The Collections We Are Proud Of : Early Symptom of Gluttony and Consumerism?
It is very likely that most of us have things, called as collections.
We do.
Today is just another case. Reading some interesting stuff through the internet, we decided to buy the book, to delve into deeper knowledge of it, and…urm, to add it into our books collection.
Things need to consider: e-book version or physical one?
Economically, the e-book version is definitely much cheaper, without losing its essence. Even with argument of physical practicality, we simply can print it out with appropriate low setting quality printer and by using used paper. Functionally, it is the same thing, and still cheaper.
Eliminating other things, the main temptation to have the physical book is its physical appearance. It looks nicer on the shelves, in line with other books collection.
Our ‘collection’, usually be started with the inspiring thing, and it is meant to be when we decided to own them. We don’t want to collect things as part of consumerism behaviour. Music, film, book (either fiction or non-fiction), Playstation 2/3 games, or anything we ‘collect’ are just another tools, and source of inspiration, of creative process to produce new thing.
However, admittedly, there are some times when temptation plays its part, just because we like and want to own it. It usually, perhaps, drives by the emotional connection with the product.
There is, indeed, a point when collection play its role as the extension of our presence, as a mirror of who we are and sometimes things that we are proud of to have it, an exhibition of part of our life.
‘Fortunately’, limited budget that we have nicely control this materialistic tendency. Ideally, there should be no such collection for us. No cry and blood obsession for the ownership
The music we listen, the films we watch, the books we read, the games we play is live experience that keep playing, not to be stocked up on the exhibition shelves. Once it is absorbed, it is there in our life, alive organically, and drives us to create new experience, with the help of other collection of tools, to be shared with the others.
Ebook is enough then for today!
Mobile Phone Incident
Being engaged with all excitement of plans, good progress news and uplifting work atmosphere, we left our mobile phone on a pub table as we’re moving out and… as the chance always likely be: we lost that one!
Not too bad for that day, though, since there was a clear balance between the good expectation we achieved and unexpected hassle we encountered: losing our mobile phone. It is much easier to be cool in accepting the situation.
Still, admittedly it is ‘disaster’. At its simplest, we lost some un-backed up phone number data in the phone. And the other worry is: missing a chance of any potential calls that may ease up our way towards the work we’re building, at least until we’ve got the replacement SIM card that may takes around a week by post.
Having control of our life is a drive of our engagement with technologies. As it is becoming a habit, dependency has been well built, and a day is felt unfull and incomplete without their accompanies.
We don’t think this ritual is good practice of being thankful for the beauty of life we face everyday (no matter how bad it may be). There must be so much other offers out there without them necessarily be by our side.
Enforcing our mind to see the bright side of the incident, we take this chance as a retreat, being bit primitive without mobile phone on our hand, and just enjoy the offers of the nature in different way for couple days.
Losing mobile phone never be the end of the world.
A Sachet of Miso Soup, A spray of Beautiful Love.
To cut this great story short, let us share this simple version:
At the end of working shift, our barista always provide a cup of drink to accompany the journey home. Our friendly daily conversation; “So, how about today… Hot Chocolate or Miso Soup?” (since those two are our favourite ones , even actually we can choose any from wide range of coffees and teas as well). It is getting intense around 15 minutes toward the end of the shift , ‘difficult’ decision that being considered until last minute, as we’d like to have both. And, today decision was Hot chocolate. As usual he made and packed it inside the paper carrier bag. On the way home, as we’d like to sip it, we unexpectedly found also an unopened sachet of miso soup in the bag. Such a surprise!
That’s it, the simple story of the day.
…
No, really it is much more than a simple story. It has been such a spray of love that painted up the day into beautiful colourful experience.
Let us list some of them: We are definitely touched by the way he paid attention to unnecessary small detail of us. Such a friend we have, one who cares who we are and what we like to have. We didn’t ask, we didn’t expect, but it seemed that he knew that having it would make our day bit better. We are ‘survivor’, perhaps nothing big we can offer to the others in the world (yet, as we wish we could), but he decided to offer his portion of small ‘the only’ thing he had : a Miso Soup sachet. Life is tough sometime, and the smile of the surprise we encountered had brightened up the day. It is fun entertainment as well at the end of tiring day session, imagining his figure accompanying the journey home, telling us the surprise : “Hi there, have this miso soup as extra, make it by yourself when you get home.”
The list can go on. A small thing has worked beyond itself. At very least, the feel of his sincere to share his life with us has been so moving. A sachet of Miso Soup, invaluable share of love.
To Robert, thank a lot for the surprise! (no need to ask, we absolutely have stirred the sachet with the hot water, … and drink it!)
The call, again.
Last night : the screening of ‘Aceh Recovers’, a production of Dogeared Films that we by chance were drawn to be involved in some stage of its production.
Technically, we’re pretty impressed by the final edit on the screen. Considering the footages/rushes we saw months ago, we think Claire, the director, found a nice way to work on them, sharing some points of stories of the materials to the audiences. Really, we don’t think it is easy.
No matter what, for some reason we are proud to take a part of its production, as it is something about our home country. It is a little of satisfaction of being able to contribute something that may be useful, little bit directly for the people there.
Deep in our heart, that night was just another call from our home land, touching our long of taking a bigger part of its development, for the people: family, friends and anyone.
Unfortunately, life really never be simple and straightforward, and …we are here, striving, can’t wait for the moment to fully answer the call.
Still, This Clash is A Blessing.
As it is nowadays, very frequently we are being engaged (very busily) with things that we don’t really intend to be.
For some reason, it is indeed unpleasant situation. It creates frictions; at least, with the time we’d like to spend on moving toward our main vision. It also drains the energy we have, and alter the route to the longer and winding one.
It is just the way it is, then we simply choose our attitude: face it wholeheartedly.
Anyway, we feel that it is much better situation that we’d prefer to have than standing still in nothingness.
Facing the blank canvas with a fully vacuum state of mind is closer like a hollow body waiting to be broken in emptiness. It is a fragile moment of creative process that we worry it may be the end of the work, even before we start it.
Being occupied and distracted is much better. It clashes us with the reality of life, and sparks the bright lights, if we manage to catch our eyes on them. It make us fuller and complete, ready to do the offering on the coming time.
Yes, this clash is still a blessing!
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