A New Obsession Called Webtoon

I forgot how I got to know Webtoon, it could have started as a way to escape from boredom or because the Korean drama series are just too long to keep up with. I am also more of the reading type, instead of the watching type. 

Whatever the reason for this obsession, now I remember that I should check everyday if the comics I am following are already updated. The web basically features comics from various comic artists worldwide. Each comic gets updated once a week, and some even get updated twice or thrice a week. 

Here are my recent Webtoon recommendations, in daily order:

Monday

Subzero by Junepurr (Instagram/Twitter)

The story follows the arranged marriage of Clove and Kyro to establish peace between their nations. The cool part of the story is that both Clove and Kyro are the descendants of dragon and they can turn into the mythical beast, if they want to. 

Tuesday

Let's Play by Mongie (Instagram/Twitter)

Twenty-something Samara Young's dreams to become an indie game developer has been crushed after she received a bad review from a ViewTuber called Marshall Law. Said ViewTuber turns out moving to the apartment next door.

LUFF by Arechanga (Instagram/Twitter)

Beatriz Torres has always dreamed of space and Mars colony since she was a child. But a system called LUFF (Law of Union, Family and Finance) that is implemented in Toloa has forced her to choose between two men that share matched fingerprints with her, in order for her to win a scholarship to UAE. 

Scorching Romance by Hongchi (unfortunately, this artist did not share the socmed account)

Ember Kim, who always feels hot, and Aspen Cha, who always feels cold, break the curse that mess up with their temperature with a kiss. Now that they are a couple, some people are trying to separate them.

Wednesday

True Beauty by Yaongyi (unfortunately, this artist did not share the socmed account)

Ju-gyeong Lim learns to put on make up to cover her acnes, but her love for make up later brings her to become a beauty influencer and a make-up artist in the making. The comic follows the daily life of Ju-gyeong and her two love interests: Seo-jun Han (her boyfriend) and Su-ho Lee (her former classmate, who was also her first love).

Age Matters by Enjelicious (Instagram/Twitter)

Rose Choi becomes the stand-in chef for CEO Daniel Yoon after her room mate suddenly leaves for holiday, but she soon gains his trust and becomes his secretary. Their relationship grows slowly as Rose also catches the interest of the men in the office.

Phase by Jouki (Instagram/Twitter)

Poor girl Min gets a chance to receive a lot of money if she is willing to live with crazy rich billionaire Shuu for a certain period. But she needs to hide her secret to keep everyone safe.

Thursday

I have yet to find anything that caught my interest on this day. I will update this should I find anything interesting.

Friday

I Love Yoo by Quimchee

The comic follows Yoo Shin-ae, a high schooler who has a hard life, but she has good friends who help her along the way. Unfortunately the artist is currently taking a break, without giving any clear information on when the comic will recommence.

Saturday

Midnight Poppy Land by Lilydusk (Instagram)

Poppylane Wilkes, a book editor, has caught the eyes of Tora, a bodyguard of a mafia lord, when she appears near an allegedly crime scene. The story is currently reaching the sad part when Tora knows Poppy is not related to the case and bids farewell. But we know this will soon get corrected. 

How To Become A Dragon by Eon (unfortunately, this artist did not share the socmed account)

A 1,000-year-old imoogi named Bari asks Yoo to help him pass the test to become the dragon of Nakdong river. By helping Bari to pass the test, Yoo can break the curse of his ancestors.

Miss Abbott and The Doctor by Maripaz Villar

Doctor Andreas Marino is a strict person, while Cati Abbot is a woman of action who seems to always cause trouble. What happens when these two people of different worlds fall in love and get married? Seeing the interaction between Andreas and Cati always gives a warm feeling in my heart.

Sunday

Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe (Instagram/Twitter)

Taking the story of Hades and Persephone, this comic changes the period to present-day, with the gods doing their work in offices. Since I like Greek mythology, this one goes right up my alley.

Wow, the list turns out to be quite long. I may be doing a dedicated post for the comics once they end. Besides the ongoing comics, Webtoon also features comics that have ended and I found some that are interesting. But this will be for another post, ha!

Big Bad Wolf 2020, A Book Fair Before All Things Going Covid-19

Today the Jakarta administration started the #SocialDistancing policy, which includes work from home, study from home and pray from home, to curb down the Covid-19 outbreak. But before things started to look grim in the weeks to come, allow me to bring you some photos and stories from my latest trip to Big Bad Wolf 2020 (BBW 2020), a book fair held in ICE BSD. I went to BBW 2020 on March 14, two days before the Social Distancing policy was implemented.

Cisauk train station has modern architecture style

I went there with Mbak Elly, a journo friend, last weekend. We met in Cisauk train station, walked to Modern Market to have breakfast and lunch, and hopped on a shuttle bus from the bus terminal. The train station, the market and the bus terminal are located within a walk's distance.

Nasi Langgi at Pasar Modern Cisauk

Overlooking the atrium with live music performance

Rows of food vendors

I think I will come back again to this market

We discussed the Covid-19 and the best strategies to search the books without getting in contact with other people as we walked to the BBW. Although several friends said that it was reckless of me to go to BBW in this Covid-19, I believed the crowds in BBW were different than, let's say, rock music concert or religious group meeting. Bookpeople are usually logical, read many information, and not walking in big groups. Well, maybe just me. I could be wrong, though.

Although the lines were rather long to enter ICE, once we were inside, the BBW ground was quite empty compared to last year's BBW 

We arrived at ICE BSD and found very long lines of people. We got our temperature checked before entering the building, then we were asked to use hand sanitizer. BBW has always been crowded, and although we still saw many people, there were not as many crowds as I had seen in the past BBW. The people checked the books individually, not in groups, giving a proper distance to other people. Many people wore masks.

The piles of books

This one brought memories of journo days :)

Too many choices

A gentle reminder during the time of Covid-19

This year, I found dining area inside the BBW, which was great because it meant we did not have to leave the area to get food and drink. Two years ago, I had to leave the expo area to get food and then faced another long line to get inside. The prayer area was still located outside of the expo area, though.

We spent around 7-8 hours in the BBW. Mbak Elly got several adult coloring books and Tudor period novels that she was searching. I got my fair share of books too. This year's BBW had more classic novels than the previous as I saw novels by the Brontes, Jane Eyre, and Louisa May Alcott. I even found Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in The Time of Cholera. I thought, how apt was this, and bought the novel.

So here they were, the pile of books to get me through Covid-19, lockdown, and lonely nights in my 40s. Many people may be hoarding foods, hand sanitizer, or multivitamins for Covid-19. This girl feels complete with any books worth reading and a cup of tea.

2018 World Cup Has Started!

KV Svalbard's crew, formed by Norwegian navy pirates and scientists from the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research, play soccer as they are protected from polar bears by armed guards in the sea around Greenland, on March 22, 2018. Source

The 2018 World Cup had kicked off in Russia! Which team are you rooting for? That icy soccer field is just unbelievable. As FIFA has more members than the UN, see more soccer fields across the globe in this link.

Earthquake Safety Measures

Yesterday, Jakarta and its surrounding areas experienced an earthquake, at the magnitude of 6.4 Richter scale. I was doing remote working from a nearby co-working space, so I made sure both parents were safe before continuing working.

After browsing the Internet, I found that there were two earthquakes yesterday. The first took place near Papua New Guinea at around 12.50 p.m., and the second occurred off the southern coastline of Banten province at around 13.30 p.m.

Stay safe, everyone.

A Visit To An Organic Farm And An Attempt At Organic Produce Trade

Happy Hijriyah New Year, if you're celebrating, that is.

One of the New Year's resolutions that has been returning in my list then and now is eating healthy. Let's see if I can do better on this in the current year.

In my previous workplace, I had colleagues who were into organic vegetable and other hipster foods. They sort of influenced me to join the eating healthy movement. But organic vegetables cost a lot, so we would scour Lotte supermarket to find discounted produces and set a weekly meal plan. 

One day, one of them posted a photo in Instagram about an online marketplace for organic produce called kecipir.com. I was intrigued so I placed an order to see how it went. The shopping procedure is pretty easy: (1) log in to the web, (2) choose the agent's location to pick up the produce, (3) start shopping, (4) check out and choose payment method, either greencash (a kind of virtual account) or bank transfer (only for BCA or Bank Mandiri, at the moment), (5) then a few days later, a driver will deliver those produces to the chosen agents and customers can choose to pick up the produces themselves or requested the produces to be sent by GrabExpress.

On the first order experience, the driver delivered the produces to my house because the agent I chose had moved out of the area. The driver then suggested that I became an agent because they still need more agents. I thought: why not? So I registered at the web and received the invitation to their farm for agent induction. The visit took place last month, I've just got the time to wrap things up.

The farm is located in Bogor area. The new agent candidates met up with the driver in Cilandak Town Square (Citos) at 7.30 a.m. and we headed together to the farm. As a Bekasi resident, I had to leave home at 5.30 a.m. to reach Citos. 

In the farm, the guys told us how they started the business that started as a way to help local organic farmers getting a fair price and how we could help contribute to the cause. They also explained the benefit of consuming organic produces for your health. Then we had a tour around to see how they worked in the farm.

A partial aerial view of the farm. 

First stop: the nursery

They wrap the seedlings in banana leaves to reduce the usage of plastic polybags. They just bury the whole package into the soil because the leaves will disintegrate with nature.

A variety of seeds.

They told us how they got the seeds from the plants and the fruits. It sounded easy that I made a mental note to try the tips at home.

They explained that to reduce pest problems, they planted the plants that produce fruit and spices side by side. Also, they don't use chemical fertilizer, they make it themselves.

The bio slurry area

They feed the goats with the organic produce, then use the poo for biogas.

They also showed the farm-scale biogas plant, made from the goats' poo. They invested Rp 20 million to build the system, but once it has run, they no longer need to buy gas for the kitchen activity. Oh dear, I really can't run away from all these renewable energy and climate change thingy.

Then they allowed us to harvest cherry tomatoes and eggplants. They also encouraged us to eat the tomatoes directly because organic fruits are safe to consume, just a little dirt and dust won't give you stomachache.

Kecipir, or winged bean, or Psophocarpus tetragonolobus

Eggplant

Cherry tomatoes

Oyong, or angled gourd, or Luffa acutangula

I'm the girl with the biggest smile and holding the biggest eggplant (ha!).

If you're living in West Bekasi and need organic produces, just look up for an agent in the Bintara Jaya area, that person will be me hehehe. I will most likely post my attempts at cooking organic vegetables in the future, so stay tune :).

All photos with me in the frames are from kecipir.com, the rest are mine. Please credit accordingly.

The City's Main Street View From The 25th Floor

Since 2013, I've been working in the Lands of the Clouds (OK, this is a hyperbole :D). Between 2013 and 2014, I worked on the 20th floor, which happened to be the highest floor on the building, in Kuningan area of Jakarta.

Then in early 2015, I landed a job at the 25th floor of a building on Jl. Jend. Sudirman, which is one of the city's main streets. The building was famous in its era. I mean, everytime I said I worked on that building, people would say,"Wow, that building used to be very famous. It still exists?"

Today is my last active day, as I will take the remaining days of leave starting tomorrow and I will leave the office by the end of the month. As a memento, I'm taking some time to take photographs from this summit. And here they are...

My cubicle is right behind this view

There are still empty lots on Jl. Jend. Sudirman, this is just one of them.

More greeneries, please

The skyscrapers are fading on the southern edge

These views still can't beat my cousin's former workplace, which was located on the 46th floor of a building near the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle. Whenever there is a demonstration, they can monitor from above.

Of Men And Flowers

Say it with flowers, an adage says. The saying stands true for Jakartans who are currently in the middle of the War of Flowers between Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahja Purnama's supporters and Anies Baswedan's supporters (for example, this news). 

But let's get away from the humdrum of Jakarta's politics to Kolkata, India. I have a soft spot for India, perhaps because D has the facial features of South Asians (ha!).

National Geographic photographer Ken Hermann was on assignment in India a few years ago, and he decided to go to a flower market on his day off. He was drawn to how the male flower vendors carried their goods. So he came back to make a portrait series.

Flowers are used for everything in India, from festivals and parties to religious rituals. The variety is enormous, from brightly hues hibiscuses and vivid crimson roses to jasmine bouquets, fragrant lotus and magnolia flowers. The photographer decided to photograph the species that he saw the vendors carrying.

The photographer originally thought about including both sexes in the series, but the women were reluctant to have their pictures taken. So he focused exclusively on the male vendors. To get these guys to take a break from their work and pose under the midday sun, he wound up paying for many of the bunches he photographed.

These stoic, masculine men put on a macho face when they get their picture taken. But you can see that they carry their flowers -- their livelihood -- in a very gentle way. You can see more here.

A Magical Night At The International Ballet Gala

Source: here

I still haven't moved on from the magical night of International Ballet Star Gala last Saturday. Oh, by the way, yes I bought the ticket on a whim. But I didn't regret it at all. 

The gala showcased 10 international principal dancers, who performed excerpts of world famous ballet shows, both classic and contemporary ballet. The classic included Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Carmen Suite, and Giselle. 

I wished I could record the whole show, but there were a series of restrictions for the spectators. Fortunately there is a video on international ballet artist Adiarys Almeida performing Le Corsaire (one of the excerpts performed on Saturday) with Joseph Gatti. She performed the dance on Saturday night with Daniil Simkin of American Ballet Theater, though, but it's pretty much the same.

I went to this show alone, and luckily was seated to a nice lady who was also going on her own. We bonded over a battle of seat dispute that unraveled before our eyes. The dispute started when a couple (heretofore to be called as Couple #1) came in very late and found  their seats were occupied by another couple (Couple #2). It was not Couple #2's fault, though, they were guided by an officer to those very seats. Couple #1 insisted to take back their rights, however, Couple #2 found that their rightful seats were also occupied by other couple (Couple #3). The officer tried to fix the dispute by directing the couples to their seats, which was what she should do in the first place to avoid this kind of dispute.

Couple #1 and Couple #2 were saying angry words to each other, disrupting my vision and audio enjoyment of the show. Both my seat mate and I agreed that while it was all the officer's fault, Couple #1 should not start the drama. After all, they came very late. They were lucky to be allowed inside. Should this happen in Europe, they would have to wait outside until the intermission.

Another note to self: I should wear a dress/skirt and high heels for my next ballet viewing. Although I've put on my formal attire, I felt very under-dressed last Saturday.

International Ballet Gala In Jakarta

Would you go watch the international ballet gala this weekend? I just found out about this event like a few hours ago. You can buy the tickets here.

Have a great weekend, lovelies!

A Farm Life In Garut

I went to Garut, West Java last weekend with several friends to start a little project (which I can not fully disclose at the moment). Garut is about four hours away from Jakarta and we did a very quick day trip there. The client owns a plot of land, where he plants vegetables, fruits as well as breeds goats, chickens, ducks and geese. I had geese as pet (I was a weird kid, lol), so it brought sweet memories of my childhood.

Trivia: Did you know that actor Charlie Chaplin went to Garut twice? Yep, it was such a lovely place to visit.

Anyway, here are some pictures of my day trip to Garut.

View from the farm. I'd love to wake up to this every morning.

Water hyacinths fill up one corner of the fish ponds

Garut is known for its rams. Such beautiful horns sometimes bend into the animal's neck, putting the rams in a life-threatening situation, so there are horn-bending saloons for the rams. Yes, I am serious.

The flock of geese is as effective as a guard dog :)

These babies huddle in the pen. So cute :)

A worker tending to strawberries in plastic bags

Implementing KonMari's Tidying Method As A Part Of Self-Improvement Efforts

During a round of Sunday morning leisure walking with Atika, a high school friend, our conversation stumbled upon Marie Kondo's book on tidying. She said that she had both her books, and offered to lend them to me. I borrowed one, because I was not sure I'd be able to finish it in one week. I came home and read it in one sitting.

I returned the first book and borrowed the second book. The second one was a bit tougher to read (IMHO) as it contains tips and techniques on tidying and folding. I still managed to complete reading it, though.

I have been trying to implement the KonMari's tidying methods, particularly on the clothing section, but then I found out several things about myself:

#1. I like patterns and colors

In order to simplify my wardrobe, I need to stick to a certain color palette and throw away the clothes that do not fit into the designated palette. But upon opening my closet, I found a myriad of colors and patterns. Even the neutral colors of whites, blacks and grays are either in stripes, polkadots, florals, or have embroideries in the same colors. Being an Indonesian, I definitely have batik and ikat in my wardrobe and of course, I do not have the heart to throw them away. They are works of love and art! Some are handed down from M, which make them even harder to throw away.

#2. I like non-fitting, loose, flowing outfits

I think I have around 10 knee-length summer dresses, possibly more if I open my suitcase (yes, I keep some of my clothes in a suitcase, I have that much of clothes). The dresses come in floral or tribal patterns. Most of my jeans/trousers are either straight-leg, wide-leg or flared. This style really helps as my weight goes up and down, depending on my mood.

#3. I have more T-shirts and polo shirts than work shirt/power suit

You know the kinds of T-shirts and polo shirts that are given during events? I have about 20 of them. This type of clothing is easier to put away because it barely holds any emotional attachment. Nevertheless, that still leaves me with some 30 more T-shirts/polo shirts.

From those three things, now I know that I'm more into the casual colorful wardrobe. However, there is one more thing:

#4. I still don't have the heart to put away most of the clothings

According to the KonMari method, things that should not spark joy should be put away. Oh it's so hard. I simply categorized the clothings into two parts: the ones I use and the ones I'm not using on a regular basis. Right now, I'm putting the "less-used" clothings in M's cupboard and I'm giving it another three months to think them over. I know it defies the core point of KonMari method, but it's such a giant step, and I can only take baby steps at the moment. At least I know I'm moving to the right path, as I feel much better, lighter with each item I toss into M's cupboard.

One step at a time, one day at a time. It is likely to be my mantra for 2017 Resolution :).

The Whole Office-Bazaar Hubbub

There was a bazaar organized by a Japanese-themed mall in the office building this week. The items being sold on discount were various, from mattresses, to clothes, to toys, to food. To sum it up, there was something for everyone. Here is several conversation that took place in the office during the bazaar...

How It All Began
Female Boss (FB): Did you see the announcement  downstairs? There's a bazaar. What kind of items will be on sale?
Finance Manager (FM): (produced a brochure) Here it is. I took it at the reception desk
FB: Hmm, thank you (reading the brochure seriously)
(a few minutes before the lunch time)
FB: FM, let's go now before it's too crowded.
FM: Go where?
FB: To the bazaar!

Checking Things Out
(At 12.30 p.m.)
Me: Oh my God, it's so crowded
Colleague #1: Of course, it's lunch time. Everyone comes here to have a look
Me: How about if we come back at 02.30 p.m? The crowd may have dispersed by then
Colleague #1: Ok

At 02.30 p.m.
Me: Oh my God, how come it's still crowded?
Colleague #1: Hmm, perhaps we should come again? At 07.00 p.m.?
Me: Ok

At 07.00 p.m.
Me: Why are these people still come here? Didn't they have homes to go to?
Colleague #1: Hmm, let's just finish it quickly then
Colleague #2: Oh hey, you guys are here again? I thought I saw you a few hours ago

Lipstick Jungle

Situation: one of the items on sale was Purbasari's matte lipstick, which had been getting rave reviews on its durability, lovely colors and other good qualities. Most women bought at least one color of the lipstick series, so we tried each other lipstick to see which suit us best. I had to ask for other people's opinion, and DAP was there...

Day 1

Me: What do you think of this color? (showing my lip to DAP)

DAP: It's good

Day 2

Me: How about this one?

DAP: It's good, it's good

Day 3

Me: Hey, this is actually really good (pointing to cellphone charger cable)

DAP: Ok, which lipstick you're wearing now?

Me: Why does it have to be lipstick? I'm talking about this charger cable

DAP: Because lipstick is the trending topic of this week 

The Power Of Moms
FNA: It's so crowded downstairs, I couldn't buy the Number 90 lipstick
Me: Oh really? I just got myself two lipsticks a few minutes ago (showing the purchased items)
FNA: Oh, but you're a mom. Moms have power girls don't have
Me: You're asking for a spank. I'm not a mom yet, I'm an auntie.

A Few Photos On Sumatran Big Cats

 Relaxed. A picture of a clouded leopard lying on the ground is captured by hidden camera

Relaxed: A picture of a clouded leopard lying on the ground is captured by a hidden camera - See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/16/rescuing-sumatran-tigers-kampar-peninsula.html#sthash.IS98K9a2.dpuf

 

Probing: A picture of a marbled cat is captured by a hidden camera. - See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/16/rescuing-sumatran-tigers-kampar-peninsula.html#sthash.IS98K9a2.dpuf

Probing. A picture of a marbled cat is captured by a hidden camera

Read the news here.

Probing: A picture of a marbled cat is captured by a hidden camera. - See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/16/rescuing-sumatran-tigers-kampar-peninsula.html#sthash.IS98K9a2.dpuf

Probing: A picture of a marbled cat is captured by a hidden camera. - See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/16/rescuing-sumatran-tigers-kampar-peninsula.html#sthash.IS98K9a2.dpuf

First Time Blood Donor :)

I've been gaining weight in the past 2.5 years of leaving journalism. It's either because the new job gives me more time to snack or due to the fact that getting older equals to slowing metabolism. Whichever the reason, my weight has jumped from the 48 kg during journo days to 58 kg at the moment (insert cringed emoticon here). 

Many friends told me that although my cheeks had become rounder, I still looked slim for my frame (1.57 cm). What they failed to see was the love handles around my waist and that there was no gap between my thighs. 

Instead of mourning the fact, I thought about what I could do with my new weight. I decided to donate my blood. I've been wanting to do this since high school, but my skinny self never allowed it. During high school, the weight requirement to donate blood was 45 kg, I was one kilogram shy. During university days, the required weight went up to 50 kg, and I was just around 45-46 kg. When I entered the work force, the donors should weight 55 kg, alas I was only 47-48 kg.

After having lunch today, I went to the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI)'s blood donation unit in Senayan City with two colleagues. It's located below En Dining, just go below the stairs and you'll find the direction to the small office. 

Since I was a newbie, they tested me for my blood & rhesus type (O, rhesus positive). They also checked my blood pressure, haemoglobin level and of course, my weight. I passed all with flying colors. And then came the moment of truth.

They told me to wash my fore arms up to the elbows. First, they bound my left arm and checked my vein. They were having hard times to locate my vein, because it's too delicate. "We need 350 cc of blood. If somehow the blood stopped during the process, we have to switch the needle to your right arm. Is it okay with you?" the PMI officer asked. I grimaced, but nodded anyway. 

One of the PMI officers, a gentle old lady with determination, pushed the huge needle into my left arm. The red liquid soon flowed into the plastic bag. I tried not to stare at the blood, but ended up glancing and feeling dizzy. She gave me a cotton ball with a dab of aromatherapy to ease the headache. But the process was quite quick, at least for me. I spent around 15 minutes for a bag of blood. 

One colleague spent around 30 minutes for the process because he had to relocate the needle, due to the misplaced needle by the younger PMI officer. The blood streamed down my colleague's forearm during the needle relocation process. Ouch.

Despite the horror my colleague endured, I had a great time at the blood donation unit. I intend to continue donating my blood as long as my health permits. Insya Allah.

The Hundred Secret Senses - Amy Tan

A kingdom of termites has secretly been building their fortress in my house and we just found out a couple of months ago. The termites destroyed and ruined some of D's book collections *crying*. While it was sad to see years of book collection turned into dust, I found several books that I've bought but have yet to read. 

It seemed D moved them into his bookcase without my consent. It was a fortune that these books survived the attack. The books are in English and I bought them during the Gramedia sale. The Indonesian publishing company often held insider sale, where they sell original books that have been translated into Bahasa Indonesia. One of the books is "The Hundred Secret Senses" by Amy Tan. 

So I started to read this book. The layered time line (going back and forth in the history), the two points of view (Olivia and Kwan) and different language style (Kwan speaks in broken English) made me take some time to grasp what Tan wants to convey in this novel. But once I got it, I took off quickly. I put down this book with a good feeling.

Brief summary: Olivia Yee is only five years old when Kwan, her older sister from China, comes to live with her family and turns her life upside down, bombarding her days and nights with ghostly stories of strange ancestors from the World of Yin. For the next thirty years, Olivia endures visits from Kwan and her ghosts, who offer advice on everything, from restaurant to Olivia's failed marriage. Just when she cannot bear it anymore, the revelations of a family secret open her mind to the startling truths hidden in Kwan's unorthodox vision of the world.

Here are several quotes worth remembering:

"Life's always a big fucking compromise. You don't always get what you want, no matter how smart you are, how hard you work, how good you are. That's a myth. We're all hanging in the best we can."

"You can't stop young girls from wishing. No! Everyone must dream. We dream to give ourselves hope. To stop dreaming - well, that's like saying you can never change your fate. Isn't that true?"

"To you, this may sound clumsy, not so romantic. But if someone offers to save your life, isn't that as good as going to church in a white dress and saying 'I do'?"

Recent Purchase: Leather Satchel Bag

Vissia, one of the Takabonerate trip buddies, quit her job and started a business with two friends. They make products from leather, such as bags, pouches, wallets and luggage tags, all under the brand of Vigna Bags. I saw the products on her Facebook wall and fall in love with the satchel bag.

So I ordered one.

It's the first time I ever bought a leather bag, and an Indonesian product. It has arrived, and I'm satisfied with the product. I should buy more Indonesian high quality products in the future :).

The satchel bag. See other products of Vigna here

 

The bag and I 

Run, Jog Or Walk

My new office is located nearby Bung Karno Sport Complex (or locally known as GBK). Now, if you've never been to Jakarta, let me tell you something: it's a luxury to be nearby such a huge sport complex. Therefore, I decided to make good use of it. I've been going there with the colleagues once a week to run, jog or walk.

I'm not exactly the sporty type, so I don't set a specific target for the activity. It's just nice to straighten my legs and have a breather after sitting and typing for hours. Most of the time I went there, I only walked around the big stadium three times. Now that I'm in my mid-30s, I try not to burden my knees and ankles by running. So I walk.

The great thing about going there is the sport spirit. People from all walks of life go there to do sport. A group of tattoed men glide on their skateboard, girls wearing shorts skid around on rollerblades or  men run in groups or solo. As the sun set, more people are coming to GBK. They probably go there to wait for the 3-in-1 traffic rule to end.

I can't help observing their sport apparel as they all look so fashionable. Since I only walk once a week, I don't spend much on my sport apparel. I always wear the blue sport pants and any random T-shirt. However, I recently bought a new pair of sport shoes because the old one shows signs of tearing down. It's white with dashes of pink for the logo. May the new shoes last longer and be a source of my sport spirit.

Another thing that catch my attention is that most people run with earphones (to listen to music) and smartphones (to measure the calories they burn during the run). I'm leaving all gadgets at the office and simply enjoying the moment. It's a good opportunity to be away from the electronic stuffs and have myself as the only company. I've only started using a smartphone since October 2013, and now I check the smartphone every 15 minutes or everytime there is a notification ringtone. It is not a healthy habit, and definitely not polite too if there is a friend around.

My colleagues and friends sometimes complained because I didn't bring my mobilephone during the walk-around-GBK. Since I walk and they run, I am often left behind and they will need to locate me. I told them to wait for me near Gate VIII, which is the same gate we use to enter GBK and go back to office. It sounds very old school to wait at a meeting point with total trust that your friends will be there when the time comes.

The biggest temptation after doing sport in GBK is the street food vendors that dot the area. I mean, I guess it's okay to have two bowls of empal gentong or bubur ayam after you walk five times around the stadium? Do I hear yay or nay?     

In the end, it doesn't matter what kind of sport you do: run, jog or walk. Just move your body, be in the outdoor and enjoy the moment.

Last but not least, if you happen to run in GBK and see a woman with blue pants around Gate VIII without gadget in her hands, feel free to say hi, the woman could have been me.

A Trip To Geothermal Field

We all know that Indonesia is located in the Ring of Fire, but did you know that due to its volcanic geology, Indonesia has 40% of the world's potential geothermal resources?

I didn't then, but now I know.

I got the chance to visit two geothermal fields in West Java -- one is managed by a state-owned enterprise and the other one is managed by a cooperative.

Geo Dipa Energy

Geo Dipa is a state-owned enterprise, which manages several geothermal wells across Indonesia. One of them is in Patuha, West Java. I guess you can find the information on the Internet (too tired to write about all the technical information). Anyway, here's some photos 

The other geothermal site we visited was the Kopjasa Cibuni Geothermal Field. The unique thing about it is the fact that it is managed by a cooperative. Most geothermal fields are managed by state-owned enterprises or the big companies, so we're really interested to see what it looks like.

Later that day, we soaked our body in a local hot spring. It was a nice respite after the visit to the power plants and received so many information on geothermal.