Then we went to McD and found 9th graders of our school with their respective partners. Pratty was like "What the Farady?!, NINTH gradersss?!!". We had free Landmark coupons ( which we got from winning stupid competitions at school ), so we searched throughout Landmark not knowing what to buy. I bought a Laser Purple Maybelline Eye Pencil ( It looks so cute! I can't wait to try it out! :P ). She wanted to buy a book with her 450 bucks which she didn't.  :|

It was raining when we came out of the mall. What a better way to make the day memorable!! :) We went to Coffee Day, fully drenched. There too, we passed comments on some horrible couples trying to everything which one shouldn't do in public places!! :D

We saw some really really good looking guys and classified them as cute, hot and cool :| ( Don't laugh! We are teenagers! We have the rights! :D )

All in all, it was a fun filled day ( a much awaited one after the exams ).

.

Hampir dua bulan saya jadi warga baru di sebuah kawasan kos-kosan mahasiswa paling tersohor di daerah kampus. Gebang.

Gebang sendiri terbagi atas beberapa bagian, Gebang Wetan (wetan : timur : East), Gebang Lor (lor : utara : North), Kejawan Gebang (nah ini apa’an saya gak ngerti), dan Gebang Kidul (kidul : selatan : South).

Selain pembagian daerah teritoris dan penamaan yang agak membingungkan, kenapa daerah kosan saya bernama Gebang Lor padahal letaknya di ujung paling barat Gebang, kenapa gak Gebang Kidul, atau kerenan dikit kek North Gebang gitu. Hingga akibatnya saya pernah memberikan petunjuk yang menyesatkan pas ada Mbak-Mbak yang tanya jalan ke arah Gebang Wetan, saya dengan pede-nya nunjuk jalan lurus ke arah selatan dari tempat kos. Mungkin si Mbak sudah nyampe ke Jombang kalo dia jalan terus dan yakin kalo petunjuk saya bener.

Di samping itu warga gebang termasuk kedalam kelas warga yang suka party, party goers, ataupun apalah istilahnya. Mungkin definisi party di sini gak sama dengan pesta cocktail ataupun pesta kebun, apalagi topeng. Tapi sedikit lebih merakyat dengan acara syukuran toko baru, kawinan, syukuran pembukaan warung baru, ataupun tempat laundry baru.

Mungkin karena saking guyubnya semua element masyarakat gebang ikut merasakan, merasakan dalam artian ikutan pusing kalo jalan se-nyempil itu distop dan harus puter arah kalo mau lewat.

Saya juga sempet heran pas beberapa minggu kemarin dalem seminggu ada beberapa acara kawinan dengan tenda yang segede jalan berdiri megah di depan kosan. Paling sering memang di depan kosan saya itu, kayaknya tuh tempat strategis banget yah, fengshui-nya dapet.

Kalo pikiran licik saya sih bilang, para warga kadang suka bikin pesta mingguan, ya iseng aja ngediri’in tenda, nyetop jalan dari ujung ke ujung, nyetel lagu dangdut dari pagi sampe ketemu pagi lagi, kayaknya kalo  gak ada hajatan barang seminggu mereka pada sakit pinggang saya rasa.

Nah puncaknya nih kemarin, ada pesta rakyat dan perhelatan akbar dalam bentuk bazaar. Di depan pintu masuk kosan dah bejejer busana muslim dan daster yang digantung rapih, bahkan temen saya hampir gak bisa masukin motor ke dalem kos, harus nunggu jam 12 malem, habis acara kelar. Sebuah perhelatan akbar yang meriah, semarak, dan bikin stress.

Ada juga pasar malem kaget di pertigaan Gebang Lor, dihelat tiap malem Minggu, hingga Minggu malemnya. Target pasarnya..?

Kebanyakan Mas dan Mbak asisten rumah tangga, ada juga sih yang mahasiswa, tapi secara kasat mata penampilan mereka sudah susah dibedakan, bahkan lebih kece para Mbak asisten rumah tangga dan Mas ahli konstruksi tadi. Plusss, dua banci Gebang yang tampak mirip kuli panggul yang dipaksa pake rok mini plus tank top, semakin menambah warna-warni kehidupan malam Gebang, berasa Rio De Jenero (kayak pernah kesana Mas..).

Kalo urusan makanan, updetan terakhir  28 Agustus 2008 jam 19.05, nasi padang deket jualan burger naik 1000, Nasi Padang plus ayam pok biasanya 6000 IDR jadi 7000 IDR. Saya melongo pas ngambil kembalian cuma 3  lembar ribuan lecek.

Lele penyet yang didepannya pas, skarang 5000 IDR, tanpa tempe, bonus tahu kecil. Menurut Sanyoto temen kos saya, beli penyet disitu harganya cukup fluktuatif, sering berubah, kemaren beli 4000 IDR besok naik jadi 5000 IDR, lusa turun lagi jadi 4500 IDR. Mungkin ngikutin harga minyak dunia per-barel yah.

Ada pula warung yang serba 3000- 3500 IDR, tapi rasa dan harga tak pernah bohong sodara. Ngarepin apah dari harga 3000? Lele goreng saus tiram?.

Memang harga makanan lebih kompetitif di daerah keputih, lebih variatif pula. But at least Gebang sudah menjadi sentra bisnis, pendidikan dan afiliasi kultural tersendiri bagi saya. Terlebih lagi teman kos saya sudah mengharumkan nama Gebang dengan memenangi undian “Gebyar Belanja Berhadiah Supermarket Sakinah” sebuah prestasi yang gak semua orang bisa depetin.

Hwakaaaa..

Eh Putri Raemaswari kos di Gebang lor juga kan dulu?, jadi makin bangga saya sama Gebang.

You will find 50 computer stations @ The Blogin Café where you can blog to your hearts content. Anyone who blogs will be given a $1 worth of Arts, Beats & Eats food and beverage tickets, but you must blog for a minimum of ten minutes.

Special Guest Celebrity bloggers (Like myself, ha ha, I'm joking here, I'm just a regular volunteer) will be there to help people on topics such as politics, the festival, entertainment, sports, or anything else. Plus, you have a chance to win a prize if they consider your blog to to be the most "insightful blog."

The Blogin Café is located inside of Oakland Community Colleges Downtown Pontiac Campus at 17 S. Saginaw, 48342.  Sign-up for a station and collect your tickets at the Oakland Community College Booth on Saginaw directly in front of their campus.  Hours for the Blogin Café are as follows:

Friday      5pm 8pm
Saturday 11am 8pm
Sunday   11am 8pm
Monday  11am 8pm

Arts, Beats, and Eats is an annual event where you can eat like a pig, shop for cool art, jewelry, gifts, clothes and photographs, and listen to pretty decent bands.  Hell, Puddle of Mudd is closing out the event Monday night @ 6:00pm on one of the six stages.  This is such a a great family or date event, so come on down!  I love catching all the free give-a-ways vendors love to pass out.  I myself might pass out some Partylite if I get ambitious enough ...

You can find out more info here

http://www.artsbeatseats.com

TEL AVIV – So I was on my way to a downtown club a few months ago when my friends and I pulled over to buy some bottled water at a corner kiosk. The clerk got my water from the cooler, and I gave him some money.

I had five shekels in change coming to me. The clerk grabbed the money from the cash register, grinned at me, put four shekels in my hand, and dropped the remaining one in his tip jar.

Since I was still fairly new to Israel, I was absolutely shocked at the gumption. I just shook my head and walked away in frustration because I could not believe that he had just stolen a shekel right in front of me. (Now that I've grown accustomed to the culture here, I would have probably grabbed the tip jar, pulled my shekel out, and thrown the rest of the coins on the floor while yelling at him in Hebrew.) In Israel, the worst thing a person can be is a "friar," which is the Hebrew word for "sucker." One learns not to be a "friar" very quickly here.

In my last letter, I described the civil society that has developed in Israel over the sixty years the country has existed. However, that closeness and familiarity has been declining in recent years. In conversations I've had with Israelis of all ages, backgrounds, and political affiliations, they have noticed the same thing occur as well. Israelis can indeed be the nicest people on earth – but they can also be the rudest.

---
A Change in Personality

Israelis are becoming increasingly cold, cynical, selfish, and pessimistic as a result of the never-ending conflict between Israelis and Palestinians; the extreme political, social, and religious divisions within society; the recent failures of the Israeli military; and pervasive corruption in the highest levels of government. (I've described most of these subjects in detail in my prior letters.)

Israelis are increasingly feeling that there is no possible solution to the intense problems that are facing their country. To them, there is no way out of endless conflict. As a result of these subconscious thoughts, Israelis themselves are changing – and not in a good way. The gravest threat to Israel is neither Palestinian suicide bombers nor Iranian nuclear weapons; it is a lack of hope among Israelis themselves.

I was not alive in the mid-1970s during that era's problems ranging from post-Vietnam disillusion to the Watergate scandal to increasing drug use to economic recession. But I imagine that the pessimism and
alienation that Israelis currently feel likely resembles that which Americans experienced at the time – only that it is far worse here and now. A short review of recent Israeli history brings this to light.

---
Bad News After Bad News

Israel invaded southern Lebanon in 1982 in an effort to destroy the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), a terrorist group that had moved there and had been attacking Israel. Soon, a new Lebanese group named Hizbollah was formed to fight against Israel's presence in the country. After years of fighting a war of attrition, Israel withdrew in 2000 -- and Hizbollah has still been attacking Israeli civilians to this day.

Lebanon was Israel's Vietnam. But, for Israelis, it got even worse. In 2006, Hizbollah terrorists entered Israel, killed three IDF soldiers, and kidnapped two of them. This happened after the group had been firing rockets into northern Israeli towns for years. Israel and Hizbollah started a war that lasted several weeks.

A United Nations cease-fire ended the conflict in an official draw, but most Israelis believe that they lost the war. Ever since Israel's founding in 1948, the IDF has been the most respected (and feared) military in the Middle East. However, in the second Lebanon war, the Israelis could not even destroy a group that they viewed as a bunch of rag-tag, untrained guerrillas. To Israelis, anything that is not an outright victory is a loss because, to them, one major loss could result in the destruction of the county and another Holocaust. (It did not help that their defense minister at the time was appointed to the job because of politics even though he had little military experience -- and he failed miserably. The minister later resigned.)

But the bad news has not only involved Lebanon. After years of failing to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians, more and more Israelis believe that it is now impossible. Every time peace has seemed close, the Israelis, the Palestinians, or Fate (or God, if you will) have messed it up.

After former Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin agreed to withdraw from parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, a right-wing extremist shot him in the head while he was walking through Tel Aviv in 1995. When former
Prime Minister Ehud Barak offered Yassir Arafat the Gaza Strip and ninety-five percent of the West Bank, the Palestinian leader rejected the proposal and unleashed suicide bombers in a second intifada. Former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon unilaterally withdrew all Israeli forces and settlers from the occupied Gaza Strip, and he was about to do the same in most the West Bank. But Sharon suffered a major stroke before he could withdraw from the remaining territory and he has been lying in a coma ever since. Now, the terrorist group Hamas controls Gaza and fires rockets into southwestern Israel almost daily.

Israelis believe that they have tried every possible solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict -- but nothing has worked. Israel tried to occupy the West Bank and Gaza while giving limited rights to Palestinians, but that resulted in two intifadas and terrorist attacks on civilians. Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon and Gaza, but that resulted in terrorist groups gaining control there and having the ability to fire rockets further into Israel. So, to Israelis, there is no way out. They can neither control the Occupied Territories nor leave them. Israelis have come to accept that there will always be endless war. But recent military failures, the failures of the peace process, and the threat of an Iranian nuclear bomb are not the only reasons for Israeli cynicism. The country's leaders have also failed the people.

Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav resigned last year and is facing trial for the alleged rape and sexual harassment of his secretary (she was just out of high school and serving in the military). A former finance minister also resigned last year after he was suspected of embezzling millions of shekels from a union he had run. A Cabinet minister was convicted for forcibly kissing a female soldier. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert recently announced that he will resign soon because of eight – yes, eight! – ongoing investigations against him for charges including alleged bribery and corruption. These are just a few examples.

---
How Israelis React

In light of the increasing cynicism and pessimism, Israelis are responding in different ways. Some turn to God: the number of Orthodox and charedi followers (the latter category is the ultra-Orthodox Jews I described in my first letter) is increasing. Some lose their faith: the number of Israelis who are completely secular is rising. The middle ground is disappearing.

Some Israelis turn to drugs. Judaism has traditionally discouraged alcohol consumption except during religious celebrations, but that stigma is disappearing here. Bars and clubs have always existed, but they seem to be becoming more popular. The Jerusalem Post recently ran a story on Alcoholics Anonymous chapters in Israel and how they are becoming increasingly accepted. In addition, I've seen more marijuana use in the seven months I have lived in Israel than I did in the nine years that I lived in Boston during and after college. People openly smoke pot in bars or in public, and no one seems to mind. I once saw someone snort cocaine in a restaurant bathroom stall with the door open, and no one around flinched except me. While an acquaintance of mine was lighting a joint as he sat on a couch, he joked, "We do a lot of drugs to get away from the conflict." (His laugh revealed that he was only half-joking.) I can count on one hand the number of twenty-something and thirty-something Israelis I know who do not smoke cigarettes. Many Israelis are on some form of anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication as well.

Some want to get out. Whenever I tell people that I moved to Israel to work and finish my M.B.A., I usually get this same, exact response: "What, are you crazy? You come here, and all of us what to leave!" A bartender I know asked how much money I would want to get married to she could get a Green Card. (Her tone of voice also said she was only half-joking.) A friend of mine here whose mother is originally from
America said that he and his siblings want to move to the United States since they are all U.S. citizens. Most Israelis travel abroad to Latin America, Europe, America, India, or southeastern Asia for a year or two after completing their mandatory military service, and now everyone immediately wants to leave again as soon as they return home.

But the most significant reaction involves the military. Right after high school, men serve in the army for three years while women serve for two. The IDF had always been the unifying factor in Israeli society: all people, no matter who they are, have had to make this sacrifice, and anyone who did not serve lived with a negative stigma for his entire life. But even this is changing. More and more Israelis are getting out of military service. Some fake mental illness. Some fake drug addition. Some injure themselves (like shooting themselves in the foot). Some lie that they "found God" so they can attend an ultra-Orthodox religious school because charedi Jews are exempt from military service. Some outright refuse and go to jail. Some do
"national service" rather than serve in the military: they do other jobs like work in hospitals, get a government job, or teach English. The negative stigma that surrounds those who do not serve is rapidly
disappearing because more and more people are doing so. Many young people have lost faith in the military, as well as the government as a whole.

---
A Noble Sucker in a Dog-Eat-Dog World

I was sitting in a local bar with some friends the other night, talking to some people who were sitting next to me. As it turned out, I learned that the girl sitting next to me had a boyfriend and was eighteen years old. She was in her first year of national service -- the alternative to the mandatory military service that Israelis must do after high school. (In most places outside of the United States, the drinking age is sixteen or eighteen; here it is eighteen.)

After a half-hour of conversation, the girl turned to look at me. "Do you want to fuck tonight?" she said in English matter-of-factly. I was shocked. Girls in the United States are never this blunt and direct. I'm still learning the complex Israeli cultural norms, so I did not know whether she was determining my intentions, being sarcastic, or being serious. I decided to take it as a joke. I laughed and said, "I love it when girls say that to me." We kept on talking, and later she left with her friends.

Still, the most interesting aspect of this situation was the reaction of my friends here. I told them that I did not know what the girl had meant, and that I would not have had sex with her anyway because she had a boyfriend and was too young. I said that I did not want to jeopardize a relationship.

In typical Israeli bluntness, a (female) bartender at that pub told me: "You are an idiot." (Later, the bartender added that the girl was obviously a "whore" and that I should not care about her or her boyfriend because of that.)

Last Saturday afternoon, as I was relaxing on the beach with two (male) friends, I told them the same story. They both laughed and also said that I was an idiot. When I said she was eighteen, they responded, "So? She's legal." When I said that she had a boyfriend and that I did not want to hurt their relationship, they responded in English, "You are noble… a noble sucker. Fuck the other guy."

Every time that I told this story, I received the same reaction from Israelis. It was then that I realized that something had gone very wrong in Israeli society. Over sixty years, the country has been changing from a familial, idealistic society in which people took care of each other into a selfish, disillusioned one in which everyone only looks out for himself. In another example, a friend of mine works as a waitress in a bar, and she told me that guys always hit on her aggressively, even after they know that she is in a relationship. I
once went to a pub on a first date, and another guy at the bar tried to hit on my date the whole time right in front of me. (At the time, I did not realize what was occurring because my Hebrew was very poor. I thought they were just friends having a conversation.) There is little courtesy in the dating world. After all, everyone is now competing for everything.

There are several reasons for this general change in behavior, but here is the most significant one: When people lose faith in the government, the military, God, future peace prospects, and society in general, all that remains is oneself, one's family, and one's close friends. No one cares about anything – or anyone – else.

---
Tzipi Livni and Barack Obama

The United States, like Israel, is facing myriad problems with the economy, foreign wars, and corruption within the government. Poll after poll reveals that the vast majority of Americans believe that their country is on the "wrong track." In response, many people are supporting Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama because he is an inspiring figure who advocates for "change" (despite that fact that he has little experience in government).

A similar occurrence is happening in Israel. Since Prime Minister Olmert announced his forthcoming resignation, the ruling moderate Kadima political party has been holding its own primary election for party leader. The front-runner in this election is Tzipi Livni, the current foreign minister. She is the one candidate who is promising significant "change" and who is untainted by scandal. (However, unlike Obama, she has years of experience in different areas of government.) If Livni wins, she will likely become the next prime minister. Israelis are hungry for change because they know that there are so many problems facing their country.

In the United States, the pessimism of the 1970s ended partly because of the election of President Ronald Reagan. Some of his policies benefited the country and some hurt the country, but his most significant accomplishment was that he convinced Americans to believe in themselves – and the nation – once again with his optimistic rhetoric. This is why history might be repeating itself in Israel and the United States.* I predict that Obama and Livni will win their respective offices, but what the American and Israeli people do
afterwards is up to them.

---
Looking to the Future

Now, do not misinterpret this letter. Of course, the streets are not filled with depressed people who chain-smoking, fighting with each other, and popping Prozac all the time. Far from it. My point in each of these letters is to put a spotlight on one political or cultural trend of a complex (and paradoxical) society at a time. A pessimistic lack of faith is a pervasive undertone in much of the country, but I am still optimistic about Israel's future. And that's the topic for my next letter.

* Disclosure: I will most likely vote for Barack Obama and Tzipi Livni.

Prior letter: Living in a Chaotic Tribe. Related: Sex and the Single Israeli

El Celta, un año más, transitará por la división de plata, esperando que, este año sí, consiga su sueño de incorporarse a la Liga de las Estrellas, sueño que compartimos todos los celtistas de pro.

Interesante artículo hoy en Faro de Vigo de Armando Álvarez (titulado "Camino de la Redención"), del que suscribo las siguientes frases:

Su objetivo es el mismo que el del que fracasó la pasada temporada: el ascenso. Se escogen otras armas para conseguirlo. En su discurso aparecen conceptos como humildad, solidaridad, compromiso.

Palabras tan modestas como hermosas.

El Celta, este Celta al menos, está dispuesto a batallar también en ese terreno. Porque su pecado, como el de la selección estadounidense de baloncesto, ha sido la soberbia. Y como en

el caso de los hombres de Krzyzewski, antes que "Dream Team" los celestes se sienten el "Redeem Team", el equipo de la redención, que ayude a curar a la entidad de sus males y haga que la afición se sienta orgullosa.

Hoy a las 18:30 en Balaídos, empieza la cuenta atrás contra el Girona.

Para finalizar, "como sempre, desde sempre, Hala Celta!"

Fotografía: © 2008 Real Club Celta de Vigo, S.A.D.

I finally went to the doctor this afternoon for my cough. It has been getting worse, especially every morning. He gave me an antibiotic called Clarithromycin, and two syrups, one for cough and the other for phlegm. I've only had one dosage (in the afternoon) so far, and am still rather reluctant in taking one more dose. I was expecting drowsiness from the cough syrup. I didn't, however, expect more side effects. I had a sudden pain in the chest, rapidly pounding heart, soft legs, lethargy, feeling like throwing up, and a perpetual bitter taste in my mouth.

Being rather uncomfortable about these side effects, I googled Clarithromycin, and now I'm worried that I'm either still taking too high a dosage - I'm taking 1.5 pills as a late teenager should, because the doctor said 2 pills for an adult may be too much for me - or that I'm not "compatible" with this drug. I'll be taking one more dosage of 1.5 pills later, and I'll see how it goes again.

http://knol.google.com/k/robin-sharma/leadership-through-worklife-balance/3g2km6aciunkz/4#

• Relationship balance
• Career balance
• Health balance
• Spiritual balance

A daily activity planning which is in sync with long term goals, drafted on the above 4 "balance" points in mind will be a good starting point. As Robin Sharma explains in his book, for any new activity to be habitual it is important to practice the same for at least 21 days....

To de point aja, rencanya neh, saya mau hiatus dulu dari dunia perblog-kan selama sebulanan, ya mungkin bulan ini gak bakalan ada postingan yang sok-seru, sok lucu, sok penting, dan sok-grounded seperti biasanya.

Ada beberapa alas an kenapa pengen hiatus,

1. Sibuuukkkkk, Stresss, Sibuuukkk, Stresssss.
2. Baru pindah kos, belum dapet warnet yang PW, giliran ke warnet, baru setengah jam dah gak betah, pengen pulang, padahal cuma di sebelah kosan warnetnya.
3. Bahwasanya pas numpang di rumah Om dulu, kalo bosen di kamar langsung ke warnet, tapi kan sini anak kosan yah, jadi sering open house, banyak tamu, jadi lupa buat merambah dunia maya, lebih asik dunia nyata.
4. Nunggu tariff speedy diskon 80 persen, atau Bapak Kos masang speedy unlimited trus tiap kamar terkoneksi internet.
5. Banyak yang mau ditulis, rencana mau ngereview Batman : The Dark Knight, tapi malu udah panjang lebar ngasih review tapi kenyataannya pas nonton kemarin ditengah film ketahuan kalo saya tidur. 

But people, I realize that this is August, regardless how many times you’re trapped in small alley due to “lomba kampung 17an” but there’s something more that. More than just palm trunk climbing (panjat pinang maksutnya), ataupun masukin botol ke dalam jarum.Tapi sodara, di bulan ini many things were so remarkable. Selain Negara kita tercinta merayakan HUT yang ke 63, Cinta Laura yang baru 15 tahun dan tingkat nasionalisme-nya masih rendah, Pak SBY yang baru dapet cucu pertama, and then an ordinary guy who celebrated his twentieth something birthday. And it was me. So this month is too sacred to be ignored.

Gak nyangka, but it’s  merely predictable bahwa there’s gonna be something happened in that day. Sooner or later. (Sooner or later untuk sebuah traktiran ulang tahun, sooner or later untuk sebuah kebohongan public bahwa usia saya tak lagi muda, hee).

Kalo menurut saya usia yang amat sangat matang. Matang dalam artian bahwa I’m supposed to be much wiser, more focused on what I’m gonna accomplish, I gotta push myself harder in catching my goals.

Quoting what Mario Teguh says, “Jika anda keras pada diri anda, maka hidup akan lunak pada anda” and so does in vice versa.

What I’ve been doing in my life till now, I’m not that push myself harder, masih ngalir-ngalir aja. So that thing I need to change. I still have lot of comfort zones to leave.

Dan buat temen, co konco, derek sedulur, thanks for the cake (I even don’t know how it taste), thanks for the gift, thanks for the care you give, love you all dahh.

Liatlah seorang anak kampung yang biasanya mentok-mentok motong martabak, disuruh motong black forest. (Kata Bang Hai...Mahaallllll...) 

Jadi saya berniat untuk mulai membiasakan diri lagi bikin artikel-artikel gak mutu yang lain, membiasakan diri kalo ternyata sign in di wordpress sekarang di sebelah kiri. Gak nyambung sih ya, tapi setidaknya masih ada semangat untuk menghidupkan kembali blog ini.

Sayonara panasss,...

         A veces los años construyen una casa de medios sentimientos, de verdades a medias, de pasiones dormidas como animales fatigados, de cenizas y sueños humillados y la soledad apoya su cabeza en un pecho doblegado, y el corazón siente paz como en una derrota cómoda y sin heridas. Y uno olvida el camino de vuelta.

          Y aquí estoy yo, sin saber lo que habrá dentro de mi, soltando amarras hasta quedarme tuyo. Sin horarios, sin prisa. Porque nada me importa, solo tu piel y ese delirio de melena negra, la piel de una tormenta, mi alegría de vivir.

Acara ini memang dirancang dari warga, oleh warga dan untuk warga. Walaupun dilakukan dengan waktu persiapan yang tidak terlalu panjang, alhamdulillah acara tersebut tetap berlangsung meriah. Itu semua berkat kerja keras dan gotong-royong seluruh warga tentunya.

Oiya, kompleks tempat saya tinggal sekarang bernama kompleks Sawit.

Saya sendiri tidak bisa terlalu banyak membantu persiapan acara maupun menghadiri rapat2 panitia, karena kebetulan seminggu sebelum acara saya harus ke luar kota.

Rangkaian kegiatan mulai berlangsung pada sore hari, yang ditandai dengan diadakannya beberapa perlombaan untuk anak2 dan orang dewasa. Ada lomba sepeda hias, sepeda lambat, lomba memasukkan belut ke dalam botol, balap karung dan sebagainya. Seluruh warga (yang sebagian kecil ada orang bulenya juga) larut dalam keriaan dan kemeriahan. Kegiatan ini dipusatkan di taman di tengah kompleks.

Acara dilanjutkan setelah magrib. Ibu2 kompleks sudah menyiapkan santap malam yang lezat berupa sate ayam, spageti dan lasagna serta buah2an dan berbagai makanan kecil. Sementara bapak2 tak sabar menunggu pesta durian yang sebenarnya baru akan dimulai setelah pukul 9 malam.

Malam itu, rangkaian acara diawali dengan lagu Indonesia Raya, dengan ketua panitianya yang bertindak sebagai dirigen. Setelah itu ada acara mengheningkan cipta juga. Lalu, ada medley lagu2 perjuangan yang dibawakan oleh anak2 kompleks serta penampilan beberapa band remaja.

Sambil menikmati penampilan dari anak2 dan remaja, warga juga menyantap hidangan makan malam yang sudah disediakan. Sebuah truk bak terbuka datang ke tengah lapangan sesaat setelah pukul 9 dan membawa tumpukan buah durian. Tak pelak truk ini langsung diserbu warga dan terjadilah pembataian durian yang brutal dan berlangsung dalam sekejap saja.

Acara malam ini dipuncaki oleh penampilan band dadakan dari beberapa warga, yang tanpa latihan sedikitpun sebelumnya cukup sukses membawakan beberapa buah lagu. Dan acara pun ditutup sekitar jam 11 malam.

Beberapa foto bisa dilihat di sini.

This was a one-day training course provided by Chapter One Sdn. Bhd.. Chapter One Asia, formerly known as Chapter One Image Consultancy, is one of Malaysia's leading Image and skills consulting firm. They provide professional image services to professionals, corporations and individuals in areas of image management, communication, etiquette and protocol skills.

The Trainer for the day

Wendy Lee founded Chapter One - Colour, Style and Image Consultancy in 2003 to help men and women define and refine their image and style through wardrobe, communication, and etiquette and protocol skills. A super high energy lady which is very result-oriented and effective in conveying messages. She has a degree in Chemistry; she is a certified image consultant who trained under Ann Reinten of 'The Austrailian Image Company' and Pat Vincent School of "The Colourflair Studios, UK'

Training

The training started off by doing 'Hand Shakes + Self Introduction' to 15people(whole class actually). We immediately break off the ice among the participants. In the class, ladies are more than guys, that is normal for this type of training in UTAR. IMAGE, what is IMAGE? You can perceive it as a look, a brand, an appearance or whatever you think suitable. According to analysis, a quality image leads to 8-20% higher in salary among job applicants. Can you see the influence of image? Yes!

First impression? I can assure you not everyone can give the first impression well(including me sometimes). From studies, during the 2005, Malcom Gladwell said first impression is formed within 2secs. In 2007, BBC say it even formed within a seventh of a second. Imaging how fast people think about you! Do you give a good first impression? If yes, congratulations!

Another studies show that first impression contain of this fraction of elements:

Visual - 55%

Vocal/Tone - 38%

Verbal - 7%

Can you see people firstly judge you by your visual? Your hair, your eyes, your teeth, your skin, your dressing, your postures, your body language etc. See! You have so many things to take care! So do I! Vocal is very important for a personal to give good impression especially in telemarketing. A lower tonality normally shows a higher professionalism. Unless you are a professional DORAEMON 配音员! Just joking!

What we must do to give a good first impression? Generally?

Smile

Look Good

Great Eye Contact

Good Handshake

Speak Well

Simple things but sometimes we tend to forget them! Do these and you improve your first impression!

After lunch, we learn about mens and womens dressing manner. I am not able to show you each of every details here because it is hard to understand by words! I am sorry for that! Lastly, ladies learned about basic make up of themselves. All the ladies turn more elegant after the make up by Wendy.How about guys? We learn basic cleansing of our face!

One day training was not enough for us to learn the core values of 'IMAGE'. Some of the participants told me they want another session on this type of training. We need another session of professional etiquette! Small talk, hand shake manner, eating manner, table manner, name card etiquette, introduction of yourself, business lunch, body language, postures, power smile, eye contact,napkin etiquette etc are to be learned in the future! I will feedback to UTAR for another session by Wendy on 2009. I hope to join her training again because it is very very great!

Don't go yet don't go yet! Do me a fovour! Thanks! How do my image perceived by you? Choose 4 from the following! Please click the Comment column above the Introduction.

Professional

High Energy

Powerful

Competent

Wealthy

Warm

Original

Intelligent

Creative

Calm

Elegant

Dependable

Friendly

Attractive

Fun Loving

Easy Going

Meticulous(Careful)

Expressive

Thanks for viewing the long thread! Thanks to Chapter One Sdn. Bhd.! Thanks to DSSC UTAR!

The above image is Tim's rating of the news networks during the recent political coverage. I know many of you swear by Fox News & that's typically my preference as well. However, during the DNC I primarily watched CNN. Primarily because their HD channel was amazing (even the network stations HD stations couldn't touch it during the hour that they carried the convention each night).

I was surprised to find CNN's coverage more balanced than I remembered it being. Having this guy on their team always helps (not because I agree w/ him very often, but he just makes me laugh). I genuinely like Anderson (again not always agree, but I just find him very likable).

Well, actually, even then it won't be done.  Most of our built=in tables and bookshelves are not on site yet.  We haven't found any furniture that works in the lobby area.  The top of the reception desk isn't going to arrive in time.  Two of the cubicles are missing most of their pieces so I have two people that still don't have a desk.

But...

I think we're going to make it. 

I took most of my co-workers over to see the space after we got off work yesterday and everyone loved the open feel, the tall ceilings, the energy that runs through the space.  I heard very little whining and a few "oohs" and "ahhs" so that's great.  We've dreamed about this space for about five years now and the fact that it is becoming a reality - that we'll all be driving down to the big new shiny office space in one more week and standing in front of a breathtaking downtown view (without the downtown drive) - it makes it even better than the dream we all had half a decade ago. 

One of my bosses came to me yesterday and told me she thought I should hang some of my art in the main hallway between the reception desk and the main work area.  I mentioned that I pretty much only do "nature" prints and she said, "Perfect."  Now, you and I both know that photos of flowers and butterflies in an office hallway isn't the norm...and we are having professional prints in all the main conference rooms and "think tanks"...but, for now, it looks like one of the hallways of the office I've been dreaming about will be the first ever Jules K Photography gallery. 

It's like someone handed me a cherry and told me to eat that along with my big ice cream sundae.  For now, though, I have a million details to finish before any of this can happen so I am off to spend my three day holiday weekend working my butt to the bone and, somewhere in the midst of all this, I'll be choosing the photos for my first "showing." 

I'm tired and frazzled but excited all at the same time.  And I am soooo ready for a vacation.

"Marty wishes the election was over so he didn't have to hear about it anymore. Seriously, I'm tired of pretending like I care"

What I'm simply doing here is expressing my frustration about the fact that neither of these candidates are what America needs, so I am simply tired of hearing about it. If it was Jesus and Satan, I would be tired of hearing about it, because what is going on here is a media circus, not democracy. You have certain channels trying to cover a certain candidate more because they have a liberal or conservative bent. When Dubya picked his Veep do you remember having cameras outside the house like they did with Biden? Politicians become celebrities that have the same air as celebrities, that they are above the mainstream and that they have some qualities that we should emulate. And that's crap.

Here's my theory: most of the people in this country know who they are going to vote for already. You do, don't you? Of course you do. So, why wait until November? Someone on facebook found my comment to be incredulous:

"I wish people would not bury their head in the sand while they disengage from democracy."

Was that directed at ME? Somehow, I don't think being tired of endless election coverage, things being called historic that really are just everyday actions, and trumped up headlines is burying my head in the sand. In fact, I think it's coming at it from an extremely realistic point of view. I'm not buying into what these men say. Come election day, I will simply compare the facts, head to the polls, and make my decision. I'm not going to let a VP choice, a commercial, natural charisma or lack thereof, or simply the fact that I don't like a certain political party make my choice for me.

As I've said before, there are better issues to worry about than which old ladies' rotary club Obama is speaking to today or what kind of sandwich McCain prefers. Our problem here is that we are media black holes when our focus needs to be on the needs of others.

It really disappoints me when other Christians get so caught up in this political mess, as if there is a candidate that is better for God. But, that's another post.

Experiences taught me to look beyond life's circumstances. It's sad to hear such statements like, "Life was never fair. It wasn't their fault that they were born poor. If only they were given the pre-birth choices, if only they had a say on where to be born and on what kind of predicament to be born into..." Obviously, this is wishful thinking. Who would want to be raised in a third world country when we can chose to be born in a posh, comfortable environment? We all would have chosen to be, and to have the best of everything.

These days, there is an apparent overwhelming sense of bitterness and resentment radiating from everywhere. It is because Life is hard and getting harder; or so it seems.

This is very real in a third world country like the Philippines. I see its manifestations to be so alive in every expressed and implied frustrations, complaints of people. Mostly on how Life's been recently treating the world. Allegedly. True, the present is overwhelmingly demanding. However, it is already a given. We cannot change that overnight.

In fairness to people, it must be truly hard to make a choice, especially with all the hardships that looms and hinders people to live beyond the elements defined and required by the present times. These "demands of the present" squeezes out the life of most people , especially those who cannot see beyond this overly exorbitant clout.

And so, it happens that everybody wants something. The best of everything so to speak. Does it mean that success is everything? What could have been the connection of this to life and living?

From what I learned so far, hard work is but a part of success, or getting what we want. It is not altogether the reason of being. Success is not the ultimate purpose of life and living.

Most people just couldn't realize that.

For me, success is but a word, a terminology that puts one above many others. In reality, we do different things, in different ways, with different goals. Therefore, no one is greater than the other, as implied by similar terminologies created to divide humanity, although it may not have been the intent. Correct me if I you think I am wrong.

For folks who might be on the verge of giving up, it is important to remember this. Whatever predicament we might have been born into, rest assured that it was not intended as either a reward or punishment to us. It isn't an unjust will of nature intended to make life harder for us.

Look beyond the hardship and take the challenge instead. The hard life could have been essentially designed in connection to what we ought to do in our adult life.

We can turn the tables to reverse our predicaments, no matter how hard would that be. The best way is to strengthen our faith and at the same time, learn to draw clarity from within. Just as Socrates said, "know thy self". It would pretty much give us a stronger sense of being and understanding on why we are who we are, on why we are where we are. It will unite our faith and willpower to go on, to do the best we can to live in the best possible way.

Every experience, every hardship that we endure will most likely lead us to where our passion lies.

I say this based on how I understand life. Despite and inspite of any situation or predicament in life, I will always be thankful for everything, both the challenging and happy times.

Copyright: Leofina Jane G. Galleta
All Rights Reserved. ©2008leofinajanegalleta

So, yay, I got a job!  And, no, I'm not a hooker.

Naturally, it's not the film-business-entry-level-perfection I'd hoped for, but it's turning out to be way more relevant than I forsaw.  I'm bartending at an Irish-owned bar/pub in North London, in a trendy district known for its bohemian community.

As such, the owner of the bar has given me reign to organize and execute film-related events, like mini-festivals and group screenings at the bar.  I get to keep all the cover money, and I get a cut of bar intake, plus my hourly wage, which isn't bad, not bad at all.  

So, somehow, getting hired as a barmaid has put me in a position to learn about my chosen industry.  Crazy.

All that aside, which looks great on paper, my boss is a bit of a loony, very rural Irish, loves her booze, over-shares her personal life, and one time, offered me cocaine.  It's going to be a trial to separate myself from the personal connotations to working in such a close knit environment, but I've only been there for three days, so I'm sure I'll get the hang of it.

We close late, especially by London standards, and generally aren't finished clearing up behind the bar until around 2:30am.  Then, it's expected to stick around and drink with Molly, my lady guv, her friend Christian, also Irish, who owns the pub next door, and a small assortment of regulars and hangers on whom Molly has deemed worthy of staying after doors close.

On Thursday night, my second night on the job, I decided to stick around for only an hour or two, since I hadn't gotten home until after 6am my first night, and was sipping coke that was I was pretending was vodka and coke with Molly, Christian, and two local boho activists who run a localized serial publication.  One was a young Irish poet, with pretension out his ears, and the other this quiet, English publisher who was actually pretty hot in a Viggo Mortensen kinda way.

Anyway, soon after we'd settled in with our respective drinks, Christian's barman, whose name I think was Sam(?), showed up with some food, which is really why I was still there, so I stuck around to eat, and argue with the pretentious Irish poet guy, who was obviously trying to impress me by attempting to intellectually outdo me, about how the film industry has become "artifice over art."  What a tool.  

Sam(?), Christian's barman, was also clearly attracted to me, but was much more tactical and English about it.  He's tall, and has long, blonde, curly hair, and very angular features.  He's not unattractive; he's just not my type at all.  Not someone I'd ever go for or dream of fondly during solo-activities.  But, I kind of flirted back just because regardless of physically not being my type in the least, and honestly only minimally impressing me personality-wise, he was somehow sort of sexy.  I don't know what it was.  I still don't know.

My phone alarm went off at 4am, and they wanted to know what that was all about.  I told them I was expecting to be home, and it was to wake me up so I could watch Obama speak at the convention.  Suddenly, here came this tirade of angry judgement about how Obama has no policies, how he's a patsy being set up to be assassinated for martyrdom, because he's black, etc. etc. etc.

Really some of the most absurd shit I've ever heard.

Most of it was my drunken manager and the "poet," yelling things they don't really understand at me, attempting to educate me, because, being an American of course doesn't give me any perspective on the American political system, and what they've heard on TV is much more accurate.  I attempted to participate in the conversation, but it was clearly an attack in which my input was both unwelcome and futile, so I decided to excuse myself.

Christian and Sam(?), both of whom had been defending me and trying to get us off the topic also took their leave at this point in time.  The publisher, heretofore no longer attractive, said, softly, to me, "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, I do," I said, and continued out.

"You don't," he insisted, and Christian told him to let it go, which then almost resulted in a brawl.  Disgusted, I continued toward the door with Molly apologizing to me, saying it wasn't a personal attack, etc. 

Once I got outside, Christian and Sam(?) invited me back to their pub for some wind-down time and a free pint.  Considering I was on the verge of tears, I thought it might be a good idea to take them up on it.  We sat and listened to Christian do Monty Python impersonations for half an hour or so, to cheer me up, and then Christian offered to get me a cab.

I declined, ever missing my car and the ability to just leave.  There's a night bus that takes me very close to home, so I wanted to just go catch my bus and not be a trouble to anyone.  Finally, Christian relented on the condition that Sam(?) walk me to my bus stop and stick around until I got on.  I was more than happy to agree to this, since waiting for a night bus is pretty unpleasant if you're alone.

Sam(?) and I walked to a bus stop a bit farther away than the one I usually go to, and sat to talk.  An hour went by, and I learned that Sam(?)'s Girlfriend (The girlfriend revelation was made by Christian, and clearly wasn't something Sam(?) was planning to reveal) is 30, and he's 24.  He once worked in a gay bar, and also spent a year teaching drama at a boarding school.

The bus still hadn't shown up, which was very odd.  Both of us were losing steam quickly, having been on our feet all night, then drinking, then in a political argument.  He suggested maybe just crashing at his place for a few hours and catching a regular bus once they were back on the rota again.  He said he'd take the couch; it wasn't a big deal.

I declined about eight times, and we'd almost hit the hour and a half mark when I realized that maybe it was the best option for me.  

We jumped the fence at a nearby park to cut through, and continued talking as the sun rose, we jumped another fence, and then ended up at his flat.  

Sensing my discomfort, he offered to put on a season of Extras for me to watch if I just wanted to wait until around 6 to catch a morning bus.  He put it in and, curled into a ball on the corner of his bed, I fell asleep fairly quickly.  He fell asleep similarly, curled into the opposite corner.

Several hours later, I have vague memory of being nudged into normal sleeping position, under the covers, then him taking off his shirt.  Spooning commenced a few hours later, and was pretty inappropriate, all things considered.  Maybe it was just waking up next to a male body in a bed, but I wasn't really thinking logistics, and instead was just cuddled up with the topless form of a man I'm not even really attracted to, whose name I don't actually know, and who had his arm possessively thrown over my waist.

I could tell he wanted to kiss me, but that wasn't going to happen, just because I was awake enough to remember the girlfriend, the fact that he's not my type, and that I'd probably have to see him lots in the future, considering the working relationship and proximity of our two bosses.

The inappropriate cuddling and topless nature of his garb maintained through two more episodes of Extras and a cup of tea.  I got calls from Tim (I've never been so happy to hear Tim's voice.  He's seriously the only English man I've met so far that I trust completely, and would believe capable of monogamy), and Jane (who really doesn't approve of this tale at all).

Reaching my usual level of lucidity, I strapped on my shoes and made my exit, after the awkward comment he made that was something like, "We're doing a lot of hugging for people who only met yesterday."  

"Yeah, I need to go."

He gave me a hug at the entrance to the park I ended up cutting back through, but I didn't even give him a second glance.  How effing awkward, really.  I would be completely okay never seeing Sam(?) again, though there are no extreme feelings about the situation either way.

Just the hint of the bizarre when I remember the thing as it was, and the sincere hope that it never gets back to anyone who knows both of us, or that he ever expects anything similar to happen again.

I guess in the end, as long as it's a good story, it was a worthwhile experience.

Too slow is when you have something planned out for 2009, too fast is when you don't know where you life is taking you.

I'm not sure where I'll be one year from now. Sometimes I envy those who know what they want to do with their lives and have their own little Five Year Plan. These people are forward-looking and ready to live their lives their culture has inculcated in them - the value of success in terms of a career, family, money. I guess I am not one of these people. I'm not saying I don't regard success the same way as they do, but somehow I don't feel that I belong to the culture(s) I was born into, to embrace it without first questioning it.

Deep-down inside, I don't believe in Heritage, as much as I don't believe in fellowship and religion. To me, these are all that human nature need for connectedness among people. To know that there's something BIGGER that links them together besides being in the same situation. That's about all. Essentially, these links are artifice, sameness highlighted, differences suppressed.

Now back to the question on where I think my life is headed for. Perhaps I am not planning anything so that everything that follows will feel like a surprise, like happenstance. The sort that makes you go "ah-ha, so this is it!" Doesn't make much sense, but I think it suffices for me. To live for the here and now, to try to live my life with no regrets, I guess that's my life purpose. Someone analogise life as a marathon, as though there is indeed a finishing line we all want to cross. Maybe it's death, so we're literally racing each other to death and hopefully remain unscath in the process. I used to think this way too. Now, I guess life to me is like piecing a puzzle together from a bag of pieces where you can only draw one piece at a time. You don't know where each piece goes, neither do you know the final picture. All you can do is trace the edges and go by intuition, and when you get to the end, the picture is revealed to you and you finally make sense of your life.

Don't ask me why I'm in such a sombre mood tonight, it's just a good time for me to muse I guess.

J/k ya... :D