Rock Bands Playing Love Songs = Heartbreakingly Romantic

Oh what a decade of childhood songs.

I was lucky to have an Mtv auntie.

Tanah Airku

Batik for today, baby!

I still remember when Agni Pratistha was asked which one is more important for Indonesia, its water, or its land. She answered that they're equally important, because people around the world may refer their country as "motherland" or "fatherland", Indonesia is the only country its people call "tanah airku", my land and my water.

That answer blew my (and I believe the judges' and viewers') mind away and sticks in my memory.

Ugh so wanna go around nusantara!

Yeah Babe Ruthless!

Personally rated 8 outta 10. Spielberg must be pwoud of Dwew!

Make You Feel My Love

When the rain is blowing in your face
And the whole world is on your case
I would offer you a warm embrace
To make you feel my love

When the evening shadows and the stars appear
And there is no one there to dry your tears
I could hold you for a million years
To make you feel my love

I know you haven't made your mind up yet
But I would never do you wrong
I've known it from the moment that we met
No doubt in my mind where you belong

I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue
I'd go crawling down the avenue
No, there's nothing that I wouldn't do
To make you feel my love

The storms are raging on a rolling sea
Down the highway of regret
The winds of change are blowing wild and free
But you ain't seen nothing like me yet

I could make you happy, make your dreams come true

There is nothing that I wouldn't do

Go to the ends of the earth for you

To make you feel my love

-Bob Dylan-

Tunggu Aku di Jakarta

Masih saja kuteringat kata iringi kau pergi

Jadikan sore itu satu janji

Kau akan kembali untukku, serta untuk diriku

Mengingatku walau aku jauh..

Akupun sempat janjikan, kukayuh semua mimpiku

Kulabuh tepat di kotamu

Dan kaupun slalu janjikan kau kan menungguku datang

Bersatu kembali seperti dulu

Dan bila akupun rindu pada nyamannya kecupmu

Pada indahnya tawamu

Kudendangkan dengan gitar lagu-lagu kesayangan

Sambil kuingat indah wajahmu

Tunggulah aku di Jakartamu

Tempat labuhan semua mimpiku

Tunggulah aku di kota itu

Tempat labuhan semua mimpiku

Sheila on 7 - yang nulis Eross kan mestinya yah?

The song is dedicated to TA, GI, PI, PS, dan PIM. Tunggu aku di Jakarta. Tell me quando. 

Almost 4 Years and Still Rejoicing..

It's 2010 and we can already feel the euphoria of the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 2010 - South Africa.

"And heyy..." I realized something. "It means we are still the reigning champion..."

And I couldn't help smiling, and thanking God once again for the surprise He gave me almost 4 years ago. Even until now, everytime I watch the video of the journey, the bad start, the matches, the last minute miracles, the thrill, the final, the penalty, the last goal, and the celebration, I still feel the sensation, the butterflies, I still hold my breath, I still scream,

I still cry.

I will never ever forget that moment. I will never forget my 'uncle' del Piero's face.

Grosso kicked. Pirlo almost fainted. It's a goal. Everyone jumped. I 'fainted'.

And for this year's big event, maybe yes the squad doesn't look very promising (they didn't look promising 4 years ago as well haha), but I don't care. I've witnessed my team winning the world cup - it's an experience not everyone can have. For me it's enough (but I wouldn't say no if God gives the title once again haha). Now that I can enjoy the event and the games freely without the stomach cramp of scare, knowing and remembering that my team has got 'the title', and as a supporter, I'm 'complete' :)

I thank You I have You. Lots of love.

The Colours, They'll Do the Talking.

The Stain of the Rain, 2008

Are You Ready to Rumble?, 2008

Painful Bleeding Cry, 2008

Darkness Fades and the Dew Marks the Dawn, 2008

Cloudia Utopia, 2008

Oh Randomly So Pretty

"..put a circle around them with a blue pencil, not a red one, for a good map of Rome is red as Rome is red. The blue pencil on Rome's red will mark a violet circle around every fountain, "

Julio Cortazar, from Manual de Instrucciones - 

Instrucciones para matar hormigas en Roma

If I Put a Can of Heineken Beside the Glass,

You'd believe it's beer, wouldn't you?

I brought 2 bottles of Nü green tea to SG :) Now I can have it on my desk along with the homeworks :)

I Thought I Lost You

The story may sounds silly but the object is something crucial. They're the KEYs.

2,5 days of searching e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e praying and asking God to give me a dream about where they were. One night, God woke me up and told me to check a place, that I had checked so many times before. I did it anyway. Eyes wide open heart beat fast, they were there - down under.

It's another miracle. Praise the Lord once again because once again, He answers (even the "little") prayers.

And He will answer my "current" prayer, prayerfully so soon. Amen.

Pointing at Myself

"I will be found by you,"

declares the Lord.

One-Man Wolf Pack. (Bwahahahahaha!!)

"You guys might not know this,
but I consider myself a bit of a loner.

I tend to think of myself as a one-man wolf pack.

But when my sister brought Doug home,

I knew he was one of my own.

And my wolf pack... it grew by one.

So there... there were two of us in the wolf pack...

I was alone first in the pack, and then Doug joined in later.

And six months ago, when Doug introduced me to you guys, I thought, "Wait a second, could it be?"

And now I know for sure, I just added two more guys to my wolf pack.

Four of us wolves, running around the desert together,

in Las Vegas, looking for strippers and cocaine.

So tonight, I make a toast!"

- Alan Garner -

From "The Hangover",

directed by Todd Phillips, written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore.

One Freaky Thursday Morning

2 days ago I had a morning class - woke up early - took a shower - checked what happened in the virtual world - sudden weird gastric pain - never mind - it wasn't that bad - took a bus with roommate - hey the pain was still there - the bus came - sat down - relaxed - the pain got worse - closer and closer to school - couldn't breath - alighted from the bus - couldn't walk - couldn't even stand up - was about to lose consciousness - almost passed out in front of Hotel Rendezvous hahaha - roommate was terrified - she had to rush to 7-11 for medicine and some energy and was late to class :( Sorryyy...!!! - thank God the nearby restaurant was still closed so I could just sit there - and He sent an unoccupied cab to pick me up.

So I skipped the class and went home by taxi instead.

Thank God I recovered super fast - reached home - lied down - got up - no pain at all.

"Your stomach cannot be empty ah!" Now I have an excuse to .. ya know.. eat. Like much.

OK Go!

Imagine how long was the preparation and the amount of thinking and patience and how many times they might fail and had to start again. 

And their legendary treadmill video Y

2010 is Such a Great Year!

This is a 'Happy New Year' bookmark I got from church last year, early January. I had been praying for a particular thing, I hoped He would answer me before I went back to Jakarta for Christmas.

-flying home today-

I hoped He would answer me in Jakarta

-holiday's over-

I remember returning to Singapore with a disappointment and a question in mind, why hasn't God answered my prayer? A friend of mind kept encouraging me not to give up - keep praying, keep pushing. I did, but I had started worrying - quando? quando? quando?

I thought my hope was gone.

On my first Sunday in Singapore, we were told to pick a bookmark from a bowl, they came with different verses, one for everybody. And the verse we got, is the verse of guidance for the whole year 2009.

I couldn't wait to see what's 'my' verse.. :

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for the righteousness, for they shall be filled."
Matthew 5 : 6

Wow. I was stunned. It's for me. I knew it's Him, it's His voice. I looked up and smiled back at Him. His words boosted up my spirit, I was ready to fight again - I believed I was close.

And that's right, I was close :)

The very next week, He answered me, I got what I'd been asking for.

God listens. I have witnessed His unexpected and miraculous ways of answering prayers, . 

And this year, 2010, year of healing and abundance, I have one new thing to ask in prayer. 

I believe His answer is around the corner :)

*        *        *

2010 adalah tahun pemulihan dan kelimpahan, amin!

"..Aku datang, supaya mereka mempunyai hidup, dan mempunyainya dalam segala kelimpahan."  Yohanes 10 : 10b

"..I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10 : 10b 

FX Harsono : Testimonies - Continued

This is so last term, I know. 

So last-last day in Singapore we went to Singapore Art Museum again. (Ahh of course!) free admission for Lasalle students :) But we had to go to school in less then 1 hour so we entered only one venue to see the 'unseen' before. Halah. See related post.

"I lost the notes I took," I confessed. Am confess-ing. 

" Sorry.." Am apologizing. 

Some of them can be understood by looking at the title, some of them need some time and thinking, some of them are 'best understood explained'. Does it sound right? Hahaha taken from 'best- served-chilled'. 

Nah. Found great article from NY Times, FX Harsono's Rebellious, Critical Voice Againts 'Big Power' in Indonesia written by Sonie Kolesnikov-Jessop. Thou shalt read now for further info.

I just realized most photos I took are the installations hahah - only these are 2ds. There were also bunch of great paintings I weirdly didn't click - coz I'm such a 2d person.

"Slim? You mean?" Hahahah! 

Republik Indochaos, 1998

Burned Victims, 1998

And wait for it..

wait for it..

these are 2 of my favs :

It's the letter "K"

And this is an "I"

Voice without Voice/Sign, 1993-94

It's D-E-M-O-K-R-A-S-I

3 letters : W-O-W

And this was so 'my kinda art' back in junior high, what I had in mind about conceptual art.

The Voices Controlled by the Powers, 1994

Pronouced |jēnyəs|

Social Injustices in Les Misérables

First project of the new major : creating a series of black and white illustrations (20cm x 20cm) depicting scenes of social injustice found in Les Mis / Oliver Twist / Of Mice and Man / Grapes of Wrath.

Pizza boxes?

Tholomyes abandons Fantine and young Cosette.

Jean Valjean is sentenced to 19 years in prison after stealing bread for his starving family.

As an ex-convict, Valjean sleeps on the street, no inn takes him in.

Fantine falls down and dies after Javert reveals that Valjean is an ex-convict.

Cosette is treated as a child labor by the Thénardiers

Valjean breaks down and loses his will to live when Marius takes Cosette away from him.

Medium & techniques : Drawing pen on paper, dye cuts, and pop-ups.

Work-in-Progress showcase February 25th-26th, 2010.

Joining the Film Faculty

for one day and kapok ah.

One fine Sunday afternoon | Sitting 'diligently' in the National Library 

Drowning | in stacks of books about | ... film?

I've been hearing horror stories about the faculty from a friend whose housemate and friends are film students in my school and I can imagine how hard their lives are. Heavy films and critiques. Essays in excellent English. Challenging obstacles in finding actors and crew and locations and funds and else. Complicated equipments and techniques. All the directing all the editing. 

Nah, my major now is strongly related with films : visualizations, interpretations, characters, styles, stories, and many ways to tell stories. Thanks God they're all the fun parts. Hahahah.

But like it or not, particularly for this essay titled 'film critique', digging beyond the visuals and plots is unavoidable. It's time to explore a new world - the film books section.

After taking books with reasonable and convincing titles from the racks - from the new world - I began reading. It's fun! For the first 2 hours.

Then..

Uhm..

Okay.. enough enough stand up stretching time.

I'm quite certain that the real film students read heavier books. That's tough. And they survive.

Passion for films are vital, ability to love that world not only when being a spectator. Loving films are easy, everyone does love going to cinema, who don't? - but when we have to leave the comfy couch and work behind the scene can we still love it?

About critiquing a film and critiquing itself, we're getting so used to it after 2,5 years in art school, and 20 something years of life, we are critiqued and we learn to critique, the ability is a must for both observers and creators, and we must be able to be both. Now read this post found in Joko Anwar's blog.

"if you can love a movie and other people can’t, it’s their lost. If I don’t like a movie, it’s my lost, too."

  Joko Anwar, again.        

Hmmh....See the point. So..

Critique hurts, critique builds.

It depends on the intention,

and the reactions.

It depends on the language,

and the level of emotions involved.

Need something punchier? (in wider context) 

About the intention : 

Matthew 7:3-5     

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

Hebrews 3:13

"But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness"

      

Matthew 7:1    

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged."               

About the reaction : 

"..but wisdom is found in those who take advice." Proverbs 13:10b 

"Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, 
 but he who hates correction is stupid. " Proverbs 12:1

* * * 

I was flipping through a book of international database of film directors and spotted a familiar name....

Heyyy.. Slamet Rahardjo!

After 10 Days in Wonderland..

I'm now recharged and ready for new adventures in the lion city, thank You God for the approximately 240 fun hours in the capital J :)

So last week my big brother, after more than 2 years, finally came back from Beijing hahahah, and thanks God last week was also my project week (a week for catching up unfinished projects - and my projects, including the .. essay.. were all done :) and there was no shocking news from school about new projects to finish before the project week ended:) so I could also go back to Jakarta and extend my visit a.k.a maksa to 10 days. Haha.

Oh, the nite before the flight,

I found this in a secret hidden garden in the corner of the Heeren :

Wah lao so artistic ar (kepincut mode on)!!! I admit I grabbed it.

I took bus to Changi in the morning - Singapore city sightseeing before Jakarta - both are differently fun! And I love taking morning flight, because I'll be landing on lunch time ahahah so can straight away go makan in Hokben!

The rest of the week are full of fun stuff and activities, including sleeeepiiinggg in my room kyaaaaa...!

Okay my lil bro is now almost as tall as my big bro it means who's the shortest no answer nor thinking required.

I don't know why but I love love love bunderan HI sooo much - always feel this wuoowww sensation everytime I see the fountain and the surroundings. Ah, this is Jakarta, my hometown..phone camera's always out and on. Click this angle. Click that angle. Frame the other parts of the city. Capture scenes of Jakarta. "Jakarta", with bule accent.

"Jakartaaaaaaa...!"

rain - shine - bright - dull, the week had them all.

Btw and fyi, Java Jazz orange banners were everywhere. Gyaaaaaaaa whyyy John? Why mr.Gontha? Why? Why must pay extra? Whaaaaiii? Okay bye.

Small people working hard for a big brand, literally.

I'm sick of Take Me Out (and still, not the host) hahahahah and the local gossips weren't so interesting.. ya know.. Mas Anang.. the 'serious' media and even infotainments were too busy reporting, mourning, and laughing, from the parliament building. The.. uhm, huh, zzZzz.., and STILL, what shud we do with CenturyGate!?

Chaotic, inside and outside. Sorry for the photo, like the case itself, blurred.

Oh finally watched Glee (wow an achievement) haha, hmm, I didn't find that episode very entertaining tho. So they just sing in perfect harmony right after receiving the notes? It's weird hahahah. I expected to see the process (sounds like Lasalle). Then do the songs have anything to do with the storyline in general?

From Glee to food, randomly sorry, as usual, Jakarta = carbs for breakfast, carbs for lunch, carbs for dinner, plus mom's choco-cream cake. Thanks God the scale said okay - my weight was even miraculously reduced 2 days after going back to SG wowwww :):):)

During that 10 days, 3o meals, I ate Hokben 3 times --- hihiy.

Weird art : It's Depot Surabaya's Soto Madura with chilleii.

Next time must eat Bakso Mahkota yah don't forget loh.

I actually found many cheap (compared to SG) T-shirts with 'approved' graphics and smart funny words in Jakarta, 90% of them are either too big or too small. Only bought one (actually want some more but didn't dare asking dad hahahah), from Alun-Alun Indonesia - definitely will go hunting next time ;p

Pattimura, a national hero from the Moluccas, east Indonesia.

Watched 2 movies, both with each brother (and the girlfriend hahahah), both in Blitz (gaya ajeh), both are movies (that sound) "childish". Chris Columbus' Percy Jackson (menelan ludah sendiri hahahah, abis si dede minta gimanah) 6 out of 10 lah katanya - the movie's fast - easy - lazy.

And Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, hurrayy for the visuals but beneran deh, ngantuk, also fast and easy, didn't feel any tense, the only character that kept me awake was the Red Queen (Helena Bohlam Carter). Oh standing ovation for mentioning Jakarta, Sumatra, and Borneo!!! - expand your business here, Alice! Bisnis apaan yah jangan2 illegal logging lagi hahahahah.

When we reached Pacific Place's cinema I realized something --- I totally forgot about 3 Idiots kyaaaaaaa....I seriously forgot watching 3 Idiots was on the list of things to do in Jakarta. DVD please be OUT a.s.a.p!!!

Spotted Rizky Hanggono in PP, the poor sick guy from Ungu Violet, oh ternyata in person dia GANTENG BANGET with all the jenggot.

Hihi.