Where Will Happiness Strikes Next??

I hope it hits Indonesia soon!! I'm bored of those so called vending machine at Busway Terminals, and that hot/cold coffee/tea vending machine at the airport.
We need more of this kind that Coca Cola made. Now that's what I called pleasing your customers..

Sebuah puisi yang menjadi salah satu tugas deklamasi untuk mata pelajaran Bahasa Indonesia jaman SMU dulu. Jujur saja, waktu itu saya tidak begitu mengerti arti puisi ini. Dan dari 30 murid yang maju ke depan rasanya hanya satu atau dua orang yang mendeklamasikan puisi ini. Sisanya lebih memilih Diponegoro-nya Chairil Anwar yang lebih mudah dipahami dan lebih gagah. Dan kalau ditanya sekarang pun rasanya saya masih belum memahami puisi ini. Tetapi saya cukup mengerti, that some disaster happens not because of natural causes, but because we let it happen.
We all realize that sooner or later the most populated island in Indonesia will sink in. But we just never thought it would happen sooner than later. Starting with Jakarta. Everything has turn into chaos, and we just don't know how to make it right.

Hari depan Indonesia adalah dua ratus juta mulut yang menganga,
Hari depan Indonesia adalah bola-bola lampu 15 wat,
sebagian berwarna putih dan sebagian hitam,
yang menyala bergantian,
Hari depan Indonesia adalah pertandingan pingpong siang malam
dengan bola yang bentuknya seperti telur angsa,
Hari depan Indonesia adalah pulau Jawa yang tenggelam
karena seratus juta penduduknya,
Kembalikan
Indonesia
padaku
Hari depan Indonesia adalah satu juta orang main pingpong siang malam
dengan bola telur angsa di bawah sinar lampu 15 wat,
Hari depan Indonesia adalah pulau Jawa yang pelan-pelan tenggelam
lantaran berat bebannya kemudian angsa-angsa berenang-renang di atasnya,
Hari depan Indonesia adalah dua ratus juta mulut yang menganga,
dan di dalam mulut itu ada bola-bola lampu 15 wat,
sebagian putih dan sebagian hitam, yang menyala bergantian,
Hari depan Indonesia adalah angsa-angsa putih yang berenang-renang
sambil main pingpong di atas pulau Jawa yang tenggelam
dan membawa seratus juta bola lampu 15 wat ke dasar lautan,
Kembalikan
Indonesia
padaku
Hari depan Indonesia adalah pertandingan pingpong siang malam
dengan bola yang bentuknya seperti telur angsa,
Hari depan Indonesia adalah pulau Jawa yang tenggelam
karena seratus juta penduduknya,
Hari depan Indonesia adalah bola-bola lampu 15 wat,
sebagian berwarna putih dan sebagian hitam, yang menyala bergantian,
Kembalikan
Indonesia
padaku
~Kembalikan Indonesia Padaku, Taufik Ismail

Mayang on The Air : Today's Crave

it's a lazy sunday today.. but please enjoy Señor Happy with How Many Ways..
hopefully will brighten the rest of your Sunday, and recharge your hype for Monday. Cherios!!!

How many ways to say I love you?
How many ways to show you how much I care?
With you by my side, there is no denying it

Sun in your face is how I see you
Maybe make me feel warm when it's cold outside
Should I run and hide,
Then there's no denying

You as a young girl, want it it's true
You do it for me, I do it for you
We're taking nothing and turning it into something
I just wait for me and you

You as a young girl, want it it's true
You do it for me, I do it for you
We're taking nothing and turning it into something
I just wait for me and you

That just waits for me and you

And that just waits for me and you

I Can't wait for me and you

Butterflies come again today
In such a way I can never say
May it convey
Not of high hopes and gay
Let’s all just pray
That butterflies don’t fly away

The Stone of Destiny?!?!

More like the stone of phony!!!

Okay, here's the story. Yesterday I just got a free copy of this game called The Stone of Destiny. It's one of those i-spy meet various puzzles kind of games. I guess it's a good game to kill the time you know, since I got this one week holiday due to the Lebaran Festivity.

I'm just on the early stage of the game, when something strange happen. And I can't help but to stop playing, took pictures, and post it. After I finish my first scene *the tutorial kind of puzzle which is too easy to solve*, I was brought to a screen in which there's a map, and a certain place that I can click. Like below picture.

So I decided to click this scene called "The Strange Cave" located in America. And guess where it brought me.

There's no hoax in this picture. Simply stupidity. You can see at the top of the above picture it says "The Strange Cave", so I'm not jumping to the wrong scene in the game. The list on the right is the stuff I have to find in that scene. And the big issue *drum roll please..* does the cave's entrance look familiar to you?? I mean, does it really resemble a place located in America??

Okay, so here's a picture I took in 2006, when I was going for a vacation with my family.

You see the resemblance?? And judging from that checkered fabrics worn by the statue guarding the cave's entrance, you would have guess that this landmark is NOT located even close to America. It was taken, when I was in Bali *dash* Indonesia *dash* Asia.

Note to publisher: Next time you want to make an adventure-ish kind of games, please *please pretty please..* don't get the landmarks mix up!!! It's bad enough that kids nowadays don't know their geography and history, without you mixing things up by swip-swapping landmarks. What you just did is like claiming The Statue of Liberty located in the Middle East. That is just silly.

Another Crossroad

Here again I'm arriving at another crossroad.
Every day you curse to the wall for people who treats you like you're an amateur *even when you are doing the right thing*. You think you are ready for everything. And you promise to yourself "when I'm a big dawg, I will do this and that and everything I can think of".What would you do when opportunity comes sooner then you think. You plan this whole thing would happen in *say* a year or two. And suddenly God *in a form of a person with high authority* comes knocking at your door and say "here,, I'm giving it to you today".
To refuse an opportunity would be like throwing away a rough diamond. You can see there's a potential for that stone to be high value. But once you cut it wrong, the stone would be worthless.
We always want to be a big dawg, but we never want to be the choke point. I guess we just have to roll on that sleeve and man up *eventhough you're just a pretty cutie woman,,*. There's no way you can be at the top of the tree, without the wind blowing it so hard. It's always hard up there, and it will never change.
So I guess, I'm done planning the unplannable. And when an opportunity comes, I just have to be courageous. Because there's really no wrong you can't make right again.

Museum Tengah Kebun-Jakarta

Not many know about this secluded museum. No surprise, because this museum is actually a private house consisting various private collection. However in fear for the collection to be misused after the owner died, a foundation was established to organize this museum.
When I set foot inside this place, I just love it. Love the architecture, love the collection, love everything. It's a museum, but it's cozy and homey as well. You just can't find a museum more friendly than this.
Located on Kemang Timur St, South Jakarta. Feel free to visit their facebook page for more info. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=126934703192&ref=search
FYI this museum is not publicized commercially so probably their facebook fanpage will be the only official source from the management.
Enjoy!!

The White Sands of Belitung Says Hello

This is actually a trip with very little preparation. On a Saturday afternoon in August while waiting for Bedugh to end my fast a message from a friend came into my mailbox, talking about trips around the world. Then suddenly he sends me the email below :

Fw: Go Belitung Independence Day Island

Hallo TravelMania !!!

Saatnya mengunjungi gugusan pulai cantik nan exotis di jajaran Barat indonesia sampai Timur Indonesia. Kami tawarkan wisata "Independence Day Islands Adventure Trip August 2010".

15-17 Agustus 2010 Go Belitung Independence Day Island

Belitung adalah suatu kawasan wisata bahari yang menakjubkan. Pantai yang berair biru jernih, pasir pantai yang putih dan lembut, pasir nya bukan kuning apalagi hitam. Jangan sampai ketinggalan menikmati keindahan aneka bentuk bebatuan granit mencuat ke atas permukaan lautan bergelombang pelan.

SUSUNAN ACARA

H1. Minggu , 15 Agustus 2010
10.00 - 11.30 Kami jemput Anda di Bandara Tanjung Pandan - Welcome to Belitung Island
11.30 - 13.00 Check in hotel dan makan mie belitung.
13.00 - 17.00 Trip ke Replika SD Gantong dan kemudian ke Manggar untuk berfoto. Wisata ke Vihara Dewi Kwan Im sambil melihat bekas-bekas kejayaan perusahaanTimah masa lalu.
17.00 - 19.00 Kembali menuju kota Tanjung Pandang. Istirahat.

H2. Senin, 16 Agustus 2010
08.00 - 09.00 Selepas sarapan pagi, bersiap wisata bahari ke gugusan pulau sekitar Pulau Belitung.
09.00 - 16.00 Wisata bahari Pulau Lengkuas dengan mercusuar buatan tahun 1862, Pulau Burung, Pulau Babi, Pulau Batu Belayar dan Tanjung Kelayang
17.00 - 18.00 Sunset di Tanjung Pendam

H3. Selasa, 17 Agustus 2010
04.30 - 09.00 Sunrise di Tanjung tinggi
09.00 - 11.00 Bersiap untuk cek out dan mencari oleh-oleh. Diantar sampai bandara.

Harga Paket : Rp 795.000

Fasilitas :
- Transportasi kendaraan AC selama di Belitung.
- Penginapan AC 1 kamar ber 3.
- 6 kali makan selama di Belitung.
- Kapal Nelayan dan Life Jacket untuk wisata bahari
- Kaos Adventure Trip Exclusive (Bagi pelunasan pembayaran sebelum tanggal 7 Agustus 2010)

Did not think twice to sign up for the trip! Eventhough it was fasting month, A trip to Belitung on Independence Day is something I would not miss in the world. Okay quick comment on the trip:

• The travel agent service : pretty good for a low budget tour (I'll give you a copy of their info afterwards)
• The hotel : mmmm,, I wouldn't say it's the best low budget hotel I have ever stayed in. Not very clean (they don't clean your rooms daily), a bit smelly in the bathroom. And the breakfast is,, well,, mm,, unbearable? For those of you who loves luxury and comfort during your trip the hotel is NOT the place to stay. Instead I would recommend you to stay at Lor In Hotel, I guess it's the only star hotel in Belitung. Plus located near the beach. *although the price to stay there one night is almost the same as what I paid for the whole trip*
• The transportation : as public transportation is not widely provided, renting a car is a must. Rent a boat at the beach if you want to go island hopping. Or having to know someone there would be better.
• The food : Seafood lovers, this is your heaven!! You must try Lempah Kuning, which is actually the way they cook and season the fish.
• The site : Belitung is actually a small island on the west region of Indonesia. Only 4800 sq km wide, it wouldn't be a problem for you to actually go around this island from point to point. But,, what you need to do is not to only explore the Belitung island itself, but you need to hop to other small islands nearby. We even get to this small sand island in the middle of the sea, and this lump of sand only exist when the tide is low. For me the place is too mesmerizing to describe. I should say nothing speaks better than pictures, so please do enjoy some little slide shows I made below.
• The stuff you can bring home : Recommend you to bring home some fish floss, terasi, or kerupuk ikan.

P.S. Info on the travel agent

Indra - DAL Adventure
Jl.T1 No.5 , Kebon Baru II - Asem Baris Raya Jakarta Selatan 12830
Tlp : 021-4658 9090 dan 0857 557 11226
Fax : 021-8306151
Sms : 08129 040702
YM : dal_adventure

I Love You (NOT) The Way You Are

People say only a fool who falls into the same shit twice. Though knowing this fact, people tend to be a fool rather than being smart. This is when we have to be careful, because stupidity just refuses to have its limits. And we will keep on going this satan’s circle never knowing when it will end, trying the same thing over and over again, each time believing that each try will be different. Even Einstein calls it insanity, to do the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.

We might hope that people change. But sometimes they don't. We deliriously believe that the idea of you and me might work. But most of the times, what we believe is just not what will happen. We have hopes but not all people will live to meet our expectations. So when the time comes, it’s either you accept the full package eventhough the seals are broken or find a new bottle. The point is it’s just impossible to wait all day long for a brick to finally knock him in the head, and turn him into the one that we love just the way he is.

Ain’t live just a series of arrivals and departures? And maybe we just got to meet a million wrong people to finally meet the right ones. Why get stuck at one wrong people trying to turn him into right, when the right one is on its way to meet us. And he’s running as fast as he could.

People are just the way they are, you can either let it be or let it go. I’m just tired of letting it be, because then I will never be satisfied. And I’m also tired of moving a brick wall. So I chose to let it go, cause I just don’t love you the way you are.

Why Do I Want to Get Married??

because..

1. I'd like to have a little cotton candy booth on my wedding
   
2. I can't wait to go hunting cute little stuff that would be given to guests as souvenirs
3. Every time a favorite love song came up on the shuffle, I just have to jot down the tittle on the songs-to-sing-on-your-wedding-day list
4. By that time, I don't have to wonder who's the other half would be
5. When I want to travel, no sweat finding a companion
   
6. Garden party, fireworks, dancing under the moonlight.. Good combination..
   
7. Can't help it but to stare at Anne Avantie's kebaya +Vera Wang's dresses, and wondering what would I wear
8. I can have someone that I can really rely on *yes!! he should be that handle on the mug*
   
9. Nobody would bother me anymore with the ten thousand questions
   
10. At some point *on your age*, babies *that used to be so annoying* start to look cute
11. A lot of my friends are busy with their own little family nest, so I thought why don't I do what they do
    

When I look back at this list, just realize that I want to do it for all the wrong reasons.

-09052010-

Lampung 2nd Edition

Okay, so this is my second time to visit Lampung. And just like the previous one, this visit is really not intended to explore Lampung square by square. It's just so happen that I got a BFF's wedding that I need to attend to, and the sight seeing is a big bonus that's hard to miss.

So this time, I came to Lampung with

3 agendas :

1. Visit a place with natural beauty
2. Visit a place where they held a workshop to make sulam usus lampung or tenun tapis
3. Midnight at one of those overprice restaurant build on top of the hills looking down at Bandar Lampung from above

First destination would be the search for Sulam Usus Lampung workshop. I was fascinated by this local handicraft when I went to Lampung before. My friend who's a Lampung native wear this fabric as her wedding dress, and she also have it as one of those wedding gifts (seserahan). And I'm just wowed by the uniqueness. So we decided to ask around, go to the *wha

t is known as* the central of this handicraft. Dissappointingly, we did not succeed. Apparently this handicraft is considered ancient to most of the local, secondly most of the people in Lampung are immigrants from Java, so they just don't have a clue about this.

Due to the limited amount of time and lack of route info, then we decided to go to next destination, the Way Kambas School of Elephants. It's about two to three hours away from Bandar Lampung, with most of the roads not really that automobile friendly (big holes everywhere, and broken bridges that clog the roads. But, if you have a kid who loves wildlife animals, I guess it's OK to go through the pain. Basically Way Kambas is one of those animal conservation, the way into the school from the main gate is like cutting into a forest. Big trees, high grass, muddy roads.. This school is actually established as wildlife and humanlife is getting more in touch due to increasing human population. These elephants if not educated and conserved would ended up roaming around to nearby village, destroying crops and others. This situation is not only dangerous for human but also for the animals. So I guess, Way Kambas is the boundary.

Once inside, you can go straight to the Elephant Show, which is held like every one hour or so. You will have to pay 10.000 IDR to see the show. And I guess, if it means that this elephant will have a better education I'm willing to pay the price :D. I found the show just like a standard Elephant Show but still entertaining. What I enjoy most there is probably, the way the elephant dances when they put on a music, and they really love to get their picts taken, also I like shopping for T-shirts and stuff. If you look good enough they actually have some good and cute designs on the T-shirts or I guess I'm just that kind of girl who like to shop, haha..

This shopping craze is proven by deciding to visit Bambu Kuning market. I guess I'm still that curious about this Sulam Usus and Tenun Tapis. I was determined to bring this handicraft home for my family. A tenun tapis cap & sarong for my dad and bro, a sulam usus table cloth for my mom. And dissapointingly *again!!* when I get back to Bandar Lampung, it was already too late to go to the market. Cause my BFF's wedding will start in just a minute, and the market is just starting to close by then. Well, I guess, I'm really just out of luck.

Right after the wedding, we all got caught in an euphoric moment to exchange more hellos. So we went to one of

those overpriced restaurants I was talking about =).

Our pick was Waroeng Diggers. Don't exactly know where it's located, because I just hopped into my friend's car and chit chatting all the way there. In just 15 minutes, voila! We're there. Don't expect this place to be a really fine dine restaurant. Because besides the price, the service and the food is just the usual stuff. But I may say, if you're looking for a place with a nice atmosphere, comfortable e

nough to stay up & gossiping all night with your friends, plus a place to enjoy an uphill night view of the city, then this is the right place to be. All night long I just can't help but to take pictures here, and there, and everywhere.

As last time, I was taking a Damri bus from Jakarta-Lampung-Jakarta. This time, my friend and I were determined to go up to the dock when we're on the ship. Taking the morning schedule ride to Jakarta, we thought there's no more issues that will burden us to go up to the dock. And it's just so happen, that my BFF's mother brought us Rendang, Kentang Balado, and rice for our lunch on the trip back home. So there we were, on the dock of KMP Mitra Nusantara, at the open seas between Bakauheni-Merak, enjoying a home made Nasi Bungkus. It was my best lunch ever!!

Two Out of Thousand Islands

In 2010, Kep. Seribu (Thousand Islands) suddenly became one of the most visited tourism site in Jakarta. In my opinion part of it is probably because the Jaks are just fed up with the highways, skyscrapers, malls, fusion foods, and branded fashions. This is proven later, when I went to Pulau Tidung, one out of thousands islands at Kep. Seribu.

So it all starts with a mass email at my office, few of the youngsters are planning to for a weekend gateaway. And with a few click here and there at Google, Facebook, and Kaskus, we found this amateur travel agent whose expertise is providing accomodations & trips to P. Tidung *info will be available later*. They even offer various packages you can choose, right from cheap to slightly expensive (as the most expensive trip will only be around 400.000 IDR). Make sure to travel in large groups, as the price will be cheaper, plus they also have minimum limits of people for each group. I guess this is will make them easier in head counting and arranging transportation & guest house. You see, the transportation that we used to reach P. Tidung is a big boat that can fit around 150 people, without seats. So we will all be sitting on the deck, and sometimes to reach your assigned boat, you will need to jump over other boats. The boat sails from Muara Angke Port and it takes around two hours before we reached P. Tidung.

As an inhabited island, you willactually find this place a bit dirty. I guess it is no wonder, as it is a really small island, in the middle of the sea, and quite populated, so sanitation will be an issue. If the governments are really serious to build this place as one of tourism spot then they need to came up with ideas that can:

• harmonize tourists with locals
• preserve the natural beauty
• provide more facilities without making it too commercialize

Despite all that, P. Tidung is still worth the visit for a cheap weekend getaway. Especially if you're going there with friends. Bring your guitar, some fireworks, some cards. Because when the night came the only entertainment you can get is singing, talking nonsense, playing fireworks or cards, BBq-ing at the pier or shore under the moonlight. Yap, no honking cars, no house music, it's a stress free zone.

If you're going for the complete package, you will be provided with bicycle to ride around the island, plus snorkeling kit. This P. Tidung is actually consist of two islands, P. Tidung Besar where the people live, and P. Tidung Kecil which is uninhabited and surrounded by mangrove. To reach P. Tidung Kecil, all you need to do is bike to the east of P. Tidung Besar and cross a bridge that connects the two island. This bridge is called Jembatan Cinta (Love Bridge). I don't know why it's named that way, but surely a walk along the wooden bridge while waiting for sunset or sunrise is actually nice.

When I was there, we took another boat ride to snorkel at P. Karang Beras. Once here, you really need to look around for the best spot. And be really careful with the coral reef, some coral reefs are still too young and will easily break if you use it as supports. I found the snorkeling really entertaining, but I guess, the place is not as mesmerizing as Ujung Kulon's Citerjun.

To wrap this up, I give this place 3stars. Don't think will miss it much, but P. Tidung definitely makes me want to visit other islands at Kep. Seribu.

p.s. For travel agent contact you can visit this link

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=106389876065808&v=wall&ref=nf

http://www.kaskus.us/showthread.php?t=3782400

Napak Tilas

Hehe,, namanya napak tilas, tujuan utamanya pastilah jalan-jalan menumbuhkan kenangan-kenangan masa lalu. Mengingat gosip-gosip basi dan bertemu dengan orang-orang yang lupa-lupa ingat sama kita, ditambah membandingkan kampus yang dulu begitu sekarang begini. Kalau sekarang orang tanya kenapa saya milih kuliah di situ, saya cuma bisa jawab karena takdir bilang saya harus menimba ilmu di situ. In the end, I never regret the decision to go there. Walaupun IP saya pas-pasan, saya belajar lebih banyak dari sekedar ajaran dosen di depan kelas.

Selamat menikmati foto2, before & after berikut..

Segitiga Merah

Lapangan Voli

Kursi Panas Wasit

Jalan Menuju GWW

Waiting for Your Highness

HIMALOGIN (tempat tidur sebelum mata kuliah berikutnya, tempat nyalin PR/Laporan, dan tentu saja tempat begadang bikin video TIN 40

Last but not least..

yeayyy.. akhirnya fakultas ku punya papan nama!!!

Cerita Gila : Apa yang kita cari?

Prologue : Belajar. Mendengar kata itu, yang lewat di pikiran pasti, ruang kelas, ibu/bapak memegang penghapus papan tulis/kapur/penggaris, dan buku. Memang proses belajar harus ada pengajar. Tapi pengajar tidak harus berupa seseorang yang memiliki profesi sebagai guru. Belajar tidak harus di dalam ruangan kelas atau institusi sekolah. Dan belajar pun tidak harus disertai buku wajib. Setelah bertahun-tahun berinteraksi dengan beratus macam orang. Pelajaran datang dari cerita-cerita gila yang dituturkan teman-teman saya, ataupun pengalaman saya dengan teman-teman saya. Ternyata.. cerita gila = proses belajar.

I. Cantik Itu Relatif, Jelek Itu Mutlak
Waktu pertama kali saya dengar cerita ini dari teman saya, saya tidak hentinya tertawa terpingkal-pingkal. Karena mereka terlah melakukan pembuktian bahwa teori "cantik itu relatif, jelek itu mutlak" benar adanya. Walaupun cara mereka melakukan uji hipotesa ini agak sedikit kejam. Tapi saya tidak bisa memungkiri, hasil dari uji ini.
Oke,, jadi sebut saja dua orang teman saya yang playboy-playboy klub merah jambu ini si Anu dan si Itu. Suatu hari terik di pinggiran kampus, mereka berdiskusi mengenai siapa wanita paling cantik di kelas. Spontan keduanya tidak sepakat dengan satu nama wanita tercantik itu. Maklumlah keduanya beda selera. Terus tiba-tiba si Anu bilang, "Kalau *menyebutkan salah satu nama wanita satu angkatan* bagaimana?". Dengan cepat si Itu langsung menyahut sambil menggeleng2kan kepala, tanda tidak setuju. Si Anu pun mengiyakan jawaban temannya, "sama menurut gua juga enggak". Akhirnya diskusi diakhiri dengan kesimpulan dari si Itu, "Ternyata bener ya,, cantik itu relatif, jelek itu mutlak".

II. Beauty is Pain!!
Pulang kantor sore-sore, paling enak dengerin radio sambil menikmati macet yang tak jelas juntrungannya. Kebetulan pas dengerin radio, pas lagi ada yang membahas tradisi-tradisi gila agar wanita menjadi cantik. Contoh niy,, memakai kalung berlapis sehingga leher jadi panjang, memakai anting yang beratnya naudzubillah biar lubang kuping makin besar, atau membebat kaki. Dan kalo dipikir-pikir, tradisi-tradisi ini sebenarnya adalah praktek-praktek mentransformasi diri, agar memenuhi standar cantik yang dipercayai. Kalau ibu-ibu perkotaan sukanya operasi plastik dan suntik botox, kalo masyarakat tradisional ini ya sukanya pake logam di leher, bibir, atau kuping (yang saya yakin, walaupun terlihat lumrah pasti ada sakitnya juga). Whichever that is, bagi saya itu sama saja. You have to stretch here and there, just to look beautiful (according to the society). Dan saya pun termasuk korban beauty-is-pain, kalo tidak mana mungkin saya mau gigi saya dikerangkeng, atau rela kuping saya ditindik.

Kesimpulan:
Ternyata kita tidak sepintar yang kita kira, karena terlalu banyak di dunia ini yang kita kejar ternyata sesuatu yang relatif. Sesuatu yang hanya memiliki arti jika dihubungkan dengan hal lainnya. Apa itu?? Selera,, apa lagi. Dan selera adalah satu hal di dunia ini yang paling tidak sama antara satu individu dengan individu lainnya. Selalu berubah pula seiring berjalannya waktu.
Dan kita menjadi lebih tidak pintar lagi, karena untuk mengejar sesuatu yang relatif itu kita sampai jatuh bangun, bercucuran keringat dan air mata. Beberapa orang berlindung dibalik kata 'mimpi' untuk menoleransi setiap tetes keringat dan air mata. Kalau kata teman saya yang paling gila, mengutip temannya yang pasti lebih gila "Aku hidup tanpa mimpi, maka aku tidur nyenyak malam hari". Sejujurnya mimpi, memang hanya wujud ketidakpuasan terhadap kondisi saat ini. Lalu, kalau pada dasarnya manusia tidak pernah puas, mau sampai kapan pula bermimpi?
Saya ingat salah satu atasan saya yang sukanya stretch!!stretch!!stretch!!. Kurang tiga hari dari deadline, target pasti naik. Saya jadi pusing, karena saya juga harus ikut tarik.. tarik.. tarik.. Karet kolor pun kalau ditarik terus pasti putus.
Ah,, benar juga kata Cak Nun, kita akan lelah sendiri jika hanya menyandarkan diri pada hal-hal relatif. Karena ibarat bersandar pada bayangan pohon, begitu mau istirahat, gak berapa lama posisi pohonnya berubah. Kalau begitu, mulai sekarang saya mau nyender sama pohon rindang sajalah.,yang pasti2, yang nyata2, yang gak berubah2, yang mutlak..

Kerak Telor, Pasar Ikan, & Batavia Punch Story

I've been living in Jakarta ever since I was born, that means been here for almost a quarter century *not going to be 25 till July*. Therefore in order to celebrate my existence in this place called home, I'm determined to explore every inch of this city.

So I've been here and there before, parts of it were featured in my "saving our heritage" stories. Anyway, decided to get in touch with the Betawi (Jakarta native) culture, and the best place to do it would be to visit a genuine Kampung Betawi (Betawi Village). One of it that has been well managed would be a Kampung Betawi located at the side of Setu Babakan (a reservoir). You can reached this village from the Moh Kafi 2 Street, Jagakarsa. And when you see this gate like the ones on the right picture, do not hesitate to head that way. You'll be passing a classic-modern betawi village. Most of the houses still retain the betawi architecture, although some mix and match it with the modern architecture. When you think you got a little bit lost inside the village, don't worry, the resident already know where you are heading. hehe.. You don't even have to ask for direction, just put on a confuse face, they'll automatically point the road to the Setu.
What you'll find here? Well, there are some water activities you can do, such as fishing, canoeing, or paddling the duck boat. They also have a mini plots where they have three to four betawi model homes. And you can take picture there. In it was also a mini stage, where they perform traditional arts such as kromong, tanjidor, lenong, and jaipong. Unfortunately they only do it on Sundays, that's what the caretaker informed us when we asked what show they'll have that day. But what I love most at Setu Babakan is sitting on the side of the lake and eat traditional foods. You name it, they got it. There's kerak telor *yes,, we just discovered the best kerak telor we ever taste, it's served fresh from the fire, but not too hot to eat, it's not too thick, burnt but not hard*, serabi, Bir pletok, dodol betawi, roti buaya, and many more.Then we played soap bubbles just like what we did way back when we were kids. The entrance fee to this site is really cheap. I only got to pay 3000 IDR, that is basically a ticket for bringing in a car *because the caretaker did not count how many people in the car*, and about 2500 IDR for parking.
Next stop was the Maritime Museum. Way back when before we were businessman, lawyers, and doctors, Indonesians were known as farmers and most of all sailors. There was a song I've known since kindergarten.

Nenek moyangku seorang pelaut Gemar mengarung luas samudera Menerjang ombak tiada takut Menempuh badai sudah biasa Angin bertiup layar terkembang Ombak berdebur di tepi pantai Pemuda berani bangkit bersama Ke laut kita berama-ramai

A song about our ancestors who were sailors. And which place would be better to get in touch with our inner sailorman rather than to visit a maritime museum located at Jl. Pasar Ikan, North Jakarta, Sunda Kelapa. A port that used to be the window of the world. With a 2000 IDR ticket, you can visit two places, the maritime museum and the Syah Bandar Tower. I like going to places like these, although I may not remember all the details about our maritime history, but it was fun to look at ancient buildings. If walls could talk, there would be more stories to tell.
So we closed the evening by visiting the recently happening ancient landmark in Jakarta, the Fatahillah Square. I remembered going here about 12 years ago *back then I was still in middle school, just got back from MYA, and my family thought it would be fun to visit the Fatahillah Museum*. And you know what, 12 years ago.. this place was STRANDED!! Nobody even cares to visit this place. Nowadays, thanks to this historical community, Fatahillah Square is more like an open public space. There were tons of small cook shops, cafes, and everything. You can find lots of vendors selling es potong/es lilin. There's a group of reog *you know like gypsian* that do a Kuda Lumping show every hour. If you'd like to explore the sceneries around this square you can always rent an onthel bike, complete with the nonik-and-sinyo** hat. And if you're tired, you can rest at the Batavia Cafe, it's a bit pricey but very cozy. I love how they design the interior, plus they have a good&friendly performers that sing old school songs *I mean real old school like from the 50s or 60s*


**this is how they used to call a boy or a girl, that comes from the indo-deutsch heredity.

Saya dalam Sepotong Piringan

Kira2 tujuh hari yang lalu, saya datang ke kantor di awal minggu dengan hati yang riang gembira, siap untuk menyambut lima hari kerja ke depan. Seperti biasa, setelah menyalakan komputer yang disediakan oleh kantor. Saya colokkan hard disk external yang berisikan hampir semua data mulai dari personal hingga profesional, hobi hingga kewajiban, pentinghingga tidak penting. Cukup kaget, ketika setelah beberapa lama, hard disk saya tidak ter-detect2. Setelah colok cabut colok cabut berkali2, mulai dari komputer kantor, komputer temen, hingga laptop pribadi yang kebetulan saya bawa. Akhirnya saya menyerah, tampaknya hard disk ini harus diservis. Khawatir juga, karena di dalamnya banyak berisi data yang belum *tidak berniat juga* saya back up *karena terlalu yakinnya dengan umur hard disk yang akan tahan sampe saya tua*.
Bekerja di kantor dengan data seadanya sempet bikin saya gregetan. Haruskah saya mengulang semua sampling yang telah saya lakukan?? Rasanya ingin memukul2 meja sambil menginjak2 lantai. Tapi dengan ketekunan merekap kembali apa yang telah saya lakukan, sedikit demi sedikit saya mulai tenang.
FYI Salah satu data penting di hard disk saya selain file kantor adalah, foto2 saya selama lima tahun terakhir. Semuanya komplit saya simpan di situ. Oleh karena itu saya ngotot untuk recover data, selain demi file kantor juga demi file foto2 itu. Waktu saya datang ke tukang servis, dia bilang, drivenya bisa kebaca, mau langsung dicopy atau tidak? Dengan senang hati saya bilang ya.. copy semua. Ketika saya cek.. alhamdulillah folder foto2 saya komplit. Tetapi ketika saya buka lagi di rumah, makjan.. ternyata tidak semua fotonya tercopy, dan tidak semua subfolder juga ada.
Mungkin saya terlalu melankolis, terlalu senang bernostalgia. Tapi mau gimana lagi, kok rasanya seperti kehilangan separuh identitas diri ya?
Tiba-tiba saya ingat cerita Michael Oher dalam film Blindside. Michael ingin punya SIM padahal punya mobil saja tidak. Motivasinya: I want something to carry with my name on it.
Ah.. Apakah benar, saya hanya terdefinisikan dalam ribuan foto yang tersimpan dalam sekeping piringan data? Ketika tadi saya mengunjungi jasa data recovery lainnya, saya cuma berpikir, maybe it's time to let go. Time to make new memories.. Walaupun begitu saya masih berharap banyak foto-foto tersebut dapat kembali utuh. Karena tiap kali saya melihat foto saya bertoga, saya akan ingat betapa menyenangkannya hari ketika saya diwisuda, ketika melihat pantai pasir putih dengan gradasi laut biru muda, saya akan ingat betapa indahnya ujung kulon hari itu, atau ketika saya berdiri di atas bukit berbatu, saya akan ingat betapa bangganya menginjakkan kaki di puncak gunung.
Wajarkah jika saya mendefinisikan diri saya dalam ribuan foto yang tersimpan dalam sekeping piringan data?

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

~Henley

Not over till I say it's over, which means it'll never be over..

Menginjakkan Kaki di Ujung Selatan Sumatra

If I had a scarlet letter, I think it would be a "T" for "travelling". Well, it's undeniably true, that whenever I had the chance to, I would not say no to a travelling invitation. And three weeks ago I had a chance to finally set foot on the Sumatra island *although only to the tip of it*. I had been making plans to visit Sumatra for ages. Starting from nagging a best friend of mine to free up her weekend just to take me around Lampung up to nagging my parents to once in a while make holiday trip to Padang instead of Jogja *again!!*. And each plan just went blah, because something more important always came up.

But three weeks ago, the plan to visit Lampung finally executed. Although I almost missed the bus due to excessive traffic jam on the road from Bandung to Jakarta, and I did not see dolphin's tail on the way from Merak to Bakauheni or Bakauheni to Merak *forget about even going to the dock, I'm too sleepy to even notice that the boat is sailing already*, but I really enjoyed the picnic on the beach.

I found Lampung pretty easy to reach. It's a 7 hours road trip *without traffic jam and long queuing line at port* from Jakarta. You only have to spend IDR 109.000 for a business class DAMRI ticket (leaving&arriving from Gambir) or a minimum of IDR 165.000 using door to door shuttle bus. And when you come at the right season, you'll find cheap and perfectly ripe from the tree Durian. Unfortunately, this time I only had a chance to visit Lampung for a day. Therefore I only got to enjoy the scenery of Merak Blantung *via Krakatoa Nirwana Resort, entrance fee IDR 25.000*, enhance culinary experience by eating at Bakso Soni, and buy some typically Lampung snack and coffee. But it is dully noted that I'll visit Lampung again someday, spend longer time, and actually go to every interesting places they got.

Experimenting the One Stop Motion

I had fun killing Sunday by making this movie. Hopefully you had fun watching it as well. Lighten up people!!

warning: you may find some scenes really alay-ic. Then again maybe we all have that little alay in us, screaming to get out. hahahaha..
Background song, courtesy of The Islands' Don't call me Whitney, Bobby.

Why I'm (so damn) in Love with Jason

I always believe that music is a way to express feelings. For me, great musics are the one that can create moods. Just by listening to the intro you'll find that the air around you suddenly change. There's some addicting harmony that suffocates you. Yes.. suffocating, yet.. exhilarating.
I also believe, music with a good concept will come not only with great arrangements but great lyrics. Words and words that melt like chocolate in your mouth. Not only it rhymes, but kinda poetic and sarcastic. Sometimes it's like listening to a tall tale. And music should be telling stories, with or without words.
Why I'm so damn in love with Jason. Because he got the full package. Addicting harmony and striking lyrics. So don't blame me if I end up filling this post with quotation from JM musics. hahaha..gotcha..

It takes a thought to make a word
And it takes some words to make an action
It takes some work to make it work
It takes some good to make it hurt
It takes some bad for satisfaction
It takes a night to make it dawn
And it takes some old to make you young
It takes some cold to know the sun
It takes the one to have the other
And it takes no time to fall in love
But it takes you years to know what love is
It takes some fears to make you trust
It takes those tears to make it rust
It takes the dust to have it polished
~Life is Wonderful

I used to think I could sit and wait for the times
but they won't come until I meet them halfway
~Halfway Home

and it's okay if you have go away
just remember the telephone works both ways
and if I never ever hear it ring
if nothing else I'll think the bells inside
have finally found you someone else and that's okay
cause I'll remember everything you sang
~You and I Both

When I fall in love, I take my time
There's no need to hurry when I'm making up my mind
You can turn off the sun, but I'm still gonna shine
And I'll tell you why
Because
The remedy is the experience
This is the dangerous liaison I says
The comedy is that it's serious
This is a strange enough new play on words
I say the tragedy is how you're gonna spend
the rest of your nights with the light on
So shine the light on all of your friends
Well it all amounts to nothing in the end
I won't worry my life away
~The Remedy

We're so worried about saving our souls
Afraid that God will take His toll
That we forget to begin
Who will save your soul when it comes to the flower
Who will save your soul after all the lies that you told, boy
Who will save your soul if you won't save your own?
~Who will Save Your Soul (okay.. this is actually a Jewel song *also my favorite singer* but the hell, she sings a duet version of this song with JM. Live!)

If it's a broken part, replace it
But, if it's a broken heart then brace it
If it's a broken heart then face it
~Details in the Fabric

What a beautiful mess, this is
It's like taking a guess when the only answer is "Yes"
~A Beautiful Mess

This Week's Movie Marathon

It's been a while since my last superb cineplex movie marathon. Then again, I never had a great cineplex movie marathon until yesterday. Okay, I don't if it's because the movies I picked really live up to my expectation, or that I was just in a really good hedonic mood that I don't care how the movies go as long as I had a night out. Anyway, got a chance to watch three movies yesterday using my Yaris "buy one get one ticket" promo. And the cineplex movie marathon is so on.

1. Alice in Wonderland


It's not a secret anymore. One of my favorite director would be.. Tim Burton. yes!! So when I heard that he'll be doing an interpretation of Alice in Wonderland (which happens to be my stereotypically Disney favorite story), you'd guess the first thing I do when the movie played on the theater. Off to cineplex we go..
And it was as I expected. Big line of the story still about Alice having an identity crisis. Dreaming of so much yet expected to be so little. Running away to the Underland (Wonderland) while being proposed by a snobbish geek and being watched by hundreds of guests waiting for her to say yes, just to find that she's expected to kill the horrible Jabberwocky and ends the era of the Red Queen reign. I remembered what the White Queen said to Alice when the time has come, "you don't have to please anybody, do what you think is right" (okay.. i actually forget word by word but it sounds something like that. hehe..). Although I find the White Queen a bit fake (seriously I think she's meant to be portrayed that way), but she got a point there. We, out of all things in this world, has the freedom to chose.
And I guess although not featured in the movie, the infamous conversation of Alice and the cheshire cat still relate to it.



Alice: Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?
The Cat: That depends a good deal on where you want to get to
Alice: I don’t much care where.
The Cat: Then it doesn’t much matter which way you go.
Alice: …so long as I get somewhere.
The Cat: Oh, you’re sure to do that, if only you walk long enough.




2. Up In The Air


What's in your backpack?
Well that's a question you never think you have to worry about. Apparently to Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) what's in his backpack is his way of life. When you put what matters most in your life to the backpack, not only it will be filled with a lot of stuff but it will also weigh more. To Bingham this filled backpack is carrying him down, just an agony to his shoulder, and it needs to be burned down. Being a high mobile exec (he kinda has a job that made him flew around the world, but he's not a pilot, okay..), he got no strings attached, basically dead to his sisters, and his life mission is to hit 10million miles. When a new system is being implemented to the company where he worked. Bingham is about to be grounded for good. And that irritates him.
What I found ironic about the movie is Bingham itself. He's a typical egocentric kind of guy (I guess no wonder, because his job is to fired people). His relationship is with his job, because having a relationship with human is just so unbearable. The twist is, when he finds out that he's been living an empty life this past few years, and ready to settle, he's thrown back into the hole.



3. My Name Is Khan


Post the 9/11 tragedy, we've seen a lot of movies (which felt like propaganda to me) fighting the middle east, bringing up the heroism of the troopers, digging holes to find Osama, and all the yadda-yadda that goes around it. Well, MNIK *abbr. My Name Is Khan*, is a movie that brought another side of it (FYI it is so out of the Indian movie stereotype). A story about guy with asperger's syndrom, going across USA just to find the president and tell him "My name is Khan, I'm not a terrorist".
Personally, this is a recommended movie by me. What will move you, is the story behind the action. Why should Khan tell this to the president? Believe me, the story itself will dry out your tears (yup..it happens to everybody).
At the beginning of the movie, Khan's mother told him that there is only two kind of people in this world, the good guy and the bad guy, and this is shown by his deeds. And in this world constantly filled with assumptions, hate, and differences. Sometimes we just got to remember, that there's actually only two kinds of people in this world. We really don't have the right to judge.

Bravo for the movies!! Hopefully many more good movies to come!!

Resep Untuk Sukses

Disclaimer: Resep berikut di ambil dari resensi blogger tentang buku Man Jadda Wa Jadda

Resep untuk sukses:

1. Man Shabara Zhafira

Siapa yang bersabar akan beruntung. Jangan risaukan penderitaan hari ini, jalani saja dan lihatlah apa yang akan terjadi di depan. Karena yang kita tuju bukan sekarang, tapi ada yang lebih besar dan prinsipiil, yaitu menjadi manusia yang telah menemukan misinya dalam hidup.


2. Going the extra miles

Tidak menyerah dengan rata-2. Kalau orang lain belajar 1 jam, dia akan belajar 5 jam.


3. Jangan pernah mengizinkan unsure luar mempengaruhi diri kita

Siapa pun, apa pun, dan suasana bagaimana pun. Artinya jangan mau sedih, marah, kecewa dan takut karena ada faktor luar. Kalian lah yang berkuasa atas diri sendiri, jangan serahkan kekuasaan pada orang lain. Orang boleh menodongs enapan, tapi kita punya pilihan, untuk takut atau tetap tegar (berpikir). Kita punya pilihan di lapisan diri paling dalam dan itu (hati) tidak ada hubungannya dengan pengaruh luar.


4. Berikanlah yang terbaik yang kita bisa untuk lingkungan di sekitar

Seperti kata hadist terkenal, “Bila kamu melihat kemungkaran, ubahlah dengan tanganmu, kalau tidak mampu, ubahlah dengan kata-2, kalau tidak mampu juga, ubahlah dengan hatimu.”
Jangan berharap akan ada perubahan, kalau diri kita sendiri belum berubah (menjadi yang lebih baik).


5. Selalu berbakti kepada orangtuamu, terutama kepada ibumu yang melahirkan, menyusuimu dan membesarkan dengan penuh hati. Seperti hadist lainnya, ridha ibu adalah surga untuk kita semua



6. Jangan putus asa dengan segala ujian yang datang

Ingatlah bahwa dengan prinsip ‘imtihan nihai’ ujian di atas ujian. Ujian ini bukan hanya membuktikan seberapa banyak ilmu yang telah diserap otak, tapi juga membuktikan seberapa kuat kita melawan tekanan waktu, kebosanan, psikologis dan fisik. Niscaya, siapa yang bisa mengatasi semua faktor ‘sakti’ itu maka dia akan menjadi pemenang dalam hidup yang sesungguhnya.

Membaca resep di atas saya jadi ingat apa yang dikatakan seseorang dengan niat untuk light up the spark. Satu pesan yang singkat namun sarat makna "Don't take things for granted". Kadang kita berhenti bertanya ketika seseorang berkata "memang begitu adanya". Kadang kita juga berhenti mencoba ketika seseorang berkata "we've tried that idea five years ago". Tapi kata2 tersebut memang bukan alasan untuk berhenti. Kesempatan tidak datang dua kali. Never quit on the first hurdle. Even if you stumble, there's still a chance for you to win the race.

Unperfect

We are not a perfect company, but we realize we're not perfect. If you're looking for perfection then you'll be disappointed with us. ~My Boss

Ini dia yang boss saya bilang, di hari pertama secara official saya bergabung di timnya. Saya jadi ingat juga apa yang dibilang kakak kelas saya di salah satu iklan kampus, yang intinya adalah belajar untuk mengetahui plus minus diri sendiri kita sendiri. Dari situ, kita akan tau apa yang cocok untuk kita, bagaimana membawa diri kita, dan menghilangkan ketergantungan. Menyadari kekurangan kita, berarti mengetahui apa yang ingin kita kembangkan, dengan begitu menambah tujuan kita dalam melakukan segala aktivitas.
Seperti kata produk kecantikan "Nobody's perfect".. but the absence of perfection makes room for improvement.

Selamat menjalani hari yang lebih produktif.

I'm (really) yours

If you think life's not fair
Just because everything comes in pair
And you're left all alone
With nothing to hold on
If you think it is such a waste
Just because everybody could not careless
Then you've forgotten that secret of ours
Truth be told I am (really) yours



p.s. Gawd, this kid is soo..cute, doesn't care what words he was singing, he just enjoy the melody&harmony. love it so much!!!^^

Mayang on The Air: 90's Playlist

If we go way back. I mean really really way back when. Like when I was a teenager or ABG (that's what my people call it). Well, you're probably in your early 20s, or late 20s, or 50s, or whatever.. Just remember, remember that day when you feel like Mtv ruled your days. Going straight home just to see Mtv Land *proud that it was hosted by such cool Indonesian vjs* and Most Wanted. Way back when reality shows for Mtv means sending a bunch of teenagers on a road trip to go around the world *instead of some 90210 dramas or some brats spending their father's money for an extravagant sweet 16*. Sending postcards just to get goodies from artist of the month. You even got their hitlist noted in the journal *okay.. this has come to a point where it gets creepy*. Bottom line is.. you just can't live without it. And today, when I was watching StarWorld's ad, they were using a backsound that just triggers the memory. So here comes my 90's playlist, to accompany your late night works.

1. Suede - She's in Fashion (actually I like positivity better, but since it was not released until the 2000s so I thought better stick with the theme here. heheh..)
   
2. Blur - Coffee&TV (those of you who hates this song.. well you gotta be crazy. this is my favorite blur song and music video. seeing that milk carton walking on the street to find love is fun)
3. Alanis - Ironic (seeing 4 Alanis in a car acting lunatic is better then seeing her half half naked. besides when you feel life's a trick you just turn up this song and by the end of it you just realize that shit just happens)
4. Lisa Loeb - Stay (everytime this song got shuffled on my ipod, can't help but to repeat it)
5. Britney - Baby One More Time (hey.. you gotta love her way back when)
6. Westlife - Flying Without Wings (I remembered knowing all of their songs lyrics by heart
7. The Moffats (ah..doesn't matter what they're playing, you just loved to watch the TV when their videos were playing. Clint!! ILU!!)
8. Foo Fighters - Learn To Fly (I used to think that their videos are a bit pornographic, what a fool)
   
9. U2 - The Sweetest Thing (oooo... the sweetest thing)

Enjoy!!

Listen

When I ask you to listen to me

And you start giving advice,
You have not done what I asked.
When I ask you to listen to me and
you begin to tell me why I shouldn’t feel that way,
you are trampling on my feelings.
When I ask you to listen to me
and you feel you have To do something to solve my problems
you have Failed me, strange as that may seem.
Listen, All I asked was that you listen – Not talk or do, Just hear me.
~Ralph Roughton, M.D.

Banyak yang berpikir bahwa "mendengarkan" hanyalah aktivitas bagi telinga untuk menangkap suara-suara yang ada di sekitarnya. Padahal, jika hanya menangkap suara, maka telinga hanyalah mendengar. Sedangkan "mendengarkan" merupakan kegiatan yang jauh lebih rumit dari itu. Mendengarkan merupakan seni, seni untuk mendengar menggunakan telinga, mata, dan hati.

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Saya jadi ingat. Berdasarkan pengalaman pribadi niy, seringkali, ketika seorang teman mendatangi kita dengan curhatannya. Apa yang kita lakukan? Biasanya ketika curhatannya berkaitan dengan seseorang (boss, teman, dll), kita pasti akan langsung dengan seru menyambut curhatannya. Bagaikan tukang sate yang dengan semangat mengipasi bara api. Lain lagi dengan curhatan tentang masalah pekerjaan kantor, sekolah, atau ketidakpuasan-ketidakpuasan lainnya, pasti kita akan langsung menjawabnya dengan nasihat-nasihat, contoh pengalaman pribadi, atau solusi-solusi yang menurut kita harus dilakukan. Ketika seseorang datang ke depan muka kita, dengan emosi yang meluap-luap, pasti kita akan mengkalikan luapan-luapan emosi itu hingga jadi puting beliung emosi.
Dan setelah saya pikir-pikir. Mungkin.. *mungkin loh ya.. mungkin..* jika kita meluangkan sedikit waktu dan meredakan secuil emosi untuk mencoba mendengarkan, mungkin tidak terlalu banyak orang di sekeliling kita yang akan merasa sengsara. Yang selalu putus-nyambung-putus-nyambung *seperti lagu yang terkenal itu* sama pacarnya, yang tau2 hengkang dari pekerjaannya yang mapan, atau mungkin serta merta memutuskan tali silaturahmi sama kita.

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It's called empathical listening, atau bahasa tanah airnya mendengarkan dengan empati. Ini adalah keterampilan baru yang sedang saya coba untuk saya terapkan. Yah sebetulnya empathical listening bukan sebuah bentuk keterampilan tapi lebih kepada sikap kita ketika mendengarkan orang lain bicara. Ketika seseorang meminta untuk didengar, kita tidak perlu menyediakan segudang nasihat, atau kata2 penghibur *seperti yang biasa kita lakukan*. Yang perlu kita lakukan hanyalah, mendengar, mencerna, kemudian merefleksikan kembali kata2 mereka dengan kata2 kita sendiri. Dengan melakukan ini kita memahami apa yang ingin mereka sampaikan, what they want us to understand. As we listen, and our tongue does not deafened us so much..

it's an art to hear with your heart..

Finding Facts

The universe holds the answer

Sering saya mendengar pernyataan tersebut. Dan sekarang saya baru sadar bahwa memang semua jawaban ada di depan mata kita.

Saya jadi ingat salah satu assessment yang harus saya lewati untuk mendapatkan pekerjaan yang kata orang prestisius. Waktu itu saya diharuskan untuk menggali fakta dari si interviewer. Mirip seperti main detektif2an. Saya memang merasa seperti Grissom di CSI yang mencari clue2 dari TKP. Bedanya saya tidak bawa2 tool kit seperti mereka, cukup dengan sebuah buku, sebuah pulpen, sepasang telinga yang aktif mendengar, dan segudang pertanyaan yang terarah.
Ternyata assessment yang dilakukan waktu itu, sangat membantu saya dalam menjalankan pekerjaan saya. Waktu itu sumber informasi memang sudah jelas, karena interviewer bertindak sebagai "data bank". Tapi dalam pekerjaan sehari-hari, informasi itu tersebar di mana2. Ada di atasan, ada di bawahan, ada yang tersimpan rapi dan terdokumentasikan dengan baik, ada juga yang tidak jelas dimana. Satu yang pasti, informasi itu ada, tinggal bagaimana cara kita mendapatkannya.
Satu lagi niy yang saya ingat. Pas assessment itu, ada beberapa pertanyaan yang dijawab oleh interviewernya "sorry there's no information to that". Nah, kalo sekarang, apapun pertanyaannya pasti ada jawabannya. Bedanya, ada jawaban yang memang menjawab, tapi ada juga jawaban yang malah membuat kita bias. Kesimpulannya adalah:

If you're asking the right person the right question, then you'll get the right answer

Selamat menggali fakta di dunia nyata yang begitu luas ini. Ask why, to achieve continuous improvement.

My Latest Cravings

Actually this home-made bakery store has been there since forever, but this place is my family latest discovery. And maybe.. for awhile we'll be forgetting about the other bakery store on Djuanda Street, and start shopping here.

Presenting our newly discovered bakery store: *tada!!!*
Primarasa at Jl Kemuning, Bandung

Okay, what I like most about this store is, not only they have various kinds of sponge cakes *bolu2*, chips *potato, spinach, you name it they got it*, cheese sticks, dry garlic breads and other pastry snacks, but they also got puddings&cakes. Yes!! I love cakes!! When I see that refrigerated cake display, with various nicely decorated cakes inside, I can't help but to stare at it, and start picking the ones that look and sound delicious.
Next, it is a self help shop. The place is crowded but you don't have to nudge here and there just to get the sales girl's attention. When you get there, just get a basket, and put in everything you'd like to buy in it. When you think you've had enough just go to the cashier neatly organized with a queue barrier. Therefore you don't have to worry that someone might steal your queue.

So while you're in town, and would like to visit this shop, don't forget to try my recommended bakery&cake, which are:

• Bolu Oreo. Trust me, you'll love this. It's not too sweet, and the white sponge cake is really soft plus spongy. With strawberry jam *I think* in the middle, and oreo crumbs on top, this one would be a good snack during tea time.
• Avocado Tiramisu. Just try it!! You know how sometimes tiramisu would make you queasy if served too much, well.. you don't have to worry about this tiramisu. What I loved most about their cakes are, it is served in the right amount, not too much and not too little. Also, they always add fruit in the cakes therefore the milky/fat in the cakes won't taste too strong (maghteh), so you could enjoy it better.
• Garlic bread. Once you pop you just can't stop. haha.. oh.. you can also add this to your cream soup *if you're making one..*

Work Life Balance

30 second Speech by Bryan Dyson (CEO of Coca Cola)

Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them - Work, Family, Health, Friends and Spirit and you're keeping all of these in the Air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back.. But the other four Balls - Family, Health, Friends and Spirit - are made of glass. If you drop one of these; they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for it.

moral of the quote: find a job that takes work-life balance seriously. Not just some BS written in gold ink and nicely hang on the wall while you're still buried with tons of paper works at 9PM.

WORK EFFICIENTLY DURING OFFICE HOURS AND LEAVE ON TIME. GIVE THE REQUIRED TIME TO YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS & HAVE PROPER REST.

TANPA JUDUL

GANTI TEMPLATE..
LAGI!!
HAHAHA..