... It ain't over till it's over

11-11-11

2011-12-12T12:34:00.003+07:00

What does a day mean to you?Most people will probably answer that a day may just be another ordinary day. But if the question is "what does 11-11-11 (November 11, 2011) mean to you?", many will say that it's a special day to them. It's human nature to try to differentiate oneself from others for the sake of creating a self identity. This includes picking a memorable date such as 11-11-11 for a

A(n) (un)worthy fight

2011-12-02T21:29:00.009+07:00

A week has passed yet my mind still lingered on what happened last Friday at Pacific Place, Jakarta. That day there was a sale of BlackBerry Bold 9790 (or fancily called BlackBerry Bellagio) at 50% discount (means the price slashed down to Rp 2.3 million or around USD 255) for the first 1,000 buyers. It's a new series of BlackBerry and the producer had decided to make the first launch in

Secret Garden

2011-11-18T18:25:00.017+07:00

Was a non believer, now a believer. I am talking about my recent fancy in the Korean drama "Secret Garden". I used to question why there are so many fans of this drama when the synopsis says:The drama tells the story of Kim Joo Won (Hyun Bin), a seemingly perfect man who hides an arrogant and eccentric side, and Gil Ra Im (Ha Ji Won), a stunt woman whose beauty and body are the object of envy

F5

2011-11-03T12:27:00.003+07:00

Whenever I see pictures of my son, I can't believe it's already more than a year since he was born. Everyday it feels as if it were only yesterday that I carried his fragile body, with my mind constantly filled with worry and fear whether I had done things right when it came to taking care of him or whether I would be able to consistently take good care of him. Having been a perfectionist (not

Four months away

2010-05-30T20:30:00.002+07:00

Gosh, it's so hot now. Even the air con can't cool off the room temperature. Is the dry season finally here? I don't really enjoy it, but having rain everyday is something I dislike either. Rain makes the journey home from office so frustating, because the traffic jam will get much much worse. To be in constant dry weather like now is not enjoyable too; You get drenched in sweat so fast that the

And the way you look tonight

2010-01-27T20:31:00.002+07:00

Someday, when I'm awfully low,When the world is cold,I will feel a glow just thinking of youAnd the way you look tonight.Happy birthday, honey.And here's a cheer for our anniversary.May our love stand strong come rain or shine...Lovely ... never, ever change.Keep that breathless charm.Won't you please arrange it?'cause I love you ... just the way you look tonight.

One year anniversary

2010-01-15T23:46:00.003+07:00

I've been trying to start doing something new every year. In 2009, my ex-colleague (she has resigned now) told me about Postcrossing. It's a community web which helps its members to send and receive postcards to and from all over the world. I used to collect postcards and stamps when I was still in elementary school and I had fun, so restarting the hobby has been easy to do.Today is exactly one

So the drama

2009-06-27T14:42:00.026+07:00

It was for me another evening of queueing for the transjakarta heading Ragunan a.k.a. heading my way home. Except that I was quite dizzy at that time. Perhaps I was a bit overwhelmed by the stress from works.Or perhaps the cause stood next to me. You see, standing next to me in the line was a girl who was talking animatedly over her cell phone to someone which I assumed to be her boyfriend (or

He's just not into you

2009-06-20T23:04:00.005+07:00

But sometimes, we're so focused on finding our happy ending,we don't learn how to read the signs:how to tell the ones who want us from the ones who don't,the ones who will stay from the ones who will leave...I've just finished watching the DVD of the movie "he's just not that into you." Oh, I like this movie a lot! Somehow Gigi in this movie reminds me of the old days when I embarked on the noble

Knowing

2009-04-11T03:19:00.003+07:00

Just went to the cinema and watched this movie with my husband. I guess the suspense thriller and the computer special effect are those things which make people line up to see it, thus getting the movie to top the US box office at the moment.Source: impawards.comAs for me, I was attracted by the idea of the movie, which is about how someone can predict forthcoming tragedies, because I like

Finish line - where is it?

2009-04-10T16:14:00.006+07:00

It's holiday again, today. Actually I have started having holidays since yesterday. The stock market had a day off because of the national election, and so my office had the same discretion. Today is Easter day. Another day-off.I want to shout "Yippee!" for getting such a long weekend. Who doesn't? But being a realistic person I've always been, I know I won't be able to go through these four

I do solemnly swear

2009-01-21T19:19:00.011+07:00

It sure is a blessing from Allah to be able to witness a history being made as Barack Obama took his oath to be the first African American president of the United States, yesterday (1/20). I had been sitting in front of the TV since 10.30 PM last night, watching and waiting for the main show to take place: the sworn in and the inaugural address. Obama's sworn in was quite unforgettable. If the

Upsize

2009-01-20T18:19:00.006+07:00

The term 'upsize' should be familiar when you are visiting Starbucks and you are using BCA credit card to pay your coffee, because that's when you get to 'upsize' your order. That means when you initially order a tall cup, you have the privilege to get your coffee in a bigger cup - that is grande - when paying with the BCA credit card (Why does this begin to sound more like a BCA advertisement?

Gov't officials are doing horror now?

2009-01-05T18:19:00.004+07:00

You may call me a wimp, chicken, or anything, but the truth remains that I'm not an avid fan of horror movies/stories. I always think that life has been too burdensome to live through, so why waste it with watching movies/reading stories that will create nightmares to your sleep? I can stand detective or murder theme, but never horror.It's the tense that I can't bear from a horror flick: The

2008 Trendy Styles

2008-12-30T02:35:00.003+07:00

Source: Sunday KompasThese are some cartoon works which best depict this year's trend: Wearing legging - even to your workplace (1) and taking pictures in cuttle fish-style (2). We Indonesians simply hate it if we lose one to another in the fashion battle :))

2008 Wrap-up

2008-12-29T02:52:00.004+07:00

"What do you want to accomplish in the new company?""I want to improve my writing skill, especially in English."***What do you know; this year actually brings a wonderful turn to me. After battling with my conscience, assuring and re-assuring myself that it had been a good decision to move to a new company and start everything almost from zero by being a management trainee at my age, finally I

Careless remarks

2008-12-15T18:41:00.003+07:00

I hate it when government officers make careless comments such as this one:"Elpiji ini, kenapa sampai langka karena masyarakat sudah seperti orang pacaran. Sekali sudah senang, jadinya terus-terusan deh," katanya sambil tertawa.Uh, excuse me, Sir. It's not like we were the one who were eager to switch from kerosene to gas in the first place. Wasn't it your part, the government who deliberately

Mesmerized

2008-12-07T21:13:00.003+07:00

Oh my. I never thought this book could hit me quite hard. After reading the book and watching the movie just last night, I can't spend my day today without my mind wandering back to the characters and the story. Gee, like I don't have tonnes of important things to do! I'm talking about Stephanie Meyer's Twilight. Actually I had wanted to read the book since last month when this fellow of mine

An economics lesson

2008-11-25T11:20:00.003+07:00

Last Saturday (11/22), I had to sit for a capital market examination … and it sucked! Suddenly I realize how little I have understood economics, the very subject which I should have handled quite well at least, considering I graduated from namely “Faculty of Economics” of a prestigious one (in Indonesia, at least). Moreover, with economic crisis going on and off for the last ten years (if you

Welcome back to hell

2008-10-13T18:27:00.004+07:00

After a week of smooth sailing through the main roads of Jakarta, today everyone joins the 'devil' traffic once again. What took me 45 minutes to go from my home in Pejaten to my office in Thamrin, turned into a one-hour-fifteen minute journey, this morning. Darn. Why don’t those school kids take public transportation instead of private cars? That made my supposed-to-be first day in the new

Good Representative

2008-10-06T01:51:00.002+07:00

Ooh, sometimes I hate having this oily face of mine! I know, I know. People say it’s great for me to have this kind of face because I will look old less fast than those who have normal, or worst, dry face. But it’s constant agony to have to wipe the thickening oil off my face once every half an hour and practically remove my "work of art" a.k.a. my makeup which has taken me about 15 minutes to

Double dipping

2008-07-07T19:12:00.004+07:00

I was browsing to get some ideas on dual employment when I "bumped" into this article about double dipping. Double dipping is the act of dipping your food into the sauce pot, taking a bite, and returning to the sauce pot for another dip with that same chunk of food you've been holding. My mom used to yell at me and my sister when she caught us doing it. "It's gross," my mom said. "What if you get

Whom are you kidding???

2008-06-30T14:15:00.004+07:00

Today I read this job vacancy ad posted in a mailing list:BAYER INDUSTRY ( DIBUTUHKAN SEGERA )Bayer Industry, adalah pemimpin pasar di bidang industri perlindungan tanaman (pestisida). Saat ini perusahaan membutuhkan segera tenaga profesional muda yang mempunyai motivasi tinggi untuk menduduki posisi sebagai berikut:*PRODUCTION OPERATOR*LOGISTIC ADMINISTRATION*QUALITY CONTROL*MAINTENANCE

Oh really?

2008-06-19T17:48:00.009+07:00

Sensitive Doer (SD)(Just visiting? Take the free test and determine your personality type!)Sensitive Doers are gentle, modest and reserved persons. They cope well with everyday life and like their privacy. With their quiet, optimistic nature, they are also good, sought-after listeners and other people feel well in their company. All in all, this type is the most likeable and friendliest of all

Be thankful

2008-06-12T10:15:00.005+07:00

For the last few days, it has been very cold in my office, particularly in the third floor where my cubicle is located. I guess the pouring rain and frequent shower in Jakarta have contributed to the the room temperature drop. With the air-con still blowing, I had to bear a room temperature of 21 degrees Celcius. That is cold! I have been practically shivering all the time it was raining.Having

Protest and protest... Got (better) solution?

2008-06-03T08:46:00.005+07:00

May 24, 2008 00:00I was watching Indiana Jones in Setiabudi 21. Little did I know that cars and motorcycles had formed a long line at almost all gas stations in Jakarta for hours and practically caused traffic jams everywhere. Yup, when the clock stroke midnight, the government officially announced increase in the price of all subsidized fuel. What usually took Rp4,500 to buy a liter of gasoline,

An ordeal

2008-06-02T09:01:00.004+07:00

office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart He's leaving on a jet plane(Although) I know when he'll be back againStill I hate to see him go...I know you go only for a week to Padang, but I'm missing you already.I hope things are okay with you, hun. Take care.

Long awaited movie

2008-05-23T15:45:00.007+07:00

21cineplex.comFinally, my favorite flick is on air at cinemas in Jakarta.Long live Indiana Jones!(I can even hear the soundtrack being played in my ears at this very minute!)

Grow up, man!

2008-05-16T09:16:00.005+07:00

What happened in the Morning Meeting session today would absolutely make a good headline if only our company had a newsletter or bulletin. I was not there to witness it (since I was still on the bus trying to make it to the office on time), but from what I heard, it was so shocking and tense. So here's what has happened according to my colleague's story.As always, presentation by our analysts

The problem with love

2008-05-11T20:25:00.002+07:00

“Now you can tell the difference between three-o’clock and nine-o’clock direction, Metty?” asked my friend, Donita. We were on the back seat of her car, on our way home from office. I was lucky that evening to get a free ride home (relatively free, actually, because I still needed to get on an ojek (chartered motorcycle) to reach my house) on Donita’s chauffeured Land Cruiser.“Yeah,” I smiled

When money does not lure

2008-05-10T15:51:00.006+07:00

The one topic which keeps on being discussed nowadays amont my MT (management trainee) fellows is who will be assigned to what division once this rotation we have been doing since January is over. In fact it has been discussed since we join the trainee program, but now the discussion intensifies as we are approaching the end of our rotation.When we first started the program, we have been

Am I stupid or what?

2008-04-28T08:31:00.003+07:00

The other day I had a conversation with a colleague who happens to be my junior (way way junior) back in the university. The conversation started with discussion over how students today have to cope with so many tasks. Every day there is at least one task to submit because lecturers of each subject give homework to their students."The tasks are too many. I used to trade my assignments with my

Ernest Shackleton

2008-04-14T19:01:00.007+07:00

Last week I just watched a documentary film about Sir Ernest Shackleton and his journey aboard the ship Endurance during the year 1914-1916 for an expedition to the South Pole. I am always fascinated with how great leaders were able to provide excellent example of leadership, and this person is one of those people I admire. In the following article you can read my short story in Bahasa Indonesia

As always

2008-04-14T08:54:00.003+07:00

Last Friday, I brought home some of works in the hope of getting them - or at least the majority of them - done. All to no avail, however, because I never stopped finding reasons to keep myself busy and away from working on them, reasons such as washing my clothes, shopping, dining out with my husband, going to my parent in law's home, and of course, sleeping and waking up late. And it was just

Changes

2008-04-04T19:50:00.004+07:00

Explaining some of the changes I'm going through.You are The TowerAmbition, fighting, war, courage. Destruction, danger, fall, ruin.The Tower represents war, destruction, but also spiritual renewal. Plans are disrupted. Your views and ideas will change as a result.The Tower is a card about war, a war between the structures of lies and the lightning flash of truth. The Tower stands for "false

No longer the same

2008-04-03T23:14:00.002+07:00

I was standing in a line to get my groceries to the cashier. Everything was normal at the grand hypermarket that day. Moms were busy with their groceries and their kids, either getting another pack of sugar for the family’s monthly consumption or trying to tame down their kids’ sudden hunger for snacks and candy bars they saw on TV the other day. Girls were talking loudly while browsing at the

Senangnya

2008-01-25T08:36:00.000+07:00

Senang sekali rasanya melihat angka-angka yang tertera di layar klik BCA pagi ini.Pay day, man. Pay day. :)

Let's go home!

2008-01-23T17:50:00.000+07:00

I'm so happy because I get to go home on time this week. By "on time" I mean I can leave at 5.30-6.30 PM. Just when I need it, this rare chance comes by. Alhamdulillaah...

Just admit it

2008-01-23T09:40:00.000+07:00

This week my team and I are being rotated to the BUMN [Badan Usaha Milik Negara or state-owned enterprise (SOE)] Research Center unit. Our main task during our rotation in the unit is to help prepare the BUMN monthly newsletter.During my time doing my work - which I find quite boring because what I do is just collecting data & information on CEO's profile of several SOEs and turning it into a

Do you have the guts?

2008-01-22T07:54:00.000+07:00

It's only 8:07 and my colleagues are already rattling on the gloomy stock market. No wonder, with the index's nerve-wrecking fluctuations since last week, those who have buy positions are scoring losses. Some are already getting margin call for their leveraged buy.In fact, the buzz is not happening in this country only. Everybody in almost all corners of the world who invests in the stock market

I am old(er) now

2007-12-19T16:58:00.000+07:00

When I graduated from my undergraduate study, I remember I went to work feeling young and fresh, ready to take anything coming on my way with so much eagerness and curiosity. As a newbie, I was not alone at that time. I was admitted along with some others and I was the youngest back then. Having been almost always the youngest whenever I go (I was among the youngest people among my batch when I

Gov't on the Tree Man Case:Protect: OK; Solution: Null

2007-11-27T18:20:00.001+07:00

Last week a friend forwarded an e-mail to me. In it was attached a picture of a man in his late thirties in one of the sorriest state I had ever seen in my life. His hands and feet seem to have grown into something like tree roots. No fingers were seen from those pairs of hands and feet. There were just "roots" as his hands and feet. Really, it was a most terrible sight. But little did I know

Another Weekend Full of Extravaganzas

2007-11-22T18:43:00.000+07:00

Last weekend it turned out I couldn't make it to Butet's monologue performance, but I still made it to make a visit to Indocomtech and Indonesia Book Fair on Sunday. I did not make any purchase at all at the two exhibitions, yet the visit was a satisfying one in terms of the fact that I managed to attend to several agendas that day.In a couple of days, another weekend will arrive and many

This weekend's choices of fun

2007-11-14T20:54:00.000+07:00

This weekend the people of Jakarta will have more varieties of fun to pick as many interesting events are held and they are ranging from art to books and computer.If you're a music lover, jazz especially, you would probably like to spend your Sunday watching several top notch jazz bands or singers performing at the annual Jazz Goes to Campus. The 30th event will be held in UI's Depok campus.

Welcome ... (hell) traffic jams?!@#?

2007-11-14T19:01:00.000+07:00

My, my. How time flies. It was in August the last time I posted something on this blog, and now it's November already! Surely many things happened during the interval. In September, came Ramadan, and in October, we said good bye to the month of fasting and welcomed the new lunar month with the grandeur of Eid Mubarak (or Eid-el Fitr) festival day.And now we're already coming half way of the month

Taking it up to another level

2007-08-31T12:32:00.000+07:00

It's interesting to realize how much I've learned about life and things for the past five years. Just when you think you get a good grasp of something, something else is coming your way which forces you to repel your own confidence and gasp to find out that you actually know nothing. There are layers of sky to be found beyond what is seemingly the highest sky to reach. Ah, we humans are indeed

Major brand faces business threat from local biz

2007-08-30T17:29:00.000+07:00

Source: UnknownA 101-on-Benchmarking case study

Toll blessing

2007-08-29T09:57:00.000+07:00

Senangnya pagi ini jalanan cukup 'sepi'. Thanks to the new toll tariff, perhaps?

Blackle = Google ; Google ≠ Blackle

2007-08-23T18:31:00.000+07:00

I know about Blackle for the first time from someone's posting on a mailing list. It's the black version of Google. I'm not being a racist here, but that explains the searching engine quite literally. It is said that Blackle saves energy because the screen is predominantly black. There's even a theory saying that this Black Google would save 750 Megawatt-hours a year.I (almost)

A letter to J.K. Rowling

2007-08-23T11:28:00.000+07:00

Dear Ms. Rowling,I've just finished reading your infamous latest novel, Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows. I know, thousands of people have been through with your novel for ages and they may have winced at me the moment they read my statement, but alas, buying a book in my country is a luxury to many (including me). I must wait for some time before I could lay my hands on your book and believe

Bule-bule Pada Lieur

2007-08-22T14:27:00.000+07:00

Hotels and bars on Indonesia's resort island of Bali have been hit by an alcohol shortage due to an import problem, officials said Monday. The tourism industry is worried that the shortages could impact the number of foreign visitors, said Djinaldi Gosana, executive director of the Bali Hotel Association.We draw out the spirits and there goes the Bules in the state of mess. *winkFor details, read

Prime Minister to the rescue

2007-08-22T14:09:00.000+07:00

Yuri Sato, a researcher at the Institute of Developing Economies of the Japan External Trade Organization on the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono:"Japan and Indonesia can complement each other. By forming a partnership, Japan and Indonesia are trying to avoid the situation where their markets are

Ayo, Rek!

2007-08-16T19:15:00.000+07:00

Menjelang libur akhir pekan yang panjang, tiba-tiba saya jadi kangen pada kota kelahiran saya. Saking kangennya sampai pingin nyanyi:Rek ayo rek mlaku mlaku nang tunjunganRek ayo rek rame rame bebarenganMangan tahu jo' dicampur nganggo timunMalam minggu gak apik digowo nglamunNgalor ngidur liwat toko numpak motorMasih untung nyenggal nyenggol ati legoSapa ngerti nasib awak lagi mujurKenal anak'e

Prospective Indonesian Movie Coming Up!

2007-08-09T19:42:00.000+07:00

Pertamanya gara-gara baca novelnya Aditya Mulya yang judulnya "Jomblo", selanjutnya saya jadi sering sekali baca karya-karya yang diterbitkan oleh penerbit Gagas Media. Salah satunya adalah novel yang masuk kategori chicklit karya Icha Rahmanti. Tahu kan "Cintapuccino"?Siang ini di radio saya dengar soundtrack untuk film Cintapuccino. Yup, novel laris itu sudah difilmkan dan akan tayang akhir

Catatan Tanggal 8 Agustus 2007

2007-08-09T13:17:00.000+07:00

Election DayRabu, 8 Agustus 2007 menjadi hari bersejarah bagi DKI Jakarta karena hari itu merupakan hari dilaksanakannya pemilihan umum kepala daerah tingkat I DKI Jakarta secara langsung untuk pertama kalinya. Fiuh, akhirnya hari pilkada datang juga, setelah sekian lama Jakarta mengingatkan saya pada masa-masa kampanye ketua senat semasa kuliah dulu: Penuh spanduk dan stiker. Rasanya sumpek

To become a better person: Lesson 1

2007-07-18T15:09:00.000+07:00

Anyone reading my blog must have wondered, what on earth I am trying to say here. Well, since most of the time I'm blogging I will need some time to arrange my words, I decide to have the illustration first. Today I feel I have to complete this posting immediately so I can move on to a newer one.Starting from this posting, I will write about several aspects which have become, well, qualities

07-07-07

2007-07-10T19:18:00.000+07:00

Ada apa dengan 7 Juli 2007? Bila ditulis dengan angka, 7 Juli 2007 akan tampak sebagai "07-07-2007" atau cukup "07-07-07". Penulisan seperti ini berlaku tidak hanya untuk penulisan tanggal a la Indonesia, tapi juga a la British. Keunikan ini yang membuat sekian juta manusia di planet ini berusaha membuat momen spesial pada tanggal tersebut.Tentunya yang paling populer adalah mengadakan pernikahan

Fairy view

2007-06-29T10:36:00.000+07:00

As I was browsing for the word "Edensor", amidst the heap of websites referring to a new novel by Andrea Hirata, this particular website stood up. I admit, my curiosity of Edensor is raised by the frequent mention of the place by Andrea Hirata in the first of his tetralogy, Laskar Pelangi, and ultimately the title he uses for his third novel. What beauty does such place hold that it is repeated

July 21: The day to wait

2007-06-26T13:06:00.000+07:00

This book is one among the things that I wish to have this year. Source: media.movieweb.com In the seventh or the last series of Harry Potter, two characters will die, as told by J.K. Rowling, the author. Hm, who will these be? Could it be Harry Potter himself? Or Ron Weasley, perhaps?Another rumor from an acquaintance of mine who joins the Indo Harry Potter mailing list mentions about Snape.

Sembilan Senti

2007-06-15T11:07:00.000+07:00

Sewaktu buka email daily digest dari milis Alumni FE dan baca-baca subjek-subjek yang tertera, mata saya tertumbuk pada salah satunya: Tuhan Sembilan Senti. Tanpa saya membaca isi emailnya, saya sudah tahu, itu pasti judul puisi Taufik Ismail yang berkaitan dengan rokok. Dan memang benar. Begitu saya baca email tersebut, memang benar adanya, email tersebut berisi seluruh potongan puisi Taufik

Weekend Euphoria

2007-06-08T10:41:00.000+07:00

Hihihi, aku senang!!! Bos lagi keluar kota, Internet akhirnya jalan dengan lancar, YM pun terpasang. Hidup ini indah! Hihihihi :))

Bagian dari Perjuangan

2007-05-10T21:24:00.000+07:00

Ceritanya sih saya mau berkontribusi mengurangi pemanasan global. Caranya: libur naik mobil barang sehari-dua hari, lalu naik kendaraan umum sebagai gantinya. Memang kalau dilihat secara holistik, apalah nilai kontribusi saya ini. Tapi saya percaya kebaikan yang dilakukan secara individual, kalau dilakukan bersamaan oleh banyak orang, jatuhnya jadi kebaikan berjamaah juga. Mudah-mudahan saja

Dari JiFFest ke Festival Film Perancis ke...

2007-04-27T14:54:00.000+07:00

Kepindahan saya ke tempat kerja baru tahun lalu memang membawa beberapa keuntungan. Jujurnya, keuntungan yang saya maksud bukan dalam hitungan moneter, melainkan lebih bersifat kualitatif. Seperti Anda dapat lihat dari aktivitas blogging saya, beda bukan, jika Anda bandingkan frekuensi antara sebelum tahun 2006 dengan setelahnya? Maklum, kalau di tempat kerja sebelumnya saya harus banyak

Once upon a time...

2007-04-25T20:36:00.000+07:00

allocine.fr/film "Il y a bien longtemps, deux enfants étaient bercés par la même femme. Azur, blond aux yeux bleus, fils du châtelain, et Asmar, brun aux yeux noirs, fils de la nourrice. Elevés comme deux frères, les enfants sont séparés brutalement.Mais Azur, marqué par la légende de la Fée des Djins que lui racontait sa nourrice, n'aura de cesse de la retrouver, au-delà des mers. Les deux

No wonder

2007-04-24T13:24:00.000+07:00

www.sudoku-of-the-day.com Sudoku.I learnt about this game when Republika first introduced it on its Sunday edition about two or three months ago. At first, I don't pay too much interest in it. I am the kind of person who doesn't like to follow fads without really knowing the joy beyond it.However, curiousity and sense of competitiveness got the better of me. If everyone else can play this game,

Bye bye

2007-04-09T16:01:00.000+07:00

bangkokbiznew.comAs a big fan of the Amazing Race Asia show and also as someone who's never been going overseas before (*sigh), missing the opportunity to join the race is almost unbearable (a bit of exaggerating, that is). The deadline for application entries has been closed on April 13, so I can only say: Good bye, my golden opportunity! Being someone at her middle 20th, the most likely thing

Puas

2007-04-07T15:57:00.000+07:00

Pada suatu malam, Tante yang baru pulang dari kantor mendapati keponakannya sedang asyik melakukan sesuatu di kamarnya. Tante: (Eh, lagi ngapain tuh keponakanku? Aku samperin dulu, ah.) Tante: "Halo, Sayang. Lagi ngapain kamu?"Keponakan: "Eh, Tante. Ini lho, lagi lihat-lihat hp Bunda. Aku tuh penasaran, ini gimana sih pakainya?" Bunda: (Oh no, hp gue dibuat mainan! Harus dialihkan nih

May day! Financial crunch at bay!

2007-03-26T18:08:00.000+07:00

You reap what you sow. In my case, I should say it's me who reap what I sow. For some time I have been wanting for a digital camera. I thought I wouldn't get a hold on one, not until I managed to keep some money first. But the story has taken into a turn.On March 11, a friend sent an SMS, asking if I wanted to go to the Photography Exhibition at JCC. I figured I could check out the latest model

White day

2007-03-01T21:01:00.000+07:00

I'm not talking about that White Day celebrated by the Japanese. I'm talking about last Friday, when several colleagues and I happened to wear white shirt that day. Even my boss wore white, although it was rather creamish.Seeing this picture in the future will definitely bring my memory back to the days of laughter down in MCL. March is here, but we haven't got the tiniest idea about our fate in

To be a PhD student or not to be, that's the question

2007-02-13T20:27:00.000+07:00

I've been thinking on taking PhD degree. After browsing this website, I find these comic strips best picture the life of a PhD student - which make me requestion my wish to pursue the degree...

Jakarta Banjir (Lagi)!

2007-02-02T04:00:00.000+07:00

Detik.comOi oi, mantaplah hujan hari ini. Sempat saya dibuat deg-degan karena mesin mobil mati di tengah-tengah lautan air. Nggak tinggi sih airnya, cuma selutut (hehehe). Gilanya, mobil yang saya naiki adalah tipe Karimun. Semakin kebat-kebit lah saya jadinya.Waktu itu sudah jam 22 lebih. Karena hujan tidak juga berhenti dan ditambah bonus petir pula, saya agak memaksa mengantar abang saya

Latte or capuccino?

2007-01-31T17:33:00.000+07:00

Cappuccino (kiri) & Cafe LatteGara-gara ikutan "Morning Coffee Quiz" di MSN, saya jadi ingin bicara tentang kopi.Bagi Anda yang pernah membaca tulisan-tulisan saya sebelumnya di blog ini, mungkin Anda sudah tahu akan kegemaran saya menikmati kopi. Kopi adalah dopping saya di kala bekerja atau di saat-saat suntuk atau bete. Bekerja tanpa kopi rasanya sulit karena saya tipe orang yang mudah

A new phase

2007-01-30T23:10:00.000+07:00

It has not dawned to me until the past couple of days that my sister is about to enter a new phase of life.I’m not talking about her getting married. She is married. This is another phase of life I’m talking about: My sister is joining the workforce.Yup. Yesterday she received a second call for interview from a law firm where she had sent her application. Based on the information my sister

Easier to get than to keep

2007-01-18T16:16:00.000+07:00

As I was browsing my friends’ friendster account, I recalled somehow I may have neglected them in the past. Once I met a friend after some two years I hadn’t met her and she greeted me back with hesitation. I’d love to chit chat for a while but reading her body language, I knew the best thing I should do was vanishing.Well, who else I’d blame rather than me. There was perhaps other better

Daripada Pusing Mending...

2006-12-05T20:31:00.000+07:00

"Wooii, pe er loe banyak, kok malah main-main?"That's me. Tahu lagi banyak pe er, malah melakukan yang lain. Suka banget postpone kerjaan nih, saya! :PAnyway, kalau weekend, instead of doing my homeworks (lihat tuh, sudah dalam bentuk jamak!), saya 'melarikan diri' dengan nonton tayangan-tayangan di cable tv. Favorit saya belakangan adalah nonton Amazing Race season 10 versi maraton yang

Sidoarjo Mud

2006-11-08T20:29:00.000+07:00

Natural wonder or disaster?

Job Hunt

2006-07-26T03:01:00.000+07:00

Jam segini di kantor?Iya nih, sodara-sodara. It's 2.58 AM dan saya masih di kantor.Not again *sighNggak tau deh, nanti kalau sampai di rumah, bokap-nyokap bakal comment apaan lagi.Lama-lama jangan-jangan saya bakal dilarang pulang ke rumah.Yang jelas ini bikin saya makin berminat untuk hengkang dari kantor sekarang dan cari gawe di tempat baru.Bukannya saya gak bisa diajak kerja long hours lho (

Iseng-iseng

2006-07-21T19:56:00.000+07:00

Mumpun lagi nungguin upload-an file selesai, buka-buka blog sendiri deh.Eh, pas mau nulis blog, upload udah selesai.Padahal mau curhat betapa susahnya jadi orang sabar itu.Yah sudah.Pulang aja deh abis ini.(Ceritanya masih di kantor).Bon weekend a tous!

060606

2006-06-06T18:40:00.000+07:00

Seorang teman pernah berkeinginan agar ia dapat melahirkan pada tanggal 6 Juni 2006 atau hari ini. Maksudnya supaya tanggal lahir si bayi unik karena kalau ditulis dalam angka, tanggal tersebut akan berbunyi ”06-06-06” atau cukup ”060606”. Sayangnya cita-cita teman saya itu tidak kesampaian karena ia harus melahirkan lebih awal demi kesehatan dirinya dan diri sang bayi.Beberapa bulan yang lalu

Cucian Deh

2006-06-06T17:35:00.000+07:00

Melihat posting terakhir saya tertanggal 5 Januari 2006, hm, berarti lama juga saya tidak berinteraksi dengan blog saya 'tercinta' (tercinta kok dianggurin?) ini. Selama bulan-bulan yang telah berlalu saya sedang sering menggunakan Internet semata untuk mengecek email saja dan sedikit jalan-jalan di google untuk mencari beberapa info terkait dengan pekerjaan. Sempat terlintas dalam hati niatan

Miss you...

2006-01-05T20:34:00.000+07:00

Gosh, been so long not writing on this blog of mine.Miss you... my blog.And of course, miss you all, my dearest friends, wherever you are.-in one of those 'stranded being in the office' times-

SMS Lebaran

2005-11-19T20:05:00.000+07:00

Singkat tapi berkesan. Begitulah SMS lebaran.Berikut beberapa SMS lebaran unik/lucu yang saya terima tahun ini.#1Mang Diran beli ikan patin.Met lebaran maaf lahir batin.#2Awan…Melati…Salju…Susu…Kapas…Vanila…Hati kita semoga seputih itu…Minal aidin wal faidzin, maaf lahir & batin…#3Ma’ap…Bukannya saya mau ngganggu.Ma’ap…Bukannya saya mau ikut-ikutan juga.Tapi ma’ap…Saya bener-bener mau minta ma’ap

Rindu!

2005-11-11T13:28:00.001+07:00

Assalaamu'alaykum...Halah halah, udah bulan Syawal aja ya? Artinya selama Ramadhan kemarin saya nggak update blog ini sama sekali. Ck ck ck. Ke mane aje loe Met? Sebenarnya sih kesibukan ya rumah-kantor-kampus aja. Mestinya bisa disempatkan menulis. Tapi setiap kali kepingin bikin posting, dorongan untuk mengerjakan hal lain lebih riuh mengetuk hati. Jadilah baru sekarang saya menulis lagi.Kepada

Repot Dikit, 'Napa?

2005-09-22T16:49:00.000+07:00

Di antara sejuta (hiperbolis sedikit ah) kelakuan manusia Indonesia yang menyebalkan, salah satu yang paling saya nggak suka adalah kebiasaan untuk memotong antrian atau menolak untuk ikut antri. Terbayang kan bagaimana sebalnya kalau kita sudah capai-capai berdiri di antrian lalu ada orang lain yang dengan seenaknya menyerobot antrian di depan kita? Atau yang tidak kalah menyebalkannya, ada

A disaster or a blessing?

2005-08-24T20:42:00.000+07:00

Okay, one file printed, another one to go. Well, make that five.I was arranging the pile of papers I had just printed when suddenly ... the computer was off and so were the lights. My God. What joke were You playing to me?Thursday, 18 August 2005That day I had a load of things on my to-do list. Actually I had intended to come to the office on Wednesday to finish some of my works so that my

Alone again

2005-07-08T19:18:00.000+07:00

Friend:"You know, I was once mistaken. I meant to introduce F to Mas XYZ one day".Me:"Uh huh" (listening intently).Friend:"But then I couldn't find him in his room. So we went back to F's cubicle. There F told me that she was about to marry in three weeks! When I met Mas XYZ, I told him to forget my idea of introducing F to him".Me:"So Mas XYZ really means it when he said he's going to look for a

Narco

2005-05-31T10:10:00.000+07:00

Gue suka kesel deh, kenapa ya gue sekarang kok suka gampang ngantuk? It's annoying banget, apalagi kalau lagi rapat di ruang yang gak begitu gede, dan pesertanya hadap-hadapan. Gak enak banget kan, jadi ketahuan banget ngantuknya. Gue pernah gitu, dua kali atau tiga kali malah, terkantuk-kantuk di tengah-tengah rapat. Padahal gue jadi notulen lho. Tulisan gue udah yang gak tau kayak gimana

Summer is here

2005-04-27T19:35:00.000+07:00

Phew, wasn't it hot these days in Jakarta?I guess we should welcome summertime because it's already here, and make ourselves get used to shirts drenched with sweat, people's (including ours) smelly body odor that gets smellier now more than ever, and sweaty sleep.So: Welcome, summertime!

Hidup Tanpa Internet = Susah!!!

2005-04-25T22:40:00.000+07:00

Waktu nyokap tanya, "Langganan internetnya nggak usah diterusin ya?", gue nekat aja bilang, "Ya udah." Berhubung langganan internet harus bayar sampai Rp 600 ribuan dan bokap udah pensiun, ya wis lah, nggak apa-apa kali internetnya diputus. Toh, masih bisa buka di kantor atau pergi ke warnet. Selain itu, nggak tiap hari ini buka internet.Akhirnya bulan Maret kita nggak langganan internet lagi deh

Alone in the crowd

2005-04-06T18:20:00.000+07:00

Okay, okay, for those who wonder what on earth I'm putting these pictures on my blog for without any comment, well, here's the deal. My time is very limited nowadays to surf the net and so I decided to post these pictures first and tell the story later. Yet, time flew away and it happens that I can make some scribbles just now.The moral of the pictures is this... . Hahaha, there's no moral story

Sayang Kertas! Sayang Kertas!

2005-03-03T18:24:00.000+07:00

Di antara macam-macam acara tivi, salah satu acara yang suka saya nontonnya (artinya bukan saya selalu tonton tapi kalau ada kesempatan nonton ya saya tonton) adalah acara tivi yang berkaitan dengan rumah, arsitektur dan desain interior. Senang rasanya lihat rumah yang bagus-bagus, apalagi kalau penataan interiornya asri dan cantik. Sambil nonton, saya membatin, kapan ya (interior) rumah saya

To be busy is to live

2005-02-19T18:39:00.000+07:00

With no teaching schedule and shrinking office assignments, January should have been a heaven for me. No need to rush to the train station to get to Depok during office-closing hours and no need to think up a teaching plan while still jostling with works from my boss. Clients' orders were diminishing in the first two months of the year as commonly happening to business consultants in Indonesia

Cakes, anyone?

2005-01-25T01:42:00.000+07:00

Come join this small celebration of my graduation from the postgraduate program! :) I know they're only pictures. But hey, people say a picture speaks a thousand words. So, cakes, anyone? From left to right: Brownies Roulade Strawberry Cake Assorted Cakes Chococheese Snow Cake Pictures are taken from http://www.sedapsekejap.com

What is she doing in that place?

2005-01-23T06:28:00.000+07:00

Being a teaching staff sometimes brings annoyance to your life because suddenly you have to pay attention to your speech and attitude. No more freedom to act because you are expected to behave properly and accordingly as your profession demands you to do so. Once other people catch you doing something unworthy like reading comics, you will face a serious threat of honor degradation. And that

En Fin...

2005-01-23T01:43:00.000+07:00

Finally, the day I have long been dreaming of had come. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm proud to inform you that on Wednesday, January 19, 2005, it had been officially declared that: I PASSED MY THESIS EXAM! Alhamdulillah! I'm glad that it's over (although not really over yet because I still have to make some correction here and there) - the agony of getting the thesis approved and thus giving me the

1001 Reasons to Smoke

2005-01-14T01:14:00.000+07:00

Merokok karena??? *Gasp!*I couldn't believe my eyes when I noticed a post with the above title by an old friend of mine on the friendster bulletin board. It was shocking for all I know she was not the type of woman who would enjoy air full of cigarette's smoke, let alone do the smoking herself.So, full of curiosity, I clicked the bulletin post and ... I don't need to explain more, just read the

Hai Orang Indonesia, Sadarlah!

2005-01-03T07:05:00.000+07:00

Hai orang Indonesia! Mana harta yang kau kumpulkan? Mana rumah yang kau dirikan? Mana keluarga yang kau bangga-banggakan? Semua luluh habis tersapu ombak lautan Hindia. Maka jika kau tak tersadar jua, sungguh terlaknat wahai kau orang Indonesia! (in memoriam korban Tsunami di Aceh dan Sumatra Utara, 27 Desember 2004) Mungkin Sekali Saya Sendiri Juga Maling Oleh: Taufiq Ismail Kita hampir

Di Radio, Aku Dengar...

2004-12-25T19:06:00.000+07:00

Di radio aku dengar lagu kesayanganmu ... (Kugadaikan Cintaku - Gombloh) Bukan, bukan karena ketika saya membuat posting ini waktunya bertepatan dengan malam minggu, malam yang dirutuki 'aku' dalam lagu di atas. Tulisan saya menyinggung-nyinggung lagu tersebut lebih karena hari ini saya baru saja selesai membaca kumpulan artikel tulisan almarhum Umar Kayam, "Sketsa-sketsa Umar Kayam - Mangan

Ehehehe, Metty Bandel, Ma!

2004-12-23T01:22:00.000+07:00

Iya, mestinya saya masih dalam masa off dulu nih dari nge-blog, berhubung pingin fokus kus kus kus ke tesis. Tapi gimana dong nih, udah kangen untuk bikin tulisan, jadilah mampir ke blogger.com dan ... voila! Here I am now :D Ceritanya Kamis minggu kemarin saya sempat sakit. Baru Selasa kemarin terasa benar-benar sembuh. Sakitnya biasa, typhus (baca: tipes). Eh, aneh ya, saya bilang 'biasa'? Yah

La vie c'est tres dur

2004-12-07T01:10:00.000+07:00

On le sait Mais il est devenue plus dur Ce jour la