Shoe-icide

Health vs Style. I know high heels, wedges, platforms can cause a lot of foot problems and back pain. But flats and flip flops too? That's it! I'm sticking to sneakers from now on. 

A Running Break

A lovely morning in a chiropractor clinic. The bad news is years of bad postures = not aligned spine = imbalance body. I'm a leftist, not politically but physically; I tend to unconsciously lean more to the left when I walk or run which makes my left foot injury prone. But the good news is a couple of therapy sessions and a life time practice of good postures will get me running in no time. Yay! 

Going Banana

Banana is a runner's best friend. As a pre race smoothie, a stamina booster during a race and a post race re-energizer. Banana never fails me. A banana a day to keep the doctor away. I never leave home without it. It keeps me going and going and going. My favourite kind is Single and Available. What's yours? ;-)

Heel Me Roar

My left heel is furious with me. She has been giving me a silent treatment after Disaster Half. I tried everything. Nothing works. Sweet talk, treat her like a royal queen, cold packs, analgesic gel, glucosamin, nutritious food, stretching exercises. Nothing works! How about a strawberry popsicle? Please? With sugar and cherry on top? Aaaaargh!

In Sync

You think after 12 plus years of wearing uniform from kindergarten to high school we Indonesians would despise any type of uniform? On the contrary! We love to look the same, matching, identical, alike, or similar. We have dress code for every occasion under the sun; weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, weekly run, office gathering, monthly arisan, reunions, lunch dates, high teas, dinners, even funeral. 

Doodle by Dena

E-Bonding

A little man and a big man sat on a chair next to each other. Little Man's feet barely reached half the length of the chair's leg, his tiny hands fluently navigate his mini Ipad rapidly. Not once he made eye contact with Big Man who was busy texting rapidly with his thumbs on his mobile. There they were together separately. Oblivious to one another. 

Oh, Grow Up!

They say when you grow older you become wiser. By wiser I am told that I'm suppose to be more lenient toward mistakes. Look who's talking. I'm full of mistakes myself. But I find as I grow older I am less tolerant toward mistakes. Mine and others.

Anxious Aviator Arnie vol 2, by Aimi

Disaster Half

Just because I love running I thought I have the privilege to feel awesome every time I finish a race. Not today. Have you ever had one of those day when things just go nuts? Blazing heat, too fast start, stubborn knee & heel pain, no water in three consecutive water station at km 12 onward. Not to mention this nagging and loud voice in my head telling me to quit running for good. I felt meh and blah when I cross the finish line. Oh well! It's just another race. It's not the end of the world. 

Super Sloth

Christmas Enterprise

One lovely afternoon in a quiet restaurant. All staff wear either a rain deer headband or a santa hat. An over-friendly waiter offered a special Christmas menu. A brochure about Christmas hampers on every table. And it's only 22nd of November. Sigh.

Shh!

More listening and less talking. I think that's the reason why I have two ears and one mouth. I get into troubles way too many times because my mouth is faster than my ears. James 1:19. Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger. 

Surprise!

When I made this notebook my initial plan was to draw everyday. Four years later I haven't even close to draw half of the pages. I was counting the pages and wondering how many more years needed to complete it when I found some portrait doodles by my little sisters in KDM. Cool. Thank you. 

Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk

"Ah ya! Mestinya semua orang seperti sampean; tak usah ragu mengubah pikiran bila disadari pikiran yang dimaksud tidak baik. Mengapa masih saja orang datang kemari dengan tujuan mencari pelampiasan dendam, bahkan kadang hanya karena rasa iri terhadap sesama. Mereka mengira dengan melampiaskan dendam maka urusannya selesai. Nah mereka keliru. Dengan cara itu bahkan mereka memulai urusan baru yang panjang dan lebih genting. Di dunia ini, Nak, tak ada sesuatu yang berdiri sendiri. Maksudku, tak suatu upaya apa pun yang bisa bebas dari akibat. Upaya baik berakibat baik, upaya buruk berakibat buruk. Lebih aneh lagi, Nak. Orang yang sudah tahu akan berakibat buruk tetapi masih juga berani mengambil resiko." Ahmad Tohari

You Are My Sunshine

What do you do when you wake up too early in the morning and you just can't go back to sleep no matter how hard you try? You go for a run and make some sun of course. 

Manic Monday

Monday was not in a good mood today. What do you do on a day in which things just don't go your way? Just shrug it off , shake it off and get a strawberry popsicle of course! 

Popbar

Bilingual

One late afternoon in a supermarket with Marvin, my little nephew. "Tante Tina look! Look!" he repeatedly tugged my shirt to show me something. He couldn't stop giggling. "What?" I asked, curious. He pointed to a tag in front of some string bean packages, "That vegetable is bancis!" Giggling uncontrollably. Apparently sounding out an Indonesian word with an English pronunciation is hilarious. 

Big Apple

One rainy Monday. A Mac store in a quiet mall. Computer stuff not make up stuff. Was looking at the latest version of MacBook Air when a young girl walked in and stood in front of me holding her MacBook lovingly. She had the coolest Mac ever. Not because hers was the latest version of whatever Mac. Hers has the most wicked decal!

Big Durian

One lovely drizzling Saturday Nite. Waiting for Trans Jakarta. A young girl caught my attention. She had a grey wool sweater on. A black opaque stocking underneath her white mini skirt. And black leather boots. Knee length! I checked my weather apps. Jakarta 30°. Scattered clouds. If only I could scan her with my apps. Female. Overheated. Scattered beads of sweat all over her face. For a brief moment I thought I'm still in the Big Apple. 

Catch Of The Day #34

Hair Raising

One lovely Wednesday afternoon in Metropolitan Museum of Art in Central Park, NY. Completely mesmerized by a Van Gogh self portrait. I was taking a lot of pictures of it from every possible angle with my camera when a lady museum officer dressed in deep blue uniform approached me and asked,"Excuse me, do you speak English?" I was startled. Oh #$%@ I'm in big trouble! "Of course." I said, tried my best to keep calm. Then she said,"I've been wanting to cut my hair like yours but I don't quite know how to explain it to my stylist. Do you mind if I take picture of your hair?" I laughed, totally relieved and said, "Sure. A picture worth more than a thousand words." She took out her mobile and snapped the side and the back of my head. I felt like an artwork. 

Not Again!

One lovely Monday night in MOMA's bookstore. I was looking at books when an elderly woman asked me three questions to which I answered no: "Are you Japanese?" "Are you Chinese?" "Are you Philippines?" What is it about me that makes a total stranger ask me such questions? Next time someone ask me where I'm from I'm going to improvise: I'm from Papua New Guinea. 

Get Your New York On

If you want to witness human kindness go see NYC marathon. I saw a runner helped push a disable runner on two wheels. I saw friends and family went the extra miles to support their loved ones. I saw people cheering for strangers. I saw volunteers giving out drinks and shoutings uplifting words for hours. If you want to be inspired go see NYC marathon. I saw Backwards Bill. I saw a blind runner. I saw grandmas and grandpas. I saw one little person (people who suffer dwarfism). I saw disable runners. I love NY.

Banana Split

A fruit stall on 6th Ave, Manhattan. Fresh fruit never taste so good after a run. "Are you Japanese?" the vendor struck up a conversation. "Nope. Guess two more time," I said. "Chinese!" I shook my head. "Vietnamese!" I smiled, "Sorry, better luck next time," and walked away. "Wait!" he said, "I'll give you a banana if you tell me where you from." I laughed, said Indonesia and quickly grabbed my banana. I love NY.