Blog Action Day 2011

I will be joining BAD 2011 and share somthing about food, yay!
'via Blog this'

Story of My So Called Personality

Fun Quizzes eh?

I used to be a fan of online for-fun-personality-quizzes. At that time I would be so exciting knowing that I'm a sanguine, an introvert, a peacemaker, some water-element girl, a joker, a bossy type etc, etc. Now that I have entered the real Psychological Testing world, my real character has been revealed by some personality tests I learned on my Psychodiagnostic classes. But I’m not all happy with my personality test result.

So far I have done three roleplay in my Personality Testing class: Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), Edward Personality Preference Schedule (EPPS) and Wartegg Zeichen Test (commonly known as Wartegg or WZT). 

In TAT, you will be given a set of picture. All you need to do is tell your story about what you see in the picture. TAT actually is a test intended for those who have personality disorder, so the test interpretation wouldn’t be valid for me.

The second test, EPPS is a personality test which measures 15 needs that linked to your personality.  Answer 225 sets of questions and it will show you the quantifications of needs in your trait. While WZT is some kind of picture completions test. You don’t need to a specific drawing skill because it won’t measure your drawing ability but your personality profile.

Somehow, the test results shocking me. According to EPPS interpretation, I’m somewhat immature, indecisive, have a high need in succorance, have a very low need for nurturing, do not have need of endurance and quite aggressive.

Well, I know I’m not perfect, but seeing that I have so many flaws… is a different story :p BUT this is not a final judgement! Many people let themselves down because of their psychological test result. I have heard many cases when people gets really disappointed with their IQ because it was quite low. No! The psychological test result is a call for a huge change! I couldn’t stay immature and keep procrastinating eternally, or keep deserting others and being indecisive all my life. So yeah, I have to improve my self.

Hopefully I can be a better person. Yay!

I'm Back! Sort Of.

Hello Mid-October! Hiya there, how are you? 

My full with tasks agenda

I've been too busy doing so many assignments, papers, presentations and reports that I neglected this blog. It really seems that this is the most hectic semester I have ever experienced. As Arkarna says, "So little time so much to do."

The question is: do I really don't have time or I'm just simply not sparing any time at all?

I admit, sadly, that I didn't spare enough time. Either I was too caught up with the tasks or distracted by other things (like tumblr and the new TV series I  started to watch recently; Doctor Who) or just too tired and too lazy to do other things... I even neglected my reading lists. I only read some books which are required for academic purpose.

I really need to manage my time better than this.

I hope you all doing well! 

A Student's Life: Hectic!

Taken in 2.10 am, in the middle of idea digging process

Many things didn't work as it has been planned. I abandoned a lot of books on my reading list to work on the college projects. So far this is the most hectic start-of-a-new-semester week. Lots of papers, presentations, research, academic books to be read and quizzes. 

This semester, most of my lecturers seemingly developing a new habit of giving quiz in the beginning of the class. That way I have to prepare myself the night before so I can do the test well. How I miss my holiday :p

But this semester can be quite exciting. We'll have Psychological Test role-play and a visit to a mental hospital. Also, I'm waiting for some big scholarship announcement. Hopefully, this will make my hectic fifth semester more fun.

 

And I'm wishing anyone to have an exciting days too!

Until next time!

about handmade and not: Tutorial - Gift origami box

about handmade and not: Tutorial - Gift origami box: On pictures below you can see how to make cute origami gift box. To make it you will need 2 square pieces of paper 12 x 12 cm (near 4'), sci...

Looking Through My Eyes: Attitude 101

This is my first attempt to review a book. I hope you will enjoy it :)

Dampak dari Sikap Anda (Attitude 101 Indonesian Edition)

John C. Maxwell

I'm not a regular self-development book reader, so I don't really know what is the proper content for this kind of book :p

To me, Relationship 101 is a very practical book about how to properly act in our daily life. In this book, Maxwell briefly telling us about attitude; what shapes our attitude, changing or strengthening attitude and making a  life break-through by the proper attitude.

Some of the best part of this book is when Maxwell make us see that many events in our life can affect our attitude. By this, Maxwell asks us to see things, even the worst moment in our live as challenges which will shape our attitude. 

The other interesting part is how to lead ourself to have an appropriate attitude. The right attitude is important if you want to reach the higher level of life. Here, he give a detailed steps to be success by explaining the attitudes that barrier us from success; how to cope from failing and how to 'think success' so we can really reach the top.

Other than that, I don't find anything new from this book. But the vignette stories Maxwell put as illustration is a good way to inspire the reader. Reading this book to me is like reading a lighter version of Personality Psychology combined with some part from The Secret and Law of Attraction here and there. I think book from this kind has the same key point: keep a positive mind if you want to change your life. 

It's not a heavy book at all. Maxwell keep it simple and shipshape in explaining each steps. For those who wanted to change their life into a new level, this book is a good try.

Story of the "Agapé"s

So, I have decided to totally change my habit this semester and read more academic books. This is the third day of the new semester. Some classes have begun and the lecturer has explained about what I'm going to learn this semester. Seemingly, my fifth semester would be tough. There a lot of paperworks, quizzes, observations and field tasks to be done.  I really have to do something huge to increase my cumulative GPA, to survive this semester.

As you can read in my previous post about BACAKILAT, I have made a reading list; 15 or more books to read in 30 days. Well, I've got to change the whole list, adjusting it according to my academic reading need. In my old list, I put some 'light' books like novels, popular motivational books and some religious books. Now, a huge pile of scholarly books are stuffed in the waiting list. 

The thing is, I don't have the books I needed. The only place where I can get them is in my lovely college library.

Some days ago I joked with the girls about the bunch of freshmen who loves to hang out in the library. We called them "Agapé" or "Anak Gaul Perpus" (freely translated as The Library Groovers). I can't believe that all of a sudden I became an Agapé too. Haha. And the library is extremely crowded. Usually it only takes 2 or 3 queue to register the borrowed books. But today, there are about 20 people queued to borrow their books. Whoa. The freshmen are being way too studious this semester I suppose :p

Okay then, welcome to my life, fifth semester. I'm going to beat you XD 

Digitalisasi Cerita Anak Melalui Partisipasi Komunitas Orang Tua dan Guru untuk Mendidik Anak Indonesia yang Berkarakter

Digitalisasi Cerita Anak Melalui Partisipasi Komunitas Orang Tua dan Guru untuk Mendidik Anak Indonesia yang Berkarakter

BACAKILAT: A Reading List

Here are the list of 60 books I will read for the next 90 day. The number of the books increase every 30 days.  The reading will start on Monday, September 12th 2011 and will end on Sunday, December 11th 2011 according to date days calculator. Books that has been fully read according to the BACAKILAT system will be crossed and some will be linked to its review. Some books with other colour are additional books I read along the Easy Habit process. 

For my start, I will read 15 books for my first 30 days, 20 for the next 30 days and 25 books for the last 30 days. 

The first 30 days programme is called Easy Habit programme. It works like this:

In one week, only one book will be read on Monday-Thursday for 30 minutes each day. So, on the 30th day I'd be finished reading 15 books.

The first 15 books for Easy Habit Programme, sorted by date, are:

1. Dampak dari Sikap Anda by John C. Maxwell
2. Management the Basics by Morgen Witzel
3. Yesus Sang Anak Manusia by Kahlil Gibran
4. Diktat Psikodiagnostik IV
5. Ensklopedia Orang Kudus
6. Diktat Psikodiagnostik V
7. Human Resource Management Practice by Michael Armstrong
8. The Art and History of Prague
9. Psychological Testing by Theresia J.B. Kline
10. Diktat Psikodiagnostik VI
11. Psychological Testing and Assessment an Introduction to Test & Measurement by Ronald Jay Cohen
12. How to Manage People by Michael Armstrong
13. Perilaku Organisasi by Udai Pareek
14. Fioretti
15. Book of Psalm
16. Humanistic Psychology a Synthesis by C.W. Tageson
17. Organizational Psychology an Experiential Approach by A. Kol, M. Rubin & M. McIntyre
18. Performance-Based Evaluation by Judith Hale

The list will be updated once I find some books to be added to the reading list :)

Looking Through My Eyes: BACAKILAT

The last two days I had been joining a speed reading workshop called "BACAKILAT". BACAKILAT (freely translated as "Flash reading") is a revolutionary way to read. In conventional reading, people usually spend 3-7 days or more to finish reading a book yet sometimes hardly understand anything they have read. In BACAKILAT, a book can be finished within an hour. Yeah, that's sounds dreamy, but I have done the whole process myself and, well, it's do-able. 

If you wonder if BACAKILAT is some hypnotherapy, cult or magic trick, no it's not. BACAKILAT has a strong scientific background. The system will maximizing the power of human brain so it easily absorb every information the book given to the reader. 

There's a book I had read quite long ago without really know what was the book about. At the workshop, I read the book with BACAKILAT. After doing the whole process, I finally fully understand the book. I even feel like I have read the book many times before. The best thing is I can explain the whole book fluently with my own words. How amazing is that, huh?

At the end of the workshop, the participant were asked to write a "Letter of Commitment" to make sure that everyone would read numerous books in the next 90 days. I myself  set my goal to read 60 books in 90 days. With BACAKILAT, sure thing I'd be able to do it. The only problem is how to get 60 books to be read? The librarian in my campus might think I am nuts if I borrow a huge pile of books. Couldn't help myself laughing when I think about it :p

So, I'm going to make a list of books I wanted to read and I will put it here so I can see my reading progress. Moreover, I will review some books when I find it shareable. My blog would be richer in content as the reading progressing. I'm so excited about it!

Hopefully, my new reading skill will help me to get better scores and GPA. I will change my reading habit. I've set my goal, and I will get what I want. If I could, so could you :)

Affirmation: 5th Semester Report Card

I really hope this semester's report card can be looked like this. 

I'm telling you guys: I'LL BE WORKING REALLY HARD FOR THIS. 

And I'm getting straight As NOT BECAUSE I AM TOLD TO, but because I WANT TO. I hope someone would understand and give up on telling me how am I supposed to be. I know what to do :)

Send me your support so I can achieve this, will ya guys?

Looking Through My Eyes: A Dangerous Method

This movie hasn't been released yet but its preview on Venice Film Festival promising something big. This is the movie I won't be missed. I'd be watching this in the cinema if Indonesian cinemas played it, of course*. 

Since I'm a type of person who prefer to download the movie online, watching movie in the cinema is a big thing. Do you think I'm supporting piracy by downloading movie instead of going to cinema or buying original DVDs? You tell me. But I'm a cheap person, so yeah :/

There are some notable reason why I must watch this movie immediately in the cinema as soon as they release it:

1. Because I'm a psychology student and this movie contains the history of Psychoanalysis. The director stated here about how this movie will reveal the background of Psychoanalysis by 'resurrecting' the subjects (in this case; Freud and Jung). For so long, I only 'knew' Freud and Jung throughout their theories. It would be interesting to know the other side of this two important person. 
2. The casts are bright; Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley and Viggo Mortensen. Hell yeah, Viggo Mortensen (who looks like Val Kilmer in the poster) is Sigmund Freud and Michael Fassbender is his protege, Carl Jung.
3. Because I fancy Michael Fassbender.
4. The rating is totally awesome. IMDB give A Dangerous Method 9 over 10, while Rotten Tomatoes (which--I find--usually give harsh comments about films) giving it 71% positive review and 98% of their audiences agree that this movie is watchable. 

So yeah, I'm sure I'll be watching A Dangerous Method cause it fits my requirement (British actors, 20th century setting, Michael Fassbender), though the subject might be a little bit 'heavy'. Anyone interested?

*) Indonesia currently having affair with movies importer that makes some movies late to be played in the the theatres or worse couldn't be released in cinemas.

Looking Through My Eyes: Jane Eyre

(source)

I'm not going to do a movie review here since I'm not a good at it. You can check the imdb review for this rated-7-out-of-10 movie :)

Jane Eyre is a novel written by English writer Charlotte Brontë. The novel has been adapted into movies many times. I recently watched the 2011 version which starred Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender. How I stumble to this movie, I think, because I fancy Michael Fassbender. I was searching about his latest movie "Shame" when I found Jane Eyre trailer.

I always love movie sets in Medieval Era or at least the pre-modern age. So I give this movie a try. There are some points I noted after watching the film.

·         The Casts are Perfect
Mia Wasikowska portrayed Jane Eyre beautifully. She knows how to look strong, determinant, smart and sad at the same time. Fassbender also made a perfect Edward Fairfax Rochester. He plays the Byronic Hero impeccably. He really showed Edward’s twisted side. At some point, Rochester can be so miserable. Fassbender’s flawless act made me feel like hugging him so tight to make him happier xD
·         The Cinematography is Beautiful
They filmed the movie in a castle on a hill with pretty surroundings. The coloring and the lighting even made the picture whole more beautiful. Since it was medieval, candles are use for lighting at night. And it doesn’t look like they faking the light. Some movies with candle lighting still use the help from the lamp light, but Jane Eyre doesn’t.
·         It's So Romantic
Jane Eyre captures love in a different way. I mean, I’ve seen a lot of movie depicts love with physical attraction; kissing, holding hands, hugging. Many movies have to use sex scene to portray love. In Jane Eyre, the only 'sex scene' is when Jane and Rochester kissing after Rochester proposed him to be his wife.
Some lines make the romantic moment feels so sweet.
Rochester       : I offer you my hand, my heart. Jane, I ask you to pass through life at my side. You are my equal and my likeness. Will you marry me?
Jane                : Are you mocking me?
Rochester       : Do you doubt me?
Jane                : Entirely!
…
Rochester       : It's you. You rare, unearthly thing. Poor and obscure as you are, please accept me as your husband. I must have you for my own.
Jane                : You wish me to be your wife?
Rochester       : I swear it.
Jane                : You love me?
Rochester       : I do.
Jane                : Then, sir, I will marry you.
·         The Music Completes Everything
I really love the scores for the background music. I just can’t describe it, Dario Marianelli's score just make every second more momentous.

Maybe I’m being too subjective on appreciating this movie, but I really like it. The lack from this movie is that they don’t explore the minor characters deeper. I’ve never read the book but I read the review on wiki. There are many characters that don’t appear in the movie. I also saw some deleted scene in youtube. Unfortunately, the deleted scene is quite important and would be better if it wasn’t cut out from the movie.

Overall, I give 9 out of 10 for Jane Eyre.

For me Jane Eyre is a great Feminist movie. She taught me about the honour of being a woman. She taught me to be honest. Jane is only 19 but she is a lot  more mature and independent than I am now. She's a woman who stick on her principles. 

What about you, do you want to watch this movie too? Let me know if you do :)

September

Space Jeunk!

Space Jeunk

I'm about to post this with some memorable friendship quotes but I really couldn't find one one that really describe our friendship. It's just weird how the fate twisted our road that united four of us. All of us are different yet we seemed to be inseparable.

There are four of us (obviously): Amel (the one with hijab), Kuma (the one with wavy hair), Grace (who's hair is the longest of us) and me. I don't really remember how four of us meet. In the beginning of the college year, we were in the different freshman group. As the time goes by, I found four of us sticking together wherever we go.

We called ourselves "SpaceJeunk" but none of use understand what that name stands for. Well, 'Jeunk' is an old slang for 'sister' in Bahasa Indonesia. About the "space", how we ended with "SpaceJeunk" for our sisterhood name, to me is a mystery.

SpaceJeunk had a lot of fun together. All of us are somewhat very gaga-in a good way. We laugh a lot. We joke around everyday. SpaceJeunk also there when any of us needed shoulders to lean on, hand to be reached out and tears to be wipe.

SpaceJeunk will always be one of my precious memory I will never forget.

Story of Iftar with Space Jeunk and a Happy Eid ul-Fitr!!!

This is a really late post >.< Sorry. But it really took a great effort for me to finally post this. Haha. Forgive my moodiness...

So, around weeks ago I went to campus for some administration things and finally reunited with the girls. Some of us have been really busy and need to take a break so we decided to have some girl-quality time together. Since it was still Ramadhan, we thought that doing iftar together would be fun. 

We went to eat Japanese food in a side-walk restaurant. Not really a restaurant, I dunno what "depot/warung" in English. Hehe... It only took less than an hour to finish our meal because we were all starving, but we stayed for two hours there. I suppose you know what happens when there's a group of girl sitting together. Great time with the girls!

Now that Ramadhan is over, I would like to say Happy Eid ul-Fitr!

I'll be waiting for next Iftar with you girls! 

Story of Biology Lesson I Learned this Week

note: 

You might found this post a little bit sickening... You have been warned!

If I told you I've been sick this whole week would you believe? There's no reason not to isn't it? Trolol... 

Yes, I've been sick like a dog  for more than a week but I was way too ignorant that it getting worse. At first it was just a common flu; sneezing, coughing and all that. Then my left ear start ringing uncontrollably. I thought the ringing was caused by the flu. Sneezing too hard could make your ear rings, anyway.  I had done some googling about ringing ear which is called Tinnitus, had done some treatment but the ringing wouldn't go away. 

At that time I kept doing my routine activity though the ringing really annoyed me. I forced myself to come to some settle down meeting on Friday in which I became a committee. In result, the ringing in my left ear getting louder. I even got nausea (our ear somehow connected to the body-balancing part) because of the ringing ear. It seemed silly but that's what happened to me.

So I went to check my ear to an ENT (Ear-Nose-Throat) specialist on Saturday. Like I had predicted before, the doctor said that the ringing was caused by the flu I suffered. He did give me prescription but only to cure the influenza. On Sunday, the ringing still there but wasn't as loud as the other day. I took my noon medication and had some nap. When I got up, I feel like I had been drown--like my ear were full of water.

At this point I started to freak out. What if I'm going to be half-deaf all my life? What if I had to ask people to talk louder to me? What if I had to spent the rest of my college life sitting in the front seat so I could hear the lecture better? The most ridiculous thing I'd done was spending the night listening songs from my cellphone through its loud speaker in minimum volume. I did this to make sure my left ear were still functioning  well.  

As I woke up on Monday morning, the ear's condition were getting worse. It's like my left ear were torn separately  from me and it were drowned in a lake full with cricket choir sang with bell chorus music. So loud, annoying and lunatic. Such a torment!

I went again to ENT specialist. Same hospital, different doctor. What happened next as I entered the room were so fast. I only remember sat in front of the doctor then she checked my ear, did something including flooding my ear canal with a lot of water, some suction-work around the hole, drying and voila! I can hear normally again.

What I heard from the doctor was shocking. She said that the cause of the ear-problem is fungi! How on earth did fungi can grow on my ear canal?! (FYI, I'm a hygienic person so I don't wanna be blame because of my shabbiness...)

A literally Cloud Ear Fungus, which resemble a lot with the ear and NOT THE ONE WHICH FOUND IN MY EAR

This is the most unproductive week all my holiday. I didn't draw anything for my emotion research, I hadn't read the journals for the research proposal, missed many important meeting in campus because of  fungi. The ringing somehow increasing the sense of laziness in me.

Well, at least I learn that fungi can grow in ear... gross... never heard of this before, not even in my science class or Biology text books...

Fungi lived in my ear. Story of my life....

Story of Affirmation

If you ever know about "The Secret" or "The Law of Attraction", maybe the word "affirmation" is familiar to you. It's like you projecting something you really want in your mind so that your imagination became really vivid. The better you projecting it, the easier your wish would come true. You can imagine it over and over again until your mind really believes that it is true, as it really happens (tho is not). Or you can projecting it by making it graphic, so you really can see and sense it. Like mapping/drawing/writing down things you want.

I'm getting this on my inbox, soon!

Since I'm a visual learner, projecting my will into a graphic object is the best way to do my affirmation. So here I am, doing the so-called affirmation because I'm so obsessed with this whole effin Pottermore things. Affirmative, lad! Affirmative! I'm getting my welcome email! Yeah!!!

Why Are You Blogging, Nyes?

I never imagined myself to have a blog cause in fact I'm a quite-ignorant rather anti-social person.

I have a Facebook account which I rarely updated. I had a twitter account which I deleted because somehow I think tweeting is annoying. I appear online on MSN, YM, GTalk only when I feel like chatting. I have a tumblr only because it's the kingdom for my fandom. I don't really make friends with people on tumblr; I simply follow and reblog.
See, I don't really socialize through social network.

I actually kind of avoiding the social networking things for some reason. I think too much drama spread through the social network. I find most of people in my network uses their update (facebook statuses, facebook notes, tweets, blog posts etc) as an exaggerated catharsis media. It's like the social network is a trash can where ones can throw away any feeling when they are bad tempered or not in a good mood, vilifying others when they feel like it but too coward to spit it in front of other's face, self-pitying so that one can gain sympathy from others and so on.

“Social Media is about sociology and psychology more than technology.” –Brain Solis of FutureWorks

Sometimes it seems like someone spoil the world that they had a big problem; scandals that they don't even ashamed to reveal.

Erm, and not to mention the who-got-the-most-followers-and-friends-race.Well, THAT'S NOT THE WAY SOCIAL MEDIA WORKS, MATE! Not for me at least.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm just being sarcastic. Maybe not everyone uses social media as a garbage bin. But that's what I see and I'm not comfortable with it.

So, let us get back to the title of this post: Why Blogging?

Ive read my friends blog. Some only write about their daily activity, some still uses blog as a garbage bin, some uses blog to share their quality thoughts. Meanwhile there's me who tries to inspire people with my posts. Without trying to boast, I believe that deep in my cracked brain, I have some quality thoughts too; ideas that can be shared for good. Hopefully, my good intention will be well accepted by others.

reblog: "I Hate My Mother"

(via tumblr)

Story of a Diamond, Covered in Mud

So, one day when I was a mere teenager I asked my father (whom I consider as my personal counselor); “Why, do you think, I don’t have a boyfriend?”

That time, my friends had started dating someone; having their own relationship, while I stayed single. On the other hand, many of my close friends were boys. I haven’t really been a tomboy-type and I have always been a-guy-friendly-type. That’s why I’m asking my singleness to my father. With many boys around, I being single was something to be asked about.

He gave me some courageous reason like because I’m over-rated, because I’m too smart for them they’d feel inferior against me or because my singlehood meant for a greater good (tho I don’t know what that means).  I thanked him for all the reason because it really flattered me.

The real thing is I have issue with my weight, I still am. But he didn’t bring up physical reason at all. “Well, do you think I’m not pretty enough for the boys? Do I really have to be skinny so that I might hook up with someone?”

His answer change the way I see myself forever.

“Well, do you want to change yourself just so people like you even you’re not comfortable with it?”

“No! I like the way I am now!”

“So be it, because what really matter is the thing that lies within. You are a diamond. Even you are covered with mud or dirt, buried in the sand or below the swamp, you’re still a diamond. Only ones who see the diamond in you really meant for you.”

I know that someday someone would really see the mud-covered diamond. I really thanked my dad for this life-changing chat session.

I have been single since I was born but I’m never ashamed of it because I now I have diamond in me. Story of my life.

Dirgahayu Republik Indonesia ke-66

Even Google celebrating Indonesian Independence Day.

Demi menunjukkan rasa Nasionalisme, postingan ini berbahasa Indonesia.

Katanya Indonesia sudah merdeka selama 66 tahun. Menurut saya sih Indonesia belum merdeka. Selama koruptor tetap meraja lela dan hukum senantiasa di-violasi, Indonesia masih belum bebas sepenuhnya. Bukannya saya nggak bangga jadi Warga Negara Indonesia. Banyak yang bisa dibanggakan dari negeri kita tercinta ini dari segi keaneka ragaman budaya, kekayaan dan keindahan alam, citarasa kuliner dan sebagainya. Saya cinta Indonesia, cuma saya nggak suka pemerintahnya. Nggak suka birokrasinya yang mbulet. Makanya saya masih bercita-cita untuk tinggal di Australia suatu saat nanti.

Mungkin saya bukan warga negara yang baik karena sejak dulu saya nggak pernah bersemangat untuk merayakan Hari Kemerdekaan. Bagi saya, semua kegiatan tujuh belasan adalah kegiatan yang luar biasa absurd. Apa hubungannya lomba makan kerupuk, balap karung, lomba kelereng, lomba gepuk bantal, lomba sepeda lambat, lomba enggrang, lomba tarik tambang, lomba sepak bola sewek atau daster dan lomba-lomba lainnya dengan memperingati perjuangan pahlawan? Menurut saya, nggak ada hubungannya; nol besar.  Apa para pejuang yang dulunya merelakan diri demi kita bakalan bangga ketika kita memperingati perjuangan mereka dengan lomba-lomba non-sense itu? Saya rasa nggak.

Versi lain dari perayaan tujuhbelasan adalah konser-konser musik yang digembar-gemborkan banyak stasiun televisi. Konser nasionalisme? Nggak banget.

Saya benar-benar nggak paham dengan definisi Nasionalisme. Itukah Nasionalisme? Ikut lomba-lomba tujuhbelasan? Menyelenggarakan konser bertajuk perayaan kemerdekaan? Mengharumkan nama bangsa di luar negri dengan segudang prestasi? (Meskipun sebenarnya saya pernah ambil bagian dalam menyumbangkan prestasi buat Indonesia di luar negri...)

Kenapa pula Nasionalisme cuma didengungkan dengan keras saat tujuh belasan saja?

Saya punya Nasionalisme versi saya sendiri. Nasionalisme yang menjunjung nilai ke-Indonesiaan yang nggak harus nunggu momen tujuhbelasan untuk menunjukkannya, misalnya:

• buang sampah pada tempatnya, biar Indonesia bersih (ngg, rumah saya masuk wilayah Indonesia kan? jadi karena azas pars pro toto berlaku di sini, ya berarti saya sudah menjaga kebersihan Indonesia...)
• ngantri dimanapun kapanpun
• taat peraturan lalu lintas
• kuliah di universitas negri
• pakai produk Indonesia
• hemat air
• hemat listik
• punya KTP

Nasionalisme bisa ditemukan dalam hal-hal kecil dalam kehidupan sehari-hari tanpa perlu nunggu tujuhbelasan.

Dirgahayu Republik Indonesia ke-66, moga makin jaya dan bisa merdeka sepenuhnya.

Hari Pramuka Indonesia Appreciation Post

catatan: 

Post ini berbahasa Indonesia sebagai apresiasi Hari Pramuka Indonesia yang diperingati tiap tanggal 14 Agustus.

Pramuka mungkin nggak asing buat anak-anak era 90an seperti saya. Seingat saya, Pramuka lumayan populer dan bergengsi tinggi waktu saya masih kecil dulu. Saya tahu kalau Pramuka punya filosofi yang dalam karena kami dulu sering sekali diberi suntikan ilmu mengenai nilai-nilai  seorang Pramuka. Sayangnya saya sudah lupa makna-makna Pramuka itu apa aja. Wong artinya Praja Muda Karana yang merupakan singkatan Pramuka saja sampai sekarang saya nggak tahu... Haha.

Saya dulu termasuk anggota Pramuka yang aktif. Saya ditunjuk untuk jadi ketua barung dan regu. Barung saya dulu barung hijau, yang warnanya saya pilih hanya karena dulu saya suka warna hijau. Padahal harusnya warna barung ada maknanya juga. Maklum, anak labil. Hehe. 

Saat kami naik pangkat, saya tetap jadi ketua regu. Regu untuk anak perempuan dipilih berdasarkan nama bunga. Melati jadi bunga pilihan saya saat itu, meskipun sebenarnya saya lebih suka bunga mawar; karena dulu waktu SD saya punya semaca geng yang diberi nama Red Rose (dan coba tebak siapa yang memberi nama Red Rose buat geng itu? SAYA! Well, I guess I'm quite bossy at that time...)

Kelihatannya, di mata guru-guru SD dulu saya cukup punya reputasi yang baik karena saya dipilih sebagai anggota delegasi regu untuk lomba Pramuka Yayasan Yohanes Gabriel Se-Surabaya (SD saya dulu SD Katolik yang bernaung di bawah Yayasan Yohanes Gabriel). Rasanya keren banget ditunjuk jadi anggota regu itu, karena saya dikelompokkan bareng anak-anak populer di SD saya dulu.

Demi lomba itu, saya rela menghabiskan waktu liburan kenaikan kelas untuk latihan intensif. Saya belajar bikin simpul--tali temali, menghapal sandi; mulai dari sandi rumput, sandi kotak, sandi morse, semaphore dan saya sudah lupa semua sandi-sandi itu sekarang... payah memang. Yang saya ingat dari sandi morse cuma titik/strip/titik artinya huruf A.

Simpul-simpul yang mesti saya hapal jaman lomba Pramuka dulu

Saya dapat banyak pengalaman dari lomba Pramuka itu. Pertama kalinya saya tidur di tenda alias kemping ya waktu lomba Pramuka itu. Pertama kalinya saya digembleng habis-habisan untuk jadi sosok pemimpin baik untuk memimpin diri saya sendiri atau orang lain ya lewat Pramuka itu. Saya belajar mandiri dan jadi pribadi yang pemberani juga dari Pramuka. Berarti, karena saya berani saya bakalan di-sorting ke Gryffindor di Pottermore.

Faktor penting lain yang saya dapat dari lomba Pramuka ini adalah sahabat. Dua sahabat baik saya temukan dengan Pramuka sebagai medianya. Sampai sekarang, 8 tahun setelah lomba Pramuka itu, saya masih bersahabat baik dengan mereka meskipun kami terpisah jarak dan waktu... (Yah, Pramuka cuma media sih. Kami jadi akrab karena kami masuk SMP yang sama, sekelas terus dan mengalami jatuh bangun yang sama...)

Tapi seiring zaman, rasanya Pramuka mulai ditinggalkan. Saya ngerasain sendiri kok. Saat SMP dulu, Pramuka justru jadi kegiatan yang paling dihindari. Tapi banyak faktor yang bikin Pramuka jadi nggak populer lagi deh, karena adek saya justru gemilang sekali karir kepramukaannya waktu SMP, sampai ikut Jambore Se-Jawa-Bali. Mungkin waktu saya SMP dulu pembinanya nggak asik, jadi kami super males ikut Pramuka.

Meskipun saya sudah lupa sama sekali mengenai tali-temali walaupun dulu saya juara dua tali-temali, saya juga nggak ingat apa aja Dasa Dharma Pramuka itu, yang jelas Pramuka pernah menjadi bagian hidup saya. Makasih buat Sir Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell yang jadi bapak Pramuka Sedunia dan buat Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX yang mempopulerkan Pramuka di Indonesia. Makasih buat para kakak pembina yang parahanya saya juga sudah lupa namanya siapa aja.. Tanpa kalian, saya bukanlah saya yang sekarang :)

Salam Pramuka!

Story of Last Word You Ever Said (to Anyone)

“You’re all right,” Mrs. Weasley muttered distractedly, releasing
Mr. Weasley and staring around at  them all with red eyes, “you’re
alive. . . . Oh boys . . .”
And to everybody’s surprise, she seized Fred and George and
pulled them both into such a tight hug that their heads banged
together.
“Ouch! Mum — you’re strangling us —”
“I shouted at you before you left!” Mrs. Weasley said, starting to
sob. “It’s all I’ve been thinking about! What if You-Know-Who had
got you, and the last thing I ever said to you was that you didn’t get
enough O.W.L.s? Oh Fred . . . George . . .” 
Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire
Chapter Ten, Mayhem at the Ministry

I'm agree with Mrs. Weasley. What if your last words you said to anyone, especially the loved ones, was something rude. What if  you were fighting with your loved ones the last time you met them and you never had a chance to apologize? Maybe you'll regret it for the rest of your life.

I've just re-read my Harry Potter books and found that quote interesting. The thing is we never know what would happen next. After reading that chapter, I develop a new habit: to apologize immediately. I think it's a good habit, cause I feel more relieve after my faults were forgiven. Beside, the relationship between me and the one I made mistake too were refurbished too.

As well as forgive. If by apologizing we can get a sense of relief, certainly more forgiving would give tranquility. 

To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happines.

Robert Muller quotes

Ah. It's a great isn't it, to forgive and to be forgiven? That's it, the story of my life :)

Story of a Buck Passer

buck n

1. (Group Games / Card Games) Poker a marker in the jackpot to remind the winner of some obligation when his turn comes to deal

pass the buck Informal to shift blame or responsibility onto another

the buck stops here Informal the ultimate responsibility lies here

via  the free dictionary

Let me blog a while before get back to awaiting stacks of my to-do-list. I still got sketches to be colored in photoshop, drawing illustration for my research, some house keeping things, etc... whoaa... Okay let's just start.

Lately I've been make mistake. Oh well, I make mistake all my life! (we all are, aren't we?). 

I happened to be a Psalm Singer in my church. I'm doing some solo lines in front of the congregation during the holy Mass. Sometimes I sing my lines perfectly and feel proud of myself. But mostly I sing  many many off tunes. 

 I'm the kind of person who likes to evaluate; analyzing things why it had gone wrong just so I won't do the same mistake. Well, I might pass the buck to the situation. I can say that 

"It was morning so I sang with my gravelly morning voice I can't reach the high notes."

"The pianist played in the wrong key, it was either too high or too low I couldn't follow."

"There are people who distract my attention from the music book so I forget which part I was singing."

"It was too hot in the podium I couldn't concentrate to sing."

"I was only a replacement, that wasn't my schedule to serve the Mass. I have a little time to get my self ready or practicing."

and so on...

and so on...

There's always something else or someone else to be blamed (or according to the idioms I cited; I can always pass the buck.) But when I dig deeper, the one I found very rightful to be blame is ME. Surprising isn't it? Well, not really actualy.

I could sleep early so I can wake up before time and get much warm ups for my morning voice.

I could confirm the key to the pianist so that he (or she) plays the note I'm comfort to sing.

I could try to focus in my music book, not to the audience or the heat that struck me.

I could reject the offer to replace anyone else schedule if I think I couldn't be ready to sing in a short preparation time.

See, it's all on me.

Maybe, it's all (the mistakes you blamed on anything else) yours too.

Late for work or school and blaming the traffic?

Failed for an exam and blaming the way your lecture teaches you?

Blaming life for being so unfair?

Just seat back, relax and rewind the mistakes, think about it clearly. Maybe it was you, the one to blame.

nb. I'm not saying that the one who responsible for everything that gone wrong in this world is you (or me). Some mistakes are inevitable. All I'm trying to say is stop the buck here, be responsible for all that you've done.

I'm not saying that I'm perfect either. I still blame others for mistakes I'd done. I'm just trying to be more reflective here.

I'm learning to stop the buck, that's the story of my life.

Story of an Amaterur Research Assistant

Finally I have something worthed to do in this long holiday. Not much, but quite fun. I help my lecture doing her research. I only take a little part as an illustrator for her psychological test instrument she's been developing. At first I thought my job would be an easy-piece-of-cake drawing activity (I love drawing, btw). But it's quite exhausting. I've been sit face-to-face with my laptop for more than 8 hours, doing this coloring in photoshop. But like I said, it's fun. I think I would post some update about this research later.

Illustration Card Project WIP

If you really like something, working hard for it won't matter at all, I suppose. I love my busy-ness XD

Story of Something Called IRONY

MERAH PUTIH WALLPAPER by ~callmemoronmangaka on deviantART

 That picture you saw above, mate, happened to be my fanart for a movie called Merah Putih. You can read more about the movie here on its official website.

I was randomly updating my deviantart account when I stumbled on that old fanart post. I was really really really, like, REALLY surprised to see the note that the post have been downloaded more than 6000 hundred times since 2009. Oh my dear God. 

the 6000++ download

I have some options responding to this huge number of download:

1. There has been an error. My post can't be downloaded so many times. Just compare it with the "view" section on the box. It has only been viewed 3000++ times, it doesn't make sense. How can it be downloaded without being viewed??
2. Just accept the reality that people fancy my artwork/fanart. And be thankful for it. It means that I quite have a talent for design. (Ohh, I hear a voice in my head saying "Yeah, right." skeptically). Anyway, it has been posted in many other blogs and websites, and some still credited me.
3. Be mad that it had been downloaded thousand times but I get nothing in return. It was there all the time, and it was free, and people grabbing it easily. If, if only I charge every download, Rp 1000 each (that would cost ONLY 0.1 USD, pals), I'd be rich by now.
4. Deleting the art work/fanart. Because... However, I really have no right to claim anything at all. I have no copyright. All I was doing was just downloading the screencaps from the website, doing some manips in photoshop and voila, came the fanart poster.

I really don't know what to do. The most ironic part is some people commented that my version is much better than the original movie poster. Then came the sequel with its brand-new poster:

I don't know, mate. But I saw what I called as resemblance between my poster and the sequel's poster. It showed in the way they put their cast side by side...
I assume they got the inspiration from my work.
Or not.
Well, blimey, I don't know!

Well I guess I would just cry over the split milk.

This entire post had been the story of my ironic life.

Story of the Mutants

What If You Were a Mutant?

(source: my tumblr post)

 

A mutant, as in X-Men, yes. Maybe the picture above would be your answer. You would try to look normal—obscuring your difference, because being a mutant is an abnormality. 

If you were a mutant, you’d be an outcast; you’d be a freak. If you were a mutant, you might spend a whole day weeping, blaming the fate and asking the unanswered question to life; “Why me? Why am I a mutant?”

As a mutant, it would be hard to admit that you were different from your society. You’d be afraid that society wouldn’t accept who you were. As the result, you’d be struggling so hard to match yourself to your society.  You would disguise your mutanity. By this, you betrayed your true self; your true identity as a mutant.

But, we don’t have to be a mutant to disguise our true personality, do we? Sometime, it’s what we do to show our ideal self, the personality we would like to be. We try to conform, because it would be easier for us to be accepted and liked by others if we had some (or many) similarities. 

Do we really have to be afraid to be different? This line from X-Men First Class could be the answer:

Look of what we will achieve. We are different. But we shouldn’t be trying to fit into society. Society should inspire and be more like us.

Raven Darkholm aka Mystique

So, be brave to show who you are, because however, we are all different ;)