New Pages

Finished two books this weekend. Contradictive in ways of seeing past and future Arundhati Roy in her ‘God of Small Things’ shows all the multiplied effects of past experiences in her main characters, Rahel and Estha. beauties of childhood innocence incorporated with bitterness of life. Some conditions are indispensable; love, lust, adultery, social classes, politics…those built adults Rahel and Estha. The first has problem in relationship, the latter is locked in his quiet life, losing his capability to express words. It doesn’t leave strong impression in me, may be since it was the translated version the translator seems difficult to express all details in Indonesian...is it the problem of our language? The second book is by Mitch Albom : Tuesdays with Morrie , a true story. Also a translated version, I got it today from a book rentplace. they offer not many choices* He writes down his last courses with Morrie, a professor from his university 16 years ago. A beautiful piece—better...

It is one hour now, there is no electricity in the office. Almost all Japanese experts have gone back to their hotels. We’ll continue the work in the hotel, please inform us when the electricity is back… Ja right.. Since all the windows are sealed and covered with plastic sheets, there is no air circulation. With Makassar’s climate… it is extremely hot! I called home to ask someone delivering the book I’m reading recently, The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, just started thus not much I can tell. Poé mah nteu…hareudang…nah eta!

chocolate...ice cream...black forest...chocolate pudding.... but most of all A BOOK to READ! not those kind of urbanismo books... *everyone needs a break, ain't we?* was looking for some good bookstores in Makassar~which now I know this city is lacking of~ after browsing the complete title of Haruki Murakami's book: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle... Or maybe 'Memoirs of a Geisha' a not-so-new-piece by Arthur Golden... My lovely sis offered me once to buy a book from Jakarta and send them to me. Now I regret that I said 'no' to be polite *me?polite?is it end of the world?* I noticed I have more time to read here in Makassar then in Bandung...thou the work load is not fewer either. maybe I'll get a brownpaper package of novel >

...with small portion of rice... 2 kudu-kudu fish 1 papakulu fish 1 squid fritters 1 portion os seashells in padang sauce 1 postion crab in ansio sauce 1 bowl of fish meatballs and lots of sambals! .... it is superduperdelicioso!!!!!! *those food were shared with other 6 person..thank goodness!* anddd.... the wondeful part of having an icecream shop own by your mom.... it is always easy to have a help of icecream to cheer the mood up! Now, that is for today, i've broken my diet today hahaha.... but fishes just fine,.......*excuse my self....*

Fuiste Tú by Charlie Haden in background [birthday present from OQ after a long talk at Daily Bread] Finally I finished Shanghai Baby of Wei Hu, after months of delay since I left it behind at Santhi’s living room in Singapore last December. What to say… At the beginning it was extraordinary, yet later on I found it a bit too much and exaggerated. Nevertheless, it sounds like author’s life story, if it is…she is sad, maybe for some people it is disturbing I can’t say it is a good book neither a bad one. In a way some of Coco’s passions are in all ambitious independent wanna be women. It can scare some of them out, or convince them that they are on the right track. At the end she questioned her identity, just as Kundera did in most of her novel, making his main characters confusing themselves with their personifications. Maybe that what always happen to those who in search of their aims, futures and…identity? Some people say it is urban culture, whatever it is, I find it sad. I pity Coc...

I always love children story books. Particularly those classics. I bought myself a Baum classics, Wizards of Oz. While reading I got subtle memory of the movie, where I remember the scene where Dorothy met the Wicked Witch who collected girl heads, where she wore it just like people wearing clothes, she could change and choose the heads according to occasions. Yet I couldn’t find it in this book I bought. Was it in my dream or maybe they’ve censored that part considering violent? Nevertheless I still overwhelmed by those imaginations, traveling companions of scarecrow, tinman and a lion… After finish it, I noticed how many philosophy in life Baum has inserted in this book. Yet that is not my point for now…since I don’t wanna be sounded edgy Well…I might re-read it once again… …let us go to the Emerald City

After 2 weeks in Bandung, I'm now back to Makassar Tomorrow will start working in JICA office...again. My 2 weeks in Bandung was not as idle as I thought. Working on a competition, Looking for souvenirs for everyone... and most of all... struggling with the traffic. It was the 2 weeks school vacation, and since the new tolway was opened for public and there are several realignment for roads. It become super chaotic...I had a worst nightmare driving in Bandung during those days. Anyway... I'm missing Bandung anyhow....

...moving on to a year older... in order to make me happy i say: ...moving on to a year wiser... I'm thankful on all things I faced before includes the worst experiences and heartbroken time happy birthday to Andrea and Oka too!

I don't know what to say... I called Xiu Yan after knowing from Winyu about the blasts... It was difficult to contact her mobile, until finally I reached her. Good to hear her voice, and good to know that all friends in London are ok. They said it's the regular tube they used to ride everyday. I wonder if these people have hearts... here thousands miles away, we are facing oil crisis

I think it’s been a while since I’m working for other people. Has been self-employed for long that at the end I should readjust with office ethics. Trust me; it’s not difficult, yet not easy. Sometimes, things just go wrong unexpectedly, thou ones have tried to perform their best. Or, just being nice and keep to be yourself, may intrigue gossips in office. Darn~ Whatever it is, I’m sure there’s way to conquer every situation. The importance then is to choose the right tools. There’s always yin and yang, there is no perfect condition. One may likes the job, but the environment may be sucks, vice versa. It’s just how the given constellation embedded to oneself.

how many weeks is it already? i even have no idea how to start this blog. well, here. last 2,5 weeks I came to Makassar with intention just to accompany my granny during parents' trip to China. whoever knows, somebody called my Dad's office, looking for 'her daughter' [she didn't even know my name!] that studied urbanism before. I called her back, and learned that it is for a job in JICA Makassar, for a project of Mamminasata metropolitan area. Thus, nextday I went for interview, bla here bla there, I started to work the very next day. ... until now ... I wrote this blog during lunchbreak at office. thus, here are my days with Japanese conversation [but sphinxku, it's not me...but them!] all around. I wish I can speak more then cottomatte dakusai, or ohayo gozaimas...Sphinxku, any tips? New working culture. no Teng Go. helemaal anders met nederlandse werktijd Got a postcard from Wolfgang, he was in Sicily... got his email 2 days ago...he was ill. Get well soon!...

everybody sing! "happy bday to you..happy bday to you... happy bday dear Victor...happy bday to you"

Exit to Purwakarta on Cipularang Highway, 20 minutes after this, you'll reach Padalarang Barat...isn't that amazing!

2 hrs Bandung-Jakarta

Since two days ago my house is painted. The whole interior is on project. Now the time is coming for my study room to be done, too. I was trying to pack all books—and knick knacks—in that room, and found out…it’s too much! This house has been inhabited by 4 peoples before. My eldest sister, second sis, and my bro. Thus, thank to all their ‘inheritances’…which I feel as a trespasser to just throw them away. Now, after all those years, particularly after 2 years abandoning this house, I need to gather all my energy to clean this 3x4 metersquare room, make it ready for repainting. I just successfully packed 3 boxes of books…only books. And there are still twenties—I hope—of them; exclude those old books from college... even highschool~ In addition to that, my bachelor degree final project maquette. Well yeah…too romantic to keep it, right? But everytime I remembered that it took me— plus Victor, Peggy and many other friends —2 sleepless night to build that, I feel so irresponsible to dump...

The 265th Pope

within 24 hrs they've found the new Pope. He is Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, a priest from Germany. As a Catholic, I'm thankful for that... thou after reading his profile , he looks like a conservative hard liner... But isn't it unfair to give early judgement? God knows...what will be the best in His way Willkommen zum Papst Benedict XVI

Today was my first yoga class. It was amazing...how slow movement and breathing can make you sweat! I just know that I'm not that flexible... but well, it was my first class... 2 hours, once a week... gonna be a new excitement.

...and I regret it...:-(

I heard this just this morning from Mbak Pras. Browsing for the official website, I got this link. It will be in Köln this coming August.... She told me that it might cost around 1300 USD, that's alot. For the matter of fact, it reminds me of Taize last year... and above of all, it triggers my yearning on Europe. hmm...1300USD is alot. But it's gonna be lots of fun! Now there are India and Köln on the list... So Wolfgang, are you coming? I checked it's only 209 km from Heidelberg, not that far..isn't it?