2021 Is The Year Of Delta Variant And Living On Auto Pilot Mode

Hello, lovelies!

It's that time of the year when I roll out my take on the past 365 days. 2021was not an easy year for me. As you noticed, I barely blog this year. Well, it's because there were not much to tell. After going through from one lockdown to another, I was living the year on auto pilot mode. 

Here are the recap of 2021 in a monthly basis:

January: Got an offer to work on another writing project on earthquake aid relief. Finally received the payment on the work I did in Sumba island last December. My colleague was admitted to hospital due to HNP, so I had to take in her work load.

February: Worked on the earthquake aid relief stories, while also taking in my colleague's work load. Things were already looking glum, and it's just the second month of the year.

March: A friend got a chance to house-sit her friend's apartment for a few months. I went to visit my friend on the weekends and get access to the apartment's swimming pool. Managed to go to the tax office and submit tax reports for the 2019 and 2020 (I couldn't submit last year because all tax offices were closed due to the pandemic and I didn't understand the format for freelancers, I just had to come to the office and ask for assistance). This was probably the month when I felt most at ease in 2021.

April: M was ill for one week ahead of Ramadhan, but fortunately, she recovered just in the right time to face the fasting month. However, D's glucose level dropped on the second day of Ramadhan and we had to rush him to ER. He got better after a few hours of treatment. One of the SG-based clients ended the contract.

May: Two of my clients extended the work contract, with the SG-based client only extending until end on August (not a good sign, though) and the ID-based client for one year (Alhamdulillah!)

June: Had a quick jaunt to Bandung to attend a meeting. The number of cases began to surge. I received news of friends getting sick, and two of my uni friends died due to COVID-19 this month.

July: This was the month when I heard ambulance sirens at least three times a day. I received my first dose of COVID-19 vaccine made by AstraZeneca, became feverish for around 36 hours but got better afterwards. Tokyo Olympics, which was supposed to be held in 2020, was officially opened on July 23, and the sport event had been God sent. For around 20 days of Tokyo Olympics, I forgot what pandemic is like.

August: Couldn't really remember anything special from this month, apart from taking an online class on Al Quran study. We went from one lockdown to another in this month. Things passed by in a blur.

September: Took another online class on Al Quran recite study. M&D finally got fully vaccinated, they got Pfizer. My business partner was deceived by a scammer, and unfortunately she borrowed money from me to give to the scammer, so I also lost money.

October: Completed my COVID-19 vaccination, no side effect in this second dose. My manager of the SG-based client informed me about the salary cut that reached 70%, although the report was only 30% simplified. I asked for a few days to think things over. Then, one of my Indonesian clients informed me about contract suspension. This left me with no option but to continue with the job that had salary cut, but I asked that I got a day off every Monday. Checked out the recently-opened IKEA store in Cakung, East Jakarta.

November: Had a meet-up with a friend who has been working in Paris since 2017. Took two simultaneous translation works, one was from a mining company, while the other one an NGO. I also had a chance to take a free one-week mini course on business development in technology (sales in tech), quite interesting I must say.

December: Had a mini reunion with my uni friends in Ciputat. Took an online mini course on data analysis. Drafted a list on things to do for 2022 and beyond. Lo and behold, news of Omicron variant already circulated.

It was a good thing that I jotted down my daily activities on my handmade calendar. Otherwise, I would feel that 2021 just passed me by. Well, nothing brought ultimate joy this year, but at least I am still here and have gained some new experiences. 

I pray that in the year to come, Allah grant all of us health, wealth and stronger hearts. Can I get an amen?

2020 Was A Year Of Life In The Time Of Corona

Here we are in the end of the year to look back on what have we done in the past 366 days of our life. I hope 2020 has been kind to you. Because it did not for many people.

2020 started with news on Coronavirus outbreak, which shook many industries from travel to livestock. China and Indonesia are quite close, and we have heard about the previous pandemic, SARS, in 2003. However, little did we know that Covid-19 would change everything we thought we have known.

January kicked off in a rather normal pace. A cousin asked me to accompany her to a wedding reception of her colleague. The wedding was held in Nias tradition, and it was the first time I saw it. The guests danced together to close the wedding, it was quite fun! I had scaling at RSGM FKG UI in Salemba and donated blood to Indonesian Red Cross in Kramat. Then there was a dine-in event to celebrate the birthdays of former bosses (yeah, we still keep in touch, LOL).

In February, I started working with an ex boss on the topic that I love: environment! It was a daily job, with one report to be submitted before 11.45 am. I also got another work contract for a corporate newsletter, which would focus on construction and infrastructure (my past love!). After signing the one-year contract, I began to build a schedule for my daily work. It would soon dawn on me that I could not juggle three reports in my morning schedule.

By mid-March, the pandemic has arrived in Indonesia. The government started to implement various policies, from social distancing to social restriction. Many people took the pandemic lightly, because the news said that the virus that causes Covid-19 was a relative of the virus that causes SARS. Nevertheless, the panic buying happened. Disinfectant, face mask, and wet wipes went missing from the shelves of supermarkets. Unlike other people, I decided to pile up books to accompany me on the social distancing period through the last public event I attended this month, the 2020 Big Bad Wolf 2020. I went to this event with my friend Ebf, and we went a bit wild with our purchase, because we sort of predicted that we might not be able to leave our homes for book shopping in a near future.

April saw Good Friday and Ramadhan, with both religious events being observed in quiet and calm manners. To be honest, I enjoyed this year's Ramadhan because there was no obligatory breakfasting event. I could spend the whole month just focusing on work and fasting.

This May marked the first Idul Fitri at home. I also decided to quit one of my daily jobs (I had three, and the deadlines were only one hour apart from each other. My replacement turns out to be my former colleague at TJaP, Reynette. My manager asked me to give her some tips on the job, so we got reconnected again. We have a soft spot for stray cats and now our daily chat would include tips on cats.

June and July were a bit quiet. Nothing of importance had happened. 

In August, a friend invited me to take a staycation at Sultan Hotel. I asked her about the safety level, and she said that everything had been ensured to meet the health protocol. I decided to take her offer. I went to the Red Cross to donate blood before joining her at the hotel. But I was rather shocked to see the Red Cross office was swarmed with people queueing for blood donors. One of them even boldly asked if my bloodtype was A. Dude, even if it were, I would not say it. Anyway, the staycation was okay. I did several laps at the hotel's swimming pool.

September was a bit gloomy for me. A client asked for fee reduction, while another decided to terminate the contract due to budget restriction. I still have other jobs and the fee is enough to get by, but my concern is what will I do with the leisure time in this pandemic? I prefer working at home than exposing myself to the virus. I took one day off anyway to clear my head up.

October was the month of demonstration. On Oct. 5, Job Creation Law, or omnibus law, was passed, and a lot of the people raised their disagreement against the law. The demo did not affect me physically, because I worked from home anyway, but it affected my workload. One of the things discussed in the law was telecommunications, which is a key word for one of my daily jobs. So I got more than 5,000 news links to check everyday. My manager thankfully supported me this month, she even taught me a new tips to speed up my work pace. I also had a soft launching of another business venture with my Master friends.

Early November, a friend asked if I would be interested to work on a story gathering project in Sumba. I had a long thought process for the request and finally agreed to go. I sent in a proposal and after several discussions, I departed to Sumba on the last day of November. For this trip, I took leave from two daily jobs and a weekly job.

After coming back from Sumba, I had to catch up with all the reports and other obligations that I put on hold due to the trip. Then I closed the year by renewing my driving license at a Mobile Driving License place. It was the first time for me to renew my driving license at such place, and it was impressively quick. I would definitely come to this place again five years from now.

Whoa, I thought 2020 was pretty bland. But when I looked back at the highlights, while it was indeed bad, it was actually not that bad. How was your 2020, by the way?

2021 may not come any easier than 2020. However, if we survived 2020, then there is a chance we will make it in 2021.

A Decade Of Blogging My 30s And Being 40 Years Old

Today I turn 40 years old and have been blogging in this space for 10 years. Wow! This blogs have come a long way. Also, being able to call myself a 40-year-old is quite cool because it means I survived my 20s and 30s.

The year leading to the new decade is usually a scary one. I remembered being a 19-year-old and then being 29-year-old and panicking about turning 20 and 30 in the next year. And you know what? Everything went well. 

Having passed the change of decade three times does not necessarily make the fourth one easy. There were struggles, but things do indeed get easier and make more sense as I age. I make peace with everything in my life. I am learning to accept my body, my parents, and the circumstances that Allah place me in.

Getting old also means becoming more grateful of the life I have. I've seen other people around my age die. Regardless of the age, good people and annoying people (I'm trying to be positive by not using 'bad people') died. In the end, we will die. So what made one person different to the other people? The good deeds, and that's what I strive to achieve in my life.  

Also, as much as I want to get married, I realize that I want to spend my time in this world with people who can help me improve and be a better person. It may take me longer to find the other half, but I am not going to rush into things.

My 30s has been an amazing journey. Not everything went as expected, but I am grateful for everything that Allah has bestowed upon me. Let's have a quick recap of what the last decade has taught me. So how did the last 10 years treat me?

2010. It was probably the year of comfort zone. I was still in the Sunday edition of an English-language newspaper. I got a fellowship to South Korea during Ramadhan and celebrated Idul Fitri there. By the end of the year, I received notification that I was transferred to the National desk.

2011. Although the year started with a bright kick off (a fellowship to Rome, Italy in February and another one to Hanoi, Vietnam in March), it later turned a bit dark as D was hospitalized twice this year. I also received mistreatment at the office. Then by the end of the year, I received notification that I was transferred to the Supplement desk, which was about advertorials and non-news.

2012. It was not exactly a fun year to start. I struggled to learn new writing method as I was assigned in the Supplement division. But I got better, and even my supervisor acknowledged my efforts and progresses. Also, I enjoyed the regular work hours as I got days off on weekends for the first time in the eight years that I had been working as a journo. This year, I did quite a lot of traveling with my friends and also tried solo traveling to Ukraine during Euro Cup 2012.

2013. The year started sour as my colleague (who was under annual contract) was being let go. It gave me a new perspective that I should find another workplace. The office would always find someone to replace me, and the thing that happened to my colleague could happen to me. After some job-hunting (and also soul-searching), I finally took the decision to left journalism and embarked upon a new career path as a communications person in a not-for-profit organization. I took this leap of faith six years ago, but I still remembered the giddy feeling it gave me. One of the highlights of the new job was being entrusted to organize a field visit to Kalimantan. And I had never been to Kalimantan! Everything went well, alhamdulillah. An important trip to remember in this year was the Malaysia-Thailand-Cambodia trip, with the highlight of being in Bangkok during Songkran Festival.

2014. The communications boss in that new office resigned last year, so I did everything in the communications department on my own. After being constantly bugged by M&D to enroll in that master degree I did not want, I finally succumbed. Studying while working was not a good idea, I soon found that a master's degree required stamina and free time. Also happening this year was I had to go to Peru for around three weeks for the COP 20 and it was in the middle of my semester test. I informed the program head and he kindly arranged that I had a later deadline for test submissions. My travel buddy Anin married in Solo a few days before my departure to COP 20 Peru, and the crazy thing was, I made it to her wedding! And I was so grateful I did.

2015. My contract at the NGO office ended in December 2014. After three months of being unemployed (but I did freelance works), I got another job in an education project, which was slated to end in 2017. I made some good friends in the project and visited some cities in Java island every six months for the project's national staff meeting. Overall, this was an easy-go-lucky year.

2016. I went to Hong Kong with my travel buddy Anin in April. Her husband works in Hong Kong, so in a way, it was a quick getaway for Anin and husband. Also happening this year was my graduation from that master degree I didn't choose in September. There was a personal problem this year, and I felt like it put me into a depression. However, a month before the year ended, I got reconnected with a colleague from Brunei Darussalam and he was in a way helping me to get through it.

2017. I started  the year without any expectation. I also started to eat healthy food, incorporated more fruit and vegetable into my diet. A few weeks before I was discharged from the education project, I got an offer from a 9-month project on renewable energy in Sumba island, East Nusa Tenggara. In November, I got a phonecall from a former colleague, asking my help to work on a weekly and monthly media monitoring report on family planning and immunization until December 2018. I decided to give both jobs a try.

2018. The project in Sumba island ended in March and I was left in unemployment (again!). Fortunately, I got a freelance offer from a Singapore-based company to work on media monitoring. It was quite a serious freelance, because it is a daily job with dedicated work hours (between 6.30 and 11 a.m.). It also has deadlines for the two reports I need to finish during the said work hours. After several weeks working with the company, the boss asked if I could work on two other reports (a weekly and a bi-weekly), which I also took. Besides those jobs, I also received other freelance jobs with more relaxed deadlines. This year was the year Indonesia became host of Asian Games, and I got to watch some sport games in GBK sport complex. 

2019. The freelance period continued as the Singapore-based company renewed my contract. Apart from that Singapore office, I also continued the freelance job for an Indonesian company on weekly media monitoring on health issues (family planning, national healthcare insurance and telemedicine); the English-language newspaper that was my former office entrusted me to translate a quarterly magazine of a mining company and other translation works; and a project on youth entrepreneurs. There were also other small translation projects. Work wise, 2019 has been a very productive year. Despite all the works, I made time to take breaks. In January, I renewed my passport and made a mental note to take up traveling as often as I can. Lo and behold, this year I went to Malaysia (end of April-early May), Japan (end of June-early July) as well as Kuching and Brunei Darussalam (end of October). Meanwhile, national-wise, I went to Yogyakarta, Solo, Semarang, Blitar, Malang and Pontianak. Travel stories were still in the process, so please come back to those months in archive a bit later if you'd like to read. Also, I took a baking class and dream mapping session, which I would write about when I had the time. This year, I decided to continue developing my skills and network as freelancer. And perhaps, one day I will open an office for content writing, graphic design, branding and marketing as well as communications (Amin yra!).

I still have many dreams, such as getting that scholarship, working abroad, traveling to those faraway countries and getting that book written down out of my head. But as I am entering the big four-o, my main goal would be to stay at peace, which sounds easy, but trust me it is not. I still struggle from this uneasy feeling, which I could not let go. I hope the next decade would help me to be more wise, calm and forgiving to myself.

Thank you for being a part of this blogs. I would continue writing in this space. As random as I have been.

Wishing you a wonderful year ahead!

2018 Is The Year Of Me Taking Up Freelance Works

This was shot at Istora Senayan Stadium, but it looked as if it was taken in either Korea or Japan (Amin yra) :)

Hello, 39-year-old me, let's hope the last year of my 30s will be awesome. But before we bade farewell to 2018, here are some recaps on the year of the freelance works.

First of all, I admit that the older I become, the less post I have on this blog. It could be either I was too lazy to write the small things that matter in my life, or I've just gotten too busy. I think it was the latter. When I was a journo, I only had one responsibility: to report for my workplace. Now that I am a freelancer, I have to build networks, meet people (future clients!) and, of course, finish the works in a timely and perfectly manner. It's all challenging and giddying.

I kicked off the year by falling down at Manggarai station and injured my knee badly. Then I was sent to Sumba on that bad knee condition. It was the last field assignment to Sumba before the project concluded in March. I was a bit sad to leave the project because I felt like I haven't learned much. Then I helped the workplace to write down a project proposal (my first stint as a proposal writer!). However, there was no follow-up from the job.

This year, things happened out of my expectation, but actually it was what I had envisioned. For example, I started to work as a freelancer. It was not something I expected to happen this year, but I did consider to try freelancing some times later in my 40s. Lo and behold, I got the opportunity to work as freelancer last April!

What started as one half-day daily freelance report has evolved to a weekly report, and then a bi-weekly report. There was another weekly report job from another workplace. Then I also got other one-off jobs. Some of the one-off jobs were as simultaneous translator, book editor, and report editor. They were all exciting jobs, and yet, I missed writing, which is one of the reasons I still keep this space.

Anyway, the freelance works have given me enough time to rest (I have been taking a nap in the past 10 months), meet up with friends or visiting members of my extended family after office hour and explore other hobbies (I have been trying my hands on gardening and baking).

Also happening this year was, after years of bugging and begging to my parents, I finally got my own space right above the garage. The space has been a work in progress and still far from perfect, but so far I enjoy it and can spend hours inside my room.

This year, my wish to enjoy Ramadhan at home came true. Although it was still far from what I envisioned to be (still had to work to complete those reports), I loved that I could stay inside during the hot days.

In August, Jakarta and Palembang became hosts to Asia's biggest sport competition, the Asian Games 2018. I had tried to find freelance works on Asian Games, but in the end I got no freelance works and I had to enjoy the event as a spectator, which was quite interesting too.

The surprise came in October when I got the offer to support the official tabloid of Asian Para Games 2018. It was the first time I ever wrote sports news and I couldn't be more thankful for the opportunity.

D underwent the cataract operation in late October (right eye) and then in early December (left eye). The road to recovery was still ongoing. He could not read book (low close range vision), but he could drive as his long range vision was quite alright (well, to some extent, that is). I knew M&D would not admit it, but they were relieved to have me around the house at almost anytime. And if I'm not at home, they would know that they could find me working in a nearby cafe.

This year, I managed to squeeze some times to escape Jakarta. The first trip was going to Solo to visit my travel buddy Aneen, who is now mom of a cute toddler. Since they could not travel too far, I just hang out with them in the city and did a culinary tour.

Also, in between D's cataract operations, a friend asked me to accompany her to her hometown in Kudus, Central Java. Encompassing Semarang-Kudus-Jogjakarta, the trip was done in impromptu and I couldn't take any leave, so I decided to take the laptop with me. I made sure that the accommodation had WiFi so that I could do my morning work. It was a fun road trip, and made me wonder if I could spend one month working outside of Jakarta to keep me sane.

The year was not always painted in a beautiful color. I had bad days, people played trick on me, and the anxiety on whether I had done the right thing by becoming a freelancer. Sometimes, when I looked at the social media timeline and saw how much my friends have progressed in their life and career, I would feel a bit discouraged. But then, one or two posts on gratitude slid into my timeline, and I became embarrassed that I ever questioned His decision.

I think I have said this in almost every Yearender post, but I would always repeat it: I am grateful to Allah for whatever happened in the year and I look forward to the year to come. 

2017 Is The Year Of Changing Speed

It's the last day of the year, which means it's time for that yearender post.

Hello lovelies!

2017 kicked off quite slowly. I even managed to watch my first international ballet gala in February, but then the months rolled onto the fast lane as I had to finish all my work before the end of my work contract, which ended in June.

I've been wanting to experience a project closing, and this year, I finally got what I wished. In June 2017, I was released from the project I've been working with since April 2015. At first, I was scheduled for release at the end of May. But a week before May, the HR asked me if I would be available for one-month contract extension. 

I was actually looking forward to spending Ramadhan in peace. But the HR really asked a favor, and I thought I had yet to have a new job in the pipeline anyway, so I said okay. Despite having to work during Ramadhan, I still had some peace and even did i'tikaf. 

I only had 10 days of freedom after the end of contract as I got another job and the first day of work at the new office was July 10.  The new office is in Tebet, South Jakarta. It's in a residential area, but it is surrounded by cafes, restaurants, and parks. It takes only 15 minutes to walk from Tebet station to the office. I spent much of free time exploring the eateries.

Have you also noticed that I have posted in this space quite a lot after I was released from previous workplace? That previous job really took a lot of my time and mind. I have been able to allocate more time to write and plan for posts since July this year. Having free time is a real privilege.

But the best thing about current job is it has sent me to Sumba Island. I've been to Flores Island and Timor Island, but those trips didn't really prepare me for Sumba, which is one of Indonesia's outer islands. There are several small islands in the southern part of Sumba, and people says that if we look towards the southern sky on a cloudless morning, we can see Australia's northern territory skyline!

The project in Sumba island will conclude in March 2018, so I need to find new workplace after New Year. However, there is a wonderful update in the work department: I got a freelance job from a former colleague. Good things come if you treat other people kindly, this is so true. The freelance job will last until end of 2018. It's my safety parachute should I had no permanent job after March 2018.

This year, I tried my hands at organic produce trade, and am still learning. It's definitely not easy, especially if you're living in a low-middle class area and the goods you're selling is organic produce. Some neighbors don't even care about eating healthy as long as they eat. One good thing from this experience was I knew how to cook vegetable. Just stir fry them with oyster sauce!

I threw vegetable stalks on my backyard, and they all grew! Since I put the stalks randomly, they kind of grew in a disconcerted pattern. M told me to place them in a dedicated pot. So I turned a former water pipe into a plant pot and moved most of the vegetable sprouts there. Let's hope they survive in the new habitat.

Also this year, I watched my first horror movie, Joko Anwar's Pengabdi Setan, in a cinema. It's a milestone for a scaredy cat like me. I watched quite a lot of movies this year but only a handful that made it into this blogs, including Marlina The Murderer in Four Acts and Arrival.

I thought I would not have any holiday trip this year. Then a friend called and asked me to accompany her to Bali because she had a hotel voucher that would expire in October. It was a very random request, but I decided to join her. We didn't do much during our three day and four nights there, it was a very relaxed holiday, no itinerary, no rush.

2017 has been a year with low achievement. No vacation abroad, no big plans, so unlike me in previous years. It's a year of changing speed, from slow to fast to slow again. Nevertheless, I still found that it has been a beautiful year too.

How was your 2017? Wishing you a wonderful New Year's Eve and an amazing year ahead, dearest.

What 2016 Has Taught Me

On (probably) the most photographed stairs in Jakarta. Photo by Deborah Karunia.

In 2016, I was 36 years old. (Updated: I just got this photo taken on Dec. 30, 2016, which I thought better represent me on my last day of being 36 years old)

People would stare in disbelief when I tell them my age, saying that I look younger than my age. I know they are being kind, because lines and freckles (*gasp*) are already showing across my face, there are gray circles on the outer edge of irises and the slowing metabolism, which results in inevitable weight gain (why? why?? why???).

2016 was not like what I expected it to be. However, there are a lot of great things/lessons that come to mind with me being 36. Here they are :

#1. The number of people asking you the question is decreasing

A male colleague said his homecoming trip was peppered with "the question" every time he met a relative, a friend, a neighbor, that he felt nauseous. Didn't they have any other question, he wondered. To that woe, I told him,"Don't worry, I've been there six years ago. That shall pass one day, or in my case, when I hit 36."

#2. I am content and grateful with what I have

A friend, who is still in early 30s, said that she had decreased the amount of time perusing social media because she felt there was a pressure to have the same thing people share on social media. Perhaps I've been in the same state 5-6 years ago, but now that I've passed the mid 30s, there is a sense of calm to learn that I may not have much, but what I have is enough. Another lesson I learned this year was to let go all expectations.

#3. Good friends are Godsend

Looking back to this year's posts, the most recurring theme is the conversation with friends and colleagues. As mundane as it could be, the conversation I had with my friends and colleagues yesterday might not happening again next year, because we'd never knew when we would meet again and this project I'm working on would soon come to a close. Such post is also a good reminder that I have a lot of kind people around. And although I didn't blog about it, this year, I also reconnected with several long lost friends.

#4. Treat yo'self best

I watched at least four movies in the cinema this year, with me going on my own to two of the screenings, and also old movies such as Reality Bites and the Before trilogy (thank you, Internet). I spent weekends slathering body lotion all over my body, putting on facial masker and treating my curls.

I also did regular jogging sessions with several high school friends, and swimming sometimes, and concluded the sport session at an eatery. In the end, doing sport is not always about losing weight, but also having fun, meeting friends and enjoying the great outdoor.

#5. Going on a trip, rediscovering yourself

Although I didn't plan any traveling this year, I just realized that I had four trips: Cetho & Sukuh Temples-Ketep Pass (January), Hong Kong-Macau (March-April), Ijen Crater-Baluran National Park (August) and Kelapa-Harapan-Perak Islands in Kepulauan Seribu Regency (December). Those did not include the work trip with the Communication team to Yogyakarta and then with an American researcher in July to Banjarnegara and Wonosobo, both were quite an experience. Sometimes things would turn out better when you least expect it :).

#6. A little change goes a long way

This year, some physical changes took place upon me. I started wearing eyeglasses and put on bold lipstick. The biggest change took place inside my head though (read #2). But a little change also caused something, for example a stranger who suddenly asked my phone number :P.

For better or worse that have happened in 2016, I would not change a thing.

How about you, lovelies? What did you learn in 2016?

A Year of Weekly Posts

Hello, lovelies.

As much as I want to write more (a resolution that goes unfulfilled!), I must admit I've been a bad blogger this year. 

This year kicked off in an ugly start, with me being unemployed for the first three months. My contract with the former office ended in December, and there was no contract extension until March. Luckily, I got another job and started work again in April.

The new workplace has a somewhat-busy-but-fun atmosphere. Although I didn't travel much, I did have good times. Here are some of the things I did and was grateful to have this year:

-- I had more fun. The new workplace has quite a lot of sporty people. They plan a weekly run around Gelora Bung Karno sport complex (every Tuesday) and a badminton club (every Thursday). Have I told you that my co-workers also have a movie club too? My weekday nights are not only for work, but also for after-work socializing and sport activities.

-- I learned new things at the office, such as how to layout newsletter with CorelDraw and Adobe InDesign. I also got a chance to learn how to shoot a video of active learning for my office.

-- I went through odontectomy operation to take my impacted wisdom tooth. After all these years of meticulous toothbrushing and dentalflossing, I finally conquer my fear and take out that impacted molar.

-- I bought a car! It caused me a 10-year-worth savings, but M&D are happy with the purchase and that's what matters most.

-- I visited two geothermal plants in Cibuni and a wind farm in Ciheras. Both are in West Java. Those visits remind me Indonesia is not only a rich-oil state with abundant natural resources but also blessed with renewable energy sources.

Now, on to the 2016, I can't promise you I will post more, but you all know I love to write and tell stories. I can only say: I will do my best.

Happy New Year, lovelies. Hope you have a great one.

PS. I did write posts as I tried to write at least once a week, but I had yet to finish most of them. I'll try completing some of them during this holiday season. So if you scroll to previous pages and find new posts, well...happy reading :).

It's Been Five Years Down The Blogging Lane

 Created from this website 

I can't believe I made it to the fifth year celebration with this blog. I've had blogs in the past, I started one during the era of Friendster, then made another one in blogspot and one in Tumblr. But then I got lazy in updating them. I think it all comes back to what you want to do with this space.

To tell you the truth, when I started this blog on the last days of my 20s,  I wasn't feeling hopeful at that moment, being single and overworked on what I deemed as a demanding-but-less rewarding job (more than 12 hours on the road, tight deadlines and it seemed like there was no opportunity to grow). And so I created this space as a haven for days when I don't feel like working, moments when I am least motivated and times when, for example, a certain boss showed he did not have faith in my capacity and integrity.

Now that I'm in my 30s, I notice that this blog is different than the ones I made in my 20s. Unlike those previous blogs that contained swearing words (I used to swear a lot), nowadays I post motivational words, funny conversations with parents and friends and photos that attract my attentions. Then during the dark days, I would turn back the archives to find inspiration and motivation. In a way, I put the best of me here to entertain the worst of me.

Sometimes (ok, so perhaps most of the time?) I worry about the future. But a scroll through this space, I would remember that although I only make small steps on a certain year, it was those steps that have brought me to where I am today. I would never have it any other way.

As a reminder for my future self, here are some highlight of this year:
-- I became the budget owner for Communication division in my office with budget amounting more than Rp 2 billion (!). After having a distrust issue from the previous workplace, this new responsibility has really boosted my confidence and I just couldn't thank my current office enough for their trust.
-- Some colleagues and I went to Pangalengan and White Crater during a long weekend. Since it was a personal trip, my trip buddy Aneen could join. We walked on the lush tea plantation, tried some whitewater rafting along Palalayang river and marveled at the beauty that is White Crater.
-- I went holidaying to Takabonerate atoll in South Sulawesi. It is majestic, amazing, beautiful, a really must-visit place :).

-- I organized two journalist visits to the projects that my office oversees. This year, the projects were located in Madura island and Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara.
-- My best friend and trip buddy Aneen got married! I'm so happy for her. 

-- I went to COP 20 in Lima, Peru as part of the Indonesian delegation! My current boss was very kind to take me to COP to give me a chance to learn more about the climate change and the negotiation. What's even better, now I can learn about the COP from the government side :).

Thank you so much for visiting. I know I haven't been a good blogger this year due to the workload at the office, but my resolution for next year would be to write more :).

Have a great year ahead!

For Me, 2013 Was The Year Of Trying New Things

There are so many things happening this year, I don't know where to start. One thing for sure, the experience I had in 2012 has given me the courage to take the leap of faith this year. I have done in 2013 a lot of things that I thought I would never do. Work hard, play harder and pray hardest :).

The following are my highlights of this year:

-- I took the trip to three ASEAN countries: Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia. Being a Southeast Asian, the trip has provided me with new perspectives on neighboring countries. I wish to visit the other ASEAN countries in the following years, preferably those that have the visa-free/VOA policy (Dear Myanmar, I'm looking at you).
-- The trip has taught me that I could survive for 11 days with a backpack weighed less than 9 kg and that I could sleep on the train, bus, night ferry and spooky hostels if I wanted to. 

-- During the said trip, I managed to experience what Songkran Festival is like (I love it!) and visited the Angkor Wat (it is a must-visit!)

-- I took the weekend trip to Pahawang islands in Lampung with a backpacker community. It's nice to know that there are many beautiful places within several hours trip from Jakarta and it's fun to hang out with new circle of friends.

-- Three cousins were married this year! Oh my, how fast does time fly? It felt just yesterday I played around with them and now they're all grown up:)
-- I did a series of old-time eatery in Jakarta. It's always fun to learn more about the city I work in.

-- I submitted my resignation letter to the newspapers company that had been my work (and life) for the past 6.5 years. After almost a decade in journalism, I decided to switch career by accepting a job at a government institution that works on climate change funding. It's a whole new world and I'm learning new things everyday.
-- With the new workplace having 9-to-5 work schedule, I am now one of the millions commuters taking the train. The train is packed but it's congestion-free.

-- My new office appointed me to be a person in charge for the visit to Central Kalimantan. Isn't it funny that I posted this in March and then I went to Borneo in September? Also, I just realized that I posted South Korea as one of my travel destination dreams in March 2010 and then got the fellowship to South Korea in August 2010! I wonder what would happen with this post, I mean, a Joe Taslim-look-alike might come into my life, ahem, a girl can always dream :P.
-- Another milestone this year was the decision to learn about the technology and finance stuffs. I bought an iPod touch (which became one of the essential items during the ASEAN trip) and then succumbed to the charms of a smartphone due to my new job. I'm still learning how to use it.
-- The office was moved to the 20th floor, the highest floor in the building, and I got a cubicle right next to the window. It's a real treat for a woman who loves staring at faraway places from great heights.
-- I finally saw the Komodo dragons in their natural habitat with my cousin and friends and then did a Trans Flores trip. I've been to Flores three years ago so it was like a home-bound road trip:)
-- I had two trips to close this year: the office trip to Cirebon and then two-day motor touring to Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta.

How was 2013 for you?
Happy New Year!

2012 Was The Year Of Living Gratefully:)

Running for the wave in Sempu island

Oh hello there, today is Dec. 31 which means it's time for the end-of-year long post! *Woot woot* How was 2012 for you? 

To be honest, I started this year with a feeling of disdain as the office transferred me to a division most people look down. But guess what, people? The transfer gave me some life lessons and best moments this year.

First of all, I learned to be humble. In the end, it's not where you work that counts, but it's what you do. For the first time, I work with an expatriate, to be precise: a Briton. Despite the rough first two-month adjustment period, we all got along quite well. 

Another thing I learned this year is to take the decision, either on professional space or personal life. Life is an adventure, don't worry about where you are, just enjoy your journey and make the most of your time.

On a lighter note, the transfer gave me the most precious thing : the time (oh the luxury of time!) to be there with my parents, take holidays, meet-up with my friends, snap more pictures and do other things I could not do in the previous years.

Here are a handful of memorable moments this year:
-- I got my Advance diver certificate. Next diving plan: Great Barrier Reef! (Dream first, go later:D)
-- I went to Kebumen to visit my maternal grandma in March. Seeing her healthy and talkative, I've never thought that it would be the last time I saw her. Unfortunately, I couldn't be there for her funeral in June. My prays and thoughts are always with you, my dear Grandma.
-- I got free tickets to Java Jazz 2012. It was a last-minute gift, but I still had good times.
-- I baked some cake :). I probably got the baking talent from my paternal grandma. She's also very talented in sewing, I should give sewing a try next year.
-- I snorkeled the northern Central Java sea in Karimun Jawa islands with Cousine Dina and her colleagues. It was a fun trip!
-- I went to the other UK in an effort to catch a glimpse of the Javan rhinoceros in Ujung Kulon National Park in late April with my journo friend Windy, my uni friend Aneen and four other new friends I met during the backpacking trip. We didn't meet any rhinos, but we did see some baby pythons.
-- I learned to take photos in low-light condition. The pictures do not always come out beautifully, but the learning process is something I would not miss.
-- Going to Ukraine to see the festivities during Euro 2012 and meeting many interesting people are definitely something that will stick in my head for quite some time.
-- I climbed Mt. Bromo and had my first whitewater rafting experience, then I camped+trekked in Sempu island
-- I took M to have her first facial experience. Haven't got a chance to blog about it, but it was both fun and hilarious:).
-- Finally got the guts to send applications for scholarships and jobs. After six years of working in the same office, going for a job interview felt a bit weird. While I didn't got the job, it's a good moment to sharpen up my job interview skills :).

Not bad for a 32-year-old, eh? I wouldn't be able to make it without my friends and you, yes you who are reading this right now. Thank you so much my dear friends and readers for visiting this space, leaving sweet comments and giving me the supports when I felt the least motivated. Here's hoping for more beautiful moments in 2013! Cheers!

Good Bye 2011! Welcome 2012!

Me and the Ruins of ancient Rome in February 2011.  I looked very comfortable in the photo despite the fact that it was 10 degree Celsius and I barely felt my nose.

How was your year, my darlings? I hope 2011 gave you the good things. But even if it didn't, worry not, my dear friends, for the good and the bad can teach you to appreciate life in every way.

While this year opened with a good start, somehow many things in this year did not run smoothly for me. But instead of complaining about those bad things, I'd like to thank Lord for the good things this year.

Those things are:

-- Getting my one-star diving license. I plan to take the two-star license in 2012. Wish me luck! 

-- Getting the 3-day fellowship to cover IFAD Governing Council in Rome, Italy. Yep, you read me right, only three days. Nevertheless, those were such happy days, for I got the chance to see with my own eyes Roman ancient architecture that are featured in Francis DK Ching's book :)

-- Getting the 5-day fellowship on climate change reporting in Hanoi, Vietnam. It was a really short visit, but I really learned a lot. Who would have known that climate change can be such an interesting topic?

-- Writing about Citarum River and its complex problems, from the upstream to downstream areas. It basically gave me a chance to put what I received in Hanoi into practice. I was so happy to get the chance to write the stories!

-- Taking a trip to Mount Krakatau, or Mount Anak Krakatau to be precise. I've always loved nature, and seeing this legendary volcano is in my to-do list :)

-- Taking a vacation to Belitung Island with my friend Aneen.     

-- D fell ill in June, but then doctor declared him fit this December. Alhamdulillah!

This year, I learn patience and perseverance and a realization that sometimes we measure things by how it pleases us and contributes to our career and professional life. Actually taking a slow pace (or stop) gives us a moment to reflect and plan for the future. 

Also, a few days ago I re-read my Japanese comics on photography and found a character saying: "Photography is a subject that teaches people to see the beauty in the simple things." I could not agree more. I may not be a photographer, but I strive to see beauty in simple (or even ugly) things.

Happy New Year!

31 On 31

Today is the first year anniversary of this blog and also the day I'm officially turned 31 years old. Yep, you read me correctly. Thirty one. And sane (although some have questioned the sanity level). And single.

Before you start congratulating me on my birthday, I want you to know that I'm not going to hold birthday party, or treat party traktiran. But I do love the birthday wishes. I feel the love:). If there is one thing I like about my birthday, it is the fact that I can reply the birthday wishes with another wish, "Thank you, my darlings, and Happy New Year!"

To tell you the truth, I was a bit scared to start this year as a single thirty-year-old in a country where marital status and the number of children you bore matter. But then my worry was baseless. This year has been an amazing year for me. Being thirty rocks! Being single...er, well, there is nothing I can do to change it at the moment. So it's best to enjoy the here and now:). Since I'm celebrating my turning 31, here are thirty one of my favorite moments in 2010.

- I started this blog:)
- On Feb. 12, I was free from the three-year contract. Now, I can resign without paying the penalty fee. Oh joy!
- I managed to take D to his favorite chicken porridge stalls for several Sundays. Now he always asks if I have Sunday as my day-off:)
- My cousin Dina bought a house in Bogor. I went with her to take a look of the house, before we hit factory outlet stores, hahaha.
- I went to French spring festival Printemps Francaise with my friends K and Lenora. We watched hip hop dance performance Wanted Posse. But then one of the dancers asked K to have a cup of coffee, so Lenora and I were also invited!
- After all these years, I finally take the long-awaited holiday to Bali and Lombok with my university friend Aneen.
- During the holiday to Lombok, I did my first snorkeling at the Gilis, I loved it!
- My office held a day-out in amusement park Dufan. I didn't have the guts to try the roller coaster Halilintar  but it was still a fun day!   
- Finally made it to go to Bango Streetfood Festival.
- I got a chance to hike the less-traveled path of Mount Beuticanar
- I attended a Peranakan wedding, which gave me insights to a part of cultures that shaped Indonesia
- An assignment to Bandung, West Java, got me seeing an abandoned train garage.
- A day with Aneen in Solo's Big Market taught me how to peel the prawns. My hands got blistered, but it was worth the experience.
- This year, I got a chance to test-drive some of Mercedes-Benz's new line-up in Sentul International Circuit. It was the first time I use automatic car as I use the manual. I accidentally got into the gravel area, but I managed to hit the brake and got back to track, all done calmly. A guy reporter who was sitting next to me said,"You know what? It's the first time I got into the gravel area, but I didn't panic. I don't know why, but you make your passengers calm too." It was the best compliment, ever! Anyway, some of my favorite cars are the S-500 class (the interior is amazing, the engine roars beautifully and I feel really safe driving it) and the G300 jeep (I always have soft spot for jeeps).
- I visited Kei Islands, Maluku province where I strolled on the soft-as-talcum powder sandy beach, saw the underwater cave and learned local traditions in the island's remote villages.
- One of my yoga friends was married. She held a small ceremony, which I was planning to copy:). Recently, she delivered a healthy baby boy. Congratulation, my dear R! 
- A colleague who was departing for Australia held a garage sale and I managed to buy his bike. I've been using the bike to do errands. Don't you just love the wind in your face when you pedal your bike? 
- I bought my first laptop
- While looking for the right DSLR camera, I accidentally stumbled upon a red camera and found it  irresistible:)
- Sometime in the middle of this year, I moved to my new home with M&D. Although I didn't really like the layout, the new home is nearer to the main road.
- Thanks to an assignment, now I know how to make the breakfasting menus in Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, Pakistan and Jordan.
- A colleague gave me a ticket to see a badminton match in Senayan. Wow, it's the first time I saw live match events. It's too bad that Taufik Hidayat lost the match.
- Thanks to SNU and LG, I went to South Korea for a three-week fellowship
- During the three-week sojourn, I went to several shooting location of South Korean dramas, such as Coffee Prince and My Name is Kim Sam Soon
- I spent my first Idul Fitri abroad, which was very quiet and unlike the usual Idul Fitri.
- I tried backpacking to Ujung Genteng with (again) my friend Aneen
- I discovered my newfound interest on composing pick-up lines. And I infected several friends to join the band:)
- Despite the workloads, I still had time to see film festivals such as Jiffest and Korean Film Festival
- I went to Ende, Flores Island. I really love the place for one obvious reason: my cellphone lost signals every time we went to the hills.
- People may find it weird, but I am actually happy when the bosses moved me to National desk.  While the fashion shows I covered for Sunday Post broadened my fashion sense, the people I met (either prostitutes, children with HIV/AIDS or villagers in Indonesia's eastern region) during the reporting for National desk have humbled me.
- I met and made new friends across the country and the globe. I love you, guys, you rock!

Dear Allah, thank You for all the wonderful experiences You have given me this year. Those have enriched my horizon, and hopefully make me into a better person.

Dear friends and readers, thanks for stopping by and leaving the heartwarming comments. Hope this blogs help you in some way:)