# coriander in pho > not a food blog ## Posts - [Women's health on menstruation/period](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/10/28/womens-health-on-menstruation-period/): Yeah, I know the title (and the topic) can be off-putting for some folks. That said, I honestly feel that we have been neglecting the topic of women’s health for far too long, up to a point that I would say we deliberately not talking about it, hm? It’s always “taboo” or “unladylike” or “uncouth” or “rude” for some of you lot whenever we are talking about women’s reproductive system, as if some of you were born from your mom’s nostrils. Anyway. I’m 40 years old, and as you readers here know, I had a period of pregnancy back in […] - [September in pictures](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/10/01/september-in-pictures/): I wrote about Restoran Rose back in 2019 here. They now have moved locations, and the new restaurant is located right in front of the previous one. - [Food-related series](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/09/30/food-related-series/): I’m not sure if this is some kind of trend, but I have been noticing an increase in video clips, usually on Tiktok, from TV series. The clips are usually a “summary” of an episode and narrated by an AI voiceover. The names of the characters are wildly different from the actual characters’ name on the series. Take this one for example: @sholomestevan #foryou #fyp #show ♬ original sound – sholom estevan On the video, you can hear that the main character’s name is Sachiko. The actual character’s name? Not Sachiko (it was Izawa Miyuki.) There is a food-related series […] - [A new watering system](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/09/29/a-new-watering-system/): Last year, I set up a watering system in my balcony area for my plants. I must admit, it’s not an actual garden, and I don’t think I’m that good of a green thumb. I enjoy plants, but I am yet to be on the actual plants hobbyists and experts. That said, I wanted to set up a timed watering system because my job required me to travel and left my plants for days and weeks. Fast forward to now, I have more time at home, and while I do enjoy the timed watering system, the hose started to show […] - [My favorite albums of all time](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/09/28/my-favorite-albums-of-all-time/): As usual, I blogwalked and found Nick’s post: My favorite albums of all time, and it reminded me of mine. I’m not an aficionado on music. I’m that person who usually goes “it sounds nice, so I like it.” That said, I always feel that this kind of practice helps me to know myself better; knowing what I enjoy and what defines me as me. As Nick said on his blog, this list is personal, a.k.a. “According to ME.” You are free to disagree, but I won’t debate you on it. In no particular order: “Gorillaz” (2001) — Gorillaz I […] - [Expats and Immigrants](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/09/21/expats-and-immigrants/): Translation: “Did you ever wonder why there is a stereotype that we, Indonesians, are always the one that supposed to “bow down” to foreigners, especially the English-speaking ones? Whenever we are coming to their countries for jobs or education, we have to have the mastery on their language; at least, the fluency. However, when THEY are the ones that coming to our country (Indonesia) for work or study, they usually refuse to learn our language and prefer to be treated using English. There is an effort to bring Indonesian language in a more global stage to be one of the […] - ["The Maid" by Nita Prose](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/09/17/the-maid-by-nita-prose/): I was checking my blog when I remembered I tried my hand at writing in the Indonesian language once recently — and quickly decided to revert to English. That said, I wanted to re-write the post now, in English. The post was Bahas Buku: “The Maid” oleh Nita Prose. Not exactly rewrite word by word, though. I wanted to rewrite the blog post in English with the usual style. This is the first book of the series by Nita Prose, and when I read the book’s blurb, it reminded me of Agatha Christie’s quote (was it her? I think it […] - [The Liebermann Papers on BBCPlayer](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/09/17/the-liebermann-papers-on-bbcplayer/): Sherlock Holmes was my entry point into the murder mystery genre, then kids-friendly-sans-murder mysteries such as Enid Blyton’s “The Famous Five”, Robert Arthur Jr.’s “Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators”, and Stefan Wolf/Rolf Kalmuczak‘s “TTKG”. Afterwards, there were some names, some were new, obscure, and some even haven’t got their well-deserved international recognition. One of them is Frank Tallis’ “The Liebermann Papers”. Now, perhaps saying that this work is obscure would be an insult. The man has a Wikipedia page, so he should have some kind of recognitions at the very least (yes, I’m shallow like that.) At the same […] - [August in pictures](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/09/12/august-in-pictures/): I was on a blogwalk when I saw James’ post: August 2025 in Photos and you can rest assured that I’m berating myself for not thinking about it and got myself in my usual what-should-I-blog limbo. Last month, we had an early morning rainbow — and more rainbow sightings for the next couple of days, both in the morning and in the afternoon. Lucky! We also enjoyed a splendid strawberry harvest from Malaysia’s very own Cameron Highlands‘ farms. I’m so impressed with the quality of the harvests as they are getting better and better. I just realized I haven’t taken […] - ["Arsène Lupin: Gentleman Burglar" by Maurice Leblanc](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/09/12/arsene-lupin-gentleman-burglar-by-maurice-leblanc/): “What a pity that I am not an honest man! Yesterday, I just finished reading “Arsène Lupin: Gentleman Burglar” by Maurice Leblanc. Lupin is one of the powerhouse names in the world’s literature, although I was quite confused seeing that there are not a lot of online discussions about the stories considering how famous he is. Even when it did, the only discussion place I could find is the Reddit’s channel /ayearoflupin. That said, there are ample mentions of its Netflix adaptation, a series with the same name, even shorter: “LUPIN” As much as I would love to yap about […] - [Eight weeks](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/08/29/eight-weeks/): Apparently, it was only for eight weeks. Well, eight or ten, I’m not sure. That said, it was back on Monday, almost two weeks ago, when the doctor scanned me, and as she put down the scanner stick, she looked at me with such a look — a look that somehow my gut was already telling me that yes, I knew it, too — and with a really low voice, almost a whisper, said, “I’m so sorry.” I could understand her sorrow, and at the same time, I knew. With my previous pregnancies, even when the pregnancy was as young […] - [We just got a brand new Discman](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/08/17/we-just-got-a-brand-new-discman/): My eldest, Wira, has been fascinated by the technology from the 80s and the 90s since years ago. I’m not sure how it was started, but I remember it was one fine afternoon during the global lockdown when he asked, “can we trade our TV?” I looked at our flat-screen LCD TV, perched proudly on the living room, serving only football matches and cycling race. I’m more of a handheld gadget girl as I prefer my streaming services there. “With…?” “You know that big TV, from the olden days?” My son called my childhood as “olden days”. Okay, we need […] - [Little Blob update and dietitian visit](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/07/27/little-blob-update-and-dietitian-visit/): I once saw someone, an Indonesian, wrote on Threads: “It always feels easier to journal things in English as it’s not our primary language, and it makes us detached from our feelings,” and it stuck with me ever since. Perhaps that’s the reason why I have been feeling so frustrated with my blog (for the umpteenth time), but somehow, it feels weird to write in Indonesian. Anyway! I’m doing quite well here. I already had several visits with the obstetrician, and from our past 3 visits, the baby is looking great — as great as a, uh, blob. There was […] - [Another Little One](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/07/18/another-little-one/): It was last week, when my precise-as-clockwork period schedule suddenly missed for four days. At that time, there were three things on my mind: Then again, I decided to do a test, just to eliminate one possibility — until I saw a faint second line. It was midnight, and Ari already fast asleep, but he still got awoken when he heard my “huh?” “What happened?” “Is— is this a second line?” “Huh,” he rubbed his eyes and squinted it with hope it could ward off the sleepiness, “I honestly not sure. How about we check it again tomorrow morning?” In […] - [A note](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/07/03/a-note/): I just remembered I haven’t blogged anything about this. Not exactly forgotten about this, but I have been ruminating whether I should write about this or not because I don’t think I should as I don’t think I deserve anything about it, even the grief, and it has been going on for weeks and I ended up putting it on the back of my mind, but here we goes. My dad passed away last month. I said something about “undeserving of grief” because, if I can be honest, my relationship with my parents weren’t the greatest. So many coulda woulda […] - [I passed my driving exam!](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/05/06/i-passed-my-driving-exam/): I mentioned here that one of the things I wanted to do, and passed, is learning how to drive. I couldn’t drive, and there were times I wished I could. I remember when Rey was still a baby, and she got a fever. It was midnight, my husband was out of town for a business trip, and I didn’t know what to do. I pulled an all-nighter and took Rey to the hospital in the morning. Late last year, I thought to myself, “here it is,” and decided to have a driving lesson. Ari and I passed this place several […] - [Another scam call](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/05/01/another-scam-call/): Yesterday, during lunchtime, I got a phone call from a person saying they were a third-party appointed by Maybank. The gist is: An account owner on Maybank named Saleha binti Zakaria listed my number as their emergency contact number. The account is suspected of several suspicious transactions, and Saleha cannot be contacted, so this person, on behalf of Maybank, contacted me. My gut said this is a scam. I don’t know any Saleha binti Zakaria in my life, I don’t have a Maybank account, and, well, overall, the whole thing reeks of a scammer. I did entertain the conversation, though. […] - [Lunchbox](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/04/30/lunchbox/): For the past week, I have been preparing lunchboxes for my husband and kids. My husband usually bought his lunch at a shopping area near his office, and the kids had their lunch provided by the school canteen with a monthly fee. Things were okay-ish (or so I thought) until several weeks ago, the youngest came home and remarked how hungry she is. “Didn’t you get your lunch already at school?” I asked, as she opened the fridge for the dozen times. “I did,” she eyed some sliced bread but shook her head, “I had the chocolate sandwich you brought […] - [On blogging, building community, and (a rant on) AI -- and back using English](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/04/29/on-blogging-building-community-and-a-rant-on-ai-and-back-using-english/): … Aaaand she’s back. I tried using the Indonesian language in my previous post, and I found myself feeling “stiff” on using it. I know, the irony, I’m an Indonesian and here I am, feeling uncomfortable using my own language. I know some Indonesians out there who would love to sling mud at me because of this. Nevertheless, I feel English would be more helpful, in a sense that not only my friends from Automattic can still read this comfortably (hello!), but it also gives me a good outlet to practice my English writing. While I’m comfortable using English and […] - [Bahas Buku: “The Maid” oleh Nita Prose](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/04/28/bahas-buku-the-maid-oleh-nita-prose/): Akhir-akhir ini, selera saya sedang bergeser ke murder mystery. Ya sebenernya memang ini genre favorit sih, tapi rasa-rasanya makin banyak seri murder mystery di luar sana, dan saya sama sekali ga keberatan, hahah. BTW, tulisan Bahas Buku ini saya copy-paste dari feed Threads saya. Saya juga sekarang memutuskan untuk menyebutnya “Bahas Buku” ketimbang “Review” karena… Saya nggak tau gimana cara review buku. “Review” buku ala saya adalah, “ini buku bikin gw nangis sampe jongkok dan asam lambung naik. 100/100 recommended.” Mengingat review saya lebih mirip celetukan ketimbang review beneran, jadi lebih baik nulisnya ya ngebahas aja dari perspektif pribadi saya […] - [Being 40 and 2025](https://corianderinpho.com/2025/04/28/being-40-and-2025/): My birthday already passed (December), but I just got my motivation and willingness to blog now. As… snappy as this sounds, opening the post editor on my laptop reminded me too much of (previous) work. When I had my sabbatical, I didn’t touch any of my sites for 3 months — hence, perhaps this was the same case as before. I ended my 2024, and continuing it in 2025, with a driving lesson. I can’t drive to save my life, and I started to feel that driving is one of the must-have life skills. Here in Malaysia, you will need […] - [Post-lunch Cardio](https://corianderinpho.com/2024/11/20/post-lunch-cardio/): KL has been getting cooler recently, and I have enjoyed nice breeze as I opened my balcony door and let the air flows through. I just finished my lunch yesterday when I heard a skittering sound on the ceilings. At first, I thought it was a bug or a dragonfly entered my unit from the balcony (a common occurrence), but I realized the sound was too loud for a bug. I put my attention away from episode 2 “Seoul Busters” and looked for the sound source — and there it was, a small bird perched on my ceiling lamp. The […] - [Digital Graveyard](https://corianderinpho.com/2024/11/13/digital-graveyard/): I never thought too much about digital graveyard until I revisited my bookmarks on my Chrome browser. When I was a Happiness Engineer, my Chrome browser was connected to my Automattic profile. For five years, I never used my personal Chrome account. Naturally, the bookmarks went unnoticed. After I resigned, I reset my Chrome browser and realized that I still have the bookmarks —- and a lot of them are either outdated (last update 7-9 years ago, even) or inactive. Some have the bloggers already passed away. It was sad and bittersweet. It makes me wonder how vast our digital […] - [After Almost 6 Years...](https://corianderinpho.com/2024/11/04/after-almost-6-years/): I’m leaving Automattic. The first question would always be: “Why?” — Especially, considering the recent ongoing drama in the WordPress community, it’s easy to think if I (finally) left because of misalignment with Matt and the company. I’d say, it’s more of a 50-50 situation. I have been staying away from the drama and only reading some news articles to keep me in the loop on what has been going on, but I must admit, I’m starting to get affected, and with all the changes going on, I made my decision. The people involved in the lawsuit got to do […] - [How do you “perform”?](https://corianderinpho.com/2024/11/01/how-do-you-perform/): This is more like a question than a blog post, hahah. But yes, this is something that I have been wondering about. From my limited experience and exposure in trips to different countries, I noticed there are folks that somehow so eloquent in speaking and storytelling. For example, Sergio Barros in Covent Garden Street. Barros is one of the legends in the area, and I had the honor to watch his performance. It was an impromptu moment, even! We were on the Covent Garden with my sister-in-law and her husband, and we saw Sergio Barros’ performance. I remember it was […] - [Book Review: “The Cat who Solved Three Murders” by L T Shearer](https://corianderinpho.com/2024/10/26/book-review-the-cat-who-solved-three-murders-by-l-t-shearer/): The cat’s name is Conrad and he can talk. I admit, I was caught off-guard when the dialogue started. Yes, there were some mentions about it on the first several paragraphs, but I thought it was a figure of speech, you know? I didn’t expect of a “They’re scientists, you said.” I was, at that time, thinking, “huh, Lulu is with someone? I thought she’s only with her— OH MY GOSH THE CAT TALKS.” The main characters are the duo: Lulu, a retired Met detective living in a boathouse named “The Lark”, and her male calico cat: Conrad. Apparently, other […] - [Working around “planned obsolescence”](https://corianderinpho.com/2024/10/25/working-around-planned-obsolescence/): One thing that I despise most after pocket-less dresses is a planned obsolescence. As we use things around us, it’s expected to have them in a wear-and-tear condition. In the old times, a lot of equipments and belongings are manufactured and produced in such a way that they can withstand prolonged usage and stay in a good shape even after years. Enter, the age of peace and communication, which brings forth: consumerism. Corporates started to find ways for the public to consume more and more. While consumption itself is, inherently, a good thing to boost economy, overconsumption is not. Unfortunately, […] - [Sydney, Australia -- September 2024](https://corianderinpho.com/2024/10/22/sydney-australia-september-2024/): Some eagle-eyed folks might already realized that this blog looked quite different, and it is. I moved my blog’s hosts to Hostinger — along with my photoblog (https://photos.corianderinpho.com/), and, currently thinking, the Impromptu Journal (https://impromptujournal.com/) — BTW, Impromptu Journal has been on hiatus for months, now. I’m thinking of reviving it along with a new URL/subdomain name to streamline everything, hahah. Right now, I’m in the middle of tidying things up. This is my first time having self-hosted WordPress website(s) after so many years, and I’m excited. I’m actually amazed remembering how I used to be so at ease with […] - [A morning call with a scammer](https://corianderinpho.com/2024/08/21/a-morning-call-with-a-scammer/): The number was unknown, as expected, and I thought it was a cold call from TV cable companies offering their Internet or streaming service or ISPs -- and in a mildly amusing irony, perhaps I would respond better had those were true -- so I picked it up and greeted them, the scammer - [Book Review: “The Get Things Done Book: 41 Tools to Start, Stick With and Finish Things” by Mikael Krogerus and Roman Tschäppeler](https://corianderinpho.com/2024/08/15/book-review-the-get-things-done-book-41-tools-to-start-stick-with-and-finish-things-by-mikael-krogerus-and-roman-tschappeler/): I was not a fan of the word “productivity”. While the word itself is innocent enough, thanks to the media and how society has progressed lately, I got to associate “productivity” with “hustle” and value an individual with a mere number of outputs. It took me quite some time to reframe my perspective and thoughts about what “being productive” is all about, and while, yes, “productivity” is still associated with the rate of output per unit of input (thanks, Industry Revolution), it means — simply — the amount of work an individual or a group accomplishes within a certain amount […] - [13 years and counting](https://corianderinpho.com/2024/07/10/13-years-and-counting/): Happy 13th anniversary! - [Manchester and London Trip: April 2024](https://corianderinpho.com/2024/07/02/manchester-and-london-trip-april-2024/): A trip to Manchester and London. The museums, the parks, the best palak paneer I ever got in Manchester, the importance of recognizing one's wealth and technological advancement usually comes from other nations' expenses, and squirrels. - [Soracchi and Sora-yan](https://corianderinpho.com/2024/02/23/soracchi-and-sora-yan/): TIL (Today I Learned) Soracchi, a mascot for All Nippon Airways (ANA) and LINE messaging app (by Naver.) Not to be confused with Sora-yan, Osaka International Airport’s mascot — yes, both Soracchi and Sora-yan are Japanese. “Sora” means “sky” in Japanese. - [Life update and Bandung trip](https://corianderinpho.com/2024/02/22/life-update-and-bandung-trip/): It has been, like… 3 weeks (?) after my last post of having hospitalized due to an accident, and I can say that I’m recovering. I’m pretty happy with the progress, although I must admit there are some aspects that I have strong opinions on. First is the cane. The walking cane. Or stick. Whatever. The walking cane was a two-edged sword. I enjoyed VIP treatments thanks to the walking stick. People looked at me with worry on oh how this young person (39 years old) needed a walking stick already, and it felt like Prophet Moses, you know? You […] - [How was my weekend?](https://corianderinpho.com/2024/02/03/how-was-my-weekend/): My husband called it a “freak accident”. We were on our way to our usual cafe in the Bangsar area when I slipped and fell — and somehow, even up to today, I didn’t know what made me slipped and fell. Whenever people asked, my answer has always been: “I walked, I fell… et voila!” Everything was alright except my right knee. My knee was cut open, leaving a huge gnash. Interestingly, though, my pants are alright. It felt like something specifically “attacked” my knee 😅 Anyway! We went to the ER and the medical team decided that considering how […] - [The temple’s guardians. Sort of.](https://corianderinpho.com/2024/01/22/the-temples-guardians-sort-of/): Just like many buildings in Malaysia, our apartment has a Datuk gong shrine for the residents to pray. This is specific to Chinese descendants in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. Datuk gong results from cultural assimilations of Chinese Taoism and Malay Islam. And in front of the temple is this guardian. Sometimes there are a couple more chilling on top of the metal drawers. - [New project: Impromptu Journal](https://corianderinpho.com/2024/01/15/new-project-impromptu-journal/): Several months ago, I mused the idea of having a blog/website where I collect and publish Q&A with my friends on many things. Some people say it’s “curiosity”; some Indonesians, Malaysians, and Singaporeans will call it “kay-poh.” Nevertheless, I am (hashtag) blessed with a circle of friends who are always ready and kindly answer my questions, from “How did you make your own noodles?” to “What made you pursue yoga professionally?” It was like… 2-3 days ago I mentioned the idea again on my Kakao Story, and my friends responded enthusiastically, “DO IT!” I guess they are okay with me […] - [39](https://corianderinpho.com/2023/12/14/39/): A bit of (fun) fact about me: After 38-39 years, I realized I don’t really like cakes. Or at least, I can only have one small slice of cake or half of a cupcake. The same goes with other pastries. Either one portion only, or half of it. Or harass my husband so I can take a bite from his. Except for donuts. So two donuts with a candle on them is a perfection for me ❤️ Here’s for more awesome years to come, for more happiness. And please no Covid what the heck two Covids for the past two […] - [My favorite part of my trips](https://corianderinpho.com/2023/11/25/my-favorite-part-of-my-trips/): I’ve been living a (hashtag) blessed life as I had the opportunity to travel to different places as part of my work as an Automattician. Now that the Division Meetup in Munich, Germany is passed, I want to recap some of my favorite things from my travels so far. Orlando, United States of America (2019) This was the highlight. This was my very first major overseas trip and it was for Automattic’s Grand Meetup. I also fulfilled my childhood dream of visiting NASA Kennedy Space Center. This is a dream that was built since elementary school. Bonus: Another best part […] - [Right a year later…](https://corianderinpho.com/2023/11/25/right-a-year-later/): … I got Covid. Again. And the “fun” part? I caught it right one year from the previous one (my first time with the virus.) I also started to suspect a pattern: It happens after big-scale meetup (Division Meetup) and I might pick it up during one of my transits or flights. I noticed the discomfort when I was on my flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur — that sore throat-feeling — but I didn’t think much about it. As soon as I arrived home, I made myself a huge bowl of Indomie Soto with two poached eggs. I missed […] - [May 2017 and July 2017. We still miss you, legends](https://corianderinpho.com/2023/10/23/may-2017-and-july-2017-we-still-miss-you-legends/): There are not a lot of singers who understand that it’s never about upstaging one another. Most of the time, those who understand how to elevate a song instead of competing are mostly the legends. You can hear it when Chester and Chris harmonized the chorus on timestamp 03:15. Damn. I still freaking miss them. The featured image is taken from here. - [Photo dump: Sapporo, Japan (October 2023)](https://corianderinpho.com/2023/10/21/photo-dump-sapporo-japan-october-2023/): Just recently, I went to Sapporo for a team meetup. As a company with distributed working/remote working Before It Was Cool™, Automattic understands the importance of meeting face-to-face. Yes, we do remote working, and yes, we also appreciate the opportunity to meet our co-workers in real life. Anyway, the trip was mostly work-related trip as in, the week was filled with workshops and learnups. Nevertheless, it was fun. Otaru Day Trip “Otaru has been a major fishing and trading port since the 1800s. Many handsome turn-of-the-century western-style buildings, such as former warehouses, residences and offices, built by foreign shipping and […] - [Saturday pics](https://corianderinpho.com/2023/09/16/saturday-pics/): We had our breakfast at Nasi Kandar Pelita (roti canai, Maggi goreng, tosai, and poori set) and took a walk on the KLCC Park while Wira and I tried our DSLR cameras after long time (he uses Nikon, I use FujiFilm.) Roti canai is quintessentially Malaysian that shows the nation’s close ties with Indian’s culture and food — and no wonder, as Indian is one of the three major races here in Malaysia (Indian-Malaysian.) It’s based from Indian flatbread that repeatedly kneaded and folded and flattened (the whole process is called “canai”, hence the name.) It usually served with dal […] - [My current feel-good series](https://corianderinpho.com/2023/08/26/my-current-feel-good-series/): I’m bad in watching series. Whenever there are new popular series, my first question is: “Does it have a happy ending?” Yes, I haven’t watched “The Game of Thrones”, and never will. I also can’t watch movies with a very intensive storyline. While I enjoy thriller or detective shows, there is a specific limit on when and how I can watch it. The reason? Thanks to my overthinking, I have a habit of making my life more complicated than it should be as if it’s not stressful enough. Another thing I noticed from many popular series is how the characters […] - [Indonesian Embassy Kuala Lumpur: Passport renewal](https://corianderinpho.com/2023/07/07/indonesian-embassy-kuala-lumpur-passport-renewal/): When half of Southeast Asia had ticket wars for Coldplay and Taylor Swift, I had a different type of “ticket war”: Passport renewal registration. My passport is due to renew on September-October, but since I have to go for a couple of work trips during those months, I reached out to the Embassy to check if it’s possible for me to renew my passport before it hits 6-months mark. I had the initial conversation through WhatsApp, and the staff asked me for my passport’s expiration date. “Slightly earlier, but it should be okay for you to renew your passport on […] - [Standing on top of a (really) jiggly jelly](https://corianderinpho.com/2023/07/06/standing-on-top-of-a-really-jiggly-jelly/): This post was originally published and shared by me within my team’s channel (internal.) One thing about Automattic is, the company encourages you to write. Due to its nature as a distributed company where we have been doing remote working Before It Was Cool™?, asynchronous communication through writings is part of the company’s go-to method. Yes, we also have sync communication through Zoom, Around, and what-have-yous. Writing, however, is still something that is close and dear to folks in the company. I wrote this because I have been facing this thought for quite some time. Perhaps since February, I guess? […] - [The reason why airlines with flights bound to Asia should serve cup noodles](https://corianderinpho.com/2023/06/29/the-reason-why-airlines-with-flights-bound-to-asia-should-serve-cup-noodles/): … Or make it every airline company with every route. Cup noodles, a humble instant food, ready-to-eat with sodium, carbohydrates in the form of thin noodles, and hot soup that sometimes too hot when we slurped it impatiently as our tummy growls. Air travel usually is tiring. Exciting, for some and for first-timers and kids, and it’s quick becoming tiring and stressful. The stress quick turns to headaches and cold tummy. I once mentioned how cup noodles fast becoming my version of The Best Airline Food during my flight from Paris to Ho Chi Minh City. It was my second […] - [Japan Trip: April - May 2023](https://corianderinpho.com/2023/05/14/japan-trip-april-may-2023/): Ari and I have been planning a family trip since last year, and one of the main factors was my kids’ jealousy of me because “mom always goes to cool places while we are stuck at home!” (So, no, they don’t miss me when I’m away for business trips. They are more annoyed by the fact I’m on a trip because jetlag be damned.) We used a tour service for this trip: Toraberu Japan. The tour company took care of our hotel, transportation, and guides — while we took care of our Japan visa and flight tickets. We shared with […] - [Eid Mubarak!](https://corianderinpho.com/2023/04/22/eid-mubarak/): Eid Mubarak, friends! - [Visiting Indonesia/Malaysia during Ramadan?](https://corianderinpho.com/2023/04/01/visiting-indonesia-malaysia-during-ramadan/): At this point, many more people are more aware of Ramadan and what it entails; no eating and no drinking from sunrise to sunset. The problem is that not everyone knows Ramadan’s massive effect on Muslim-majority countries, such as Malaysia or Indonesia. The latter is mainly on the island of Java. This post is prompted by a couple of tourists who asked the restaurant staff, “… how much longer?” at the place where we had our iftar (breaking the fast) just now. This post has no way of criticizing tourists or folks who might not know how Ramadan is in […] - [First time with Uni Posca](https://corianderinpho.com/2023/03/03/first-time-with-uni-posca/): I’ve been seeing my friends using Uni Posca and I’m intrigued. Then, I just realized they are not available here in Malaysia, at least not in retail-wise. I had to order it online from a trading company specializing in stationeries. I love using them, and I think it would be the same feelings when painting using gouache, yeah? My only gripe, though, is this. I’m not sure if that’s expected or that piling caused by the marker and the paper. I’m using Moleskine sketchbook (yeah, yeah, I know…) so I’m thinking of doing another test on a more decent drawing/painting […] - [Drawing practice: A couple of works](https://corianderinpho.com/2023/02/16/drawing-practice-a-couple-of-works/): I finally got myself a Copic set, and I opened them just a couple of days ago. I learned to acquaint myself with Copic’s behavior and style. Copic colors are generally more muted and softer, while my Unicorn Art Marker has a more vivid color which gives a really nice variations. This pond drawing is one of the firsts. I started the drawing annoyed because Copic LOOKED too dry for me. I spent coloring the water with a stream of curses left and right, but as I added more details and the sky blue color from Unicorn, it looked pretty […] - [Drawing practice: House sketch](https://corianderinpho.com/2023/01/17/drawing-practice-house-sketch/): I am now thinking of buying a Copic set. Unicorn Sketch marker set is great, but the colors are too vivid and too neon to my likings. I’m looking for muted gray-ish colors, and from what I see, it seems like Copic provides such colors. - [Doctor appointment](https://corianderinpho.com/2023/01/13/doctor-appointment/): Earlier today, we went to the hospital for Rey’s doctor appointment. For the past week, Rey has been having cough, sneezes, and mild fever. We usually let the illness on its own for three days along with some paracetamol and vitamins since that’s how virus usually works. The illness, however, stuck for more than three days, so we decided to check it with the doctor. What we didn’t predict was Rey seeing the doctor appointment as an opportunity to dress up. Flower sunglasses, check. Pretty blue dress, check. Unicorn sling bag, check. Sometimes I wonder about children’s ability to endure […] - [“If Anything Happens I Love You” — Will McCormack, Michael Govier, and Youngran Nho](https://corianderinpho.com/2023/01/06/if-anything-happens-i-love-you-will-mccormack-michael-govier-and-youngran-nho/): Some books are so good, you feel nothing but the urge to smack it to the floor. - [“You be good to you, maaan.”](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/12/27/you-be-good-to-you-maaan/): On end-of-year reflection, Animal Crossing wisdom, and birthday. - [Some sort of self-reflection](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/12/06/some-sort-of-self-reflection/): On next year's goal: To be more mindful. And start from the very basic: Food. - [Sunbathing](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/11/26/sunbathing/): On grilling myself at 1 PM on the rooftop because this darned virus just won't. go. away. - [And onwards to the next day…](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/11/24/and-onwards-to-the-next-day/): On still facing Covid and how the only appetite is on Japanese food. - [And then, it happens…](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/11/23/and-then-it-happens/): On Covid. Dangit. - [Drawing Practice: Night time](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/11/03/drawing-practice-night-time/): On learning to use two colors with high contrast. Also, "From Gagarin's Point of View" is really neat. - [On WP Courses Blog](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/11/02/on-wp-courses-blog/): Earlier today, I did a bit of touch-up on my Writings & Drawings page to make it tidier and not too overwhelming. I know that I’m aspiring to be a children’s storybook illustrator and at the same time, I’m trying to keep the traffic to this site really minimum as I’m still not comfortable having folks looking into my site, so it’s like dealing with a super weird paradox, but yeah, we’ll get there. Anyway, I tidied up the WP Courses area of my Drawings then I decided to check how the website is going. Now that I’m in a […] - [Drawing Practice: Curiosity](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/11/01/drawing-practice-curiosity/): I’m experimenting with dark background and rust. You might know the robot from Peachtober’s “Robot”. I found myself liking this fella. Anyway! I want to share the timelapse video, but I want to be mindful of my site storage too. For the time being — until I found an alternative — you can find the timelapse video in my Instagram “nindya_draws”. - [Drawing Practice: Weekly Grocery Shopping](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/11/01/drawing-practice-weekly-grocery-shopping/): While I love the idea, the colors came off too strong, and I just realized I went overboard with Overlay layer after I’m done. It also feels half-done, and I know I can do better. Be better next time then. - [Colorful history](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/11/01/colorful-history/): I was lurking on my colleagues’ blog when I noticed Brezo’s post: The Met: Chroma (I highly recommend you to read it!) when she visited The MET’s Chroma exhibition. Ancient Greek and Roman sculpture was once colorful, vibrantly painted and richly adorned with detailed ornamentation. Chroma: Ancient Sculpture in Color reveals the colorful backstory of polychromy—meaning “many colors,” in Greek—and presents new discoveries of surviving ancient color on artworks in The Met’s world-class collection.  The exhibition’s topic reminds me of a once-popular discussion of how the ancient Greek statues that we all know and see are not actually white. What this means […] - [Peachtober 2022](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/31/peachtober-2022/): The best part of a blog? You can display more than 10 pictures in one post. While I’m happy with the results, I need to improve in finding my style and consistency. Here’s for more learning! - [Peachtober Day 31: Sleepy](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/31/peachtober-day-31-sleepy/): And it’s a wrap! There were some ups and downs, and Peachtober have some of the most challenging prompts. I’m going to make a habit out of drawing, so you will still see more of me in November ? - [Peachtober Day 30: Pet](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/30/peachtober-day-30-pet/): When I just joined Automattic, I saw someone posted on Slack: “Hey team, I’m so sorry I will be slightly late. My cat is sleeping on my laptop and I can’t see the keyboard.” It made such an impression on me, hence this drawing ? Also, I always wanted to draw annoying things (hence the change of expression mid-way.) - [Peachtober Day 29: Whale](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/29/peachtober-day-29-whale/): This drawing is a nod to last year’s Inktober “Knot”. I always love the idea of seafarer and skyfarer (ha!) I enjoy drawing the stars and the twinkles. - [Peachtober Day 28: Plant](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/28/peachtober-day-28-plant/): I was so tired today and I didn’t have any ideas of what to draw and my brain is too sleepy to think a story, hence a furry void sheltering under a monstera plant. - [Peachtober Day 27: Sea](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/27/peachtober-day-27-sea/): I want to create a parallel with yesterday’s drawing (“Land”) and while I feel I can do better on this (especially on the ship area,) I’m pretty happy with the result. I was slightly concerned with the cat’s color as it can be super out of place, but it ends up giving a really nice focus. - [Peachtober Day 26: Land](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/26/peachtober-day-26-land/): I tried to be detailed, but then I decided to just stop. I think that’s the hardest part, yeah? Knowing when to stop. I really like the light feeling on this and this drawing gives a nice contrast from yesterday’s drama (“Robot”) - [Peachtober Day 25: Robot](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/25/peachtober-day-25-robot/): I want to draw robot in an organic way; so instead of using super rigid lines, I want to draw a robot with the air of “what is that?” approach. I use minimal lines to express the robot-part, but minimum enough for folks to see and wonder, “WTH is that?” You might notice the background color on the timelapse video is slightly different from the drawing (the video has a slight tinge of reddish color on the background.) I just realized it after the video is exported, so, yeah. - [Peachtober Day 24: Castle](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/24/peachtober-day-24-castle/): I love this drawing. I’m finally able to put one of my dreams: To draw something that is “beyond what you see.” I always love the idea of having sleeping giants/beasts while life happens on top of it unknowingly, and the sleeping giants became lore and legends of the guardians. Nobody knows when they will wake up again. Perhaps when the kingdom is in peril, the great dragon will awaken once more? - [Peachtober Day 23: Sprout](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/23/peachtober-day-23-sprout/): I’m trying a slightly different style, and I’m kinda happy about it. The drawing has a similar vibe from Day 17: “Snow”, and I love the overall color. In the video, you’d notice I tested using sky blue color for the background, but I really want to bring all trees together than displaying them separately, so I use dusty green instead. - [Peachtober Day 22: Globe](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/22/peachtober-day-22-globe/): You might notice the different fonts on the featured image. I’ve been using Adobe Spark to create featured images and realized the font I’ve used in the Premium version. Now that my Adobe subscription has ended, I can only access the Free fonts — which is still pretty okay. It still works and is readable. For today’s prompt, I’m trying to create “a world inside a glass globe.” - [Peachtober Day 21: Bun](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/21/peachtober-day-21-bun/): I wanted to draw Star Wars’ Leia with cinnamon buns on her head, but I decided to do that another time. I uploaded the timelapse video below, and you can see I had some changes of mind (smaller buns, then Leia (yes, the manga-style face you see in the video) then the final version.) I’m thinking of working on them another time. Also, I want cinnamon buns now. - [Peachtober Day 20: Spaceship](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/20/peachtober-day-20-spaceship/): I’d love to think that curiosity is everywhere, especially in the younger folks, even in a distant sky from our familiar atmosphere. In the timelapse video, you can see this work is a pretty “aligned” work — as in, not a lot of change of mind/ideas going on. I consider myself lucky ? - [Peachtober Day 19: Boot](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/19/peachtober-day-19-boot/): I wonder if I could make the boot looked shabbier, but I guess this one will do. The color palette is from an image of a rose garden which I converted to color palette in Procreate. I really like the color palette feature as it has been super helpful. - [Peachtober Day 18: Wing](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/18/peachtober-day-18-wing/): While I love the drawing, I struggled with the prompt. I didn’t want to make the wing too literal, but at the same time, I want it to convey the prompt itself. I decided to draw a child running with some kind of blanket, because who didn’t ran around with blanket at some point in our childhood, pretending we have wings or super cape, so we can be the savior of the day just for once? - [Peachtober Day 17: Snow](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/17/peachtober-day-17-snow/): The learning continues… I’m starting to get a hang of Procreate. I’m yet to explore other features, but I’m really happy when I found out I can edit a brush to make it bigger in size. I really like the brush Tinderbox, and I’ve been using it for coloring because I love the texture. Problem is, Tinderbox is an inking brush, so the brush size is not super big and not super comfortable for coloring. I learned how to edit the brush to make it bigger in size so I can comfortably color my work. In the timelapse video, I […] - [Peachtober Day 16: Trunk](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/16/peachtober-day-16-trunk/): Or perhaps: “Winter Vacation”. When I read the prompt, I remember the scene from Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” where Count Dracula shipped himself to London while he’s sleeping inside a trunk (?) filled with soil from his homeland. It’s pretty weird of me for remembering it, because I’m terrible with horror stories (I’m a scaredy cat.) I wanted to make a more light-hearted version, thanks to “What We Do in the Shadows” and Leslie Nielsen’s “Dracula: Dead and Loving It”, so I made Count Dracula prepared for his winter vacation. I just realized my lineart is thinner than usual, though. Oh […] - [Peachtober Day 15: Shell](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/15/peachtober-day-15-shell/): Not sure if “hermit crab” included in shell family, but I hope it is ? The girl in the drawing is actually my daughter. When looking for ideas, I remembered when we were in a family vacation in Langkawi. She crouched near a hermit crab, obviously interested, while the poor hermit crab tried to hide from her. As much as I like this drawing, I feel something is seriously “off” from this drawing. I actually suspect my palette-creating ability. For this drawing, I created my own palette in Procreate, and it seems like I didn’t consider color value and hue, […] - [Peachtober Day 14: Town](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/14/peachtober-day-14-town/): Officially using Procreate! ? You can find the differences with the previous works — especially on brushes. Also, the color palette. Procreate has color palette feature and it’s super pretty! I’m yet to explore the other palettes (and I’m hoping I can create one too!) so I’m excited! You can see I changed my mind on the initial coloring as I tried to get better feelings on the brushes then some more brushes swatches. You can also noticed I changed the position of the hat, because my goal is for folks to recognize the model is a cat. If the […] - [Drawing Practice: Grocery Market](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/14/drawing-practice-grocery-market/): I’m still familiarizing myself with Procreate and finding my favorite brush, so I made this rough drawing of folks going to grocery market. I also tested the app’s Drawing Guide for perspective, and I’m pretty happy with it. - [Hello, Procreate!](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/14/hello-procreate/): I have several drawing apps on my iPad: Tayasui’s “Sketches”, Sketchbook, Adobe Fresco, and just recently: Procreate. I used to use Adobe Fresco for my digital drawings. The Peachtober drawings so far? Adobe Fresco. While I love Sketches and Sketchbook, I love Adobe Fresco’s UI/UX friendliness. Sketches is too simple for me, and Sketchbook is too overwhelming. Also, it seems like both apps don’t have dry media brushes which a problem for me, because I love dry media brushes. Adobe Fresco has it, in one condition: Monthly subscription. The brush that I really like is behind paywall, and while it’s […] - [Peachtober Day 13: Tail](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/13/peachtober-day-13-tail/): I was stumped on this prompt. It was that feeling when you know what you want to draw, but you don’t feel exactly “right” about the whole thing. I then decided to make the drawing as flat and as cartoonish as possible to show the comical-feeling of the drawing. I’m actually pretty happy with the result, though. - [Peachtober Day 12: Lava](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/12/peachtober-day-12-lava/): Sometimes I wonder if volcanic activity happens because the volcano is coughing or sneezing. - [Peachtober Day 11: Field](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/11/peachtober-day-11-field/): When I was a kid, we used to read this book: “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt”. There was this part where the family walked across a field of tall grass and the grasses created a noise. “Swish swish swish swish!” I keep remembering that scene as I drawing this. Anyway, I wanted to make things different this time: The timelapse video. Trigger warning: Due to the nature of the timelapse video, there are some flashing images/scenes that might affecting folks with high sensitivity. My apologies. - [Peachtober Day 10: Lantern](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/10/peachtober-day-10-lantern/): I’m really happy with how this turned out. There are areas I need to improve, specifically, the lantern’s light. However, I really like the overall feeling with the rain and the foliage. - [🔖 Google's docuseries on cybersecurity: "HACKING GOOGLE"](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/10/%f0%9f%94%96-googles-docuseries-on-cybersecurity-hacking-google/): Found this link from my colleague as he shared it on the office’s Slack watercooler channel: Meet the hackers keeping you safe online Cybersecurity and cyber safety have been a pretty hot topic lately and most countries now waging war by attacking each other’s networks. And no, hacking is not always about monitors with a black background and neon green texts tittering across the screen. Yes, hacking is really technical, and as a reminder: Just be really careful when there are some Internet “funsies” asking you questions such as: - [Peachtober Day 9: Boulder](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/09/peachtober-day-9-boulder/): I learned the misty background from my coworker, Caroline. She’s joining Goatober on Tumblr, and on Day 4, she made this drawing with misty forest background and it was so pretty! I decided to try on today’s drawing. There are some areas here that I would love to fix, especially the boulder’s texture. Maybe in another time ? - [Peachtober Day 8: Mask](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/08/peachtober-day-8-mask/): This is a really simplified version of Indonesia’s Barong Bali. I made this in a rush, and while I feel I can do more, I’m actually pretty happy with how it turned out. For those who are not familiar with Barong Bali, the actual costume is waaaaaaay more elaborate and grand than this drawing. Also, the costume itself is really big. The dancer who’s holding the headpiece has the whole body covered down to the toe. In this drawing, I made it simpler and smaller to focus on the mask aspect. - [Peachtober Day 7: Potion](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/07/peachtober-day-7-potion/): The option was either “a healing potion” or Yzma’s llama potion from “The Emperor’s New Groove” ? But yeah, I enjoyed drawing this one. While I made this, I listened to this song (and a couple other songs) to keep me in the vibe. - [Peachtober Day 6: Trees](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/06/peachtober-day-6-trees/): I was hungry and I wanted cakes, and it inspired (???) me to draw this… cut-looking (?) scenery (??) - [Peachtober Day 5: Bow](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/05/peachtober-day-5-bow/): I’m actually aiming the prompt “bow” in terms of gesture (bowing) which shown by the mouse, but just to be safe, I’m adding a bow (ribbon) on the present. This work is largely inspired by Beatrix Potter’s “The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin” - [Peachtober Day 4: Tiger](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/04/peachtober-day-4-tiger/): I wanted to draw a tiger who is dreaming of the moon. - [Peachtober Day 3: Cowboy](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/03/peachtober-day-3-cowboy/): Made this on my way back to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore. My favorite part is the highlight area. - [Peachtober Day 2: Dandelion](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/02/peachtober-day-2-dandelion/): I want to try super simple style, even closer to sketch-like. Dandelion has a delicate look, and I want to achieve that. And yes, of course, small critters. I love them. - [Peachtober 2022 starts!](https://corianderinpho.com/2022/10/01/peachtober-2022-starts/): I forgot it’s October and when I realized it, it’s October 2 already. This post is backdated, so apologies for weirdness going on. ## Pages - [Newsletter](https://corianderinpho.com/newsletter/): [newsletter] - [WordPress.com Comic "Copy Site"](https://corianderinpho.com/works/wordpress-com-comic-copy-site/): WordPress.com Copy Site feature: Comic for social media activity To make it easier for websites owners copying their WordPress.com website, the team developed the feature and launched it on March 2023. WordPress.com Support doc: Copy a Site Published on Twitter and Tumblr (with adjusted dialogue and text) Bonus panels: Client: WordPress.com Project Duration: 2 Months - [WP Courses Illustrations](https://corianderinpho.com/works/wp-courses-illustrations/): Visual aspect for WordPress Courses website Link:wpcourses.com To build the community and as a part of learning and education activities, WordPress.com is working on creating free courses on WP Courses. The courses cover website building, blogging tips, podcasting, and SEO. - [Test page](https://corianderinpho.com/12151-2/): test content - [Portfolio](https://corianderinpho.com/works/): Illustrations WP Courses (2021) Illustrations for WP Courses, free courses provided by WordPress.com, covering website building, blogging tips, podcasting, and SEO. Digital. Now https://wordpress.com/learn/. WordPress.com on social media: “Copy Site” feature (2023) A comic to promote WordPress.com’s Copy Site feature to the public on social media. Digital. Inktober (2021) Illustrations for Inktober (B/W). Manual. Ink on paper. Peachtober (2022) Illustrations for Peachtober, a 30-day drawing challenge in October derived from Inktober. Digital. “Not One of Us” — Jeffrey Zeldman This is a digital graphic work/comic based on Jeffrey Zeldman’s blog post, “Not one of us.” Automattic Swag 2021: Wapuu Lion Dance […] - [Home](https://corianderinpho.com/home/): Don’t want to miss anything? Latest Instagram (@Nindya_draws) Category cloud - [About](https://corianderinpho.com/about/): About the Blogger - [Blog](https://corianderinpho.com/blog-3/) - [Welcome!](https://corianderinpho.com/home-2/) - [Blog](https://corianderinpho.com/blog/): (Hey, Nindya. This page is using the template Blog Page. If you need to edit anything from this page, do so on Site Editor.) — Past Nindya - [Archives & Blogrolls](https://corianderinpho.com/archives/): Categories Archives Friends blogroll.org [comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)