9 PM and I just walked through the front door after being out since 9 AM. Twelve hours, two cities, thousands of artworks, and one nearly-exploded bladder later, I’m home. Exhausted? Yes. Happy? Also yes. And because I know myself, if I don’t write this down now, it’ll disappear into the abyss of memory like socks in the laundry.
This morning began with a 1.5-hour journey from home to my hubby's meeting venue with an investor. While he had his meeting, I had my own tummy-filling at a nearby food court over a bowl of chicken porridge. Twenty thousand rupiah for a hot, comforting, generous portion. Life tip: never underestimate the taste of street-level carbs.
At 11 sharp, I made a beeline to a nail salon to prep for my upcoming surgery. Apparently, I need to strip off all polish and jewelry before going under the knife. Seemed simple enough, until I realized they remove gel polish here by scraping it off with what felt like dental tools. You know that feeling when you bite down on a spoon wrong and your spine clenches? That. But on ten fingers. My cuticles are still in therapy.
I escaped the torture chamber and found refuge at a nearby coffee shop. With an hour to kill, I cracked open Barking Up the Wrong Tree, a book that cheerfully reminds me that everything I thought I knew about success is probably wrong, but in a good way. As I highlighted wisdom nuggets, I felt a little more grounded.
At 12:30, my husband’s meeting wrapped, and we headed to a newly opened mall in Thamrin for lunch. The mall is unfinished yet already open, so there are still many construction zones here and there. Oh well. Hubby had a chicken Hainam set and tea. I had chili oil noodles and es cincau. While enjoying the moment, we also talked about our future plans and strategies.
Later that afternoon, we hit up Art Moments Jakarta. Now this was my happy place. And, as always, I unintentionally ran into a whole crew of familiar faces: Monica from Art1 (who somehow always scores the best booth locations), Bu Ann and Mas Armijn, Weizly from my old StartupLokal days, Niki from Goers, and of course, the lovely Mba Ade Kumala, whom I’d invited using my VIP pass.
Speaking of which: shoutout to Bu Anna from Grey Gallery Bandung, who generously hooked me up with said VIP invitation. I also introduced my friends to Mas Dedy Shofianto, whose artwork I once brought home, and which has since become a guest favorite in my property. This time, Grey Gallery brought out the big guns: 30 pieces of Mas Dedy’s kinetic art, right smack at the entrance. A bold move and an absolute hit. Don’t miss it!
I also brought my friends to an artwork that stopped me in my tracks. I found myself hypnotized by a piece titled Gerak 8 Koi by Om SP Hidayat (picture above). No exaggeration: I stood there frozen, just staring. It felt like I was being pulled into the swirling water of a koi pond. Total vortex vibes. Earlier, I also chatted with Ms. Mayvelin from Haiyat Gallery, exchanging ideas on the spot.
Another artwork that tugged at my soul? The Desperate Dreamer by AR Manalo (picture below). I fell hard for its elegance: simple yet layered, soft yet detailed. Pure beauty. I just hope I don't dream about it tonight. Because that’s exactly how Mas Dedy’s piece ended up in my house. My subconscious apparently has expensive taste.
After a couple of hours wandering around the exhibition (and racking up steps my Apple Watch didn’t deserve), we sat down for dinner with Mba Ade. We ordered the gyuniku set: tender beef slices in teriyaki sauce, served with salad, onion rings, daizu katsu, rice, and miso soup. Highly recommended. And as always, our conversation flowed effortlessly; from education to politics to real estate. That's how talking with likeminded people feels like; you'll never get bored.
The journey home was a different kind of adventure: almost two hours in pouring rain, with an urgently full bladder thanks to excessive ocha intake. We finally arrived and run to toilet at rest area despite the storm, before every bump on the road felt like a personal attack. Priorities!
On the drive, I messaged my mom and siblings, and called back my mom-in-law (who’d tried calling earlier). I gave them the good news: confirmation from Mas Yusuf at the hospital that my insurance pre-admission for next week’s surgery had been approved. Which means: I’m officially getting both my kidney stones and appendix sorted. They all sent their prayers, and honestly, that’s the part that matters most.
At 9 PM I stepped into the house and saw my eldest in the kitchen, casually whipping up homemade chicken stock and crispy chicken skin. Heaven. Instead of collapsing into bed like a responsible adult, my husband turned on his computer to “work” (read: game. well, he deserved it after a long day), and I… opened mine to write this blog. Because some days are too full to just let pass.
So here’s to full days, full hearts, and full bladders (hopefully not all at once). Whether you're exploring art, nursing your cuticles, or dodging rain on a toll road, don’t forget to pause and capture the magic. Write it down. Snap a photo. Tell a friend. Your messy, beautiful life deserves a spot in the gallery, too.
Now go hydrate… and maybe pee before the next adventure.
With almost-full-again bladders and a definitely-full heart,
Nuniek
Comments