It took my arm to fried ‘Mpek-Mpek’

It was like all the weekday nights when I cooked dinner and my son was upstairs with my husband, did their own business. Since we got un-cooked ‘Mpek-Mpek’ the other day –kind of Indonesian fish cake, originally from city of Palembang in South Sumatra- ; I was thinking to fried it first then cook some noodles for dinner. I never fried Mpek-Mpek before, the only thing I remember was my sister in law told me to steam it first before frying. So I did.

I separated into 3 batches, bit round around the kitchen preparing the noodle, when my 2nd batch just ready to pull from the pan. I looked on the fire; it was on minimum, so I grabbed my thongs and ready to take from the pan. In a blink, a splash of oil –hot oil from the pan- just splashed onto my right arm.

I was screaming. My daughter run toward me saw me in pain, I can see her body shaken and her hand was tremble. She screaming to, and stop in a sudden. My maid run to me, he turned the stove off, worried about the worse to come. My husband and my son run from upstairs. My son looked at my hand with disbelief. It was red, burn. I felt terribly hot inside my hand. My husband asked my son to find some kind of cream, but we all in panic, bit of chaos, he couldn’t found it. The only thing we found was aloe-Vera cooling gel –it suppose to be for sun-burnt-

Looked on my hand, my husband decided to go to hospital. Lucky it was quiet in Emergency room last night, so I can have a long chat with the doctor about my arm, and we ended with burger for dinner from the hospital café.

Now it got me thinking.

I never thought that with one arm malfunction, it just hard to do everything. I am not losing my arm, just cannot have the flexibility while it’s swelling and wrapped with bandage. Even the simple task so energy-consuming. I take everything for granted. I guess we never learn until it happen, and now this accident simply open my mind the importance of having good health and be thankful for it.

Tomato; Watermelon; Eggplant and heap of chilies.

Do you believe me if I tell you, this pretty things all made by me?

I can see on your face, don’t give me your disbelieve look. I know you don’t believe me, I’m not that expert – I have to admit-.

This photo taken last Monday, when we had one very important occasion to celebrate –our parent wedding anniversary- and one of their friend sent this beautifully crafted food.

It’s kind of sweet, made of sweet bean paste –not sure which bean- inside, covered with sticky-rice dough formed fruit-like-shape, colored, and –I guess- dipped onto hot jellyfish thing so the fruit formed won’t run from it’s pretty looks.

Taste? Yummy, perfect with hot-milky tea.

There were chilies, papayas, mangoes, pumpkins, rose apples –we called it ‘jambu’ in Indonesia, mangos teen –we call it manggis in Indonesia- and also the main ‘fruit’ with bigger size like watermelon, star fruit, eggplant and one big tomato.

Fancy one?

I wish I can share it with you….

One Thursday Morning

It’s traffic as usual on my morning ritual, on the way dropping my daughter to her Daycare. What made its different is two completely opposite view hampered right in front of me.

We were stop on red light just before crossing between Jalan Antasari and Jalan Wijaya ( I apologize for you who not live in Jakarta, especially South Jakarta). And there are one big-built gentleman, with his helmet attached, holding another man –blind man, for sure, I can tell you –he carried a long stick- and helped him crossing the street. Something that I did not see every day, a man left his motorbike just on the side of the road to help other. I saw the whole process he did, it’s touching me. This man could be in a rush, or could be late for work, but he did something rare to see. Shames on people who buzz them while them crossing. I don’t know this man –and I cursed myself for leaving my cameras at home, can’t show you those moment- things always happen when you least prepare, right-

The next minutes, I saw a careless driver with his fancy newest city car, blocked the very left lane for quick turn and left all drivers behind him buzzing furiously. He was so silly –or rather selfish if I might say it- for the action made numbers of people stuck. He knew he not suppose to take that lane –proved he kept his car flashing for right turn.

Gosh people!

Style? What about it?

I found something interesting here -thanks to my dear friend Jordan Clarke -a young talented artist & designer based in Sydney.

I am a beginner, need quite sometimes to learn how to playing up with all these beautiful thing on Polyvore

Here is my first, more like reflecting my personality over fashion.



Find me on Polyvore

5 Cabs;1 Bajaj and 1 TransJakarta Bus

When I got my electricity bill, I knew I had something need to sorted, and couldn’t be done only using my fingertips without moving from my chair. Internet couldn’t help much here, phone calls sometime helps, come and visit the government office it does work most of the time. And that is not an easy job to do.

So I devoted one of my free day- today- to get this thing sorted.

After several times called the Electricity Company yesterday, I knew which office I have to visit. I started quite early –just because my husband can gave me a lift until downtown- and got one cab dropped me off the office. 15 minutes waiting –not too bad, my Reader Digest come to help- and a lovely young Customer Service in her 30’s explained me quite clear. The only problem, I had to travel to other office to met Field Coordinator of my Area, to get the problem sort. Means, traveling another 7km.

Out from 1st Office, I found it’s quite hard to find a free-cab. 10 minutes waiting under streaky sunlight, I tried my luck with Bajaj, to get me going to other points with taxi-rank. From Bajaj I got lucky find one free cab, with nice driver ready to take me to 2nd destination.

Arrived on 2nd office, all was fine, the person I met was nice mid-age man with soft voice, gave me all details and data I need, all finished by 11.45am, just before lunch time, I decided to sat down have a drink before heading home.

One sip, my hand scramble inside my bag tried to located my mobile phone, when I touch something hard-plastic-y kind of thing. I froze for 10seconds, before my brain screaming: Oh My God!

Something hard-plastic-y kind of thing turned out to be our car rego-license a.k.a STNK in Indonesia (or whatever you want to call it). I scared to death imagined my husband being pull-over by policeman on random license checking and couldn’t serve this document that suppose to house inside our car-key wallet but my bag.

I tried to ring my husband -which I ready knew it useless; noting he’s stand in class lectured and not be able to pick up his phone- but somehow I still do it for comforting myself. No answer –as I guess- I decided to head to Depok instead home. I looked at my watch, his class will finish in another hour or more, so why I rushing?

Walked out from electricity office, I saw shiny metallic-frame in front of me. Trans-Jakarta bus shelter known as Bus way. Next minute, I can’t believe myself I stepped onto its steps hiked-up and down inside the shelter. Rp.3, 500 away, I found myself on metal bench, waited for my bus, and started taking picture of the shelter. 1st experienced always thrilling, isn’t it. Nothing better than camera to make this scene last forever.

I am happy with the bus. Rp.3500, 5 stops in less than 15minutes along Buncit Raya consider perfect. Off from the bus, hop on into cab, I arrived in Depok in less than 40minutes –though my cab-driver took advantage of me for being unfamiliar with the area we travel, in and out tiny-snake-like lane with 60mph and cost me almost same amount my husband paid if he started from home- . I am okay anyway, thinking on positive side of explored new area and enjoy watched people bustling on both side of the road.

Met my husband, handed the document, quick lunch, I prepare to headed home.

And another drama just began.

There is taxi rank, and by ethical, I can’t choose, had to take first cab available. Not so lucky, halfway home; cab’s air conditioner started playing up. Apparently on its coldest mode still not cold enough and getting warmer and warmer. The driver apologizes thousand times, didn’t do any better, he couldn’t fix it anyway. He started to open his side-window, I breathing smoke, and felt sweaty. Worst than when I waited for my bus previously.

2pm,hot and humid day in one of Jakarta’s corner, I decided to stop, off from my cab, hailed another, and –like we used to study on Bahasa Indonesia subject back then on school heyday- went from ‘mulut singa’ to ‘mulut buaya’; from Lion’s den to Crocodile’s muddy pond.

The cab’s air conditioner was fine –not to cold anyway, just fine- but now its driver annoyed me. His complaint about traffic jam –hello….how long you been driving in Jakarta- and started spilled out his entire problem on everything, connected every problem with traffic congestion. Tried to understand my driver, I hang out and listened and listened. We all human with own problems arise. But somehow I couldn’t hold it anymore. Sick of hearing it, I felt like telling my cab driver for not spelling his problem out because I don’t care, I had enough on my plate!

At the end, I’m off 250meters before my home. I rather walked home and finish my day on my feet. Free of hearing his complaints.

Oh, what a day!