I’m less than a dust
But bigger than galaxy.
Would you please accept?
—
Some people just wanna stay at one point, forever good, forever winning. Two chances: impossible and improbable combined in a giant jar of lottery
Can you just accept that some people can’t accept your being a dust? Others can’t accept your being galaxy and the other small portion can accept you swinging between these two realities. Take the last group to be your true friends coz they will know when to speak bitter truth to see who you are and when to just throw you sugar-coated appraisals to cajole you in challenging situation.
Be dust and be galaxy
Never forget that you are dust in the galaxy at times,
And galaxy full of dust at others….
Messy like heaven.
After cooking I feel tired
Of all the dirty
Pots, plates, spoons, knives and rubbish.
Full without eating—
—
I am naturally a picky eater, but trying my best to eat every thing served as long as healthy and non poisonous. I even let myself eat those I’m allergic to – just to prove to this weak Self that this body can bear the poison though has failed now and then.
Today I cooked one traditional food from Java island of beautiful archipelago, my dear Indonesia – buntil.
It is stuffed cassava leaves wraps, you can also use papaya leaves. The content can be as cheap as grated young coconut only or added with anchovy or meat or any protein that you wish to have in the meal. This time I make a fusion – buntil stuffed with Korean stir fried anchovies with pumpkin seed and walnuts. The fusion is just because I could not find the seed that originally cooked in the Java island, we call it “petai Cina” (please use your freedom to find what it is in Google). I bought the Korean side dish coz I don’t know how to make it.
This is cheap and humble dish that is traditionally eaten as side dish with rice. But it has become a rare food where I live now – even people from Indonesia might not find it interesting anymore. Not sure why but alas! Everybody has one’s own liking. I’m so grateful that the cleaning lady knocked my door and brought some earth products that I’ve missed dearly – bamboo shoot, banana flower, cabai rawit and cassava leaves! So why not making food that I’ve missed so dearly, too.
I’m happy with the result, knowing that there are details of ingredients and still a good success. But the after cooking was not so happy seeing piles of dirty containers and cooking utensils that I had to wash by myself…. Heaven!
Anyway! Let’s see the happy scenes! Unhappy scenes of cleaning and tidying up the shelves and cabinets are off the records!
Welcome next good week!
May all beings be happy….
Raw cassava leaves, just in case you never know what it is….Boil the cassava leaves with salt until they are soft enough to chew but not too soft to break themselves in your hands.
Korean stir fried anchovies with pumpkin seeds and walnuts – it is sweet originally but I still seasoned it with the buntil seasoning….
This is to tie up the wrap. If not tied, the wrap won’t be strong enough to hold the anchovies in and the leak of the anchovies with different seasoning from the one in the coconut milk will affect the final blend of the taste.
Wrap it up!
Put all the wraps into the pot…. They are happily waiting for some shower.
Pour the seasoned coconut milk on to the wraps in the pot. And ready to boil….Cook until the coconut milk is reduced, absorbed by the wraps. Trust me, the taste is Heaven!
Slowing down footsteps
Pace along an ancient route.
Trace back your soul path.
Now here
—
Thought sometimes gets puzzled why thing happens to the Self, while logically she has made best possible efforts to control it not to emerge into events. At times emotions pour like heavy rain or they numb all nerves.
Then the Self realises that all is about tracing back the soul path: paying one’s karma, optimising one’s dharma.
Dear, Self.
You’d better pass major lessons in the current life. You shouldn’t want to fail the same lessons: acting lame or repeatedly meeting lame spirits wrapped in different physical planes, or both at the same time.
Dear, Beloved.
If it is not done,
Don’t let me slip from Your hands.
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.
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.
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
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 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!”
The list of treasure is found in the Net…. Guess what they are.
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 was a “chilli queen” but by time I’m afraid of the burning taste on my tongue. So let’s get rid of the seeds and use only the peels.
Grind!
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
Almost one kilogram of beef – not the AA grade, just a good one
Boil all together!
Oh no! The pot is too small, coconut milk should be poured into it in three stages. Be patient, dear Self….
After one hour on the fire – oh my
After one and a half hour – it gets oily, almost ready
Done in almost 3 hours (browsing the Net not included)
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….
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.
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.
Half of me is back.
What has gone can return by
A state of boredom.
Singapore – April 9, 2020 / 23:03
—
After becoming someone working behind a computer with so little care of household chores, now I’ve found the old me that is almost forgotten. A gem under piles of river stones kind of–
Since this flexible working arrangement I’ve got much more time staying at home with myself and seeing what are interestingly interesting to be done. Not only cooking that’s usually done at the weekend and cleaning the house that’s usually done by a regular cleaner, now I also happily do all my laundry. What’s so special about that?
Hey! For someone like me doing household chores is not only special, it is fantastically incredible! What’s more? I don’t use my washing machine. I HANDWASH ALL MY LAUNDRY!
Why so stupid oops diligent?
Oh, Love…. The handwashing has kept me sane and happy and excited twice in a week. Imagine I will soak the clothes in detergent (note that mine is environment friendly) for some time -I’ll wait patiently- then I will rub off the pieces of clothes one by one -no brush please, it destroys the fabric- trying to clean the folds and joints and the special surfaces -you know what I mean- then rinse them several times with clean water -not only once, I do it up to four times!- then hang or line them to dry. All is by my dear two hands that mostly only dance on keyboards and keypads!!! With love….
I believe this writing will be one of the most historical turning points in life when I flashback reading this blog years later (if still alive)…. 🥰
I am in love with the half of me that’s almost forgotten. I hope I can keep it intact forever.
Please stay calm, humans.
This state of fear might extend.
Hey! It has an end.
Singapore – March 13, 2020 / 21:00
—-
In current situation I find some real nature of human beings and how they cope with a stressful situation. Some glue themselves to their selfishness by excessively buying stocks of logistics in the name of saving for rainy days, some rant and nag as if whatever the Govt have done is never enough, some keep being as crazy as if nothing happens, some others keep calm, some others become calmer, some others are afraid to death, etc….
So what?
Everyone copes with stress in different way. I don’t blame them for doing what they have done. However, I prefer pushing my happiness to an extreme level. I’m happy and thankful that I’m still healthy and active now. I prefer smiling to as many colleagues/neighbours/passers-by or at least not looking so bitter, being kind to as many people as I can; and most importantly letting myself feel that however worst a situation outside of me will be, I can always go within and find peace and calmness here….
In a world of men
She mostly forgets to thank
For being woman.
Shanghai – December 12, 2019
—-
Why should we struggle to compete in a male dominated world? Why bother? Even when their logic doesn’t show they are logical, the men will always think they are more logical than women. So be it….
I want to be more relaxed, enjoying my privilege of being a woman. I realise I’ve given up many many things and I want to take them back!
You are not alone.
Millions cry at the same time.
On different cause though—
Singapore – December 6, 2019 / 20:36
—
Dearest Nephews,
If you feel your problem is the most unbearable, it is hardly wrong. Yet yours won’t probably represent the most difficult ones.
Can you count how many people live on earth? All of them have issues – even worse, they have issues while they have no choice but living with those because of absence of resources and no help whatsoever.
And how many abused animals are there? Be thankful that you are not a karmic animal this time around. Or, maybe in next life if you are abusive to animals in present life. 😈
And how much abused the natural resources are? If you think they are not alive, you’d better think twice.
So don’t feel like you are the poorest human beings in the universe just because you can’t afford the latest version of PlayStation.
rike jokanan 
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