OTW

Another grey afternoon. A man dressed fashionably casual in white bermuda short, light cotton shirt, cool sneakers and the best accessories a man can get: a baby in a stroller. I love man who is not afraid to show his maternity side. Incredibly manly and very sexy! 

OMG

One fine cloudy afternoon on Orchard Road. An elderly Chinese couple (I assume) selling ice cream on bread. "Do you have chocolate?" I asked. They started to argue about something. In rapid Chinese of course. Pretty quick it escalated into yelling at each other. "EXCUSE ME, BUT DO YOU HAVE CHOCOLATE?" I asked again, a bit louder, hoping they would stop. I was shocked when the woman threw a dirty rag cloth at him. More yelling. Then he threw it back at her! More screaming. They didn't even notice I walked away. Was it something I said? Maybe I should ask for vanilla instead. 

SIN

My luggage was already waving and smiling at me when I arrived at belt #23. Feeling oh so blessed for once my bag was waiting for me instead of the other way round. 

CKG

Terminal 3. Waiting area #6. Live sketching to kill time. An official from an airline repeatedly yelling name of an airline and its destination. Felt like in a bus station instead of an airport. Loud announcement over terminal sound system every three or four minutes. Transported by bus to Terminal 2, walked up the stairs, not of the plane but a tower so passengers go through a movable connector to the plane. Why didn't passengers just depart from Terminal 2 is beyond my limited common sense. 

Catch Of The Day #24

Chatter Box

I believe in you. Four simple words with such uplifting, encouraging impact. Thank you Dena. I can't recall if I ever said something similar to you. You make one heck of an awesome mom someday. Sometime far, far, very far away in the future that is. I wonder what would you say or do if I run the Vancouver Marathon next year? ;-)

Freedom

An awesome mom who let go her strong impulse to be in control and let her child be who she is, be true to who she is and let her do whatever she likes. Magical things happen when you give your child freedom. In art that is. I wish life is as easy as art. I'm still learning to let go my natural tendency to be in control. So many times I expect Dena to live by my standard of doing things. But my way is not the only way! Go ahead Dena find your own way. I'm always here for you. Just in case your way doesn't work ;-)

Mica Angela Hendricks' blog: The Busy Mockingbird

Book Play

Two of my many favorite words in the whole wide world. Love it! Thank you Cianti. You know me too well. Time to go to a craft store in Mayestik. Feeling blessed and delightful and giddy like a kid in a candy store. Yay! Wanna play?

Angry Bird

When someone point a finger and yell at you in public do you remember why that person is angry? Probably not. What you most likely to remember is the humiliation and the resentment. One fine Monday afternoon in a mall. Two little girls. One angry lady. Her face was only inches away from one of the little girl. She started yelling and pointing her finger at her. I wish I understand Korean to know what on earth made the lady so mad.  

Life Skills

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them. If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.
{Children Learn What They Live, by Dorothy Nolte}

Two Wheelers Act

A long day. Got stuck in a bumper to bumper traffic. Could not even stand the sound of a radio. I was enjoying the silence when suddenly a young girl passed by my car using a razor scooter and went the opposite direction of the traffic. She was all smiling, half gloating and half mocking as if she was saying "Look at me! I'm moooooving!" to everyone who moved slower than she did. Driving in Jakarta. It's a circus out there.

Juggling Act

A guy in a motorcycle went so extremely slow in front of my car. Engine problem? Was he sick or something? Perhaps he needed some assistance. I passed him slowly to see what was going on. A cigarette on his mouth and a phone on his left hand. Oooh... I get it. He went so slow because he didn't want his cigarette to burn quickly and he needed to read whatever message in his phone because it wasn't clear where to meet his friends. That made sense. Driving in Jakarta. It's a circus out there. 

Downpour

Sitting in a balcony one rainy Wednesday afternoon working on my blog. Inhaling the misty air. Listening to the pitter-patter of the rain. Looking at a bumper to bumper traffic down below. Feeling oh so grateful I'm up here instead of down there. 

Cheese!

What is it about photo booth that make people do silly things? Is it the confinement of a claustrophobic space? Is it those clicks that separate only by seconds that bring out the goofy-ish poses? If you love photo booth like me go to Photocabine. Go ahead be silly and laugh yourself off. No one's looking.

Denasour

What is it with you and prehistoric creatures, Dena? Nineteen years old and the fixation continues. It's probably my fault too. All those books, halloween costume, movies, birthday party, drawings, stickers when you were small. Nooo...what have I done?

Wacky Wednesday

Driving slowly on a highway one cloudy but lovely afternoon. I was just thinking about how weird it is that ever since Dena moved away to Vancouver I find myself less worrying about her. As a matter of fact it has been awhile since I think about her. Then this song came on the radio. Remember when you sang your heart out when we were in our car last June, Dena? I should at least had teary eyes but instead I laughed out so loud because this song reminds me of your over the top Steven Tyler impression. I think the universe is giving back to me again Dena. I miss you babe.

PDA

Queueing for a cashier to ring up my shopping items in a women's department of a fashion outlet. A young lady in front of me. I was admiring her fashion sense. Dressed in black and white legging with geometric prints, loose white chiffon shirt, cropped thin leather jacket with tiny studs, slouchy boots. Her long hair was loosely tied. So chic. Then she picked her nose. She has fashion sense with no common sense. LOL!

It's Personal

A fashion outlet's women department. Women #1, late thirty, busy shopping. She didn't carry any bag. "How practical of her!" I thought. Then I noticed Women #2, about twenty something, busy carrying a bag on one hand and some clothing on the other hand. But the strange thing she didn't look through racks of clothing, she just followed Woman #1 around. First I thought they were friends but their body language tells a different story. Women #1 always walked ahead and occasionally gave stuff to women #2. They didn't exchange words at all. Apparently carrying your own bag and clothing items while you are shopping is too hard for some people. 

Cooking Muse

Ever since Dena impressed me with her cooking skill when she went home for the holiday, I've been watching tons of cooking shows, browsing recipes in the internet, reading foodies blog, and trying new things so next time I see her I can show off my cooking skill. Or eating skill. Nom nom nom.

I Plead Guilty

A guy on a motorcycle in front of my car. He hit his brake abruptly and made a stop on the side of a very narrow street. I was about to get mad when I saw the guy got off his motorcycle and helped an old man who were pushing an equally old bicycle with wooden logs tied to the back of his bicycle. I didn't even stop. Shame on me.

Catch Of The Day #23