I’m in the mood of sharing since morning. It’s strange that I was inspired by Laura Calder’s website (yes, my nephew had made me checked out her website). She wrote a brief life update consists of what she does and feels. I always like to share with loved ones my experience and feelings via writing (blog or email) but there are times I feel discouraged by lack of, if no, response from them. Not that I need a praise but I wonder if my friends actually enjoy or do not bother to go through my emails. That’s when I like the ‘thumb-up’ sign on Facebook. It’s a simple way to give attention, no composing needed. But why do I need that actually? Writing is my way to empty my mind anyway.

I used Calder’s writing style to share with my good friends on Facebook. I know some who write and appreciate a piece of writing. It’s good we can create a list of friends on Facebook so I don’t have to worry about sharing my life update with "to whom it may not concern." I also sort of copy the writing style of Time’s feature about the best of Asia’s mind, body, and soul. It’s written by different writers; brief but so ‘telling’ about a place or thing. It’s nice rather than reading a full article of a place or thing. This brief format tells all about the experience, the object, and the feelings that follow. Fabulous! I am so inspired by many through reading today.

Although I missed wandering the city with my dear nephew, I enjoy every minute I spend exercising ideas. I’m laying out plans for Manila too! Finally, here is my first brief update for Facebook friends (also email-pals) I sent out before noon today.

Malang, here I come…

I was gone around 19:30 last night. It was an extraordinary travel day yesterday. I didn’t sleep well the night before and in the morning I found one of my tires flat before I left for the airport. It’s good to know my ex-staff Ketut didn’t mind to get up early and take me to the airport. A cousin took care of the tire later the day. I am blessed with nice people around me. The trip from Surabaya airport to Malang was not bad either. It was sunny and seems that the new mud bubble on the road along Porong has been fixed (though maybe temporary?). Two hours to get Malang home was not bad at all especially because I could doze riding on bumpy road.

Being in Malang one night, I realized I live different life here. It’s so different than quiet Ubud. My parents’ house located near a big campus that the neighborhood is houses that rent rooms (kost) for students. Only a few houses nearby house families. The road can be so busy with chatty students walking to campus; or motorbikes raising its speed. Like many houses in small town, our house has ‘see-through’ fence with plants instead of solid walls like big-city houses.

Inside the house, my dear nephew constantly makes creative noise with his activities. Be it in front of computer (playing games with loud tap of keyboard and music sometimes), in front of television (with news, cartoon and cooking channels), or… in the kitchen cooking! It makes the house alive! Active! Especially because we are both late night as well as early morning persons. We mingle till before midnight and meet again in a few hours around 5 o’clock. I love it!

Yesterday when I arrived around noon, the house smelled fresh cookies from the oven. My auntie was busy baking cookies for her upcoming son’s wedding that I will miss. And before too long, she shared me two jars of… chocolate cookies! I loved it though it’s floua and suga… Indulge now, exercise later! This morning my nephew prepared really nice muesli with yogurt, banana, nuts, god-knows-what-inside. It tasted super! I enjoyed my five-star breakfast! For a change of my simple breakfast a la Ubud – fruits fruits fruits!

Malang was a bit stuffy. Big garden and big house do not help apparently. Many still thought Malang has nice cool weather. I lost such impression the past ten years. But this morning started with nice warm sun but breezy. I was bitten by jalan-jalan (wandering) bug; be in angkot the public transportation, or see familiar places again? But that was not my nephew’s idea. My nephew and I are in the same group of people who enjoy staying home a lot. He didn’t seem enthusiastic about being a tourist in his own town. So here we are! Stay home and back to old mode of reading and writing – offline and online – but in Malang.

Anything, as long as we are together.

Malang, 5 June 2010 10:43 (GMT +7 hours)

My parents' house again.