How Beautiful
“?”
“Your underwear, you little fool” said Opa Johan to his wife.
December 2009
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
I Picture A Paradise, A Heaven In Hell
I Picture A Paradise, A Heaven In Hell
I picture a paradise, a heaven in hell with two lovers, or a mother and her children, or a dog and his master in it, not a paradise or heaven as is written in the Bible.
December 2009
I picture a paradise, a heaven in hell with two lovers, or a mother and her children, or a dog and his master in it, not a paradise or heaven as is written in the Bible.
December 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
The Choir Conductor's Taking Risks
The Choir Conductor’s Taking Risks
I’m giving the weak members the chance to sing solo to improve their singing. It’s no wonder that they might not perform very well. No one knows that I’m taking a risk. I have 11 members, most are over 70 years, and 2 of them even had suffered a stroke. When I want my choir to perform well, I could take just the best, smartest 5 singers. So the choir conductor comforted himself when once his performance went wrong.
December 2009
I’m giving the weak members the chance to sing solo to improve their singing. It’s no wonder that they might not perform very well. No one knows that I’m taking a risk. I have 11 members, most are over 70 years, and 2 of them even had suffered a stroke. When I want my choir to perform well, I could take just the best, smartest 5 singers. So the choir conductor comforted himself when once his performance went wrong.
December 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
An Indonesian Fairy Tale
An Indonesian Fairy Tale
Many princes, so handsome, were showing their incredible achievements, feats, university degrees, PhD’s, riches. They were competing for her hand. No, she wasn’t dazzled, awed, though one would offer her his kingdom, she didn’t care. That was not “him”. She wouldn’t marry a fortune, a great name. Someone said: “She’s a fool to reject, refuse such profitable offers which could support herself for life.”
When she once visited a village – but this could only happen in a fairy tale in Indonesia, in my imagination, in my mind – did she meet a young man who was herding his buffaloes. He was strong, so simple, so frank, so natural, so unsophisticated, so open, so unaffected, as though she saw Adam before her, who was without education, wealth, clothes, instead of a herdsman.
Except himself, he had no chance, nothing to offer, to show off to ever convince this fairy before him of his worth and he never thought of ever trying to charm, enchant her. And I pictured him when he just came out of the river sitting on his buffalo, without a shirt, un-combed hair, barefoot yet even asked whether he might kiss her. There was no prince ever dared to ask it.
She later returned and said: “will you marry me?” Dazzled, stunned, when undreamed of, un-hoped for, he was granted, offered a heavenly bride.
He took her home to his cottage, celebrated the wedding with a meal just of lalap, ikan asin, pepes oncom, (that is uncooked vegetables, dried salted fish, red roasted pie of fermented soy bean) eating together on a banana leaf with their fingers, sitting on a mat and drinking water out of a kendi (earthen water vessel) as there were no chairs, no table, plates, cups, forks and spoons. Cozy, warm they nestled in each others arms on the wooden, worn out bale-bale (bedstead). This was heaven. She was content helping him in the vegetable garden, bathing in the kali (river) or pancuran (water from a spring flowing through a water pipe) or from a well and he taught her how to do it.
“There is no electricity, no TV, telephone, no car, no newspaper, no ... She has to live in want. That’s hell.” So the people exclaimed. “Sure” she thought, “but with him near me, hell doesn’t terrify, scare me.”
And I imagined her waking up with the warble of the birds, cock crow, She saw the dew on the grass and stepped on it, enjoyed the rustle, the coolness of the wind, saw, heard the gurgling, splashing of flowing clear mountain water in winding ditches, brooklets, watched the glorious sun, the moon rise, the golden sun set, she saw the fireflies in the evening, …and her husband coming home. This was paradise. She, a City’s daughter had become a child of Nature.
She never vowed to be faithful before God, she never regretted, sorrowed her choice, though she knew she should work hard, that one day he would grow old. She was so happy just to be Eve, a lovely woman who had Adam in the “guise” of a herdsman as her dear husband for as long as life. But this is as I picture it in my mind.
Many princes, so handsome, were showing their incredible achievements, feats, university degrees, PhD’s, riches. They were competing for her hand. No, she wasn’t dazzled, awed, though one would offer her his kingdom, she didn’t care. That was not “him”. She wouldn’t marry a fortune, a great name. Someone said: “She’s a fool to reject, refuse such profitable offers which could support herself for life.”
When she once visited a village – but this could only happen in a fairy tale in Indonesia, in my imagination, in my mind – did she meet a young man who was herding his buffaloes. He was strong, so simple, so frank, so natural, so unsophisticated, so open, so unaffected, as though she saw Adam before her, who was without education, wealth, clothes, instead of a herdsman.
Except himself, he had no chance, nothing to offer, to show off to ever convince this fairy before him of his worth and he never thought of ever trying to charm, enchant her. And I pictured him when he just came out of the river sitting on his buffalo, without a shirt, un-combed hair, barefoot yet even asked whether he might kiss her. There was no prince ever dared to ask it.
She later returned and said: “will you marry me?” Dazzled, stunned, when undreamed of, un-hoped for, he was granted, offered a heavenly bride.
He took her home to his cottage, celebrated the wedding with a meal just of lalap, ikan asin, pepes oncom, (that is uncooked vegetables, dried salted fish, red roasted pie of fermented soy bean) eating together on a banana leaf with their fingers, sitting on a mat and drinking water out of a kendi (earthen water vessel) as there were no chairs, no table, plates, cups, forks and spoons. Cozy, warm they nestled in each others arms on the wooden, worn out bale-bale (bedstead). This was heaven. She was content helping him in the vegetable garden, bathing in the kali (river) or pancuran (water from a spring flowing through a water pipe) or from a well and he taught her how to do it.
“There is no electricity, no TV, telephone, no car, no newspaper, no ... She has to live in want. That’s hell.” So the people exclaimed. “Sure” she thought, “but with him near me, hell doesn’t terrify, scare me.”
And I imagined her waking up with the warble of the birds, cock crow, She saw the dew on the grass and stepped on it, enjoyed the rustle, the coolness of the wind, saw, heard the gurgling, splashing of flowing clear mountain water in winding ditches, brooklets, watched the glorious sun, the moon rise, the golden sun set, she saw the fireflies in the evening, …and her husband coming home. This was paradise. She, a City’s daughter had become a child of Nature.
She never vowed to be faithful before God, she never regretted, sorrowed her choice, though she knew she should work hard, that one day he would grow old. She was so happy just to be Eve, a lovely woman who had Adam in the “guise” of a herdsman as her dear husband for as long as life. But this is as I picture it in my mind.
December 2009
Friday, December 25, 2009
God Has Forbidden Us
God Has Forbidden Us
“Oh, it’s raining. That means God has forbidden us to have an outing.” Meanwhile, God, Nature has other designs than forbidding a family to go out.
December 2009
“Oh, it’s raining. That means God has forbidden us to have an outing.” Meanwhile, God, Nature has other designs than forbidding a family to go out.
December 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
A Mother's Happiness In Telling Her Children A lie
A Mother’s Happiness In Telling Her Children A Lie
You may tell a lie, only if it is about something nice, good, so that when one day it might be discovered, he or she you lied to would be very grateful to you. There’s almost no lie that’s not hiding something nasty. There’s almost no order that’s not containing something bad, something we don’t like. A lie, an order often brings unpleasantness with it.
When our children were small and we lived in tied living conditions, Oma used to give them the best, good parts of some special fruits if we were lucky some one presents us a pear, an apple or grapes as we can’t afford to buy them. Even a grape would still be cut and shared. Oma said she liked, prefered those parts that were still left as they were over ripe, “bonyok”, spoiled. So she lied and the children believed and were content.
Yet, that was a joy, a feast, a plus for us who were almost empty pursed, a minus for the rich as they never would have the chance to ever enjoy it. Oma was even happier in succeeding to make her children believe her lie.
But today there’s no need to lying anymore. Her children are grown up and relatively wealthy. Apples, pears, grapes are abundant, eating them is not extraordinary anymore.
But till today, your daddy almost half a century ago, still remembers your Oma, his mam. When he saw half rotten, spoiled pears, he still is so naïve to believe that’s what Oma liked. He bought it and sent it to us.
We laughed for his present of half rotten pears and our dear foolish son. I don’t know whether Oma apologised for her lie.
So told Opa Johan in his e mail to his granddaughter.
December 2009
You may tell a lie, only if it is about something nice, good, so that when one day it might be discovered, he or she you lied to would be very grateful to you. There’s almost no lie that’s not hiding something nasty. There’s almost no order that’s not containing something bad, something we don’t like. A lie, an order often brings unpleasantness with it.
When our children were small and we lived in tied living conditions, Oma used to give them the best, good parts of some special fruits if we were lucky some one presents us a pear, an apple or grapes as we can’t afford to buy them. Even a grape would still be cut and shared. Oma said she liked, prefered those parts that were still left as they were over ripe, “bonyok”, spoiled. So she lied and the children believed and were content.
Yet, that was a joy, a feast, a plus for us who were almost empty pursed, a minus for the rich as they never would have the chance to ever enjoy it. Oma was even happier in succeeding to make her children believe her lie.
But today there’s no need to lying anymore. Her children are grown up and relatively wealthy. Apples, pears, grapes are abundant, eating them is not extraordinary anymore.
But till today, your daddy almost half a century ago, still remembers your Oma, his mam. When he saw half rotten, spoiled pears, he still is so naïve to believe that’s what Oma liked. He bought it and sent it to us.
We laughed for his present of half rotten pears and our dear foolish son. I don’t know whether Oma apologised for her lie.
So told Opa Johan in his e mail to his granddaughter.
December 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
A Teacher To His Ex Student
A Teacher To His Ex Student
Since you found my Home Page there’s no need for reunion, to trouble your self to visit, telephone me. Just e mail me in your leisure time. That’s a visit already. Every time you read my Home Page it’s even more than if you really visit me at home talking together.
I am what I am in my Home Page, not old, alive, young, though actually am I old or am no more. Doesn’t matter if I’m a “he” or a “she”, live in Jakarta or in Germany or France, or born in the 19th century or in the future. When you read my Home Page, we become brothers or sisters, I’m not your teacher any more who knows more, who should be respected and you are not my student anymore, not a little boy.
December 2009
Since you found my Home Page there’s no need for reunion, to trouble your self to visit, telephone me. Just e mail me in your leisure time. That’s a visit already. Every time you read my Home Page it’s even more than if you really visit me at home talking together.
I am what I am in my Home Page, not old, alive, young, though actually am I old or am no more. Doesn’t matter if I’m a “he” or a “she”, live in Jakarta or in Germany or France, or born in the 19th century or in the future. When you read my Home Page, we become brothers or sisters, I’m not your teacher any more who knows more, who should be respected and you are not my student anymore, not a little boy.
December 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
Don't You Ever Be Sorry
Don't You Ever Be Sorry
As far as I remember have I never asked, begged for something. My mother chose, provided for my clothes, shoes, school necessities, when I’m married, you did it for me, our sons bought me a wrist-watch, sports-shoes, a mountain-bike, a piano, computer, my father provided some money to buy us a house and our sons rebuilt it for us into a big house. There’s still a lot I haven’t mentioned.
I said: “God, I’ve nothing to ask, don’t worry, trouble Yourself to grant me anything, ”then unasked He grants me a father and a mother, three sons and a daughter except which I can’t choose them myself. Yet I would never, ever exchange them with another father and mother, or other children how loving, good, delightful, smart they are. But I may choose you, you know? Who knows, someday I might repent and think of exchanging you. Ha. Ha. What do you say?
I have no car and go by train, bus, walk or bike and buy me an organ. Yet, am I content. I feel myself very rich.
Sure, a man may look like a scare-crow like me, but what if he were rich in thoughts and feelings. What’s a wealthy, handsome man if he were empty, hollow, barren? Think of the mango which is not pleasing to the eye but is so fragrant and so sweet. The eye may err you know? Aren’t you proud of your smart husband and who has the courage to praise himself? Don’t you ever be sorry. Now, kiss me. It’s a command.
So Opa Johan said to his wife.
December 2009
As far as I remember have I never asked, begged for something. My mother chose, provided for my clothes, shoes, school necessities, when I’m married, you did it for me, our sons bought me a wrist-watch, sports-shoes, a mountain-bike, a piano, computer, my father provided some money to buy us a house and our sons rebuilt it for us into a big house. There’s still a lot I haven’t mentioned.
I said: “God, I’ve nothing to ask, don’t worry, trouble Yourself to grant me anything, ”then unasked He grants me a father and a mother, three sons and a daughter except which I can’t choose them myself. Yet I would never, ever exchange them with another father and mother, or other children how loving, good, delightful, smart they are. But I may choose you, you know? Who knows, someday I might repent and think of exchanging you. Ha. Ha. What do you say?
I have no car and go by train, bus, walk or bike and buy me an organ. Yet, am I content. I feel myself very rich.
Sure, a man may look like a scare-crow like me, but what if he were rich in thoughts and feelings. What’s a wealthy, handsome man if he were empty, hollow, barren? Think of the mango which is not pleasing to the eye but is so fragrant and so sweet. The eye may err you know? Aren’t you proud of your smart husband and who has the courage to praise himself? Don’t you ever be sorry. Now, kiss me. It’s a command.
So Opa Johan said to his wife.
December 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Who Is Poor?
Who Is Poor?
‘Poor’ in my personal dictionary is someone who always begs, asks, has no selfrespect, no selfconfidence, is not independent. The fruit vendor, the news paper boy, the housemaid, a blind man are independent honorable people though they might live in a hut or sleep in a shed.
“Ask, and God will grant you” something like that is written in the Bible, Yet they’re not lazy, spoiled, they’re dignified and don’t humble themselves with asking or begging.
So said Pak Arif.
December 2009
‘Poor’ in my personal dictionary is someone who always begs, asks, has no selfrespect, no selfconfidence, is not independent. The fruit vendor, the news paper boy, the housemaid, a blind man are independent honorable people though they might live in a hut or sleep in a shed.
“Ask, and God will grant you” something like that is written in the Bible, Yet they’re not lazy, spoiled, they’re dignified and don’t humble themselves with asking or begging.
So said Pak Arif.
December 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
A Mother's Grievance
A Mother’s Grievance
I reluctantly told one of my daughters that almost nothing is left of the money she monthly provided for my motherless grandchildren. It was as though I had to humble myself for an alms. And she chided me: “I just recently gave it to you.” I took care of them. Oh, and there was a lot so needed, not just food.
A mother could raise ten children even were she poor, but ten grown-up children couldn’t care for one old poor mother.
So she bitterly said.
December 2009
I reluctantly told one of my daughters that almost nothing is left of the money she monthly provided for my motherless grandchildren. It was as though I had to humble myself for an alms. And she chided me: “I just recently gave it to you.” I took care of them. Oh, and there was a lot so needed, not just food.
A mother could raise ten children even were she poor, but ten grown-up children couldn’t care for one old poor mother.
So she bitterly said.
December 2009
Saturday, December 5, 2009
I Sincerely Hate Her
I Sincerely Hate Her
Opa Johan’s wife has a, foolish, illiterate housemaid. “Oh, she is so obstinate.I’m tired of reproaching her. How I sincerely, dearly hate her” she said laughing to her husband in jest.
December 2009
Opa Johan’s wife has a, foolish, illiterate housemaid. “Oh, she is so obstinate.I’m tired of reproaching her. How I sincerely, dearly hate her” she said laughing to her husband in jest.
December 2009
Never Ask Your Lover: Do You Love Me?"
Never Ask Your Lover: “Do You Love Me?”
That is if you don’t want to hear a hesitating, reluctant, very disappointing, cold, dry: “Sure, certainly.”
When someone really loves you, you never, ever have to ask this; he will marry you even without begging him: “Marry me.”
December 2009
That is if you don’t want to hear a hesitating, reluctant, very disappointing, cold, dry: “Sure, certainly.”
When someone really loves you, you never, ever have to ask this; he will marry you even without begging him: “Marry me.”
December 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Still Drawn Towards Feminine Beauty
Still Drawn Towards Feminine Beauty
Could I have known before of what I now know on my 80th year I should have warned you before the blessing of the church that I’m still drawn towards feminine beauty. Though would I know this, I wouldn’t have the nerve to say so. You might be frightened and you wouldn’t marry me.
And it is so foolish to celebrate a wedding feast on the beginning of a life’s voyage as though it were a succes already, when I remember our quarrels, hate, sufferings, torments, miseries, … more than half a century sharing together, I wonder why you still stay with me and don’t run away. Ha, ha.
So said Opa Johan to his wife..
December 2009
Could I have known before of what I now know on my 80th year I should have warned you before the blessing of the church that I’m still drawn towards feminine beauty. Though would I know this, I wouldn’t have the nerve to say so. You might be frightened and you wouldn’t marry me.
And it is so foolish to celebrate a wedding feast on the beginning of a life’s voyage as though it were a succes already, when I remember our quarrels, hate, sufferings, torments, miseries, … more than half a century sharing together, I wonder why you still stay with me and don’t run away. Ha, ha.
So said Opa Johan to his wife..
December 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
"I Hate You"
“I Hate You”
Whenever Opa Johan kissed his wife he always asked: “What does it mean?”
“I hate you.”
Isn’t she sweet?
December 2009
Whenever Opa Johan kissed his wife he always asked: “What does it mean?”
“I hate you.”
Isn’t she sweet?
December 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
They Were Descended From Heaven
They Were Descended From Heaven
“How lovely they are. I wish the ex owners to know how wrong they were to get rid of Hansel und Gretel and left them somewhere neglected, almost starving on the road. They were descended from heaven and Gretel has now returned.”
So said si Upik sadly, though she couldn’t read nor write poetry.
November 2009
“How lovely they are. I wish the ex owners to know how wrong they were to get rid of Hansel und Gretel and left them somewhere neglected, almost starving on the road. They were descended from heaven and Gretel has now returned.”
So said si Upik sadly, though she couldn’t read nor write poetry.
November 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
The Choir Conductor's Objection To Sing
The Choir Conductor’s Objection To Sing
Suppose God asked me a favor: “Sing me one song in a special service as that in the Paulus church.” Then I’d say that I wouldn’t, if it were just for one little song of two minutes as I think of sacrificing my, my members’ time, starting from home 8.00 a.m –2.00 p.m. back home, to provide transportation for my members, to see, to examine, to try the organ, whether it could suit our performance.
I would rather say: “Dear God, ask me for more, for better. We have about thirteen songs ready, we would gladly sing all of them, not just one, though having to sacrifice such a lot or even more. Except we’re not well prepaired. Then would I object Your offer though You would punish me. I don’t care about the service and ceremony. I just enjoy singing with my choir if that is allowed.”
So told the Choir Conductor me.
November 2009
Suppose God asked me a favor: “Sing me one song in a special service as that in the Paulus church.” Then I’d say that I wouldn’t, if it were just for one little song of two minutes as I think of sacrificing my, my members’ time, starting from home 8.00 a.m –2.00 p.m. back home, to provide transportation for my members, to see, to examine, to try the organ, whether it could suit our performance.
I would rather say: “Dear God, ask me for more, for better. We have about thirteen songs ready, we would gladly sing all of them, not just one, though having to sacrifice such a lot or even more. Except we’re not well prepaired. Then would I object Your offer though You would punish me. I don’t care about the service and ceremony. I just enjoy singing with my choir if that is allowed.”
So told the Choir Conductor me.
November 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Opa Johan Reproached His Wife
Opa Johan Reproached His Wife
“Why don’t you eat with me together, you little donkey? What’s enjoying my food alone. It makes the nicest food not nice. Do you know that?”
And I remember the vagrant eating with his lover the simplest food on the same banana leaf with their fingers, drinking out of the same used aqua bottle on the ground, in some half hidden corner beneath a tree. How sweet.
November 2009
“Why don’t you eat with me together, you little donkey? What’s enjoying my food alone. It makes the nicest food not nice. Do you know that?”
And I remember the vagrant eating with his lover the simplest food on the same banana leaf with their fingers, drinking out of the same used aqua bottle on the ground, in some half hidden corner beneath a tree. How sweet.
November 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
What's The Use Of Having A Wife?
What’s The Use Of Having A Wife?
“Just peel your mango yourself. Learn and don’t be so lazy.”
“Well, What’s the use, profit of having a wife then?” So said opa Johan.
November 2009
“Just peel your mango yourself. Learn and don’t be so lazy.”
“Well, What’s the use, profit of having a wife then?” So said opa Johan.
November 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Opa Johan's Complaint To His Wife
Opa Johan’s Complaint To His Wife
“Why are you always so near, so close and touch me, stay away, you little fool,” as Opa Johan neared his wife teasing and tickled her side.
November 2009
“Why are you always so near, so close and touch me, stay away, you little fool,” as Opa Johan neared his wife teasing and tickled her side.
November 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Feign To Be An Old Couple
Feign To Be An Old Couple
They thought we’re old and needed help, They were friendly and we were helped before the others in the Immigration office. You’re just 76 and I 79. Don’t you feel yourself as young as ever? I could still bicycle some 50 Km. Next time on another occasion we would feign to be an old couple with my grey hair and you walk with a limp. Ha, ha. What do you say? So said Opa Johan to his wife.
November 2009
They thought we’re old and needed help, They were friendly and we were helped before the others in the Immigration office. You’re just 76 and I 79. Don’t you feel yourself as young as ever? I could still bicycle some 50 Km. Next time on another occasion we would feign to be an old couple with my grey hair and you walk with a limp. Ha, ha. What do you say? So said Opa Johan to his wife.
November 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Nothing Whatever Could Me Make Obedient Save Willingly
Nothing Whatever Could Make Me Obedient Save Willingly
There’s no marriage oath, no faith, no God, no law, no rule could ever make me (man) obedient, could ever force, prohibit, block, bar me, save willingly. So said Pak Arif.
November 2009
There’s no marriage oath, no faith, no God, no law, no rule could ever make me (man) obedient, could ever force, prohibit, block, bar me, save willingly. So said Pak Arif.
November 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
To Share My Suffering
To Share My Suffering
I’ll take you along with me to the Choir Festival, especially you, to share my suffering, annoyance, boring, vexation for hours. Am I not a good husband to remember you? So Opa Johan teased his wife.
November 2009
I’ll take you along with me to the Choir Festival, especially you, to share my suffering, annoyance, boring, vexation for hours. Am I not a good husband to remember you? So Opa Johan teased his wife.
November 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
I Don't Believe
I Don’t Believe
Do you believe the jury of a choir festival could judge some 120 pages of the musical score to give a good, reasonable evaluation of the participants? I don’t. I only enjoy, judge it’s performance even without knowing the musical score, the lyrics. So said the Choir Conductor to me.
October 2009
Do you believe the jury of a choir festival could judge some 120 pages of the musical score to give a good, reasonable evaluation of the participants? I don’t. I only enjoy, judge it’s performance even without knowing the musical score, the lyrics. So said the Choir Conductor to me.
October 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 10
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 10
In another big quarrel I said to my lover: “Just leave me, you’ll be free, I don’t love you anymore, why do you bind, tie me, you don’t give me my freedom? Can’t you feel?"
And she begged, prayed, entreated and said: “I don’t care though you say a thousand times that you can’t love me and accuse, blame me that I don’t give you your freedom. How I still want to stay with you though every another time you chase me away. Can’t you see, feel? Now kiss me, to make up for all the wrongs you did to me without reason."
Subandrio has a wonderful wife who waited for him though his freedom from prison came only on his 80th year, is my lover not as wonderful as she is and I’m but an old scare-crow?
October 2009
In another big quarrel I said to my lover: “Just leave me, you’ll be free, I don’t love you anymore, why do you bind, tie me, you don’t give me my freedom? Can’t you feel?"
And she begged, prayed, entreated and said: “I don’t care though you say a thousand times that you can’t love me and accuse, blame me that I don’t give you your freedom. How I still want to stay with you though every another time you chase me away. Can’t you see, feel? Now kiss me, to make up for all the wrongs you did to me without reason."
Subandrio has a wonderful wife who waited for him though his freedom from prison came only on his 80th year, is my lover not as wonderful as she is and I’m but an old scare-crow?
October 2009
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Who Is That Young Girl?
Who Is That Young Girl?
“I just played my tape recorder and wondered who is that young girl or was it an angel who sang so beautiful.” So said the Choir conductor through the telephone to his 82 years old choir member who sang it.
October 2009
“I just played my tape recorder and wondered who is that young girl or was it an angel who sang so beautiful.” So said the Choir conductor through the telephone to his 82 years old choir member who sang it.
October 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Speaking A Universal Language
Speaking A Universal Language
Music speaks a universal language. We don’t need to translate it. And I thought of paintings, sculptures, dances, and of animals, of flowers, and plants, and trees, and rivers, and lakes, and sees, and the clouds, and the sun, the moon, and the stars, … Don’t they also speak a universal language? So were the Choir Conductor’s thoughts as he revealed this to me.
October 2009
Music speaks a universal language. We don’t need to translate it. And I thought of paintings, sculptures, dances, and of animals, of flowers, and plants, and trees, and rivers, and lakes, and sees, and the clouds, and the sun, the moon, and the stars, … Don’t they also speak a universal language? So were the Choir Conductor’s thoughts as he revealed this to me.
October 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Gladly I Accept
Gladly I Accept
Opa Johan whispered to his wife: “Do you know what I asked the stage-manager?”
“Is there a part in the film where I must kiss a woman? Yes? So then would I gladly accept that role.”
I don’t know whether he really said it or just boasted to tease his wife.
October 2009
Opa Johan whispered to his wife: “Do you know what I asked the stage-manager?”
“Is there a part in the film where I must kiss a woman? Yes? So then would I gladly accept that role.”
I don’t know whether he really said it or just boasted to tease his wife.
October 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
He Is A God
He Is A God
A writer, a painter, a composer, an artist, he is a God who creates a wonderful world of his own.
October 2009
A writer, a painter, a composer, an artist, he is a God who creates a wonderful world of his own.
October 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Don't Need Be So Polite
Don’t Need Be So Polite
Don’t need be so polite as to clap your hands, except you can’t resist the urge to do so. So said the Choir Conductor during his openings-speech.
October 2009
Don’t need be so polite as to clap your hands, except you can’t resist the urge to do so. So said the Choir Conductor during his openings-speech.
October 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
The Choir Conductor's E Mail To His Organist 2
The Choir Conductor’s E Mail To His Organist 2
It’s delightful to hear you play. Sometimes it’s even better than an educated piano player. Many “Ave Verum’s” were not always performed very well by professional choirs or take a solo song as “Bist Du Bei Mir”.
Suppose it’s a fairly easy piece for an amateur, it isn’t obvious that a professonal would, could perform it better. Except, he has a better technical skill, a better voice, better equipment as an orchestra, music scores far to difficult for an amateur.
There’s the Mango, small, unattractive, sold cheap at the road side, without a sticker, not as big, goodlooking as is sold in supermarkets, yet how sweet, sweet-smelling, how delicious it is. The eye, a sticker, a Mall couldn’t ever judge, discern the sweetness, the nicety of the fruit. .
Kim Clijsters has her husband, her baby, yet she could still become the US open champion. Having a family, a child, having no formal musical education, working, aged, invalid, blind, mute isn’t a barrier, isn’t “the end of the world”.
October 2009
It’s delightful to hear you play. Sometimes it’s even better than an educated piano player. Many “Ave Verum’s” were not always performed very well by professional choirs or take a solo song as “Bist Du Bei Mir”.
Suppose it’s a fairly easy piece for an amateur, it isn’t obvious that a professonal would, could perform it better. Except, he has a better technical skill, a better voice, better equipment as an orchestra, music scores far to difficult for an amateur.
There’s the Mango, small, unattractive, sold cheap at the road side, without a sticker, not as big, goodlooking as is sold in supermarkets, yet how sweet, sweet-smelling, how delicious it is. The eye, a sticker, a Mall couldn’t ever judge, discern the sweetness, the nicety of the fruit. .
Kim Clijsters has her husband, her baby, yet she could still become the US open champion. Having a family, a child, having no formal musical education, working, aged, invalid, blind, mute isn’t a barrier, isn’t “the end of the world”.
October 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 9
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 9
What would you like, a smile or a kiss?
October 2009
What would you like, a smile or a kiss?
October 2009
Saturday, October 3, 2009
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 8
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 8
“I tease, fondle, cuddle, kiss with words, my eyes. I didn’t remember I ever said such a stupid ‘I love you’ or presented flowers. to my lover. What’s to be kissed so freely given? I pretended to whisper her something, then suddenly steal me a kiss. After the furiest quarrel of: “I don’t need you, stay away, I hate you”, I were forcely taken, captured, embraced, pressed by my lover who wanted to kiss me by force while I feigned to fight myself free, then roar with laughter. That’s her kiss of peace, eager kisses not just one but many times what I never would forget.
Am I not a very smart lover? Be forewarned, you little fool, you might really love me some day.
October 2009
“I tease, fondle, cuddle, kiss with words, my eyes. I didn’t remember I ever said such a stupid ‘I love you’ or presented flowers. to my lover. What’s to be kissed so freely given? I pretended to whisper her something, then suddenly steal me a kiss. After the furiest quarrel of: “I don’t need you, stay away, I hate you”, I were forcely taken, captured, embraced, pressed by my lover who wanted to kiss me by force while I feigned to fight myself free, then roar with laughter. That’s her kiss of peace, eager kisses not just one but many times what I never would forget.
Am I not a very smart lover? Be forewarned, you little fool, you might really love me some day.
October 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 7
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 7
Never praise someone into his face. That’s flattery. Not just once, but three times were you very nice, spoke so kindly worth a kiss. It’s lucky that you didn’t know it and I wouldn’t relate, disclose it to you, otherwise you would, little donkey, become a big donkey. Something good, beautiful is invaluable, not to be paid with all the money, the gold in the world, not with thousands ‘thank you’. It could only be paid with a kiss (or kisses). Did you know that?
Aren’t you proud to find such a good friend in me?
October 2009
Never praise someone into his face. That’s flattery. Not just once, but three times were you very nice, spoke so kindly worth a kiss. It’s lucky that you didn’t know it and I wouldn’t relate, disclose it to you, otherwise you would, little donkey, become a big donkey. Something good, beautiful is invaluable, not to be paid with all the money, the gold in the world, not with thousands ‘thank you’. It could only be paid with a kiss (or kisses). Did you know that?
Aren’t you proud to find such a good friend in me?
October 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 6
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 6
Someone told me:
“When I were a boy, others far surpassed me. But as we were growing older, they believed and felt they were old, so they stopped growing. I believe that I’m still, feel young, even younger than before and could still improve, enjoy my self: exercize my eyes, my voice, my brains, my feet, my fingers, to learn to become more daring, to learn to think well, to write, to sing and still be capable of falling in love, while they can’t, haven’t the courage anymore or perhaps just feigned. So then have I far surpassed them.”
Isn’t he excellent? Do you want to make his acquaintance?
He is me, myself.
October 2009
Someone told me:
“When I were a boy, others far surpassed me. But as we were growing older, they believed and felt they were old, so they stopped growing. I believe that I’m still, feel young, even younger than before and could still improve, enjoy my self: exercize my eyes, my voice, my brains, my feet, my fingers, to learn to become more daring, to learn to think well, to write, to sing and still be capable of falling in love, while they can’t, haven’t the courage anymore or perhaps just feigned. So then have I far surpassed them.”
Isn’t he excellent? Do you want to make his acquaintance?
He is me, myself.
October 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 5
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 5
I don’t ask forgiveness, pardon for all what I’ve done you. But if you want to punish me, get even, go ahead. You can repay me, punish me severe, which I would remember all my life with … a kiss (or kisses).
October 2009
I don’t ask forgiveness, pardon for all what I’ve done you. But if you want to punish me, get even, go ahead. You can repay me, punish me severe, which I would remember all my life with … a kiss (or kisses).
October 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 4
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 4
Do you know what “blo-on” means? That’s fool you, with your eyes open. But I haven’t fooled you (yet).
Don’t you think I’m a very captivating friend?
September 2009
Do you know what “blo-on” means? That’s fool you, with your eyes open. But I haven’t fooled you (yet).
Don’t you think I’m a very captivating friend?
September 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 3
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 3
Salomo had pluses, he was king, rich, handsome, young, wise and kept about 800 very beautiful wives. But if ever he be banished, became poor, weak, sick, old, perhaps they would gladly leave him. That’s the minus of pluses.
Subandrio, former minister of President Soekarno had minuses of a death penalty, he was blamed, avoided by many people and aged. His hair was turning grey, his eyes, his sight, his looks, his strength, … were declining Yet there is a woman who took him among all men, he, who was still in prison, blamed, avoided by many people, elected him to be her husband. She got him pardoned from the death sentence, then got him pardoned from imprisonment for life and after still waiting for many years got him completely free, though it was but on his 80th year.
She’s the loveliest woman and Subandrio the happiest man to have such a wife. That’s the plus of many minuses.
Suppose someone has a very costly painting but when its price drops down, perhaps he would throw it away as garbage. The same fate might befall flowers, plants, animals, gold, precious stones with pluses of being very rare, very expensive. When diamonds were so abundant as stones, pebbles to pick them up, no one would like, have them.
But if someone takes home a very dirty, stinking, sick, crying puppy from a garbage heap – no one ever would have it – then that’s a lot, since he/she took it despite the minuses of the puppy, it’s so loved and became a member of the family.
That’s the plus behind a minus. It was done despite a minus.
So, there’s a plus of being a scare-crow, you little donkey.
The Scare-crow
September 2009
Salomo had pluses, he was king, rich, handsome, young, wise and kept about 800 very beautiful wives. But if ever he be banished, became poor, weak, sick, old, perhaps they would gladly leave him. That’s the minus of pluses.
Subandrio, former minister of President Soekarno had minuses of a death penalty, he was blamed, avoided by many people and aged. His hair was turning grey, his eyes, his sight, his looks, his strength, … were declining Yet there is a woman who took him among all men, he, who was still in prison, blamed, avoided by many people, elected him to be her husband. She got him pardoned from the death sentence, then got him pardoned from imprisonment for life and after still waiting for many years got him completely free, though it was but on his 80th year.
She’s the loveliest woman and Subandrio the happiest man to have such a wife. That’s the plus of many minuses.
Suppose someone has a very costly painting but when its price drops down, perhaps he would throw it away as garbage. The same fate might befall flowers, plants, animals, gold, precious stones with pluses of being very rare, very expensive. When diamonds were so abundant as stones, pebbles to pick them up, no one would like, have them.
But if someone takes home a very dirty, stinking, sick, crying puppy from a garbage heap – no one ever would have it – then that’s a lot, since he/she took it despite the minuses of the puppy, it’s so loved and became a member of the family.
That’s the plus behind a minus. It was done despite a minus.
So, there’s a plus of being a scare-crow, you little donkey.
The Scare-crow
September 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 2
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 2
Proposition:
The Creator is Almighty. Ergo sum: His creations, man is sublime, perfect.
Don’t you believe?
It isn’t our brains only but also our body is immensely vast, as a sea in potentialities. And that of which we are capable of and use is almost nothing to what it can do, perform, achieve.
Just imagine! Every language of perhaps more than ten thousand languages in the world could be learned by any one, but what we master are but some three, four, … ten languages. Every science of so many sciences could be learned, every music instrument, every sport, every art, every …, but what we’re capable of are just a few of them.
So, then don’t forget that you’re lovely, splendid, excellent, perfect. And that’s not a compliment. But I don’t believe you would ever have the courage to say so without blushing, you little fool.
September 2009
Proposition:
The Creator is Almighty. Ergo sum: His creations, man is sublime, perfect.
Don’t you believe?
It isn’t our brains only but also our body is immensely vast, as a sea in potentialities. And that of which we are capable of and use is almost nothing to what it can do, perform, achieve.
Just imagine! Every language of perhaps more than ten thousand languages in the world could be learned by any one, but what we master are but some three, four, … ten languages. Every science of so many sciences could be learned, every music instrument, every sport, every art, every …, but what we’re capable of are just a few of them.
So, then don’t forget that you’re lovely, splendid, excellent, perfect. And that’s not a compliment. But I don’t believe you would ever have the courage to say so without blushing, you little fool.
September 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 1
The Scare-crow And The Little Girl 1
You were a lovely little girl then. But did you know that now after some fifty years, you are even lovelier? And that’s not to mock you.
Young or old isn’t measured by years. I’m feeling younger than my children, even my granddaughter. Ik hope to see you after ten more years, being ten years younger. That’s if you ever could believe me.
The Scare-crow
September 2009
You were a lovely little girl then. But did you know that now after some fifty years, you are even lovelier? And that’s not to mock you.
Young or old isn’t measured by years. I’m feeling younger than my children, even my granddaughter. Ik hope to see you after ten more years, being ten years younger. That’s if you ever could believe me.
The Scare-crow
September 2009
Man Is A Headache
Man Is A Headache
Man wants God to observe his wishes, desires, prayers, to watch, over him, to take care of him, his food, safety, health, home, …to hear his praises for fulfilling his prayers, to hear his lamentations, blame for not fulfilling his prayers. Imagine, not just of one man but of the entire world.
I think, it’s man that’s so arrogant that wants God to perform, to behave according to his insights. The sun, the moon, the stars, the earth, the seasons, … obey Him. The Creator doesn’t need any effort to regulate them.
September 2009
Man wants God to observe his wishes, desires, prayers, to watch, over him, to take care of him, his food, safety, health, home, …to hear his praises for fulfilling his prayers, to hear his lamentations, blame for not fulfilling his prayers. Imagine, not just of one man but of the entire world.
I think, it’s man that’s so arrogant that wants God to perform, to behave according to his insights. The sun, the moon, the stars, the earth, the seasons, … obey Him. The Creator doesn’t need any effort to regulate them.
September 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
He Wasn't A Shame, A Misfortune
He Wasn’t A Shame, A Misfortune
“Thank God, all my children succeeded to get their university degree.” Something like that said a mother. They were her pride, her crown. And I thought, what if one of them was a failure. And what about those who never could afford, pride themselves on a university degree? Is He so partial, prejudiced?
And I remember a family with a son who was backward, he couldn’t attend school, but the whole family even so, more loved him, supported, defended, protected him. He wasn’t a shame, a misfortune. His father who is Doctor leaves him free when he visited his doctor’s consulting room during his practice. His mother once saved him by reviving him by mouth to mouth respiration, his sisters and even his grandmother loved him, they always took him along with them. That’s what I call great, what I respect.
September 2009
“Thank God, all my children succeeded to get their university degree.” Something like that said a mother. They were her pride, her crown. And I thought, what if one of them was a failure. And what about those who never could afford, pride themselves on a university degree? Is He so partial, prejudiced?
And I remember a family with a son who was backward, he couldn’t attend school, but the whole family even so, more loved him, supported, defended, protected him. He wasn’t a shame, a misfortune. His father who is Doctor leaves him free when he visited his doctor’s consulting room during his practice. His mother once saved him by reviving him by mouth to mouth respiration, his sisters and even his grandmother loved him, they always took him along with them. That’s what I call great, what I respect.
September 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Opa Johan To His Granddaughter
Opa Johan To His Granddaughter
When you were a little child we feigned to be enemies but now you’re a little girl we’re real enemies. Ha, ha.
September 2009
When you were a little child we feigned to be enemies but now you’re a little girl we’re real enemies. Ha, ha.
September 2009
Saturday, September 5, 2009
A Kiss Of Farewell
A Kiss Of Farewell
Gretl was so listless as she vomited, discharged blood on her way to the doctor. The second time si Upik visited, her doctor said:
“There’s almost no hope she would recover.”
Then she wept silently, watching the doctor giving, providing the last, best possible treatment. On her way home she stopped to see the last moments of Gretl, her convulsive movements of nearing death. She drove the car while one hand was gently stroking her body, held her convulsive paws, trying to soothe her. Gretl still breathed back home. Si Upik didn’t cry anymore. She pressed a silent kiss so long to Gretl’s face as though to say farewell, as though she wished to retrieve her back to life. Twice did she succeed to save her.
And I thought of Princess Diana who was so loved by the whole world. But there’s no one so close, so loved as Gretl - just a former unwanted doggy - by si Upik.
September 2009
Gretl was so listless as she vomited, discharged blood on her way to the doctor. The second time si Upik visited, her doctor said:
“There’s almost no hope she would recover.”
Then she wept silently, watching the doctor giving, providing the last, best possible treatment. On her way home she stopped to see the last moments of Gretl, her convulsive movements of nearing death. She drove the car while one hand was gently stroking her body, held her convulsive paws, trying to soothe her. Gretl still breathed back home. Si Upik didn’t cry anymore. She pressed a silent kiss so long to Gretl’s face as though to say farewell, as though she wished to retrieve her back to life. Twice did she succeed to save her.
 |
September 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Tease, Fondle, Cuddle, Kiss, ...
Tease, Fondle, Cuddle, Kiss, …
“I tease, fondle, cuddle, kiss with words, my eyes, … I didn’t remember I ever said such a stupid ‘I love you’ or presented someone flowers.” So said Opa Johan to me.
August 2009
“I tease, fondle, cuddle, kiss with words, my eyes, … I didn’t remember I ever said such a stupid ‘I love you’ or presented someone flowers.” So said Opa Johan to me.
August 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Repaying With A Kiss
Repaying With A Kiss
Sending an E mail is something like my repaying an inner debt with a kiss. So said the Choir Conductor.
August 2009
Sending an E mail is something like my repaying an inner debt with a kiss. So said the Choir Conductor.
August 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Paradise?
Paradise?
Anywhere, where we could see, hear, feel, enjoy all the beauty, enchantment, delight around us. Those who couldn’t, wouldn’t, never find a paradise.
August 2009
Anywhere, where we could see, hear, feel, enjoy all the beauty, enchantment, delight around us. Those who couldn’t, wouldn’t, never find a paradise.
August 2009
Saturday, August 8, 2009
There's No Second
There’s No Second
The artist creates. Each one of his works is of his very best. He allows no second.
August 2009
The artist creates. Each one of his works is of his very best. He allows no second.
August 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
At That Time You Were Scared
At That Time You Were Scared
At that time you were amazed, “scared” but when you practice the same music score you don’t think it’s so awesome and I thought of the “Air on the G string” of Bach. The choir singing it sounds even better. And there are Mozart’s “Ave Verum”, Stainer’s “God So Loved The World” and Mozart’s “Abendempfindung”. Not many celebrated choirs, artists were really singing it very well. Especially of music within our reach, which we could judge. That’s what I said to my organist and he agreed.
Certainly are they far above us. They have an orchestra, professional musicians, singers. They perhaps just need a week to exercize “Die Jahreszeiten” of Haydn. We would need four years or more to perform it.
But we are proud and enjoy that little bit we know, we’re capable of, though only with an electronic organ, aged amateur singers. Is it disrespectful that I, who have never had formal music lessons before, have such irreverent thoughts?
That’s what the Choir Conductor told me.
And I thought of teachers or professors who were so scaring, proud to be called “killers”.
Sure, they almost every day lecture, read, study the same subject, it isn’t a wonder that they became very expert, but suppose they should learn some thirty other subjects they don’t like, I don’t believe they would be very clever. “Let them climb a coconut tree or have a thread pass through a needle.” comments si upik.
It would be very conceited of teachers, professors to think, believe there are stupid pupils whenever they got low grades, do not pass the tests, exams. They, anyone could learn whatsoever, any subject they like, even more than what they ever had learned at school, studied at the university if they wanted to, spend their life time enjoying it and perhaps even surpass their teachers, professors.
August 2009
At that time you were amazed, “scared” but when you practice the same music score you don’t think it’s so awesome and I thought of the “Air on the G string” of Bach. The choir singing it sounds even better. And there are Mozart’s “Ave Verum”, Stainer’s “God So Loved The World” and Mozart’s “Abendempfindung”. Not many celebrated choirs, artists were really singing it very well. Especially of music within our reach, which we could judge. That’s what I said to my organist and he agreed.
Certainly are they far above us. They have an orchestra, professional musicians, singers. They perhaps just need a week to exercize “Die Jahreszeiten” of Haydn. We would need four years or more to perform it.
But we are proud and enjoy that little bit we know, we’re capable of, though only with an electronic organ, aged amateur singers. Is it disrespectful that I, who have never had formal music lessons before, have such irreverent thoughts?
That’s what the Choir Conductor told me.
And I thought of teachers or professors who were so scaring, proud to be called “killers”.
Sure, they almost every day lecture, read, study the same subject, it isn’t a wonder that they became very expert, but suppose they should learn some thirty other subjects they don’t like, I don’t believe they would be very clever. “Let them climb a coconut tree or have a thread pass through a needle.” comments si upik.
It would be very conceited of teachers, professors to think, believe there are stupid pupils whenever they got low grades, do not pass the tests, exams. They, anyone could learn whatsoever, any subject they like, even more than what they ever had learned at school, studied at the university if they wanted to, spend their life time enjoying it and perhaps even surpass their teachers, professors.
August 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
The Choir Conductor To His Choir Members
The Choir Conductor To His Choir Members
When you diligently exercise your voice, God will grant you the most precious present: a beautiful, strong, rich voice, no money ever can buy. And you even don’t need to pray for it.
And when you study a song very carefully, He might whisper you something, then you would sing “touching the heart”. That’s art, the divine spark, not just virtuosity and the listeners would go home richer.
But when you’re lazy, don’t diligently exercise your voice, your voice will still remain the same, poor, not rich. He refuses flatly and says: “You lazy scoundrel”, though you would pray a thousand times for a beautiful voice.
And when you prepare your songs insufficiently, you would sing awfully loathsome and the listeners would also share in the distress.
Remember, you all are very great, and that’s not just to praise you. If you were not magnificent, excellent, than so would be God, who created us, be very weak, poor and small.
“But they didn’t realize that they really were great. Am I not an eloquent pastor?” The Choir Conductor said laughing to me.
Juli 2009
When you diligently exercise your voice, God will grant you the most precious present: a beautiful, strong, rich voice, no money ever can buy. And you even don’t need to pray for it.
And when you study a song very carefully, He might whisper you something, then you would sing “touching the heart”. That’s art, the divine spark, not just virtuosity and the listeners would go home richer.
But when you’re lazy, don’t diligently exercise your voice, your voice will still remain the same, poor, not rich. He refuses flatly and says: “You lazy scoundrel”, though you would pray a thousand times for a beautiful voice.
And when you prepare your songs insufficiently, you would sing awfully loathsome and the listeners would also share in the distress.
Remember, you all are very great, and that’s not just to praise you. If you were not magnificent, excellent, than so would be God, who created us, be very weak, poor and small.
“But they didn’t realize that they really were great. Am I not an eloquent pastor?” The Choir Conductor said laughing to me.
Juli 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
I Owe No Responsibility To No One
I Owe No Responsibility To No One
Oh, what a lot I’ve enjoyed in life but what I could tell, write down is so small, still less about what, how, I really enjoyed, felt about it.
I also endured a lot of miseries, unhappiness, disappointments, sorrow, distress. I’ve forgiven all my sins, trespasses, faults, misbehavior, … I don’t repent, don’t chide, blame myself anymore for what I’d done before, I’m not ashamed of my foolishness, blunders, …. I wont apologize, wont ask forgiveness and whosoever wants to get even with me for wrongs, offenses do so without any scruples.
As I'm over 80 by now, have I become more courageous.
I owe no responsibility to no one, anyone, not God except myself. That's my philosophy.
So said pak Arif to me.
Oh, what a lot I’ve enjoyed in life but what I could tell, write down is so small, still less about what, how, I really enjoyed, felt about it.
I also endured a lot of miseries, unhappiness, disappointments, sorrow, distress. I’ve forgiven all my sins, trespasses, faults, misbehavior, … I don’t repent, don’t chide, blame myself anymore for what I’d done before, I’m not ashamed of my foolishness, blunders, …. I wont apologize, wont ask forgiveness and whosoever wants to get even with me for wrongs, offenses do so without any scruples.
As I'm over 80 by now, have I become more courageous.
I owe no responsibility to no one, anyone, not God except myself. That's my philosophy.
So said pak Arif to me.
August 2009
January 2013
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Sure, I Am
Sure, I Am
“You’re amazing, wonderful!”
“Sure, I am. That’s philosophy. I deserve your kiss.” So said the choir conductor to his she-friend after his concert.
August 2009
“You’re amazing, wonderful!”
“Sure, I am. That’s philosophy. I deserve your kiss.” So said the choir conductor to his she-friend after his concert.
August 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Sharing Bliss
Sharing Bliss
“Celebrate our bliss together. What does it give me when in our love play, making love, our bliss is just one sided? I will exert all my efforts till I succeed to have you reach your share of bliss.” So said a man to his woman.
July 2009
“Celebrate our bliss together. What does it give me when in our love play, making love, our bliss is just one sided? I will exert all my efforts till I succeed to have you reach your share of bliss.” So said a man to his woman.
July 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
How Lovely!
How Lovely!
There’s a plant growing on a wall. Opa Johan says: “ How lovely.”
People say: “Alas, it’s a dirty spot on the wall, its roots would ruin the wall, the floor, the sight, …!” and uproot it.
July 2009
There’s a plant growing on a wall. Opa Johan says: “ How lovely.”
People say: “Alas, it’s a dirty spot on the wall, its roots would ruin the wall, the floor, the sight, …!” and uproot it.
July 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
The Choir Conductor's E Mail To His Organist
The Choir Conductor’s E mail To His Organist
I just want you to remember your philosophy: “If something goes wrong or I enter into a dispute I readily pay it as this is so small compared to the misery it causes when I don’t pay for it.” Something like that you said before.
As we exercised with your organ at home, some keys didn’t go up again. You got stressed. How high would it cost you, just to compensate your stress? Every time you played this organ you’re stressed again. Just add it up. How many million rupiahs does it cost? But when the organ was in good condition, you played so well and for us, I, my wife, your wife, your daughter, your brother and sister, it was a joy to hear. Imagine, we all got a share of it. How many millions would it amount to in our enjoyment? Now you are forced by the organ to play very poorly, you were stressed and we too who heard it were stressed, annoyed.
Before going home, you played another organ downstairs. I never knew you could set it up so well. You played one of Bach’s fugue. It was as though its beautiful sound, forces you to play well, It was almost impossible for you to play badly though with a poor technical ability. How we enjoyed and think of it, we both suddenly became very rich.
When we sing well, beautifully, the audience would have a share of the joy, beauty in it and we all would be going home richer. When badly performed, the audience would get a share in the misery, disappointment ugliness. What does that cost?
July 2009
I just want you to remember your philosophy: “If something goes wrong or I enter into a dispute I readily pay it as this is so small compared to the misery it causes when I don’t pay for it.” Something like that you said before.
As we exercised with your organ at home, some keys didn’t go up again. You got stressed. How high would it cost you, just to compensate your stress? Every time you played this organ you’re stressed again. Just add it up. How many million rupiahs does it cost? But when the organ was in good condition, you played so well and for us, I, my wife, your wife, your daughter, your brother and sister, it was a joy to hear. Imagine, we all got a share of it. How many millions would it amount to in our enjoyment? Now you are forced by the organ to play very poorly, you were stressed and we too who heard it were stressed, annoyed.
Before going home, you played another organ downstairs. I never knew you could set it up so well. You played one of Bach’s fugue. It was as though its beautiful sound, forces you to play well, It was almost impossible for you to play badly though with a poor technical ability. How we enjoyed and think of it, we both suddenly became very rich.
When we sing well, beautifully, the audience would have a share of the joy, beauty in it and we all would be going home richer. When badly performed, the audience would get a share in the misery, disappointment ugliness. What does that cost?
July 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
For Ever Free
For Ever Free
“I saw a picture of a so ravishing woman in internet. There’s a note for men: ‘For Ever Free’. It’s so welcome, so inviting, so encouraging. Oh, you needn’t rape her. And I thought of my little honey bees who every morning so ardently raped my Morning Glories. There’s no man, married or unmarried, old or young who could ever resist her, except he is not a man, a hypocrite, or a cheat. And I’m just eighty. Would you divorce me whenever I got a chance to visit her?”
So said opa Johan to his wife.
She just laughed and said: “You scoundrel”.
He whispered: “Am I not a good husband to confide this to you or do you like it better were I to hide this from you? You owe me a kiss, you little fool.”
July 2009
“I saw a picture of a so ravishing woman in internet. There’s a note for men: ‘For Ever Free’. It’s so welcome, so inviting, so encouraging. Oh, you needn’t rape her. And I thought of my little honey bees who every morning so ardently raped my Morning Glories. There’s no man, married or unmarried, old or young who could ever resist her, except he is not a man, a hypocrite, or a cheat. And I’m just eighty. Would you divorce me whenever I got a chance to visit her?”
So said opa Johan to his wife.
She just laughed and said: “You scoundrel”.
He whispered: “Am I not a good husband to confide this to you or do you like it better were I to hide this from you? You owe me a kiss, you little fool.”
July 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
What I Call A Gift
What I Call A Gift
“What’s a million dollar? A gift for the poor. Give me eyes, hands, feet, arms, legs, brains, a voice, health, joy, happiness, … That’s what I call a gift.”
So said Opa Johan.
July 2009
“What’s a million dollar? A gift for the poor. Give me eyes, hands, feet, arms, legs, brains, a voice, health, joy, happiness, … That’s what I call a gift.”
So said Opa Johan.
July 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
Kiss Me
Kiss Me
Said the prince: “Ask, what you desire? A wedding ring? A grand wedding celebration? My vows? A palace, an island, …?”
“Kiss me, that’s all I ask.” Said the princess.
“What would you ask when someday your prince will come?” So wrote opa Johan to his granddaughter in his e mail.
July 2009
Said the prince: “Ask, what you desire? A wedding ring? A grand wedding celebration? My vows? A palace, an island, …?”
“Kiss me, that’s all I ask.” Said the princess.
“What would you ask when someday your prince will come?” So wrote opa Johan to his granddaughter in his e mail.
July 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
The Marriage
The Marriage
In 2010 someone wrote:
“’I wished I would be married once in order to know, what, how a married life feels.’ So I said when I was still unmarried. When I had married I had to remind my wife of her, our marital duties, to eat, to sleep, going out, to live together, if I didn’t, we didn’t eat, sleep, work, going out together. And she assured that she loved me and would stay with me forever.”
In 2200 someone spoke:
“Now the marriage is abolished I don’t need to remind you of such stupid things. You stayed with me, so free, unasked we ate,we slept, lived happily together though not forever, it was such a joy and not a duty. And you didn’t try to assure that you loved me. I wouldn’t ever blame you when you leave me again. I’m so grateful you came into my life.”
July 2009
In 2010 someone wrote:
“’I wished I would be married once in order to know, what, how a married life feels.’ So I said when I was still unmarried. When I had married I had to remind my wife of her, our marital duties, to eat, to sleep, going out, to live together, if I didn’t, we didn’t eat, sleep, work, going out together. And she assured that she loved me and would stay with me forever.”
In 2200 someone spoke:
“Now the marriage is abolished I don’t need to remind you of such stupid things. You stayed with me, so free, unasked we ate,we slept, lived happily together though not forever, it was such a joy and not a duty. And you didn’t try to assure that you loved me. I wouldn’t ever blame you when you leave me again. I’m so grateful you came into my life.”
July 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
The Mighty Ruler
The Mighty Ruler
And there’s the mighty ruler but as only small bacteria attack him or a stroke or …, he becomes so sick, so weak, so small, so helpless, turns a bit wiser and was cured from his delusion.
June 2009
And there’s the mighty ruler but as only small bacteria attack him or a stroke or …, he becomes so sick, so weak, so small, so helpless, turns a bit wiser and was cured from his delusion.
June 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Anwar Sadat
Anwar Sadat
There’s no honor, no courage needed, I’m not impressed when a president visits a defeated country scaring with a show of force of his army. I remember Anwar Sadat bravely visited Israel, a “lion’s lair”, for peace talks.
June 2009
There’s no honor, no courage needed, I’m not impressed when a president visits a defeated country scaring with a show of force of his army. I remember Anwar Sadat bravely visited Israel, a “lion’s lair”, for peace talks.
June 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
The Right To Own Oneself
The Right To Own Oneself
There never was a man or woman who could claim someone as his, hers. Everyone is of him, herself, even a child. And if they ever possess it, it was because it was granted. “I am yours.” said a loving wife. It’s silly to ever be certain that one is the rightful owner of a wife or vice versa. So, we have no right to accuse a wife, a husband of adultery as they are owners of themselves, not of the husband or wife.
No parents could claim their children rightfully to be theirs. Parents are but temporary Godsend guardians of their children. “I am yours.” says a loving mother. Not, “you’re mine.”
“I could love many women and I could love many men were I a woman. It’s stupid to insist that after marriage one should love one person only. We could stay, live together but we could leave each other if we wanted to. Is it bad, a sin if ‘once upon a time …’ a father loves his daughter or vice versa, a son his mother, a brother his sister, as though they could help it, except that it threatens the health of their offspring, so they say?” Said Pak Arif.
“Could you persuade a pigeon pair to be separated from each other? Could you force a cock and a hen to be faithful to each other?
”One day we become husband and wife without marriage, stay or live together or leave each other in peace as it is our fundamental, so human right as Nature ordained.”
“Sure,” comments si Upik, “there’s no law, no punishment, even the death penalty could ever threaten, prevent one not to love, not to stray or not to leave each other.”
June 2009
There never was a man or woman who could claim someone as his, hers. Everyone is of him, herself, even a child. And if they ever possess it, it was because it was granted. “I am yours.” said a loving wife. It’s silly to ever be certain that one is the rightful owner of a wife or vice versa. So, we have no right to accuse a wife, a husband of adultery as they are owners of themselves, not of the husband or wife.
No parents could claim their children rightfully to be theirs. Parents are but temporary Godsend guardians of their children. “I am yours.” says a loving mother. Not, “you’re mine.”
“I could love many women and I could love many men were I a woman. It’s stupid to insist that after marriage one should love one person only. We could stay, live together but we could leave each other if we wanted to. Is it bad, a sin if ‘once upon a time …’ a father loves his daughter or vice versa, a son his mother, a brother his sister, as though they could help it, except that it threatens the health of their offspring, so they say?” Said Pak Arif.
“Could you persuade a pigeon pair to be separated from each other? Could you force a cock and a hen to be faithful to each other?
”One day we become husband and wife without marriage, stay or live together or leave each other in peace as it is our fundamental, so human right as Nature ordained.”
“Sure,” comments si Upik, “there’s no law, no punishment, even the death penalty could ever threaten, prevent one not to love, not to stray or not to leave each other.”
June 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Musing On Benefit
Musing On Benefit
Because of its usefulness, benefit, value, the whale, the elephant is hunted, forests cut down, river stones taken, sand dug out, the earth drilled for oil, fish kept, cattle, poultry reared for slaughter.
Is there a worse fate than being kept, reared for food? Born prisoner, face death worse than hanging, without having done any crime but because of its benefit as food! Alas! That’s its fault, its crime!
Besides, what’s there not, to turn it into something profitable: social position, a name, an academic title, ... Works of art could become a profitable business.
“It’s a pity, a waste if forests, mountains, rivers, lakes, … are not exploited.” So people argued. They would choose to build real estates, rather than leave the region, the fauna and flora intact, whole.
As long as playing soccer, kite, marble, chess, … doesn’t have any money returns it is blamed as wasting your time with futile, stupid activity.
What’s not measured in money value? Goods, service, success, wealth, development, progress. Usefulness, benefit is synonym to a money mine and not seldom a cause of suffering for creatures and the earth alike.
Is there no activity that would not drive man to pursue the money chase? And I think of travel, picnic, climb mountains, reading stories, listen to music, enjoy art, to research, … all that makes life worth while living?
And I thought of the benevolence of nature, the sea, the earth, the rivers, the air, the sun, the rain, the sky, so free, … that profits, benefits all being.
To prefer, choose mountains instead of skyscrapers, lakes rather than swimming pools, warbling birds than alarm clocks or ringing telephones, a cool breeze than an A.C., see a squirrel live in nature rather than conserved, caged or painted on canvass, to hear the song of frogs, cicadas, instead of the traffic noise. Don’t we wish for a better, healthier, happier life on earth to live in?
But with such a burden of a huge world population what’s not victimized to become something useful, profitable? We have such a high technology to land man on the moon. Why, is it impossible for man to cope with the alarming increase of our world population?
From Berita Buana, February 11, 1993
Because of its usefulness, benefit, value, the whale, the elephant is hunted, forests cut down, river stones taken, sand dug out, the earth drilled for oil, fish kept, cattle, poultry reared for slaughter.
Is there a worse fate than being kept, reared for food? Born prisoner, face death worse than hanging, without having done any crime but because of its benefit as food! Alas! That’s its fault, its crime!
Besides, what’s there not, to turn it into something profitable: social position, a name, an academic title, ... Works of art could become a profitable business.
“It’s a pity, a waste if forests, mountains, rivers, lakes, … are not exploited.” So people argued. They would choose to build real estates, rather than leave the region, the fauna and flora intact, whole.
As long as playing soccer, kite, marble, chess, … doesn’t have any money returns it is blamed as wasting your time with futile, stupid activity.
What’s not measured in money value? Goods, service, success, wealth, development, progress. Usefulness, benefit is synonym to a money mine and not seldom a cause of suffering for creatures and the earth alike.
Is there no activity that would not drive man to pursue the money chase? And I think of travel, picnic, climb mountains, reading stories, listen to music, enjoy art, to research, … all that makes life worth while living?
And I thought of the benevolence of nature, the sea, the earth, the rivers, the air, the sun, the rain, the sky, so free, … that profits, benefits all being.
To prefer, choose mountains instead of skyscrapers, lakes rather than swimming pools, warbling birds than alarm clocks or ringing telephones, a cool breeze than an A.C., see a squirrel live in nature rather than conserved, caged or painted on canvass, to hear the song of frogs, cicadas, instead of the traffic noise. Don’t we wish for a better, healthier, happier life on earth to live in?
But with such a burden of a huge world population what’s not victimized to become something useful, profitable? We have such a high technology to land man on the moon. Why, is it impossible for man to cope with the alarming increase of our world population?
From Berita Buana, February 11, 1993
Monday, June 15, 2009
Would I Ask As My Pressent
Would I Ask As My Present
“What kind of present should we give aunt Eve? It’s so difficult.” So phoned your mom. But to give me a present, your opa, is far more difficult as I’m one of the richest man in the world.
Suppose someone would present me with a car, I would say, “What a pity, it's but a car, a gift for the poor. I’m so rich. Only my legs are worth far more than a car and is far more magnificent.
What’s a car? A stupid present as to a kiss exactly on your 17th year as a gift. That’s what I would ask as my present. That’s what I call a present.
So wrote Opa Johan to his granddaughter.
Juni 2009
“What kind of present should we give aunt Eve? It’s so difficult.” So phoned your mom. But to give me a present, your opa, is far more difficult as I’m one of the richest man in the world.
Suppose someone would present me with a car, I would say, “What a pity, it's but a car, a gift for the poor. I’m so rich. Only my legs are worth far more than a car and is far more magnificent.
What’s a car? A stupid present as to a kiss exactly on your 17th year as a gift. That’s what I would ask as my present. That’s what I call a present.
So wrote Opa Johan to his granddaughter.
Juni 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
A r t
Art
“Art is a Divine whispering, spark, revelation to someone” says the choir conductor.
June 2009
“Art is a Divine whispering, spark, revelation to someone” says the choir conductor.
June 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
You
You
How I love you.
Though I’ve never seen you,
Might never meet, speak to you.
You could have lived some thousand years before
Or may be you’re a woman of the far future
But you spoke to me.
June 2009
How I love you.
Though I’ve never seen you,
Might never meet, speak to you.
You could have lived some thousand years before
Or may be you’re a woman of the far future
But you spoke to me.
June 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
The Choir Conductor's Thought on Kyrie Eleison
The Choir Conductor’s Thought On Kyrie Eleison
It means: Lord Have Mercy On Us.
As I’m growing older my former thoughts, believes (credos) are gradually changing. I don’t, can’t believe in such a pitiless, cruel, wrathful God that would take vengeance on his creatures and punish them in hell. I don’t think he ever should take compassion on us as I firmly believe, am convinced, He has created us perfectly, superbly, instead of being weak and to be pitied.
Many Kyrie Eleison choral music will always sound beautiful whatever the thoughts, sung with other words, lyrics or without words.
It’s a shame that some one should pity me which makes me feel weak, helpless, bad, wretched.
Though knowing that music I most love is for my sake first, then share it with my members, then offer it to the congregation then dedicate it to Him last, He would laugh and say “you scoundrel”, yet, God wouldn’t be offended or punish me.
June 2009
It means: Lord Have Mercy On Us.
As I’m growing older my former thoughts, believes (credos) are gradually changing. I don’t, can’t believe in such a pitiless, cruel, wrathful God that would take vengeance on his creatures and punish them in hell. I don’t think he ever should take compassion on us as I firmly believe, am convinced, He has created us perfectly, superbly, instead of being weak and to be pitied.
Many Kyrie Eleison choral music will always sound beautiful whatever the thoughts, sung with other words, lyrics or without words.
It’s a shame that some one should pity me which makes me feel weak, helpless, bad, wretched.
Though knowing that music I most love is for my sake first, then share it with my members, then offer it to the congregation then dedicate it to Him last, He would laugh and say “you scoundrel”, yet, God wouldn’t be offended or punish me.
June 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Opa Johan And A Waterfowl
Opa Johan And A Waterfowl
“Guess, what something special have I bought on my trip to Cipondoh lake.” So said opa Johan to his wife.
“Iced, pressed sugar cane juice.”
“Wrong! That’s not very special.”
“Is it food, a drink?”
“No, I bought a captured waterfowl from a fisherman. I saw it fluttering, hanging on a long pole trying to free itself. I asked him what he would do with such a very small bird.”
“He said ‘Cook and eat it.’ Remember he is a poor villager.
“And I thought of the captured turtle a week before. I’m always slow to decide, it came upon me when I had left the fisherman and was far away when the thought turns up to buy it and set it free in the lake. So this time I know what to do and bought the bird. He offered it for Rp.10.000.-, not one dollar yet. I didn’t haggle much about the price, for her life is for her even more worth than the whole world.
“I got the bird, but it wasn’t yet free. First the “chains” on the pole must be broken and he tried to break it with his cigarette fire, then again the “chains” fastening its legs. And he was so rough as he held the little creature on its legs upside down. He wondered how I ever would take it with me on my bike back home without a cage. When I examined the bird more carefully, I saw that its beak was also in a delicate “chain”. “She would peck you. But it’s easy to remove it.” He ascertained.
“So I went away. I tried to unfasten the plastic thread from its beak, it was so strong I couldn’t break or remove it. What if I free it now, it would certainly starve, so I quickly ran back and the man luckily was still there. It wasn’t easy for him either. He handled in a very indifferent way,- he could injure the bird by forcefully breaking the thin string on its beak – yet he managed to do so.
“I sought an open area with low grass where I would free and see the occasion. It did not fly away but immediately ran so fast that within a second it was hidden in the bushes.
“Certainly am I very happy and a lucky man to ever see and have the bird in my hands. Perhaps that’s a waterfowl that is able to walk on floating water plants. Tenth of years I’ve not seen it. What a loss if it would become extinct. It’s a pity that I didn’t ask for its name.
“What is so incredible is that during a heavy drought I once walked in the lake that was as dry as a barren plain, there couldn’t be any fish survive, but now after more than ten years I saw these fishermen with a lot of huge fish, not common to me, captured with their long nets How could these fish come to be there? But I didn’t rescue them and they were still alive, though.
“And so I celebrated the occasion with drinking iced cincau (jelly cake of cincau leaves) on the road back home some thirty km, a heavenly drink of just Rp.1.000.-, imagine, not yet one dollar cent.
“Aren’t you proud of your fine husband? I deserve a kiss.”
June 2009
“Guess, what something special have I bought on my trip to Cipondoh lake.” So said opa Johan to his wife.
“Iced, pressed sugar cane juice.”
“Wrong! That’s not very special.”
“Is it food, a drink?”
“No, I bought a captured waterfowl from a fisherman. I saw it fluttering, hanging on a long pole trying to free itself. I asked him what he would do with such a very small bird.”
“He said ‘Cook and eat it.’ Remember he is a poor villager.
“And I thought of the captured turtle a week before. I’m always slow to decide, it came upon me when I had left the fisherman and was far away when the thought turns up to buy it and set it free in the lake. So this time I know what to do and bought the bird. He offered it for Rp.10.000.-, not one dollar yet. I didn’t haggle much about the price, for her life is for her even more worth than the whole world.
“I got the bird, but it wasn’t yet free. First the “chains” on the pole must be broken and he tried to break it with his cigarette fire, then again the “chains” fastening its legs. And he was so rough as he held the little creature on its legs upside down. He wondered how I ever would take it with me on my bike back home without a cage. When I examined the bird more carefully, I saw that its beak was also in a delicate “chain”. “She would peck you. But it’s easy to remove it.” He ascertained.
“So I went away. I tried to unfasten the plastic thread from its beak, it was so strong I couldn’t break or remove it. What if I free it now, it would certainly starve, so I quickly ran back and the man luckily was still there. It wasn’t easy for him either. He handled in a very indifferent way,- he could injure the bird by forcefully breaking the thin string on its beak – yet he managed to do so.
“I sought an open area with low grass where I would free and see the occasion. It did not fly away but immediately ran so fast that within a second it was hidden in the bushes.
“Certainly am I very happy and a lucky man to ever see and have the bird in my hands. Perhaps that’s a waterfowl that is able to walk on floating water plants. Tenth of years I’ve not seen it. What a loss if it would become extinct. It’s a pity that I didn’t ask for its name.
“What is so incredible is that during a heavy drought I once walked in the lake that was as dry as a barren plain, there couldn’t be any fish survive, but now after more than ten years I saw these fishermen with a lot of huge fish, not common to me, captured with their long nets How could these fish come to be there? But I didn’t rescue them and they were still alive, though.
“And so I celebrated the occasion with drinking iced cincau (jelly cake of cincau leaves) on the road back home some thirty km, a heavenly drink of just Rp.1.000.-, imagine, not yet one dollar cent.
“Aren’t you proud of your fine husband? I deserve a kiss.”
June 2009
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Man Is More Than Is His IQ
Man Is More Than Is His IQ
Working, exercising, it’s learning, it’s no curse, no torture, instead it’s a blessing. Brains exercised become sharp, the voice beautiful, the eye, a better eyesight (Dr. W. H. Bates), the body, vigorous and healthy. While human made things wear out by frequent use, the Creator’s created things become even better.
Stop working, exercising, your physical, mental condition deteriorates. The brain becomes decrepit, the body sick, weak, your legs would suffer atrophy.
When I was about 50, my physical condition was so poor. Running 800 meters was like running the marathon. I wanted to be able to run 2,4 km within 12 minutes, needed for a healthy condition according to Dr. K. H. Cooper which at that time seemed impossible.
Don’t think you ever could do it without exercising, though you’re just 20 years old. Now, on my 60th year my dream came true a long time before and I’m even running the real marathon as far as 42,195 km which I never believed I could accomplish it.
I got no asthma attack, headaches, diabetes, I got a good appetite, without tonics, luxurious food. I sleep without sleeping pills, wear no shirt, only shorts the whole day, I didn’t catch a cold.
Being fit, healthy turns each day into a fine weathered day, each meal delicious, my work light and living a delight.
On holidays my running exercise becomes a far, adventurous, enchanting trip into the country. Following paths, walking on rice field dykes, climb a hill, limestone rock, seeing rambutan, blimbing, jamboe, sawo, … so rich hanging on the trees, have a rest, enjoy my picnic on the bank of a creek, a river, a lake, …
Or wash, wet, refresh my hands, my face with dew while thirst was turning water into a divine drink. Besides, unexpectedly I won a money prize in the Proklamathon (45 km) race of my age group.
And as Adam I wandered in the Garden of Eden that’s just “around the corner” without having to travel to the end of the world. It’s only a pity that it’s slowly becoming extinct invaded by cities, asphalt and pollution.
A deaf, mute man could be trained till he can make a speech. The charming jamu vendor could be trained and become an actress. Though your walking or running is now of a snail’s pace, in five years you could cover Bogor – Jakarta some 60 km.
You’re never too old to improve yourself. Be prepared of falling and ready to get on your feet again. You’re far better than what you thought before.
“Man is more than is his IQ. What do you think?” So said Opa Johan to me.
Working, exercising, it’s learning, it’s no curse, no torture, instead it’s a blessing. Brains exercised become sharp, the voice beautiful, the eye, a better eyesight (Dr. W. H. Bates), the body, vigorous and healthy. While human made things wear out by frequent use, the Creator’s created things become even better.
Stop working, exercising, your physical, mental condition deteriorates. The brain becomes decrepit, the body sick, weak, your legs would suffer atrophy.
When I was about 50, my physical condition was so poor. Running 800 meters was like running the marathon. I wanted to be able to run 2,4 km within 12 minutes, needed for a healthy condition according to Dr. K. H. Cooper which at that time seemed impossible.
Don’t think you ever could do it without exercising, though you’re just 20 years old. Now, on my 60th year my dream came true a long time before and I’m even running the real marathon as far as 42,195 km which I never believed I could accomplish it.
I got no asthma attack, headaches, diabetes, I got a good appetite, without tonics, luxurious food. I sleep without sleeping pills, wear no shirt, only shorts the whole day, I didn’t catch a cold.
Being fit, healthy turns each day into a fine weathered day, each meal delicious, my work light and living a delight.
On holidays my running exercise becomes a far, adventurous, enchanting trip into the country. Following paths, walking on rice field dykes, climb a hill, limestone rock, seeing rambutan, blimbing, jamboe, sawo, … so rich hanging on the trees, have a rest, enjoy my picnic on the bank of a creek, a river, a lake, …
Or wash, wet, refresh my hands, my face with dew while thirst was turning water into a divine drink. Besides, unexpectedly I won a money prize in the Proklamathon (45 km) race of my age group.
And as Adam I wandered in the Garden of Eden that’s just “around the corner” without having to travel to the end of the world. It’s only a pity that it’s slowly becoming extinct invaded by cities, asphalt and pollution.
A deaf, mute man could be trained till he can make a speech. The charming jamu vendor could be trained and become an actress. Though your walking or running is now of a snail’s pace, in five years you could cover Bogor – Jakarta some 60 km.
You’re never too old to improve yourself. Be prepared of falling and ready to get on your feet again. You’re far better than what you thought before.
“Man is more than is his IQ. What do you think?” So said Opa Johan to me.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
The Cow's Milk Is For Her Baby Cow
The Cow’s Milk Is For Her Baby Cow
“There is a man again, accused for sexual misbehavior, written with a giant headline in a foremost news paper. Sure, there is no woman, could ever violate, rape a man,” said opa Johan to his wife, “Why did he/she say, write, blame it’s a man, a male, instead of a scoundrel? Who is the person who is so prejudiced towards men and exposed all his sins towards the fair sex?”
“So must I bear unwillingly, involuntarily the atrocities committed by those scoundrels. I am ashamed being a man towards you and all women. If the goodness, generosity of a man is praised am I proud without having done anything good or being generous. What do you think if some one says, ‘there again a woman, a wife is caught in infidelity’? How would you feel as a wife?”
“But this is what I really meant to tell you. There’s a very large writing on a billboard in front of the Department Of Health, you know?
(translated from the Indonesian)
The cow’s milk is for her baby cow.
The mother’s milk is for her baby.
It’s as though saying: Too bad, how cruel, a baby drinking a cow’s milk intended for her baby cow, instead of drinking her own mother’s milk. And I think of myself, how impudent, I myself, a man, every morning drink cow’s coffee-milk. And I thought, picture a father cow, drinking a baby's mother milk.
Every time since reading that billboard, when I drink my coffee-milk I’m feeling bad as I think of the baby cow. Every time I eat rice, meat, fruits, gratefully, I remember, honor the grain, the lamb, the chicken, fruit tree, but I intentionally forget the little fool who is preparing a dish for me. Ha, ha, ha.”
So opa Johan teased his wife as he pinched her nose.
August 2000
“There is a man again, accused for sexual misbehavior, written with a giant headline in a foremost news paper. Sure, there is no woman, could ever violate, rape a man,” said opa Johan to his wife, “Why did he/she say, write, blame it’s a man, a male, instead of a scoundrel? Who is the person who is so prejudiced towards men and exposed all his sins towards the fair sex?”
“So must I bear unwillingly, involuntarily the atrocities committed by those scoundrels. I am ashamed being a man towards you and all women. If the goodness, generosity of a man is praised am I proud without having done anything good or being generous. What do you think if some one says, ‘there again a woman, a wife is caught in infidelity’? How would you feel as a wife?”
“But this is what I really meant to tell you. There’s a very large writing on a billboard in front of the Department Of Health, you know?
(translated from the Indonesian)
The cow’s milk is for her baby cow.
The mother’s milk is for her baby.
It’s as though saying: Too bad, how cruel, a baby drinking a cow’s milk intended for her baby cow, instead of drinking her own mother’s milk. And I think of myself, how impudent, I myself, a man, every morning drink cow’s coffee-milk. And I thought, picture a father cow, drinking a baby's mother milk.
Every time since reading that billboard, when I drink my coffee-milk I’m feeling bad as I think of the baby cow. Every time I eat rice, meat, fruits, gratefully, I remember, honor the grain, the lamb, the chicken, fruit tree, but I intentionally forget the little fool who is preparing a dish for me. Ha, ha, ha.”
So opa Johan teased his wife as he pinched her nose.
August 2000
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Want People To Like You?
Want People To Like You?
Talk about your failures.
Talk about your successes?
People would hate you.
May 2009
Talk about your failures.
Talk about your successes?
People would hate you.
May 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
What Is Philosophy?
What Is Philosophy?
“To me, philosophy are things, thoughts that make me wiser.” So said Pak Arif.
May 2009
“To me, philosophy are things, thoughts that make me wiser.” So said Pak Arif.
May 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Musing On "Skip One Lunch, Save A Life"
Musing On ”Skip One Lunch, Save a Life”
So persuaded princess Anne for collecting donations, to save, aid people starving in Somalia and Ethiop. Meaning if you just skip one lunch (your lunch) and save the money, you could save someone starving there with the money. That’s a lofty thought and so simple for getting donations rather than with getting it through N.B. well organized “hurray-hurray” celebrations as “Live Aid“ through out the world and more successful perhaps, for suffering, starving people.
By skipping one’s lunch we not only save our neighbor but also would feel what it’s like to be hungry, suffering.
In Indonesia there are still a lot of people that are poor and hungry, only not shown on TV to be noticed by the world.
Suppose a family here too skipped one lunch, no, not one lunch but just skipped one spoonful milk each, our dog or cat might share in drinking milk, without having lost almost nothing of our milk share ourselves.
If each one skips just one stick of his satai (roasted meat on a stick) our household servant would equally share in eating very delicious satai.
Skip one outing to an expensive Japanese-, Korean-, American-, Seafood- restaurant and you could present your house maid an extra big bonus on Lebaran (Moslem Feast day).
Oh, there are such a lot of things we could skip then collect, gather the money saved to help the poor, suffering people. Imagine such things to skip as an expensive live show and just see it on TV instead, skip staying in a five star hotel and stay in a country inn, Skip flying in a plane and take the train, or bus, … And what about skipping not just once but many times. Oh what a huge fund could be raised. But alas, there’s no princess Anne who would urge us, Indonesians to do so.
From Suara Pembaruan, May 11, 1991
So persuaded princess Anne for collecting donations, to save, aid people starving in Somalia and Ethiop. Meaning if you just skip one lunch (your lunch) and save the money, you could save someone starving there with the money. That’s a lofty thought and so simple for getting donations rather than with getting it through N.B. well organized “hurray-hurray” celebrations as “Live Aid“ through out the world and more successful perhaps, for suffering, starving people.
By skipping one’s lunch we not only save our neighbor but also would feel what it’s like to be hungry, suffering.
In Indonesia there are still a lot of people that are poor and hungry, only not shown on TV to be noticed by the world.
Suppose a family here too skipped one lunch, no, not one lunch but just skipped one spoonful milk each, our dog or cat might share in drinking milk, without having lost almost nothing of our milk share ourselves.
If each one skips just one stick of his satai (roasted meat on a stick) our household servant would equally share in eating very delicious satai.
Skip one outing to an expensive Japanese-, Korean-, American-, Seafood- restaurant and you could present your house maid an extra big bonus on Lebaran (Moslem Feast day).
Oh, there are such a lot of things we could skip then collect, gather the money saved to help the poor, suffering people. Imagine such things to skip as an expensive live show and just see it on TV instead, skip staying in a five star hotel and stay in a country inn, Skip flying in a plane and take the train, or bus, … And what about skipping not just once but many times. Oh what a huge fund could be raised. But alas, there’s no princess Anne who would urge us, Indonesians to do so.
From Suara Pembaruan, May 11, 1991
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Memories Of A Volley Ball Coach 3
Memories Of A Volley Ball Coach 3
Before the final match against the predicted champions, the sport’s teachers were asked whether they would play a three or two winning sets match. Our sport’s teacher was absent. As I’m not our sport’s teacher I suggested a three winning sets so as to have the fight as long as possible, before we would be defeated. But their sport’s teacher decided for two winning sets to make short work of us. He had a girl’s and a boys’ team playing in the final at the same time. He, all the officials were convinced that his team would be the victor. They were runner up the year before, a very tall, excellent team. We’d never won from them.
“Nothing to lose! Let them never forget what’s like to fight you, some little David.” Something like that I said to them. They can’t wait to walk, enter the hall but ran, jumped (not stepped) down into the court some 1,50 M below like hunting dogs eager for the game. Each one played as though twice as strong their normal self. And beyond our expectation we were surprised to win the first set. Yet, my boys never thought of winning but a fight as long, as best as possible.
In the second set we were far behind. It was 8 - 13 to ever win this set. Their sport’s teacher, confident to take this set, then finish us in the rubber set went away to coach his girl’s team.
Our few supporters still cheered, while my boys fought vigorously and they - it was almost impossible - slowly, steadily overtook them and won 15 -13, so winning straight sets. How the boys cheered, shouted for joy. When their sport’s teacher returned it was over. This battle was worth more than a champion’s cup, even without it. It was unbelievable, for us and the spectators and the officials. We didn’t believe we were stronger than they are though. We couldn’t ever repeat it another time. That makes it so special. Perhaps their sport’s teacher regretted his decision. Had he but decided for three winning sets, than he would still have a chance, perhaps the outcome of the match might be more probable in his favor.
We later won the overall Jakarta Championships but that’s not worth mentioning, remembering it.
May 2009
Before the final match against the predicted champions, the sport’s teachers were asked whether they would play a three or two winning sets match. Our sport’s teacher was absent. As I’m not our sport’s teacher I suggested a three winning sets so as to have the fight as long as possible, before we would be defeated. But their sport’s teacher decided for two winning sets to make short work of us. He had a girl’s and a boys’ team playing in the final at the same time. He, all the officials were convinced that his team would be the victor. They were runner up the year before, a very tall, excellent team. We’d never won from them.
“Nothing to lose! Let them never forget what’s like to fight you, some little David.” Something like that I said to them. They can’t wait to walk, enter the hall but ran, jumped (not stepped) down into the court some 1,50 M below like hunting dogs eager for the game. Each one played as though twice as strong their normal self. And beyond our expectation we were surprised to win the first set. Yet, my boys never thought of winning but a fight as long, as best as possible.
In the second set we were far behind. It was 8 - 13 to ever win this set. Their sport’s teacher, confident to take this set, then finish us in the rubber set went away to coach his girl’s team.
Our few supporters still cheered, while my boys fought vigorously and they - it was almost impossible - slowly, steadily overtook them and won 15 -13, so winning straight sets. How the boys cheered, shouted for joy. When their sport’s teacher returned it was over. This battle was worth more than a champion’s cup, even without it. It was unbelievable, for us and the spectators and the officials. We didn’t believe we were stronger than they are though. We couldn’t ever repeat it another time. That makes it so special. Perhaps their sport’s teacher regretted his decision. Had he but decided for three winning sets, than he would still have a chance, perhaps the outcome of the match might be more probable in his favor.
We later won the overall Jakarta Championships but that’s not worth mentioning, remembering it.
May 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
The Choir Conductor's Opening Speech
The Choir Conductor’s Opening Speech
In the little town Betlehem
The Savior was born.
In the little church Bethlehem
Diasebad, our choir was born:
Members of over half a century,
Almost uneducated musically
Sharing this little concert with you
So, remember, if something goes wrong!
We’re still so young.
Not yet a hundred years old.
May 2009
In the little town Betlehem
The Savior was born.
In the little church Bethlehem
Diasebad, our choir was born:
Members of over half a century,
Almost uneducated musically
Sharing this little concert with you
So, remember, if something goes wrong!
We’re still so young.
Not yet a hundred years old.
May 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
War Doesn'h End Unless The Enemy Surrenders
War Doesn’t End Unless The Enemy Surrenders
It’s not a question about “who is right” and “who is wrong” but about “who is weak” and “who is strong”. Then the land, the territory is taken and occupied by the victor. There’s no world police who is so powerful and authorized to stop a war, to prevent a war, to forbid a state to intimidate, to punish another state, to violate, to occupy another’s country. Moreover it’s almost impossible to summon a strong state before a world court of justice if there was one. It’s more probable that a strong state would take the role of a world police, world judge instead of the United Nations.
“Anyone with a little bit of common sense would have known this.” So said someone who is N.B. not a man of politics or statesman.
May 2008
It’s not a question about “who is right” and “who is wrong” but about “who is weak” and “who is strong”. Then the land, the territory is taken and occupied by the victor. There’s no world police who is so powerful and authorized to stop a war, to prevent a war, to forbid a state to intimidate, to punish another state, to violate, to occupy another’s country. Moreover it’s almost impossible to summon a strong state before a world court of justice if there was one. It’s more probable that a strong state would take the role of a world police, world judge instead of the United Nations.
“Anyone with a little bit of common sense would have known this.” So said someone who is N.B. not a man of politics or statesman.
May 2008
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Memories Of A Volley Ball Coach 2
Memories Of A Volley Ball Coach 2
Boys of a secondary school (SMPK 2), more than 30 years ago were eager to play volley. They tried to be allowed to become a member of a well known club. They were neglected, got almost no attention. That’s a way of refusing, rejecting them, since they were too short for volley ball clubs, though they were of normal length. I said, “let us set up, start a volley ball club ourselves.” I took boys of normal height of this school.
How happy they were as they regained their dignity. The volley ball training session was almost conflicting with their school hours, I said, “run immediately after school time to the sport hall - some 3 Km at about 12 o’ clock - as not to be late and you already have a warm up.”
I myself can’t play volley ball and I’m not qualified but I managed to have them play reasonably well with a short two-hour session once a week.
We almost always won during friendly games but there was one team who was runner up in the Jakarta championship the year before who always beat us. They were very tall and the predicted champions of the next season. Then to prepare for this season, I asked the sports teacher of the champion school the year before, - who were now in the senior level - to play against us. We were beaten straight sets, scored almost nothing. I thanked the teacher for willing to play with us of the lower junior level.
When we reached the semi final in the Jakarta championship. I said: “I saw your next opponent play. Don’t be worried. The real opponent, the runner up of the year before is waiting in the final.”
But this was the worst match my boys encountered. It was a team who even were smaller than ours, and seemed so weak, they even came without their sport’s teacher in poor, faded sport shirts and without sport shoes. My boys attacked and they just defended and we couldn’t “kill” them and it seemed they pressed us nearer and nearer to the edge of the abyss. We luckily won but we never felt so beaten by an opponent before. I’ve the greatest respect for that team, (public school SMPN 77) I’ll never forget. When their teacher arrived after the “battle”, he said to our sport’s teacher: “Were I here before to coach my team we would have beaten your team.” Our sport’s teacher smiled, was happy they could survive to meet the coming champions in the final.
May 2009
Boys of a secondary school (SMPK 2), more than 30 years ago were eager to play volley. They tried to be allowed to become a member of a well known club. They were neglected, got almost no attention. That’s a way of refusing, rejecting them, since they were too short for volley ball clubs, though they were of normal length. I said, “let us set up, start a volley ball club ourselves.” I took boys of normal height of this school.
How happy they were as they regained their dignity. The volley ball training session was almost conflicting with their school hours, I said, “run immediately after school time to the sport hall - some 3 Km at about 12 o’ clock - as not to be late and you already have a warm up.”
I myself can’t play volley ball and I’m not qualified but I managed to have them play reasonably well with a short two-hour session once a week.
We almost always won during friendly games but there was one team who was runner up in the Jakarta championship the year before who always beat us. They were very tall and the predicted champions of the next season. Then to prepare for this season, I asked the sports teacher of the champion school the year before, - who were now in the senior level - to play against us. We were beaten straight sets, scored almost nothing. I thanked the teacher for willing to play with us of the lower junior level.
When we reached the semi final in the Jakarta championship. I said: “I saw your next opponent play. Don’t be worried. The real opponent, the runner up of the year before is waiting in the final.”
But this was the worst match my boys encountered. It was a team who even were smaller than ours, and seemed so weak, they even came without their sport’s teacher in poor, faded sport shirts and without sport shoes. My boys attacked and they just defended and we couldn’t “kill” them and it seemed they pressed us nearer and nearer to the edge of the abyss. We luckily won but we never felt so beaten by an opponent before. I’ve the greatest respect for that team, (public school SMPN 77) I’ll never forget. When their teacher arrived after the “battle”, he said to our sport’s teacher: “Were I here before to coach my team we would have beaten your team.” Our sport’s teacher smiled, was happy they could survive to meet the coming champions in the final.
May 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
The Papaya
The Papaya
How sweet, refreshing was the papaya and it didn’t look beautiful. It was almost green. And I saw the plant on poor soil with its fruits so high up above hanging on a very lean stem. No one planted it there in the garden and it grew up wild. It was lucky that it was unobserved till it got big, sweet fruits. How grateful I was for its goodness.
And there was another papaya, very beautifully colored. How pleasing, what a joy to the eye, but it wasn’t savory and sweet No one planted it in the garden and it grew up. It was lucky that it was unobserved till it got those beautiful fruits, so graceful. How grateful I was for its beauty. Was it wrong of the papaya that no one liked eating it? Should this papaya tree be cut down, even were the papaya not beautifully colored?
May 2009
How sweet, refreshing was the papaya and it didn’t look beautiful. It was almost green. And I saw the plant on poor soil with its fruits so high up above hanging on a very lean stem. No one planted it there in the garden and it grew up wild. It was lucky that it was unobserved till it got big, sweet fruits. How grateful I was for its goodness.
And there was another papaya, very beautifully colored. How pleasing, what a joy to the eye, but it wasn’t savory and sweet No one planted it in the garden and it grew up. It was lucky that it was unobserved till it got those beautiful fruits, so graceful. How grateful I was for its beauty. Was it wrong of the papaya that no one liked eating it? Should this papaya tree be cut down, even were the papaya not beautifully colored?
May 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Extraordinary, Brave!
Extraordinary, Brave!
When I was teenager in the forties I said: “only if I could pass the higher secondary school I would be content, happy” as it seems so far away and difficult to master it. But as I passed, I just feel it’s very ordinary. In the fifties I said “if only I could get my university degree I would be proud and happy.” But as I succeeded I don’t feel it to be a very extraordinary achievement. Now, in 2009 almost every young man, young girl has passed the higher secondary school A university degree is easier to get were it within one’s purse.
But there were still higher grades, of being doctor and they seem so high and very far away, especially as I think of those who compete and pass cum laude or even summa cum laude making you feel so very small.
And I mused that perhaps that that was not very extraordinary, beyond the brains of a normal person that one certainly also could reach, achieve it, perhaps it would take a longer time, ten years, more efforts. And I would readily do it were it really of much importance to me. Besides, the knowledge wouldn’t be necessarily less, it could be even more. And I thought of the comforting TV program ‘are you smarter than a fifth grader?’ And there’s no one, no successful person yet, who could claim him-, her-self to be smarter than a fifth grader.
“Just sour grapes, ha, ha” I said, to Pak Arif.
“I also wouldn’t be tempted to compete for the sake of winning the highest degree with flying colors, even were it my favorite subject.” He said. “They certainly are extraordinary talented, they’re praised and sought after as bibit unggul (superior seed) and N.B. supported with a scholarship (‘won’, they said) for higher study with bright prospects for the future. But I never would sacrifice, sell, waste my time, energy, joy for it. It is the knowledge that is important, not the superior grades, degree. I’m happy when I still could surpass myself.
“With internet in the future, higher study is welcome, open to anyone There’s no need for competition, flying colors, high, superior grades. We love Mozart, Beethoven, Gershwin, … for their beautiful works, not whether they got a superior doctor’s degree in music. They would never compete with each other. That’s so stupid, so degrading. Besides, they would never copy each other.
“To stand on one’s own, something like incognito, anonym, without showing off one’s successes, merits, achievements, honors, testimonials, that’s brave, daring.”
“Or proclaim, uncover one’s bad, wicked, criminal behavior without having to hide oneself, that’s brave ha, ha.” Si Buyung interrupted.
“And I remember invalids, who not with a plus of a high intelligence talent but with a minus, a handicap of having no arms, still could paint with their mouth or feet and N.B. without financial support stand on their own. What do you think?” said Pak Arif.
April 2009
Related Posts:
Wonders Of Human Potentialities
Ranking Humans
When I was teenager in the forties I said: “only if I could pass the higher secondary school I would be content, happy” as it seems so far away and difficult to master it. But as I passed, I just feel it’s very ordinary. In the fifties I said “if only I could get my university degree I would be proud and happy.” But as I succeeded I don’t feel it to be a very extraordinary achievement. Now, in 2009 almost every young man, young girl has passed the higher secondary school A university degree is easier to get were it within one’s purse.
But there were still higher grades, of being doctor and they seem so high and very far away, especially as I think of those who compete and pass cum laude or even summa cum laude making you feel so very small.
And I mused that perhaps that that was not very extraordinary, beyond the brains of a normal person that one certainly also could reach, achieve it, perhaps it would take a longer time, ten years, more efforts. And I would readily do it were it really of much importance to me. Besides, the knowledge wouldn’t be necessarily less, it could be even more. And I thought of the comforting TV program ‘are you smarter than a fifth grader?’ And there’s no one, no successful person yet, who could claim him-, her-self to be smarter than a fifth grader.
“Just sour grapes, ha, ha” I said, to Pak Arif.
“I also wouldn’t be tempted to compete for the sake of winning the highest degree with flying colors, even were it my favorite subject.” He said. “They certainly are extraordinary talented, they’re praised and sought after as bibit unggul (superior seed) and N.B. supported with a scholarship (‘won’, they said) for higher study with bright prospects for the future. But I never would sacrifice, sell, waste my time, energy, joy for it. It is the knowledge that is important, not the superior grades, degree. I’m happy when I still could surpass myself.
“With internet in the future, higher study is welcome, open to anyone There’s no need for competition, flying colors, high, superior grades. We love Mozart, Beethoven, Gershwin, … for their beautiful works, not whether they got a superior doctor’s degree in music. They would never compete with each other. That’s so stupid, so degrading. Besides, they would never copy each other.
“To stand on one’s own, something like incognito, anonym, without showing off one’s successes, merits, achievements, honors, testimonials, that’s brave, daring.”
“Or proclaim, uncover one’s bad, wicked, criminal behavior without having to hide oneself, that’s brave ha, ha.” Si Buyung interrupted.
“And I remember invalids, who not with a plus of a high intelligence talent but with a minus, a handicap of having no arms, still could paint with their mouth or feet and N.B. without financial support stand on their own. What do you think?” said Pak Arif.
April 2009
Related Posts:
Wonders Of Human Potentialities
Ranking Humans
Sunday, April 19, 2009
The Right To Allocate The Earth
The Right To Allocate The Earth
It’s the owner who has the right to allocate the earth. But the Creator who is the owner did not say, this part is for America, that part for China, Russia, Indonesia, this part for lions, that part for snakes, birds, fish, insects, plants, … But as He said nothing, people, all the creatures think that no one owns the earth. So, just go ahead everyone, settle, occupy, take, prey on it, beat, kill the enemy, revolt, ....
Something like that is the birth of a state and so for as long as time. The victor then proclaims his sovereignty, determines the borders of his state and set up his government.
“This is my land inherited from my ancestors” said the aborigine “They hadn’t any education, there were no borders. In the beginning they just settled here, there was no one who complained. We, my people can’t set up a government. Have we no right to this, our own country?”
And I thought of Chechnya, Indonesia, India, Palestine, … What was the United States before? And what will it be in the future? There’s no nation, state could claim a greater right to the earth than another. Any one, every creature, even an ant has a right to the earth. But it’s the victor who decides, divides, takes a greater part of the ‘cake’. “The Creator didn’t say anything. Ha, ha, ha.” said the winner.
While the Creator said: “Am I your servant? Go ahead! Invade, fight, war, oppress, destroy, get the headache yourself if you have lost your mind, your common sense, you fool. Ha, ha, ha. I created earth including the sun, the moon, the stars for all being, not for you only.”
April 2009
It’s the owner who has the right to allocate the earth. But the Creator who is the owner did not say, this part is for America, that part for China, Russia, Indonesia, this part for lions, that part for snakes, birds, fish, insects, plants, … But as He said nothing, people, all the creatures think that no one owns the earth. So, just go ahead everyone, settle, occupy, take, prey on it, beat, kill the enemy, revolt, ....
Something like that is the birth of a state and so for as long as time. The victor then proclaims his sovereignty, determines the borders of his state and set up his government.
“This is my land inherited from my ancestors” said the aborigine “They hadn’t any education, there were no borders. In the beginning they just settled here, there was no one who complained. We, my people can’t set up a government. Have we no right to this, our own country?”
And I thought of Chechnya, Indonesia, India, Palestine, … What was the United States before? And what will it be in the future? There’s no nation, state could claim a greater right to the earth than another. Any one, every creature, even an ant has a right to the earth. But it’s the victor who decides, divides, takes a greater part of the ‘cake’. “The Creator didn’t say anything. Ha, ha, ha.” said the winner.
While the Creator said: “Am I your servant? Go ahead! Invade, fight, war, oppress, destroy, get the headache yourself if you have lost your mind, your common sense, you fool. Ha, ha, ha. I created earth including the sun, the moon, the stars for all being, not for you only.”
April 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The Choir Conductor's Invitation
The Choir Conductor’s Invitation
Warning!
We’ve nothing to offer to impress, no superior qualifications, no memorable achievements to recommend our selves.
Our ten members are 50 -, 60-, 70-ers and some almost 80.
They have never had music, singing lessons before.
We started singing, training, aged, over 50 years old.
My organist had never been to a school for music, neither me.
We exercize without a singing, music teacher.
Etc, etc, … as not to bore you.
We have no committee for this concert. We do, work, bear the costs ourselves which happily amounts to almost nothing. Ha, ha. We only have our boldness to present this concert in our own church. This is how we sing after 10 years of hard training.
It’s great when we also could sing the most beautiful pieces, even though they’re above our abilities with all the risks involved. We don’t just have to reach the F but reach so high as the B. So don’t you be terrified to hear a shrill long Bes or a B we almost couldn’t reach.
Yet, we’re grateful, proud to stand on our own to have this concert, despite our relatively old age, despite the difficulties and accidents that may occur.
And we would record it on VCD, so we will live “for ever” as long as when we replay it again on the player.
Lest you should regret, be sorry after such a lot of dissuasions and still insist to visit my concert, phone me, I’ll send you the invitation free.
The Choir Master
To me, he (this Choir Master) confided: “So do I know that my invitation is send to some one extraordinary whom I never would forget. That’s my secret and he musn’t know.”
April 2009
Warning!
We’ve nothing to offer to impress, no superior qualifications, no memorable achievements to recommend our selves.
Our ten members are 50 -, 60-, 70-ers and some almost 80.
They have never had music, singing lessons before.
We started singing, training, aged, over 50 years old.
My organist had never been to a school for music, neither me.
We exercize without a singing, music teacher.
Etc, etc, … as not to bore you.
We have no committee for this concert. We do, work, bear the costs ourselves which happily amounts to almost nothing. Ha, ha. We only have our boldness to present this concert in our own church. This is how we sing after 10 years of hard training.
It’s great when we also could sing the most beautiful pieces, even though they’re above our abilities with all the risks involved. We don’t just have to reach the F but reach so high as the B. So don’t you be terrified to hear a shrill long Bes or a B we almost couldn’t reach.
Yet, we’re grateful, proud to stand on our own to have this concert, despite our relatively old age, despite the difficulties and accidents that may occur.
And we would record it on VCD, so we will live “for ever” as long as when we replay it again on the player.
Lest you should regret, be sorry after such a lot of dissuasions and still insist to visit my concert, phone me, I’ll send you the invitation free.
The Choir Master
To me, he (this Choir Master) confided: “So do I know that my invitation is send to some one extraordinary whom I never would forget. That’s my secret and he musn’t know.”
April 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Mickey And The Landlord
Mickey And The Landlord
Mickey said: “Why do you chase me away? Is this your land?”
“This is my house, my land. I’ve bought it. Here is the certificate.” So said the landlord.
“Sure,” said Mickey Mouse, “but I am also an inhabitant, citizen of the earth. I have also a right on a part of it. I haven’t sold my right to you or anybody. Why then do you have your house on a part of my land? Has the seller or the government the right to own the land and sell the land that belongs to all the world inhabitants without permission? What do you say? Ha, ha.”
April 2009
Mickey said: “Why do you chase me away? Is this your land?”
“This is my house, my land. I’ve bought it. Here is the certificate.” So said the landlord.
“Sure,” said Mickey Mouse, “but I am also an inhabitant, citizen of the earth. I have also a right on a part of it. I haven’t sold my right to you or anybody. Why then do you have your house on a part of my land? Has the seller or the government the right to own the land and sell the land that belongs to all the world inhabitants without permission? What do you say? Ha, ha.”
April 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
The Gelatik Bird And The Farmer
The Gelatik Bird And The Farmer
“ Hi, Gelatik. Don’t eat, steal my paddy,” said a farmer.
Said the Gelatik. “Sure you bought and planted the paddy but the paddy is not yours but of the paddy plants and they present it to anyone who would like to take and eat them. If you forbid, then you should guard, watch over it. I don't steal your paddy. You have no right to forbid me.”
April 2009
“ Hi, Gelatik. Don’t eat, steal my paddy,” said a farmer.
Said the Gelatik. “Sure you bought and planted the paddy but the paddy is not yours but of the paddy plants and they present it to anyone who would like to take and eat them. If you forbid, then you should guard, watch over it. I don't steal your paddy. You have no right to forbid me.”
April 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
Memory Of An Invitation To A Dinner
Memory Of An Invitation To A Dinner
On New Year’s eve I was invited to have dinner in a first rate restaurant. My host would introduce me to the sophisticated art of eating. The guests came in Mercy’s, luxurious cars and were welcomed as VIP’s. The dining hall was lighted as though in a palace. The men serving were wearing coats the women dressed as charming stewardesses
With the first round came a giant dressed lobster. Only its head was imposing, impressive, large and frightening but could not be eaten. Next came the most expensive Chinese shark fin dish, then came the “scallop” dish with champignon, decorated with broccoli .
After the fourth round of “Lazy Fish” I was more than full and still more was served before me and it became a torture. There’s no dog that could be persuaded to eat more but the others still ate. Then as a New Year’s “dessert” we were surprised, served with deafening blasts of new years trumpets blaring shrill sounds in the dining hall and so my suffering was complete.
So, what is nice, delicious, I wonder. Calculated, only its price is most delicious, with a sum of “only” two hundred thousand Rupiah (that was at the end of 1994).
And I remembered the so appetizing dish of just roasted petai (stinking beans) with kecap (soy bean sauce), or goat legs soup with a lot of rice. Seeing, smelling food that’s still warm in food stalls along the street, so cheap. If I were so lucky, some one send me a draft for two hundred thousand Rupiah as present, my family could have twenty feasts eating very delicious food. Or I could buy me a mountain bike!!!
Sure, people say that common, petty folk has a poor taste. They don’t know the art of eating. Invited in this first class restaurant has indeed a lot of pluses. Then pak Arif with naughty eyes whispered: “the pluses are in the unforgettable very bad, stupid way of eating. Instead of enjoying, it became a punishment. More over if you have to pay the bill. A government clerk would be forced to fast a whole month, you know?”
Regularly done is a sure, effective exercise to make you like it and drown, kill your good taste. Who ever was so innovative to invent this art of eating for those who don’t know what to do with their money? And it’s still praised, admired. Ha, ha.
Jayakarta, June 15, 1995
On New Year’s eve I was invited to have dinner in a first rate restaurant. My host would introduce me to the sophisticated art of eating. The guests came in Mercy’s, luxurious cars and were welcomed as VIP’s. The dining hall was lighted as though in a palace. The men serving were wearing coats the women dressed as charming stewardesses
With the first round came a giant dressed lobster. Only its head was imposing, impressive, large and frightening but could not be eaten. Next came the most expensive Chinese shark fin dish, then came the “scallop” dish with champignon, decorated with broccoli .
After the fourth round of “Lazy Fish” I was more than full and still more was served before me and it became a torture. There’s no dog that could be persuaded to eat more but the others still ate. Then as a New Year’s “dessert” we were surprised, served with deafening blasts of new years trumpets blaring shrill sounds in the dining hall and so my suffering was complete.
So, what is nice, delicious, I wonder. Calculated, only its price is most delicious, with a sum of “only” two hundred thousand Rupiah (that was at the end of 1994).
And I remembered the so appetizing dish of just roasted petai (stinking beans) with kecap (soy bean sauce), or goat legs soup with a lot of rice. Seeing, smelling food that’s still warm in food stalls along the street, so cheap. If I were so lucky, some one send me a draft for two hundred thousand Rupiah as present, my family could have twenty feasts eating very delicious food. Or I could buy me a mountain bike!!!
Sure, people say that common, petty folk has a poor taste. They don’t know the art of eating. Invited in this first class restaurant has indeed a lot of pluses. Then pak Arif with naughty eyes whispered: “the pluses are in the unforgettable very bad, stupid way of eating. Instead of enjoying, it became a punishment. More over if you have to pay the bill. A government clerk would be forced to fast a whole month, you know?”
Regularly done is a sure, effective exercise to make you like it and drown, kill your good taste. Who ever was so innovative to invent this art of eating for those who don’t know what to do with their money? And it’s still praised, admired. Ha, ha.
Jayakarta, June 15, 1995
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
The Richest Man In The World
The Richest Man In The World
The richest man was Adam, not Bill Gates. Though he had no money, no education at all. He’d got Eve and the whole world to himself.
April 2009
The richest man was Adam, not Bill Gates. Though he had no money, no education at all. He’d got Eve and the whole world to himself.
April 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Opa Johan's 17th Birthday Present To His Granddaughter
Opa Johan’s 17th Birthday Present To His Granddaughter
Opa Johan’s 17th Birthday Present To His Granddaughter
You promised that you would kiss your grandpa on your 17th year, not before. Tomorrow is the day.
Now will I tell you a secret what you, your pa and ma, grandma, your aunt and uncle who witnessed, didn’t, couldn’t know. There never was a grandpa who was so lucky, that his grand daughter, such a funny little baby then, would ever steal a kiss, or forced him, her grandpa to be kissed. You’ve paid me, far more than what you ever could pay me with your promise. I certainly am proud, grateful for what I’ve got. That’s what all of you didn’t know.
So now, will I free you from your promise to kiss me on your 17th year as you never could know how you would feel when you’re a sweet 17. That would be unfair, cruel. This is now your 17th birthday present. It was just a bet teasing you, between a little girl and a grown up.
But if you insist, want, now you’re grown up, to still enforce yourself a kiss on me, go ahead and don’t you ever repent, regret, grieve, be sorry afterwards. Ha, ha.
That’s Opa Johan’s e mail to his granddaughter in the future.
March 2009
You promised that you would kiss your grandpa on your 17th year, not before. Tomorrow is the day.
Now will I tell you a secret what you, your pa and ma, grandma, your aunt and uncle who witnessed, didn’t, couldn’t know. There never was a grandpa who was so lucky, that his grand daughter, such a funny little baby then, would ever steal a kiss, or forced him, her grandpa to be kissed. You’ve paid me, far more than what you ever could pay me with your promise. I certainly am proud, grateful for what I’ve got. That’s what all of you didn’t know.
So now, will I free you from your promise to kiss me on your 17th year as you never could know how you would feel when you’re a sweet 17. That would be unfair, cruel. This is now your 17th birthday present. It was just a bet teasing you, between a little girl and a grown up.
But if you insist, want, now you’re grown up, to still enforce yourself a kiss on me, go ahead and don’t you ever repent, regret, grieve, be sorry afterwards. Ha, ha.
That’s Opa Johan’s e mail to his granddaughter in the future.
March 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Memories Of A Volley Ball Coach 1
Memories Of A Volley Ball Coach 1
These are what I still remember of my girl teams.
About 6.30 in the early morning you could hear some of them passing “bub-bub-bub” exercising in my little yard and warm, sweating and a bit dirty especially after rain, they enter their class room. Every Sunday morning they played at school from about 8 to 12 o’ clock without their sport teacher. The tallest is not yet 1,60 M and the smallest not yet 1,40 M. They hardly can afford to smash. Yet she, the smallest is captain. Imagine her so small and not yet 40 kg as she is doing her upper hand serve.
Once, on a Sunday morning, this little captain asked the sport teacher of the midday school to be allowed to play against his team. They were third classers. I watched them play unnoticed. And every game they lose, but they didn’t give up, didn’t mind as they were but second classers. My little captain pleaded him to play again and again. Their sports’ teacher smiled, perhaps an unhappy smile, he was reluctant and would rather like stop playing as my girls played better and better, till after more than four games playing they succeeded to beat them and so willingly stop playing further. In the real match in the Jakarta Pusat championship among secondary schools they again beat them.
When she was a medical student - she’s still very small this little captain - there was a championship among medical faculties. She had a very bad, weak team as they were not team mates of her club. Yet they reached the final. She forced herself to almost play solo, she played for two, three, … , for to depend on her team mates would be certain defeat. Their opponents complained her for using this strategy but it wasn’t against the rules. And they won. She was so happy as it was almost an impossible, incredible feat to win with such a poor team, though she got cramp after the volley ball match.
My girl team were charming, slender, small feminine angels, little fairies. Once, during the warming up session before a match we only exercised “receive, set up, over, and so on” so simple, while our opponents were at least 1,65 M, tall giant girls with very big thighs and strong arms caused perhaps by weight training. They impress spectators and opponents during the warm up with their smashes. The spectators thought that we would be mashed by them. Yet we beat them, though we almost couldn’t “kill” them, but they “killed” themselves by a lot of blunders, “unforced errors”. Ha, ha.
But we never could win from the adult women club teams who were even much taller and stronger. But I don’t mind. They played reasonably well for players of such short stature, that is of normal or average height. There’s no well known volley ball club would ever take my girls.
March 2009
These are what I still remember of my girl teams.
About 6.30 in the early morning you could hear some of them passing “bub-bub-bub” exercising in my little yard and warm, sweating and a bit dirty especially after rain, they enter their class room. Every Sunday morning they played at school from about 8 to 12 o’ clock without their sport teacher. The tallest is not yet 1,60 M and the smallest not yet 1,40 M. They hardly can afford to smash. Yet she, the smallest is captain. Imagine her so small and not yet 40 kg as she is doing her upper hand serve.
Once, on a Sunday morning, this little captain asked the sport teacher of the midday school to be allowed to play against his team. They were third classers. I watched them play unnoticed. And every game they lose, but they didn’t give up, didn’t mind as they were but second classers. My little captain pleaded him to play again and again. Their sports’ teacher smiled, perhaps an unhappy smile, he was reluctant and would rather like stop playing as my girls played better and better, till after more than four games playing they succeeded to beat them and so willingly stop playing further. In the real match in the Jakarta Pusat championship among secondary schools they again beat them.
When she was a medical student - she’s still very small this little captain - there was a championship among medical faculties. She had a very bad, weak team as they were not team mates of her club. Yet they reached the final. She forced herself to almost play solo, she played for two, three, … , for to depend on her team mates would be certain defeat. Their opponents complained her for using this strategy but it wasn’t against the rules. And they won. She was so happy as it was almost an impossible, incredible feat to win with such a poor team, though she got cramp after the volley ball match.
My girl team were charming, slender, small feminine angels, little fairies. Once, during the warming up session before a match we only exercised “receive, set up, over, and so on” so simple, while our opponents were at least 1,65 M, tall giant girls with very big thighs and strong arms caused perhaps by weight training. They impress spectators and opponents during the warm up with their smashes. The spectators thought that we would be mashed by them. Yet we beat them, though we almost couldn’t “kill” them, but they “killed” themselves by a lot of blunders, “unforced errors”. Ha, ha.
But we never could win from the adult women club teams who were even much taller and stronger. But I don’t mind. They played reasonably well for players of such short stature, that is of normal or average height. There’s no well known volley ball club would ever take my girls.
March 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Josef Fritzl
Josef Fritzl
I wouldn’t have told you this Mr. Chew, haven’t I read Ovid’s fascinating, challenging thoughts in his “The Metamorphosis” about loves of the gods and nymphs, between brother and sister, between mother and son, between father and daughter, of illegitimate love affairs.
Suppose it wasn’t against the rules, the law, public decency, suppose we’re so far that we aren’t shocked anymore that a father makes, could make love to his daughter, I don’t think he would have to take resort, measures to force, commit a crime by concealing, imprison, rape his daughter. They might live happy together. Besides, were he so free and has a lot of choices, he wouldn’t take his daughter.
We can’t force human nature to obey the laws, standards of decency, which are obsolete but we still enforce them. No religion, no constitution could ever bar, thwart human nature. Sure we could prohibit, imprison, punish, threaten a man with hell and even the death sentence but it does not still his desire after the “forbidden apple” nor prevent man to stray, do it again and again.
Would you blame, hate, accuse, curse your mother, a young inexperienced, unmarried girl, if she in desperation aborted you? She even might be prosecuted as committing a crime.
“No” I said.
Fritzl is just one of the so many victims of our civilization. Man’s not a thing, a computer, a robot, you know?
So spoke Pak Arif to me.
March 2009
I wouldn’t have told you this Mr. Chew, haven’t I read Ovid’s fascinating, challenging thoughts in his “The Metamorphosis” about loves of the gods and nymphs, between brother and sister, between mother and son, between father and daughter, of illegitimate love affairs.
Suppose it wasn’t against the rules, the law, public decency, suppose we’re so far that we aren’t shocked anymore that a father makes, could make love to his daughter, I don’t think he would have to take resort, measures to force, commit a crime by concealing, imprison, rape his daughter. They might live happy together. Besides, were he so free and has a lot of choices, he wouldn’t take his daughter.
We can’t force human nature to obey the laws, standards of decency, which are obsolete but we still enforce them. No religion, no constitution could ever bar, thwart human nature. Sure we could prohibit, imprison, punish, threaten a man with hell and even the death sentence but it does not still his desire after the “forbidden apple” nor prevent man to stray, do it again and again.
Would you blame, hate, accuse, curse your mother, a young inexperienced, unmarried girl, if she in desperation aborted you? She even might be prosecuted as committing a crime.
“No” I said.
Fritzl is just one of the so many victims of our civilization. Man’s not a thing, a computer, a robot, you know?
So spoke Pak Arif to me.
March 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Live's Irony
Life’s Irony
Sure, I’m but an amateur church choir leader but as I grow older am I more daring, I have almost no fear to be blamed as an ignoramus as I’m not very impressed anymore by renowned, famous, celebrated names. And as you exercise, perform the same pieces with your choir of just ten musically uneducated singers of 60 to 80 years old with the vocal score; technically, sure, the masters, professionals, are very far away and high above you but we also have our own musically beautiful lines. I doubt whether all the audience in concerts hall really could appreciate, value, enjoy concerts, even if they give a standing ovation, perhaps it’s virtuosity, musically perfect. They can’t discern a really good conductor and orchestra that’s making the music live, have the music speak.
I can enjoy, appreciate, feel more than my children and even my grandchildren, as I remember their CD’s. Diana Krall singing: “When I Look In Your Eyes” or Natalie Cole: “Smile”.
Were the sermons not so awfully tiresome but beautiful as beautifully performed singing, I would gladly visit the church every week. And I remember the Dalang (puppeteer) who recited even in “crooked” Indonesian instead of in fluent Sunda language, yet so fascinating, the Dalang who could keep his audience awake the whole night.
And I thought of a book that was praised and crowned, but after rereading, it in later years it was very poor, dull writing, indicating the poor taste of the jury. But as a student of the secondary school, who had the courage to judge a book that’s ranked as literature?
As I’m growing older life becomes rich, deeper in thoughts and feelings. Life’s just starting I’ve a lot of time for myself now and imagine, I’m still so young, I’m not 80 yet. I get me a PhD in music someday to scare my listeners, ha, ha. That’s life’s irony. Old age? It’s just the beginning. I’m even better than in my younger years.
March 2009
Sure, I’m but an amateur church choir leader but as I grow older am I more daring, I have almost no fear to be blamed as an ignoramus as I’m not very impressed anymore by renowned, famous, celebrated names. And as you exercise, perform the same pieces with your choir of just ten musically uneducated singers of 60 to 80 years old with the vocal score; technically, sure, the masters, professionals, are very far away and high above you but we also have our own musically beautiful lines. I doubt whether all the audience in concerts hall really could appreciate, value, enjoy concerts, even if they give a standing ovation, perhaps it’s virtuosity, musically perfect. They can’t discern a really good conductor and orchestra that’s making the music live, have the music speak.
I can enjoy, appreciate, feel more than my children and even my grandchildren, as I remember their CD’s. Diana Krall singing: “When I Look In Your Eyes” or Natalie Cole: “Smile”.
Were the sermons not so awfully tiresome but beautiful as beautifully performed singing, I would gladly visit the church every week. And I remember the Dalang (puppeteer) who recited even in “crooked” Indonesian instead of in fluent Sunda language, yet so fascinating, the Dalang who could keep his audience awake the whole night.
And I thought of a book that was praised and crowned, but after rereading, it in later years it was very poor, dull writing, indicating the poor taste of the jury. But as a student of the secondary school, who had the courage to judge a book that’s ranked as literature?
As I’m growing older life becomes rich, deeper in thoughts and feelings. Life’s just starting I’ve a lot of time for myself now and imagine, I’m still so young, I’m not 80 yet. I get me a PhD in music someday to scare my listeners, ha, ha. That’s life’s irony. Old age? It’s just the beginning. I’m even better than in my younger years.
March 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The Choir Conductor's Thoughts On Sounds
The Choir Conductor’s Thoughts On Sounds
That’s a very bad melody of the ice cream vendor, so loud and out of tune as is an old worn out disk on an old gramophone. It would lower our sense, taste for music and so make us stupid hearing it every day and people would n.b. like it someday.
How I like to hear Vannessa Mae playing the violin in pure, full tones. “Sure, you like her instead her playing the violin” si Upik teased.
To be wakened by soft sounds of warbling birds or the chimes in a Swiss music box instead of a frightening alarm clock. Hearing it would make one ashamed driving a motor cycle without a silencer.
To hear the “clung-cloong” sounds of bamboo pieces hanging together in the wind or an old fruit vendor calling in playful pantun (verse) or the “tok-tok-tok” of the bakmi (noodle) vendor as though knocking on a door of fortune.
Instead of being terrorized by a horn war in a traffic jam,what about a horn with the sound in broken chord like this: C-G-Bes-E-A-C upwards and close with F-C-E-A or F-A-F-D as to induce, encourage, inspire drivers to hum, or whistle his own improvised melody.
How beautiful the warming up vocal exercise of my choir: mi - do - mi - mi re si la sol do fa la mi – re do, a wonderful line from the Ave Maria of Mascagni higher and higher up then lower and lower down bit by bit.
How melodious the Javanese/Sunda pelog scale: mi, fa, sol, si, do. Just play or sing what ever note of it and you would have a beautiful melody. Not to say of the slendrog scale which is on purpose, intentionally a bit out of tune as compared with our scale. And I think of Gershwin’s “I loves you Porgy”: do mi sol si re – do, sol, mi, sol – la do mi sol si – sol me do mi - … so simple, yet so beautiful.
I hope one day to buy me a gamelan set to enjoy their rich, beautiful sounds and have my children, grandchildren and me playing together once a week. I would learn and then teach it to them.
From Ekonomi Neraca Juli 11, 1997
That’s a very bad melody of the ice cream vendor, so loud and out of tune as is an old worn out disk on an old gramophone. It would lower our sense, taste for music and so make us stupid hearing it every day and people would n.b. like it someday.
How I like to hear Vannessa Mae playing the violin in pure, full tones. “Sure, you like her instead her playing the violin” si Upik teased.
To be wakened by soft sounds of warbling birds or the chimes in a Swiss music box instead of a frightening alarm clock. Hearing it would make one ashamed driving a motor cycle without a silencer.
To hear the “clung-cloong” sounds of bamboo pieces hanging together in the wind or an old fruit vendor calling in playful pantun (verse) or the “tok-tok-tok” of the bakmi (noodle) vendor as though knocking on a door of fortune.
Instead of being terrorized by a horn war in a traffic jam,what about a horn with the sound in broken chord like this: C-G-Bes-E-A-C upwards and close with F-C-E-A or F-A-F-D as to induce, encourage, inspire drivers to hum, or whistle his own improvised melody.
How beautiful the warming up vocal exercise of my choir: mi - do - mi - mi re si la sol do fa la mi – re do, a wonderful line from the Ave Maria of Mascagni higher and higher up then lower and lower down bit by bit.
How melodious the Javanese/Sunda pelog scale: mi, fa, sol, si, do. Just play or sing what ever note of it and you would have a beautiful melody. Not to say of the slendrog scale which is on purpose, intentionally a bit out of tune as compared with our scale. And I think of Gershwin’s “I loves you Porgy”: do mi sol si re – do, sol, mi, sol – la do mi sol si – sol me do mi - … so simple, yet so beautiful.
I hope one day to buy me a gamelan set to enjoy their rich, beautiful sounds and have my children, grandchildren and me playing together once a week. I would learn and then teach it to them.
From Ekonomi Neraca Juli 11, 1997
Monday, March 9, 2009
On Good And Bad
On Good And Bad
When we have to search after the bad qualities of something than that is an indication of something which is good. When we have to search after the good qualities of something than that is an indication of something which is bad.
As for good things it’s so good it has almost no faults, so we have to search after its (farfetched) faults, and as for bad things, it has so many faults, we have to search after its (farfetched) qualities. Good or bad, praised or blamed, they still remain the same, What is good is still good even if we blame it and the bad still bad even if we praise it.
November 1973
When we have to search after the bad qualities of something than that is an indication of something which is good. When we have to search after the good qualities of something than that is an indication of something which is bad.
As for good things it’s so good it has almost no faults, so we have to search after its (farfetched) faults, and as for bad things, it has so many faults, we have to search after its (farfetched) qualities. Good or bad, praised or blamed, they still remain the same, What is good is still good even if we blame it and the bad still bad even if we praise it.
November 1973
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
My Little General
My Little General
There he lies on the battlefield, my little general. He doesn’t ride a horse in a bright uniform with stars on his shoulders, without an army and commanding orders, but panting, soiled, wet with his sweat in his shirt, crying,
He, who is the pivot, the backbone of his team is wounded. He, who is so needed to aid his team mates under the heavy pressure of the “enemy” in the final battle. Now his younger, weaker Benjamin should take his place, he who would need his protection.
Crying, not of the pain, he almost didn’t feel it, but powerless, to see his comrades fight an unequal battle without him.
With tears and among his sobs he cried, called aloud to his friends his command “hajar” (fight) and they heartened him in return not to worry.
And that command in crying, broken language by their invalidated leader was heard and whoever heard it shuddered in awe.
They fought, I watched in breathtaking suspense as though watching a coin rolling (not spinning) not knowing which side it would turn, or as a rope dancer walking on a cable which is stretched taut between two high buildings. And they won the battle while it would be more reasonable that they would be defeated.
A command of a real general couldn’t do it better, no courage, no words more inspiring an army. And I remember Beethoven’s 9th Symphony “… laufet Bruder eure Bahn, wie ein Held zum siegen.” It was as though they couldn’t surrender, it was impossible to surrender, they would rather drop, “die”.
“He’s my little general” said his Volley Ball coach as he remembered it almost forty years ago.
There he lies on the battlefield, my little general. He doesn’t ride a horse in a bright uniform with stars on his shoulders, without an army and commanding orders, but panting, soiled, wet with his sweat in his shirt, crying,
He, who is the pivot, the backbone of his team is wounded. He, who is so needed to aid his team mates under the heavy pressure of the “enemy” in the final battle. Now his younger, weaker Benjamin should take his place, he who would need his protection.
Crying, not of the pain, he almost didn’t feel it, but powerless, to see his comrades fight an unequal battle without him.
With tears and among his sobs he cried, called aloud to his friends his command “hajar” (fight) and they heartened him in return not to worry.
And that command in crying, broken language by their invalidated leader was heard and whoever heard it shuddered in awe.
They fought, I watched in breathtaking suspense as though watching a coin rolling (not spinning) not knowing which side it would turn, or as a rope dancer walking on a cable which is stretched taut between two high buildings. And they won the battle while it would be more reasonable that they would be defeated.
A command of a real general couldn’t do it better, no courage, no words more inspiring an army. And I remember Beethoven’s 9th Symphony “… laufet Bruder eure Bahn, wie ein Held zum siegen.” It was as though they couldn’t surrender, it was impossible to surrender, they would rather drop, “die”.
“He’s my little general” said his Volley Ball coach as he remembered it almost forty years ago.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Opa Johan On Rating
Opa Johan On Rating
Here is his letter to “Help us to improve. Please rate our/his service”:
Even the service of a paid account wouldn’t do it better than the excellent service for my free account, as I think of the patience, the very quick response, clear detail, encouraging words to ask, explaining clearly, help what I did not know despite my many blunderings and ignorance as layman. That’s more than I ever could thank. Your/his rating is “excellent” plus, not to say of your superb expositions and inspiring thoughts which I just know a bit.
But that was of installing the tracking (visitor’s) code in a blogspot com website.
While installing in my wordpress com blog though he assured, it could be done once, just by pasting the tracking code in the widget, I couldn’t do so as my wordpress provided no widgets, no side bars. He offered to do it for me, grateful with my having high expectations he would succeed. But he just succeeded to paste in one post only. Still he assured me that it is sufficient to paste only once, not on all the pages and posts, then he gave me yet another chance, way out, saying: “Using our installation instructions, you need to install it only once.” I failed and again, so very grateful, he kindly offered to do it for me but he just pasted it in one post as before, which I easily could do it my self. And he said “Should we go ahead and install html only counter code on your first post?” “Sure if it means you could paste it just once, sufficient to cover all my more than thousand posts and pages.” Something like that I said. His reply was that he succeeded, sure, but it covered only the pasted page, not all.
All this is recorded in your excellent support system.
I could rate a runner as I’m myself a runner before but I’m no expert in how to provide stats (visitors statistics), how could I rate him? He is my teacher. Besides am I reluctant to rate, judge, sentence someone as I might be doing worse than he does were I in his place, while I, N.B. his pupil, am inclined to rate him, my teacher, even less than “very poor” and so including rating myself were I in his place.
Now will I stop torturing him with an impossible(?) request, he, your staff couldn’t do. Yet, I’m still confident that some day it could be done.
May these thoughts help improve your venture.
February 2009
Here is his letter to “Help us to improve. Please rate our/his service”:
Even the service of a paid account wouldn’t do it better than the excellent service for my free account, as I think of the patience, the very quick response, clear detail, encouraging words to ask, explaining clearly, help what I did not know despite my many blunderings and ignorance as layman. That’s more than I ever could thank. Your/his rating is “excellent” plus, not to say of your superb expositions and inspiring thoughts which I just know a bit.
But that was of installing the tracking (visitor’s) code in a blogspot com website.
While installing in my wordpress com blog though he assured, it could be done once, just by pasting the tracking code in the widget, I couldn’t do so as my wordpress provided no widgets, no side bars. He offered to do it for me, grateful with my having high expectations he would succeed. But he just succeeded to paste in one post only. Still he assured me that it is sufficient to paste only once, not on all the pages and posts, then he gave me yet another chance, way out, saying: “Using our installation instructions, you need to install it only once.” I failed and again, so very grateful, he kindly offered to do it for me but he just pasted it in one post as before, which I easily could do it my self. And he said “Should we go ahead and install html only counter code on your first post?” “Sure if it means you could paste it just once, sufficient to cover all my more than thousand posts and pages.” Something like that I said. His reply was that he succeeded, sure, but it covered only the pasted page, not all.
All this is recorded in your excellent support system.
I could rate a runner as I’m myself a runner before but I’m no expert in how to provide stats (visitors statistics), how could I rate him? He is my teacher. Besides am I reluctant to rate, judge, sentence someone as I might be doing worse than he does were I in his place, while I, N.B. his pupil, am inclined to rate him, my teacher, even less than “very poor” and so including rating myself were I in his place.
Now will I stop torturing him with an impossible(?) request, he, your staff couldn’t do. Yet, I’m still confident that some day it could be done.
May these thoughts help improve your venture.
February 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The Choir Conductor's Thoughts On Singing
The Choir Conductor’s Thoughts On Singing
The jury of a church choir festival said a lot on good singing. Observe all the advise would make singing something like a dreary exercise, a scare instead of a joy. It’s fortunate, there’re no conductors ever performing exactly the same.
I’d rather like the jury set as an example how they would conduct and hear their choir sing rather than hearing their advice. We certainly could sing better if we took easy pieces but we readily took the risk singing more difficult, better music, incur many mistakes, “accidents”, while it’s improving our ability and our having a richer repertoire, like the risks, beautiful views of climbing a mountain instead of a hill.
I almost never could hear, understand the words a choir sings, except we’ve sung it before. And I thought, what if it was in Latin or Italian or Russian. Even the conductor and the singers might not understand. I don’t believe a conductor of an orchestra always took the time to go deeper into the lyrics of an opera or oratorio as he has almost no time for it. Besides it isn’t certain that he masters the language, the philosophy, the lyrics. So what’s singing in a foreign language, even with a wrong pronunciation or vocalized just in “Ah”. It would be as beautiful as playing the organ or piano. Isn’t it the music that should “speak” eloquently? And we sang Mendelssohn’s “Songs without words”.
And why should it be church music? Did the pastor, the congregation know that a lot of church music was not church music before but a loved, beautiful song. It was later on provided with lyrics suitable for the church service. My wife said, “just put there a word of God, or Jesus in an opera song and they wouldn’t complain if it were sung in the church.“
Hearing Gospel songs, I might think they’re love songs. We deliberately sang love songs and we said, insisted, these are Songs of Solomon of this age. Did you ever read his love songs? And we even sang Ave Maria in a protestant’s service. Don’t we decorate the church hall with flowers. Isn’t that also something as worshipping, praising God? I said to them.
I conduct the way I like, exercise my members the way I think best, not the way the jury, the teachers, professors think it should, as I never could, ever would, do. And I’ll still sing with my choir, though with only one member left. Ha, ha, ha.
February 2009
The jury of a church choir festival said a lot on good singing. Observe all the advise would make singing something like a dreary exercise, a scare instead of a joy. It’s fortunate, there’re no conductors ever performing exactly the same.
I’d rather like the jury set as an example how they would conduct and hear their choir sing rather than hearing their advice. We certainly could sing better if we took easy pieces but we readily took the risk singing more difficult, better music, incur many mistakes, “accidents”, while it’s improving our ability and our having a richer repertoire, like the risks, beautiful views of climbing a mountain instead of a hill.
I almost never could hear, understand the words a choir sings, except we’ve sung it before. And I thought, what if it was in Latin or Italian or Russian. Even the conductor and the singers might not understand. I don’t believe a conductor of an orchestra always took the time to go deeper into the lyrics of an opera or oratorio as he has almost no time for it. Besides it isn’t certain that he masters the language, the philosophy, the lyrics. So what’s singing in a foreign language, even with a wrong pronunciation or vocalized just in “Ah”. It would be as beautiful as playing the organ or piano. Isn’t it the music that should “speak” eloquently? And we sang Mendelssohn’s “Songs without words”.
And why should it be church music? Did the pastor, the congregation know that a lot of church music was not church music before but a loved, beautiful song. It was later on provided with lyrics suitable for the church service. My wife said, “just put there a word of God, or Jesus in an opera song and they wouldn’t complain if it were sung in the church.“
Hearing Gospel songs, I might think they’re love songs. We deliberately sang love songs and we said, insisted, these are Songs of Solomon of this age. Did you ever read his love songs? And we even sang Ave Maria in a protestant’s service. Don’t we decorate the church hall with flowers. Isn’t that also something as worshipping, praising God? I said to them.
I conduct the way I like, exercise my members the way I think best, not the way the jury, the teachers, professors think it should, as I never could, ever would, do. And I’ll still sing with my choir, though with only one member left. Ha, ha, ha.
February 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
One Earth, One Sky, One Humankind
One Earth, One Sky, One Humankind
Somewhere on a mountain roadside from Sentul via Bukit Pelangi to Cipayung, there’s a little notice “One Earth, One Sky, One Humankind”. The village people there don’t read, nor speak English.
And I mused: the rich, the poor, theist or atheist, white or black or yellow, from the pope, president, general to the household maid, from the grandparents to the grandchildren, from the saints to the drunkards, gamblers, cheaters, traitors; or… through all the ages, all are of one humankind.
The Creator created earth, one earth, not only Indonesia, England, America, Russia, Australia, Argentine, Africa, Iran, Iraq, …
And I should say not only for humankind but for all being, all the creatures, citizens of the earth, living on land as well as in the water.
Not only the earth but also the heavens with the sun, the moon the stars, planets clouds are for all being.
And I wondered, who is the wise man who said it and placed it there?
Somewhere on a mountain roadside from Sentul via Bukit Pelangi to Cipayung, there’s a little notice “One Earth, One Sky, One Humankind”. The village people there don’t read, nor speak English.
And I mused: the rich, the poor, theist or atheist, white or black or yellow, from the pope, president, general to the household maid, from the grandparents to the grandchildren, from the saints to the drunkards, gamblers, cheaters, traitors; or… through all the ages, all are of one humankind.
The Creator created earth, one earth, not only Indonesia, England, America, Russia, Australia, Argentine, Africa, Iran, Iraq, …
And I should say not only for humankind but for all being, all the creatures, citizens of the earth, living on land as well as in the water.
Not only the earth but also the heavens with the sun, the moon the stars, planets clouds are for all being.
And I wondered, who is the wise man who said it and placed it there?
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Bali And The World
Bali And The World
“If he has peace within him, Bali deepens it. If he has beauty within him, Bali enriches it. If he does not carry both within him, he will not recognize them here and he will go away unhappy, as he came.” Some one said in The Jakarta Post.
Well, I don’t want to be blessed with what is called peace and beauty, if they keep other people that haven’t, doomed from sharing in the happiness. I’d rather stay doomed to be unhappy with the people.
Having had my say to the “world”, I’ll be happy and regain my peace of mind.
The Jakarta Post, May 12, 1986
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Funny Sights
Funny Sights
A father taking three children for a ride on a scooter, two sitting behind and one standing in front of him, isn’t an uncommon sight. Four passengers on a scooter. But when they even took along their “ugly” dog into the bargain, sitting – with eight legs – crammed on the narrow board of the old two wheeler through the bustling roads to share their fun and danger, it must have been an adventures ride, perhaps better than in a comfortable motorcar.
The other day I also saw a couple beneath a tree as I wandered through a park. They were foreigners. The young man was peeling a pine-apple. He worked at it conscientiously. At last he hardly had anything left except its tasteless “spine” to offer his sweetheart. Yet I guess that it must have tasted sweeter than had they had the fruit served well in the Hilton Hotel.
Here is an occasion for foreigners to learn from us, not from our professors, but from our fruit vendors.
The Jakarta Post December 31, 1986
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Unpardonable Blundering
Unpardonable Blundering
There was a picture of a beautiful necklace that won an international award at Milan, (J.P. March 29, 1986), but I’d vote for the lovely wearer. Seeing her dazzling eyes would be much more fascinating than a world-awarded necklace, the glittering fire in the biggest diamonds, the most precious stones and fire-works, as the radiant sun is to an electric bulb.
The jury should be fired for unpardonable blundering, blindness.
The Jakarta Post April 8, 1986
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Hansel Und Gretel
Hansel Und Gretel
For days they were together, left alone, not in a forest but in a waste land beneath a tree of a hospital. They were so thin, so small. How they managed to eat, drink and sleep, I don’t know. Every day when on duty in the hospital I took some food and milk for them, How eagerly they ate and drank.
I wish I could take them home but we already had a foundling. But when I decided to take them home, they were gone. I, we all who went together felt bad in the car. Before driving for home we suggested to just try again almost with no hope. How we rejoiced as we found them still there.
I tried to find some one who would take care of them. But when I told them that Hansel is crippled and about Gretel’s itch and asthma they refused to take them, perhaps they’re business people. “What if they couldn’t be sold?” they thought. As I now think I’m so glad that they were rejected, otherwise … What if they took Gretel only or Hansel only. It would be cruel to separate them as they so love each other and always huddle, play, sleep together in my bed. And I thought of the orphans of wars, brothers and sisters separated from each other or from a mother when taken in families abroad and of slaves in former times when they were captured and sold. Hansel isn’t crippled anymore and walks, runs, jumps on all four, though sees with squinting eyes. Perhaps he’s got a violent beating on his head before and Gretel –she was near death, yet, thanks God, survived, three, four times revived by artificial respiration during a surgery - is a cute, funny, lively creature. I’ll never give them away, even when I have to go abroad.
That’s Upik her story.
For days they were together, left alone, not in a forest but in a waste land beneath a tree of a hospital. They were so thin, so small. How they managed to eat, drink and sleep, I don’t know. Every day when on duty in the hospital I took some food and milk for them, How eagerly they ate and drank.
I wish I could take them home but we already had a foundling. But when I decided to take them home, they were gone. I, we all who went together felt bad in the car. Before driving for home we suggested to just try again almost with no hope. How we rejoiced as we found them still there.
I tried to find some one who would take care of them. But when I told them that Hansel is crippled and about Gretel’s itch and asthma they refused to take them, perhaps they’re business people. “What if they couldn’t be sold?” they thought. As I now think I’m so glad that they were rejected, otherwise … What if they took Gretel only or Hansel only. It would be cruel to separate them as they so love each other and always huddle, play, sleep together in my bed. And I thought of the orphans of wars, brothers and sisters separated from each other or from a mother when taken in families abroad and of slaves in former times when they were captured and sold. Hansel isn’t crippled anymore and walks, runs, jumps on all four, though sees with squinting eyes. Perhaps he’s got a violent beating on his head before and Gretel –she was near death, yet, thanks God, survived, three, four times revived by artificial respiration during a surgery - is a cute, funny, lively creature. I’ll never give them away, even when I have to go abroad.
That’s Upik her story.
February 2009
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