No matter what I text to my brother his answer is always one word. Ok. No questions. No judging. No blaming. Just a simple Ok. As if he knew that most of the time I just need to get things off my chest about this and that. His Ok instantly calm me down. A reminder that everything will be Ok. My dad definitely lives in him.
Good things come to those who wait. So they say. Friday. 11.45 pm. I waited for two hours in an emergency unit of a hospital for my mom's blood test. "Your mom has an electrolyte imbalance. She has to be hospitalized." I waited for half an hour at a registration desk. "Sorry, there was no room available here." I waited for another half an hour for a referral to another hospital. "We have a room in another hospital!" Yay! Finally all those waiting paid off! So I thought. "But our ambulances were busy tonite. One will be here in an hour or so." Breath in. Breath out. Keep calm.
When I was 29, I didn't mind when people by mistake wrote 30 for my age. 30 seemed a lot cooler than 29. When I was 39, I still didn't mind when people by mistake wrote 40 for my age. 40 seemed a lot wiser than 39. Besides life begins at 40. So they say. But not when I'm 48. I do mind if you write 49. It's not even my birthday yet. 3 weeks 5 days more to go. If you don't mind I'd like to enjoy every minute of being 48, thank you.
One lovely afternoon in an outdoor plaza of a mall. A young guy and a girl walking. Late twenties judging from their look. She was busy texting with her mobile. Then she stopped walking but continue texting. To my horror the guy got down on his knee, not to propose, but to tie her shoe lace. She kept texting. Now what do you think their relationship is? Because I sure can't figure it out.
One cloudy afternoon in a supermarket. First I gave the cashier the wrong store card. After I paid, I walked away without taking my groceries. Then at home I finished slicing shallots only to realize that the recipe requires garlic. Note to myself: when I have a million and three things in my mind no grocery shopping or cooking. Take lots of deep breaths instead. Breath in. Breath out. Repeat.
Take me to strawberry fields where nothing is real and nothing to get hung about.
One quiet evening in an x-ray room of a hospital. The radiologist made me sit on top of a cold glass table. He told me to put my left heel upright. "Don't move!" he said. He lowered a movable square x-ray close to my heel. He went to another room. The thing made a flickering sound. And right before it made a snap sound my hand fixed my hair and my mouth voluntarily smiled. The guy didn't even say cheese. Geez! What is wrong with me? I swear the x-ray thing look like those flash light on a camera.
Dena, my daughter, knows me too well. Even when she felt a bit under the weather she still think about me. She knows by heart that I am a worrywart. Darn! She didn't give me opportunities to get anxious. It's okay Dena, you can throw me anything, I'm better equipped now. I have a Lifeline. I think. ;-)
It's not what happened to me that matter most, it's how I react to what happened is what matter. So many things in life are out of my control. But I have choices. Do I want to be bitter or better? Easier said than done, but worth every penny.
Old Jakarta had a jam. E-I-E-O. And on this jam it has my car. E-I-E-O With a traffic here. With a traffic there. Here "Aaaargh!" There "#$@!" Everywhere bleep bleep. Old Jakarta had a jam. E-I-E-I-O
They say Indonesians are the nicest bunch. I decided to greet anyone I passed on a twenty minutes warm up walk before my morning run routine. But out of fifteen people I said good morning to, seven completely ignored me, three gave me an are-you-out-of-your-mind-look, one didn't even look up from his mobile, three actually returned my greeting, and one gave me a big smile, a greeting and a short prayer. Must be the gloomy weather.
I thought once you master at least 60% of a software you know it for life. Like riding a bicycle. I just need to get familiar with things and everything will come back to me. So not true. It has been three years since I use a page-lay-out-software. It's like back to square one. Who am I kidding. Practice, practice, practice. Come on already brain!
I was just stepped in an elevator of an apartment when a little girl greeted me, "I'm Michelle. What's your name?" What a confident little girl! Her dad smiled, his face beaming with pride. "Hi Michelle. I'm Tina." Then she said, "I'm six years old. What's your number?" Her dad must have noticed I looked sheepish. He saved me, "Michelle, that's a very personal thing to ask. But you can tell her how old I am." She squealed with delight, "You are EIGHT!" So I said, "In that case I'm ten!"
On my way to teach a morning class in KDM. Feeling rather smug the street was pretty much empty from Senayan to the end of Antasari road. Mockingly waved people in the opposite traffic which was moving oh so terribly slowly. Happily entered tol JORR only to be stuck in a heavy ugly traffic. Had to cancel my class. Took the next exit only to be stuck in another nasty traffic because I took the wrong way. Twice. Good thing I have K-Love in my mobile apps so I can listen to positive, encouraging and uplifting words and practice self-restraint, perseverance, endurance, calmness for two and a half hours.
Guess why Dena, my daughter who is 8289 miles away from me, look so happy in this picture? You can only answer one time. I will give you this A5 journal I made with brown paper, hand made stitched binding and recycled cover. Send to wherever you are.
5.15am. A quiet and breezy Saturday dawn. On my way to a swimming practice. I was walking to my apartment's parking building when a guy asked, "Going home?" I ignored him, continued walking but wondering why would he thought that I'm going home. Wait a minute! He didn't insinuate that I was a paid companion service did he? I looked at myself and laughed. A messy hair, a no-make-up-face, a running short, a black off-the-shoulder-t-shirt with my black swimming suit strap shown, a pair of flip flop and a big tote. Now which of these items on me that gave the guy an impression of an escort lady?
