Another Victoria's Secrets

Last Sunday, my friend Lita was celebrating her daughter's first birthday and invited my Bandung friends to come also. I thought this could really be a cool event to attend as well to greet my old friends in just one visit. So I made this surprise appearance debut by hitch-hiking Nina's car. She lives in BSD City also with her husband, Donny, and children: Daniella and Nino.

I hadn't come to the birth or birthdays of any of my friends since Jesselyn's birth (Irma's first daughter, which was 2,5 years ago) so I thought this could be good for me to make up all my absence to the others, too. I bought 7 presents: for Irma's son--Jason(3mo); for his sister, Jesselyn(2,5); for Ester's children--Hayden(6) and Haydee(4); for the birthday girl Nadia (1); and for Danie & Nino.


Quite a rob for my saving, but I guess it's worth it. We came to Aries an hour earlier, to a new café named Mingle, where the Joswaras (Ester's family) was already there along with Rica (friend of Lita and Rian's). I was happy that they seemed happy to see me, and were surprised because they didn't know that I'm back in Java again.

The party was simple but quite warm. I could greet Lita's parents, Tante Lena and Oom Wendy, who are always nice and welcoming to me, considering me as their daughter. I also met W and his wife, Yuli, and son, Tristan--who I haven't met since their wedding. Also Rian came with his son Alden but without wife, Angely, who just gave birth to a daughter 5 days earlier.


Everybody knows how I don't like kids, but apparently kids love me. I played with Haydee and Danie who are old enough to be talked to, and chat with the mothers most of time. The party ended at around 1.30 p.m. and I went with Nina's family to Nina's mother's house in Kemanggisan, which I've visited many years ago before she was married. But I didn't made it back to BSD City that afternoon.


My brother and sister asked me to meet up that very afternoon at Pacific Place, so there I went by taxi. We met at ak.'sa.ra where I drooled over all the merchandises they sell there, then chilled at a new dessert parlor Pannacotta. This was our first meeting for this month, especially after I settled back at Mom's house. I really love the companion of my siblings, and Fabian, too.

After a while we decided to have dinner somewhere cheaper, so we went to Mi-Ka, which stands for Mi Kare (curry noodle) in Jl. Brawijaya IV, South Jakarta. For Rp 20,000.- we can choose between ramen noodle soup or rice to eat with the curry. Each completed with egg and beef teriyaki and chicken katsu. It was such a super great meal!


*) EVIL stands for "Ester, Victoria, Irma & Lely" at the beginning; then Lely was replaced by Lita who joined up later.

This Hollywood movie producer was proposing to his lovely lady with the thing he does best: a short movie. Watch this and prepare some tissue for the ending. What more to say, it's simply beautiful!
Ladies and gentlemen, here's Justin & Emily:

Saw this animated short video on internet that made us rethink about employment. This video had won 102 international awards, made by an Argentina director Santiago 'Bou' Grasso from opusBOU. Check this out:

There is a person behind everything that is made and from the beginnings of trade people have not been looked at as people but just as a means to a tangible good or looked at as only the service they provide. The entire world has been transformed into nothing other than a global community of workers and soldiers valued only for what they can do to contribute to the wealth of individuals who hide behind laws of corporations created by individuals in political appointments who seek out their own agendas.

When we were kids, Mom subscribed a local magazine named Majalah Bobo for me and brother to read. They have continuous comic bonus in every edition and one of my favorite was "Pak Janggut". Only today I found a link to download its e-book and I was thrown back to my elementary years drowning in the old man's journey.

It is a story of a fat and short old man with white beard who travels through villages at the mid-centuries somewhere in Europe. He was dressed in green ragged clothes and carried everywhere a magic brown bundle tied on a stick. The magic bundle was given from his wizard grandfather and would give him anything he needs in any situation. This was such a bedtime story for me.

When I downloaded and read some of the series, I became curious who made the story because of the thick medieval setting and characters--it certainly not an Indonesian story. Then I found the name of Piet Wijn as the illustrator and Thom Roep as script writer. The illustration then continued by Dick Matena when Piet Wijn grew older and retired drawing.

In English the comic is known as The Journey of Danny Doodle while the original Dutch was De Avonturen van Douwe Dabbert. It had been published continuously in a Donald Duck Weekblad weekly magazine since 1975-2001 in 23 series. I found 15 of the series downloadable here.
Let's enjoy the medieval adventure!

I tried making a painting few weeks ago, my first attempt for watercolor on canvas. Turned out to be a pretty cute painting and I put it on my working wall in my rented room. Who knew I could paint all along?

I didn't plan to attend any party this year actually, but on Oct 31st morning my friends asked me to join them so I rent a cowboy hat at a costume shop near my kost and dressed as a cowgirl. I went to Tequila Bar, Istana Rama Hotel, Kuta at 9 p.m. and found my friends already there: Mas Ado and his wife Mba Djodja with their friend Mba Yanti. Yep, they're all much older than me.



Mas Ado dressed as Hare Krishna while Mba Djodja was a gypsy. Mba Yanti became a lady from The Great Gatsby and I was Daisy Duke of the Dukes of Hazzard. What do you think?
We didn't stay long at the party but talked about stuff till midnight at the hotel lobby. It was the shortest party for Halloween I guess, but I felt so happy about it. Perhaps to have spent it with good friends is what matters most. Happy Halloween, folks!

I really spoiled myself last Sunday. I started the day checking a new kost nearby but I didn't take it because the room size is about half my current kost. But I super like the neighborhood. Too bad it's not mine. I then went to Denpasar for facial treatment and had it finished at about 4 p.m.


I went to a shop I checked earlier by internet to buy a Wacom Intuos Pen & Touch. I need it for my new drawing interest. I really am bad at drawing + coloring so I hope this gadget will help me on completing my current project.


I also went to some phone shops and finally bought the iPhone 5 I had already wanted for the past few weeks now. I had to let go of my old Samsung Galaxy S Advance that had been accompanying me for 16 months now for it is being too old and slow for today's technology.


I really am excited and happy for my new iPhone and Wacom--it's a prove that God is always equipping me with the stuff I need in the right time. Thank God!

My friend Adhe came to Bali last Thursday with his colleagues and asked me to meet. He works in MRA, one of the largest media company in Indonesia, in the MarComm division, and it happened that I know many people who work with him. Risty, my kost neighbor and is Ana's cousin, was one of them. She quit MRA last April and moved to Bali ever since. Besides Risty, I have list of names I can say that I know from MRA.

I joined the group on Friday afternoon. They were chillin' at Kitchenette Beachwalk, and from all I knew only Adhe and Gian--the colleague I met on their last visit to Bali last year, and introduced to Kurnia, Fitria, Piepit (Gian's girlfriend) and Fina. Three of them bought some of Pélopé bracelets collection I brought. I was so happy instantly.


We then moved to Double Six beach for sunset and chilled there till around 7 p.m. The sun was perfectly set to the horizon and the ambient was cool with '90s pop-rock acoustic live music playing in the background. The thing I love about live music (and radio's playlists) in Bali is that they play '90s songs much more than anywhere in Java.



After that we had dinner at Mbok Limbok Chicken at Jl. Patih Jelantik which had always been my favorite. The pènyét (cooked with basil leaves and chili) and krèmès (fried with extra crispy flour) are equally good. Plus the sambal (chili paste), fried cabbage or eggplant pènyét. It's really that good. We separated there that night.


The next morning they picked Risty and I up at 12 p.m. There were 8 of us already, plus Imelda who just arrived from Surabaya that morning. We headed to airport to pick up another, Mas Henry--their manager. At 1 p.m. we were all set and headed to Jl. Nyuh Kuning in Ubud. There was a Balinese restaurant called Laka-Léké which located behind the Monkey Forest, so it's kind of hidden.


We had their famous crispy half duck, which seemed so big for me to finish alone. But apparently I managed to finished it all, because the meat in duck was not as many as it could be found in a chicken. After this late lunch we went all across the island to Echo Beach on the west coast. It was their first time to come here.


We chilled on the sand till the sun was set. We had dinner at Warung Italia BBQ at Banjar Sémér. We had great pasta and pizza with surprisingly affordable price there. After that they dropped us home. It was such a tiring trip in the car whole day, but I really had great fun with these people. Thank God for this weekend holiday and new friends I had!

It had been 1.5 years now since I bought this classy Yamaha Fino and I'm still loving it so much. Here are whys.

1. First of all, because of its function. It can deliver me here and there, near and far, all over Bali (the farthest I tried was Munggu-west, Benoa-southeast and Ubud-northeast, tho).
2. It's not too big so I can control every part of it and its bumpy back gives more balance for me to ride it. It doesn't easily fall despite its light-weight.
3. The model. It's not as common as the retro Honda (old) Scoopy and looks more vintage. I love the speed-o-meter and the sticker lines. And the rear lights. It's so classy!
4. The seat. It's so unbelievably comfy, and all of my passengers said so. It didn't give me any bum-sore even after an hour driving to Ubud. It really fits the bum!
5. It made me look good on it. Can't deny this, it adds some style on me, plus my brown vintage helmets, I look as classy as a Vespa rider, only much more comfortable on a Fino.

Dare to compete me? Seriously, buy a Fino--it's never a regret.

I turned on my iTunes this morning and it shuffled to this song, that really hit me for the first time. I ended up playing it over and over again, thinking of my best friends Rachelle and Cheryl and our friendship and how we are so much far apart but still close at heart, although we don't keep in intense touch. This song is about friendship, love, support and courage. The song that really touches hearts. Cheers, Kenny Loggins!

Few days ago I went out with my college friend, Fer, who was staying at Ana's room for a couple of weeks already. When I reached Bali she had only two days left, but we could manage having lunch and dessert together on Friday that ended up with club hopping from Eikon at Legian, Kaizan at Kayu Aya till Mantra at Petitenget.

Based on my short reunion with Fer, she commented few things about my habitat here that quite taken me aback. First, she likes my room decoration with the white rustic feel and that I am such an organized person. My room was terribly messy by then but she said I was pretty much organized with things, so I guess she must have had a point there.



Yesterday I was having a spare time and went to Ace Hardware to check its new store at Central Parking. I ended up spent almost 4 hours there and went home with some stuff. Most of it are for my kitchen, but I also bought a rust detach liquid named Rust Combat. Let's find out if it really can clear all the rust on my bike's chrome rear-view mirror. I'll give the review later.


Oh, I also get this cute white Umbra butterfly jewelry hanger. And also a vintage-look leather helmet I posted the pic above to match my old one and to my classic vintage scooter Fino. Fer said I am very concerned with the details here, that everything must match with the surrounding. Well, maybe she's right after all.. :)

Last Thursday I met my longest best friend, Alex Samosir. He had time for me between his busy job so I drove to Town Square to meet him there at around 5 p.m. We met at Starbucks where he introduced me to a business acquaintance but it kinda surprised me as he mentioned me as "this girl is more than anything else". I told her he was exaggerating. He said he wasn't.

We then had dinner at Malay Village after she left. We talked about a lot of things and he, again, said that I am one of a few people that had helped him on becoming who he is now. I told him I did nothing. He said I didn't have to. The important thing is that I still wants to be his friend since 1994. It was 19 years ago. I can say he's my longest best friend and vice versa.

He said the way I shared stories with him had formed a certain way of thinking, which he said to be cool enough. He said he cherishes the friendship and companionship along the way till now we are standing on our own paths, although our hands no longer holding each other but still have a glance to each other. I think, this is how best friends do in life. We walk our own ways but still be in touch.

I had never thought that what I did had so much impact on people's life. I just do what my heart tells me to. I befriends with whoever needing it. I share anything with anyone who wants to listen. And see now, an Indonesian director for one of a multinational vehicle company just told me he wouldn't be there now without me. What an appreciation that I had just received!

Sometimes we are below, sometimes we are above. Who knew a skinny boy who lived in a quite slum area almost 20 years ago could climb his way up and become a director of a big company today? We would never know that. What we have to bear in mind is to do good to everybody, no matter how small they are. You would never know what they would turn to in the future!

Let's talk about man's territory. I told my boyfriend about a female friend who is forbidden to befriend with her best friend. So, this girl had this best friend who appeared to be a male. She treated and felt him just as a friend, but apparently the guy felt and wanted more of her. When she got married to a man she loves, her husband forbid her to keep in touch with him.

I told this story and I felt pity on her because she isn't allowed to keep her male friend. I myself have some male friends I keep close around me, although somehow my girl's radar caught signals of that 'wanting more' from them. The thing is, they really are great friends to me who I've known for a very long time. I had always thought that friends are meant to be forever.

Alas, my boyfriend thought differently. He back up my friend's husband's rule about keeping other male outside his wife's circle. "It's about man's territory," he told me. He was saying what's in the head of all men, the thing I could never understand. What is wrong about keeping friends? What is wrong about having male friends? I really can't understand this.

But I think I am no longer in my young adult years. As my discussion with Pompink years ago, people now befriends for either because of the long friendship they have since the '90s or because there is something favorable. I must be very naïve to think that these guys wanna be friends with me without wanting more. But it's their problem, isn't it?

I've always thought that to like or to love someone is everyone's right. It's up to us how to behave or deal with that. Like Robin and Ted in How I Met Your Mother, they can remain friends for years after the romance, although Ted loves Robin very much deep inside until (maybe) today. They can do it pretty well, don't they?

I know you'll tell me it's just in a movie, but I think the case is real and the solution can be applied to anyone of us, if one party behaves neutrally and draws an obvious line of the 'friend zone'. Maybe for some people just friends aren't enough, that's why they leave. But in true friends, one-sided love won't be a problem. Now, am I right?

Look at the trees and choose the one that is immediately most appealing to you.
Don’t think about it too long, just choose, see what hits you first, and find out what your choice says about your personality, have FUN and share your choice in the comments. (I'm a 1 btw..)


The results:

1.  You are a generous and moral (not to confuse with moralizing) person. You always work on self-improvement. You are very ambitious and have very high standards. People might think that communicating with you is difficult, but for you, it isn't easy to be who you are. You work very hard but you are not in the least selfish. You work because you want to improve the world. You have a great capacity to love people until they hurt you. But even after they do. . . you keep loving. Very few people can appreciate everything you do as well as you deserve.  
2.  You are a fun, honest person. You are very responsible and like taking care of others. You believe in putting in an honest day's work and accept many work-related responsibilities. You have a very good personality and people come to trust you easily. You are bright, witty and fast-thinking. You always have an interesting story to tell.  
3.  You are a smart and thoughtful person. You are a great thinker. Your thoughts and ideas are the most important. You like to think about your theories and views alone. You are an introvert. You get along with those who likes to think and learn. You spend a lot of time, thinking about morality. You are trying to do what is right, even if the majority of society does not agree with you.  
4.  You are perceptive and philosophical person. You are a unique, one soul of your kind. Next to you there's no one even slightly similar to you. You are intuitive and a bit quirky. You are often misunderstood, and it hurts you. You need personal space. Your creativity needs to be developed, it requires respect of others. You are a person who clearly sees the light and dark sides of life. You are very emotional.  
5.  You are self-assured and in charge. You are very independent. Your guiding principle in life is 'I'll do it my way.'. You are very self-reliant and know how to stay strong for yourself and the people you Love. You know exactly what you want and are not afraid of pursuing your dreams. The only thing you demand from people is honesty. You are strong enough to accept the truth.
6.  You are kind and sensitive. People relate to you very well. You have many friends and you love helping them. You have this warm and bright aura that makes people feel good when they are around you. Every day, you think about what you can do to improve yourself. You want to be interesting, insightful and unique. More than anybody else in the world, you need to love. You are even ready to love those who don't love you back.  
7.  You are happy and unflappable. You are a very sensitive and understanding person. You are a great listener who know how to be non-judgmental. You believe that everybody has their own journey in life. You are open to new people and events. You are highly resistant to stress and rarely worry. Normally, you are very relaxed. You always manage to have a good time and never lose your way.  
8.  You are charming and energetic. You are a fun person who knows how to make people laugh. You live in a state of harmony with the universe. You are spontaneous and enthusiastic. You never say no to an adventure. Often, you end up surprising and even shocking people. But that's just how you are. . . You always remain true to yourself. You have many interests and if something proves of interest to you, you will not rest until you acquire a profound knowledge of this area.  
9.  You are optimistic and lucky. You believe that life is a gift and you try to achieve as much as possible and put this gift to the best use possible. You are very proud of your achievements. You are ready to stick by the people you care about through thick and thin. You have a very healthy approach to life. The glass is (at least) half full for you. You use any opportunity to forgive, learn, and grow because you believe that life is too short to do otherwise. 

Via: @[182395281832998:274:•Inspire Yourself•]

I had never realized that I am an over-possessive person until a new friend, Adit, said it to my face two months ago. Since my first relationship with boys 13 years ago, I had read so many relationship tips articles in Mom's women magazines and I knew that guys don't like over-possessive girls. That's why I tried my best not to become one. Apparently, I was wrong.

Apparently, I still have that sense of too-much on owning something mostly over the people I care about--not only my boyfriend, but also my best friends. I just realized now that I had been pretty much a little too possessive. Actually sometimes it's good, but sometimes it's not really that good. Especially when I try to control their lives.

I think it's because I care too much. Although sometimes I seem to not caring at all. But I do. And sometimes, it's over the limit. Now I learn to accept things the way they are and to give more space to them to expand and thrive in their own lives, with their own way. Because we all are unique and we have different ways of our own. I still need to learn more in life..

Found these cool vintage-looking synthetic leather pair of boots yesterday at Forever 21, PIM. Loved it from the first sight and I didn't need second thought to buy them. Only a bit confusion when I saw the black ones and had to choose just a pair because the black were gorgeous also. But I've already known my heart wanted the brown one from the beginning. So, voilà, the boots are mine now!

I've been in Jakarta a month full now, enjoying meeting up with best friends Rachelle, Cheryl, Alexandre, Alex Samosir and few others. I went to Solo and Purwokerto for few days also, but I didn't touch Bandung. It might sound weird for you, knowing that I've been living in that city for about 20 years and it's only 2 hours away from where I'm staying now.

Maybe I've had enough with the city. I had to wait for 20 years to get completely out of there and now that Mom had moved to Tangerang, I'm not going back. I am still in touch with my friends there, but only by messages. I know I have to visit them for their second child's birth, for keeping up with recent stories, for whatever it needed between friends. But I don't.

And there are old friends who are in Jakarta, too, but I don't keep up with. They already have husbands and babies, and I don't think spending time with them would give me any benefit at all. I don't like babies and I much prefer talks about art, ideas and big discussions than family problems--which my old friends never interested about.

I know I sound a little too cold about this, but I also have projects and meetings to be done here and I don't like going to Bandung on weekends due to traffic jams. Maybe these are just my alibis, but I really don't feel like going 'back' there. Even that I had sweet memories, too, things had changed. The people I knew would change, too, and sometimes things are best kept just as memories. I'm not reliving it.

I hope you forgive me.

I just watched Java Heat, the first Indonesian action movie that have two Hollywood stars playing: Kellan Lutz and Mickey Rourke. The Indonesian young stars include Ario Bayu, Atiqah Hasiholan and Rio Dewanto, who are all the good new rising stars. I think Lutz played really well here, much better than in drama with Mandy Moore in Love Wedding Marriage. Too bad, Bayu who plays as the main role from Indonesian part is still far to be compared to Lutz's.

I also think the story is not strong enough. Maybe it's interesting enough to use Yogyakartan Keraton (kingdom) as the main background of the story and Borobudur as the final setting, but it's just not strong enough. Perhaps because of the players. Watching Lutz's natural act beside Bayu's stiff act was pretty much annoying. I don't think it's a natural Indonesian cops' character the way he is being very hard on Lutz. I just say he's still too stiff and awkward here.


Also Rourke is a little slow here than in his many other movies. Perhaps the director couldn't direct him better that made every scene is not connected to the other. But actually it's interesting to know, for this another Indonesian action movie after The Raid: Redemption. For The Raid, I think it's pretty good for the acts, quite natural although it's not really a common Indonesian habit to use weapons and that much. Joe Taslim fought pretty good there, although still need improvement when he speaks. No wonder he was recruited by the Fast and Furious.

I have only a few lists of good Indonesian movie so far, including Catatan Harian Si Boy (also starred Ario Bayu, which performed much better in this than in Java Heat) from action genre, AADC from drama and 30 Hari Mencari Cinta from the comedy. The others are okay, but not really that good enough. I hope the next Indonesian movies will get better after this. Let's cross our fingers!