Growing My Nails

I’ve never had long nails before. My nails would get dirty and sometimes broken if I hadn’t cut them in a week, so I always cut them regularly. I always had the same short nails with plain nail polish on. I actually felt jealous seeing other women with beautiful long nails; how did they manage to keep the nails clean and strong while growing them?

Mawar (Dina Valentine)

I used to love writing short stories. They were mostly in Indonesia, and a few were written in English. I’d been thinking for quite sometime to translate at least one of them into Balinese. Yeah Balinese, my mother tongue. Balinese also has its own alphabet which we call aksara Bali (shown in the picture); a, na, ca, ra, ka, da, ta, sa, wa, la, ma, ga, ba, nga, pa, ja, ya, nya. Simple? Not at all, there are also additional aksara. What makes it more difficult is that, we aren’t taught to read Balinese texts written in Balinese alphabets in daily life. We just learn to do it for exam or something, unless we take Balinese Language and/or Literature major in college.

image courtesy of Kompasiana

For more about Balinese alphabet: Balinese script

Tirta (English Version)

Time, my dearest friend, how are you? It’s been a while-a long long while- since the last time I talked to you. I am sorry for being so silent. I am sorry for not enjoying you.

Time, can  we go back to the past? Not to change anything. I just want to come back, to touch his face once again, to feel the love once again, before you stop, before I leave this world.

image courtesy of jannatul-sarna at touchtalent

Putri Malu dan Pungguk yang Merindukan Bulan

Zaman dahulu kala di sebuah kerajaan besar, hiduplah seorang gadis buruk rupa bersama orang tuanya yang sangat miskin. Selain buruk rupa, gadis itu juga memeiliki sifat dan sikap yang buruk; dia tidak pernah mau membantu orang tuanya, bahkan dia menyalahkan mereka karena melahirkannya sebagai seseorang yang tidak cantik. Nama gadis itu adalah Marcella, tapi karena wajah dan prilakunya yang jelek, dia sering dipanggil Malbela.

image courtesy of Hariadhi at Wikipedia

Tirta

Malam itu hujan, gerimis bulan Desember. Aku merasa seperti wanita jalang yang dicampakkan. Aku menangis. Aku malu. Aku terluka. Aku sakit.

*****

image courtesy of jannatul-sarna at touchtalent