Back to basics

Hello Sunshine! It's time for a weather report. For the past few days, I've decided to go back to my roots and revisit the things I used to call home: music and books. For beginners, I bought almost all of Taylor Swift's records, pending TS1 as soon as next month's salary kicks in! Same time, I started reading books again. I've promised to myself many many times that I'd find time to read but have always found myself with an excuse or two--busy with life, busy with work, busy being lazy, busy being tired, etc. None of that now. 

You do you.

Almost two years in Singapore and I feel like I've never really sat down and shared what it's like. How different is it living far from home? What changed, in me and in the way I see things? Most days, I still find myself trying to figure out the answers. More often than not, I let myself swing with the uncertainties. Then, pandemic and hit, and uncertainty truly became a way of life. It's not second nature, and I still find myself in deep despair even over the little things. But what I think helps, is knowing what TRULY makes me happy.

A few things, it turns out. 

Communing with nature

View this post on Instagram

Kroo croo 🐦 #KumiLah

A post shared by ᴋᴜᴍɪᴋᴏ ᴍᴀᴇ (@kumikomae) on

Finding art in random places

OMG Malay food

Sometimes, when I go through this space I feel estranged by my own words. I had different motivations and interests back then, and I dismiss most of the dissonance with I was young. Maybe so. But there are bits and pieces of my youth that I still feel worth holding on to. I think sometimes, we sink in the belief that to move on we have to let go of the past. 

I'm a serial purger. I regret deleting and throwing out so many things, some of which I don't remember exactly now, but I sure remember regretting the moment I lost them. That's why, in an effort to have some sort of control, I'm trying to go back to basics, trying not to deny myself of the things that I know bring back that fire in my belly just because I think there's a need for change. Let's see how this change of mindset takes me.