Maliq

And Balawan.

A Treat

Okay. It is really rare that I would write something like this. So yes, if you want to have a go and read this, please do so :)

1/ The whole picture

Have you ever felt truly blessed, that you don't know where to start counting your blessings? Well yes, I had felt bits of blessings here and there and I have never been tired of saying my thanks and gratefulness especially these days. I thought it is going to be just that. But then, I slowed down a little, walked a bit further, observed a bit wider, dug a bit deeper; somehow I found out how the whole picture looks like. It is the blueprint of a life-long construction work and it is just the most beautiful plan I have ever envisioned.

2/ The matter of sharing

Kamu hidup tidak sendiri dan tidak hanya untuk diri sendiri. We are all social creatures whose nature is to be in groups, whose nature is afraid to be left alone. We all want friends; we want someone to rely on to. But do not worry my friend, even in the worst-case scenario, when you feel that no one loves you or even if no one notices you, you always have Him, the hotline for your fears and sorrows. The one to share your stories without worrying that it will bore Him to death because He had risen anyway. However more importantly, realising that you don’t live alone and yet you don’t only live for yourself, it is such a greater extension to our understanding of an infinite love chain that we all shall pass to others. How beautiful it is to share all the little things we have with the desire of spreading the hope and faith for anyone as a seed to then be grown to a lemon tree (or whatever tree you would like it to be).

The idea of giving may seem far and indefinite. Let’s just scale it down to sharing. So here is the main notion: you can never have too little to share. I mean, come on, even bacteria splits! Talking to Om Istas tickled me to think that there are so much more to life than your self’s being. It is when you realised that life is about giving – not gaining – that you will just be grateful for what you have, said Om. And of course it will make it much more easier to share what you have got even though giving to others might mean that you will have none.

This body of ours, He rented it to us, for us to use for the good of others. So what is it that we actually possess? Nothing really. We borrow everything from Him, it is all His. If you knew about Xerox’s Green Lease sustainability program, it is a similar rendition. When a copier is being rented to you, you shall take a good care of it and use it according to its manual. You will always be able to tweak a little bit of thing here and there, but you know that it has its guidelines and we shall try to follow what has been written. You can be a bit naughty though, maybe by trying to do things in different ways, which possibly will bring better results. If it is not going to work, the machine will tell you anyway by breaking down, jammed paper, ugly prints, or whatever ways (mostly unpleasant) to indicate that you are doing the wrong thing and to prevent it to go even worse.

It’s quite funny for me, the way He gives me signs. I got it from talking to the lovely super-inspiring people. I came to Campaspe Down empty handed. Now I have a list of things to do, plus more than a handful of things to share.

3/ Utter difference

Each one of us can do something. Never think that you are too peewee to do something. Just keep in mind that they will be different, mine and yours. There is no standard whatsoever to show if you are doing the right thing, apart from the fact that it should not be the left one. It is when this becomes vague and your belief plays its role.

So I shall stop writing here.

Just because I think I shall start doing.

///

27 April 2011

Coming back from Retret Mudika 2011: You've Got One Friend Request

Dear Japan

Biscuit Carrier

Doing work for the elderly makes me feel like one. I sew and I eat speculaas. I drink tea in the afternoon and I do woodworking. Maybe I should spend less time at the aged care and start doing some lively activities. Easter break! Can't wait.

Sicilian Orange

Was reviewing this place for Karamel.
Sfince
Sicilian Trifle
Cornetti
---
Sicilian Orange
115 Greville Street, Prahran

God Morgon

This is how breakfast looked like this morning. Halved cherry tomatoes, smoked salmon, with cream cheese base on crisp bread. And slices of apple too. I thought so, everything will look pretty on the oak bench. Just keeping myself entertained on a slow Friday morning. But yes, definitely am getting the Scandinavian vibe lately.

The Finders Keepers

Is the best market ever!

Sweet Street

Sydney Road perhaps is one of the best streets Melbourne has ever had. Loaded with vibrant culture, diverse backgrounds, yet open minded to what the surrounding has to offer, making it simply an inspiring place to be. We went to the Sydney Road Festival. The street was closed to traffic, people walked freely among the op-shops, vintage knickknacks, and unusual collectibles, not only to be entertained by the atmosphere and the lively people. We felt like dancing, and so we joined the crowd dancing to the thumping African music (imagine Lion King).

Menarik Ya, Hidup Ini

Begitu banyak yang kita tidak punya kuasa. Yang kita mau begitu jauh, yang dekat tidak dianggap. Apa iya kita tau apa yang kita mau.
Tadi ada opa-opa jatuh di dedaunan dekat rumah. Hari ini begitu banyak yang didapat. Yang di sini pun masih ada yang ditunggu dalam ketidakpastian. Menyilangkan jari, kaki pun juga. Ditunggu saja. Ayo dong teman semua semangat! Mungkin yang satu tidak dapat, yang lain akan datang. Luangkan waktu lihat apa yang ada, jangan hanya yang tidak ada. Pasti punya yang orang lain tidak punya. Nah itu waktunya kamu bilang terima kasih.

Kursi

Kursi
2011
A semi-circular bench
Red oak x Victorian ash
John Diorietes x Ronnie Lacham

This is a year worth of work. From planks of timber, from pure unfamiliarity, to a piece of furniture! I struggled with it: drew it, measure it, measure it again, cut it, planed it, sanded it, glued the pieces together, sanded it again, lathed it, bleed with it, screw it, sanded it all over again, oiled it, took it home.

33 weeks x 3 hours = 99 hours

But yes it was definitely worth the fight. I learned heaps more aside from learning how to make a semi-circular bench. The slow pace of woodworking became a slow down from the outside. And most definitely I learned to respect those machines. They might look tame, just be careful with your fingers though.

Woodworkers (or tukang in Indo) are perhaps the best workmates. Everyone was just very supportive and we appreciated each others' works as much as we appreciated ours, knowing how hard it is to actually work on our pieces.

Having said that, I am truly glad for finishing this thing. Sad for not coming back.

Thanks to you, guys in the underground!