Pod Crazy

I finally got my own iPod. It is so exhilarating to get a new gadget. Aside from the clean and neat packaging, the product itself always looks so shiny, crisp and full of promises of all the wonderful things it can do. And the smell, I just love the smell of new thingamajigs.

I have always been a big music fan. I listen to all, I mean all kinds of music. Possibly the result of being a shy and impressionable person. Whenever I meet new people with new music tastes, I will develop a liking to their music.

I adore everything, from musicals like Les Miserables to Bollywood soundtracks. From Earl Klugh to Daft Punk. From Bjork to U2. My current favourite artist is Josh Groban. Saying "favourite" will be an understatement. I am crazy about him. His voice just takes me to heaven where everything is so romantically wonderful. My husband took me to his concert at Sydney Opera House last year and it was one of the happiest days of my life. But my iPod is not only a Josh Groban discography.

My husband was a bit puzzled as to why I would want an iPod because I do not have a lot of time to kill to and from work. I think I have become a hype victim. But for now I am enjoying whatever opportunity I can to use my new iPod.

As I was walking home with plugged ears for the first time, I realised there was so much noise around I took for granted. I could not hear the leaves rustling in the wind, the birds fluttering by and footsteps of people trying to overtake me from behind. It is a shame, really, how more people now just plug their ears and let the world go by unnoticed. Temporarily, I am one of them. Ignoring the sound of nature and choosing instead to hear Brian McKnight serenading to me that I am his everything. :)

Lost in Paradise

That is me, pictured with thongs that do not match. They fit perfectly though. And there is a story behind them.

When we went back to Indonesia last year, my husband decided that we should travel to two of Lombok's tiny islands: Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan. He went there years ago and he loved them. He was right. The view is breathtaking, both above and under the sea. The people are extremely friendly, always smiling and ready for a chat even when they are extremely busy. Best of all, at that time of year, there were not too many tourists, which mostly are foreigners, so we could almost have the island all to ourselves.

Unfortunately, at that time of year, it was also very wet.

On our first morning on Gili Meno, we planned to circle the island, which would take us less than half an hour. We did not bring any thongs because we thought we would be barefooted on soft white sand. The soft white sand turned out to be broken coral reefs and junk swept by the sea from the big islands. There we were, trying to maneuver our way through the debris. My feet were starting to hurt when this green thong appeared. It must be heaven sent because it saved my right foot. That was when I declared we should try to find thongs to wear.

We became two lone figures scouring the beach for lost thongs. We found two complete pairs by the time it started to rain. To save ourselves from the rain and wind, we stopped by an empty hut that seemed steady enough for shelter. The wind was so strong we could not stand still.


Being on a small island with no one in sight, the rain pouring hard and the wind blowing so strong, anyone can feel isolated. No sun, no sky and no sand. It really was as though we were stranded on a deserted island.

But we were not lost, because we could see the main island clearly. And the island was not deserted, there were local people in the middle of the island and at least there was one Chilean couple still swimming near the hotel this morning. But if we were swept away on a faraway island, I could not think of any other person I would rather be with than my thong-scavenging buddy of a husband. :)

Religions and Spirituality

I believe in kindness. A simple smile and a loving gesture can create miracles.

I believe in being humble. In a world where being the best is everything, humanity can only survive if we want to admit we are only human and stop judging other people.

I believe there are as many religions/beliefs as there are people in the world. Any discussion without an open mind will only result in hatred and anger.

I believe that if in every breath we take we remember one day we are going to die, this world will be a peaceful one.