Perfection is overrated

Monday, March 17, 2025

We walk, then have 2 online meetings after breakfast.

Many of our friends do puzzles but that's never captured my attention. W and I spotted a 3D puzzle of a bookshelf "room" on one of our trips last year. It's been sitting on the shelf for months.

Today I pull it out, punch out a few wooden pieces. At Step 4 (on page 3 of 25) I have no clue what they're talking about. W can help me figure it out, or not. Who cares if it's perfect?

I'm working on three red abstract canvases to hang in red frames. I made this a few weeks ago and think I'll leave the imperfect circles as they are.

This second one got white dots over the base.

I look at the messy background of the final canvas. Oh, oh, in the art box, I spot half-used jars of craft paints in red, yellow, blue, and white. There's also a 1" (2.5cm) hardware brush on the shelf behind me ... so why not? I haul out the last canvas. I tip globs of color and a bigger pool of white onto the plastic wrap that housed puzzle pieces.

After 10 minutes of play, maybe it's done, maybe not. I pack away the paints. The nice thing about abstract acrylics is that you can splash around a canvas as many times as you want to, layering on what you've done. It doesn't have to be perfect or "finished" when you set out with no aim beyond having fun. I let things sit for a few weeks before I decide.

I wash paint off my hands and toss out the leftover paint in its plastic skin. Kiddie craft paint is good for fooling around because it's non-toxic. (Classroom paint is usually safer than artist quality.) I can't resist touching and moving paint around with my fingers. I rarely remember to put on the finger "socks" that are made to protect kids or grownups like messy me.

After lunch, we visit a neighbor's house. One of my favorite things is the life-sized model of a zebra in the backyard.

Tuesday

Our walk is shorter than usual: I didn't sleep very long and have no energy.  A little plant sprouting at the mossy base of an enormous tree trunk inspires me. It reminds me that it doesn't matter how small you are now; grow where you're planted.

I bake a carrot cake and forget to add sugar. Tastes amazing with raw honey smeared on it ... but still.

The helpers transition the dining table from a pink-ish tablecloth 

to a green one that matches the rest of the room.

As I get down to work, I "shut the door" to my office, at least figuratively. Those who have been here a while know that when the curtain is drawn, my door is "closed" and I'm working. (Crude but usually effective.)

The side entry door and the passage to upstairs are at one side of my office. I'm constantly moving others' stuff out of my sightline, much to their irritation. (Why not stash their stuff in their own spaces?) A pretty sight today: the pot outside my window has erupted in magenta blossoms.

Judy and I chat over morning coffee at HomeGround. I walk her home before returning to the restaurant with W for a very spicy lunch. Yum. My lips may be burning but my stomach is happy.

Wednesday

The sun's coming up as we walk. We take this beautiful city for granted sometimes. "Aren't we lucky to live in a city with palm trees?" I ask W, pointing to the towering trees in front of the sunrise.

A grandpa is taking his 2 grandkids to school on his motorbike. Kids - babies included - quickly learn to balance in front of, behind, or atop the driver. Most youngsters drive motorcycles by their mid-teens. Many start even sooner, racing around the streets near their homes,, ferrying their friends, or just zooming by on a lark.

After meetings and wading through emails, I hop onto a company seminar about the value of AI. They do an interesting review of how AI develops with all available data and how to profit from the automation. A friend drops by to enjoy tea and carrot cake on the Porch.

A wild lovebird swoops under the cages to eat what our birds have scattered. I can't catch it - but what a beauty. It's a recent escapee from someone's cage, still in good condition.

I make a Western lunch for W and me. Oh look, there's color on the plate. Most local food is brown, tan, or beige. (That doesn't mean it's not delicious!)

We sort out appointments for this week and next, do some counseling, and swap out the grey living room rug for one with colors. As long as there's something creative in the day, it's a good one, no matter how heavy the workload.

Between it all, the groomers arrive to tidy up our 3 pooches. With a Ramadan bonus, their total bill is $22. (Cheaper than hiring security guards, that's for sure.)

The 2 poodles get washed, cut, and blown dry, while Gypsy has the knots in his fur clipped and combed out. Looking good! The dogs get some sausage and another walk with PakG as their reward for standing still. Tomorrow is a hike, which will take care of any show dog illusions they have.

Perfect for a day. But perfection is overrated.

They're always "Good Doggies!"

Read more:

*You shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. Isaiah 62:2

* By his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24

* So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being! 2 Corinthians 5:17

Moravian Prayer: Gracious God, awaken our hearts to see the glorious beauty in this new day. Refresh our minds and renew our spirits, as we accept the gift of new beginnings. Give us courage to start over as we trust in your goodness and love. Thank you for the hope and promise of new life in Jesus Christ, our redeemer. Amen.

The seasons come and go

Friday, March 14, 2025

We walk after breakfast. Few people are outside. In Ramadan, Muslims conserve their energy as they are fasting food and water. Nature sings loudly as usual, its bright and colorful textures overlapping. One fence is dripping with trumpet bells.

A fruit tree will have ripe guavas soon.

On the building project down the street, magnificent columns and ornaments embellish the house.

They've plumbed the roof runoff through PVC pipes imbedded in concrete columns ... with no attention paid to the bases of the 4 storey columns. We live in an area of active volcanos and earthquakes. The foundation for the cement columns are loosely-mortared bricks. The centra column rests partly on them with the other part hanging in space. Hmmm.

A lizard hasn't made it across the street but the lacy outline of flattened limbs is beautiful against the paving. I've considered collecting dried creatures for an art piece. Would be cool - except that ants would get behind the glass and mess it up.

Many of us toss our leafless poinsettias after Christmas. But see this "hardly-any-leaves" tree? It is a mature poinsettia. Apparently the plant is deciduous, shedding leaves after the red bracts are done. It restarts after a rest and becomes lush and full. Who knew? I guess we threw out those bare green twigs too soon.

Ibu Siti gives me a deep-tissue massage. What a painful release of muscles that were hiking yesterday. I put on iPods and listen to a textbook to focus my mind elsewhere - and get some work done. Meanwhile, W takes an expat friend for a checkup at the hospital.

When we walk up to Homeground for spicy chicken and green beans, we pass blooming trees and shrubs. Water apples are ripening.

The "stinky bean" tree has large orchid-like blossoms.

A hedge is covered in bright pink flowers shaped like gingerbread men.

Lunch is $4 each. Tasty and very!! spicy. It's been a hot sunny morning but clouds blow over in the early afternoon. The wind kicks up, ringing the chimes on the Porch. The birds chirp back and forth, playing before the storm hits.

An international leaders' Zoom meeting is moved to next week. We rest, get ready for Sunday, and edit. 

Oh those edits! The academic article on Korean-Japanese relations is both interesting and informative. Lucky me: I learn without doing all that research! Off it goes for a final interaction with the author and formatting for publication.

We pampered (and killed) bromeliads as house plants back in Canada/USA. Now we have to cull them so they don't climb up the entire guava tree.

Other bromeliad tips glow pink in the grey light of an impending rainstorm. I brought a plant home from Malang - only to find many such bromeliads here. No matter: the one has become dozens.

Saturday

3-4 times a year, I shift the living room decor or placement. Since we don't have climate seasons, this breaks up the year with color. It takes 10 minutes to exchange the cheering reds of Christmas and Valentines Day ...

... with soothing garden greens. It's minimal effort for a different feel.

 

I turn Kim's batik blanket over to its lighter side, too.

After our walk, W engages with an online study while I make calls and write. Then I make lunch and settle down to learn something new.

Last year, I read about early-onset dementia (which my cousin suffered) in Still Alice by #LisaGenova. We are truly wonderful creations; so complicated, and so much works ... until it doesn't.

In Left Neglected, Genova writes about a syndrome called "Left Neglect." I learn that a person with brain damage or a stroke may only feel, see, or perceive the right side of things. The left side is blanked out by the brain. The left disappears as though it has never existed, whether that's the left side of their face, their body, a book, or a space. How is that possible? We are amazing creatures.

The nook no longer matches the rest of the room, which is now green. So off goes the pink cloth, to be shaken out, folded, and hung away ... 

and onward ho with 2 green Bali sarongs.

The pink dining tablecloth can wait until Monday. I stretch out the seasonal changes as long as I can. A weekend feels like forever because in my mind's eye - whether it's a house plan or baking or decor - it's finished as soon as I imagine it. I'm surprised when it isn't already in place.

I like swapping things out. Yet the first day after a change, I dislike the new thing. Maybe the change happens too fast? It takes a day or two for my body to catch up to a creative shift, whether that's art I'm making, a new slipcover, or furniture in a new place.

It's overcast and dark by 3:00. Thunder rumbles and the wind kicks up as we walk up the hill for an early dinner with friends.

Sunday

All runs smoothly at IES Bandung and the team meeting. Then we enjoy lunch at Miss Bee. 

Today's flowers are a mountain of green and a river of color.

They're beautiful, thanks to the creativity of #titikbadudu.

A friend gifts us with batik shits.

We soak them in salt and vinegar water to set the colors.

We read, relax, and prepare for the coming week.

Read more:

*Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord. Genesis 6:8

*Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” Joshua 24:22

*You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9

*Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you. 2 Peter 1:10-11

Moravian Prayer: God of all ages, in life, death, and the life to come, you are our creator and sustainer. Whether we live or die, may our witness and service to others always point to you and the present and coming kingdom of God.

O life-affirming Creator, how often we forget that we are your beloved creation: chosen, created, and named, as you proclaimed, “It is good.” Call us out of our doubts and our fears to live with you. Amen.

Eternal summer

Monday, March 10, 2025

I remember the relief of spring's arrival, when the first buds open on the branches and the early flowers peek through the soil. I see the posts of friends and am happy for them as life begins after winter.

Late spring and early summer were my favorite seasons in Seattle. All that green! Some sun. And weeks of warmth. Aaaah. 

You'd wonder if I miss spring, but I don't care to experience it again. Why? because you first have to endure the dark damp gloom of a cold season. That's not for me unless I have no choice.

Fall and winter in Seattle found me spiraling into depression. I bought a sun lamp, went for walks outdoors, and ate chocolate. Nothing seemed to help.

Bandung has eternal summer: rain or shine.

W and I got caught in the rain a few days ago. Our shoulders were soaked within seconds; our trousers flapped in wet protest. We got home, exchanged the wet clothes for dry ones after a hot shower, and smiled at each other because the rain was 75oF/24oC. It wasn't even chilly because there was no wind.

Lunch is leftovers plus fresh vegetables: I reheat the sauerkraut and potatoes from last week and sauté another sausage to cut into the cabbage, along with green beans in peanut sauce. "We eat better when I'm cooking," I think aloud to W. (It's not better. But we're revisiting flavors we grew up with, which is a nice change from rice and chicken in coconut milk.)

Today I snack on a home-mix of nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate. It's stored in a recycled Trader Joe's bag, a reminder of the past. My afternoon intention is to edit an article for an academic journal - or at least start it. With a packed week ahead, let's get it out of the way.

I putter, getting my mind into the right frame by gathering bedding for a change-of-sheets tomorrow, confirming appointments on the calendar, and pedaling away on my "Under-the Desk Cycle," a gift from Kim. Then I'm ready to focus on the manuscript.

No I'm not. I spend the rest of the afternoon uploading photos onto a garden blog. Sigh. Way more fun. Work, tomorrow!

Tuesday

It's a beautiful sunny morning. The gardenia fragrance is rich and sweet.

I make an omelette with yogurt for breakfast, using the last of the potatoes and sauerkraut, along with another chopped sausage. W and I eat on the sunny porch.

After a meeting with our supervisors and coworkers, we walk to meet S for lunch at #NaraPark. Much of our time is spent with people. 

But some of what we do is word-work. Writing a daily Lenten blog is my annual spiritual discipline. Today is a mix of both people and words.

We have a team meeting in early afternoon. The birds are so noisy that it's hard to hear what people are saying via Zoom. The canary is loudest: as soon as I speak, he sings along. And he has gusto! I had no idea a small bird could be soooooo loud.

Our snack is boiled peanuts, fresh from the Tanikota farm. Yum.

Wednesday

It's my brother's 65th birthday. He's enjoying a vacation in a warm spot near a beach. Happy Birthday, Norm! from the warm hills of Indonesia.

My alarm is set for 5 appointments, which is an unusual amount. First a walk! 

Several events are especially favorable, discussing life and work with peers. Two are tea parties on the Porch. We have to move inside when the racket of a weed-wacker makes conversation impossible.

Regardless of where, time with a teacup in hand and a friend across the table refreshes the soul and body. We share life, prayer, scones, and egg-salad sandwiches. Oh, and don't forget the brownies ...

W helps me turn the mattress around. As I change the cloth of the headboard, a dead roach falls onto the bed. There's a dried 6" lizard stuck to the fabric of the headboard. Ugh. Obviously we wash the headboard cover less often than the weekly bedding change. (May have to reconsider that!)

Lizards chirp as they crawl up walls and across ceilings and floors. But the clicking of cockroach wings is what I dread most. W scoops up both carcasses with a dustbin and tosses them outside.

Thursday

HIKING! after last week's hiatus.

The impatiens that were the first sign of spring in Seattle? (I bought them 2@$1 each March from Fred Meyer to cheer up the garden.) They grow wild along the trail.

Mushroom varieties are all along the paths, too. That's what rainy season does.

Our destination is the old Dutch forts in the mountains.

We take pictures for our WA group - many are traveling.

And then we joke around an excellent lunch at Mike's Pizza. It's the first time W and I have been there in person, rather than ordering it to go. Our food (3 pizzas) and drink cost $22. Like the taste, the price is delicious.

We buy eggs and sugar at the grocer across the street. The helpers have baked chocolate chip cookies today and we're getting low on basics.

Read more:

*I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety. Psalm 4:8

*Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” John 14:27

*All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 

 

Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 

Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce 

fresh water. James 3:7-12

Moravian Prayer: Abiding God, with each breath, may we bring your peace into our spirit. When we exhale, may your peace enter our world through the words and actions of our lives. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.