¦. dear centred earth, hug this light warm heart in a serene mood forever
I canβt 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, todayβs preferred was Hokkaido (halal) ramen as Wardah Books was closed and the Turkish restaurant was too crowded β I donβt 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 βletβs meet up at the mosqueβ or βmeet at *** restaurantβ or βWardah Books this time?β. There is one question that my friends and I like to ask each other as either teaser or respect: βeating 1st or praying*) 1st?β The answer?
*) praying here is not a flash pray before starting activities like simply saying βIn the name of The Gracious and The Mercifulβ but praying is around 5-10 minutes protocol that is normally done by fellow Muslim.
Group #1 (religious friends, they can pray βforeverβ, wow!): Pray first. It is more important than anything including eating. We should prioritise God who has given us everything, others can wait. Donβt make God jealous.
Group #2 (rascals, will let you pray while they start eating): Eat first. God wonβt 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): Donβt ask me, I am fasting everyday because of having no food at all and so I donβt pray because I have nothing to thank for.
Group #4 (good jugglers, like Group #3 but to the next level): Why so picky? Canβt 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. π
Ah! Life is so rich, why feel no good just because of one point of view?
this is how Hokkaido (halal) ramen looks – eater can select ramen with light-consistency broth thatβs why I like it yet the presentation is not up to my expectation: messy kelp, wet spoon, no wet tissue π
The rose apple is pink enough to be harvested. Itβs 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 βwill definitely be suddenly Lucy Van Pelt to the snobbish and to the arrogantβ π
Life pace gets faster, Food follows the same pattern. Time and space collide.
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My nephews always want fast food. They said it is good and fast. On the contrary I am not a big fan of fast food. So we always go to fast food restaurants first for them to eat then theyβll drive me to local restaurants for mine.
It takes longer time but giving fair treatment to all fellow travelers are the right thing to do.
Salaam.
π
urap Bali π is more greasy compared to urap Jawa, both are superb!
sate lilit is Balinese special skewer; the stick should be lemongrass
balado terong – not so good in the most recent restaurant but still better than French fries π
Morning gives her vibe with fragrance of dews to start a day that is bright.
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our view is a small pura (Balinese Hindu temple) for the surrounding villagers at Dedari river bank to pray when they are nearby and a bit far from their houses
Rain is a blessing From the sky before starting Journey to the north.
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Me: Boys, the rain seem to stay heavy. Boys, are you ok?
Nephews: Yes, it is fun! We just want to pee again!
Me: Donβt pee on your pants ya.
What a conversation!
heavy rain + heavy wind the whole day which only stopped right before until almost after Tari Kecak show, hundreds of human beings from different parts of the globe experienced the same happening that might result in different memoriesβ a nostalgic one with these boys, splashing our bodies and bags in hugs with blessing sky water π₯°the start of show, the blessing water took a breakin Javanese and Balinese tradition Rama and Sinta is a couple adopted to depict true love β in my opinion, no! I think it was boring to be a wife of a great (almost) perfect king so Sinta purposely put Rama in a love trial to test his love by letting herself be in a kidnap trial without fighting back against the kidnapper and all its drama π
Rahwana came in his own buta (giant) form to kidnap Sinta and he failed
Sinta was kidnapped by an old weak polite beggar who was actually Rahwana
Jatayu, the bird that visited Sinta in Alengkaβs palace
AnomanObong β in Javanese and Balinese culture Anoman is considered a monkey demigod who is very very very old butq energetic in moves and young in heart π fyi, βAnoman Obongβ scene should be with sunset background in normal weather π
almost the end of show, restart of blessing water from the sky
I left my flowers behind a closed door to be beautiful stories.
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home alone and still continuously blooming; when I am home, they will be a history of blooming flowers left behind a closed door β employ some adjectives to make a factual history an extraordinary story π
Being young in heart is a challenge for those who goes aging sweetly.
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Traveling with those adventurous always energises me. Otherwise, I prefer (mostly) traveling alone so I can do whatever crazy as I wish.
Enjoying Bali with these two young human beings bring the 5-years-ago me who would move around as if having high power unlimitedly charged. After hibernating because of the dear virus, I want to have my young fun again with my nephews like I did the same fun with myself back then.
Letβs have fun go mad, my dear boys!
Remember, boys! You can smoke cigarette. You can vape. But you canβt alcohol. π
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nephews = protectors? no, annoying boys π waiting for the rental car β my official driver and navigator
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