A Good Thought, Art Is Invaluable

A Good Thought, Art Is Invaluable

Were I to send someone bananas or grapes, oranges, a special printed Happy Birthday-, Happy New Year-card, especially money, he often would thank me profusely. Were I to send him my thoughts, he would keep silent, yet, I don't want to burden him, anyone to say a polite "thank you".  A good thought is invaluable, - whoever said it - worth far more than those trifles.

Then it occurred to me that the novel, “War and Peace” of Tolstoy, so cheap the book price, the opera “Porgy and Bess” of Gershwin, so cheap the concert ticket, a painting of van Gogh, though so high its price, that art, all art is invaluable, far more than the highest price of a billion dollar painting, ...

July 2013

My Ugly Duckling

My Ugly Duckling

I’m very proud, though this is a poor recording, yet, I did it all myself without professional help. Recorded it, accompanied her, uploaded it to You Tube, exercized, trained her for years, ... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez25ULd7F0I

She was my Ugly Duckling. No one would like to sing beside her as she had a very shrill, unpleasant voice. And now she turns into, reveals herself as a beautiful, strong soprano singing this for the first time and reaches the high Bes note. I almost can’t believe it.

I said, that’s God’s reward, a beautiful, strong voice, for your very hard work, efforts.

She passed away about two years ago.

This is as I remember her, said  my Choir Conductor.

July 2013

 

 

I Only Sharpen It On A Whetstone Every Day

I Only Sharpen It On A Whetstone Every Day

“Pak, (man) you have a good, very sharp knife, May I buy it?”

“Oh, this is just a plain, ordinary knife. I only sharpen it on a whetstone every day. ‘Ibu’ (madam) can buy it in the ‘pasar’ (folks market place)” So said the cold-fruit vendor. How wise he is.

And I thought, what doesn’t become sharp when whetted regularly, daily, your  voice, your thoughts, your writings, your abilities, ...

July 2013

 

 

Can I Help It?

Can I Help It?

How can I love someone, I do not love?

How can I not love someone, I do love?

Can I help it? Can you forbid it?

So don’t vow, promise as you can’t keep them, except you want to become a dutiful husband. So I said to myself.

What’s the use  of being a faithful husband and wife even for life then, founded on duty, decency, vows, laws, instead of loving each other, though not everlasting.

I could love almost any woman at long last. Ha. Ha. Aren’t they each one very wonderful? But were there some women not wonderful, I am to blame, I am too stupid, blind to see.  So don’t you be jealous, you little fool,  said Opa Johan to his wife.

July 2013

A Frog’s Visit

Here he is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-ka1ieQEsU

So, try to capture a visiting frog in your living room.

How did he manage it, while my doors were shut, except by climbing? I never saw a frog climb but he surely was able to climb, otherwise, how could he visit my roof garden then.

And I remember a frog wandering in our guest room in the night, climbing into a flower-pot for a lodging during the day, hidden, resting so peacefully beneath the leaves, but I hadn’t a camera yet.

Moreover, I could imagine, picture an ugly him sitting on a lotus leaf on the watch, guarding, heightening the beauty of the lotus flower beside him, on a still, moon-lit night.

July 2013

 

It Takes A Lot Of Courage

It Takes A Lot Of Courage

It takes a lot of courage to speak, publish my thoughts when it is against general, public, opinion, beliefs, decency, ... except I’am a feigner, licker .

 

July 2013

A Woman Of The Future

A Woman Of The Future

In the far or were it in the near future, when man and woman live, stay together without being married, love was so free then, who would resort to adultery, rape, ...?

“Yet, I would be blessed, honored were there a man who still cared to rape me.” So mused a woman of the future.

And I remember the lovely “jamu” vendor climbing into an empty cow-cart without asking permission of the driver, riding slowly together along a lonely road to their village. What a treasure he has got.

July 2013