Too Much of You Made Me Sick

I have a bad character of impulse impatience. When I like something, I want it, I want it now and I want as much as I want. I know it is a bad habit, but like other bad habits, it’s been very hard to change.

From many bad habit experiences, I remember one that I consider as my “first” act of impulse impatience:

One day my father bought me a pack of Cheetos – Roasted Corn flavour, I think I was in 4th grade of elementary school. It tastes so nice that I keep thinking of it. The next day, I managed to make my employee to take me to buy the same Cheetos. I forgot how I got the money, but I bought a box of it (20 or 24 pack/box). Once I got back home, I kept eating Cheetos, but guess what! I couldn’t take it after 3rd pack… it’s just too much. I end up giving the rest away.

The fear of roasted corn flavour actually lasts a long time, until I worked in snack industry. Believe it or not, I seriously cannot take any corn flavour anymore, even the smell of it makes me nausea.

So, Ming, you should have learned the lesson!!!

Why did you buy 10kg of PEMPEK in one-go??!!!

So sick of it now…. Too much, Ming…. Too much!!!

*guilty - holding a plate of unfinished pempek *

*sob…sob… sorry*

Note:

Pempek is a kind of fish-cake, a local-specialty of Palembang, South Sumatra.

Happy Vesakh Day

Were you happy? For a split-second, I was not. Here’s why…

A day before V-day I came to present some flowers offering, at temple I was greeted by V-day committee who quickly requested my flower to be used on Puja (kinda like a procession ceremony). I don’t mind.

On the exact V-day, I didn’t question much when I couldn’t find my flower on altar, which make sense cos they said it will be used for Puja, right? But on Puja, it was not my flower that was presented. I was still OK, thinking my flower is really way too heavy to be carried on procession.

After the whole praying-session, I found my flower neglected on meditation room"s floor (sadly, looks more like a abandoned storage room). I was quite pissed about that, esp. when my mom question why it is there. I picked those flowers up and put on altar.

Lucky I have a piece of Porkchop on hand to nibble on, all anger ceased. Case closed for me. I am happy again.

At night, I received a phone call from V-day committee who apologize for the incident, blaming some old auntie, who wanted her flower to be presented for Puja, so she can get extra V-day blessing, so she “throwed away” my flower in exchange of hers.

I have no problem if my flower was not used for Puja. Seriously!!! But it is totally rude to dispose someone’s offering on floor.

And the worst thing about this event is showed the poor understanding of the real blessing. Sadly this trend is quite saturated among those who swarm around temple.  Blessing doesn’t come from flowers or food or incense or talisman or heaps of money-paper burned. Please check Maha Manggala Sutta about it

Thanks to Porkchop who remind me about the meaning of offerings

Thanks to Bhante who remind me about the sutta

I am truly happy

Happy Vesakh Day

May all being be happy

Salted Fish ...

One day, someone asked me “What is your favourite food, Ming? I quickly answer: “Nasi Padang”.

And he also asked a girl sitting beside me, "What is your favourite food?" She answered:” I can't take anything but Japanese and Korean food", then she list down 5-star hotels where she usually had those food (or so she said)

What the girl answered is a typical answer I heard when someone asked an Indonesian, "What is your favourite food"

- I can't take anything but dimsum

- I can't take anything but sushi

- I can't take anything but korean bimbimbab

- I can't take anything but burgers

- etc

All these answer I got from those people who was born in Indonesia, live in Indonesia, but may (or may not) been to those places they mention where they serve their favourite food.

Favourite food is a personal choice. It would be very wrong if I said it is a bullcrap that it is their favourite food.

But trust me, the reason why I wrote this writing is because I am totally against those people who look down on Indonesian food and praise foreign food.

I like Japanese food. I like Italian food. In fact, I like all kind of food...

I can just chuck any countries' food to my mouth

BUT I will still say

"Padang food is the best"

"Salted fish on hot-steamed rice is my all-time favourite"

"Salted egg on porridge always put a grin on my face"

Ahhhh.....I am drooling

in 10 days

All gone in just 10 days

Forgetting the Past, Welcoming the New...

I am a pre-enlightened person

I heard it many times...
These sermons, these stories and morals of the stories, these jokes, these suggestions...
The difference is it was told by many different monks, different priests, different religious leaders.
I find out that almost every single of them keep repeating the same stories again and again. Kinda boring and predictable.
Once they said a few words, I can simply guess the end of the story and also moral of the stories

Well, I compare them to street peddler - selling their magic potion that cure every diseases...
So many people watching the peddler speaking magic about the potions...BUT
     How many of the audience actually listen?  
     How many of the audience actually have the money to buy the potion?
     How many of the audience who has the money, actually buy the potion?
     How many of the audience actually buy and use potion after they buy it?
     How many of the audience succeedly get the result of the magic potion?

I guess I am one of the audience who seen and heard too much about the miracle of magic potion.
I am able to buy, I already bought it.
BUT it seems like I just cannot make myself to make a good use of the magic potion, no matter how much I need it.
I am a pre-enlightened person.

Let Nature Takes Its Course...

I guess it is true that nature always find a way to solve things up, even if it's a prolonged unsolved problem.
Like what happen to Bangladesh & India.

"What these two countries could not achieve from years of talking has been resolved by global warming"

For nearly 30 years, India and Bangladesh have argued over control of a tiny rock island in the Bay of Bengal. Now rising sea levels have resolved the dispute for them: the island has gone.New Moore island in the Sunderbans has been completely submerged, said oceanographer Sugata Hazra, a professor at Jadavpur University in Kolkata. Its disappearance has been confirmed by satellite imagery and sea patrols.

see here for more info :)

Wishful Gaze

In front of me, there's innocent eyes from the boy that I can"t bear to see, I was trying to look away, denying what I see. I was holding my breath as I walk into those ruined rooms, how can they sleep in there? And again, I need to face my biggest fear: to see into their eyes. Those eyes that showed a big expectation from each person who came to visit them and promised to help them, and most of them never come back. Those poor children..

It"s all started last Sunday, my friend V asked me to join her to visit an orphanage, she brought some cakes, snacks and milk powder for them. Seriously, I was very uncomfortable to be there, it is not because of the kids' attitude, of course, so far, they have been very welcoming to strangers (I guess they get used to get visited)
 

Well, before this,  I've visited this particular orphanage before with DaAi team. Exactly like my previous visit,  I didn't interact much to the kids unless they speak to me first, it makes me feel uneasy. I refused to say or do much in the orphanage, I also refused to create too much attention about the visit. ... not because I'm cold... but I really care about them in a different way.
 

Here is the picture of 2 youngest member of the orphanage.

These 2 babies that strike me the most. Both were surrendered by their poor parents whom unable to provide necessary care for them. I know their parents didn't have evil means abandoning them. At least in the orphanage, they can get necessary food and clothing and companion of orphanage brothers and sisters. Most parents will ensure their kids will get the best nutrition in their kids' early age. I am not quite sure how much nutrition the babies will get, but I am sure they'll stay alive.

It is painful to see that the kids live in poor condition, wearing either too big or too small clothing with holes here and there, eating whatever provided, sleeping anywhere they can find. More pics here...

I don't want to give any hope to them for that I cannot commit, not that I don't want to...
I wouldnt complain much, cos I cannot help much
I cannot promise much too..

How can I help, I cannot always provide them.
I hate the feeling of this hopelessness... but in my deepest heart, i really want the best for them..

First, the dog was laying down as if it was tied up to the bike seat, but suddenly the dog moved & stood up on the bike seat!!! It even popped its head over master's shoulder to help the master check out the traffic :) Btw, it wasn't tied up at all. Smart dog!!!

Btw... i wish BB have a better camera, the current cam's response is too slow & pic quality is so poor :(

Thank You

Today they started to demolish the house that I have lived for the past 20 years. I didn't cry, but I really thanks the building to sheltering me and my family for so long. It has succeed to keep standing despite of heavy damages caused by 30Sept09's earthquake... it has whole-heartedly  protecting my family so they can came out safely. I really thank this beloved building.

No cries

I just swipe my eyes across the building

Gave final bow

Kiss good-bye

and

Thank you

I will try to upload day by day pictures of the demolition process
- day before (25/3) demolition process
- 1st day (26/3): mostly selecting what valuables left, I found my photo album... been misplaced for sometime, lucky I found it; many of my comics are still there...
- 2nd day (27/3): doors and windows already removed... 2nd & 3rd floor are see-through now
- 3rd day (28/3): roofs are removed...
- 4th day (29/3): 
- 5th day (30/3): ceiling frame are gone...
- 6th day (31/3): main folding doors are gone
- 7th day (1/4): they started to bang the wall, scrapping steel wires out of the building (1/4 gone)
- 8th day (2/4): mainbuilding completely gone, some parts of adjoining building still attached
- 9th day (3/4): all gone...  :(
Again, Thank You ...

TV Interview Clip

 A looooooong waited file has finally arrived. Here's the clip of my interview from Da Ai TV.
Finally it is here.
Dear friends, I was on TV!!!!

note:
many thanks to Ms.Hsu who sent the dvd from across the ocean
many thanks to Mr.Ng who extract the dvd into this short clip of me only... hahaha...(maafkan aku, baru sekali ini masuk tipi, pak... jadi agak kampungan)