Another Victoria's Secrets

First, I want to announce that this is my 600th post (yippee!!)

Second, I want to boast my Christmas present from my Mom: a BlackBerry 8520 Gemini. Well, after my post long time ago about why I would never buy a Blackberry, this doesn't count because this was bought for me, so I don't practically buy it. LOL.

I had been pushed and persuaded by millions of people to buy a BB for the last 3 years but the reason I finally melted is very obvious: because my boyfriend bought it first for his business importance. He begged me for the last three/four days to buy a BB as well and there--I use it now for him.

I decided to change my old Nokia 6300 into this BlackBerry 8520 because:

1. My boyfriend uses it, too--and this is the main reason.. haha..
2. The price of the gadget equals the same with the other cool cellphones, even cheaper than Nokia's E72 or E63.
3. I got the cheap package for the monthly bill from Telkomsel for chat and facebook use only
4. Mom bought it for me so practically I don't buy it.
5. The BB had been so generous by releasing this worthy smartphone on budget so I'm being flexible here.

By the way excuse me for being too seldom updating the blog the last four weeks. All of this month I'm busy for my late father: since he was sick from the end of November, till now that he's 20 days being dead. And I've been sick for a total more than a week all December, but now that the month/year is almost end, I hope things are getting better by the number change from 2009 into 2010.

So, pardon my absence for the next few days for I'll be going to Jakarta to celebrate the old & new with my family there and I wish you all a blessed new year for all the aspects of your life: love, work, health, wealth, and joy. So enjoy the holiday and see you next year! :)

And voila, the tree's up, my siblings came to Bandung at 24/12 morning with Aunt Dewi, and Mum's recovered soon! I know it was simply because of Christmas miracle that brings our family tighter together and made Mum's condition got better quick.


And with Oma's macaroni schotel, baked potato, and strawberry cheesecake, tante Linda's fruit pies, Jeremy's Manadonese pastry panada and chicken pie, tante Patsy's fruit cake, and Karen's Christmas cupcakes, we were blessed with lots of food and cake this Christmas.


We went to the Cathedral for the Christmas Eve's 6 p.m. mass, led by the new Bandung Bishop. Aunt Sisca, Uncle Gavin and Goldi came on Christmas day, brought us more food and blessings and fun to have together, to make the Christmas more merry in our house.


Oh, and I got this black bag for my Christmas present from Aunt Dewi. I do like Nightmare Before Christmas so much and it was indeed a nightmare for our family this Christmas but guess what? The After Christmas is such a blessing! Thanks the Lord!

It had been weeks since I last post something 'real' here. Pardon me, I had some trouble with Dad's administration with the hospital, insurance and other little things. And Mom was sick and I had family coming and staying with us.. it was both tiring and something new for us: being the family that just lose a member and being the center of the attention of hundreds of relation and friends.


And after almost two weeks since Dad's departure--and almost a month can't go anywhere/do anything fun, we all went out to Paris van Java to have some refreshment. We arrived there at 1.30 p.m. and had lunch at Red Bean with Uncle Gavin's family, Aunt Dewi, Aunt Ellen and Ara as well.  After that we still had time to walk around the lifestyle resort and I met Melissa, my high school-mate.


Then Ara and I had a catch-up session with Melissa at Black Canyon for more than 1 hour before we had dinner at Rame Rame with Mom, Aunt Dewi, Aunt Ellen and Clemy. We killed time by walking around till 10 p.m. and fifteen minutes later we watched the great movie Sherlock Holmes. I love that we're out of the house again because we can't stand staying too long in the house like that. It's a great moment that we had and I love my family so much. Thank the Lord!

1. Colossus of Rhodes



Colossus of Rhodes was a Helios statue, located on Rhodes Island, Greece, and was made by Chares of Lindos between 292 and 280 BC. The statue was considered as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Before it was destructed, the statue stood more than 30 meters high, made it as the tallest statue in the ancient world. Colossus of Rhodes had almost the same height as New York's Liberty Statue.


2. Babylonian Hanging Garden



Babylonian Hanging Garden was one of the Ancient's Seven Wonders. The garden was built by King Nebuchadnezzar II around year 600 BC as a gift to his wife, Amyitis. The location of the garden is now in Iraqi state.


3. Mausolus Mausoleum



Mausolus Mausoleum or Halicarnassus Mausoleum was a tomb built between 353 and 350 BC in Halicarnassus (Bodrum, now Turkey) for Mausolus, a satrap in the Persian Empire, and Artemisia II of Caria, his wife and sister. It stood approximately 45 meters in height. The finished structure was considered to be such an aesthetic triumph that Antipater of Sidon identified it as one of his Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.




4. Iskandariah Lighthouse






Iskandariah lighthouse of Alexandria was a lighthouse built in the 3rd century BC on the island of Pharos near the Iskandariah city, Ancient Egypt. This is the only wonder with a practical use. During the night, fire was used to lead the ships, however, during the day a mirror was used to reflect sunlight. The mirror is said to have been a marvel of the technology of the time.The height was estimated to exceed 115 meters and it was among the tallest structures on Earth for many centuries. 




5. Great Giza Pyramid






Great Giza pyramid is the oldest and largest pyramid of the three pyramids on the Necropolis Giza. It was trusted that the pyramid was built as a tomb for fourth dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu and constructed for more than 20 years and is estimated to take place in the years around 2560 BC. This pyramid sometimes referred as Khufu pyramid.




6. Statue of Zeus

Statue of Zeus at Olympia was one of the seven masterpieces of the ancient world, this statue was made of gold and ivory by famous sculptor, Phidias (5th century BC) around 432 years BC in Olympia, Greece. This statue of settled was about 12 meters high and filled the entire Temple of Zeus which was built as the house of this statue. The cause of the destruction of this statue is still debated till now.

7. Artemis Temple

Artemis Temple was a Greek temple, built as a gift for Artemis, which was established around 550 BC under the Ephesians in the Achaemenid dynasty of the Persian empire. This temple was one of the seven masterpiece of the ancient world. Now the temple has been destroyed.

by courtesy of KSTB mailing list.

~Celine Dion

Before life removed all the innocence

My father would lift me high and dance with my mother and me and then

Spin me around ‘til I fell asleep

Then up the stairs he would carry me

And I knew for sure I was loved

If I could get another chance, another walk, another dance with him

I’d play a song that would never ever end

How I’d love, love, love

To dance with my father again

When I and my mother would disagree

To get my way I would run from her to him

He'd make me laugh just to comfort me, yeah yeah..

Then finally make me do just what my moma said

Later that night when i want to sleep

He left a dollar under my sheet

Never dreamed that he would be gone from me

If i could steal one final glance, one final step, one final dance with him

I'd play a song that would never ever end

'Cause I'd love, love, love, love

To dance with my father again

Sometimes I’d listen outside her door

And I’d hear how mama cried for him

I pray for her even more than me

I pray for her even more than me

I know I’m praying for much too much

But could you send back the only man she loved

I know you don’t do it usually

But dear Lord she’s dying

To dance with my father again

Every night I fall asleep and this is all I ever dream

It had been a while since my last post and I beg you pardon cuz I've been very busy. After 6 days of suffering on the hospital bed with lots of plastic hoses, liquid medicine, infuses, injections, oxygen addition and bitterness of staying in a strange room, the Mighty God called my beloved father last Friday by 1:35 a.m. at the ICCU room in St. Borromeus Hospital, Bandung.

At first it felt unbelievable. I was still in such great shock to see my Dad received hand pumps from the doctor and nurses to help him breathe but finally his lung gave up. After 1.5 hours of pumping and seeing no progression, Mom whispered to his ears that she forgave him, she asked forgiveness from him as well and let him go. Right after she finished her sentence, he blew his final breath. The graphic monitor turned into a long line and he was gone.

Mom became a bit hysterical and I couldn't think. I still couldn't believe it: my lovely father, the one who was still able to drive two weeks ago, to share laughter with us a week ago, just passed away. I still couldn't believe it and had some seconds to chew the bitter pill: he was gone.


It was so shocking, truly a horrible unexpected thing for all of us. I called and messaged some of the people who asked for any progression news from him and took care of the letter of death, administration stuff and went home with Kinsey, Wahyu and Tejo to get his belongings at home: his white shirt, pair of dark grey suit, underwear, tie, and shoes.


At 4 a.m. we were back to the funeral house of Borromeus and while the staff bathed and put clothes on him, I stayed awake with the rest of the friends to rewind what just happened the last six hours. It happened so fast, too soon, but I was certain that my Dad's now happy--it was obvious because we can all see the joyful smile on his now frozen face.


Time went by so fast and it was suddenly light and guests were coming to pay the last respect for my late Dad and it was so tiring but fun to greet them all, to see how much love they feel for him, to see how deep he had touched their heart when he was alive, to see how much they care for the family he left here.


But it was such a broken heart that I felt when my siblings arrived with Uncle Gavin and Aunt Dewi, how sad they felt for not being there at my Dad's last moments on earth. Especially to my brother who wasn't really close to my Dad.. it was such a heartbreaking moment but we all managed to calm down by the lunch time. I had a sleep at the room the nuns had prepared for us with Mom for not having slept at all for almost 2 days now.


At 7 p.m. the Rosary Prayer was started and it was such a beautiful service they prepared for Dad. Markus from St. Melania Parish led the prayer and singing, and Tante Olly the preacher I knew 8-9 years ago gave sermon while Mrs. Wito led the Rosary Prayer. It was very very beautiful and I was (which I'm sure was not the only one) deeply touched and felt God's presence there along with Dad's now peaceful soul.


I barely could sleep that night, my eyes were swollen and sore for too much crying and everytime I saw his belongings I started to cry again and again.. It was such a hard day for all of our family but we really had to sleep enough for another tough day so I tried hard to sleep. It was so nice to have Ara slept by my side at the sofa, holding my hand so that I could sleep more easily and calmed.


I came to the funeral house the next day by around 11 p.m. which was noon enough that I missed a friend who came from the morning. Gita was the one who announced the news to the rest of my childhood friends and without her I might not have friends to come to the funeral cuz I had no time to announce it myself.




But I still managed to meet more friends that day. At around 3.30 p.m. I went to Borromeus' canteen to have late lunch with Toba, Arie, Willy, Manto and Mennix, friends from Prova. After that we stayed at the funeral house until 7 p.m. for the Rosary Prayer again. More to come this night and Mr. Andreas gave the sermon while Mr. Tikno and Mr. Lukas led the prayer. Since Mr. Andreas was pretty close to my Dad for 15 years, he strengthen the family more to be joyous of Dad's liberation from earthy pain.

I was so happy to see many of my friends came to pay their last respect, mostly from Prova, and the last were Beatrix and Julius, and at around 10.30 p.m. we grew so tired and went back home. But the program was not end yet. Aunt Sisca was celebrating her 48th birthday so we were heading to Tan Patsy's home where they were staying over and gave her a surprise. We stayed there celebrating until around 00.30 a.m. then went home to have some rest.

We woke up so early last Sunday. It was our last day at the funeral house so we gotta go earlier. We were all dressed in white to deliver Dad's soul to Heaven with requiem mass at 10 a.m. It was such a beautiful mass led by Rm. Iwan, Pr. that he asked testimonials from Dad's friends, children and wife. It was a very touching mass and a perfect one. Then Oom Paulus, Dad's long last friend from his childhood, gave speech about Dad that made us deeply touched. It was just such a perfect end for Dad's life.

While most of the guests came home, we continued to Cikadut to burn the corpse. We arrived there at around 12.30 p.m. and had a little prayer and then my brother got the honor to press the button that would start the fire in the giant oven to burn it all to ashes. We went back home soon after that, afraid of the local gangsters to ask money from us.


Few of the family remained at our place till night and it was such a tiring, exhausting, but relieving moments that we had but somehow everybody's gonna get thru this moment sooner or later and if our time was now, then it should be the best moment that God had planned for us, especially to Dad's soul. We believe that Dad had finished all the tasks that God sent him to this earth for and he did all of them well and now he's gonna enjoy the Christ's promises soon and gonna reunite with his parents and brother up there in Heaven.


So it's just up to us who are still alive now, what to do from now on, to live the life God taught us, to live not only the mortal life but the life full of God; with faith, hope and love. To see my Dad's funeral was full of people who love him, to see how much affection and care those people gave to us, to see how great the services, prayers and testimonials they gave for his soul, are more than enough to comfort us.

Now we don't feel any sadness in our hearts because we believe God the Almighty love my Dad so much He already prepare a place for him to stay forever. I just still feel that I miss him sometimes but I know I'll be just fine. I know, because God had given the best people around me to console and replace the emptiness for Dad's departure. I know He took Dad now because He knows that we're ready to be left. And can't thank the Lord more!

Just FYI, here's an announcement I got from a friend. But actually, morning sale always happen everywhere in Indonesia, isn't it? Just think of traditional markets, Sunday markets, surprise markets (pasar kaget) and all other markets all around the country. I think they put the sales on mornings. LOL. Just enjoy the discounts!

Beautiful as it may be, some flowers are much more than it appears to be. Believe it or not, these seemingly harmless plants can really ruin your vacation. To help you know what flowers to stay away from on your trips, study the list of the world's most attractive but dangerous flowers: 


1. Autumn Crocus
One of the most endangered plants in the world, Autumn crocus is also probably the most poisonous. It contains colchicines, a deadly drug used effectively in the treatment for gout. Unlike other toxins found in the flowers above, colchicines, an arsenic-like poison has NO antidote. Autumn crocus poisoning leads to reduced blood pressure and cardiac arrest. 




2. Oleander 
Oleander is known as one of the most poisonous plants on Earth, often used in suicidal cases around southern India . The numerous toxic compounds contained in the entire Oleander plant, including oleandrin and nerine, affect the nervous, digestive and cardiovascular systems, all at the same time. Oleander poisoning leads to drowsiness, tremors, seizures, coma and even death. The plants sap causes skin irritation and severe eye inflammation. 
  
   


3. Rhododendron
This popular evergreen shrub, featuring large, beautiful blooms, has been known 
for its toxicity since ancient times. Xenophon recorded the odd behaviour of a group of Greek soldiers who had eaten honey from rhododendron flowers. Rhododendron contains Andromeda toxin which causes nausea, severe pains, paralysis and even death. Azaleas, members of the same plant-family as rhododendron, are also poisonous. 




4. Angels Trumpet
Despite its name, there's something very evil about this plant. The toxins it contains can be fatal to humans and a number of animals. Known as a powerful hallucinogen, Angels Trumpet should not be used for recreational purposes, since the risk of an overdose is very high. Angels Trumpet plants contain a variable amount of tropane alkaloids, like atropine and scopolamine, and it is used in shamanic rituals by indigenous tribes in western Amazonia. 




  


6. Lily of the Valley
Just like the Daphne, Lily of the Valley may look beautiful and harmless, but it is entirely poisonous. Eating one or two of the plants bell-shaped flowers won’t hurt you very much, especially if you're an adult. Eaten in large quantities, Lily of the Valley causes pain in the mouth, nausea, vomiting, cramps and diarrhoea. People with heart conditions should be most careful since the toxins cause the heartbeats to slow down or become irregular.






7. Daphne
Also known as Lady Laurel or Paradise Plant, Daphne is a 1-1.5 meters tall shrub, usually grown for its scented flowers. All parts of the plant are poisonous, but the greatest concentrations are in the sap and berries. Daphne contains mezerine and daphnin, two powerful toxins that cause stomach aches, headaches, diarrhoea, delirium and convulsions. If Daphne berries are consumed, the victim might fall into a coma and even die. 



by courtesy of Uncle Pat.