A Simple Kind of Bliss

Took an afternoon stroll to the bridge over the highway near the office. It might not be the best sunset I've seen in my whole life, but it sure is a simple kind of bliss. I am all giddy.

We Made It!

Andaru, Dacung, and I, entered a cover song contest for Mew held by their Indonesian Fan Club. Yesterday, suddenly there was a mention notification from the fan club. I opened their time line and there it was, the announcement. Read them officially here.

At first, I was all, "Aw mann.. We didn't win.. ". As I scroll down the page, I found out that we are on the top 10 finalists. Then I was like, "Dude we made it!!" Yay to us!

I was so excited and messaged Andaru, Dacung, and all of our friends who supported and announce them that we got top 10. Andaru and Dacung were both very excited and for me it was such an honor to get into the top 10 and doing these thing with these guys.

Later at night, got another message from Andaru. He got inside scoop from his friend at the fan club. Turns out, we actually placed 4th! "Because it's so different, and they really did their own thing with it. A shame there's so much crackling in the recording". (I can fully debate Andaru on this crackling thing, but it's one of his masterpiece so I am gonna back down. He convinced me that it was our character, the raw recordings and the crackling, and I must agree.)

So, once again. Yay to us! Here's us!

Here's the song we did.
 

PS: To add another top of cherry, Dacung got his Fullbright scholarship! Proud friend!

Infusion!

I don't really like drinking plain mineral water. But this infused water idea is so refreshing and it makes drinking water so much fun!

Two beginning combinations:

Strawberries and lemon-mint.

On Being Alone

I enjoy spending time alone at times. Like today, After a brief meeting with fellow future architects at the National Museum, I had a perfect quiet lunch alone. I only need full lives for Candy Crush and a book. The only conversations done was with the waiter.

Solitude is bliss. 

A Life Plan for Two, Followed by One

Pre-script: For those who almost give up. Hang on.

... . Two letters, big difference. I love him when he has girlfriends and I have boyfriends. I love him when he makes me laugh and when he makes me cry. I love him when he says goodbye and when he says hello. I love him when he knows my thoughts and even when he doesn’t. I know he will always be there no matter how hard I try to get rid of him. ... 

A excerpt from a writing taken from here.

Bangkok and Beyond: Day Four - All Good Things Come to An End

1. Since our hotel is pretty much on Pratunam. Me and mom went for a "morning walk" to the Pratunam market. Grabbing a few dresses and shirts on the go. I didn't kid when I said morning. We left hotel at 6 am and get back at 8 am for breakfast. Then I took a nap, then we continued shopping to Platinum and Pantip. Exhaustion. 

2. By noon we went out for lunch nearby. I am thrilled that the price of food at the food court is relatively cheap. 20K rupiahs and I got reasonable portion of hainan rice and a glass of milk tea. 

3. Back at the airport, the flight somehow got delayed but no sign of information about it. So, the flight was about an hour late. Arriving at Jakarta just about to pass out cause real life starts in 5 hours.

PS: We went to a chocolate factory and tasted Tom Yam flavored chocolate! Not your ordinary things to like, but it was okay. It tasted like ginger chocolate, I think.

Bangkok and Beyond: Day Three - Justin Who?

1, 2, & 3. The Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya.

Hard Rock Hotel always nails it! Great decoration, great vibe.

I just knew that they had allllll these Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster on their lobby for hotel guest to pick and bring to their room. I was drooling over it. 

4. I just literally visit the beach. 

As in, waiting for the tour bus on the side of the road next to the beach. 

A nice clean beach. Taking that little shell as souvenir.

5. Went to the Gems Gallery. 

Didn't bring enough money (d'oh) to buy my birthstone, diamond. Haha 

Fell in love with the amethyst stone. Unfortunately again, they don't really sell all stones in small sizes (and affordable price). I could really use one for a new pendant or else.

Nonetheless, the lounge was reaaaallly comfy.

6. Back in Bangkok, meeting up with Justin at Madame Tussauds.

Justin who again? 

I am squeaking like a kid. Taking multiple shots with the wax figure. 

I just can't take risks. 

And Bangkok, your traffic makes me less homesick.

PS: We also went to Nong Nooch, for lunch and a reaaaally quick tour. Didn't get to watch the elephant show, because the others wanted to go shopping back in Bangkok. Oh well. 

Bangkok and Beyond: Day Two - All Around

1.  Went to Wat Arun by boat crossing the Chao Phraya river and sight seeing around town. 

It rains. What a bummer. But nevertheless, Bangkok is still pretty when it rains.

2. Then visiting the reclining Budha at Wat Pho. 

Oh, all the details on the window, the ceiling, the column, everything! I was in awe. 

3 & 4. Off we go to Pattaya. Strolling around the almost closed floating market that got us almost lost. 

5 & 6. Favorite part of the day? Watching the Cabaret Show at Colosseum!

The performance was impeccable!

Bangkok and Beyond: Day One - Arriving

1. Packing my Marc Jacobs backpack, fully loaded with all the essentials.

There's a whole lot more not in the picture. 

2. Leaving house at 11am, started packing at 10am. 

Never underestimate the skill of architects under deadlines. Ha!

3. Afternoon flight only means: Sunset on the air! 

4. Arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport, I was like a kid that'd just given a toy.

All heads up looking at the ceiling, the wall, the floors, this and thats. 

Another pretty airport that shows honesty of materials and building system.

Look at my face, can't you tell how excited I am? D'oh?

5. Went for dinner at Asiatique. Ate my first, Pad Thai, in Thailand!

Nothing is ever more real than in the real place! Yummy!

The place is so nice, my dad kept on wishing Mr. Joko Widodo, our governor, would make something like this in Jakarta. Second you, dads! 

The Last To Fall In Love

I can't stop reading Thought Catalog and the endless articles there. I had this and that thing this morning, and I stumbled upon this article during lunch break. Well, I just need to know that someone out there in this freakin huge universe and galaxy and beyond to relate to. I, indeed, am not alone.

When you are the last one to fall in love, don’t take advice from anyone. Don’t listen to the self-help books or the advice your newly engaged roommate just gave you. Everyone falls in love different and experiences the phases of a relationship at different times. You are going to feel hopeless at times, thinking that you never will find that one person who adores the unfunny jokes you tell or the awkward dimple on your upper left cheek. Love is not timed or monitored. When it comes, it comes, and one day you will be eternally grateful you waited for this time in your life to come rather than check off a list of things people told you to start doing. The strongest moments will arise after a chapter of doing absolutely nothing but getting to know and listen to your own self.

Read the rest of the article here.

Saturday Finds

1. Billy Joel's For The Longest Time
   Thanks to Carter Bays and Craig Thomas to have the episode where Ted and Barney and future Teds and future Barneys for sing this song. Found this link while blog hopping this morning. I could see myself doing multiple tracks for this song, but what the heck, enjoy Billy Joel for a while.
   
   Favorite line by far:
   I forgot how nice romance is
   I haven't been there for the longest time
   
   
   
2. 15 Important Truths That Will Change How You Think About Introverts from Thought Catalog
   Read it away, an excerpt goes like this "we want you to get to know us. We need a little help with that". I could quote a lot of stuffs that relate, but that would mean I am quoting the whole article, wouldn't it? Well yeah, it pretty much sums up my life and state of being.
   
   
3. This pretty thing.
   Got work and play altogether, y'all!
   
   
   
   
   

Balancing Words

If keyboard helps to tell you things, all that is written is all they could tell, well probably with some cryptic things that you have to read between the lines. Most of all, they hide the fingers that runs the keyboard, or in previous time, the ink and the pen. All the courage, rage, passion, and feelings addressed in the writing itself is somehow hidden, just like the face. Up to one point, my friend called our generation, "the keyboard generation". We don't talk, we type. 

I'm not trying to say that writing something to express yourself is such a bad or coward thing to do. The point I am trying to make is that, since you can hide pretty much safely behind the words -or the keyboard that is-, there's also a whole lot more of you that wasn't being expressed. Well if you want to say thank you to emoticons and stickers on instant messaging platforms, big thanks. Though, you would never do those silly faces or expression, aren't you? 

Expressing yourself in real-life waking moments is already hard enough, that when a wrong word slips out of your mouth, then BOOM! A fight begins or a heart break damage. Saying one of the sweet-sweet-magic word, then BOOM! You just swoon somebody of their feet. Sometimes, you just simply didn't meant what you say. Sometimes, it's just so hard to come across the right way you wanted. 

As I grew, I learned that I am not much of a talker. I hide perfectly behind words. I can give a little more time to what I am about to say when I am behind the keyboard. We can type, and if there's doubt, we just simply hit backspace and delete and retype and so on. Since nowadays we often communicate a lot with words and writings, I get very comfortable talking through all those instant messaging services, you name it. Until one of my close friend at that time living just across this country break this habit out of me. Because then, one day, the phone rang.

"Hello"

It was a turnover. Instead of talking through texts, we actually talk. It was very-very weird at first. I don't like it. It felt awkward. But then I guess, I played along. Much effort that this person takes to talk to me. Change mustn't be that bad. There must be fruit out of everything.

As time goes by, I learned that it's not that I am not much of a talker, it's just I don't feel comfortable talking and saying what I actually feel -obviously in this world of superiority of the extrovert ideals- out loud. Even worse, just trying to talk it out, it was scary. Things that I learned from this experience is that giving a voice to the words is merely just the first step. Two, the "editorial" part in having a conversation is a much more skill to grind. Three, honesty behind the words, also another important thing to work on. Both needs a balance, the words being written to someone and actually talking it out. Words, some are meant to be kept, and some are meant to be said.

Skies

Have I ever mentioned how much I adore the sky? 

I get the chance to go to the grandparents house by plane this year's Idul Fitri. Got the almost sunset flight from Jakarta, and the sky is insanely pretty. I have seen pretty sunsets from the land, but oh boy, they are even prettier from the sky itself. 

I remember on of my friend work as a PR for an airline here. He's been posting sunsets and sunrises and skies and adorable picture of the skies, and I envy the chances he got. Imagine being a pilot, looking right straight to it?! Aw mann.. 

Thankful enough to have a glimpse of these. 

PS: Going back by train, let's see what I can get 

Treasure

I was browsing through Alice Gao's blog when I came across her post about her new film pocket camera. Then I started browsing about old pocket camera online, and found this baby on an online market. Immediate love, immediate buy. I thought, this would be perfect for the Jogjakarta trip. And she didn't dissapoint me at all. These are a view highlights of the trip. 

Fad

I was home alone and hungry, so I decided to eat. 

But then, there's no food; and to add to that, I can't really cook. So, using my basic skills of survival, I just made scrambled eggs and just fried some nuggets. 

But then again, where's the fun in that?

I decided to spice it up a bit, cut the nuggets in bits, and styled the eggs. I even shape the rice. Eeekkk

Well, everything's good, except that now the food started to feel cold from the time  I took for pictures and styling. Woops!

Re-arranging

Nothing yet to say. Side table/chair still fills with books I haven't done reading, adding to the Sigmund's book, birthday present from last year. Now I'm adding new table clock and paper flower headpiece from this year's birthday.

Universe been sweet, in a twisted kind of way.

PS: Once I got the pictures from my 25th picnic birthday party, I'm gonna fully cover it all.

Three Times A Charm

Mom sent me these pictures from her phone earlier today. I can't help but look at it again and again and again and again I can't have enough again.
Love these three bites so much! Though I look either like a crazy dog lady, or simply "attacked" by dogs.

Dear future self

Listen to yourself, listen to your heart. Closely and patiently.
You know how to deal with all of it. You just need that extra courage, and you can find it all deep beneath you.

Remember, closely, patiently.

Sincerely,
Your past

Inspiration

Hujan di Mimpi

Semesta bicara tanpa bersuara

Semesta ia kadang buta aksara

Sepi itu indah, percayalah

Membisu itu anugerah

Seperti hadirmu di kala gempa

Jujur dan tanpa bersandiwara

Teduhnya seperti hujan di mimpi

Berdua kita berlari

Semesta bergulir tak kenal aral

Seperti langkah-langkah menuju kaki langit

Seperti genangan akankah bertahan

Atau perlahan menjadi lautan

Seperti hadirmu di kala gempa

Jujur dan tanpa bersandiwara

Teduhnya seperti hujan di mimpi

Berdua kita berlari

We will.

"The higher that I climb, the deeper I fall down"


Guess what,
people can knock you down.
You can build multiple stories and they're gonna knock you down.
And you will build it again.
Piece by piece.

You have failed, but you will always try again. Won't you?
We've got a lot of time a head of us.
We're gonna soar higher next time.
Cause now, you have flown higher than before.

We're gonna soar higher.
Higher.

We're gonna see even more beautiful scenery next time.
I promise you, we will.

Higher.
I promise you,
We will.

And next time, we're giving change a chance. 

Again Like Old Times

This time, my impulsive behavior jolts at T-12hrs. After a gruesome meeting, gastric-acid throw up from stress, I decided to follow my heart and went to Bandung, again. This time, since I was too lazy to even book a travel, I asked my folks to use their car. With a green light in car, I used my mom's car, picking the car up at my bro's. Since, I am not allowed to drive alone, a ha! Bagus to the rescue! He was going to Bandung with her girlfriend, Henny. So I just asked them to tag along.

Arriving at Bandung around 1pm. Straight to drop off Henny at campus. Oh and how smelling and feeling the breezing air at my old campus feels so great. Tony was at the campus too. After waiting for others to come, I was sooo hungry so we decided to grab lunch at Toko You. Being the only girl in the hangouts, just like old times.

Then going back to campus, I took out my guitar, and jammed some music with Tony, Bagus, Ilham and the others. Oh how it feels like old times. Then after my girls, Nadia and Laras arrived, we went to Roti Gempol. Ate PB & Js in the afternoon, with the thin rain falling and cool air breezing. Oh how lovely Bandung feels.

Then some alumni night at the campus. Then revisiting old studio where we did our final project. Then... GAME NIGHT! Tony brought Citadel. We played at a place called Hartwood. I like how air breezes so swiftly, chilly, yet still comfy. I won 4th place. At first, Bagus and Ilham asked me to "join" their coallition, but then, Tony, being the smart one, told me that their coalition do nothing but losing to me. So, I  just play for myself, with the help of Tony, of course! I still want to win.
We played until late. Then off we go home.

Sunday morning, perfect time for breakfast at Warung Kopi Purnama. Their Milk-tea really gave me sweet tooth. Then, this is my favorite part: hanging out at campus park. With my guitar with me, I just strum it, while talking with the girls. I went home after grabbing lunch, and a long way home with Bagus accompanied with a nice long chat, again like old times.