It was Erwin, my high school BFF, who introduced me to blogging.
One day, after school, he pinged me and suggested I keep what I heard as a “log“.
“Blog,” he corrected and did his best to explain this log thing to me – but I was too busy with another thing called Friendster to catch on.
However, I eventually joined LiveJournal before abruptly stopping. I was worried that a hacker would figure out my password and post my private journal entries for the public to read and prosecute me on – teenage angst; I so don’t miss it.
Years later, Vi, a friend from University, got the blogging ball rolling again for me. Ever since, I have kept some sort of blog, which eventually evolved into today’s Kulturekween, which you are reading.
The above story is the WHAT.
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I only get to explain the HOW recently.
Last month, while in Jakarta, Amma insisted I sort through two cardboard boxes filled with my belongings—mostly books—so she could donate them if I no longer wanted them. Inside, I found Barbara Ann Kipfer’s The Wish List.
It’s a small, thick book filled with life goals. Some are big, some are small, some are serious, and most are fun—similar to a bucket list. An extensive bucket list.
I remember buying it from a foreign bookstore (Kinokuniya?) in front of Sarinah in high school. I loved it so much that I read it and kept it close to me all the time.
What I didn’t know, at least at that time, was that this book changed me. It made me curious and ambitious, and starting to chase and live my own bucket list. Definitely subconsciously at first, but definitely out and loud now.
And for that – thank you Barbara, and thank you Universe.
But also, thank you, young me, for translating the word we needed help understanding on the language translator device, Link, and for cautiously underlining the interesting goals, even when most seemed unachievable back then.
We are finally doing it!
Follow me on Instagram @KultureKween for more recent updates.
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