Another Victoria's Secrets

Ana, Rivan and I spent our whole Sunday to paint the room. So our rent room was very dirty on the wall (and also on the floor when I first moved in but took care about it the day I entered the room). And after almost a month pending the job, we finally painted it today. Took almost 6 hours to cover the 3 meters high, 3 x 4.2 sqm room, and we covered the yellowish wall with brand new white paint.


The color really brightened up the room, way too bright actually, for we also have white ceramics for the floor and white bedsheets, too. We really want to put beige for the wall, but let's see if we still want to do another painting job next time. It really was exhausting, but we love what we have in the end. It's such a nice feeling to have the room clean and white :)

I really think those ancient Greek and Chinese people are truly geniuses. Last Saturday, Kak Nissa (Ana's cousin) and her friend Yunita visited us and we ended up watching the after sunset at Petitenget Beach, then had dinner at Warung Bunana, the small depot of the best roti canai and teh tarik in Bali.

Along the time, we discussed about the zodiac and the general characters of Geminis and Virgos, for Nita is a Gemini and Ana has always known Geminis, and also because almost all of Ana's family are Virgos. My dad was a Gemini and Mom is a Virgo. I had never known about my parents' characters until that night we discussed about it--I just have to agree with the girls because they're rather true.

So that was why my dad was a silent person. Geminis don't like to participate on things they don't like; they choose to walk away, especially from the discussions they know they won't get anything from it. They also always do things if there's benefit for them. If not, they'll just leave it. And they don't like surprises or anything that disturb their plans. They don't change their plans for you.

More about Virgos, since I'm now surrounded with so many Virgos more than ever (my boyfriend, my boss, my mom, Mom's friends, ... ) I listen to Ana's stories more carefully. So Virgos are all over the 'panic' and explanations. They like to analyze and to have everything perfectly. So I see now why my boss can sometime very much troubling and why I always have long discussions with boyfriend at night. They are wise, but not for themselves.

As for Pisces, the new fact I just know from Ana, that we never seem to have any serious problem or to be stressed. Even when we are depressed, we don't seem like we are. I think it's because that we Pisces have another world inside of our heads that we don't like to go down to earth for the world is cruel to us. We would prefer the fantasy world and the fun. So yeah, people would see us as dreamy people.

But I don't think I'm so much a Pisces anymore. I still have my fantasy world inside of my head where I still go sometimes, but I live more in reality now. I am not quite sure about my star sign anymore, tho after the ecliptic signs (the 13th sign of Ophiucus), I'm still under Pisces. I think people's characters had affected so much on me lately that I'm now more a realist and practical--and I think it's doing me good. :)

So apparently terrorism also happens to us in daily "human" life. The first case I found lately was for myself. Someone sent me text, threatened me if she ever sees me again talking to her "boyfriend", a boy I know from the church. I received three other texts from the same number, the last one mentioned this boy to be her "husband" while in fact he said he doesn't have any girlfriend, let alone a wife.

I never replied to the messages, knowing that she is just someone who doesn't like me or just jealous, some secret admirer of the boy but doesn't get his attention. This simply pushed me away from the Church's youth organization (the OMK), tho I didn't give a damn about the messages.

So, the other terror case I heard lately is the one directed to my sister. It is this crazy woman thinking that my sister is having an affair with her husband just because they work together and he gave my sister a ride home at night when they are working late. Not that I am defending my sister with no reason (which of course I would definitely do), but I know my sister and her type of a guy and there is so no way that this is happening between my sister and this woman's husband.

Now, the woman messaged my mom about the imaginary affair and asked to be my friend in facebook. To me, she said it nicely at first that she wants to add a new friend and said "Dear" to call me. I told her to stay away and said that I would go to the police for libelous. She asked me to accept her to be my friend but as I didn't accept, she was freaking out and swearing . It is kinda freak to me, given that she had already threatened my sister at facebook and also in real life.

I really hope that this woman will stop terrorizing my sister and family, and I really wish the best for her and the husband to get along again. And I just can hope that people will stop being a psycho to their lover and stop scaring other people just because they can't trust their partner. This is just too much a drama to me. I really don't have time for something like this!

So I spent my Saturday last weekend with the girls. It was so fun! Jana and I agreed to meet at Double Six beach at 4 p.m. and just before I go, Ana came home and she wanted to come. So we met Jana at the beach and sunbathed till it was sunset.

We managed to meet Keaton at the beach and when Jana decided to go home, the rest of us had dinner at Warung Bunana, Kerobokan, and had some chit-chat till 8 p.m. Then we prepared to go for the night's fun time.


Ana and I met Jana at Mantra, the new cafe's re-opening party in Petitenget. Jana introduced us to her friends Katryn and Lisa, both are Germans too. And after that we moved to Tulip because my boss just called me to come over. At midnight the German girls went home, but Ana and I stayed to accompany my boss and his friends.

Another two girls came, this time Indonesian: Santi and Putri. They are both from Yogyakarta, and friends with Dani at first. At around 2 a.m. we moved again to Mint, some club around the area with so many people crowded in it--and danced till it was 4 a.m.

Finally! After weeks of waiting, we did watch The Avengers at the theater. I think this is my first movie on 2012. I don't really remember when was my last time watching movie in a theater, but I guess it was with Alvin on November 2011 in Bandung. And indeed, this is my first time watching movie in theater in Bali, since we only got one theater on the whole island... so it was quite a queue.


I really can't decide which one I love more: The Transformers or The Avengers. They kinda use the same technology but this one is more a superhero than robotic. Only the Chitauri legion and the war scene in New York reminded me a lot of The Transformers. Well about the movie, I love it. Just like any other superhero and fantasy movies, I love it!


These are the scenes I loved about The Avengers from the most hilarious one:

1. The moment when Hulk slammed Loki. I just burst out into laughter since it was so hilarious. And the "Puny God"  line.
2. The moment when Loki said "If it's all the same to you, I think I'll have that drink" after waking up surrounded by the Avengers.
3. "...he's my brother," said Thor to the Avengers about Loki. "He killed 80 people in 2 days," says Natasha, then Thor added: "He's adopted."
4. Pilot: "Target acquired -- Target engaged -- TARGET ANGRY!"
5. The moment Banner turned into Hulk just at the right time to punch the Chitauri's monster. "That's is my secret, Captain. I'm always angry." This one's not hilarious, it's just cool.

Here are some cartoon I found in internet about them. They are so funny and creative. Yeah I know, I'm just getting too avenge-y now.

I feel kinda like a shopaholic now, buying so many stuff so often like I've never had before. But I just couldn't resist this rucksack. It's big enough to put my 13" MacBook in it, or even to put all the clothes for two-three days' stay over. And it can be hooked to the upper or bottom side, and it's made of canvas, the material I like lately (see my last post about the turquoise shoes) and the color is exactly what I thought of buying: fade green and sand. Well, I'm just loving this. I really am looking forward for the payday now!

I had never thought I'd master the motorbike riding and loving it. But I do, because:

1. Bali's only public transportation is taxi. Buses are very limited so motorbike is the easiest vehicle to go places.
2. The pollution level is still low, so it is still comfortable to go by bike even in the main roads. And you can still breathe the fresh air when you go between the rice fields.
3. Bali has narrow roads so it is much easier and faster to go by bike, even if you have to go to the alleys.
4. The park space is limited for cars, so it's much helpful if you just ride the bike, especially when you go to the shops in a narrow road.
5. It cost you only IDR 10,000-20,000 to fulfill the fuel tank. Compare it to the car's full tank price which starts from IDR 150,000.

It had been three months since I moved to Bali. Overall, I am enjoying my time here. There are so many new things, new experiences, new friends, new places, and new habits I got here. Especially the fact that I am now riding a bike everywhere. It's like something quite impossible for me to do in Bandung/Jakarta (not that it's not possible but I refused to ride on one in those cities due to the traffic and pollution--plus because of the trauma).

Last weekend was my first time riding to Ubud, the whole 32 km away from Kerobokan (where I live) and had a bike tour with girl friends, Rina and Jana. It was such a different experience, and the atmosphere in Ubud was really nice. It brought a new sensation to me and I loved it very much. It's so much helpful to have a bike here because Bali's public transportation are very limited.

It is also a new experience to me to have a room mate. It pushes me to be more diligent to tidy up the room, and I have to share with everything: stuff, space, stories and time. I learn to be (even more) patient and tolerant. And coordination is essential in everything. I've been dreaming of sharing room with a friend in a stranger' city but I've never thought it would be with Ana and in Bali. But then again, it's working the way I wanted it to be.

About work, well, it's not the best job and best salary in the world indeed. But I'm enjoying it, with the fact that my office is at the most happening road in Bali now, with foreigner boss who appreciates my work and easy to deal with, and the two days off at weekends (most people in Bali works half-day on Saturday, and in Shops and horeca business, they mostly work on Sunday too).

The most usual thing I heard about people from both Jakarta and Bandung who had lived in Bali was that they are bored, with no friends and nothing to do. Surprisingly it doesn't work the same way to me. I always have something to do here, or new places to go to, and never lacked of friends. I can always find someone who's available or just make new ones when I run out of friends.

Talking about friends, I just love to make new ones here, especially the fact that people here are gathered from all around the world. You can just meet a bit of France, or South Africa or Japan randomly here. We simply mix and live together harmoniously. I really feel the peace in mind and soul here, there isn't any violence anywhere in Bali. The unseen forces do exist, but I don't get in touch with them so my life is very much peaceful here.

And about the wild life in Bali they always talk about, it really is depends on our choices. I chose for a simple, modest and peaceful one, with a lot of sunbathing on the beach or visit interior shops, and be at home before 10 p.m. I really enjoy this kind of life, tho people are asking me to hang out till dawn at clubs. Maybe it's my age, too. I've had enough of the secular things. I prefer to draw myself closer to God in every way that I do.

I do miss my family and friends back in Java, for sure. Especially my little sister, Clemency, who shares almost everything with me before. I also miss my girl friends Cheryl and Maria who had accompanied me almost everywhere for the last months before I moved. I miss the most my mother who really is my soul mate. But it's like no way for me to go back to Java, at least for the moment. I'm still enjoying my new life to the most, especially the part that I'm being truly myself without anyone's influence here.

Well, I just love Bali. Such beauty doesn't exist anywhere else where traditional culture meets modern touch. I hope I shouldn't leave the island anytime soon. I just superlove it here.

Rina asked me to go for a ride to Ubud yesterday noon and I said OK. So we met in Sanur and had lunch at Mak Beng. After that we both ride to the Gianyar area by our own bikes, and arrived at Monkey Forest at around 2 p.m. We went a shop I wanted to go to but didn't buy anything because the bag I had dreamed of was sold already.


We chilled at Tutmak at Jalan Dewi Sita, then Jana joined us. She asked us to go along to Goa Gajah at Blahbatuh area, so we went there at around 5.30 and went to the ancient Buddhist site, had fun there till it was dark and went back to Monkey Forest, then had dinner at Naughty Nuri's.



We rode our bikes back to Seminyak, the whole an hour ride by 50-70km/hr, and stopped by at Sunset Star to have two cups of ice cream for the three of us at Cold Stone then went home. It was really fun to bike touring with just girls, and Ubud, especially at night, really gave a different atmosphere!

I went to Matahari Kuta Square the other night with Ana. I didn't plan to buy anything, just to accompany her to shop. But then I saw these super cute Nevada shoes and I just couldn't resist to buy them. Plus it was 50% off. So I brought home the pair and really couldn't take it off of my feet. I just love them so much!

You might be interested to come. Why not?

I went to Sanur last Saturday to attend Romulus' big sister's wedding. It was held in Inna Sindhu Beach Hotel, a small family party in white and purple. I managed to dress in grey dress with pink and purple roses which I luckily have in my wardrobe.

So the wedding was very simple with only family and close friends, me as the only stranger there I guess, unless that I know Romulus, Roy Julius and Rinaly (the cousin) from my days in SMP Providentia 15 years ago.

By the way, I met Ben's friend, Natalia, on the wedding, who happens to be Kak Sita's classmate at the ITB's MBA program. I just met her the night before at Warung Bunana nearby my crib... to prove that Bali isn't that big. LOL.

Romulus drove me home after that, stayed at the kost till midnight chatting with Ana too at Plinggih (the Balinese gazebo). It's always nice to meet people we know from the previous city, which brings along a little of Bandung and the memories back alive. But then again, such a different life I am having here so I just gotta drop it there. I am glad to meet him again and did a little catch up, but life goes on and so I am ;)

As I have a room mate now, I learn to share things (as I wrote before). And this, also, to share dreams with her. I have a dream room, the way I'd love my room to be. Lucky for me, Ana has a very similar taste, similar dream, and similar music also (this is important to tune on something during the day/night together in that 12 sqm cubic).

So yesterday, as we got a day off, we went to shop for some painting stuff, browsed for bedside table/desk for our laptops and working surface, and went to Mal Bali Galeria to watch the Avengers. Unfortunately, the ticket was sold out when we got there, so we met Reno and Nova who were already there for some chat.

We then continued our stuff browsing to Ace Hardware and Informa, the place we cherish the most to find cute little things for home. We ended up bought shower caddy to be hung on the shower and a patterned kitchen cloth. I love the latter the most because of its color, and to our surprise, we got 2 for 1. So Ana chose another pattern and we loved it so much.


Tonight, after work, Ana and I went to a shop and bought the rest of what we needed: shoe rack, towel hanger, plastic stool for the bathroom and a small "emergency" desk made of some particle board tray with foldable feet. The "desk" is what I love the most and I wrapped the wooden part with transparent tape. I need to wrap the surface with the cloth I bought yesterday, but let that be tomorrow's project since I am now tired.


We still got plenty of homework to do. Paint the room on Sunday, make some wall racks and buy some bedside tables. But it is really nice to have someone who are very similar to us. The only thing we need to "sacrifice" is that I love purple and she likes blue and a bit of orange. But we both love turquoise and pastels so it's not really a big problem for me. I really can't wait for the room to be painted soon!

I was overjoyed last Friday because my friends from Jakarta were here. Ryan 'Iyank', Otio, Audy, Kelvin, Hanif and their high school friends came and were having late lunch at Good Deal when I messaged Ryan, so I went across the street and said hi. They went to Potato Head Beach Club and I caught up after work at 6 p.m.

So that was my first time to Potato Head and I thought, the place was so cool, no wonder people are talking about it. We waited for Adhe and two other friends to arrive and enjoyed some booze there. At 9 p.m. there was a fantastic fireworks lit up on the beach from the Ferrari guys who held some events at the venue. It was one of the most magical fireworks I've ever seen.

I went home alone at 9.30 and cleaned up the room, skype-ing with Ilham and fell asleep after midnight. I woke up a little late on Saturday and went ahead to Denpasar to get facial treatment at LBC. It was raining all day and I was a little wet when I went back so I stopped at a shop in Imam Bonjol Street, buying a 120x200 mattress. I should've bought this weeks before actually.

It was still 3.30 p.m. so I got some time to do a little shopping so I went to Carrefour at Sunset Road and did shopped a little more there, had my early dinner at A&W, and went home. I met my landowner and paid my rent, open my new mattress and rearrange the furniture until around 8 p.m. Ryan and his friends fetched me to go to Kaizan at Kayu Aya.





We then moved to Brewers Legian, waited for Ana to come, and at around midnight moved again to Sky Garden. The boys had fun, and for me it was a new experience. We had super late supper at Laota, and arrived home at around 5 a.m. It was a super tiring and sleepy night for me.

I woke up at 1 p.m. on Sunday and the boys were coming already. This time Adhe's group fetched me. There were Kelvin, Anggi, Made, Giska (Made's girlfriend), Bisma and Maskur in the car. We went to Uluwatu to meet Ryan's group, which are Bembi, Oja, Hanif, Maleo, Otio, and Audi. We headed to the 'hidden beach' somewhere south.

We held our breaths when we arrived at around 4 p.m. for viewing such beauty. We had to step down the whole 300 stairs to get to the sands and set for the picnic there. I had so much fun there, having my own time of reflection while the boys were playing in the water.

We packed up at 6.30 and went back to the north while Otio was going back to Jakarta. The rest of us went to Jimbaran to have dinner at Menega Cafe. We finished at around 10 p.m. and the boys drove me home. We said goodbye and I felt a little sad to have to separate because I already feel them as my best friends, as brothers I just met. But then again life's all about arrival and departure. We have to cherish the moment while it exists and leave them as sweet memories in our hearts to carry on.

Ana moved in to my place last night and we tried to squeeze in the 12 sqm room for two. It actually is nice to have a room mate, but also I need to learn to share. Share the space, the stuff, and even the habits. This is my first time to share room with someone who isn't from the family, but I found it easy with Ana, because we share similar taste and perspective, and also habits. I think it really is important to see whether the person is a lazy or diligent one, a night or day person, etc. Thank God He prepares the similar one for me.

This is such a great idea when you have a house in a secluded area. Check this one out!




Now, it's time to lock up!







How about applying this on your own house?