Wednesday, July 02, 2008

a happenstance

So...

This is how the story goes...

I'm a recent Facebook member.

And I've been using it quite fondly I have to say.

One day, as I'm lazying around at home (avoiding real work at the office, with an excuse of "I've got a really bad flu", while the real truth is, I just don't feel like going out, since our helper is out of town for her twin sister's engagement).


Anyway...


As I browsed through the friends list I have on my account, I came across a very familiar name.

It's Ibu DJ Sulichah.

So, I mustered up my courage to invite her to be my friend.

And she accepted. After that, I left her a message.

Saying "Hi Ibu DJ, I bet you don't remember me, I'm one of your students, blah blah blah..."

Apparently I was right. She did, not remember me.

But to my advantage, she left me an IM, and after quite a long chat, I changed my profile photo.

She then said she remembered my face in one of her classes.

During one of the conversation in the chat, she mentioned she has a blog.

(can you imagine, such a cool professor? I can't even ask my mum to make an e-mail account, and our teacher as accounts at so many different networks, not to mention, she said she's more into virtual chatting... Ibu DJ really is an anomaly to the term "mature and tech shy")

So, I checked out her blog. And I'm not at all surprised to read her style.

She really is an original :)

I'm inspired.

I always said I wanted to be a writer.

And yet, I've missed to write ANYTHING in the past year.

I shall not do that, ever again.

And that happenstance, really awoke me from my long sleep.

Hopefully I will stay awake still…

First of...
I'd like to give my deepest most sincere apology to this blog.
To whom I've poured my hearts during the rough times, and later on much simpler times, completely ignore...
I'm guilty...

Anyway...
Actually,
The blog title has become irrelevant, or obsolete, quite a long time ago.

A lot has happened in 2007 (and 2008 for that matter):

Our wedding.
Our moving to first house.
Our (false) pregnancy.
Our miscarriage.
Our baby adoption (still trial with a kitten, tho).
Our acceptance (finally).

My many job moves.
My over and again resignation.

Hubby's new job (actually, a recycled one at that, since he's coming back to his old company, tee hee...)


None of that would have happened had we decided not to go through with our decisions.
But what's done is done. And for that, we could only thank the God Almighty for whatever reason HE has given us all that. And for whatever future will hold...


Thank you God...

And to my hubby, thanks for always being there for me...

Monday, March 12, 2007

really???

my good lord...

has it really been THAT long since i last posted?
i haven't really heed that i've really really been missing this blog.

i guess it's a lot easier to swirl in your own cloud of thoughts, instead of get a grasp of reality.
truth is, i'm a rip off.
a fake.

i haven't even been honoring my own thoughts by pouring it into writings.
i've just been busy blaming it all on life.
busy playing "the victim".

anyways...
it's a brand new day now.

this is a crossroad.
should i take the left turn? to which lead to some more uncertainty?
or should i take the right turn? the road is a lot smoother, a lot safer. but will it get me "THERE"?

we don't know.
that's why they call it "the mystery of life"...

after all, i've got many choices, and still a long way to reach the finish line.

well, what the heck!

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Buka Puasa…

5:30pm
Segelas kolak pisang, teh manis hangat, air mineral dalam kemasan. Sepiring nasi putih, lengkap dengan lauk pauk , sepiring kecil kacang goreng rasa, pisang goreng atau tape goreng. Sepotong pisang ambon dan sebutir jeruk pontianak.
And when you’re having an international feast, just slightly change the menu, and voila! It’s your “Buka Puasa Bersama” menu…

“Beduknya jam berapa sih?”
“Mas, Mas, udah Adzan belum ya?”
“Permisi Mbak, sekarang jam berapa ya?”

All of those questions will pop up during the hour.

A friend of mine commented on this weird observation. “Kenapa segitunya amat sih?”

Puasa Ramadhan is one of the hardest time in our year. They say the satans are chained up so that we, Muslims can focus on our “Ibadah”.
But frankly, during Ramadhan, it’s actually the hardest time we hold ourselves from the any rage. It’s almost as if the satans hide in our most inner self, waking all the evils with the red code: Hunger.

This morning I saw 2 motorcyclists almost chewed each other up in traffic because one of them bumped the other in the rear area. The same incident would have probably been shrugged off under normal circumstances. But it’s Ramadhan, the fasting season. When the stomach is empty, the head and the heart are too.

I would say personally that holding myself against hunger is easy. But to extend that to holding myself against all other “hawa nafsu”, be it “passion for sexual activities” or “rage” is a totally different ball game.

Now it’s inching forward towards bedug Maghrib. Do we Muslims have some severe physical condition, a severe hypoglycemia for instance, to force us to “eat our heart out” the minute we hear Adzan Maghrib; or do we simply justify ourselves that it’s the evil in our stomach who demands meals at once?

Malls are filled with people breaking their fast.

5.50pm
Everyone glances at their watches, hoping the time would pass sooner. Parking spaces are just as packed as the fast food restaurant.

At adzan maghrib, befall silence. Only clanking of spoons and forks to the glass or ceramic plates, the clinking of glasses we hear. No one is still waiting for their dinner. Every one has been served. And I’ll leave you 2 guesses. What is the least crowded place at exactly bedug maghrib time? Yes. The Mushalla (praying rooms).

Call me cynical, but I help contribute.
Yes, I’m hypoglycemic. When I’m hungry, I’m cranky.
Now who’s with me?

Taxi Driver

This afternoon my fiancé and I went to Setiabudi Building (Kuningan) to meet with our friend from college for a Buka Puasa Bersama, celebrating the recent event that took place.

After a hearty meal we shifted to coffee with lengthy yet light conversation at Starbucks.
Topics changed hands like some quick transaction. There were some systematic rules. Not more than 10 minutes should be spent on this topic, all 3 persons involved in the conversation should contribute to the conversation with equally, no voice raised, eyes should meet during the whole conversation, no yawns, etc. You know, the basic rule of having a conversation with your friend (applied from experience in moderating a meeting in Toastmasters). We needed the rules to cover as many topics as possible in one sitting, without letting go the importance of the depth of the conversation itself. So you want to cover width and depth. You want breadth. Anyway, there’s a lot of theory you need to oblige to when you’re meeting with friends. But, as time passes by, as your friendship grows, they come by as a natural thing.

What was I getting at?

Oh, anyway… (hahaha, and I called myself a Toastmasters, I can’t even master my own timing and topic management…)

After we finished with the meal, covered as many topics as possible over 2 cups of coffee at the green lady, we took off.
We took Blue Bird (because it’s the only taxi we’ll trust to take us at such late hours) taxi.

Bear with me, the lengthy conversation below is necessary in the plot.

A: “Pak, ke WTC Sudirman ya.”
R: “Nanti berhenti sebentar di Polres Kuningan ya.”
Taxi driver: “Wah, di Kuningan nggak ada Polres Bu. Adanya Polsek.”
R: “Oo, bedanya apa ya? Emang gedean mana sih Sektor sama Resort?”
A: “Gedean Resort. Kalo Sektor levelnya Kelurahan.”
R: “Oo, kalo Polsek Kuningan, Polres Jakarta Selatan, gitu ya? Ampun deh, katanya pingin daftar WWTBAM, bedanya Sektor sama Resort aja nggak tau.”
An:
”Hehehe, mau daftar juga ya Ret?”
TD: ”Saya beberapa kali coba test kuis WWTBAM, itu Pak, ikut latihannya yang pakai CD. Saya coba yang Mudah, saya sudah dapat 500juta!“
An: “Wah, hebat juga ya Pak...“

R: “Sebenarnya tantangan utamanya itu bukan soalnya Pak. Harusnya latihan bagaimana menghadai Dian Sastro nanti. Biarpun sudah siap semua, tapi kalau ketemu Dian Sastro, bisa gugup, lupa semua jadinya...“
An: ”Itu baru Dian Sastro ya, bagaimana kalau Titi Kamal ya... Dia kan lebih menggoda lagi bukan?”
TD: ”Tapi menurut saya, yang paling gawat kalau pembawa acaranya Tamara Blezinsky. Aduh, itu baru menggoda sekali...”
R: ”Tamara bukannya agak jutek ya Pak?”

A: ”Iya ya, tampangnya kan jutek sekali ya...”
TD: ”Wah, salah itu Bu. Tamara itu ramah sekali. Senyum, baik pokoknya. Tapi temen saya bilang paling malas kalau dapat artis Sophia Latjuba. Sombong, ngatur2 arah. Pokoknya tobat deh.”
R: ”Oo, Sophia sombong ya Pak? Kirain sombongan Tamara?”
TD: “Oh, nggak Bu. Tamara super ramah. Itu, istrinya Anjas, Dian Nitami, kan tampangnya super jutek, tapi orangnya, baik luar biasa. Nggak kayak suaminya, pelit. Waktu saya narik dia, Anjas kasih argonya mepet. Istrinya yang baik, dia bilang “Ini buat Bapak deh. Biarin aja Pak, suami saya emang pelit.” Gitu Bu.”
TD: “Artis yang baik lagi Bu, itu Jeremy Thomas. Saya pernah bawa dia. Dia panggil ke rumah Bu. Saya kaget juga. Ternyata itu Jeremy Thomas, panggilannya Jemmy, mirip nama saya. Itu orangnya Bu, ganteng luar biasa. Tebar pesona Bu. Perempuan pasti tergila-gila sama dia. Saya aja minder liat dia, ganteng luar biasa...”
R: “Wah, masak sih Pak, saya sih emang nggak terlalu suka ya, menurut saya biasa aja tuh.”

A: “Iya, biasa aja kok...”
TD: “Ibu belom pernah ketemu langsung sih.”
R&A: “Sering kok Pak, kalau ketemu di PIM. Biasa aja kok...”
TD: “Wah, ganteng sekali Bu, dia. Bodoh kalau perempuan sampai nggak naksir.”
R: “Hehehe, saya bodoh dong Pak.”
A: “Berhenti sini aja Pak, nggak usah masuk nggak apa-apa kok.”
R: “Wah, udah sampai ya Pak. Terimakasih banyak ya Pak...”

Climbing out of the taxi I was amazed. Did that man just strike a conversation with us that way?
He was not reluctant. He was warm, yet he wasn’t nosy at all.

I said, being a taxi driver (or any kind of private chauffer for that matter), you have to have some sort of interpersonal skill. You need to be able to break the ice, otherwise, with all sorts of different types of people you drive, you’re bound to hit a wall, and you’ll have a bad day.
You have to be able to strike a conversation, without being nosy.

My company’s driver, Pak U (let’s just call him that) is one other good example.
Whenever he drives us to the client, he always knows when to blend in the conversation, and when he must refrain from talking, or even try to listen. Whenever my colleague and I talk about general trivia stuff, he would jump in the conversation, and contribute as an equal partner, sometimes, he even gives very insightful inputs for us. But when the topic revolves around clients, work load, or the darling big boss, he will not interfere. It’s like his ears have some sort of an automatic filter.

Now these men, these drivers meet more people than average white collars do.

We, the white collars may claim in our CV that we “have excellent interpersonal skill”, etc. But sometimes, we don’t practice what we preach. Sometimes we don’t bother to say hello to people who bring us drink everyday. Sometimes we neglect to keep a simple conversation, just for the sake of “silaturahmi”. But when no one invites us to join in the conversation, why do we feel it’s our right to extend our ears to listen, or to rifle through our colleagues’ stuff, mind their business, or give them uninvited and unnecessary lectures?

I take it the hardest.
I admit. I am far from a good player in society. I don’t tend to people who needs my attention but when others shout “shut off”, I take it as a personal request to meddle. Why? Tanya kenapa…

I’m a bad person. I know.
I’m lower than low. Even when I claim I know all the rules for a good conversation between friends, I know I have a lot to learn from this taxi driver and this company chauffer. Those who never claimed anything.

For now, I have to plead innocent. Blame the company culture.
But shame on me if I keep on pointing fingers to someone else. Because the 4 other fingers point at me.

It’s a harsh awakening I got from a simple 10 minute drive conversation. But thanks to that, I hope I will have a better perspective of myself now.

Keep that nosy snout to yourself Ret.
You’ve got enough problems of your own.
Don’t need to mind others’.

Monday, October 02, 2006

Career???

The place where I am is not the place I want to be.
I want to be high, up above. But I’m nowhere near the skies.

I know I can’t complain, lest make this an issue for my unhappiness.
But I’m only human. A bad one, that is.

What do I have to do to GET THERE?

Another sigh…
Another shrug…

They say:
Life is too short to be unhappy (Fatboy Slim in That Old Pair of Jeans).

I guess I’ve been taking my life for granted.
Maybe life is happy. I just haven’t been paying attention…

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Desperation

It’s too early to panic…
But I wouldn’t say it’s so.

I’ve still got some time to spare before the curtain closes.
Beginning of the week, beginning of the month.
Start of a whole new meaning of “desperation”.

Why haven’t I heard anything from them?
Is it because it’s not destined for me?
Or is it simply because I’m no good?

Pfftt…
This is really starting to get me…

Sunday, September 17, 2006

7 deadly sins…

Envy is an emotion that "occurs when a person lacks another’s superior quality, achievement, or possession and either desires it or wishes that the other lacked it.”[1] At the core of envy seems to be an upward social comparison, that threatens a person's self-esteem: another person has something that the envier considers to be important to have. If the other person is perceived to be similar as the envier, the aroused envy will be particularly intense, because it signals to the envier that it just as well could have been him or her who had the desired object.
Jealousy typically refers to the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that occur when a person believes a valued relationship is being threatened by a rival. The word jealousy stems from the French jalousie, formed from jaloux (jealous), and further from Low Latin zelosus (full of zeal), and from the Greek word for "ardour, zeal" (with a
root connoting "to boil, ferment"; or "yeast").

As with many of relationship topics, a certain amount of attention to what we mean by particular words is helpful and often necessary when discussing jealousy. It is important to distinguish jealousy from envy. To oversimplify, jealousy is angry, envy is wistful. Jealousy is destructive, envy rarely is.


One same evil in 2 different casing.


Envy is by definition something a slightly different matter from jealousy. But somehow in daily applications, these two may be interspersed with other feelings one may have. And well, sadly enough to say, I believe these two are the same. And one in the 7 deadly sins too, I might add. You know the 7 deadly sins, right? (Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, Pride).

A friend of mine, been two-timed, just broke up with her boyfriend. While the boyfriend seemingly found no problem whatsoever in beginning his own quest in life, quickly finding his own woman to look after for the rest of their lives together; this friend of mine had to be involved with some nasty hung-over period, I say.

However, she has decided to end that grieving period, and find herself a new man. Someone totally and completely the opposite of the ex boyfriend. They quickly became a thing. And before you know it, they’re a couple. Now, it’s the only talk of the town.

Now just call me judgmental, or even worse yet, I’m the bitch who wouldn’t be happy for her own friend, but I don’t think she’d be happy. Now that’s a quick judgment I’d quickly pass on to others.

Mind you, I’ve passed it on to her as well, when she said, her intentions with him were “Oh, just to have some fun…” But I doubt that it’s the only reason why she fully unleashed her inhibitions (I never thought I’d say this, but I’m gonna say it any way). She said this new love of hers is pure. “He’s understanding and caring, and attentive.” Love, in this case, is highly overrated. I think Lust is more like it. What I can’t seem to comprehend is that why does anyone still mistaken Lust for Love? Is it because Love is becoming a far more generic term these days? Or is it becoming a new key to open anyone up, a fast solution to lust, something that does not have anything to do with what’s going on in your head but has absolutely everything to do with what’s going on down there.

I think now the fact of the matter remains, she might still be in love with this ex of hers. But then, to the more trained eyes, we probably can infer that it’s not love at all. She’s been hurt. Bad. I’m not sure if it’s jealousy, but I think it’s probably revenge, executed in full rage. She thinks she can get back at him by going out with someone else. Someone new. Well, I do hope that it’s more than what meets the eye. I hope this is not her wrath.

She’s still too proud to take anyone else’s opinions or advise, again, all in the name of love (or lust).

I don’t know if Envy or Jealousy is remotely related to her case. But I’m finding a hard time to think otherwise.

I just hope she’s not going to make a mistake. I hope she will be smart enough to give herself the respect she deserves.

... or does she???...

Trust Onions

I’m finding it a little hard to believe that in my (almost) 8 year relationship with my fiancé, I have never found myself more comfortable.

I used to think that I should always have to put on some make up (not in a cosmetic terms) when I’m with him. I always feel insecure, mainly because I think he’s too good for me. Sometimes I think I just don’t deserve the kind of man that he is.

But now, (yes, only after our 8 year long relationship), we have become far more relaxed being with each other. There are no pretenses. If we want to make things work, there’s no use in being someone we’re not. And only that makes us realized, well, we’re now ready…

Do you believe in layers of trust? When you shake someone’s hand, you don’t quickly give them your trust. You don’t immediately give them your address (except your e-mail address, maybe), and certainly not your home phone number. Cellphone numbers are optional, perhaps, when you’re just meeting with someone in your professional circle; your clients, your vendors, etc. After some time, some dates, or perhaps some meetings, you begin to give some trivia information, a 10% trust. Your education, and perhaps your status. Well, again in this level, you can still easily cheat whoever you’re talking to by giving false information. Some more dates later, if you’re normal, you might introduce them to your daily routines. Give them 25% of your trust. This phase can go on for some time, depending on the frequency of the meetings you have. You might also share information on what you did last weekend, how you’re family are doing, etc. But when you’re starting to really get along with your partner, you will share almost everything. How your day sucks at the office, your boss gives you a hard time, a colleague you cannot cooperate with, your family problems, etc. This phase can also go on forever, if you’re not the kind of person who likes to lay it out too thin to everyone. You may start giving the partner a 90% to 95% of your trust. But sometimes, there’s still some things you keep from each other, your dark side, or your deepest secrets. Only in the final layer when you can freely talk about everything, and when your partner can actually understand what you mean without you needing to say it. It’s when the both of you are not afraid of anything because in this phase, you don’t keep any secrets from each other. And by secrets I don’t mean what kind of chicken you had for lunch, by secrets I mean the person you’re having lunch with.

Most couples cannot last until this phase. I believe so. No one is so big hearted to let little things go. I believe that in each and every soul on this planet, lies a mystery. And therefore, a long lasting healthy relationship are very hard to come by.

I believe that my fiancé and I are not there yet. We are not yet in the 100% trust level. But I believe that every step of the way we make gets us closer there.

I believe that. And therefore, I do trust us to make it.

To my dearest, I love you. And I’m forever grateful you’ve given me a second chance.

The sun will come up, tomorrow…

The sun will come up, tomorrow…

It’s been a while since I wrote anything. This is the first piece in so long.

I’ve been too busy with stuff I find no redeeming.

Stuff I shouldn’t have taken for granted, yet shouldn’t have focused myself upon.

Anyway, I miss you.


I miss talking nonsense to a flickering piece of electronics while instead I could easily pour my thoughts out on so many other outlets. I guess that’s it. I have so many other outlets that I don’t have any more left for my brain to process, to put in writing.


What am I talking about? I have no idea. Hahaha, I’m so rusty…


It feels like an awkward moment you always get when you’re meeting with someone you haven’t seen in so many years, and when the relationship between you two is “hi-how are you-good to see you” kind of relationship. You know, the kind of relationship you have with someone from your office you occasionally run into in the elevator, have nothing to do with in terms of work, and not quite your lunch friends either. That sort of relationship. Yada, yada, yada, bottom line is, I feel like a complete stranger to you.


Sigh…


But now I hope I can make it up to you. I will post something, hopefully everyday. Some piece of my mind that I hope I can carry on days onward.

Anyway, I’m sorry I’ve been neglecting you, brain…


PS: Let’s not take it so hard on me. After all, I need you.

Monday, August 28, 2006

this blog will mark the year...

of us.....