Life of the Blue Jacket

Totemo Daisuki

I love you for always be there at Sunday morning at 8 o’clock sharp.
You never miss one day, for more than 15 years.

I love you for always show your witty face and make a contagious happines for the people around you.
Especially me.

I love you for being unperfect.
Even a clever robot like you needs help sometimes.

I love you for making me keep on dreaming.
You are the creature from ‘someday’ and I know a lot is happening in ‘someday’.

I love you for teaching me to keep on trying.
Even sophisticated tools sent from the future don’t always make sure everything will run smoothly.

And I love you for letting me seeing you in your hometown.
See, you are the one who always convince me, dream on and make it happen.

I always fascinated by her appearance. She can be silently beautiful, and inspire me infinitely.
And in the land of the rising sun, I found her sneaking out to the horizon, and smile at me.
So I started the day with high enthusiastism. And although I found her rather mild in this region, saw her presence but could not feel her warmth, I do sense that she is still a friend of mine. Best friend of mine.

I wanna be like you, sun. Giving your shine and be the energy. Positively.

more of her picture

River Boys

I bought the book Beach Boys, written by an India author and you will have to believe that I haven’t finished it until now. Phew, it was 5 months ago. Well, the story is not disappointing, but still I haven’t managed to read it until the last page. As usual, the cover gets me into it. The picture of three dark brown skin boys, they are jumping right into the water. As, M sometimes says, a good color combination blue and brown is.

In my last trip to Marante, Tana Toraja, I had a chance to capture those dark brown skin boys, happily played by the river. Naked and innocent, so eager and not afraid of the water. As a citizen girl, I’m kind of jealous of them. They were really free and happy as can be. Ripped of their clothes, hanged by the bridge and jump right into the river. Beside the loud sound of splashing water, you can still hear their notorious laughter.

A friend once said that I am a free soul. Well, had met those river boys, you should rethink again, dear friend. As you can see me and my beib, Henny, on the bridge, loosing our balance and afraid to fall.

Sometimes it is not good to loose your balance. But once you loose it, be brave to fall gracefully, get wet, and still release a good laugh. After all, you learn how to swim. And being watery soaked is not that bad.More picture here

That is just the way he is

The best. And he is still is.

Today, I texted him, wishing to be home by Friday night, together with him. The ride with him is always fun, accompanied by smooth melody of jazz or acoustic guitar. And stopping by between the trips adds more fun, for he is the real omnivore, can eat every food and magically enjoy them all. He also likes to spend some times on cups of coffee. Hazelnut Latte, his favorite. Or just bottles of mineral water and green tea, stocked up in the dashboard drawer of the vehicle.

Catching up stories with him also can be a great thing. I can learn a whole lotta thing from him. He is a professional in his career, have traveled to many countries and read amount of books. No wonder he can throw you million opinions and you would just stare at, overwhelmed. And his witty sense of humor, spice up our conversation, do silly things in the name of fun, and made me burst out in laughter.

So, I texted him. Although he is extremely busy, for having his life between cities, but he always manages to pick up my phone or reply my text message. Plus, he puts a picture of me on my graduation day as his mobile screen saver. Isn't he sweet?

Hey, can I join you for your weekend trip to Bandung?

An hour has passed. My cell phone still lay quietly on my office table. Oh, well, maybe he is on the fly mode or hasn’t rearranged any trip yet. Never mind.
Then suddenly my ring tone was in the air, his name flashed up on the screen and I picked up the phone. “Hello...”

And I didn’t hear any answer at all. But... that was his voice! I can hear his was explaining something in front of audience who sometimes asked questions. Didn’t know exactly what the topic is, but I guess it was about water and sanitation and such stuffs. Professional in this field, and will gladly share everything about it with everyone, that’s just the way he is. And, accidentally press the wrong button of his PDA, is just the way he is as well.

An hour later, he texted me, he wouldn’t go to Bandung today. Oh, well, it’s OK. I can go to Bandung by my self and let’s just meet in Bandung after haven’t met for more than a month. See you there. And he did it again; accidentally press the wrong button so I can rely on his lecture. This time I took the offer and tried to capture it.

After listening to his ‘lecture’ I hang up the phone and trying to concentrate on my maps. It was hard, because I kept thinking about him and has this heart suddenly wrapped around by imaginary blanket after listening to the lecture. I am proud, I really am.

Even though he presses the wrong button many times, but he is the best. And still is.

Love you, Pa.

A question you should ask yourself

Am I happy?
And said sadly, I’m not. There you go, tears in my cheeks. How can I be happy? I have this accute syndrome of missing my life in Aceh. And somehow I have this dream of visiting another places. Maybe not only visiting, but trying to adjust my daily life there. I don’t want to live in a skycrapper apartments, where the inhabitants barely meet each other. Instead, I want to live in a small house in Seubon Ayon, where every afternoon I can play with the kids on the blocks. Ouch, how pathetic I am.

Am I reaching my dreams? Or am I stumbling behind? What is this path I’m stepping on? It is smooth as it can be, but I’m afraid to slip on it. Am I that happy girl she used to wonder about?

Then again, I quoted Allie from Taken:

Allie Keys: When everything in your life is right on track, it's easy to believe that things happen for a reason; it's easy to have faith. But when things start to go wrong then it's very hard to hold on to that faith. It's hard not to wonder whose reasons these things happen for.

The end of the year is close. New days are waiting to come. While most of my friends tag this line: “It’s time to move on.” I convince my self again and again, back and forth: It’s time to hang on.

Are you? Happy?

Gold in the Air of Summer

So, I’ve been here for days. And I’m sure you want me to be with you. I can see it in your eyes. Those twinkles.And our workload, they are nothing to compare the joy when we share the laughters. Just like old friends who haven’t seeing each others for ages. Or maybe long lost brothers and sisters that used to eat from the same plate or clashed over candies.

I didn't know if you wanted to,
when I came to pick you up.
But you didn't even hesitate,
and now you and me are on our way.
I think I've brought everything we need,
so don't look back,
don't think of the other places you should have been
it's a good thing that you came along with me.

So, I will be back in town in couple of days. And I’m sure that’s the last thing you want to face. I can see it in your eyes. They can shed a tear even if you don’t want to.
Or let me just be. And please grab your guitar then sing the song for me. And I will keep the promise for you.

Gold in the air of summer,
you'll shine like gold in the air of summer.

Gold In the Air of Summer – KoC

Will surely keep the shine on

Innocently violent

They say age is just a number, and the memories proof you are old. And I’m still recalling things you said to me. Or, maybe not said directly, you used your mouth mostly for other activities.

In the dim of dawn light, I found my self as a version of teenage high school girl. Or maybe a freshman from college who wake up next to you. Innocence, yet so brave to do mature things. And you are a stranger who wakes up next to me. Tall and strong, yet so fragile when we were this close. We’ve been here for few days, with not much particular things to do. But there’s nothing more I wanted to do with you anyway.

Days like this should be put in our past. When we didn’t know each other, and busy with our sticky life. When we were young and hot and live the life with full curiosity. We were not afraid to do things we want to do. We crossed the boundaries and do everything on experimental basis. I believe you were slightly skinnier and my eyes have a lot more twinkles. We probably have the same skin tone, back and now. But, damn how we are proud of our appearances now.

When you slowly stroke my hair, and I unconsciously pretended nothing happened, I knew it. This was unregretful spontaneous things I want to have back then. And when we were facing each other, I knew it. This was the missing emotion I should have back then. The young adult woman’s feeling written literally in teenlits genre novels. So eager to explore and and not afraid to try anything. To fall gracefully in love and not ashamed to cry over a heartache.