Show Mama My Home

I didn’t feel well in the morning. I awoke every two hours at night and every time I felt like I had enough sleep but of course I had to get back sleep again. I got up around 4:30 and decided to read instead of browse internet. I read Anderson Cooper’s memoir that I had wanted to read since long.

He is a good writer. His style is plain English, very real, as is. Oprah is right about his writing. His detail is not boring and difficult like award winning books. I like it. Well, I enjoy his reportage or interview in CNN so much. Cool.

I found myself in him – in much smaller scale. He is very much in his thought all the time, enjoys his time without social (I’m not that bad) that he likes to take assignment on New Year’s evening just to avoid any social, is always on the go, talks to self a lot and hardly miss any emotional attachment. Many. I’m glad, I feel better to know there’s someone out there worse than me. Unlike him, I still miss the feeling of to belong some times. What a lonely world!

That helped my morning. I felt better and forgot about my not well feeling. I believed in "it’s all in my mind" – nothing physical actually.

I made two prayer beads for Mama and Ibu Dahlia, her 'successor', last minutes. I was too relaxed not to prepare before hand and suddenly it hit me that I need to have something comes out of my hands for Mama. Creating 'under pressure' is something but I am good at that. I managed to make two in 15 minutes. I’m happy with the result. I chose their color.

It's the same feeling to be in airport about same time every two weeks: happy to be away, look forward to experiencing new, ready for change. Feel sleepy hit me later. I ate various food to keep me from nausea that followed the not well feeling. It’s good I was not that sleepy that I could read during the flight. I flew to Bali again and it’s like ritual that I bought a book from Periplus in airport. I chose The Life Plan today. It consists of 10 tips of each topic about life (total 700 tips). Nothing is new, I’d like to call it a reminder book. It reminds me to do so and so, like check list.

Only half an hour in my room, I went and got massage from Mbok Yan. Actually I didn’t need the service but I had to do it as she has helped me with rented house. I believe that some times we have to use our friends' services to keep the friendships ‘alive’. I also got facial before home. She is good at it, the salon has nice fresh home-made face masker (mine was avocado with yoghurt). All were good, I’m happy.

Mama and Ibu Dahlia were visiting Ubud for a training of trainers held by a German NGO where Mama works the past 10 years. They hold the training in the new Ubud botanical garden. Obviously Mama was happy with her experience to go steep down to river inside the garden for the opening.

Ya, we met up for dinner this evening. I seldom have problem discussing what to eat with Mama. It’s so easy with her because often she knows what she wants. This evening she mentioned Bebek Bengil – restaurant known for its delicious crispy duck. That saved me from thinking and finding out what Mama and Ibu Dahlia might like. Mama is good.

We updated each other over dinner. I told her that I start my own necklace line and my plan to market – that she is still surprised to find me even far from intellectual work :-) And I gave them city tour to Monkey Forest street up to Pallava shop. I was sleepy and longed for a good sleep. I dropped by their room for a while to present their gifts (the prayer beads and 'local memento' a beaded small sling-bag and kopi Bali) and show Mama my creation :-)

I’m happy to have shown Mama my home, more tomorrow.

No photo this trip, internet connection is pretty poor.