--- title: "Purchases, approximately at the time of Chinese New Year" layout: post --- By no design of my own, both last year (2018 A.D.) and this (2019 A.D.) , I've made purchases that are somewhat associated with Indonesia - and specifically, batik - approximately at the time of the respective year's Chinese New Year. Last year, it was a button-down shirt from Kiah's Gallery (https://www.facebook.com/Kiahb4tik/) - where the seller told me, "Batik is a dying art." (she also effectively said, if I'm not mistaken, something like, "The batik-shirt chooses its owner.") - and this year, a coin-pouch, from The Green Collective SG (https://www.facebook.com/thegreencollectivesg) - maybe the designer, or maker, of the coin-pouch is from Indonesia. Now, what do I say about Indonesia? Or about batik? I just thank my god that I have the luxury of the experience of buying batik, while on the island of Singapore.