... is perfectly spent when you listen to music like this...
For dear Yean Ching and Cindy!!!
I got y'all's card, thanks for making me real happy
I'm pretty bad at keeping in touch, so sorry
I'm not that busy, I'm just being annoyingly lazy
But I do read all emails from both of you, Alice, Lita and Dwee
I promise that I'll reply more dilligently!
Thanks for still sticking up with me
Even now when we all, except you, Yeanching, have turned 23
have grown more and questionably become a little less crazy
I'm thankful that we've kept this bond strongly
I really want to go back badly
But I think I have to save up money ;(
And I know that someday we'll have our reunion party
In Singapore, Jakarta, Medan, Malaysia, or Duri
It doesn't matter as long as we meet up eventually
One heck of a reunion it'll be!!!
From VJ, Vhall, harmoc, study hall, and ECP
(I miss eating stingray with chili)
To now where we're somehow "together" in Chem E
I wish you all the best for your FYP
That you'll find good jobs and one day be a VP!
So add oil now and get that Bachelor's Degree!!!
Anyways, it's getting harder finding words that end with "ee"
So, I'm gonna stop before I get too corny
Thanks again my dear dear friend and ex-roomie!!!!
Miss u guys!!!!!
Boston, 28 Nov 2009
It's my birthday! Woo Hoo!!!! A happy girl having a happy birthday :) So much things to be thankful of that I would run out of fingers to count.
But this post is not about my birthday, but about google wave that I just got from Yean Ching!!! So unnecessarily super happy about it. hahaha... I've been talking about this with a friend at school and we're like.. nobody invites us :( But he sent a request from the website to get one and then after several months he got it about a week ago. But somehow there's something wrong and he couldn't really do much in it and he can't send invitations.
But now I got it! And being technologically retarded, I don't really know how to use it, even though I'm excited! Hahaha... so first thing I did to advance myself: sent an invitation to my sister who is a LOT more tech savvy and have more patience coupled with interest to fiddle with this kind of stuff. And asked her to teach me all about it afterwards... ;) Ah see, there's a beauty in having siblings with different interests.
I found this cute video on youtube about googlewave, and liked it a lot! So cuteee!
Let's wave!!!
It's my birthday! Woo Hoo!!!! A happy girl having a happy birthday :) So much things to be thankful of that I would run out of fingers to count.
But this post is not about my birthday, but about google wave that I just got from Yean Ching!!! So unnecessarily super happy about it. hahaha... I've been talking about this with a friend at school and we're like.. nobody invites us :( But he sent a request from the website to get one and then after several months he got it about a week ago. But somehow there's something wrong and he couldn't really do much in it and he can't send invitations.
But now I got it! And being technologically retarded, I don't really know how to use it, even though I'm excited! Hahaha... so first thing I did to advance myself: sent an invitation to my sister who is a LOT more tech savvy and have more patience coupled with interest to fiddle with this kind of stuff. And asked her to teach me all about it afterwards... ;) Ah see, there's a beauty in having siblings with different interests.
I found this cute video on youtube about googlewave, and liked it a lot! So cuteee!
Let's wave!!!
when I was a kid was to be a librarian. For a long time that was my dream. I had others, too, but the librarian phase stayed the longest. My parents told me that I won't have much money, but when I was small I had not the slightest doubt that money is not everything. Then I grew up a little and got a bit corrupted. So, I wanted to have a book rental so I can have more income. In primary school, I did that for a while, renting my books that were mostly Doraemon and Lupus to my friends. One of my friend apparently brought my book with her to the bathroom and dropped it into the tub. I got my super wrinkled book back and didn't have the heart to ask her to replace it. So, then I learnt, got corrupted a little more, and wanted to open up a local book shop instead. You know, like the ones on Paris' narrow streets, those with flowers outside the shop, and striped awnings above the windows. The ones where people go in during rains and sit on the fluffed couch to read and sip latte. Yea, those ones where the owners know customers by name and know enough of their favorite genres to recommend. And I would put these things in my shop:
And although it's unlikely that I would follow through this dream, I'm still keeping it as my plan B... or C.
And although it's unlikely that I would follow through this dream, I'm still keeping it as my plan B... or C.
No doubt that Bahasa Indonesia is one of the easiest languages to master. I don't know much about linguistic and I've never done scientific comparison to other languages, and maybe I could be bias since it's my native language, but I'm pretty sure I'm right. I mean, how hard can it be? Without any reference to time in the grammar, such as present, past, future, and without reference to gender, it couldn't be that hard. We use Romans alphabet, we use a loooot of adapted English words, there is no specific tone, and to make it even simpler, there's only one rule for plurality: repeat the word twice. There is also no strict grammar rules with regards to what comes first.
Here is an example of three sentences saying the same thing:
Saya makan kemarin. (Word to word translation: I eat yesterday. Notice there's no past tense form in the verb "eat")
Kemarin saya makan. (Yesterday I eat)
Saya kemarin makan. (I yesterday eat)
An example used by my Bahasa Indonesia teacher when I was in middle school:
Kucing makan tikus mati kemarin di dapur. (Cat eat mouse dead yesterday in the kitchen)
Depending on how you say it, it can mean the following things below:
A cat ate a dead rat yesterday in the kitchen.
A cat is eating, a rat died yesterday in the kitchen.
A cat that ate a rat died yesterday in the kitchen.
A cat is eating a rat that died yesterday in the kitchen.
And there is this well-known TV commercial in Indonesia about "minyak kayu putih" which is an oil from leucadendron tree which you rub on your stomach, chest, or back to reduce nausea or to bring comfort during a cold or flu. And they wanted to promote using it for kids, so they came up with a slogan:
Buat anak kok coba-coba.
Which may mean two things:
Why would you experiment things on your kids. (Use their well-known brand) OR
Why would you experiment making babies.
So, as we can see learning and using Bahasa Indonesia can be "gampang-gampang susah" which literally means "easy easy hard." Hahaha... it's easy to learn I guess, but as it is with any other languages, it would take time to master.
And so this is the end of my very short lesson on Bahasa Indonesia. Now, go find a real language instructor to actually learn something useful ;)
Here is an example of three sentences saying the same thing:
Saya makan kemarin. (Word to word translation: I eat yesterday. Notice there's no past tense form in the verb "eat")
Kemarin saya makan. (Yesterday I eat)
Saya kemarin makan. (I yesterday eat)
An example used by my Bahasa Indonesia teacher when I was in middle school:
Kucing makan tikus mati kemarin di dapur. (Cat eat mouse dead yesterday in the kitchen)
Depending on how you say it, it can mean the following things below:
A cat ate a dead rat yesterday in the kitchen.
A cat is eating, a rat died yesterday in the kitchen.
A cat that ate a rat died yesterday in the kitchen.
A cat is eating a rat that died yesterday in the kitchen.
And there is this well-known TV commercial in Indonesia about "minyak kayu putih" which is an oil from leucadendron tree which you rub on your stomach, chest, or back to reduce nausea or to bring comfort during a cold or flu. And they wanted to promote using it for kids, so they came up with a slogan:
Buat anak kok coba-coba.
Which may mean two things:
Why would you experiment things on your kids. (Use their well-known brand) OR
Why would you experiment making babies.
So, as we can see learning and using Bahasa Indonesia can be "gampang-gampang susah" which literally means "easy easy hard." Hahaha... it's easy to learn I guess, but as it is with any other languages, it would take time to master.
And so this is the end of my very short lesson on Bahasa Indonesia. Now, go find a real language instructor to actually learn something useful ;)
Ithaca, 21 Nov 09
Trying to complain less each day ;) And actually do something instead.
Trying to complain less each day ;) And actually do something instead.
Setelah sekiaaan lama, akhirnya saya mengalami lagi yang namanya gairah baca buku: bener2 ga bisa ditinggalin, mesti baca sampe habis, dan bener akhirnya baca langsung dari awal sampe selesai karena mungkin saya takut mati penasaran. Dari dulu emang saya suka baca buku2nya Dewi Lestari dan jadinya udah ada "brand image", sama seperti saya harus rus rus beli Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia, saya harus baca bukunya Dewi. Yak, saya cukup loyal dalam hal beginian. Tapi beneran, rasanya terakhir kali baca buku sekali tancap begini itu waktu masih baca Lupus, itu pun karena Lupus ceritanya ringan dan pendek, hampir seperti disuapi tanpa usaha dan imaginasi. Makanya saya jadi seneng banget dan mulai sebar2in ke temen2 biar baca buku ini. Ceritanya cukup ketebak sebenernya dan unsur chicklit-nya lumayan besar, tapi gaya ceritanya bikin penasaran, humornya menghibur, dan ada sedikit2 unsur filosofi yang bikin ceritanya dalem.Yang bikin menarik itu juga konsep dari perahu kertas yang dilayarkan ke Dewa Neptunus. Ini yang membuat saya berpikir sebenernya tiap orang punya dunia khayalannya sendiri2. Dunia lain di dalam pikiran dan hati yang kita masuki untuk istirahat dari dunia kita yang asli. Sebagai orang "dewasa" kita tau kalau dunia itu sangat palsu sepalsu-palsunya, tapi tetep aja dunia palsu itu penting buat kita untuk menggila sejenak dan jadi diri sendiri. Seperti saya, salah satu dunia palsu saya ya Raisin Cookie Land ini. Di awal2 semester dulu di Austin (waktu saya masih muda... ciaelaa), hampir tiap hari saya beli oatmeal raisin cookie di Seattle's Best Coffee soalnya itu "tempat makan" yang paling deket dari gedung Tekkim. Rasanya ada yang kurang kalo ga makan itu. Dan saya duduk makan cookie sambil liat2in orang lewat, berfikir2, dan masuk ke dunia saya sendiri. Udah lupa juga ya mikirin apa, tapi rasanya cookie itu jadi temen saya dan comfort zone saya. Mungkin kaya bayi yang tenang kalo ketemu empeng, saya juga lebih damai kalo ketemu cookie. Tapi lama2 saya kurangi frekwensi beli cookienya setelah dikasih tau kira2 kalorinya brapa. Saya kira oatmeal+raisin = sangat sehat, tapi saya lupa mereka juga taro bejibun gula.
Tapi intinya itu, lumayan menyenangkan punya dunia2 lain yang mengalihkan kita dari realitas yang memaku. Bukan artinya melarikan diri, tapi lebih ke melepaskan pikiran ke sesuatu yang luas di mana ga ada orang yang bilang "ga mungkin". Kadang2 berasa beda tipis ya sama gila. Tapi seperti quotation berikut ini yang saya dah lupa pertama liat di mana, "craziness is necessary to keep us sane".
Jadi, coba deh baca sendiri aja perahu kertasnya... hahaha dah mulai berasa ngelantur...
What does 'Love' mean? A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does 'love' mean?'
The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:
'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'
Rebecca- age 8
'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'
Billy - age 4
'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on
shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.'
Karl - age 5
'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.'
Laraine, age 6
'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'
Terri - age 4
'Love is when my mummy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'
Danny - age 7
'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.
My Mummy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss'
Emily - age 8
'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.'
Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)
'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,'
Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)
'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.'
Noelle - age 7
'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.'
Tommy - age 6
'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'
Cindy - age 8
'My mummy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.'
Clare - age 6
'Love is when Mummy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'
Elaine-age 5
'Love is when Mummy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.'
Chris - age 7
'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day'
Mary Ann - age 4
'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'
Lauren - age 4
'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and ittle stars come out of you.' (what an image)
Karen - age 7
'Love is when Mummy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.'
Mark - age 6
'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'
Jessica - age 8
And the final one --
Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a con test he was asked to judge.
The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.
The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.
Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.
When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbour,
the little boy said, 'Nothing, I just helped him cry'
The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:
'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'
Rebecca- age 8
'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'
Billy - age 4
'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on
shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.'
Karl - age 5
'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.'
Laraine, age 6
'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'
Terri - age 4
'Love is when my mummy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'
Danny - age 7
'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.
My Mummy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss'
Emily - age 8
'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.'
Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)
'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,'
Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)
'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.'
Noelle - age 7
'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.'
Tommy - age 6
'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'
Cindy - age 8
'My mummy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.'
Clare - age 6
'Love is when Mummy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'
Elaine-age 5
'Love is when Mummy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.'
Chris - age 7
'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day'
Mary Ann - age 4
'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'
Lauren - age 4
'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and ittle stars come out of you.' (what an image)
Karen - age 7
'Love is when Mummy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.'
Mark - age 6
'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'
Jessica - age 8
And the final one --
Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a con test he was asked to judge.
The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.
The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.
Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.
When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbour,
the little boy said, 'Nothing, I just helped him cry'
Ithaca, 9 October 2009
...like this, every night.
I haven't been reading much lately, and my attention span for reading is deteriorating badly. I hardly finish a book nowadays, I somehow read them halfway. Now I sort of having cravings for books again and I probably have time in the next couple of days since Fall break is here!!! Such great timing to have a break. I'm gonna pay Barnes and Noble's a visit tonight and read these books...
...while listening to Digby, Corrinne May, and Francesca Batistelli, and sipping my Starbucks coffee. Life sounds heavenly...
I haven't been reading much lately, and my attention span for reading is deteriorating badly. I hardly finish a book nowadays, I somehow read them halfway. Now I sort of having cravings for books again and I probably have time in the next couple of days since Fall break is here!!! Such great timing to have a break. I'm gonna pay Barnes and Noble's a visit tonight and read these books...
Ithaca, October 7 2009
We took that picture in Escape, Singapore. Me and my buttered shelled sweet corn, she and her pink cotton candy. We were about 15 or 16, maybe? Very much giggly and easily high on sugar. But beneath what seemed to be a naive friendship and silly conversations was what I experienced as a deep, meaningful bond. We came from different worlds, we had our own problems, we complained, cried, misunderstood, and at times we hurt others and probably ourselves. And I still have no idea how we did it, but somehow by the mystery of this cosmic world, we clicked, and got through the seemingly vast differences and weird teenage hormones. It's not always perfect, we fought, too, as what two childish stubborn people often do,but it's all good.
So, dear Kaye,
On this special day, I can't see you, hug you, or beat you in chess, but I still want to wish you a very happy birthday!! I wish you health and happiness, joy and peace, and a beautiful purposeful life!!! And of course as always, a pretty boy who cares much about you ;)
I can't believe we are 23 this year. I still can't wrap that fact around my head. Gosh, we were cute, Kaye, but it's time to move on.. hahaha... I'm pretty happy you got to turn 23 first ;) Cheers for you, for adulthood, and for cosmic mysteries!
So, dear Kaye,
On this special day, I can't see you, hug you, or beat you in chess, but I still want to wish you a very happy birthday!! I wish you health and happiness, joy and peace, and a beautiful purposeful life!!! And of course as always, a pretty boy who cares much about you ;)
I can't believe we are 23 this year. I still can't wrap that fact around my head. Gosh, we were cute, Kaye, but it's time to move on.. hahaha... I'm pretty happy you got to turn 23 first ;) Cheers for you, for adulthood, and for cosmic mysteries!
