Pure Thought

"Dear Non-Pregnant Person"

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:47:20 PST

Dear Non-Pregnant Person,

I hope you find these guidelines helpful in your interactions with pregnant women as failing to follow them may result in serious physical harm. If you are thinking, surely she doesn't mean me- then you should probably read this twice:

1) The appropriate response to a couple telling you they are having a baby is 'Congratulations!' with enthusiasm. Any other response makes you an a$$.

2) Through the wonders of science, we now know that babies are made ONLY by the mother and father- not grandparents. Unless the baby is in your uterus or you are the man that helped put it there, you may not ever use the phrase 'my baby'.

3) On the same note, unless you made the baby as defined in #2, the pregnancy, birth and raising of the child are not about you. You do not have input. No one wants to hear your opinion unless they ask for it.

4) The body of a pregnant women should be treated the same as any other body. You would not randomly touch someone's stomach if they were not pregnant, nor would you inquire into the condition of their uterus, cervix or how they plan to use their breasts. Pregnancy does not remove all traces of privacy from a woman.

5) Likewise, no woman wants to hear comments on her weight- ever. A pregnant woman does not find it flattering that you think she is about is pop, must be having twins, looks swollen or has gained weight in her face. Telling her she looks too small only makes her worry that she is somehow starving her baby. Making such comments invite her to critique your physical appearance and you may not act offended. The only acceptable comment on appearance is 'You look fabulous!'.

6) By the time we are 20-30 years old, most of us have picked up on the fact that the summer is hot. We are hot every summer when we are not pregnant. We don't need you to point out that we will be miserably hot before the baby comes.

7) There is a reason that tickets to L&D are not yet sold on Ticket master. Childbirth is actually not a public event. It may sound crazy, but some women really do not relish the idea of their mother, MIL or a host of other family members seeing their bare butt and genitals. Also, some people simply feel like the birth of their child is a private and emotional moment to be shared only by the parents.

8) Like everything else is life, unless you receive an invitation, you are NOT invited. This includes doctor appointments, ultrasounds, labor, delivery, the hospital and the parents' home. You do not decide if you will be there for the birth or if you will move in with the new parents to 'help out'. If your assistance is desired, rest assured that you will be asked for it.

9) If you are asked to help after the birth, this means you should clean up the house, help with cooking meals, and generally stay out of the way. Holding the baby more than the parents, interfering with breastfeeding and sleeping schedules and making a woman who is still leaking fluid from multiple locations lift a finger in housework is not helping.

10) The only people entitled to time with the baby are the parents. Whether they choose to have you at the hospital for the birth or ask for you to wait three weeks to visit, appreciate that you are being given the privilege of seeing their child.

Complaining or showing disappointment only encourages the parents to include you less.

Sincerely,

All pregnant ladies in the world!

Trip to Nah Island

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 19:27:52 PDT

Last weekend was our turn to take the boat out, after got confirmation from 3 other couples, we booked Francisco as the boat driver and prepare stuff to bring include food for the picnic and snorkling gear.

We decided to go to Nah island because it's not as far as Ant atoll but it has same sandy beach like Ant which is a rare treat in Pohnpei. Trip to Nah island took about 45 minutes to one hour by our boat because we have to go really slow in some shallow area especially during the low tide. Nah Island located inside the lagoon across from Nan Madol but since we're using big boat so we have to go outside the lagoon to reach it. I'm not too fancy going out the lagoon as the sea can be really choppy and rough, but this time it wasn't too bad and it's not too long so I'm fine.

The view on the way to Nah island

Nan Madol

And finally we arrived at Nah island, uninhabited island with sand beach. A gorgeous place to spend one fine Sunday with good friends, relaxing, snorkling, lunch and just wandered around the island to enjoy its beauty. Such a tough life living in Pohnpei hey :)

50 reasons to be glad you're pregnant!

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 15:33:22 PDT

1. Relishing the early weeks when only you and your partner know your special secret.

2. Knowing you've got nine whole months to plan, dream and fantasise.

3. Throwing away your ovulation charts and testing kits and going back to having sex without a timetable.

4. Choosing maternity clothes - they've never been more practical or more sexy.

5. Now you've got the perfect excuse to pamper yourself - spending hours in a scented bath, enjoying a massage or rubbing soothing lotions into your growing bump.

6. You can join an antenatal class and find a whole new bunch of friends (and don't forget our BabyCenter birth clubs: another great way to meet people due at the same time as you).

7. For once in your life you need to get heavier - pregnancy is nature's way of making you feel good about putting on weight.

8. If this is your first baby, enjoy the next nine months sleeping late at weekends: you may not get many chances later on.

9. At last you've got the bosom you've always wanted, which means you also have...

10...a great excuse to buy lots of pretty new bras.

11. Now you have the good reason you have been looking for to take up yoga, meditation, healthy eating and deep breathing.

12. At last you'll have something more than potplants and cats to care for and nurture!

13. Suddenly you'll find you're getting lots of extra attention from parents, aunts and uncles, not to mention your partner.

14. You may find you develop a closer relationship with sisters, cousins or friends who are parents themselves. Congratulations, you've just won free admission to the parents' club!

15. Telling your mum, dad, sister, brother, aunt the good news and watching their faces light up.

16. New talents! Whether it's knitting bootees or assembling a flat-pack cot, you'll suddenly find yourself trying out all sorts of new skills.

17. Suddenly you'll feel a new appreciation for your own mother and all she went through having you.

18. Decorating the nursery: one of the most exciting things you'll ever do.

19. Feeling those first fluttering kicks and thinking, 'Is that what I think it is? Or is it just wind?'

20. Feeling OK for sending your partner out for chicken tikka masala followed by double-choc chip ice cream.

21. Your parents digging out your old cot or clothes, which they've kept safely all this time 'just in case'.

22. Going for healthy walks with your partner and getting fresh air in your lungs because it's good for you and good for your baby.

23. Enjoying the extra-vivid dreams you get in late pregnancy - and laughing about them with your friends.

24. Feeling a little pair of heels prodding under your diaphragm and knowing you'll soon be meeting the little person they belong to!

25. Choosing baby clothes - or just phoning round for all the catalogues, leafing through them and planning what you're going to buy.

26. Writing a pregnancy diary for your baby to read in the future.

27. Getting someone to take photos of you smiling over your enormous bump so that, one day, you can look back and be amazed you were ever that size.

28. Finding out how many people there are out there ready to care for you: doctors, nurses, midwives, health visitors, breastfeeding counsellors...

29. Lying in bed with your partner's arms around you and your bump, knowing that love has created a new life.

30. Enjoying indulgences, such as evenings out, weekends away and anything else you might not be able to do so easily once the baby arrives.

31. Knowing that from now on, whatever happens, you'll never be bored again.

32. Making new friends whenever you go shopping - everyone has a pregnancy story to share.

33. You can spend whole evenings debating whether to call your baby Hermione or Cleopatra, Fritz or Stanley... (don't forget to try our BabyCenter baby namer if you get stuck!)

34. Imagining what he or she will look like. Your sweet little ears, of course, and his sexy eyes!

35. Dreaming about, "My daughter the prime minister/pop star/brain surgeon."

36. Looking at your growing bump in the mirror and realising there's a person in there!

37. Making out a squirmy outline on the ultrasound monitor. Asking for the pic to take home and pinning it up next to your work station, or just keeping it in your bag to sneak looks at.

38. The expression on your partner's face as he sees the test strip turn blue, looks at your growing bump or feels the baby kicking.

39. Buying that first little cuddly toy for your baby, not somebody else's.

40. Making that phone call to your partner to tell him that - we're off! - labour has started.

41. Trying out all those exercises you learned at antenatal class and finding out that they actually work!

42. Being held and supported throughout a contraction by your partner/midwife/labour companion and knowing that you can trust them totally.

43. Finding out, as the contractions get tough, that your repertoire of swear words is far more extensive than you ever realised!

44. Making an informed choice about pain relief and finding that it's right for you at that stage in labour.

45. That huge rush of pleasure and relief when, suddenly, all the pain and effort stops.

46. Looking into your newborn's eyes and falling utterly in love.

47. Watching your partner kiss the midwife, the doctor, cleaning lady, delivery man and anyone else he can find because his joy and pride are overwhelming.

48. Opening a bottle of bubbly to celebrate, whatever the time of day or night.

49. Making all those phone calls to announce the arrival. Telling everyone the news and hearing the excitement in their voices.

50. Waking up to see your baby sleeping next to you and thinking, 'Wow! This is real. I'm a mum!

Go Local: Coconut Jam

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Thu, 19 May 2011 23:55:43 PDT

I have been living in Pohnpei for 7 months but I haven't found local food that I really like. Some of the local food are similar with Indonesia like: breadfruit, taro, yam, casava, the difference is we don't eat those food as main course but more to snack. Oh maybe in some parts of Indonesia they still eat it as main course but from where I come from we eat it as snack.

Everytime I go to Yoshie for groceries shopping I always see jars of Coconut Jam near the cashier, but the package doesn't look appealing to me, yeah I know it's not easy to make a good packaging that really appealing and scream BUY ME I've been there done that with my previous work as an advertising slave. Until Keira & Sky invited us to have dinner at their place.

Keira made tart filled with banana and top with coconut jam, yes local coconut jam. And the verdict? Love it! It was soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo yummy that I had to eat more than one piece lol.

This Coconut Jam – a local caramel-like spread made from sugar, glucose and coconut and sometimes Karat banana (in the description said it is a native mix of yams, breadfruit and rice but said different on the ingredients list). It can be eaten straight out of the jar, spread on toast, put on pancakes, scones, or made into tarts, and it is soooo good.

Since then, we are hooked by this coconut jam. As everything else in Pohnpei, there is no standard price for this coconut jam, an exactly the same product will have different prices in each shops.

If you go to Blue Nile it will cost you $2.30 or sometimes they have it at $2.35, side by side but different price.
Yoshie will charge you for $2.40
Palm Terrace mark it as $2.50

So you know where to go if you want to buy it.

PS. For Indonesians, I think this coconut jam taste similar with wajik/wajit, but in a different form not as solid as.

The Most Expensive Tomatoes in Pohnpei

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Sun, 08 May 2011 02:01:13 PDT

That will be our tomato.... if it ever grows eventually.

I went to pick up my gardener last week and he load in bunch of long sticks into the car, I know that he always complained that if I have aa truck it would be easier to get all materials he needed for my garden. But I don't have a truck and the embassy's truck is broken so a truck is out of question.

We need wood sticks to support my tomato which already outgrown and also we need to build the structure for the tomato "house".

I ask him to load all the sticks in and see how it goes, so he put the stick from the back all the way to the front windscreen or windshields. My car is a Toyota RA4 so we have a little bit of room but not as big as a ute/pick up truck. After all loaded in then I try to close the back door, I didn't slam the door just a gentle touch trying to close it but then I hear "CRACK"... I was thinking what the hell was that... and when I see the front windscreen/windshield this is what I see... Not a pleasant sight...

I rarely swear and especially in front of people but that time I was swearing F.......K couple of time.. pardon my French.. but I was really upset and scared that Mr. Husband will yell at me when I got home.

But I have the best husband in the world... there Baby.. I said it to the whole world that you are the best husband :p. He didn't yell at me, he even comforts me by saying that it's not the end of the world... How can you not love him for that ;).

Anyhow, we finally got the windscreen replaced yesterday (thanks to Car Care) and yes it was a bit expensive but we need to replace it anyway before the crack got bigger and bigger. In order to prevent the crack to get bigger we can not turn on the air conditioner while we're driving, and driving around in the middle of the day without air con was not a pleasant experience because it's so hot, steamy and humid. Sometimes the outside temperature much better than inside the car.

So here is the tomato house that my gardener built.. pretty impressive eh?

But he said he's not done yet... uhm... not sure what else he wants to add on but for sure this time I will be extra carefull about loading stuff inside the car.

And it's been a week I talk to my tomato everytime I water it "tomato you better produce fruits soon or else....." You can fill in the blank by yourselves :).

Not sure if my scare tactic will work, I just have to wait, see, hope and pray...

Things You Do For Love

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 03:49:19 PDT

In my case, things I would do for love is camping. Yes, you can read my experience on camping trip here.

When you love someone, you are willing to do anything to make that person happy. Some of you may change your appearance, personality and some even change their religions to declare their love.

Especially in a marriage you would do things to make your husband/wife happy, like trying to do and liking what the other enjoys to do. Who I am talking about marriage and stuff, I've only been married for 2 years and there are many more years to come but I learn everyday that do something for your loved one is actually gives you satisfaction and make you content. The idea of making him happy is making me happy although I don't really like it and I was whinging about it on the internet like what I just did :).

This post inspired by Mr. Husband who criticized my previous post as being too negative about camping. He just wants me to do something that he likes to do. Yes, my first experience wasn't a pleasant one but we can learn from the mistake and next time will do better. And of course I want to thank my good friends The Reynolds who went out with us although Huyen doesn't like the idea of being in a boat on a rough ocean which I perfectly understand because I have the same feeling too. Didn't I say that I'm the biggest wuss in the world?.

I understand what Mr. Husband is trying to do, he wants me to be able to enjoy thing that he enjoys to do. He wants to share the experience with me, together. Like we experience every day, every night together.

There is nothing wrong with that, it's just he has to convince and persuade me even more that camping is fun. I can't convert to liking and enjoy camping in just after one trip, it's all about the process to actually like and enjoy it at the end.

And what would you do for LOVE?

My First Camping Trip

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:30:04 PDT

If you find yourself trapped in the middle of the woods without electricity, running water, or a car you would likely describe that situation as a “nightmare” or “a worse case scenario like after plane crash or something.” Some people refer to it as “camping.”

I've never been camping before and the idea of camping no shower never amuse me. Mr. husband has been trying to persuaded me to camping since we were back in Canberra but no luck so far, as I always have good excuses to bail from it. But last weekend I was running out of excuses and also it was his birthday, he wants to celebrate his birthday by camping in Ant atoll. It was a good plan since he got 5 days weekend for Easter and Anzac Day. Yeah among many other things that he can do, he chooses camping. Suck big time for me, no toilet for 2 days, how can I survive?. This time I can't say NO, it's his birthday. As a good wife *cough*... I respect his choice so off we go camping then.

Mr. Husband is doing his best to tell me that it’s very easy and it allows us to escape the pressures and troubles of the urban lifestyle for a more natural, simplified, relaxing time. Nothing could be further from the truth. In theory camping should be a very inexpensive activity since you are literally sleeping on the ground. But the more simple it appears the more expensive it actually is.

The first stage is to buy a tent and a matress. Our new tent and matress arrived weeks before the day and we even had a trial at home on how to build the tent, yeah he was so determined to educate me about camping and the FUN of it.

Here is our tent and matress:

The second stage is to plan the meal, what should I cook? Since there were other people on the camping site so we divided the cooking turn per couple and per meal time. We decided to cook for Saturday lunch, my thinking was that I can prepare everything at home and I can relax at night. The meals I prepared: couscous salad, sausages marinated with soy sauce & ginger and mango up-side down cake. A friends said it was the most lavish camping meals she ever heard lol.

It was a beautiful day when we arrived at Ant atoll and I was thinking uhm... maybe I can enjoy camping, relaxing by the beach while looking at a calm sea, simply heaven!. But when the night started to settle in I started to feel a bit uncomfortable because I hadn't had any shower and the humidity and salt water make my body sticky. After dinner we all sit by the beach and enjoy the night, by talking. Yes, camping requires you to talk to each other since there is no other distraction like TV or computer. I was a bit bored at night time since we just sit around the fire but then I have to admit it that I got excited to see the stars, thousands of it. We even can see the milky way and southern cross stars eventhough we are on the north side of the equator. It was an awesome view, because we can't really see the stars from Pohnpei especially at our house with all the lights on. Don't get me wrong, the company of the people at the camping site really helped a lot, we had good conversations and laughs.

Sleep time was the worst time of all, because it was stinking hot and humid no breeze at all. The sound of the forrest didn't help either. I used to sleep in an air con room with double blaze window so I only hear the humming noise from the air con, to suddenly I can hear everything, from the sound of crabs walking on the dry leaves, birds, to the sound of the wave on the ocean, not a good change. I had a horrible sleep, and beyond normal I woke up before Mr. Husband.

I don't mind spending the day at Ant atoll since it is a beautiful place and we can see beautiful fish and corals by snorkling, but to spend the night? No shower, no toilet. Uhm... I don't fancy that. I really like my comfort zone: shower, air con and a nice comfy bed.

Well maybe next time we will do better, if there is a next time :)

Aside from me whinging, here is the reward from last weekend camping:

Ant Atoll

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 01:44:19 PDT

We went out on the boat last month for a day trip to Ant Atoll, I heard people say that it's a gorgeous place and a must visit atoll if you live in Pohnpei. Ant atoll is about 1.5 to 2 hours trip by boat depends on the sea, if the sea really rough it might be longer than 2 hours and also if you always chase the school for fishing than it will be more than 3 hours for sure.

This time we used the Navy boat called True Blue, it's one of the safest boat in this island, thank God for that. Since I'm the biggest wuss in the world, there is no way I will take the small boat with 1 engine to go to Ant. I was freaking out big time just doing trip from mainland Pohnpei to Nahlap which took only 10-15 minutes by small boat, can you imagine 1.5-2 hours? I will be passed out.

I don't do scuba diving and I don't have any intention to do it anyway, but you can see soo much just from snorkling, so why bother go deep down.

Anyhow... here is Ant atoll captured on my camera, but mind you photos didn't do any justice, the real one even more beautiful...

Here is Mr. Husband and our friends about to go down for diving

Me happily waiting on the boat with the driver

Let's have some lunch before snorkling

Kayaking

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 16:40:39 PDT

This is a very late post as we did kayaking couple of weeks ago, but hey better late than never, no?

I can swim but not on the ocean and I will freak out if I can not see the bottom, so when Sam told me that Emanuele & Nora invited us to do kayaking with them on Saturday I was excited but a little bit nervous at the same time. But Sam assured me that I will be fine and the kayak is safe.

So after we pack snack and lunch we head off to Coco Marina to meet Emanuele & Nora and rent the kayaks there. It was a bit windy and rough in Coco Marina so I was a bit scared but luckly I was wearing life jacket, in fact I was the only one who's wearing life jacket! Naughty kids!

Nora helped me get down into my kayak, and indeed it was a bit scary on that small kayak with rough water and high windy, and since it was my first time kayaking so I don't know what to do to make it turn right or left and I was freaking out when the wind and wave took me on the wrong direction but with Sam & Nora direction I managed to make it turn left and join Emanuele who's been on the water too.

Once you got the hang of it, it's pretty easy to do but still a hard work to paddle. And the view from the water is amazing.

We were leaving from Coco Marina, all the way through the main harbor until Sokehs bridge, until the entrance of the channel. The Germans used to dig channels through the mangroves in this region, for taking shortcuts while navigating through the islands. The one in Yap is large and well known, the one in Pohnpei is small, shallow and known by few. The best way to explore it is definitely using a kayak. From there, we passed between the main island and Sokehs, until reaching the next harbor, the one where Nihco marine park is. We finally landed on the beach of Nihco, 2 hours later and after lots of crashing into the mangrove.

It was fun but at the same time it was a good exercise as well since you paddle almost non stop for 2 hours. We didn't paddle back to Coco Marina, instead Emanuele pick up his truck from Coco Marina and pick us up at Nihco Marine Park, I guess 2 hours kayaking is not too bad for kayaking virgin like me hey?

The rain is coming behind me

Preparation at Coco Marina

Yay.. I'm on the water!

Emanuele & Nora with Sokeh's island view on the background

Thumbs up!

You can almost see our house from the water, it's on the right side on top of the hill

Inside the German mangrove channel.

Amateur Farmer Wannabe

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:39:52 PDT

It's been awhile since I post anything on this blog, I know I have been very slacked but things happened to me for the past 4 months. Good news and then the bad news happened just right after I think I can spread the joy, but anyhow God has other plan for us :)

So to keep me busy and taking my mind of that bad news event, I planned to expand my garden.

Before I just plant everything on the containers but then I want to have bigger garden so I actually can enjoy the benefit without having to buy vegetables at the shop.

Here is my garden before:

We went out to College Of Micronesia to get some soil and compost and the guy who works there is actually the brother of our helper, indeed Pohnpei is a small place! So it's just natural iwhen I ask him to help me build my garden.

The garden still on going project as we always running out of soil. But kangkong, bokchoy , choy sum and some of snake beans are already planted on the bigger garden, so they can grow bigger and healthier.

And here is my garden after expanded:

Some of the snake beans

Grow beautifully after 2.5 weeks transplanted

Other angle of my garden

We will transplant tomato to a bigger place this week, I can't wait to have my own tomato because it's really hard to get tomato here, both imported and local ones.

Here is my first choy cum harvest from my (expanded) garden, not bad hey? It came from 2 plants and I hope it will be more to come as it has been more than 4 weeks that the shops don't have fresh produce :(.

A Lovely Poem For Me, You, Us...

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 18:52:11 PST

A dear friend sent this lovely poem for me, thank you Shinta

So now you see
What makes a Mother
It's the feeling in your heart
It's the love you had so much of
Right from the very start
A gift for such a little while,
your loss just seems so wrong,
you should not have left before us,
it’s with loved ones you belong.
Do not judge a song by its duration
Nor by the number of its notes
Judge it by the richness of its contents
Sometimes those unfinished are among the most poignant..

Do not judge a song by its duration
Nor by the number of its notes
Judge it by the way it touches and lifts the soul
Sometimes those unfinished are among the most beautiful…

And when something has enriched your life
And when it’s melody lingers on in your heart.
Is it unfinished?
Or is it endless?

Author Unknown

Things Babies Born in 2011 Will Never Know

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 23:09:22 PST

I stumbled upon this article and I thinks it's quite true and make sense, but again you decide and it's up to you to educate your children about these stuff.

Huffington Post recently put up a story called You're Out: 20 Things That Became Obsolete This Decade. It's a great retrospective on the technology leaps we've made since the new century began, and it got me thinking about the difference today's technology will make in the lives of tomorrow's kids.

I've used some of their ideas and added some of my own to make the list below: Do you think kids born in 2011 will recognize any of the following?

Video tape: Starting this year, the news stories we produce here at Money Talks have all been shot, edited, and distributed to TV stations without ever being on any kind of tape. Not only that, the tape-less broadcast camera we use today offers much higher quality than anything that could have been imagined 10 years ago -- and cost less than the lens on the camera we were using previously.

Travel agents: While not dead today, this profession is one of many that's been decimated by the Internet. When it's time for their honeymoon, will those born in 2011 be able to find one?

The separation of work and home: When you're carrying an email-equipped computer in your pocket, it's not just your friends who can find you -- so can your boss. For kids born this year, the wall between office and home will be blurry indeed.

Books, magazines, and newspapers: Like video tape, words written on dead trees are on their way out. Sure, there may be books -- but for those born today, stores that exist solely to sell them will be as numerous as record stores are now.

Movie rental stores: You actually got in your car and drove someplace just to rent a movie?

Watches: Maybe as quaint jewelry, but the correct time is on your smartphone, which is pretty much always in your hand.

Paper maps: At one time these were available free at every gas station. They're practically obsolete today, and the next generation will probably have to visit a museum to find one.

Wired phones: Why would you pay $35 every month to have a phone that plugs into a wall? For those born today, this will be a silly concept.

Long distance: Thanks to the Internet, the days of paying more to talk to somebody in the next city, state, or even country are limited.

Newspaper classifieds: The days are gone when you have to buy a bunch of newsprint just to see what's for sale.

Dial-up Internet: While not everyone is on broadband, it won't be long before dial-up Internet goes the way of the plug-in phone.

Encyclopedias: Imagine a time when you had to buy expensive books that were outdated before the ink was dry. This will be a nonsense term for babies born today.

Forgotten friends: Remember when an old friend would bring up someone you went to high school with, and you'd say, "Oh yeah, I forgot about them!" The next generation will automatically be in touch with everyone they've ever known even slightly via Facebook.

Forgotten anything else: Kids born this year will never know what it was like to stand in a bar and incessantly argue the unknowable. Today the world's collective knowledge is on the computer in your pocket or purse. And since you have it with you at all times, why bother remembering anything?

The evening news: The news is on 24/7. And if you're not home to watch it, that's OK -- it's on the smartphone in your pocket.

CDs: First records, then 8-track, then cassette, then CDs -- replacing your music collection used to be an expensive pastime. Now it's cheap(er) and as close as the nearest Internet connection.

Film cameras: For the purist, perhaps, but for kids born today, the word "film" will mean nothing. In fact, even digital cameras -- both video and still -- are in danger of extinction as our pocket computers take over that function too.

Yellow and White Pages: Why in the world would you need a 10-pound book just to find someone?

Catalogs: There's no need to send me a book in the mail when I can see everything you have for sale anywhere, anytime. If you want to remind me to look at it, send me an email.

Fax machines: Can you say "scan," ".pdf" and "email?"

One picture to a frame: Such a waste of wall/counter/desk space to have a separate frame around each picture. Eight gigabytes of pictures and/or video in a digital frame encompassing every person you've ever met and everything you've ever done -- now, that's efficient. Especially compared to what we used to do: put our friends and relatives together in a room and force them to watch what we called a "slide show" or "home movies."

Wires: Wires connecting phones to walls? Wires connecting computers, TVs, stereos, and other electronics to each other? Wires connecting computers to the Internet? To kids born in 2011, that will make as much sense as an electric car trailing an extension cord.

Hand-written letters: For that matter, hand-written anything. When was the last time you wrote cursive? In fact, do you even know what the word "cursive" means? Kids born in 2011 won't -- but they'll put you to shame on a tiny keyboard.

Talking to one person at a time: Remember when it was rude to be with one person while talking to another on the phone? Kids born today will just assume that you're supposed to use texting to maintain contact with five or six other people while pretending to pay attention to the person you happen to be physically next to.

Retirement plans: Yes, Johnny, there was a time when all you had to do was work at the same place for 20 years and they'd send you a check every month for as long as you lived. In fact, some companies would even pay your medical bills, too!

[Watch: Toddler Can Name U.S. Presidents]

Mail: What's left when you take the mail you receive today, then subtract the bills you could be paying online, the checks you could be having direct-deposited, and the junk mail you could be receiving as junk email? Answer: A bloated bureaucracy that loses billions of taxpayer dollars annually.

Commercials on TV: They're terrifically expensive, easily avoided with DVRs, and inefficiently target mass audiences. Unless somebody comes up with a way to force you to watch them -- as with video on the Internet -- who's going to pay for them?

Commercial music radio: Smartphones with music-streaming programs like Pandora are a better solution that doesn't include ads screaming between every song.

Hiding: Not long ago, if you didn't answer your home phone, that was that -- nobody knew if you were alive or dead, much less where you might be. Now your phone is not only in your pocket, it can potentially tell everyone -- including advertisers -- exactly where you are.

Amateur Farmer

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 19:52:33 PST

Alright, so far I have harvested dwarf bean not long ago, and today I proudly harvested my first lettuce. The lettuce is a bit different with what you find in the shops but it's not too bad.

Maybe I should wait a little bit longer so it will grow beautifully like the ones you find in the shops, but maybe this is the best that the lettuce can do in the steamy, humid, hot and very wet weather like Pohnpei.

Lights in Pohnpei

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 19:42:59 PST

This is my first Christmas in Pohnpei and I am impressed with how the shops and some of the houses decorated their splace with lots of lights.

I have to admit that trips to downtown Kolonia at night time became very joyful, you can feel that the Christmas spirit is here. And I know some parents are using this opportunity to treat their children, yes a trip to down town with full of lights can be amusing even for adult like me.

So, on Thursday I decided to take some photos of the Chirstmas lights downtown, but I choose the wrong date because ACE Hardware & ACE Offices decided to have midnight shopping from 7pm - 12am, hence there were alot of people doing shopping and also some of the shops were doing final SALE too.

One thing for sure that their electricity bill for this month must cost them a fortune with all those lights, but hey it's just one month a year event, so why not?

Btw, I used the wrong lens 50mm so I can not capture the whole ambiance as I have limitation on the focal point.

Palm Terrrace shop

Super Savers, second hand clothing shop

Telecom

Gold dental clinic

Let's do some serious gardening

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 19:25:13 PST

I have been posted about my veggie garden in Pohnpei, I was inspired by Huyen's veggie garden at the US residence compound so here is my effort to do more serious gardening.

Oh did I tell you about the bleach effect? Yup, this is what happened with my beans :((

Brocolli and one healthy looking Lettuce

Capsicum

Not sure what happened, but some of my lettuce on the green pots are looking sad. I tried to put it inside maybe because outside is too hot but it still look sad, so I decided to put it back outside. Because if you see above, one lettuce looking really healthy eventhough it grows right next to the brocolli.

My sad looking lettuce

Parsley

I plant more seeds, cross my finger it will grow beautifully.

Wish me luck people!

Walk to Nett Point

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 15:57:44 PST

It was the easiest hike of all, that's why I called it walk not hike :)

It has been pouring rain on Sunday morning but since it's an easy hike/walk to Nett Point a man made beach popular swim destination for locals we decided to give it go anyway.

We were car pooling at PCR hotel and meet the others there before we walk down the street. The road is paved and just a little bit of dirt around the Nett Point it self. It was a good walk with a good length and little bit of hills but no steep at all like our last hike, so I still got the sweat on this walk.

We pretty much just follow the road until we reach Nett Point.

Let's drink beer to cool off.

The sea was really rough that day so no one swim, next time we might be lucky

All photos above taken by Sam and with his camera, so give him the credit will ya.

My first harvest

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 14:22:28 PST

My veggie garden is not the spectacular ones like some of the garden in Pohnpei, after seeing two awesome veggie gardens at the US residence compound I feel ashame about my veggie garden which just contain of eight pots and two small patch gardens.

But anyhow I just harvest my first beans last week, well it actually force harvest because the trees look dying from the bleach's smell the workers used to clean up the outside part of the house.

not bad from just one tree eh

Just one lettuce looks promising and the rest look sad, it won't grow tall I don't know why. But my brocolli, capsicum, parsley and mint look promising. I try to grow more basil by cut the stem and grow it in different places. And since I got more seeds from Louise so I have decided to be more serious in gardening, I just need to get more pots or maybe even utilize available patches and spots around the house.

Wish me luck.

Potluck or Bring a plate

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 02:52:40 PST

According to uncle Wiki, a potluck is a gathering of people where each person or group of people contributes a dish of food to be shared among the group.

The word pot-luck appears in 16th century England, in the work of Thomas Nashe, and was there used to mean "food provided for an unexpected or uninvited guest, the luck of the pot". The sense "communal meal, where guests bring their own food", appears to have originated in the late 19th century or early 20th century US, particularly in the Western United States, either by influence from potlatch or possibly by extension of traditional sense of "luck of the pot".

You can read further explanation about Potluck here

The term potluck is quite common in Indonesia and sometimes we have potluck dinner at a friend's house. Potluck makes the host's life easier because the host doesn't have to cook the whole dishes for everyone.

In Australia there is a common expression called "Bring a plate". When you got an invite with note bring a plate doesn't mean that the host doesn't have enough plate hence they want you to bring a plate from home.

Bring a plate means to bring a dish of food to share with your host and other guests. Take the food to the party in any type of dish, not just a plate, and it is usually ready to serve. This is common for communal gatherings such as for school, work or a club. If you are unsure what to bring, you can ask the host.

You can find more common Australian expressions here

Just remember when you are in Australia or you got an invite (from Australian) with note "Bring a plate", DO NOT bring an empty plate but bring a plate with food to share. But I found that nowadays people tend to bring a bottle of wine to replace a plate of food.

When I was still living in Jakarta I don't really know how hard it can be to cook for many people, let alone for party/gathering where the dishes have to taste good otherwise your guests will go home with an empty tummy or find elsewhere for food or even they will talk about you after the party. But after I moved abroad where maid is a luxury I know that cooking for a party is a hard work!

In Pohnpei, party with a potluck is common too. And since there are many nationality live here so there are always good range of food in every party with a potluck.

Whatever you call it whether it is potluck or bring a plate for Australian term, I heart this idea. Can you imagine if I have to cook and prepare food by myself for Christmas party? I probably will spend weeks in the kitchen to cook.

Hike to Pahn Tikai

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 14:27:18 PST

We went on a hike to Pahn Tikai last Sunday. This hike considers as easy-moderate and not a long hike too so that is one of the reasons we did it. The hike only took 1 hour, plus time to climb around the bat cave and/or watherfall.

The hike involves a very steep climb along a paved road, once the road ends, we follow the dirt path to a well-maintained jungle path. When the path forks, we follow the upper trail. The jungle portion is relatively short and will end at an eerily dry overhang under the waterfall.

We climbed up to explore the bat cave above us, well I managed to climb only half way until I look down and realised that it actually quite high and start to feel scared. I know I shouldn't look down but I want to see the ocean view from the bat cave.

We managed to scramble down to the waterfall, well again I managed just half way because the rocks are really slippery so I just watch people taking shower in the waterfall. There is no pool to swim in at Pahn Tikai. Following the dry portion to the end, you will find a stone stacked above dried leaves to your left. Local lore says that adding a new leaf to the pile will bring good luck.

It was a good hike, not too long but still a good work out.

Note: All photos in this post were taken by Sam.

Boat trip to Pakin

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:24:25 PST

We finally out on the boat last Thursday, we went to Pakin atoll to visit one of the projects that the Australian Embassy funded. I was excited and a bit nervous at the same time as that was my first boat trip in Pohnpei and I heard people talking that November and December the wave is really rough hence all the surfers are here at the period of time. That was not my first boat trip, I went on a boat trip from Jakarta to Thousand Islands for work, yeah working in an advertising company can take you to exotic places for work, sometimes I miss those good old days. And my second boat trip was in Manado to Bunaken for diving and snorkling, I snorkled not diving by the way. I didn't recall to have any sea sick but I thought maybe the wave back then not as rough as in Micronesia so I call Heather to get the sea sick tablets just in case.

The schedule was to get in the boat at 8am because the boys want to do some fishing along the way, yes sure why not we're on the boat anyway. We went on the Embassy boat so it should be safe as people were saying that the boat is probably the safest boat in this island, but still, I was nervous.

The boat "Three years in the making"

There were seven of us on the boat, Beru the driver, mr. husband, Glen from Fishery Commission, and three Pohnpean who were involved with the projects.

At 8.15am off we sail. The view was beautiful as we sail off from Pohnpei.

Pohnpei from the ocean

Not long after we sail, the boys started to put down the lure and here comes the excitement of fishing, mr. husband caught lots of skip jack tuna and I lost count on 5 fishes. He got the magic hands or maybe the fishing lure he used was better than the others, but he surely look happy when he caught the fish.

When we arrived in Pakin we have to wait for someone to pick us up as the the channel to Pakin is really shallow so we have to transfer to other boat with flat bottom.

Pakin is an atoll situated approximately 45 km southwest of Pohnpei. The atoll consists of 17 small islands and islets with a barrier reef surrounding the group. The atoll has a total land area of about 1.09 square kilometres. Five of the islets are inhabited. The island of Nikahlep, which has a church and an elementary school, is the main centre of the atoll, where most community meetings take place.

The atoll of Pakin has a vast lagoon estimated at 14.35 squares kilometres with the deepest part at around 100 metres. The lagoon and surrounding coastal areas provide sustenance of the community and are considered one of the richest marine ecosystem in Pohnpei State.

Pakin has an estimated population of 120 residents. About 60 people live permanently on the main island of Pohnpei. Of the 120 residents, 47% are adults (18 years and over) and 53% are children and youth. These people live in a close-knit society where sharing and caring is commonly practised. Pakin has a chiefly system whereby the tittle is either passed down through a family, or gained as a result of election by the community.

The main sources of income for Pakin are derived from fish, copra and sometimes from selling pigs to the residents of Pohnpei. A species of citrus lime, unique to the island, is considered the best in Pohnpei, and is sometimes sold on the main island.

The atoll community is a recipent of a pearl trial project funded and run by the College of Micronesia Cooperative Research and Extension.

Pearl oyster trial farm

After the official agenda finished we had island lunch, I was overwhelmed with the amount of food they served. The food was a combination of fish, clam, squid, octopus, pig, banana, yam, taro, breadfruit and papaya. These island people can eat, I mean a lot.

There is no road, no car, no motorbike in the island. They have a little bit of electricity from the solar panel and they use it mostly for radio as entertainment. There is one peace corps volunteer in Pakin, he has been living there for one year and he actually the fifth peace corps on the island. Before him, the peace corps stays only for 13 hours before s/he decided to go back on the plane. People in Pakin usually eat rice and fish but sometimes only rice. Pohnpei is small but we still have shops and restaurants so we have good variety of food.

Land is no problem in Pakin, if one wants to build a house one has to open the forrest and build a house with materials available in the island. But they have to get the cement from Pohnpei.

At the other side of the Nikahlep island there is a beautiful beach with reef, white sand and beautiful blue ocean view.I think Pakin has natural resource for tourist destination. Perhaps my photos won't do any justice of its beauty, hence you have to witness it with your own eyes.

On the way back to Pohnpei was really jumpy, I can feel that the boat is flying before it hit the water again. It was a little bit scary for me but I survived, and yes the view was worth it. I took the sea sick tablet on the way to Pakin but I didn't take any tablet on the way back to Pohnpei and I was fine, so I guess I don't have sea sick motion after all.

I'm looking forward to go out on the boat again on the calmer weather.

Waterfall hike in Madolenihmw, Pahn Sile

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 16:42:42 PST

This hike labeled as "easy to moderate", and is about a mile in each direction. The swimming is supposed to be good.

Well, the information is right it was not a hard hike but since the pathway really muddy we have to concentrate and looking down all the time to see if there are any rocks that we can use instead of stepping out feet into the mud. Someone was saying that eventhough Monalisa passing by we won't notice her as we all so busy looking down lol. So by the time we got home we were really tired, yeah all those concentration really took its toll.

But the view was worth it. It's a beautiful waterfall and there is somekind of wall that you can climb, Sam was trying to climb it up but I guess it is too slippery so he settled just swim. It was a good day for swim especially to get rid off the sweat from walking to the waterfall, so everyone except me and 2 others jumped in and swim. Me happy just to watch and take photos :)

Hike to Sokeh's Ridge (Pohndollap)

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 14:22:41 PST

There are 2 types of hiking to Sokeh's island, one is a moderate 1.5 hours not include the exploring and one is strenuous. Since we are new to this hiking club so yeah we choose to do the moderate ridge of course :).

Here is what Emily said on the hiking club blog: The ridge is a very convenient hike for people in Kolonia. It's walkable from anywhere in town and offers both a good workout and a good view. You'll walk along a paved road, then along a dirt road, and come to a first scenic overlook. This is a good place to stop if you're looking for a very easy trip, but if you continue up up up you'll have even better views.

Following the steep section after the first overlook, the trail will head to your right, becoming very flat for a while. If you walk straight past a small building instead of following the trail to the right, there are at least two WWII-era guns and bunkers to visit. Following the trail will lead you to a final steep push, at the end of which you'll find a weather station platform and a nice view of Kolonia town and the airport.

Up until the first overlook is an easy hike, and yes the view is amazing. This is what I see:

The photos above taken on almost twilight, hence the color.

After the first overlook the pathway is getting steep and steeper but not very long so it was ok for me and it was a good workout. We explored the World War 2 Japanese guns and bunkers.

Japanese bunker

Japanese gun

And the we follow the trail all the way to ridge and OMG the view is amazing. It all worth it.

The wave on the left side is Palikir Pass, famous surfing spot in Pohnpei. Even Kelly Slater comes for the wave!

My First Halloween Party

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:45:04 PDT

Since Halloween is not a big thing in Indonesia and Australia so I never went to one, I guess recently people in Jakarta are celebrating Halloween holiday just like in America as I saw some of my friends Halloween photos in facebook.

We were excited to finally experience Halloween holiday in Pohnpei, although it was a bit of challenge to find the costumes that we want. We went to Super Savers on Thursday to look for costume but no luck, so we settle with what we have in our wardrobe.

Me in school girl outfit

And Sam in a sort of Indonesian costume

But I was impressed with the turn up on the party because they were so creative and amazingly they managed to get it done in a small island like Pohnpei, well done guys.

4 photos above taken from A. Delyla collection

Btw, I won the sexiest outfit and got Port wine from Wayne and Rusty's Anchor. I don't think the decision is 100% correct as there is other school girl that was wayyyyy sexier than me ;)

Driving in Pohnpei

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 14:19:14 PDT

It's relative easy to drive in Pohnpei, everyone drives really slow and the fastest speed limit is 25miles/hour but people mostly drive 20miles/hour, the school zone speed limit is 15miles/hour with caption if children around, so when there are no children around the school you can actually speed up a little bit. You can tell if the driver has been drinking sakau because one will drive really slow, yes it's like 5miles/hour slow.

But driving in Pohnpei can be really tricky because we drive on the right side of the road like in America, so came from Indonesia and Australia where we drive on the left side of the road it takes a while for me to get used to driving in Pohnpei. But most of the cars here are Japanese cars so it's right hand drive including our car which just arrived yesterday. For me is easier like this because I used to drive a right hand drive car so I just need to get used to with driving on the right side of the road. I just have to remember that when I'm driving my side is on the gutter side not the other way around. But for mr. husband is kinda tricky because he has to drive the office car everyday to go to work which has left hand drive and switch to right hand drive car on personal car, but I thinks he gets the hang of it.

Other thing about driving in Pohnpei is that all cars only have one number plate and mostly they put it at the back of the car, I don't know the real reason for this.

Oh yes, finally our car has arrived from Japan. It took about a month from payment until it arrives and I'm so excited because I don't like taking taxi in Pohnpei. The taxi service is not exclusive for us, meaning I can be in the taxi with 3 other strangers and I have to go to their destination first before the driver takes me home. Yeah, I don't like the idea of sharing taxi with 3 strangers especially men. Everyone said it's safe but I just don't like it. Other option to get around is by walking, but walking on the steamy and humid 30 degrees celcius is not a pleasant experience. Well you can say that I'm a princess or a spoiled bratt but I choose not to walk because there are lots of dogs on the street and I'm scared of dogs. One has right to choose whatever one wants, no?

Driving in Pohnpei means one thing for me: FREEDOM!

I feel more alive when the car arrives, that means I don't have to wait for mr. husband if I want to get something from the shop or ask him to drive me to my book club meeting every Wednesday night, I can just drive whenever I want, I drive around to take photos, and I can pick up mr. husband at work to have lunch date like today.

I drive more than mr. husband when we were in Jakarta and Canberra because I like driving and I think I'm a better driver than him, well I don't think he's agree with me on that :p

I have been driving since I was 16 years old, however the legal driving age in Indonesia is 17 years old. Don't ask me how can I get away with that. There are no road rules in Indonesia beside traffic lights green yellow and red, well the rule is fight for you way, while in Australia is a different story. I was so nervous on the day of my driving test because some of my Indonesian friends have failed, even mr. husband has failed at first attempt so I was soo thrilled when I passed the test at first attempt, oh yeah!

One thing for sure is I will be really nervous driving 110k/hour in a highway on the left side of the road back in Australia after driving 20k/hour on the right side of the road in Pohnpei.

"Barbie Girl" Stamp

screaming_leo@yahoo.com — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 23:52:56 PDT

I was intrigued with Santi's status on facebook, it says: Santi still feeling hysterical with the 'barbie girl' stamp :D.

The term came from after chatting with moms at her kids' school.

And of course I was curious and want to know what is "barbie girl" stamp, so here is the definition:

Wives who follow husbands moving around the globe have the tendency to live like happy go lucky girls forever. In a sense that those wives never really touch the reality of the local culture, hardly ever need the urgency to earn money. When...ever they start doing something, it's time to pack and usually it shatters their focus, which, most of the time changes their initial goals when arriving at the next destination.

Still, most of them are well educated and used to have their own careers (before the so called 'love' struck and blinded their clear minds). They usually have lots of energy and feel restless. Thus some of them love to do charity work, go back to school (again and again), and try to seriously do their hobbies (like uhm an attempt to become really good on photography or a writer LOL). Unfortunately, another task to pack and move will again distract and divert their goal. Each time the family move, they become the anchors (comforting the kids, turning an empty space into a new home, learning the day to day survival). By the time everything is settled, they again start to think about what they want to do and the cycle explained above repeats.

The 'barbie girl' stamps is of course a simplification of their struggle of supporting their husbands' careers. The bright side that is :D.

They've been trying hard to create an illusion of being intellectually useful and bam bam suddenly the truth appears.

Does it sound familiar to you?

It does familiar to me because I like it or not I think I fell on that category :), and I'm creating an illusion of being intellectually useful by doing volunteer work one day a week at the state library and yes of course by activating this blog again. As you can see that this blog has been very active since I moved to Pohnpei.

This blog is my media to feel good about myself, this blog is one of the tools to connect me with the world and put my self out there, this blog is accomodating my daily mumbles, my two cents, well at least my two cents that worth to read by the world and I feel like I have something useful to say :).

So, do you consider yourself as a "barbie girl"?