Fun Facts

Did you know that Royals tend not to use last names? I suddenly realized that I had *no* idea what Prince William's last name was. It's Mountbatten-Windsor.

Day 365

Today, a year ago. I first landed here for my passion.

Bad Mood Alert

I am so not in a good mood today. I just don't feel like smiling, beaming or even thanking the sun for shining on me. So this is my post. 

Well, by the time i publish this post. I smiled.

Say it Beach!

There are many many reasons why living in this island is such a blessings for me. The top reason is how close I reside with one of the most beautiful beach in Bali. A 10 minutes of easy walk. The breeze, the smell of the ocean, the sound of the waves. Everything. I can sit there for hours, watching birds,  little crabs crawling, and just be with the nature. Well, I have said enough. But I will not get enough of these...

Sitting, waiting, wishing for his gig in Bali

Jack Johnson

Not so much of a sweet tooth

I can be girly, I can be artsy.But one thing I know for sure,I am not a sweet tooth. I say "No thanks" for dessert at the end of my meal. Usually because I had a big course but mostly because I don't feel the urge of having sugar. I react on caffeine better if an energizing boost is needed. But this afternoon... this cloudy afternoon i got a strong strong crave for a chocolate cupcake. I don't know why. Its probably just the way of my body is saying the needs of sugar, but why it has to be specific? Chocolate cupcake. Very soft buns and a bit bitter chocolate icing on top. Arrrrghh..... ( Trust me, I am not a sweet tooth).

martha stewart devil's food

Perempuan Harus Begitu

Sepasang tangan yang handal meracik bumbu tapi siap juga tampil mulus terawat dengan kuku terpotong rapi terpoles warna merah darah.

Perempuan harus begitu.

Tapi, tak diajarkan bahwa tangan itu tak harus terus menerus menghapus airmata, tak diperingatkan bahwa tak sekalipun tangannya boleh menaburi alas bedak untuk menutupi bekas luka lebam didagu, di pipi, di bawah mata.

Terlentang saja, pejamkan mata, terima dan pura-pura nikmati saja. Jangan lupa mendesah sekali atau dua.

Perempuan harus begitu.

Tapi, tak boleh dia bertanya kalau badan yang diatas tubuhnya sudah pernah mampir kesana kemari. Tak boleh ia berkata tidak kalau memang birahinya sedang tak ada.

Tak boleh dia memutuskan berapa anak yang akan dia tenun di dalam rahimnya dan kalau ternyata dia tidak bisa, dia harus diam saat ditinggal pergi dan bersyukur kalau dia hanya dicaci. 
Oh ya, jangan lupa. Harus pula merasa “Ini salahku.”

Perempuan harus begitu.

Bibirnya mungil, dan hanya bisa mengeluarkan kata-kata manis. Harus menyudutkan senyum, sekalipun matanya berair dan hatinya nyeri. Perempuan harus begitu. 

Kalau dadanya sesak oleh kemarahan, dia lalu hanya menatapi cermin dan menyerapah. Karena ia tidak diajarkan untuk bisa bersuara. 

Dia diajari untuk kuat. Tabah dalam melakoni peran. Perempuan harus begitu. 

Tapi lupa ditambahkan bahwa kuat juga berarti mampu mengambil keputusan, kuat juga berarti berani meminta diperlakukan dengan benar dan tabah tak berarti dia hanya boleh bisu sampai luka terus terbilang.

Dia bekerja, tanpa bisa bebas menentukan mau dikemanakan upahnya. 

Dia berpelesir, diam-diam karena takut dicela.

Dia beribadah, sembunyi-sembunyi, karena tak sudi imannya dipertanyakan lagi.

Sungguh dia tidak lupa, Tuhan punya alasan menjadikkannya salah satu dari kaum hawa. Jadi dia bersujud, pamit hanya kepada Tuhannya.

Kalau dia punya anak perempuan. Yang mau ia selamatkan. Dia akan berkata; Cintai Tuhan dan dirimu dulu. Itu utama.
 
Cintai lelakimu sepenuh hati,  
tapi jangan lupa cinta juga berarti boleh berkata "Tidak." Atau bahkan sekedar "Sudah, berhenti."
 

Kalau dia punya anak perempuan, dia mau bilang;

Impian bukan hanya sebatas jadi pendamping pangeran. 
Dan harapanmu tak sekedar kelak dipandang wajar kaum lelaki, pun sesama perempuan.

Kali ini ia sendiri yang bersuara;

Perempuan harus begitu

TBH- 2011

Walau saya tidak tahu persis jumlah perempuan masih dikondisikan seperti diatas di jaman ini. Semoga tidak banyak.

saya. perempuan yang begitu.

And Old Bastard Like Me

I read this month's Forbes Indonesia just now and as usual, flip directly to the Thoughts page. This time, its on Japan. Many interesting insights, some give you goosebumps, some seems to be a little bit overwhelming. But there is one statement that caught my heart . A bit bitter but honest. A bit too proud of self but I can also sense the fear and a glimpse of willingness to repent at the same time...I don't know... the statement is leaving me hanging here and. My mind wanders off to other facts and questions in life... Maybe I can post about that later. Now, i just want to share this one. (see statement circled in red).

Response to a friend who had been worried about his whereabouts: "An old bastard like me doesn't die so easily"- Japanese Survivor

122 Years- Charlie Chaplin

"Life is a beautiful, magnificent thing, even to a jellyfish. ... The trouble is you won't fight. You've given up. But there's something just as inevitable as death. And that's life. Think of the power of the universe — turning the Earth, growing the trees. That's the same power within you — if you'll only have the courage and the will to use it"

Calvero's (Chaplin's character) answer to Terry's question: "What is there to fight for?" in Limelight (1952) '.

Pixar's wisdom

I have seen most of Pixar's production. But their collections of short films? Top notch genius! The way they create something so entertaining, inspiring, rich with values and sum it up to a 5 minutes duration of movie is just amazing! Yes I am a big time cartoon/ animation movie aficionado. It runs in the family I guess. We keep that little child soul alive and we can torch it up whenever we want to.

This one is my favorite, "Partly Cloudy"  .What I versed from the movie is , sometimes, you cannot control what life offers you. But, it is the eagerness to gear up and to keep on going that counts and make life is worth the shot. Like this one cute stork; Peck, who enlivens the honorable attitude when he has to stand by Gus- a cloud character who keeps giving him "not so cuddly babies" for Peck to deliver.

Pixar short films , Jádore!

other people's life may seems like a walk in the park

whilst yours?...

there comes a time when you even wish for a lemon!

but you don't stumble. you don't give up. you just shake it off.

AND. you gear up.seriously

because you know you need to carry on...and because you can

A Walk with a view

This view caught my eyes on my way to lunch at the hotel where I work for. Simply a breath taking blue sky. I am easily amazed by nature, no matter how simple. I can laugh in happiness watching a squirrel set by a tree munching over a peanut, I can be in such euphoria spotting a bird nest. So, this one I consider as a teeny perk of nature during the day. May not be very grand, but i thanked the nature for it. And God, of course. (I took the picture with my blackberry phone camera,no editing whatsoever. Imagine how a DSLR camera will capture it) .Anyway... It feels good to be grateful for simple things. Hope you are too...

Wed. Apr 132011

The many languages of HOPE

from howies

Must read more read more

Honestly... I should have been able to read more now that I am residing in Bali. Traffic does not eat my time as much as when I was in Jakarta and here, it took only 5 minutes to commute from home to work. However, the beach has taken more of my time and attention and I don't read book at the beach. I just don't.
I treat my books like my babies. I covered them tidily with this clear plastic wrap before I start reading them. I even do that to my Reader's Digest collection. So I am a bit OCD like that. Never once you will see me taking my reading collection to a place I consider will risk them to get dirty or wet .

Unfortunately, from January to now, I only managed to read The Color Purple by Alice Walker. 

Then I notice if I jot down a list, it will most probably get done. Like a must have or a must do or a must read. 

Now, here is the list of books I want to read. Badly.
ps: I don't have any of these three yet. Some are not even in Bali or Jakarta up to this day, so if you happen to be in Singapore... feel free to wrap these up for me; ) xx

update: November 18th 2011. I got 2 of the first items! Yay!

Style Guide from The Economist

I am always attracted to a legally challenged book

You are what you speak. Right?

One Fine Day

My little brother is in Bali with his office team for a seminar. But we have secured this Sunday afternoon to meet up and catch up on things. It has been a few months and I miss him so much... So, despite the rain that is pouring during the day, we had a great time. We had lunch, had a drink at one of my favorite place in Bali (so far); potato head beach club, got to swim at the hotel where he stays, shop a little and of course, enclosed our day with dinner- our fave babi guling.

Here are some pictures I can share from today.

you say potato i say potatah?

two laps only. too lazy.

oh this is to replace "all" the fat burnt from the swimming :))

Versatile Fashion

My blog is like my diary. So I don't have to stick with one genre. It is who I am. I can be deep, I can be witty. I can post about a nobel prize winning but I can also talk about love, food or even fashion. :)

I recently spot this classic, versatile yet chic denim jacket on one of my "guilty pleasure" web, people .Yes, the fashion and hollywood casts site. The jacket Nicole Richie is wearing in the picture reminds me of the one I used to have. Have no idea where that one is now... been trying to find them but no result. So yes, I have been dreaming and eyeing for a denim jacket even though I currently am residing in Bali. Hey, I can always wear a shift no sleeve dress before it or a tank top  if  I want to use it for a night out or when I have to ride a long with a motor bike. There has got to be a reason :). Look how she rocks the item;

To make me even hungrier , I found another fashion icon wearing a similar jacket;

I already own a striped top and a pointy shoes

And yesterday, my sweet friend Adis Alia, asked me to go to this flea market here in Bali. I did not even know that this kind of market exist in Bali! Yes Bali is packed with art and craft store but used clothes where i can find some vintage dress?

So, after a long winding road- yes it was pretty remote, we got there and look...look what I fouuuuund....

Less than 50k (IDR)

There you go, I do not need to buy the expensive ones i have located last week. This one is just perfect. It is the one and only, and it's my size!. 

I will post a picture of me wearing that denim jacket later. Now, it is still at the laundromat. Heheheheh... Thank you Adis! 

Courage

photo by Aaron Thompson

Courage is enduring the unendurable with dignity. There are a thousand inspiring quotes and words about courage. But this one picture says it better than I could ever hope for.

Marine Staff Sergeant Marcus "Marc" Golczynski, was killed in Iraq on March 27, 2007. At his funeral in Lewisburg, Tennessee on April 4th, Daily News Journal photographer Aaron Thompson captured Marc Golczynski’s teary-eyed son, 8-year-old Christian, accepting his father's casket flag from Marine Lieutenant Colonel Ric Thompson.

I see a brave young kid in Christian's teary eyes. I see how much he needs to carry- losing someone whom he look up to as a hero.

And that is true, because later on I learn that Christian claims he wants to be a marine soldier when he grow up. Just like his father. Amen.

That, my friend, is a one big portrait of what we know as courage.

Radical Mission (Rick Warren)

Here are some thoughts from Pastor Josh Reichthe about Pastor Rick Warren's (who wrote the iconic amazing-life changing book "The Purpose Driven Life) session:

• There is nothing wrong with a small church, there is a problem with a small minded church
• The size of our vision is what God cares about, not the size of our church
• Every church must have a local and global vision (Glocal)
• Prominence and significance are not the same thing
• God needs YOU to be YOU, not someone else
• The reason leaders get discouraged because their vision isn’t big enough
• Global giant #1: Spiritual emptiness
• This means people don’t know who Jesus is, they don’t know that their lives are to last forever, that Jesus can forgive your past, give you a purpose and a home in heaven
• Spiritual emptiness causes conflict
• Global giant #2: Corrupt leadership
• This means leaders don’t understand what being a leader means, you are either selfish or humble
• The purpose of influence is to speak up for those who have no influence
• Global giant #3: Poverty
• Global giant #4: Pandemic diseases
• We need leaders who say, “enough is enough” when it comes to diseases
• Global giant #5: Illiteracy and lack of education
• The only group that can answer these 5 giants is the church
• Jesus preached reconciliation and he planted a church
• What kingdom leadership looks like (Matthew 20:25 – 26)
• Jesus assisted the poor
• Jesus cared for the sick
• Jesus educated the next generation
• Study Luke 10, Mark 9 and Matthew 10 is the P.E.A.C.E. Plan
• Plan
• The PEACE plan is ordinary people empowered by God, doing what Jesus did, together, wherever they are

Faith some more

Oh how I have stumble and have to pick my self up over and over again.
But... this one word; FAITH seems to find its way to light every single dim inside of me to be an outburst of a lighting spirit.

Yes, I have to be repeatedly reminded about  the virtue of  this word but I don't mind. Faith is a value we have to sharpen every single day ... Because trials and adversity gives you no hint or a heads up when they are about to knock you down on your feet...

Who can be sure and certain of tomorrow ? No single soul. But worrying to death is not is not going to deliver you to any final answer anyway.
You may have a big question now at this very moment (I know I am). Can I get through this? Will I ever be able to get that part? When is my turn? Why is this not getting any easier for me or my family?
I now understand that there's a time for me to leave that kind of questions working its toll. Do what is my part, and have and endless faith God will do the rest.
Err.. ya.. I can "forget"about that too sometimes, but by sharing this with you all, I can take the pleasure of being reminded about it again and again...

So, dearly beloved, if I am about to faint or gave up in life... Have no hesitation in reminding me of this one powerful word, or placing this word on my forehead.

Because I know I will do the same if you wave your hands from afar, shout at me and tell me that you are about to drown.

Lets faith some more.

from joyfultoons

Life

Life is Short

Not a feminist. But...

from oneangrygirl.net

Thou Shall Not Judge

I have had come across with people who seems to consider their actions, insights, experience as well as way and choices are the only brutal best. That may seems simple yet not criminal. But somehow, I notice that particular behavior leads you to be a judgmental person who pushes people away. Even your very own family. As for me, I admit there where times in my early youth when I think conveying what is on my mind is simply making it right. Luckily, raised by my family I soon learned that judging people is "not cool" ;p Hahaha...

On the next level, I attain that emotional robbery exist. People tend to do things they do not believe in just because they do not want to be missed interpreted. Children chose a path they are not too fond of just because that is the only way to make their parents appreciates them. People stay in a legal bound condition, even when their heart says no, even when its destructive, because they are too afraid of the labeling others may throw. I don't experience that from my so called family. Therefore, I consider myself so very lucky.

Someday, if I ever enter a parenthood force, I hope I have the courage to do so. I say courage, because not judging takes a lot of guts. Let's study and practice that from now. And while we are here,  so far, these are the cute, funny and honest images I can share on the subject.  Namaste.

understand?

hahaha :p

so.very.true

Bukan Tentang Luther

This one is dedicated to my youngest brother , may God always grant His blessings towards my brother's life and journey ahead...

Hari ini enam tahun yang lalu.. Saya melihat kamu menangis. Badanmu yang mulai menjulang dan tegap seperti tersulap menjadi ringkih...Semangat dan keceriaanmu yang tiba-tiba seperti meredup.. Impianmu yang saat itu seperti terhempas. Karena kamu tak percaya. Karena kamu ditinggalkan tiba-tiba.

Tidak mudah melihatmu tumbuh semakin dewasa, sebagai satu-satunya lelaki di keluarga taman ria kita, tanpa sosok seorang bapak. tidak mudah mengerti duniamu, tidak mudah menebak isi pikiranmu.

Tapi, sungguh.. Tuhan mencintaimu... Yang kami saksikan selama ini adalah anugerah dan berkat tiada tara, melihatmu bertumbuh matang dan pastinya kamu sungguh penuh kebaikan hati.Seperti kekasih hati kita yang telah pergi...

Kamu bukan hanya menjadi teladan bagi sekitarmu, tapi kamu membuktikan pada dunia bahwa kamu bisa, karena rencana hidupmu kamu serahkan pada Tuhan...

Beberapa kali kamu kecewa, kami bukan tidak tahu.. Beberapa kali kamu harus lebih bersabar, kami bukan tidak mendoakanmu...

Catatan ini, untuk kamu, adik bungsu. Untuk mengingatkan kamu bahwa airmatamu enam tahun lalu... mungkin akan kamu teteskan lagi. Untuk alasan lain, untuk luka yang lain.Baik menjadi lelaki atau perempuan sejati , saat ini.. bukan perkara mudah, dan kita tak lagi bisa menyerahkan nasib pada teladan. Karena mungkin sampai saat ini, teladan pengganti itu tak pernah ada dalam kamus kita...Sejak kekasih hati kita pergi. Enam tahun yang lalu.

Catatan ini bukan untuk mengenang dia. Karena dia sudah berbahagia disana.

Catatan ini adalah buat yang masih tinggal.... Terutama untuk kamu... Yang akan tumbuh menjadi semakin dewasa... dalam Tuhan saja.

ps: and we are so damn proud of you brother!

Isaac my brother

Isaac and I at our family weekend getaway