Cinta itu seperti Hujan

From arvin:

Ingat Cinta itu seperti tetesan air hujan.
Ketika langit mendung, kita sering menduga bahwa akan turun hujan, tapi kadang belum tentu demikian..
Kebalikannya, ketika kita yakin bahwa langit hari ini terlalu cerah untuk turun hujan, malah hujan turun dengan tiba2..
Nikmatilah setiap tetesannya.. karena kamu akan merindukannya ketika kemarau datang..
Dan apabila hujan itu telah berhenti (cinta itu telah pergi), kamu tidak akan pernah menyesali apapun..
Dan kalo loe beruntung kamu masih bisa melihat pelangi sesudahnya...(loe bisa belajar sesuatu yg indah dr hujan tersebut)..
So enjoy the moment, we never know which is the right moment, and by that time u will find someone special n not just catch ur eye, but also ur heart.


Thanks a lot, vin...

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Happy Birthday Donna

Friendship touches the heart in so many ways
Through kind words and thoughtful deeds,
through shared dreams and comforting support,
through joyful laughter and happy memories,

Friendship touches tthe heart in so many special ways
and never more beautiful than your friendship touches mine

Happy Birthday to special Donna..

Amore bello

Amore
bello come il cielo
bello come il giorno
bello come il mare
Amore
bello come un bacio
bello come il buio
bello come Dio
amore mio

(Claudio Baglioni)

Midah, si Manis bergigi Emas

Quite some times ago, me and collegues from office were talking during one coffee-break in the office, and we arrived to the topic of "literature".. One friend looked at me, shocked, when she found out that I never read any of Pramudya Ananta Toer work. Well, in fact, like many other indonesian raised in the indonesian education system, I don't and she has, on which he mentioned, the only indonesian writers ever candidated for Nobel Prize.

Well, OK.
Out of curiosity, and embarassment as well, I bought a thin novel of his. Midah si Manis Bergigi emas. Midah, the golden toothed beauty (mm.. sounds like a tittle for a kungfu movies). Of course I bought the original written in indonesian language. My first Pramudya novel.

On the ferry to singapore, only then I began to read the novel.
I'm not a literature critics, nor would I pretend to be one, but the novel is real beauty. On some chapters I even had tears forming in my eyes and pain in my heart.
The story was quite sad, but he told it in a very interesting, light way.

I dont know what else to share, I'm a terrible story re-teller but I do really encourage all dear friends to begin reading them.

Singapore via Batam

Being curious of how much would it cost to go to Singapre via batam, last friday I decided to take a note of all the expenses might occur. OK now, here are all the details from Jakarta's airport.
Air Asia ticket Jakarta-Batam-Jakarta (more or less): Rp. 700.000
Taxi from Batam Airport to batam Center: Rp. 70.000 (fix price)
Ferry return ticket (better buy directly in counters in Batam Airport rather than at Batam center): SGD14 (around Rp. 84.000)
Stay in 7th storey hostel in Bugis Area: SGD17/night/bed.

Moreover, it is needed to be added, that travel time from Jakarta to Batam is 1.30 hour, ferry trip would take 1 hour, with check in counter close 30 minutes before departure time. There are two major ferry line, the Penguin and The Batam Fast, both schedule compliments each other so take any which fits your schedule better. Both are good and reliable. One thing to note about the ferry ticket price is that it's always better to purchase return tiket (14 sgd), because in Harbour Front (singapore), one way ferry ticket to Batam Center would cost 26 sgd! Anyway, once arrived in Singapore, no problem at all, just find the MRT sign and hop in.

Taking taxi to Batam Center from Hang Ngadim airport takes only 15-20 minutes, and very easy to catch, just outside the arrival gate in Batam Airport. Likewise the return trip from Batam Center to Batam Airport, just buy the ticket outside the arrival gate, hop in and in 15 minutes you'll arrive in hang Ngadim.

Bon voyage!!

Questo Piccolo Grande Amore

Questo piccolo grande amore

Claudio Baglioni

Baglioni - Coggio

(1972)

Quella sua maglietta fina
tanto stretta al punto che mi immaginavo tutto
e quell' aria da bambina
che non glielo detto mai ma io ci andavo matto

e chiare sere d' estate
il mare i giochi e le fate
e la paura e la voglia
di essere nudi
un bacio a labbra salate
il fuoco quattro risate
e far l' amore giù al faro...
ti amo davvero ti amo lo giuro...ti amo ti amo
davvero!

E lei
lei mi guardava con sospetto
poi mi sorrideva e mi teneva stretto stretto
ed io
io non ho mai capito niente
visto che ora mai non me lo levo dalla mente
che lei lei era
un piccolo grande amore
solo un piccolo grande amore
niente più di questo niente più!
mi manca da morire
quel suo piccolo grande amore
adesso che saprei cosa dire
adesso che saprei cosa fare
adesso che voglio
un piccolo grande amore

Quella camminata strana
pure in mezzo a chissacche l' avrei riconosciuta
mi diceva "sei una frana"
ma io questa cosa qui mica l' ho mai creduta
e lunghe corse affannate
incontro a stelle cadute
e mani sempre più ansiose
di cose proibite
e le canzoni stonate
urlate al cielo lassù
"chi arriva prima a quel muro..."
non sono sicuro se ti amo davvero
non sono...non sono sicuro...

E lei
tutto ad un tratto non parlava
ma le si leggeva chiaro in faccia che soffriva
ed io
io non lo so quant' e' che ha pianto
solamente adesso me ne sto rendendo conto
che lei lei era
un piccolo grande amore
solo un piccolo grande amore
niente più di questo niente più
mi manca da morire
quel suo piccolo grande amore
adesso che saprei cosa dire
adesso che che saprei cosa fare
adesso che voglio
un piccolo grande amore...

Senandung sendu di Jakarta kelabu - HUT 480

Jakarnaval 2007.

Peristiwa yang sepertinya lumayan ditunggu-tunggu ama warga Jakarta. Terbukti dari jam 7 malam, bunderan HI sudah penuh sama orang yang nongkrong di bunderannya. Ibu-ibu, bapak-bapak, anak-anak, brondong, ABG, segala rupa numplek semua. Gak cuma di situ sih, tapi juga dijembatan penyebarangan depan hotel nikko. Cuma di sini populasinya didominasi oleh gerombolan orang dengan kamera SLR segala rupa digenggaman..
Termasuk gue, ahon, henny dan Cecek. Cuma bedanya kalo yang lain duduk2 tenang, ngobrol, ngerokok, ngopi, ahon dan dkk gak ketinggalan ngebooking gua buat sesi foto narcist. Atas bawah, single, triple, B&W, warna, segala macem gaya udah dicoba juga hahahha..

Sambil menunggu karnaval, setelah capek foto-foto (well, sebenarnya gua yang capek motoinnya, mereka sih masih semangat juang tinggi), kita duduk2 di jembatannya.

Di situ ada seorang pria, dia main saxofon. Kalo udah bosen dia main suling bambu lagu sunda (hmm dari saxofon ke suling, jauh juga walaupun sama-sama ditiup).. terus ngobrol2 ama kita-kita juga.. Topi di depannya dia udah cukup penuh dengan lembaran uang dari seribuan sampai sepuluh ribuan. "Lumayan" katanya..

Suasana yang ditimbulkan dari suara saxofon yang dia mainkan, membuat gue merasakan sebuah suasana yang berbeda, malem-malem, orang lalu lalang, ngobrol, tapi nada-nada yang keluar dari saxofon itu membuat gue merasa sendiri, sedih, terkucil... seperti berada di dalam kotak ditengah keramaian, memandang dengan keheranan dan perasaan aneh ke sekeliling.
Gua tersadar sebentar, mungkin sebenarnya adalah si jakarta yang butuh budaya, butuh kesenian, butuh musik, butuh tari, butuh puisi di tengah-tengah kehidupannya, di jalan-jalan umum, gak cuma pengamen yang nyanyi di bus seenak kadutnya cuma buat nyari duit, yang kalo gak dikasih marah-marah...
Jakarta butuh darah karena dia pembuluh darahnya udah terlalu kering, udah terlalu terkontaminasi nilai-nilai modernisme yang sebenarnya tanpa jatidiri dan nilai-nilai yang palsu dan superficial.. darahnya terlalu terhisap asap-asap yang keluar dari segala macem saluran pembuangan dari segala tempat..

Kasihan juga jakarta, umur udah 480 tahun, tapi kesepian sekali...

Pas karnaval lewat (jam 9 malam), memang terbukti cuma sekedar "pemoles", pawai dari kendaraan-kendaraan hias yang cuma numpang lewat, numpang nampang biar terdengar, tapi gak dilakukan dengan sepenuh hati dan cinta. Gak kedengeran gaungnya sama sekali. Promosi segala cara udah dilakukan, dengan kata-kata manis ini itu, tapi orang indonesia memang terkenal jago ngomong doang, jago teori (karena emang dari sekolahan diajarinnya cuma teori dan hapalan)... akhirnya yah cuma berhenti sampe di situ.

Yang lebih gubrak lagi ada satu mobil berhiaskan patung segede-gedenya kandidat Gubernur Jakarta, Fauzi Bowo dan wakilnya itu. Di taronya di paling depan mobil hias pula. Sumpeh loe???

Rombongan dibuntut pawainya diisi dengan ratusan orang tumpah ruah dijalan dan RATUSAN motor yang ngantri di jalan protocol karena gak bisa lewat ketutup pawai. Tentunya bisa dibayangkan pastinya disertai dengan sumpah serapah sampe capek.

Jakarta, 480 tahun, kesepian, tidak dicintai, dimaki-maki pula....

Love at first sight

Hatiku sesaat berhenti berdetak
kala pandangku terpaut pandangnya

Inikah cinta pada pandangan pertama?
yang menguap seketika pula
seiring sirnanya dari mata

Map of countries I visited

Visited Countries Map from TravelBlog

Eternal Summer

Just watched eternal summer.
Very interesting.
A story that many of us have experienced

It was good because the movie touched you
and the feeling that it was so close to you.
because we have breathed the same breath
felt the same feeling
cried the same tears

*sigh*

Una scappatina

Last long weekend for Indonesia was like an usual weekend for me. Office still open as usual, Waisak was not in the "offical holiday list". So, plan to go to puncak was set to be on the 2nd. Which turned out to be not a bad idea as the way to puncak was jammed, blocked completely on the friday night. Blessing in disguise huh?

Anyway, everything was all planned ahead, with who brings what etc. I spent the night at donna's and made my first pizza there. Not a satisfactory one though, it turned out to be too thick. Mabye too much time in the oven. Anyway, it's part of the learning process :)

The next day, really early in the morning, we took off from Jakarta at 6.30, and arriving around 9.30.. pleasant journey with thoughts that we're not going to spend the night at Montana or the other one we slept in many times. Anyway, let's just say in short that life was kind enough to put us there again :) It's alpen..

Spending the time eating and sleeping, palying cards, and so on until the next day.You can say it's pretty relaxing I think :) We also sang of course..
Debbie tried the highest note of the Queen of then night's aria from the Magic Flute. Not everyone can reach the top F..!

The next morning, we woke up, we ate, and went for a walk, and photo session hahahha.. After a linguine al tonno lunch, at 2.30 we took off and arrive in jakarta around 6. Not bad! We expected terrible traffic, but everything was great...

What Tarot Are You?

http://www.flarn.com/~warlock/tarot/dragon/6.jpg">>

You are The Lovers

Motive, power, and action, arising from Inspiration and Impulse.

The Lovers represents intuition and inspiration. Very often a choice needs to be made.

Originally, this card was called just LOVE. And that's actually more apt than "Lovers." Love follows in this sequence of growth and maturity. And, coming after the Emperor, who is about control, it is a radical change in perspective. LOVE is a force that makes you choose and decide for reasons you often can't understand; it makes you surrender control to a higher power. And that is what this card is all about. Finding something or someone who is so much a part of yourself, so perfectly attuned to you and you to them, that you cannot, dare not resist. This card indicates that the you have or will come across a person, career, challenge or thing that you will fall in love with. You will know instinctively that you must have this, even if it means diverging from your chosen path. No matter the difficulties, without it you will never be complete.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take'>Take>http://www.flarn.com/~warlock/tarot">Take the Test to Find Out.

Persiapan trip besok

Hmm.. daypacknya udah siap (makasih atas penjelasan mas aris),
baju2 kaos udah masuk
sweater udah masuk
masker dgn lens minus buat snorkle udah masuk
snorke-nya juga udah masuk
piring sendok juga udah
underwear OK
hmmm.. apalagi yah
Tadi udah minum obat pencegah malaria (lupa namanya tapi bukan kina)

batere kamera lagi dicharge (aduh bakalan berat juga nih besok).....

SIAAP BERANGKAAAAAAT

no tittle......

Semua orang berubah
Kau yang dulu bagaikan malaikat
sekarang hanyalah manusia biasa

atau memang sedari dulu kau manusia biasa
hanyaku yang melihatmu sesuci itu?
Apakah salah jika
sekarang kumelihatmu dengan sedikit
kejijikan?

Yang pasti,
memang seharusnya tak perlu
merasa sampai seperti ini

Apa peduliku juga?

My Birthday Pray

Send someone to love me
I need to rest in arms
Keep me safe from harm
In pouring rain

Give me endless summer
Lord I fear the cold
Feel Im getting old
Before my time

As my soul heals the shame
I will grow through this pain
Lord Im doing all I can
To be a better man

Go easy on my conscience
cause its not my fault
I know Ive been taught
To take the blame

Rest assured my angels
Will catch my tears
Walk me out of here
Im in pain

As my soul heals the shame
I will grow through this pain
Lord Im doing all I can
To be a better man

Once youve found that lover
Youre homeward bound
Love is all around
Love is all around

I know some have fallen
On stony ground
But love is all around

Send someone to love me
I need to rest in arms
Keep me safe from harm
In pouring rain

Give me endless summer
Lord I fear the cold
Feel Im getting old
Before my time

As my soul heals the shame
I will grow through this pain
Lord Im doin all I can
To be a better man

(Better man-Robbie Williams)

What a day...

Polemik di tempat kerja selama 2 hari terakhir ini berakhir sudah...
Dari pertama yang gak dikasih cuti (I asked only for 2 days), sampe akhirnya temen-temen sekantor pada protes and mau bikin meeting serikat pekerja untuk membahas dan memprotes bagaimana perlakuan yang semena-mena dari para diplomat dilakukan semata-mata berdasarkan "mood pribadi" dan tidak berdasar serta tidak beralasan sama sekali.

Daniele, atasan diatas gue langsung akhirnya yang ngmong, gak tau gimana detilnya, akhirnya gua dikasih juga satu hari cuti, selasa nanti. In which sebenarnya itu hari gua pulang, sampe jakarta jam 8 malem.. no problem, daripada ribet nanti....

Belom lagi shock tentang nama bokap dan adek ipar gua yang gak sesuai paspor.. Aaaarrrgghhh tidaaaakkk... pagi pagi gua udah pusing, telepon sana-sini, SQ office, travel, ampe akhirnya mesti tambah 200dollar buat fee change name-nya..

Anyway, everything ends well and besok tinggal berangkat....
what a day..

Prit jigo....

Seperti biasa setiap pagi, gua nunggu taxi di halte polonia.
Lagi rame banget kendaraan, motor, mobil, segala macem tumpah ruah. Polisi juga keliatan di mana-mana. Ada taxi express kosong mendekat, gua stop aja. Udah minggir, gua naik, jalan 5 meter, "priiiiit!!!" polisi dengan muka digalak-galakin nyuruh minggir lagi.

Lho, kenapa yah distop?

Dialog singkat antara supir taxi dengan polantas:
Supir (S): "Maaf pak, salah saya apa yah?"
Polisi (P): "SIM-nya mana pak?" - terus dikasih ama sang supir
(S): "Maaf pak, salah saya apa yah pak?"
(P): "Iya, bapak tadi berhenti pas lampu lagi hijau"
(S): "Maksudnya?" <mungkin kebingungan. Gua sih gak bingung, tapi langsung naik darah>
(P): "Lah iya, tadi kan kamu berhenti itu pas lampu lalu lintasnya lagi hijau. Kalau lagi hijau itu gak boleh berhenti, nanti bikin tambah macet dibelakangnya"

Karena gak tahan, gua turun, sambil tahan emosi dan berusaha sesopan mungkin, gua nimbrung,
"Pak, maaf, kenapa yah si bapak distop?"
<penjelasan yang kurang lebih sama dengan yang diatas>

gua jawab lagi, "Lho pak, kan saya stop-nya  di halte, taxinya berhenti depan halte, saya juga naik di halte, yang mana halte itu kan memang diperuntukan bagi masyarakat untuk menyetop kendaraan umum. Kalo gak boleh, di mana kami masyarakat harus menyetop kendaraan pak? Iya nih pak, si pak supir taxi distop pak polisi gara-gara berhenti di halte (sambil gua ngomong dan ngadu ke orang yang lewat).

(P): "Bukannya gak boleh, tapi kalo lagi lampu hijau, ntar macet, itu udah peraturannya"

(gue): "Peraturan mana yah pak? Sejak kapan?? Udah bertahun-tahun saya nyetop mikrolet, bajaj, taxi, bis, metromini di halte mana pun, gak pernah denger ada peraturan kayak gitu"

(P): "Iya, ini peraturannya sementara..."

(gue): "Namanya Mustamin yah pak?"

(P): "Iya.."

Akhirnya, setelah tawar menawar, dan diskusi-diskusi tertutup untuk umum antara sopir dan polisi, si pak supir taxi dikasih pergi juga tanpa bayar apa-apa...

Memang, gua, dan gua yakin semua orang jakarta, tau bahwa si polantas mungkin lagi kejar setoran. Tapi caranya itu lho. Could he at least invent or make up something better before stopping someone????

If only he were smarter....

mungkin dia jg gak bakalan jadi polantas if he were.....

Polantas Indonesia... masih perlu belajar dan usaha lebih keras lagi untuk menjadi lebih baik.............

Lombok-Bali 2007

24-02-2007

Setelah lebih dari 2 bulan planning, akhirnya tripnya jadi juga dilaksanakan...
Booked garuda karena tragedi perjalanan udara di beberapa waktu belakangan memang tidak mendukung untuk main-main..
Anyway flightnya 2 jam, tapi berhubung ada singgah di yogya 1 jam, kita akhirnya sampai jam 2-an di lombok. Lebih awal sedikit sebenarnya karena pesawatnya ngebut. Bagus juga karena di samping gua ada mba-mba yang parfumnya menyebar dengan penuh percaya diri kemana-mana, terutama ke gua yang paling deket.....

Ya wis, lama-lama juga gak terasa sih, and sampe di ampenan, Pak Lanang sudah menunggu dengan karton "Mr. Johanes, 5 persons".
Dianter dengan Honda Stream-nya ke senggigi (25 menit), perjalanan dilanjutkan dengan kapal langsung tancap ke Gili Trawangan, sekitar 1 jam-an

Cuaca gak terlalu bagus juga sih, banyak awan. Tapi udah bagus juga kagak ujan... hehehhee
di dermaga Gili Trawangan, Mr. Kim udah jemput (No, dia ini asli Gili Trawangan, bukan orang Korea), dan dianterin langsung ke balenta bungalow. Semalam 250rb, kita pesen 2 kamar.

Abis beres-beres kita langsung ke pantai yang mana ada langsung di depan hotel. Yang cowo-cowo dulu sih, berhubung para wanita masih sibuk gak tau ngapain.. main2 air, terus coba jalan-jalan ke selatan ngelewatin dermaga ke "pusat hiburan" gili trawangan. Well, emang lagi low season sih, sepi banget dan turisnya juga kebanyakan orang asing...

Setelah capek muter-muter jalan kaki sambil gak lupa tetep foto dimanapun memungkinkan, kita mandi, beres-beres dan siap2 dinner. Sambil jalan tadi sih emang sekalian hunting tempat makan hehehhehe pilihan jatuh ke satu tempat yang gua udah lupa namanya, tapi tempatnya bagus langsung di atas laut. Pilih ikan, duduk sambil ikannya dibakar dan langsung santap sambil kekenyangan. Literally kekenyangan...

Abis itu, gua udah tepar, ngantuk, tidur while yang lain masih aja semangat dan niat maen UNO.......

A week's wrap

Salah satu problem dari anjing tekel yang paling sering ditemukan adalah masalah di kaki belakangnya, and that's happening to my cleo. Tiba2 hari rabu kemarin pagi-pagi jam 6, mom's sitting on the couch and crying with cleo in her arms. Nah lho??? Gua pikir cleo tiba2 mati!
Ternyata nyokap bilang dia gak bisa gerakin kaki belakangnya, lumpuh and cleo looked shocked, gemeteran.. aduh.

Akhirnya sampe kantor jam 11 yang mana disebabkan gua menganter cleo dulu ke klinik hewan 24 jam di sunter. Lagi ada drh cucu yang lagi praktek. Gilanya gua sampe jam 8-an, nunggu ngantrian ampe jam 10 baru masuk saking ramenya antrian anjing2 dan kucing2 yang mau periksa.. Ya udah sih, akhirnya di x-ray, disuntik dan terpaksa gua titipkan dulu dia di situ sebelum gua bawa pulang sore-nya.. Masih no improvement actually. Si Drh cucu bilang itu karena sarafnya kejepit akibat pengapuran. Udah dikasih obat juga and harus balik senen depan buat suntik lagi...

Dari tanggal 7-10 maret ada FOCUS Expo. Akibatnya: gua gelap mata, sakit lupa daratan sesaat dan pas gua sadar, di tangan gua udah ada 2 kantong berisi Nikon D80 + lensa 18-135 and satu kantong lagi isi tas kamera+jaket fotografer.... liat di dompet udah ada slip gesekan kartu kredit..

ampe deg-degan hahahahhahhahhahaha.. actually pas dikasih liat ama orangnya, gua ampe gak bisa pasang lensa ke body kameranya gara2 tangan gua gemeteran....
but everything's ok. I hope....
Emak gua kalo tau pasti kuliah umumnya langsung 5 sks..........
tapi sunny cuma bilang, gak apa2 dikuliahin satu jam palingan tapi puasnya seumur hidup liat itu kamera. You're right sun hehehehehheheheheh

Cia-cia masuk RS gara2 positif demam berdarah. Di rawat di Bunda.

just too many things are happening this week...