Fritjof Capra's THE SCIENCE OF LEONARDO

Who among us has never heard of Leonardo da Vinci? As the most prominent artist and scientist of the Renaissance, Leonardo has won the recognition of people all over the globe and in every generation. We find him in encyclopedias, books on history, books on art, bulletins, journals, magazines, and so forth. In particular, with the rise of Dan Brown’s popularity after the publish of his book, The Da Vinci Code – which fictionally yet cunningly relate Leonardo’s art and existence to that of a secluded sect called the Priory of Sion – people have grown even more interested in Leonardo’s works of art.

But, so much for the art! Many of us don’t quite comprehend that Leonardo was not merely an artist. He was also an astounding scientist!

It was he who first drafted the idea of a helicopter! He was the one who dug into people’s grave and took dead bodies home for anatomy examinations! He gave invaluable contribution to the medical world by creating precise drawings on the anatomy of human body and tissues – thus laying out an essential and firm foundation for future surgeons. These are merely few of all discoveries and experiments he had made in science throughout his lifetime.

Fritjof Capra, author of Hidden Connections and the prominent philosopher of our time, unfolds the greatness and importance of Leonardo da Vinci’s efforts and discoveries in science in his latest book, The Science of Leonardo. It’s a recommended book for thinkers, scientists, writers, architects, scholars and academicians to collect.

Have you got a copy?

We have!

Thanksgiving Day 2009

I can’t believe it is two more days to November!

For us in Indonesia, the last two days of October do not hold any significance. But for our friends living in the USA and other parts of the globe, today is Thanksgiving Day. And tomorrow is All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween).

It is the time to bring in the autumn crops: the time of rejoicing and giving thanks for God’s supplication. Soon it will be winter, and there won’t be any planting and harvesting for the next three months.

Thanksgiving Day is the perfect moment to celebrate the Lord’s goodness in giving us provision before the coming of snow and frost. So, let’s gather those crops into storage and serve pumpkin pie and turkey on the dining table. It’s time to celebrate!

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Dog Adoption

What cute little dog displayed on today’s blog picture! He’s so sweet and cuddlesome, with big, sad-looking eyes and long ears, you might even want to take him home as a pet right this instance!

You might have seen this kind of dog somewhere. Yes. It’s on the logo of Hush Puppies. If you love shopping for shoes, you will certainly know what a brand Hush Puppies is! This adorable little fellow, that becomes the logo of the brand, is called a Basset Hound.

And, take it from me: you WON’T want to take a Basset Hound home, especially when you live in a flat!

Really, you cannot judge a dog from its appearance, as much as a book from its cover. It’s not for naught that the Basset Hound gains the label “hound” as its family name.

Dogs are classified into six groups: the working dog, the toy dog, the terrier, the multi-purpose dog, the sport-dog, and the hound. Now, the hound family has many members, from the huge and tall Afghan Hound to the slim Greyhound, and it includes the sweet, sad-looking Basset Hound as well. Being a hound, the Basset Hound has remarkable sense of smelling as a natural great hunter. And you do know what a hunter does, right? He hunts! He won’t stop sniffing, chasing, scratching, and turning the house upside-down until he finally finds what his nose is looking for!

So, it’s a bad choice for us who live in flats or apartments. Basset Hound belongs to the country house or farm, where their natural instinct can properly be used to hunt down foxes or chase deer.

How do we know what kind of dog is most suitable for us?

Well, you will have to explore and get as much information on dogs as you can, then match it up with your type of personality and the kind of residence you’re dwelling in. For instance: you can’t have a Dobermann when you are a calm and fragile type of person, especially when you live in a small house. But a Pekingese or Shih-Tzu will do great. So, get the type of dog most suitable for you.

Mongrels make great companions as much as the pure-blooded dogs. The bright side is: you don’t need to empty your wallet to buy a pet when all you need is a dog to accompany your family, be a friend, and guard the house. Nevertheless, it is also important to note the parents of the mongrel itself, since a mongrel is a mix-breed between two or more breeds of dogs. Most of the time, the parents’ character and disposition are also handed down to the pups.

If you’d like to adopt a dog, make sure that the one you’re adopting is truly appropriate to your needs, personality, and residence. There’s always a perfect type of dog for every type of person. And you can always contact Dog Adoption Network in Indonesia whenever you want to adopt a dog or have others adopt the ones you presently have.

Good luck!

From Rawon to Rintewu'uk

Once again, I’m going to talk about food.

When I was a girl, I was so accustomed (as most of us are) to eating fish, chicken, scallop, beef, and pork as daily dishes served on Mom’s dining table. It was not until I was 18 that I stopped consuming red meat due to health disorder.

As I grew up and got married – my husband comes from Manado, North Celebes – I was stunned at finding out that the people of Manado (and other parts of Celebes) also include rabbit, dog, cat, rat, bat, lizard and snake in their menu! Now… I call that as jumping out of my comfort zone and walk to the extreme point! I was obliged to accept their culinary tradition and learn to cook the way they do, although up to this day I refuse to eat rintewu’uk – the Manadonese dish of dog meat (sometimes they replace the dog with a cat or fox).

Recently, I read in National Geographic Magazine how people in Africa hunted apes down to sell them as bush meat in the marketplaces. I saw the picture of a dead ape fully grilled – it so much resembled a roasted child!

(“What are they? Cannibals or something?” I silently – yet fiercely – wondered.)

Oh, alright. These are simply variations and diversifications of culture that happen all over the globe. I believe other people will be as shocked at watching us eat rawon as much as we are petrified at finding out that paniki is actually made of bat meat!

(“What are those Javanese eating? Dirt-tea?” I once heard some tourists commented on rawon.)

A few days ago, one of my friends (she’s a Manadonese, but lives and works in Jakarta) asked me on Facebook, “What are you cooking today, Shinta?”

“Ricarodo,” I replied, as thinking about the vegetables, herbs, onions and corn I still had to cook to finally serve the Manadonese dish.

“Have you already learned to cook tinorangsak?” she asked again.

“Really, I have,” said I. “But I only cook that in church on Christmas, Jane.”

Because, thought I to myself. At least I won’t be the one who’ll have to butcher the swine!

Sigh… Talking about compromising!

The Fading Jasmine

Have you ever noticed the flower engraved on a 500 IDR coin? It’s a jasmine, the Indonesian national flower.

The jasmine has long been regarded as the “sacred” flower in the tradition of our people. Jasmine wreaths decorate the bridal crowns of the Javanese and Sumatran brides. Jasmine is the most essential flower used in various rites. And it is never absent in funerals and commemorations of the deceased.

Why has jasmine been established as the national flower of Indonesia? It is perhaps due to two reasons:

• Its color: white, being the symbol of purity. As we all have been taught in school concerning the colors of our national flag: red symbolizes courage and white talks of purity, hence the white jasmine represents the purity of our nation’s character and uprightness in morality.
• Its fragrance: jasmine has been known worldwide as one of the ingredients in perfume-making. Thus, having jasmine as our national emblem signifies the good international reputation our country has.

But, frankly, do our national character and reputation these days are appropriately resembled by the jasmine?

I dare not say so.

Corruption, collusion, nepotism, bribes, human trafficking, prostitution, moral degradation, and other demeaning issues have robbed us of dignity that even our neighboring countries mock and make sport of our people. It’s quite unlikely that our reputation in the international world represents the fragrant white jasmine. If there is a flower that aptly stands to represent us, then it is a fading jasmine.

Won’t the next generation do something to refresh and revive this fading flower, restoring it to the freshness of a full-bloom white jasmine?

Sun-scorched Surabaya and Sunny Arizona

Indonesia is at the turn of the season. By the end of this month, the dry season will end and the rainy season will begin. And, as a natural side-effect, the weather has become extremely hot! October is always the hottest month of the year in this country.
Take Surabaya for example. This hottest city in Indonesia has turned even much hotter during the past few weeks. Everyday I read in Facebook statuses about how Surabaya is turning into hell or a fiery oven. And no wonder! In other months the temperature at noon is usually around 39º C (102º F) according to 2008 survey, let alone in October. The heat may go beyond that number!
Some friends of mine, who reside in Surabaya, complain about how they begin feeling uncomfortable living in this Crocodile City. In dry season, the weather is so hot. In rainy season, they’re always threatened by flood. One of my husband’s relatives calls her friend lucky. He’s moved to San Fransisco, CA with his wife and children, won a green card, got a nice job, and become a permanent resident.
“Why don’t you move to San Fransisco, instead?” I teased her.
“Oh, I don’t think I’ll adapt to the weather,” she shuddered. “Yes, we’re grilled to death in this city, but to think about moving to a four-season country… I don’t think I can stand the coldness of winter. You know it can go way beyond -2ºC (35º F) in USA.”
Oh, no. I guess she’s got the wrong idea about living in the States. They’ve got 52 states in USA, and not all of them have four seasons. The southern states in the continent have mild climate and temperature – a bit similar to tropical countries, only fairly cooler.
Take Arizona for example. The southern part of this Grand Canyon State does not experience the coldness of winter. The temperature is approximately 27º C (80º F) in sunny season. That is quite alike to some (cooler) cities in Indonesia. For other US residents, though, southern Arizona is considered warm and sunny, and many people choose to move there to improve their health.
Living in Arizona is a privilege for those who love nature and desire to gain a healthier life. Due to its warm climate and low humidity, southern Arizona is a good place to avoid pneumonia and other lung diseases. And what is more, it’s got magnificent scenery! The Grand Canyon is simply the icon of this state, not to mention the saguaro cactus (the state flower) that grows in its desert, the Colorado River, the church San Xavier del Bac, and the annual Parada del Sol (Parade of the Sun) in Scottsdale.
Real estates in Arizona are growing so as to provide comfortable housing for new residents. More and more are moving to this state since climate and scenery have stimulated tourism. Thus, many people from other parts of the USA as well as the world have been considering about migrating (and immigrating) to Arizona. The state government is working to keep a balance between preserving the natural resources, national parks and wildlife as well as providing an enjoyable place of residence for new dwellers.
So, are you thinking about moving to the USA yet desiring a climate much resembling Indonesia? Try Arizona!

Learning All Over Again

My fingers are not bleeding. They’re swelling. And over time, I begin noticing how my left hand has grown much stronger and muscular.

It’s one of the side-effect of learning how to play the bass.

The internal side-effect is much more overwhelming, and I realize this is simply a small step in a very long quest of becoming a real bassist.

Sometimes I laugh at myself, “What are you thinking, learning a brand new instrument at the age of 29?”

Why did I pick up the bass anyway?

Because God told me to?

Yeah.

I guess that’s the main reason.

The triggering event was when four of our church’s bassists moved out: two went to college in the big city, and the other two got a job in the capital. They won’t come back in the long run.

So I began thinking what will happen ahead when everybody has got new posts in other places, after graduation, after wedding, after job transfer, and so forth. “Surely God will provide replacements for the empty ministry posts,” I thought to myself.

But what if the replacements don’t come as fast as we need them to?

Then, you fill the post, said a still, small voice.

It took me quite a long time sitting in the silence of the night to take those words in. I felt out of breath, like someone who stood at the brink of a deep ravine, thinking how she could possibly jump and not fall. God simply whispered, “Fly.”

Alright.

“If You bid me fly,” I told Him, quoting John Wesley. “I’ll trust You for the wings.”

And I jumped.

For the last few months, I’ve been learning and practicing the bass – first, with a guitar. Afterward, I borrowed my friend’s electric bass (he’s got three at home) and started practicing for real. The bass is a completely different instrument from the guitar (which I have known since adolescence). It’s got different way of plucking, different range of finger-stretch, and different thickness of strings.

It’s far more laborious!

But I’ve resolved to learn because in the near future, both my husband and I have got to be able to play both the keyboard and the bass, so as to anticipate whenever there are vacuums of posts in church ministry.

Being a good music teacher, my husband taught me everything I needed to know. Aside from finger and rhythm practices, he also showed me books and music videos on bass playing. He introduced me to great bass players and guided me into understanding different styles in bass-playing.

“What’s most important – and far more important than the ability to play well,” he told me. “Is for you to have the character of a bassist.”

I didn’t actually quite catch the meaning of his words as he said them.

Those days, I was so into Jaco Pastorius, the long-gone jazz legend, who was so monumental in the history of jazz music. He set up a new standard and style in bass-playing and even claimed himself as “the greatest bass-player in the world” (which was naturally true).

But as time had gone on, I realized I didn’t find the pure character of a bass-player in Jaco. He truly was the greatest bass-player ever lived, but playing and living the life of a bassist are two different matters.

I was completely stunned when I finally found the real soul of a bass-player in Steve Rodby, producer and bassist of Pat Metheny Group.

When asked about his roles as both a producer and bass-player during an interview in Japan (1995), he explained that the two are quite alike, “It’s sort of what a bass player does: I’m there in the middle of the stage, I’m kind of the one who has to organize a lot of what’s going on. I’m mostly there just to help everybody else sound good. If everybody plays the best, then – really – I’ve done my job, as much as whether I sound good or not.”

It was like a slap on my face! His answer was so genuine, so innocent. There was no slightest trace of selfishness or narcissism, no desire for recognition or respect! It’s not like he’s nobody in the history of American music. As a matter of fact, Steve Rodby is one of the living legends of our time! But as the “leader” of the band (because that’s what a bass-player does: he leads both the rhythm and chords for others to follow) and organizer of the whole team, he chooses not to puff himself up.

And suddenly, I felt so embarrassed of myself.

Didn’t Jesus teach His disciples, “Whoever wants to be great among you must become your servant?”

As it is, leading means serving: to do away with our ego for the sake of others and for the greater good. There is no such thing as self-interest in the dictionary of a leader.

As I returned to the Lord’s feet I realized I just learned one very important lesson. I knew then, that He didn’t want me to learn to become a bassist just to fill in the empty post. He simply wanted me to be a better person, to rid me of my arrogance and narcissism. And that was one very, very precious lesson!

Offering Help, Once and for All

A couple of missionaries went to Sudan with the mission of helping to rebuild a hospital in the suffering country. During their stay, Joy Mueller found out how full of trouble the lives of the Sudanese women were. She came up with the idea of providing a pregnant she-goat for each woman. The she-goat was for the woman to keep as a source of income, but the kid would be given back to Joy. Eventually, the kid would go to another family – and so on. Joy’s idea worked! Many Sudanese women were helped by her effort of helping them financially.

What Joy Mueller did was an instance of “giving people fishing rods instead of fish,” offering a help that will last forever.

Many others stretch out a helping hand to help the poor and needy in every part of the globe, by donating and providing basic needs – such as what is taking place in West Sumatra these days. Food, blankets, clothes and medicines are daily donated and distributed throughout the earthquake-ravaged land. Volunteers and paramedics from Korea, Singapore, Australia, USA and other countries strive to evacuate the victims, search for the yet-living and tend the wounded.

But these efforts do not last forever – though at present these are the help they need. Provisions will run out. Volunteers will return to their countries. What will be left for the Sumatrans, then?

They need the sort of help that will help them rebuild their shattered lives. They need people like Joy Mueller, who would come up with the idea to give them a “wellspring” that will not run out, a “fountain” that they can draw from, anytime they need, for the rest of their lives.

Will the government offer them such help?

Will anyone does?

Batik: A Case of Defending Cultural Heritage

Yesterday, Batik (traditional hand-made painted cloth of Indonesia) had been legally and internationally established as Indonesian cultural heritage. The government of Indonesia had also issued a decree obliging every Indonesian worker to wear batik outfit to work every Monday and Friday. Thus yesterday we saw batik dresses and suits everywhere around the place: in the streets as well as offices.

It is sort of funny yet relieving to find this new regulation established - eventually. But it's rather pathetic to think that the international recognition of Batik as Indonesian cultural heritage came into reality from other nation's prior false-claim of Batik. Yes. If the Malaysian did not falsely claim Batik as their national heritage, I bet our government won't bother to go through such long way into international dispute to win the actual claim of the matter.

Why would other people try to seize what belongs to ours?

First, probably because of the richness and value of the so-disputed heritage.

And second, which is quite ironic, is the fact that our people don't really appreciate the invaluable cultural heritage that is legally ours...!

As long as we don't uphold our dignity, it is unlikely that other nations will respect us as a nation. Batik is simply a case in which we legally win due to indisputable facts of origin.

In other words: what sheer dumb luck we didn't lose the prized material...!