...no not mine of course...
I'm heading to cianjur, Java tomorrow for 4 days with some friends, or somewhere near there since I don't now the exact destination. It's going to be a several hour ride out of Jakarta* to the destination but should be worth it so see an 'authentic' Javanese wedding; at least I hope it’s going to authentic. It’s going to be a Muslim wedding at the very least- that much I’m assured since our friend has recently converted to Islam so the marriage could take place. And once you go Islam ... you can’t go back (converting to it what - that's to say).
*assuming we can make it out from the airport since not over a week ago it seemed the only way into and out of the Jakarta airport was on raft due to the recent flooding in Jakarta. I’m sure it’s all fine by now though!
Friday, February 15, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
The garden
Since i live in a condo, I don't have a yard for any plants. I do have a balcony which is really too small to even walk out onto so I decided to make use of it and started growing a some plants a few months ago. Basil, sunflowers, avocado tree, chinese celery, lavender, and hot chili peppers. I started the basil from 
seeds and wasn't sure if it would grow very well in the heat here but so far there's a ton of it- it's all still to small though so I'll have to keep it alive a while longer so it can get big enough to eat. I don't know what to do with the chinese celery...at first I thought maybe it was similar to cilantro/coriander- it looks almost the same but it's so different. I can't find mint anywhere but I want some as a renewable source for mojitos- I'm sure it would grow really well here (meaning faster than I could consume it in mojitos). I need to find it somewhere! You know, at first I thought growing plants on that balcony would be so easy because they should get plenty of sun and water with all the rain every day.* The last week has been extraordinarily sunny and dry though and it seems like there's no humidity at all... almost perfect weather for people... but much more dry than I thought for the plants. So imagine my surprise when I returned from work today and all the plants were bone dry and wilted. I couldn't believe! I will need to make a point to water the plants every day since it seems the natural Singapore weather will not sustain them as I planned. The avocado tree is growing fast though which is nice- Avocado grows well in SE Asia though so I'm not that surprised, Indonedia is one of the top avocado producing nations. I just hope this dry spell doesn't go on too long... I don't know if I care bare it without the rain much longer ~grin~
*I'd heard stories about people growing such huge fruits and vegetables in Alaska when they get like 20 hours of sun every day and how in Thailand when they grow grapes for their wine they get two crops a year which presents them with a problem about how to label their vintages... should they throw one of the harvests out or should they try to combine the grapes from both harvests or should they keep the second crop from producing grapes at all? who knows! because they have no idea how to make wine in Thailand yet!
seeds and wasn't sure if it would grow very well in the heat here but so far there's a ton of it- it's all still to small though so I'll have to keep it alive a while longer so it can get big enough to eat. I don't know what to do with the chinese celery...at first I thought maybe it was similar to cilantro/coriander- it looks almost the same but it's so different. I can't find mint anywhere but I want some as a renewable source for mojitos- I'm sure it would grow really well here (meaning faster than I could consume it in mojitos). I need to find it somewhere! You know, at first I thought growing plants on that balcony would be so easy because they should get plenty of sun and water with all the rain every day.* The last week has been extraordinarily sunny and dry though and it seems like there's no humidity at all... almost perfect weather for people... but much more dry than I thought for the plants. So imagine my surprise when I returned from work today and all the plants were bone dry and wilted. I couldn't believe! I will need to make a point to water the plants every day since it seems the natural Singapore weather will not sustain them as I planned. The avocado tree is growing fast though which is nice- Avocado grows well in SE Asia though so I'm not that surprised, Indonedia is one of the top avocado producing nations. I just hope this dry spell doesn't go on too long... I don't know if I care bare it without the rain much longer ~grin~*I'd heard stories about people growing such huge fruits and vegetables in Alaska when they get like 20 hours of sun every day and how in Thailand when they grow grapes for their wine they get two crops a year which presents them with a problem about how to label their vintages... should they throw one of the harvests out or should they try to combine the grapes from both harvests or should they keep the second crop from producing grapes at all? who knows! because they have no idea how to make wine in Thailand yet!
Saturday, February 9, 2008
so far so good
Wow, I'm surprised how many people were concerned about my bad horoscope for the year of the rat. I don't really take it that seriously and am sure this year will turn out fine especially since I'm still not Chinese yet after living here for just over a year.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
the year of the rat
Xin Nian Kuai Le!
or as I hear more commonly in Singapore: Gong Xi Fa Chai!
or as I hear more commonly in Singapore: Gong Xi Fa Chai!
Yes, that's right it's Chinese New Year (or Lunar New Year to be sensitive to all those non-Chinese who also celebrate the lunar calender)! Happy new year.
(some nice music to listen to for the year of the rat)
So, it's now the year of the Rat and what is in stall for me this coming year? Well, imagine my shock while reading the Chinese horoscopes, finding out it's going to be a duzy for me (born in the year of the Horse) this coming year!
This does not look like a very good year for the Horse in the year of the Rat.The list of things to look forward to over the next 12 months:
-Obstacles in my career path
-Replacement by a junior member of the staff if I'm not careful
-A complicated love life
-Experience turbulence and lack of self control
And the advice for the coming year (amazingly succinct and vague at the same time):
-Beware of villains
-Don't drink and drive
-Take precaution with spending
-Don't enter investments
-Don't gamble because I'll suffer great loss
-Avoid both auspicious and inauspicious events
I was born in the year of the horse
The giant fortune god. He's so cavalier about passing the news of my bad fortune. He's also about 3 stories high so I won't argue with him.
Chinatown gets very crowded and is covered in lights and decorations for the celebration.
Mickey Mouse!? I was told that mouse and rat are the same thing in China. So there are a lot of decorations that look like mickey mouse (or mini mouse?)
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