Family Matters

I had hectic morning cos I had to be at FRA around 11:00. Hectic cos I had thirty minutes conference call with RIN and KIE. It was a hilarious call. We hardly had time to meet so it was just nice to meet via phone. I made time to enjoy the conference although I knew I could be late for my appointment. We made a date to meet in the afternoon.

I texted my custo that I would be late. Text didn’t go thru. I started to work on UB blog while waiting. An hour passed. I went to warung – eating house – to have lunch. I normally didn’t go there by myself. I feel strange sitting in long table with other stop by-ers – from driver to messenger.. But today I felt like enjoying my time there. Enjoying the warm Jakarta.

Ehm.. Where’s my custo? What were you thinking? Making an appointment then no show, not even call? Still good tho.. I finished working in Photoshop when NIE called. She needed me to select gifts for four art-group members who will leave this summer. In ten minutes I was in the shop. Nice batik shop occupies one floor of a small building.

NIE and I have same taste of art. We have same eye. We discussed ceramic bowl, candle holder, plate, photo frame,.. We admired bedcover, napkin, runner,.. We fell in love with same low stool made of wood – strange leg (shown in photo). We went thru handbag and clothing. More than an hour passed. We decided to give the ladies nice ceramic bowl. Really nice. An art itself. And we also decided to buy… the stool! I found another one with darker wood and nice wood pattern, so NIE took the one we first saw. This shop has Jap market, they wrap everything nicely a la Jap. We decided to go next door checking the multi-ideas artist while they were wrapping our gifts.

MAG was there. There’s a talk about paper in the bookshop. NIE and I enjoyed her artwork. We made appointment to meet with art-group on Friday next week. Walking back to batik shop, we agreed that she looked.. bubbly. Very alive. 18:10

RIN came to UB later in the afternoon. KIE could not come. So nice to have her but then I thought we didn’t have a productive day. We chatted and giggled a lot. I could not concentrate preparing materials for UB blog. Later, RAD asked me to help her in setting up her biz blog. We agreed to meet tomorrow night. Ehm.. she kicked me to start a blog but she only has three postings ha ha..

Just before home, I gave RIN a copy of book about wayang. I found the original, published in 1955, in an antique shop in Surabaya years ago. I found it in a dusty cabinet and cost me USD 5. I made some copies for shop and friends. This book is considered rare. Very elaborate details of each wayang character -- more than one hundred characters -- plus the meaning of each weapon they use. I haven't read all but it was just nice to have as reference. But when I gave her the book, she was surprised. What a coincidence! The author is relative -- of the same great great grand father. From this family branch most were writers and journalists. So interesting.

That led RIN to talk about our family highlight history. RIN is my generation’s information center. It’s good to know some facts behind. Things that my parents never really told me. We had a good laugh when I found out that I really had my grandma’s (from Papa side) character. Ha ha.. It’s funny that genetic marker can skip a generation. It’s so nice to know. I called it.. a sketch has bolder lines now. I can see the picture clearer.

I ended up spending long time at RIN father’s house on the way home. It was hilarious. More gossiping. I’m tired now. Think I will go to sleep soon and start early tomorrow.