Sunday, August 31, 2014

Daughter Instinct

I told Dena over Skype today that I felt like a lousy mom because last time we talked was back in March. Then somewhere in today's conversation she said, "It's gonna sound mushy but the way you raise me has helped me with my relationship with Jeremy. We promised each other to solve any problem between us before the end of the day." Her words hugged me. Wait! Isn't it my job to comfort her? Stop acting like a grown up Dena!


Saturday, August 30, 2014

Wanted

One fine day on a highway. A grey Avanza right in front of me. A sticker on its lower right side rear window that says WE ARE THE YELLOW JACKET. Then someone from the passenger's side threw a plastic grocery bag out of the window. Are you by any chance is the owner of a grey Avanza with a B 1395 KFZ license plate? This is your lucky day. I'm going to give you a cool small plastic trash bin for your car. Seriously!


Friday, August 29, 2014

TGIF

I love rainy days. I love the sound of the rain. I love the smell of the rain. I love the touch of the rain. A drizzle, a shower, a light rain, a misty rain, a downpour, a sprinkler, or a thunderstorm, I love them all. Except rain on a Friday evening while I'm driving. 



Thursday, August 28, 2014

American Authors

I had a dream so big and loud. I jumped so high I touched the clouds. I stretched my hands out to the sky. We danced with monsters thru the night. I howled at the moon with friends. And then the sun came crashing in. But all the possibilities. No limits just epiphanies. I'm never gonna look back. I'm never gonna give it up. No, please don't wake me now. This is gonna be the best day of my life.


Thursday, August 21, 2014

Spare Me

A hypermarket's check out counter. "Your total is Rp 19.600." When I gave her a 50.000 bill she said, "Do you have 100 rupiah?" I shook my head. "Would you like to donate your 400 rupiah?" I shook my head again. She gave me a what-a-stingy-lady-look. I gave her a just-give-me-my-change-look. She gave me one 20.000 bill, one 10.000 bill, one 200 coin and two 100 coins. Why she bothered asking me all this questions when she had all the change in her cash register in the first place is beyond my limited common sense.


Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Peace of Mind

"Darkness can not drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate can not drive out hate. Only love can do that." Martin Luther King. 

Global Peace Index

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Stand On The Right Side

One loud afternoon. Walking on a sidewalk in a concrete jungle with a nasty traffic on my left. Feeling rather smug looking at all those stressful motorists. A few J-Rex invaded the sidewalk. I gave them a killer look but gave way to their rude annexation. If only look can kill! A security guy of a high rise building bravely halt them with both arms and yelled repeatedly on top of his lungs,"GET THE #@^# OUT OF HERE! SIDEWALK ARE FOR PEDESTRIANS!" I gave him one standing ovation and two thumbs up! 


Monday, August 18, 2014

Selfie-ish

One hot and crowded Sunday morning in GBK. A crowd of runners wearing uniform tees. Some kind of running group. Two girls stood out. They were taking selfies with a monopod while they were running. Are you kidding me? Last year officials of Hongkong Marathon actually launched an anti-selfie campaign to protect runners from injuries.


Friday, August 15, 2014

Background Check

One lovely afternoon. A very long lunch with my cousin and my sister in law. Catching up with life, love and the art of juggling a relationship. Looking at every possible angle trying to make sense of why couple do unthinkable things to one another. While we confiding in each other about this and that, I noticed an elderly couple next to our table. They had a great time. They talked. They smiled and looked at each other lovingly. They laughed. A gentle reminder to shift my focus on positive things. 



Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Monologue

Maureen, my little niece, is a bottomless chatterbox. Whenever I stop talking with her, she starts talking to her toys. "My boyfriend is Yoshi Nobu. When I'm big I'm going to marry him because he knows me. Apple Jack, Rarety, Pinky Pie, Big Mac, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash and Flutter Shy, you are all invited to my wedding in a castle. Don't forget to get me lots of  presents and no shouting in...bla bla bla."



Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Tough Guy

"Nice weather. My little toe still hurt. Just run easy." That was my initial plan. Then I met this guy I often run into on CFD. We usually just exchange a nod or a wave. Today we shared some words. "My toe nails fall off so many times. I had knee problem, black toes, bruises, and other stuff. It's part of running. If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen," he said. And he is 55ish. I think. Change of plan. Just run. Woohoo!


Monday, August 11, 2014

Multitasking

One lovely afternoon. Light and airy traffic. A young couple on a motorcycle. No helmet on her. Approaching a small bridge on Jl. Terogong Raya. The guy used his left hand to throw a medium size black trash bag over the bridge into a small creek, and his right hand to steer his motorcycle. Apa susahnya sih buang sampah di tempat sampah?

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Distracting Dot

Run your cursor over a dot and see it multiplies into four smaller dots. Try multiplying a dot in the middle without multiplying each dot you pass. Try making your name. Try drawing something. A very productive procrastination. 





Thursday, August 7, 2014

Dream Catcher

So I googled my dream and stumbled upon a website dedicated to unravel dreams. According to Dream Moods I am currently has lost directions in my life. I have lost sight of my goals. I may be feeling worried and insecure about the path I am taking in life. Either that or I am still adjusting to a new situation in which the rules and condition are ever changing. Seriously?


Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Wacky Wednesday

Have you ever had the same dream twice? If that's not weird enough in the second dream you told yourself, "Hey I've been in this dream already!" I wonder what it means to have a dream in which you get lost, in the same place, twice.


Tuesday, August 5, 2014

One Third

Out of 15 minutes my mom and I spent in a doctor's office, the doctor spent less than 5 minutes checking my mom with a stethoscope and inserting a gadget on my mom's finger to measure the oxygen level in her blood. The rest of the time his eyes glued to his flat screen. His two fingers busy slowly typing patient's paperless data and prescription. He even forgot to take that thing off my mom's finger. And the hospital is making a big deal of an integrated online system. I'm not impressed. 


Monday, August 4, 2014

Tatsuro Yamashita

Come away. I'll show you my home in the ocean. And stranger if you get a notion. That you'd like to love me. Well just do what you feel. Do what you feel.