so.
I quit my job.
for no apparent reason.
recently unemployed due to preference. whatever that means to you, really.
I'm off to an exploring trip in two weeks!
to Sing then KL transit in Batam. Backpacking style, supposedly. fingers cross :D
In a month, I have a date.
(among thousands of others) with Mr. Mraz. :)
He said "live high, live mighty, live righteously takin' it easy"
oh yes darling, i took it literally. Takin' it easy! all of it. *lol*
So.
yeah..
I'm taking chances that way. my own way...
I've lived too comfortably long enough to not wanting any feel of suffering.
HA! snob.
I've been rejected by Mr. A and Z; as well as Mr. A C, btw.
Yay for me!
what happens in my neck of the woods
Stephanie Meyer Twilight Series
I had my week with Stephanie Meyer. Finished off the four saga in exactly one week! Lost my beauty sleep cos of 'em too!
And I wanna say they're worth the sore eyes, but unfortunately, that only apply for the first, Twilight. New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn weren't as interesting and breathtaking as the initial entry of Bella and Edward's supernatural love tale. I can, however, assured you all that they all three could run your emotions amuck.
The books take Bella as the first person point-of-view, but we all know where the intensity of the book focuses on. Edward Cullen - the living (figuratively) Greek God in a picture perfect human form, as Meyer had described in her books. Meyer covers the saga particularly audienced for every Eve's descendants. It's supernatural romantic comedy, with every bit of comedy you'd get from Romantic Comedy.
The Twilight Series are sweet and harmless (in any physical means). Fear though, for the faint hearts. The prose she delivers was holding enormous emotional punch and vivid for the imaginary. Edward Cullen, the perfect human form of a Greek God, the one character that would run in your veins, you brain, your rushing blood. As explicitly told by Jenny Hale "No wonder Bella swoons. So do her readers and not just the teenagers. One motherly bookseller told me, "Want vivid dreams? Then try reading it before bed." Since page one, Edward Cullen had taken over that center stage.
In terms of plot twists, the series divided into 4 separate entities are really drags too much. Point of story was too clear and the climaxes weren't as many and as confronting as that other "Best-Seller teens fiction book" had presented. Stephanie Meyer was to tame given the supernatural backing in her story. The dialogues are sometimes become to tedious, makes us impatient for some act. In Breaking Dawn, Meyer lost her edge. A new character shift the focus of the story from Bella and Edward to this character. When the near finale kicked in, the war that we know is always ended with bloodshed, but in Cullens' war, it didn't.
Meyer presented us with a mixed of PG 13 and something more. The passion of Edward and Bella's is a bit much for teens' in Indo. Here shuldn't be PG 13, but more to PG 16. The anger and bloodshed were too tame, but the romance was excessive for teens in our culture.
If it were me, I wouldn't let my young cousins/nieces to read the series, not until they're above 16.
Especially in breaking dawn where it became too intense, but for the adults I'd say I have to agree with Jenny Hale again, that, "It is Edward who has powered this series' cult status and he has lost his heroic centre stage. Ultimately it is we, the readers, whose lusts are left unsatisfied."
Overall, I would say the series are nothing but good books and good story.
However, they're not fulfilling enough for me to take a second read for each book.
My comment for all is, at least now i know what the fuss is about. And I settled on that.
completely.
and relieved.
escape
Every time things go berserk and unpredictable....
Outcome don't reflect expectation.
The urge to runaway is high.. intoxicate.
I left once due to uncertainties..
expectations failed me.
and the urge is back.
Must I to escape forever more?
the morning is suddenly suffocating
Don't want to feel sad or disappointed.
the words that've been planted in my head.
in my heart.
not comforting enough when it really hits.
they hit hard.
I thought I was prepared, for this.
for anything.
Apparently I'm not.
now it ache...
English Lit
Have been thinking for a while now.
Seems English Lit is fun to study.
by "Fun", I don't mean easy.
maybe someday.
when opportunity arise...
where i could easily say,
so be it then. :)
Wicked
I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you...
It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
Wicked is off to big-screen, soon!
Wicked: the movie.
Wow..wonder how it'll turn up to be..
Can't wait!
Like the musical, before it came to Melbourne, I waited anxiously but patient. :)
This just the same.
Wicked: The Movie. I'll be waiting! :)
Sooky
The taste of bitter-sweet coffee on my lips reminded me of home..
A second home I have grown too attached.
When the winter chills warmed up few Celsius after that first sip of hot hudson’s café latte in the afternoon.
Walking up towards St Kilda road, imagining the warm blanket and cozy southbank royale.
And that’s just from few sips of cappuccino on this humid Tuesday in Jakarta.
I miss home.
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
Slumdog Millionaire
I intended to watch the movie, and hence downloading it since morning.
I thought it's sorta bollywood... uhm, it's not. just the indian casts and settings. That dont make them bollywood, do they? It's british drama with indian casts and indian settings.
The movie is rather slow and the telling of the story is lacking intensity.
I wonder where it draws the line on genre.
It flashes back and forth from reality to the past and 3 different time frames.
The hot seat on 'who wants to be a millionaire?', which supposedly to be the center of Jamal Malik's life story begun.
Then there's his life journey struggling to live on his own with his brother on the street. A slumdog, they say.
And of course, the narration of everything came from the 'hot seat' in the prison.
Story's basically simple. The life of two brothers depending on each other living on the street. As stereotypically portrayed there's the good brother and the bad one. Jamal Malik, our lead, is of course the good brother, who ended up being honest citizen and ability to trust his guts in doing whatever he does. This surely doesn't do so well with some sneaky people belittling him.
His true mission is one.
Finding Latika. the lady of his life, since they were all little slumdogs.
(i hate to use the word, btw)
After all the gurneys and gutters to find her and to be with her.
One and the final ways to get was to join 'who wants to be a millionaire?' and Latika would watch him. Apparently, the quiz show is (or was) ridiculously popular over there!
The bitter life Jamal had to go through together with his brother and often times with Latika, was not much surprising as we see (maybe) on Hanung Bramantyo's ideal movie of Jakarta's street kids. This is what we are as neighboring nations.
The movie was OK, overall. The acting was good though. The kid, Dev Patal as Jamal Malik shall be the IT boy in his crowd, i reckon. You know, since he's good looking for his age, but too ethnic to caught hollywood's attention. I caught a glimpse of british accent of him, he's too perfect english can't be pure Hindi. I was right. IMDB proves it right! He's British born Indian. He was on skins too! no wonder I've seen him, when he was a pre-teen on skins! garsh he's grown.
Slumdog Millionaire is the buzz of British-Indian movie at the moment. Prolly, the next after Bend it like Beckham... but that's just my opinion. It's nominated (or won already?) BAFTA (The British Academy of Film and Television Arts).
UNFORTUNATELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
after all the good things I could say to it, one thing that still surprises me.
All indian movies, be it bollywood or wouldn't, it seems they couldn't help themselves without group dancing at the end of the movie! It ruins the sequence of the movie where it suppose to be dark, bitter and not entirely overjoyed happy ending. The dancing ruins it!
oh Dev Patal, you just leveled down your style, kid.
Records of life
on a boring sunday, i fill these out just because i was tagged. :D
might as well someone else continue the baton.
I'm tagging ................. HER!
and anyone else?
RECORDS THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE
(CHANGED is too much of a big word, "RECORDS THAT HOLD YOUR LIFE MEMORIES" sounds better)
1. Jet - move on
2. Bonnie Sommervile - winding road
3. Queen - Don't stop me now
4. Missy Higgins - going north
5. Corrinne Bailey Rae - Trouble Sleeping
RECORDS YOU'VE LISTENED MORE THAN ONCE
1. Imogen Heap - hide and seek
2. Idina Menzel & kristin chenoweth - defying gravity (there's shud be a "RECORDS THAT GIVE YOU SHIVERS" and this would be on top of the list!)
3. Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars
4. Katie Noonan - time to begin
5. Jet - Shine on
6. Joshua Radin - starmile
RECORDS THAT YOU JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND
Gotye
RECORDS THAT MADE YOU LAUGH
(just giddily smile will do)
1. REO Speedwagon - keep on loving you
2. MIKA - lollipop]
3. Ingrid Michaelson - far away
RECORDS THAT MADE YOU CRY OR SAD
1. Michael andrews - mad world
2. Shannon Noll - Now I run
3. James Morrison - pieces don't fit anymore
4. Sarah McLachlan - angel
RECORDS THAT CREEPS THE HELL OUT OF YOU
Goldfrapp - train (but still hears it once a while)
RECORDS YOU WISH HAD NEVER BEEN MADE
Rufus Wainwright (never understood any of his recs)
RECORDS THAT YOU'VE JUST LISTENED
1. Muse - supermassive black hole
2. Linkin Park - leave out all the rest
3. Iron & wine - flightless Bird, American mouth
4. The arrogants
5. Bonobo feat bajka - walk in the sky
RECORDS YOU'VE BEEN MEANING TO BUY [...OR STEAL]
1. Soundtrack August Rush
2. Spook - the dusk sessions
SONGS THAT YOU WILL DANCE TO
1. Wylcef Jean - take me as i am
2. Nouvelle Vague - Dance with myself
3. Amy winehouse
SONGS THAT YOU WILL MOST LIKELY MAKE LOVE OR HAVE SEX TO
I'll get back to you on that.
FIGHTSTARTER KARAOKE WOULD BE...
1. George Michael - Freedom
2. ST12 (hehehe)
The Fall (2006)
one word.
Brilliant!
where to start?
the pictures are so unbelievably breath-taking. it's too picture-perfect, I began to wonder if they're greenscreen, instead of the real thing out the desert and clear blue skies.
the beginning movie was too weird to grasp. but you'll catch on eventually.
The little girl, Alexandria is a dolly-adorable, given her accent too! She acts naturally and surprisingly can still look so innocent on screen.
Lee pace is Roy the suicide man and Alexandria unexpectedly becomes friend, unknowingly how it began. The little girl's curiosity brought her to Roy's bed. There, they started the imaginary tale of 'the masked bandits'. The imagination collide with reality. In between, the bitter reality of the two was meshed into this fairy tale. Alexandria lost her dad to what she called 'angry people'. Roy lost his girlfriend, thus vow his life to vengeance and despair.
The story isn't solid enough to capture your attention. Luckily, the images are eyecatching-ly WOW your brains out. The beginning movie was too beautiful you almost forget what's the point of the story. The director was too focusing on beauty, he forgot to put more strength on the plot. Hence, towards the end, you feel that he might have gotten confused how to end it beautifully. Tragically, the end was too ordinary for such Wow-ing prelude.
It's still recommended, just out of pretty images and cutesy-ness.
and of course, for the effort of filming in more than a dozen countries!
oh and also! Kecak Dance (tari kecak) had a major appearance on The Fall!
it's shocking but really proud to see one of our ethnic dance is shown to the other part of the continent.
not that they don't know of it already.
The Fall - Directed by Tarsem Singh
saturday morning bliss!
I love this saturday... :) :) :)
unexpected news.
and they all come from the almighty facebook.
ahh.. thanks Mark Zuckerberg for facebook.
the most unexpected one.
appear out of nowhere and asking permission.
psyched! I hold the monitor too tight.
YOU! yes, YOU! especially you.
kriwil hitam,thanks for the memory :)
*halah.
I'm smiling more than usual on this very morning Saturday. :) :) :) :)
Obama inaugural party
Come and be a part of Obama’s American presidential victory at Asia’s largest celebration. Show our Indonesian support for Obama. Enjoy special Obama videos and musical acts from the likes of Ireng Maulana, Oppie Andaresta, Rama Satria, DJ Kate, and others. Confirmed live event coverage from CNN, NHK, MetroTV, TVOne, AP, CBS, VOA, and others. This is a free event. Open to all Obama supporters. taken from here
For expats, it's one place for them to gather.
but for us, are we overreacting?
it's celebration for united states.
i dont see anything of it too special in regards toIndonesia.
do you?
Stephanie Meyer's Twilight
Reading the book, however, is a whole different story. A night of teens’ lust wrapped in ‘scarily’ Halloween cover. Much intrigued. ;)
Partly bias due to the insignificant remake of the movie, I expected nothing more for the book. I was dead wrong. Words by words can get you so caught up you won’t resist another second to put the book down, let alone pending it for another night. Meyer draws each character so specific, your imagination runs wild!
The book meant for teens’ read. Or so I thought. Meyer eloquently telling the story made me thinks twice whom she targeted. Meyer made Edward Cullen this perfectly dark angel that in every page consists of him, you’d get too consumed by his irrationally flawless being –or should I say flawless vampire?. It is as though Meyer is caressing Ed through her words. It’s almost filthy to read, let alone imagine!
"Oh baby don't you know I suffer?
Oh baby can't you hear me moan?
You caught me under false pretences
How long before you let me go?
Oooh...You set my soul alight.
*Muse."
I’m convinced, it’s not made for kids or teens’ read.
I was torn. Torn by Meyer’s illustration of Belle and Edward’s tangled touch and affection.
Her and I, were two crazies in lust.
And I swore, never to open a Meyer’s book ever more!
To hell with New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn.
I’m done as the twilight appears.
*twilight: the time of day immediately following sunset
Hushed.
"I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him."
Belle
Ps. He ruins the very soul I had left. Covering the shaken heart and shattering mind I grew upon his existance.
deliriously insane.
Museum Taman Prasasti
Dulunya Museum Prasasti adalah lahan bekas pemakaman orang Belanda, dikenal dengan nama Kebon Jahe Kober yang dibangun pada tahun 1795 dan ditutup tahun 1975 karena sudah penuh. Melihat potensi taman pemakaman ini dapat dikembangkan sebagai museum terbuka, maka pemerintah Propinsi DKI Jakarta, melakukan pemugaran serta menata kembali prasasti-prasasti batu nisan terpilih.
Koleksi yang tersimpan di dalam Museum Prasasti sebanyak 1.409, terdiri dari jenis prasasti bentuk nisan, bentuk tugu, monumen, piala, kijing, lempengan batu persegi, replika, dan miniatur.
More....
I had planned this Saturday to Museum Taman Prasasti for a amateur photo session with two other gals. After all the trouble getting to Museum Prasasti, we decided to cancel our photo session on the spot!
WHY
They charge us Rp. 150.000 for a day (split 3 of course makes Rp. 50.000 each). The amount that 3 of us didn't expect! We had no clue whatsoever. Then I called a friend, is it common for a ticket price that high to enter a museum?
he said: NOOOOOOOO!
We should've been more sneaky at the entrance and not tell the ticket man that we're there for photo session. Instead, only visiting that would cost us a mere Rp. 2000 each. (see the difference?). IF ONLY WE KNEW!!!! :(
we then decided to take off some place else.
ended up wandering around jakarta pusat.
What frustrates me was, taking photos inside a museum should be allowed freely! unless the flash lights or other camera-effect could damage the artefacts in the museums and the fotos are not for event or profit-oriented purposes (e.g. pre-wedding photos). For the latter purpose, this is agreeable to have high entry ticket, because it's not personal intention anymore but already counted as business purpose.
People nowadays have already culture-alert, meaning they are willing to appreciate more of our own culture. Visiting museums like taman prasasti and fatahillah, kota tua, etc for whatever reasons (mostly is for photography) are some of the examples. IF local governments took this awareness as more income and (pardon to say) more corruption to take, why would we then want to appreciate more of our own culture?
Although, I do understand that these high ticket entry is (maybe) for maintanence and human resource purposes. But do understand that first you have to draw patrons to your place before taking "extra" advantage from ticketing. High ticketing should be supported with reasonable means, too.
People visit tourists attractions to take some memories back with them. Hence why cameras exist. If having to take personal fotos are not allowed, why bother coming there at all? not all people are that interested to history and artefacts, you know. ART EXISTS ON HISTORIC PLACES TOO!
That's one thing to consider for the local government, push the patrons in but don't discourage us with high ticketing for unreasonable reasons.
You'd loose our interest in a flip of a hand.
or anyone can explain otherwise?
*photo taken from foolsbanquet
lifeless
Last wednesday
Had my visit to the airport.. this time my feet only stepped in far enough from the check gate.
the look around were somewhat familiar.
I was once
.. the person sat on the bench waiting to board.
I was once
.. the person who was said byes to.
I was once
.. the person who flew away to be foreign in the land downunder.
Yes. I was once that person.
I could easily smell the fresh morning air out the arrival terminal, when everything looks hazy, have to find a taxi.
All a change now.
and I still cannot forget the past I lived in.
I dunno when I could fully adjust to the life I live in now.
All is a haze.
take me back to a phase when around is foreign.
take me back with you, dearie. :( :( :(
What you do when you're on a Taxi?
on a fine Saturday, I decided to stay at home... doing nothing and browse the net.
and I found Indrani.net
Read her "chat with taxi drivers", I then remembered a topic once discussed on the local radio (either Gen-FM or JakFM morning shows).
Topic was "what you do when you're on a Taxi".
To my surprise, the Radio hosts (or they call it DJs?) was shocked when someone said "I talked to the taxi drivers.
they laughed at that person and started to joke about it.
I find that, irritating.
Back in melbourne, Taxi drivers are sometimes make the first convo. A simple weather talk can lead to various others. I took that culture with me.
Here in Jakarta, what's interesting was, some taxi drivers are prolly not that enthusiastic to talk with their passengers too! To our typical lazy convos, a question is answered just basically YES or NO. a word, nothing more.
Maybe it's not in our culture to communicate to strangers. Even just a simple weather talk.
It could most probably be that we keep it deep in our roots the "mind our own business" and "don't talk to strangers" beliefs.
Weather talk means only respecting others. However, some people who we depicted as labor workers, they sometimes prolly wouldn't find it amusing as well to have a chit-chat. Although, some others, I know for fact, are delighted to chat and be treated nice.
It's not about the taxi drivers.
It's about they who find it weird to talk to taxi drivers.
What's their problem??!
Pungli?
On my way to puncak, we had to drive pass villagers' road (jalan kampung?) 'cause traffic on main road is overload you can barely budge your car even 100 meters. Hence, village people near the main road made a business out of our longing to get away from Jakarta and get some nature in Puncak.
During this time of year, these villagers are making a fortune.
Jakartans are so impatient when it comes to heavy traffic. We chose alternatives even though they cost.
Villagers set a fixed rate for us to drive pass their road (or so to their claim). It's cheap, only Rp.1000. Of course, for Jakartans better to pay up rather to wait numbingly on the main road. However, you have to be aware of these random villagers who'll stop you in the middle of the road just to ask compensation for driving on their road. They're called 'pungli' (pemungut liar if i'm not mistaken). Some will use force or nasty words if you don't give them away at least a thousand rupiahs.
Even little children will stood-by every corner of the roads for these illegal 'toll charges'. My grand-uncle said to me "It's charity, dear". I still couldn't grasp the idea of kids getting easy money as such.
and these people are everywhere...
as if, we're trespassing their road and had to pay road toll.
Am I being too petty over small amount of rupiahs?
or Culture has buggin' me?
Move On
Well I been thinking 'bout the future
I'm too young to pretend
It's such a waste to always look behind you
Should be lookin' straight ahead
Yeah, I'm gonna have to move on
Before we meet again
Yeah it's hard
If you had have only seen
........
.....
....
'Cause every once in a while
You think about if your gonna get yourself together
You should be happy just to be alive
And just because you just don't feel like comin' home
Don't mean that you'll never arrive
*JET
11.50 maroon house
looking out the window
light shines, light dissapear
if you had have only seen
