The Same Blood

When I wander the streets of Jakarta with only a camera – these are the images I see. ————– Another question from the forum – I’ll address it here as well. Hello from abroad. I got a job offer to come teach in Jakarta. I was wondering how do you find life there in the norther neighbourhood of Pluit. Would you say smog is unbearable? Are beautiful beaches accessible from there? Should i be scared of anything there? (I tamperedRead more

Bleeding the Ozone

As the evening set in, the colors of my bedroom took on a doomsday glow. I stepped out onto the balcony, sucked in a breath of the balmy, acidic stuff they call air, and glanced westward. The sky was in pain. It was as if hell had punctured the earth right here in Jakarta. In all my life, I’ve never seen a sky as burning red and intensely saturated. Pollution breeds art.Read more

Indonesian Presidential Elections

Since everyone seems to be talking about the election in Indonesia today – I’d like to reflect on the other aspects of an election day. With everyone having the day off to vote, there were amazingly few people on the road. It’s phenomenal how this impacts so many other things. I spent the day buying plants and flowers and landscaping my tiny yard. The first thing I noticed this morning was how quiet the streets were. This in turn, loweredRead more

Just One of Those Days

Let me tell you about my gym. I love to work out. I love the way that an hour or two of grueling weight training or a 3-hour bike ride makes me feel. I would much prefer to do any type of exercise outside, but by living in a city of 12 million people, my options are a bit limited. So I belong to a fitness club – the type they use in movies with 5 star restaurants, day spas,Read more