Green

Green is what is fresh,
What is starting peacefully.
It is envy, too.

—-

What is greener than our neighbours’ grass? The sea that bears secret of love and avocado that bears secret of health.

Have a green weekend!

💚

today’s lunch 💚 egg with peas in coconut milk, avocado and navel orange juice

Fragrance

Who are friends, my dear?
The perfumers? The blacksmiths?
Whoever, they smell.

—-

Disclaimer: I am not spreading Islamic teaching. I am just telling how fragrance and good friends have manifested in my life.

—-

The most frequent gift I give to my closest female circle is fragrance, either perfume or soap. Yesterday morning before meeting my best friends, I decided to browse some fragrance. As normal there is never preferred brand about perfume. It is always about a click in the heart.

Indeed happiness can cost some $/c although it might be too small and can be an insult if given as currency; yet it must cost attention and/or time to appreciate the same. So perfume is a best option — no one has complained so far.

What about soap? Only to those preferring soap to perfume

I am happy to make myself happy by making my circle happy because they have been making me happy. Imagine your friends feel good and be scented at the same time.

This I do because I follow literally beautiful hadith by the Prophet as below.

Abu Musa reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, the parable of good and bad company is that of a seller of musk and a blacksmith. The seller of musk will give you perfume, you will buy some, or you will notice a pleasant smell. As for the blacksmith, he will burn your clothes, or you will notice a bad smell.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5534, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2628

Authenticity grade of hadith: Muttafaqun Alayhi (authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim

couldn’t help smelling all

Dream of Home

If home’s made of dreams,
It’s green, warm and musical;
Or nothing at all.

—-

exhausted like heaven! the toilets and cleanliness imprison me, the railway system bids me a farewell — not a perfect home of mine 💝 Singapore and Indonesia is the best home of mine 💝

home is where new dreams are ready to come true 💝

dandelions ready to fly 💝

Climb

There is great mountain
Not deserved to climb
How much ever best view will be up there.
There is good hill
Deserved to walk up
How much ever others give up its ordinary view.

She decided to walk up the hill
And found some big trees
With singing birds and hopping squirrels
Enjoying the breeze.
There is enough space to have a picnic
Until the sun sets beautifully.

—-

there is elevator in Osaka Castle so i should not skip climbing the castle as in Himeji Castle (said my colleague); yet i still didn’t as the queue was too long — walking the garden then having a fine dining with a good friend was a much better choice 🌸

thanks for your Osaka vibe; proven that Osaka is much warmer than Tokyo 💝 see you again in June

Perfect Imperfection

Is life abundant?
She asked.
They said,
When you have everything.
She walked away,
There was never everything
In imperfection.

She says.
Life is generous.
They say,
Because you have everything.
She walks away,
There is never perfection
In everything.

Life is abundant,
She agrees.
They ask,
Do you have everything? You are not perfect.
She walks away,
There is always perfection
In anything imperfect.

—-

anger has long gone but sadness is still lingering like a hungry fox hunting a chicken 🙃 yet life is so generous to me offering sweet imperfection and simplest perfection that might be just a dream for those perfect perfection — so thank you as always! 💝

giving myself time and space to live again 💝

Interaction

Where is sun when sets?
Where is moon in the day light?
They share love through time.

Interaction is about reciprocity; even when we are alone, we are interacting with some tool of life or with the deep self within.

When it is not reciprocated, interaction is not genuinely true.

Salaam.

a grandma with her grandson

a mother with her son

family gathering

feeding two grandsons

let’s climb!

hi, dove! said the little boy

what’s in the water? said he

bubbles!!!

what is that over there? ahh hope! ☺️

am i your headache? no, you are my universe 😂

don’t move, just smile! someone is taking our picture ☺️

she is asking her cam to see what she sees 🙏🏼

our daughter is playing, i am sitting near her

hey! clear up! i am gonna land!

electrocution my a**! 😁

Weekend Full of Heart

Every weekend
This heart multiplies.
They wander
Everywhere
Through music, pictures, poems and prayers
Sending peace
And love
That might not be
Returned.
What a sweet weekend!

—-

although you’ve targeted me with uncertainty, (pic: Banksy’s)

although you prefer war (pic: Banksy’s)

although you ignorantly hijack the love, (pic: Banksy’s)

sweet heart is still what you deserve,

no missile but beautiful heart should be sent to you (pic: Banksy’s)

freshened and showered with warm heart is your right

at the end a bunch of flowers will be thrown to you (pic: Banksy’s)

hahahaha…. i am always laughed by my best friends for constantly being “love sick” (pic: Banksy’s)

Choice

Choice’s falling star
Brightened in a quiet dark night,
Orbited to earth.

respecting this family for their choice of happiness, knowing that i will never be able to do so

inspiring me to at least enjoy simpler life and to accept all blessings more happily

Sun, Day

Hello, Sun
Today is your day.
Be bright.
Be warm.
Be nice to whomever is home.
Taste delicious.
Taste good.
Taste homy to whomever is lost.

—-

weekend is about waking up late with selfie 🥱

cooking whatever i want 😍

(re)watching movies while cooking — iPad is forced to perch on the plate rack 😁

Jeepney

Jeepney
On the busy lanes
Tough and in style
Like a rascal
Chasing
Wild kites

What about Manila that makes me feel home other than those dedicated working partners and turon (fried banana)?

Jeepney!

My childhood town used to have public transportation exactly like Philippines’ Jeepney; we called them PC (pronounce as “pay say” in English phonetics). They were everyone’s favourite for the space, air circulation and low price. Pak Sugeng was one PC owner cum driver who became all women’s sweetheart for his patience to wait for those women doing their errands in the central market and his helpfulness to lift all the shopped goods. What a good day it was!

Now Philippines is the blessed country with Jeepney. These ex wat vehicles during World War Ii are truly reliable and strong means of transportation for the people there. I took Jeepney once when having opportunity to visit Lapu-Lapu City in 2012. I think I paid for PHP50 for the ride!

Jeepney should be kept as a social heritage. It is unique, historical and supporting the life of those surrounding.

This vehicle is relevant for those with high resilience and survival spirit like Filipino and Indonesian!

Thank you, Manila and its surrounding for the friendship and lessons.

💝

silver Jeepney

green Jeepney

turquoise Jeepney

Quezon City’s traffic: look at the fragile egg tray that is paradoxical with the sturdy Jeepney

pink Jeepney! 😍

hey, light green Jeepney!

it was so stable and confident! it is Jeepney!

Dream Weekend

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)

Choice of Face

An artist opens her closet.
There are masks piling,
Waiting for the tasks.
One mask, one face
To make a day.

She stares and thinks
One face today
A genuine
A bright
A true
A nice—

A good day.

my watch face is Minnie Mouse almost everyday because she makes me a sweet cheerful cartoon! 💝

Emergency

Fly, leaf with the wind
Pushing you to where you go
For joy and safety.

near the wing, near the emergency exit — both safe area yet the most critical for action, while extremely sleepy; it doesn’t matter, the passenger (in mask) sitting next to me said “let me open it in case of emergency, you may sleep” — what a nice flight: sleeping in a calm flight, guarded by an unknown angel 🙏🏼

Primary Patience

Prime time must be secured,
Said they.
Wait! In what definition?
Time to get mature?
Time to board the flight?
Time to earn TV ads?

Time to be patient.

It’s this time
Yet
No time primarily.

At young age I was told that there were 3 types of need: primary, secondary and tertiary in which primary included shelter, clothing and food. Now my primary need increases to 4 with internet connection added. On the same floor of my apartment there are at least 17 wifi links connectible or locked including mine. My mother’s house has been installed with wifi so she can enjoy more information and entertainment, her grandchildren can play games freely when staying overnight, her daughter (me) can work with ease when visiting and (i guess knowing my mother’s (over)generosity) so some next door neighbours’ children can sneak the wifi to browse around from their homes.

While GOOD internet connection is a primary need in some places, it is still secondary in some others. Outside Singapore (even when traveling to Japan) I feel “tortured” by the low speed. In Indonesia (oh people will all have patience as their super power after dealing with the internet connection outside prominent cities) and other South East Asia countries (please, Singapore might be a European country lost among us) good internet connection might be secondary or even tertiary.

Uh and oh are my normal expressions when I spend my holiday or long weekends in my mother’s house. My nephews and nieces who visited me in Singapore has claimed “There is no word “loading” in your home. In here you have to wait for a while because loading is a must process. Be patient. Be patient. Be patient, dear. Hahaha….” 😁

And yes, some work cannot wait but have to wait until I arrive home because internet connection is not yet a primary service every time everywhere.

Salaam….

i told my nephews and nieces to be patient in some situations; yet when dealing with internet connection for work, everything nice about being patient is just a meme to me 😝

Time Is A Fortress

Time is a fortress
Protecting from memories
Of love that once bloomed.

i bought a rose to tell myself that some emotions will soon fade away like flowers that wither through time 🥀 especially with very slim memories in store 💝

(In)Visible Monster

Not under the bed, it’s what she’s slept with since she was a cute baby.

I am obviously my own monster; haunting, hunting me forever will be 💝 the best company ever

Love Day

What is love day? 
A day when love is precious?
Only once a year?
How stingy human being is!
To express love only on that day—

Maybe they are afraid
Of saying love to
That they love dearly.

Maybe expression is
Embarrassing and too low
That they dump it cruelly.

Maybe love is considered a myth
Scientifically unproven
That it is skipped.

Maybe….
So much maybe.

I will still love
You
In silence
As
Love has made my heart pretty
Although rejection and ignorance
Once made it ugly.

All days are my love days.

To my
Beloved—

learned love from texts
looked for it everywhere
found it in beauty
the love keeps evaporating to the air that is breathed
melting to the water that is sipped
repeatedly exploding to illuminate the journey
let me sing love songs in silence to and for you
and sweetly silently celebrate it when i’m wishing to be

Well Done

The wind flies dry leaves to where travel’s light and memory’s full. Well done—

big lunch before big laundry — well done!
ready mussels
done!
roasting potato
on medium fire, don’t add water
sauté
(not so) fresh green mussels
carrot & celery
garlic & ginger
big basket of laundry after big lunch 😊 well done!

Ode to Day

Dear, day.
Do you know that I never stop waiting for you?
When my watch ticks a second,
My heart drips a note,
My pulse vibrates softly,
I know I am closer to you.

Dear, day.
Do you know that every part of you blesses me?
When morning breaks,
Noon flares,
Dusk fades to night,
I know the next you is waiting
For me.

Day oh day
Many I can’t understand,
Much I can’t decipher,
Little I can see,
Very few I can give
Yet I still hope
To meet you again.

Dear, day.
How I am blessed with family,
Gifted with friends,
Sufficed with this self,
You are still the one
Sung by this heart.
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
All have been today
And never faded away.

I am blessed, day
With another you
In the best way.

And for you
I am grateful.

as dark as serene night
as shadowy as calm dusk
as bright as each and every morning
she is well protected under the shade of glorious sunflowers 💝
dear sunflower 💕
and the white drops of details
when all glass vases are prioritised for orchid roots, fondue pot be today’s best choice 💝
all must be got rid of in order for the flower arrangement to get a spacious and “clean” background — there is always thing to prioritise; if it is not you, don’t feel bad — it’s just like that everyday so just be blessed with becoming either 0 or 1 in this binary world 💕

Love Diaries in A Library

This life is a library
Keeping all collections,
Reference to public,
Exclusive to a lover,
One lover.
The
Beloved—

Read,
Beloved
Any scrolls
In this library.

Read,
Lover
The diaries
In the secret dungeon.

Read,
Beloved
With naked eyes, or
With any glasses on the shelves.

Read,
Lover
Through letters and numbers,
Shapes and colours.

Read,
Beloved
This library is open
As long as you are awake.

Read,
Lover
Before you sleep
When I’ll be reading you through.

my earlier diaries are true stories through naked eyes; the later are colours, shapes, numbers, words in various styles and figures of speech needing some tricks and tips to sense layers of meanings and information — we are all writers, librarians and readers 💝

About the photo

Free Will

Free will? What is that? This breath is what you blow in to me to love you.

Realising more and more that her life is free of free will; she needs causes and reasons to do anything she does even for her brain to think about what things to think of— there is a bond invisible and invincible.

She surrenders to the bond. 💝

Happy weekend.

Salaam.

two new buds not coming out of free will 🥰 there are reasons, there are causes

Corner

In a bright corner she’s seen. The sun sends her light reflecting bright life.

this is more than enough to put me in a good mood after a long trip; she delivers a stem of buds after moved to a corner where sun greets her directly — thank you!

Lazed

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

indomie is the best in lazy day 😍

doesn’t look amazing but tastes like soul! 🥰

Heaven & Earth

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

although not there, I still seek heaven and earth in you through my dream 🥰 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.

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 — more 1st things on Jan 1st of 1st long weekend in 2023 — i’m gonna love 2023 much 💗

Pho Bo

‘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!

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 😂
beef bone marrow and rib