Last Saturday when I was enjoying the once in a while train ride alone from Shinjuku to Yokohama, the train stop at Shibuya station for usual 15 seconds. Onboard the train, a man in a wheelchair. The station man pushed the chair for him as a JR(Japan Railway) service, quickly ensure the chair entered and located properly, and he jump out again. All done in less than ten seconds. The wheel chair was just in front of me. So I can not help my self not to look at him, in a way that he will not realized that there is a lady observing him. This man in his 60s, all grey hair. His body all seems shrunken and paralyzed, hand, legs, all still… except his right hand’s thumb. His neck is supported by a board to make his head stands. His skinny right hand in kinna buckled into a stick in a way his thumb can reach a button to control the movement of the electronic wheelchair. Hanging on the chair several adidas brand bag. From one opening I can see his lunchbox. Every time the train stop, he glazes around ensuring his chair will not disturb somebody else. He moves the chair back and front to give bigger space for passing passenger.
Nobody in train care, everybody busy reading Manga or asleep. My brain keep on jumping around. Is that an accident? Cerebral Palsy? Where is his caretaker? What is he doing out all alone by himself?
Then I see his eyes. That sight I can’t forget. The spirit glow. Pitiless. For a moment, I feel so amazed, proud. This man stand so tall with his spirited eyes, despite his all sleeping muscles. I feel amazed and proud that this man which in my country mostly laying on the crossing begging for money from somebody else, is going around in the middle of the busiest city, all by himself. I feel amazed and proud that the system, the facility, the society support that. Everywhere there is facility designated for the unfortunate: parking, special designed car, public transportation, pathway for the blinds, sounding zebra cross for the blind, special toilet, special elevator, etc. Those unfortunate handicaps, can have a normal life. Work, going out, have some hobbies, meeting friends in restaurant. There are several handicap colleague I have at the office. Many handicap worker at the city office.

When I was off at Yokohama station, before walk away, I glanced. One station man was waiting in front of the door to pull his chair. Shibuya JR station has informed Yokohama JR Station that this man at door number 8 will off and need help. The man with spirited eyes chair was pulled out. All done in less than ten seconds.

Time flies indeed. Ken my baby, that tiny little helpless sweetheart newborn a year ago, has been growing into a  big, active, healthy  one year old boy last Tuesday. Good-bye baby year, hello toddler years.
So here I am saluting my self for all the minutes spends caring the baby, from the pregnancy till now. What a joyful-challenging-not easy at all but rewarding-journey.
Being a full-time working mom, with big and demanding responsibility at workplace, two children and a house with no helper, nor extended family support around , the experience indeed a challenging.

I also want to salute and congratulate all my friends who’s been in the mothering journey so far. Proofing the quality of women.
My happiness for very dear friends who been waiting long years to get the soul blown to their womb. The expecting Aya Takagi, Eva Hutauruk. My best wishes for November.
My pray to dear friend who is still in her waiting (you know who you are, my sist in down under)
The new mom Yanti, Khanitha, Jessie, Amanda
The mom again, Dewi (and Heru), Vina, Mbak Leila, Nelly
Friends who is now counting the months, weeks, days, enjoying the beauty of pregnancy: Emma, Mumpuni, Lila
And many old and new friends in friendster that I can see in their photo having cute baby: Airin, Alia, Vivi…

Very usefull sites for the big tummies:
http://www.ivillage.co.uk/pregnancyandbaby/pregnancy/  —>(the week by week pregnancy calendar is so comprehensive)
http://pregnancy.about.com/od/pregnancycalendar/
http://www.amazingpregnancy.com/
http://www.whattoexpect.com/public/home.aspx

Parenting:
http://www.parenting.com/parenting/
http://www.islamic-knowledge.com/Children.htm

And moms, to share my favorite words (aside of the Khalil Gibran’s that I believe you have already) from Dorothy Law Nolte Ph.D.

Children Learn What They Live

  If children live with criticism,
               They learn to condemn.
          If children live with hostility,
               They learn to fight.
          If children live with ridicule,
               They learn to be shy.
          If children live with shame,
               They learn to feel guilty.
          If children live with encouragement,
               They learn confidence.
          If children live with tolerance,
               They learn to be patient.
          If children live with praise,
               They learn to appreciate.
          If children live with acceptance,
               They learn to love.
          If children live with approval,
               They learn to like themselves.
          If children live with honesty,
               They learn truthfulness.
          If children live with security,
               They learn to have faith in themselves and others.
          If children live with friendliness,
               They learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

We are living in a material world…how to live it smartly?

My hubby and I just talked and realized how much expense we spent in unnecessary goods and services.
We are aiming a frugal living even it is not easy…
Frugal living means keeping control of your money and doing/getting something more while spend less.
Here what brought us here:
- The World Situation
Sound like an idealist, but with the happening around the world how can we sleep at night after spending so much money, while we know the devastation caused by Asia Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and specifically in my home country Indonesia: severe malnutrition to babies, multiple diseases, scarcity of gasoline, electricity,….
So at least if what we had done to help was only some material donation, we should change our lifestyle for solidarity…
- Simplicity : reduce unnecessary, eat healthy, spend less,  back to simple.
- Save mother earth : every single action count. Save energy, reduce pollution. Hope it can help to slow down (it not stop) the global warming.
- Personal reason: Save money (as the deep cut after paying the huge downpayment to buy our apt earlier this year still haven’t recover completely plus saving for future), to teach and give practical sample for my children so they learn how to live frugally, for better way of living and health.

Bellow, I listed down many url to things related to frugality and simple life. Many tips available, from make anything ‘do it yourself’ project, recycle, basic recipe, fix budget living, until plant your own veggie.
For me, I decide to try the applicable things, not to aggressive but at least try…
Here is my list:
* Cut that Costco (wholesale supermarket) shopping that always end up buying many things in bulk (sounds frugal!) but in reality very difficult to consume for a family of four like mine. We always end up with giving things to neighbors/friends, or throw them as we can’t catch up with the expiry date.
* Cut that weekend shopping mall trips. Instead of doing weekly, we try to reduce to once a month (and hopefully less). Shopping mall trip always cost us at least 30,000 yen each. Go more to park, beach, sports (good for the kids too).
* Make a final round or thought of the things in your shopping cart before the cashier. Many times when going around at supermarket we put things in the cart because emotional decision. Do we really need this chocolate bar? This extra smooth softener instead of the standard? This double strap lock plastic bag instead of the simple? Make a list and stick with it.
Always ask my self: Can I live without this thing? Will this thing make a significant change in my live/daily routine?
* Turn it off! Unnecessary lights, gas, aircon, car engine, TV, use blank black screen saver for computer(cause it actually save energy and worth 3000yen a year).
* Recycle. I subscribe a magazine. Instead of keeping it in my cupboard, I rotate that to friends who like the mag as well. Now our link consist of 4 people. So each mag will go around to 4 different house. Kids toys, they are expensive. So a trip to recycle/thrift shop is a good way to get the toys rack updated.
* Eat home, cook! Eat out alone surprisingly cost us more than  60,000yen a month. It is tough to cook dinner having a full time job and just reach home around 7pm with two hungry children. But what is so easy in this world. Spend extra hours in the weekend to cook for the whole week. Eat out is max to two times in a week.
* For myself (the most difficult): control, control, CONTROL! the spending in clothing, branded goods.

Having said all the above, we ain’t no perfect. But at least we try to do something good for our live…isn’t that what all matter?

I extend my invitation to you to join the frugal and simple way of living for a better world.
If you have any tips that may applicable to others, feel free to comment.

Frugal source
http://www.frugaljapan.com
http://frugalliving.about.com/
http://www.familyandhome.org/

Tips on frugal living
http://www.notjustbeans.com/
http://www.frugalfun.com/
http://www.cheapskatemonthly.com/

Smart/frugal shopping
http://froogle.google.com/
http://www.ebay.com/

Simple living
http://www.simpleliving.net/

Recycle: borrow, rent, instead of buy new
http://alpha.borrowme.com (public release will just start on Sept 15,2005)

One of the thing I enjoy the most in Japan, is the luxury of eating the fresh sushi. Me and my hubby started seven years ago when the ‘kaiten sushi’ (those presented on the moving belt) tasted so good for us. In seven years our tounge develop a better standard and we can tell which sushi is recommendable or not.

We love sushi. So far, we try more than 40 sushi shop of different kinds here and there in Japan. So far, our best pick is the one at Hakone. It is a very small traditional shop (it even has no homepage) run by a family generation to generation. The owner is a good koto (Japanese traditional music instrument) player. He serves each table personally and he will sit with us for a while bringing his koto and play for us. The sushi itself is so fresh, bigger fish, less rice, perfect cut, high selection of fish, rice and wasabi. Just perfect…it melts in your mouth.
Surely with that quality, you have to be ready to spend at least 10,000 yen per person without drinks.

One of the sushi bar in our neighbourhood, we visit so frequent that we call it as our kitchen number one. Without saying a word, the sushi chef Kono-san will prepare the set of sushi we like once he saw we step in the shop. Negi toro without onion top, double bintoro, kampachi, abura salmon, hotate and close by uni.
Our girl, Raisa loves her Sushiya-san uncle who always prepare her the half cut no wasabi salmon, bintoro and ikura sushi.

Living in Japan, many of my friends abroad asked me on detail of sushi and its recipe. So posted bellow some url to learn all about sushi:

http://www.sushilinks.com/

http://www.bento.com/sushivoc.html

http://web.syr.edu/~lfmigdon/webdictionmain.htm

There are tons of recipes in the web, but the following two are my favorite Japanese home cooking recipe (not only sushi) source:

http://www.bob-an.com/recipe/English/index_e.html

http://www.nsknet.or.jp/~tomi-yasu/index_e.html

Enjoy!