"CET ÉTÉ VEUX-TU ÊTRE SIRÈNE OU BALEINE?"

Anyone knows what that means?
It's a small sentence with big impact - happened in 2009.
Something that went down like this...

-----

Recently, in a large French city, a poster featuring a young, thin and tan woman appeared in the window of a gym. It said:

"THIS SUMMER DO YOU WANT TO BE A MERMAID OR A WHALE?"

A middle aged woman, whose physical characteristics did not match those of the woman on the poster, responded publicly to the question posed by the gym.

To Whom It May Concern,

Whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, sea lions, curious humans).

They have an active sex life, they get pregnant and have adorable baby whales. They have a wonderful time with dolphins, stuffing themselves with shrimp. They play and swim in the seas, seeing wonderful places like Patagonia, the Bering Sea and the coral reefs of Polynesia.

Whales are wonderful singers and have even recorded CDs. They are incredible creatures and virtually have no predators other than humans. They are loved, protected and admired by almost everyone in the world.

Mermaids don't exist.

If they did exist, they would be lining up outside the offices of Argentinean psychoanalysts due to identity crisis. Fish or human?

They don't have a sex life because they kill men who get close to them, not to mention how could they have sex? Therefore they do not have kids either.

Not to mention who wants to get close to a girl whose skin is all scaly and smells like a fish store?

The choice is perfectly clear to me... I want to be a whale.

P.S. We are in an age when media puts into our heads the idea that only skinny people are beautiful, but I prefer to enjoy a treat with my kids, a good dinner with a man who makes me shiver and a have a latte with my friends.

With time, we gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room, it distributes out to the rest of our bodies. So we aren't heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy.

Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think, "Good gosh, look how smart I am"!

-----

Personally, set aside this wonderful letter, I don't agree on being a mermaid OR being a whale.
It's just too... EXAGGERATING! and WHY on earth do we need to choose? Should we became a victim of whatever industry?

Mermaids are pretty and mesmerizing creatures, but they just don't exist. I don't want to spend my existence in this world just to be a myth!

Whale are beautiful in their own way too. But the size of a whale has been made as jokes for years..
Remember this one?
How do you turn a woman into a whale? ... You marry her!
HA! Not funny!

Unfortunately, women are stuck in a world where SIZE is a ongoing commodity.BIG in one country can be considered small in another country - all depends on where you live on the globe. From general aesthetic point of view that is shaped in our current culture, a woman should have just the right proportion and curves. Not too thin, and not too fat.

Let's be grateful that the fashion industry is banning those super-skinny models from international catwalk and appreciating more of healthy/fit up till plus-size models with real curves. Health departments (esp. from big countries) are also very concern about those who are obese - all thanks to the fast food industry and consumerism. Both brings such disturbing images - never a good example for our younger generations.

Nevertheless... how thin or fat you may be, be happy and healthy.
So.. Girls, are you happy with you CURVES? ;)

Let's celebrate the memories of 2010 as they have made our life more colourful.


Let's get excited for the wonderous things and wonderful people we're going to cross path with on 2011.


But once in a while, let's be still and breathe the air of the present :)

World cup. Wereldkampioenschap. Piala Dunia.
In whichever language, it'll always have the same meaning: a big festival in the world of soccer!

To be honest, I am not a big fan of sport, of soccer or anything. I appreciate it, and appreciate my friends who loves it to death, but I won't stay up till 4 am, poking my eyes out, just to watch 20 people running around that big green field for 90 minutes (or even more) chasing one ball.

But once every 4 years, soccer dress up and transform itself into one extravagant party. All hyped up with songs of celebration, dances of joy and waving colourful flags. World Cup is different as the world unite in sport. I'm not saying this because my fave team, Oranje, is in the Final. It's just the way it is :)

So, how's football/soccer perceived through the eyes of a woman? (me, in particular) What's in it for me?

1. Good-Looking Men
I mean, look at those muscular handsome men. At least you one men you can crave on (or fantasize about) per game. My dream boy: Wesley Sneijder! How can you say no to that? *drools*

How can you say no to that smile?

2. Dress to kill
Forget being beautiful for a sec. Unleash your true self: act like a fanatic (emphasize on the word "act"). Put that lipstick of yours in your cheek, draw the national flag of your fave team, dyed your hair orange, wear over-sized football t-shirt. Don't forget the boa. Dress accordingly just to make a fool of yourself. It's fun! and you can still look like a hottie... i suppose :P


3. Geography etc. lesson 2.0
"What? Where's South Korea anyway?"
"Ah.. I thought that Ivory Coast is located somewhere on the Pasific. Nearby.. Fiji?"

Sounds familiar to your ears? The fact is, soccer (if not forcing us) makes us aware of the existence of certain country other than our own. Yeah people, there are other countries, continents, and cultures in this world! It's like learning Geography all over again hahaha.. However, this knowledge is not for me, tho. I know em all already! *pretender* xD

A travel blog from Mark Wiens, Migrationology, even take it to the next level.. writing about World Cup of Cuisine: 32 Culinary Nations Battle in South Africa 2010 :) Yummy!

4. Emotional Outburst
This is my favourite part.
By watching soccer match, I can actually be (very) angry at something and yell about it without hurting someone else!!!!! *excuse the exclamation points*

After a week, or a month, or even a year of stress and or depression in your life (given or take: personal, work, love, etc.) with no one to blame but yourself, you need to channel your built-up emotions onto a good controllable outburst. sounds conflicted, eh? Well, at least... that's what i do. works like magic for me.


Things you can be mad at during a soccer match:
- that annoying vuvuzela sound,
- that commentator taking sides,
- that referee blowing the whistle too soon,
- that diving act of opponent's player,
- that annoying vuvuzela sound,
- that almost-goal,
- that penalty kick,
- that woman standing innocently in front of the TV blocking your sight,
- that man forget to turn up the volume as the game commence,
- that annoying vuvuzela sound,
- others..., etc.

5. The After-Party
uhm... self-explanatory, rite?

Come to think of it, soccer is not so bad after all :)
*dancing* tsamina mina ee ee.. waka waka ee ee

This is my Post Easter Memoir:
"What is the driving force behind these hundreds of people?"

They come around to church during the big holiday events. Thundering like flocks of birds, roaming like ants. Filling the empty seats at this more than vast halls and parking lots, putting their hands together... Chanting graces.

Is it guilt? Mere obligation? Search of future companion?
Or is it possible that somehow, there is an absolute divine power flicks onto their small little frozen hearts?
What's your excuse?

Born and raised in a Catholic family, i have learned how to act accordingly. I am "obliged" to learn the big book of Bible, attend the weekly mass, and put my God-given talents at church's disposal - all of which to please my parents.

Nevertheless... i do think that Bible is a great (his)story book worth reading (sometimes).
i loved to go to the weekly mass to catch a glimpse of my teenage-crush. i love it more when i've come to realize that attending mass and pray is a need, not an obligatory task.
and i am happy to humbly serve, proudly praise my God with my big voice :)

I do believe in this.

As long as one still seek goodness in others, and sincerely try to do good for others (regardless of their religions-or no religion), then one has become a citizen of faith.

a back-up plan.

weekend getaway.

the other one.

a maybe.


Do you know how it feels not to be the Priority?

.
.
.
.
.

i do. i know.
i sometimes treat people that way, too.

"God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things that I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference."

These words has been my source of self-encouragement throughout these last few years. As i whispered it to myself when I'm down, i somehow feel the urge to get back on my own two feet, and get back to life. However, one need to be willing to let go of all the burdening questions and willing to accept life as simple and as cruel as it is.

Originally written by Reinhold Niebuhr, the "prayer" is usually used as an encouragement statement for those people involved in group therapy: for narcotics, alcohol, etc. anonymous. It is embedded in the twelve-step program is a set of guiding principles outlining a course of action for recovery from addiction, dependency, compulsion, depression, or other emotional and behavioral problems.

This strong words have been used broadly from sermons, musical lyrics, movies, and other self-encouragement books.

Here's the full version of the original prayer:

God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed,
courage to change the things which should be changed,
and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.
Amen.

Serenity. Courage. Wisdom.
I am bound to those words so deeply that I may (one day) have it inked on my skin :)

Serenity (seion) - Courage (yuuki) - Wisdom (chie)

this is us.

we are the reason.
we don't make us happen.

we are the boy and the girl who sits on the sideways.
i sit here. you sit there.
facing each other, fronting, loving.

we sit on the sideways for the road is too dangerous.
nature does not allow me to crossover to your side, nor you to mine.
one may be hit by a car and die, leaving the other one in pain, in vain.

the road will never be kind to us,
so we sit on the sideways.

watching everyone goes by,
the moon the sun the stars the ticking clock
watching you, watching me.

waiting for the perfect moment
when everything stop
one split second when we can eventually be.

so we don't sleep, we won't blink.
we stay awake, we stay untouched.

we are our boundaries.
we don't make us happen.

i am over with promises
hope and dreams of beautiful things
ashes to my eyes

emptiness is here in my hand
emptiness is what i see ahead
for i can't name this feeling
surrounding me indefinitely

give me a poison
i can take for us both
i shall die and shall be reborn
made of summer song and morning dew

everything
all anew

Love is like a bad stain that stays.


i mean... well, you know what i mean...

What is standard age gap in relationship?

Pria suka wanita yang lebih muda. Wanita suka pria yang lebih tua. Itu pada umumnya.

Tapi kenyataan berkata, "tunggu dulu, jaman sudah berubah!".

Wong Demi Moore saja bisa mendapatkan Ashton Kutcher yang (OMG!) 16 tahun lebih muda, dan mereka hidup bahagia saja tuh. Yang paling sensasional memang tetap Anna Nicole Smith yang menikah dengan J. Howard Marshall, yang ehem.. 63 tahun lebih tua.
update: Yang lagi hot di tahun 2011 di Indonesia, Yuni Shara dan Raffi Ahmad.

Saya seringkali menonton film-film ataupun serial tv yang mengangkat issue "wanita dengan pasangan pria muda". Kisah-kisah seperti ini memang tidak biasa. Misalnya film The Graduate (Ben & Mrs. Robinson!), Something's Gotta Give (Erica & Julian), Prime (Rafi & David), I could never be Your Woman (Rosie & Adam), atau serial tv semacam Lipstick Jungle (Nico & Kirby) dan Sex and the City (Samantha & Smith). More...

Nico &a Kirby
Where can i find a 25-year-old like Kirby?

Ada satu persamaan dalam film-film tersebut: Sang wanita pastilah seorang yang strong, independent, dan sucess dalam karir! Sang pria? biasanya, mereka pria-pria yang masih merintis karir dan belum terlalu mandiri. Scenario pun tertebak.. sepertinya pria-pria ini menggunakan sang wanita untuk mendongkrak karir mereka! HA!

Eits, tapi.. tunggu dulu. Tidak semuanya kok begitu. Ada pula yang memang dengan tulus hati mencintai sang wanita :) Well, at least on those movies.. the men sincerely love the women.

Personally, saya tidak terlalu suka dengan pria yang lebih tua. They scare the hell out of me! Bahkan untuk berteman sekalipun. Saya memilih pria yang sebaya, malah mungkin lebih muda hehe :) Namun seiring dengan berjalannya waktu, saya sudah mulai (sedikit) terbuka mengenai hal ini.

Beberapa teman laki-laki saya pacaran dengan anak-anak abg. Sepupu yang seumur dengan saya menikah dengan pria yang 15-16 tahun lebih tua. Dan setelah ditelusuri lebih jauh, ternyata oom-oom saya menikah dengan wanita yang 10-15 tahun lebih muda. Wooo... mungkin sekarang saya bisa (sedikit) lebih longar akan age difference, tapi kalau dipikir-pikir sih tetap ngeri sendiri!

Setelah check di internet, ternyata ada loh rumusnya:

Half-your-age-plus-seven

Wikipedia says, The "half-your-age-plus-seven rule" is a rule of thumb used by some in Western cultures defining a mathematical formula to judge whether the age difference in an intimate relationship is socially acceptable. Mathematically speaking, the rule is:

Setidaknya sekarang kita bisa menge-check, apakah pasangan kita "ketuaan" atau "kemudaan".
Kalau ternyata tidak masuk ke dalam rumus tersebut, coba saja perhatikan fenomena ini:
* Chronophilia is a general term, applied to any age-related preference that is outside their own age group.
* Ephebophilia is the attraction of older individuals to adolescents.
* Hebephilia is the attraction of older individuals to pubescent youths.
* Pedophilia is the attraction of older individuals to pre-adolescents.
[Pedophilia mungkin term yang paling familiar di telinga kita]
* Infantophilia is the attraction of older individuals to small children (ages ranging from 0-5).
* Gerontophilia is the attraction of non-elderly individuals to the elderly.

Fakta lain lagi yang saya dapat malah mengisahkan template pernikahan yang dialami warga Sami (preindustrial Finland). Artikel dari Scientific American menulis, "Men should marry a woman almost 15 years their junior to maximize their chances of having the most offspring that survive."

Aneh?

Lebih lanjut lagi,
Yet, only 10 percent of these marriages were between men and women with that optimal age difference. The span ranged from men marrying women as much as 20 years older to women marrying men as much as 25 years older; the average age difference between husband and wife was three years.
Other research in modern day Sweden has shown that the ideal reproductive match is for a man to marry a woman six years his junior. But the cultural constraints on marriage may have changed. "Wealth was the most important factor in a [Sami] marriage," Helle notes. "Love played almost no role in it."

Very classic.

Allrite,
Now, can i date Daniel Radclife?

sshhh...
hush hush...

take my solemn hand and run with me
shall the daunting wind and the wobbly road pass us by
as vivid as moving images we fly

my pounding heart
your heavy breath
my fingers twirl in your hair
softly, sinfully, gracefully

write me a letter, i'm your friend
burn me with your words of desires
fascinate me with you dazzling thoughts
make me cry, make me die

no one's ever ready for life.

chain me with these melodic heartbeat
i'm caffeine high
i'm thinking of you inside

oh no, not now
i don't believe what i see
i won't believe what i feel

my heart is torn
guarded
damaged
and it will never be yours
left with desperation alone
still i'm daydreaming for hours

force me to smell the scent of you
i'm caffeine high
i do want you to be mine

The game is on.
... and i am spinning.

The rules have changed. The subject has changed.
It is no longer called "To-make-a-better-person-out-of-him" game.
It's now called "If-I-ever-gonna-feel-anything-ever-again-even-if-it's-pain" game.

.
.
.

... and i'm spinning.
I don't know when to stop, nor how to stop.

I just came to realize the connectivity between this song and my life :)
Is it possible that it's caused by my incredible headache?
What an absurd thinking.

Anyway, for those who are curious enough to understand what the hell am i blabbering about, here's the lyric.

- - -
Garbage - Tell me where it hurts

What is my day going to look like?
What will my tomorrow bring me?
If I had x-ray eyes, I could see inside
I wouldn’t have to predict the future

I wish that you would do with some talking
How else am I to know what you’re thinking?
If only people would say what it really was
What it really was
What it really was that they wanted

Tell me where it hurts
to hell with everybody else
All I care about is you
and that's the truth
They don't love me; I can tell
But you do, so they can go to hell

Did they ever give you a reason
To believe in something different
If you’re looking for love, for what it's worth
I have plenty of it lying around here somewhere

If you are looking for disappointment
You can find it around any corner
In the middle of the night I hold on to you tight
So both of us can feel protected

Tell me where it hurts,
to hell with everybody else.
All I care about is you and that's the truth
they don't love me; yeah I can tell
but you do, so they can go to hell

I’ve been loved but I didn’t know how to feel it
And I’ve been adored but I don’t know if I ever believed it
I’ve been loved my whole life but I didn’t know how to take it
Until you

So tell me where it hurts
to hell with everybody else
All I care about is you and that's the truth
they don't love me, yeah I can tell
But you do, so they can go to hell
But you do, so they can go to hell

Tell me where it hurts, tell me where it hurts
Tell me where it hurts now, tell me where it hurts...

- - - -

And here's the clip!

I've hurt people.
I've been hurt, too.

.
.
.
.
.
.

So now

I'm throwing myself into the open fire, hoping to get burn.

Tadi Lina telpon.
Gak sopan... tiba2 bilang, "ini lagi di bandara di jakarta. baru aja sampe."

Dan dengan serentak kukatakan, "Haih! Bohong banget!"
Setelah bohong2 beberapa saat, akhirnya dia ngaku juga klo dia gak lagi di jakarta.

Lina is one of my inner circle friends; who i can always run to when i need some logical explanations of life and love; who i can always depend on to SLAP me, wake me up to face the real world [I tend to daydream a lot!!]. We usually cheers each other up, and sometimes despise each other. This time, she's feeling down - thus she kind of needs my "guidance".

Life is OZ is not as grand as the one we had in NL. We grow older [but maybe not wiser]; we got separated... hmm... 3 continents.

It can be said that we live a remotely different life than we're used to, with all the challenges and obstacles in between - all of which we have to face on our own; no more trusted friends around. Sometimes, somehow... a life like that could be hard... and frustrating. Actually, that's why i "ran" to Bali to see Indah last month - to clear my head, and maybe gain new perspective, besides meeting Indah of course :)

Thus a getaway is a good thing to do at certain point of one's life. Out of the house, out of town, out of the country - all depends on one's budget. Well, she said that she is planning to go to Sdyney this week. That'll be a nice treat :)

Living a life with an "EVIL FORCE" of people being couples all the time can also be damaging, if not infectious... To me, it's quite damaging [uhm that's why i said "evil force" - believe me, i will not turn to one of girl who devotes her whole life for "couple" romances and thus forgets her surroundings]. Apparently, my friend feels the same way too. Ha Ha Ha.. Do whatever you feel darling. Get drunk, get wasted, get laid - I encourage you!!
[well, i should do the same :p]

Nyeh.
No, don't follow my outrageous advice.

But you can consider this, my friend[s]: WRITE your story - share it so that you wont feel so alone.
Sometime in the future, go read your writings again [and you may weep].
Then stand up on your own two feet for you had passed those dark times.
The things that don't kill will only make you stronger.
Life is all about choices, dear - whether you want to continue weeping OR to decide to be tough, it's up to you.

P.S. am still waiting for a call from B, yang sampe detik ini ditungguin tapi blom telpon2! Gak sopan!! Nv juga gak kirim2in lagunya hadoh gak sopan juga! Cz juga nulis namaku salah pula, gak sopan juga!

- - -

Just got in, got it from C: Wow, Kondom Bisa Obati Jerawat!

Kondom tak hanya berfungsi sebagai alat kontrasepsi loh. Kondom juga bisa berfungsi untuk kecantikan. Misalnya menghilangkan jerawat.

Kondom biasanya dilengkapi dengan cairan pelumas. Cairan pelumas itulah yang digunakan oleh perempuan-perempuan Kamboja untuk mengatasi jerawat yang tumbuh di wajah mereka. Seorang konsumen kondom dengan merek One Plus produksi Population Services International (PSI) menyatakan hal tersebut kepada AFP. Adalah Kenny Vanny, perempuan 29 tahun dari Phonm Penh, Kamboja yang mengungkapkan pengalamannya memakai kondom sebagai obat jerawat.

Menurut Kenny, dengan mengusapkan cairan pelumas kondom ke jerawat, maka dalam 3 hari jerawat itu akan mengering dan tidak berbekas. "Ini sangat efektif. Beberapa orang mungkin tak mempercayainya, tapi orang-orang yang telah melakukannya mendapatkan hasil yang luar biasa," ujarnya seperti dikutip detikhot dari Health24, Selasa (2/9/2008).

Sedangkan pihak PSI belum mengeluarkan pendapatnya mengenai masukan konsumen yang mengatakan bahwa produknya dapat digunakan sebagai produk kecantikan. Menurut Anda apakah kondom efektif sebagai obat jerawat?

KYAA! ada yang mau coba? XD

Sampai di rumah, agak sedikit kehujanan.
Baju sebelah kiri basah terkena rembesan air hujan dari atap bus. Mau bilang apa, bayar 2500 perak kok minta kendaraan yang oke?

Langsung menyantap nasi goreng bikinan bapak langganan di belakang rumah. Maklum, males masak, berhubung mama juga lagi gak ada di rumah [entah kapan mau pulang dari Medan]. Minum teh hangat super manis, lumayan untuk menghilangkan sakit kepalaku. Dari tadi siang memang penglihatan mengabur [lihat dison jadi titik blurry, kok kliatannya tambah cantik lol], jalan agak miring-miring sedikit, mungkin tekanan darahku drop lagi.

Jakarta hujan, banjir lagi...

I just got off the phone with Sher. Stuck in the office, she said.
Ga bisa pulang gara-gara jalan depan kantor banjir [jalan sudirman depan atmajaya]. Di tambah lagi rumahnya ikutan kebanjiran! Stress lah dia, ada laptop dan komputer yang penuh data yang terendam di sana. Hm... apa mau dikata kalau musim hujan datang lebih awal, kalau siklus banjir di jakarta jadi sebulan sekali, kalau orang-orang penghuni jakarta tetap tidak peduli akan kebersihan kota, kalau dalam jangka waktu 50 - bahkan mungkin 20 - tahun ke depan jakarta akan terendam lautan layaknya amsterdam?

- - -

*extra stuff, have already told this to E [this has nothing to do with Jakarta]
This morning i saw Kenny G's unplugged videos, he's doing duets with several singers. I kind of recognize the partner... hum... Li Hong? [read: Lee Hom - English version] My guess were right! Kyaaa he's so freaking talented! I'm a BIG Wang Lee Hom fan.
Next, Kenny G called another talented singer. this time it's from Indonesia. Guess who? Glenn Fredly! I'm also a BIG Glenn Fredly fan. Kutunggu dudamu!!!
Thus, I was content :)

, "Pemerintah yang bijak menjamin ketertiban dalam masyarakat, pemerintah yang arif adalah yang terartur. Seperti para penguasa, demikian pula para pegawainya; seperti pemerintah kota, demikian pula semua penduduknya. Raja yang tidak terdidik menbinasakan rakyatnya, tetapu sebuah kota sejahtera berkat kearifan para pembesarnya. Di dalam tangan Tuhan terletak kuasa atas bumi, dan pada waktunya Ia mengangkat orang yang serasi atasnya. Di dalam tangan Tuhan-lah terletak kemujuran seseorang, dan kepada para pejabat Tuhan mengaruniakan martabat. Janganlah pernah menaruh benci kepada sesamamu, apa pun juga kesalahannya, dan jangan berbuat apa-apa terpengaruh oleh nafsu. Kecongkakan dibenci oleh Tuhan maupun manusia, dan bagi kedua-duanya kelaliman adalah salah. Pemerintahan beralih dari bangsa yang satu ke bangsa yang lain akibat kelaliman, kekerasan dan uang."
Kitab Putra Sirakh 10: 1-8

Itu bacaan pertama di Misa hari ini. Menarik ya?

Kata orang, 63 tahun merdeka berarti baru 63 % mereka merdeka. Kalau untuk saya, 63 tahun merdeka berarti baru 63 % saya merasa bangga menjadi orang Indonesia. I don't know if figure will ever go up to 100%... Merdeka tapi kesenjangan sosialnya begitu jauh. Merdeka tapi rakyatnya belum dapat menghormati para pahlawannya. Merdeka tapi manusianya belum dapat menghargai keragaman agama, ras, dan budaya yang mereka bangun bersama. Kalau begini, terkadang saya berpikir... "Jangan-jangan bangsa ini akan lebih baik kalau tetap dijajah Belanda..." What do you say?

It is sad to know that Indonesia (nowadays) is mostly well-known as the home for disaster (tsunami, earthquakes, flood and such), corruption, and terrorism. My once proud Indonesian soul is wounded by the fact that foreign people consider Indonesia (and it's people) as a "low" country. Despite of all the genius brains we have, foreign people tend to underestimate us! Actually, I should be ashamed of myself for being speechless; not being able to defend my country by saying beautiful things about it.

Indonesian associate their Independence day with games and local activities. Mereka bergembira sambil lomba makan krupuk [karena krupuk itu murah!], panjat pinang, lompat karung, dst. They like these games so much they usually block the roads and not letting people [with cars] to pass by! It is really annoying as it happened to us earlier today. Geez, we freakin' live in this area!!! Some dude was blocking our way by just standing there in front of the car for a while. Gosh! Maybe we should have ran over him >.<' Some other things about Indonesia's Independence Day this year:

• President SBY got a grand daughter!
• I watch a short biography about Tan Malaka on tv. I think Tan Malaka should have more than one small alley to be named after.
• Panic at the Disco is in concert! Supposedly, i should watch the concert and thank them for being one of my musical supports during my final dissertation hahaha :P But E said that their concert in Jakarta will not be theatrical. Lameeeeee.....

Allrighty. I will be away for a while after this :)
Hup hup vakantie hup!

Sehari yang lalu, kami (sekantor) menemui Bpk IK, seorang praktisi radio yang telah lama juga berkecimpung dalam urusan majalah media research ternama di indonesia. Setelah beberapa kali gagal bertemu, akhirnya kami dapat duduk bersama di salah satu restoran fast food di kawasan perkantoran semanggi. Pilihan tempat yang sangat tidak biasa untuk meeting.

Setelah perkenalan singkat, akhirnya kami mengetahui bahwa beliau adalah seorang jawa katolik tulen. Jelas saja, beliau berasal dari kota Yogyakarta yang sangat kental dengan predikat "bukankah orang yogya itu katolik semua?" ha ha ha.. Beliau seperti langsung merasa dekat dengan kami (yang kebetulan) juga beragama kristen dan katolik. The famous quote "Di mana ada dua atau tiga orang berkumpul dalam nama-Ku..."

Beliau pun menceritakan dongeng-dongeng (begitu beliau menyebutnya) inspiratif mengenai sejak terjang beliau dan beberapa nama besar praktisi lainnya dalam menggembangkan radio-radio ternama di indonesia. Memang berat dan penuh lika-liku.

Tapi bukan radio fokus saya. Fokus saya adalah figur si bapak. Katanya istrinya kristen. Oh, pernikahan "beda" agama, pikir saya. Dan hebatnya, si bapak terlihat begitu mendalami iman katolik beliau dan berani untuk menunjukkannya di depan orang banyak... membuat saya sedikit takut. Takut terbakar karena saya tidak merasa memiliki iman seperti itu. Mungkin juga karena saya telah terbiasa dengan kehidupan manusia-manusia jaman sekarang yang jauh dari Tuhan mereka masing-masing. Mungkin juga telah terbiasa dengan gaya SEKULER orang-orang Eropa, khususnya Belanda.

Malam itu kami menutup meeting kami dengan doa! Bayangkan saja. Terakhir kali saya berdoa di tempat umum secara beramai-ramai (dan juga berlokasi di fast food restaurant) sudah berbulan-bulan lalu ketika saya masih sesekali mengikuti pendalaman iman bersama beberapa teman lain. Waktu itu sepertinya hanya saya dan teman saya Andy (kami yang katolik) yang "ketinggalan" in terms of pengetahuan kami dalam Alkitab dan ke-Tuhan-an. Teman group yang lain seperti sudah canggih sekali karena mereka bahkan memiliki INTEGRATED BIBLE di mobile phone mereka! WOW!

Telah terpatri di benak saya bahwa orang-orang katolik itu cenderung lebih sekuler dibandingkan dengan penganut agama kristen lainnya. Oleh karena itu, melihat seorang katolik seperti bapak IK mengajak kami berdoa bersama untuk menutup meeting yang sama sekali tak berhubungan dengan ke-Tuhan-an terasa cukup aneh sekaligus menyentuh. Seorang jawa katolik tulen yang rendah hati di tengah-tengah rimba kebejatan kota Jakarta.

Saya harap saya tidak hanya mengenakan jubah keagamaan saya di hari Minggu saja. Well, saya memang bukan orang yang religious, tapi saya rasa saya cukup fanatic akan Tuhan saya.

Want to know more about Jesus? Read this.

Dalam kehidupan manusia, kita selalu terbentur oleh batasan-batasan utama: jenis kelamin, ras, agama, usia. Pertanyaanku, apakah CINTA mampu menembus segala batasan-batasan tersebut? Bila jawabannya iya, muncul satu pertanyaan lagi. Sampai manakah CINTA mampu bertahan, sekuat apakah CINTA mampu melewati batasan-batasan tersebut tanpa terluka dan akhirnya menyerah dan mati? Cinta yang seperti apakah yang dapat dikatakan cinta sejati?

Tidak semua orang pernah mengalami ini. Terkadang kehidupan percintaan seseorang berjalan lancar-lancar saja; ia menemukan orang yang tepat (baca: dengan jenis kelamin yang tepat, ras yang tepat, agama yang tepat, dan usia yang tepat) dan dapat hidup bahagia selamanya layaknya dongeng anak-anak. Namun bagi yang lain, bagi mereka yang memiliki hasrat untuk cinta yang berbeda... terkadang cinta yang salah... ataupun cinta yang mustahil... Akankah orang-orang tersebut berhasil menemukan cinta dalam hidupnya? Mungkinkah cinta menunggu mereka di depan pintu gerbang kebahagiaan? Ataukah hidup mereka hanya akan diwarnai oleh bayang-bayang ilusi akan kebahagiaan yang semu?

Orang-orang tersebut, yang bergulat dalam cinta yang mustahil, akankah mereka mampu bangkit kembali dan terus berlari setelah menerima segala cercaan dunia munafik yang melihat segala sesuatunya melalui kacamata tabu?

Yang aku tahu, hanya segelintir pulalah yang mampu bertahan dan mencap diri mereka bahagia. Demikian pula yang terlihat dari pandangan mata mereka yang berbinar-binar ketika aku bertanya akan masa mereka berjuang untuk meraih cinta. Hanya orang-orang yang tegar seperti itulah yang mampu untuk saling bergandengan tangan dalam kondisi sesulit apapun.

Timbul satu pertanyaan lagi untukku sebagai orang yang selalu mencari cinta yang mustahil, akankah aku mampu berjuang layaknya mereka?