MeL's Chatterbox

Torn

2010-06-23T13:24:00.005+10:00

"They say follow your heart..

but when your heart is broken into two..

which way am I to follow?"

Three Girls in The Kimchi World

2009-09-30T23:47:00.027+10:00

The Seoul!

Last week me and two of my girlfriends went on holiday to Korea. Why Korea?
Those of you who are Korean drama freak must knew the reason. My friend who (i assumed) watched Korean drama more than Korean people itself asked me to go to Korea on Lebaran* holiday. She said she fell in love with what she saw in the drama; the style and fashion, the language (she keep saying iputta, which then I found out that it means cute), the oppa (she hopes to meet cute young men she could call him oppa like in the movie), and of course the food. I watched Korean drama too ages ago when I still in highschool and it was nice. So I thought why don't we go and see the real lifestyle up there.

So we started to look for tickets and hotels. If you must know, this happened in March. So we already busy looking for plane tickets 6 months before D-day. We decided to go on our own and not join holiday tour because we thought it would be much fun this way. Besides we could escape the boring Ginseng and Limestone or other stone museum and go shopping instead, right?

The plane ticket is quite expensive at Lebaran. We could get a cheap flight by using Jetstar but the journey itself will drive us mad:

Jakarta – Singapore (Jetstar) at around 10 pm and then wait in Singapore airport waiting for Singapore – Hongkong flight at 6 am. Then we have to take another flight by using Cathay Pacific which goes from HK to Korea regulary. The total cost this way would be around US$750 return. The downside is we waste too much time in the journey.

So instead we chose Cathay Pacific Airlanes from Jakarta to Seoul. Since all Cathay flights have to transit in Hongkong, we could stop by in Hongkong free of charges *Horay*. The flight cost US$930 return.

Sept 18,
Flew to Hongkong early in the morning and the plane landed at 2 pm. HK’s weather is too hot. It was around 33 deg C, even in the afternoon. Blah!
Since Hongkong is on the list of the most expensive city to live for, we didn't want to waste our money by using a Taxi to go to our hotel. We decided to use a public transport. Choices are MTR (subway) or public bus. Hm.. which way to go? how to buy the ticket? Thank God the tourist information center in Hongkong is right in front of the exit hall, founding one is a piece of cake.

After we arrived at the hotel which located strategically right in the middle of Hongkong island, my aunt pick us up for dinner. We took the MTR, walked briskly from one mall to other malls, which magically interconnected through the basement. Then we arrived at Causeway bay where we took pictures of beautiful view of buildings filled with neon signs along the bay. Shopping? Nah, I save my money for Seoul =).

Sept 19,
Woke up as early as I can then hunt for breakfast. We originally wanted to eat dimsum but cannot find any L (I know! Hongkong supposed to be full of chinese restaurant selling dimsum but we really cannot find any, well maybe we just can't read the sign ha-ha).

We grabbed a quick breakfast, which is pork with vermicelli + egg + toast + coffee (it was a quick breakfast, trust me) then we went straight away to DISNEYLAND. Wohoo!

There is a special train that goes to Disneyland only. The train is fully decorated with Disney pictures and product, just looking at it makes me want to jump in joy. I and my friend straight away busy taking pictures of the train, and ourself – of course. Even the hand handle have a shape of Mickey Mouse’s head. Cute!

The theme is Halloween, so there are few rides and ghost houses which are freakin’ scary. Other than that there were Golden Mickey show, Lion King show, and Disney 3D Movie which are very recommended. "The Land" wasn't very busy that day, so I had a chance to took pictures with disney character such as Mickey, Mini, Goofy, and Mulan with only 5 minutes queue. =)

HK’s Disneyland is not as big as the one in Japan and America but it took us the whole day to finish. We got there at 11 am and went back at 10 pm just after fireworks up on the castle.

The day was not offer yet. After Disneyland we rushed our way to Mongkok where we had dinner in Modern Toilet’s restaurant. The restaurant's décor is inspired by bathroom. The table is made of bathtub (I think they are real bathtubs) and the chair is made of toilets. Even the plate and bowl is in toilet design. Lucky that the food taste good, it wasn’t disgusting at all.

FYI, the shops in Mongkok opens until 12 am on Saturday. Guess Hongkong’s never sleeps.

Sept 20,
Early flight to Incheon, Seoul.
The flight from HK to Seoul took only 3 hours. I had a reservation at Dongdaemun Hotel in Dongdaemun market. There are airport buses which took us from Airport to Dongdamun and it cost 9,000 won per person. Tania, my sweetest dearest friend who took flight from Melbourne has arrived and met us in the hotel. It was good to see her after a year separated by ocean. We went to eat Korean BBQ for dinner. We also ordered Soju (Korean spirit) to celebrate the start of a good holiday. The Korean way of eating BBQ it is fun; wrap the meat, kimchi, rice, and sauce by a lettuce then eat it in a mouthful. Our belly was so satisfied. It was delicious!

Before going back to the hotel we went for a little shopping spree. Dongdamun is full of markets and shopping malls. It wasn’t a “five star” shopping malls, but there are buildings all full of clothes and accessories. Mostly they sell in bulk. Some stuff you can bargain and some you can’t. Korean aren’t Chinese, they don’t mark up the price extensively you can bargain less than half price. Like the shirt I bought cause 40,000 won, down from 48,000.

Sept 21,
It was raining so we went to Lotte World, the indoor & outdoor theme park, which cost 35,000 won.

It was.. hm.. lets just say that there are no better theme park than Disneyland. and I wouldn’t suggest you to go there unless you have kids.

The indoor theme park was boring and the mini rollercoaster gave us headache caused by the banging of our heads against the safety belt on the chair. The outdoor theme park are for more thrilling rides. From my eyes, it wasn't looking too bad, except that out head already spining caused by the stupid rollercoaster in the indoor ones. I think there is really something wrong with the safety chair in the indoor roller coaster. I have tried rollercoaster in the Movie World and Dream World in Australia and they were just fine. Sigh, such a waste.

Sept 22,

Mount Sorak (Sorak-san).

Mt. Sorak is full of snow in the winter (you can ski!), beautiful view of the mountain with walking track for hiking surrounded with lots of colorful autumn trees. There are Giant sitting Buddha and also Buddhist Temple. Definitely worth to see.

Since no many blogs/website explain how to get to Mt. Sorak, I would describe it here.

How to get to Mt. Sorak:
There are two ways you can get to Mt. Sorak: by using Intercity bus or using the Express bus. The difference is that the Express bus will took the highway so it would be ½ hour faster than the Intercity bus depending on the traffic.

Intercity bus:
Take the Seoul Metro to Gangbyeon station (line 2). The Intercity bus terminal would be just across the station. Ask for bus to Sokcho. It cost 16,700 won by day, and cheaper if you choose the night bus.

Express bus:
Take the Seoul Metro to Express Bus Terminal (line 3). Ask for bus to Sokcho and it will cost 15,700 (cheaper bus) or 23,400 (executive bus).

Once you get to Sokcho, the Mt. Sorak would be just 15 minutes away by a taxi.
If you are really on a budget you can catch a bus no. 7 or 7-1 which will go around Sockho and to Sorak Mountain (cost 1000 won)

Giant Buddha Statue (above) and Bongjeongam Buddhist Hermitage (below)

Sept 23,
We took the number 7 bus and went around Sockho city. There are fish markets where you can get fresh fish and sushi. Drama freak alert! There are movie location spot: Autumn in my heart by Song Hae Kyo and Won Bin. It is the port and small food shop where Eun-seo spent her childhood. You can go in to the small shop too.

We took the return bus back to Seoul and arrived in the afternoon. We spent our afternoon and nights for dinner and shopping in Myeongdong. There are lots of cute accessories and clothing at a reasonable price. I freaked and shopped too much *sigh*.

Sept 24,
Lets go explore Seoul. We went on the Seoul City Tour Bus for self touring around the city (10,000 won) where you can get in and get off the bus on the recommended tourist spot around Seoul:
- Deoksugung Palace
- Myeongdong (shopping district you don’t wanna miss)
- Namsagol Traditional Korean Village
- Seoul Tower
- Changdeokgun Palace (The biggest one in Korea, well preserved and designated as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage, which made us lost inside the Secret Garden -_-)
- Insadong (Tourist spot for traditional Korean teahouse, craft shops, and antique shops)
- Many many more.
The bus operated from 9 am to 7 am, so if you want to see all the tourist locations you better be hurry.

Sept 25,
Back to Myeongdong and Dongdaemun for more shopping! We hunt for fake designer’s handbag hahaha.

Myongdong Market

Sept 26,
Back to Jakarta via Hongkong. What a fantastic holiday. Yi-pee!!!

Travel Tips:

Remember the telephone number 1330. It is the tourist help center. The only tourist help-lines who can speak English (seriously!).

If you do not eat pork, do worry. Most dishes in Korea are pork. Pork are cheaper than chicken and beef. Plus they are delicious too.. hi hi hi... :p

Do try Bimbimbab instead. It is vegetarian and a must have Korean dishes.

You have to take a photo wearing Hanbok (Korean traditional dress). You can borrow it cheap in the Changdeokgung Palace (1000 won).

Oh, don't forget to purchase BB Cream (Blemish Balm Cream) while you were in Korea. Korean loves BB cream. It is a light foundation to cover imperfection and also to moisturize your skin. BB cream are available in most of Korean make up stores. I would recommend Faceshop for the affordable ones and Hanskin for the better yet pricey ones.

Geez, Seoul is so much fun.. more than what I imagined. I love the food and the kimchi. I love the shopping too! Right now I love Korean style more than Indonesian or Aussiez. The girls all look so fashionable in Seoul. I imagine if I work in Seoul I'll be wearing high heels, fashionable skirts and blouse with a scarf. Then I would have my hair done up in Korean style. My face would be so soft and clean due to BB cream and good weather. Hm, should I move to Seoul then?

Oh well, perhaps I should stop dreaming and get back to reality (in Jakarta) =P

As for now I just wanna say this:

I had a blast. Thank you very much Seoul! ^_^

* Lebaran is day of celebration at end of fasting month for Moslem.

Morning Thoughts

2009-08-02T01:59:00.004+10:00

A zip of morning coffee, tea, and a newspaper.
Wishing that I could be outdoor enjoying the sun in a morning breeze,
and yet I was trapped inside of a high-end mall.

Looking at women in a trendy clothes and designer handbags.
Looking at men waiting for their spouses went shopping.
At the girls proudly showing off their legs and belly,
And at the guys with the latest mobile phone.

This is what my life is now.
Trapped from buildings to buildings.
Trapped with people showing off.

My life is good.
Praise God for that.

2009-07-18T02:50:00.001+10:00

There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread
(Mother Teresa)

- heal the world, make peace with yourself -

Dedicated to JW. Marriott & Ritz Carlton Bombing (July 17th, 2009)

Part of Human Life Funny jokes

2009-07-08T02:43:00.013+10:00

People are:

creative...

and brave...

and silly...

and determined...

and overly creative...

though sometimes people failed...

but after all... we are just human...

Source : sweet_jokes@yahoogroups.com

What have technology done to us?

2009-06-28T03:06:00.011+10:00

I always wonder why some people are willing to be in a long queue for snack (example: Sour Sally).

I just found the answer.

They are Blackberry user.

Longer line means more time to answer their chat(s) and/or email(s).

Freak?

If you read this, and you are one of them, maybe you should consider yourself join this:
No, this is not a joke =P

Image borrowed from: Crackberry addict

Lift Me Up

2009-06-20T00:11:00.005+10:00

This beautiful song has kept me from falling apart.
Keep it strong. Keep it tall. Because life must go on.
Enjoy... :)

Kate Voegele - Lift Me Up.mp3

This road is anything but simple,
Twisted like a riddle, I've seen High, I've seen low.
So loud, the voices over my doubts,
Telling me to give up, pack up, leave town.
Even so I had to believe, Impossible means nothing to me,

Can you lift me up?
Turn the ashes into flames,
I have overcome more than words can ever say,
I've been given hope that there's a light on up the hall,
And a day will come when the fight is won,
I think that day had just begun.

Somewhere, everybody starts there,
Counting on a small prayer, lost in a nightmare.
You're here, suddenly it's so clear,
The struggle through the long years,
It's hard for me to outrun my fears.
But everything that's worth having, Comes with trials worth withstanding.

Can you lift me up?
Turn the ashes into flames,
I have overcome more than words can ever say,
I've been given hope that there's a light on up the hall,
And a day will come when the fight is won, And I think that day has just begun.

Oh lift me up, Oh lift me up,
Oh lift me up, Oh lift me up,

Down and out is overrated,
I need to be elevated,
Looking up is not enough,
I would rather rise above, Oh, Oh, Oh.

30.05.09

2009-06-02T00:04:00.011+10:00

The guys in the office surprises me with an early birthday present!

Thank you so much guys... a surprise gift is much better than a fancy predictable ones ;)

Oopss.. you can see that I had loads of papers that I need to work on; and still I was playing Tip-Top game on my laptop. Haha...

Employee of the month is definitely not in my scope =P

Also, CupCakes from my lovely niece...
PS. she's selling cupcakes, if you are interested do not hesitate to message me :) - Jabotabek only

I had a great birthday blast more than what I expected.

~Thank you all ~

Wisata Alam Gunung Mas

2009-05-13T10:41:00.014+10:00

Saturday May 9th, I woke up at 5.30 am, get dressed (let's say I forgot to take a shower) and jump in the car. I and family were going to do a tea walk at Gunung Mas (GM), Puncak. Gunung Mas, means Gold Mountain in english, is a government's own tea plantation district that is open for public. From Jakarta to there at normal traffic will only take 2 hours.

We left the house at 6.00 AM hoping to reach GM before 8. We hoped to get there faster than normal since it was so early in the Saturday morning. The traffic was pretty good in Jakarta, but not until we get off the highway and reached Ciawi. From there on the traffic was so bad, the car only can go up to 5 - 10 km/hr. Geez, our prediction was wrong. Apparently there were so many hard working people who would woke up this early morning on holiday to get to Puncak (or it is us that are too lazy?)

It took us 3 hours to get to GM. When we arrived the sun already shone brightly. I opened the car window. The fresh air swiftly went in. Suddenly I got so pumped to get moving and to go hiking. Dad parked the car on the parking lot that were already loaded with other cars and tour buses. I get off the car, packed my backpack with water bottle, get on my training shoes and get ready to hike. Since Mom was there, we chose the 4 km track with easy slope for beginner.

The first path was to go through a tiny village. I noticed that the villager were mostly women and children. I wonder where the men are. Perhaps they were working outside of GM? The atmosphere were quiet and serene. Walking on the rocky pathway that morning, all I heard were the sound of running water, birds' twitter, and the sound of a split coconut midribs touching the ground a lady made when she broomed. Occasionally I heard children laughter and footsteps as they were running around playing chase. Very different situation to what I usually see around my neighborhood. At a split second I thought I would give up Jakarta's busy life to these environment for a change :)

Beyond the village we went through a tiny bridge; crossing the running water that fell into the rocks creating a puddle-like-lake on the bottom of the track. On the other side of the bridge, after going through large and tall old trees, there was the tea plantation. As far as my eyes could see was tea leaves. Everything was green. There was a mountain-like hills on the background, which made the scenery more breath-taking.

The pathway was not very rough. There were muddles and pebbles here and there, but it wasn't too bad for a beginner like myself. When we got in the middle of the track, the rain started to drizzle. Silly me, I forgot to bring an umbrella even though I brought quite a big backpack (d'och!). Dad scolded me saying that I only remember my sunglasses and camera but forgot the important thing like umbrella. Oops... It was true :p

Lucky there were some tall trees along the pathway. The bushy leaves prevent the water to dropped so we didn't get soaked. I forgot to mention that there were some mountain bikers went through the same pathway as we were. Their outfit were colourful. I took a snap of their photos because it add a pretty splash of colours to the scenery.

After tea walk, we went to the tea factory. For the guided tour around the factory we have to pay IDR 3000/person + IDR 20,000 for the guide. The guide showed us how to produce tea starting from the plantation, tea leaves, drying, crushing, sorting, fermentation, and up to the finished goods. We have to wear the clothing too! I look like a silly laborer, hehe..

After that we decided to go home. We found the traffic to go out of the area was horrible. The cars were not even moving! We thought we would rather wait there sipping tea than stuck in the car, so we parked our car back and headed to the nearby cafe.

Suddenly a glimpse of a beautiful creatures strike me. Oh my God, there were a ranch! I saw horses! If you remember, one of the things I want to do this year is horse riding (click here).

“What a perfect moment,” and I found myself skipping to where the horses were with joy. I ask the guy (we call him ujang) how much is it to go on a horse riding. He offered me 3 different prices:
- Half an hour ride to the nearby soccer field costs IDR 50,000.
- One hour ride to see the baby horses at the breeder stall costs IDR 100,000.
- and two hours ride to see Taman Safari from above costs IDR 200,000.

* 1 USD = 10,500 IDR

A bargaining skill was put to the test. Since it was for the three of us, we demanded a much cheaper price. We ask for IDR 50,000 for one hour ride. (For you who don't know, in Indonesia bargain starts on half price. Don't worry, the seller won't throw stuffs at you nor they won't speak rudely at you as it happens in some other country). After a “friendly fights”, we settled with IDR 60,000 per person ^^. Yee-haa, here we go...

I hopped on the tallest horses of the three. It was a she and her name was Dora; after Doraemon (uh-huh). The ujang told me that the horse already tamed and it was easy to ride it. Just pull the left strap to go left and right strap to go right. Pull both strap if you want to stop and kick a little if you want to go faster. He let me rode it by myself. He was right, it was not too hard to direct the horse.

We went through around the tea plantation again but on different track than before. After a while on a slow ride I wanted to go faster. I kicked the horse just a bit, but she won't go faster. What happen? Then the ujang told me to try different trick by saying “tsk tsk.. come Dora.. tsk tsk tsk” and then she go faster. It was fun, I enjoyed it. So I try to say the words again, “tsk tsk.. come Dora.. tsk tsk tsk”, and then she run! Waaaaa.. I never thought it was going to be that scary! It was hard to keep the balance and my butt pained!!! I stopped her right away. Lucky she obeyed me and slowed her pace. Pheww...

The ujang helped me to get off the horse. When Dad paid, he thank us for using the service with a big smile. I always love Sundanese people as they are so friendly. They always have the smile on their face and they greet each other a lot. Maybe because they live in the hills where there were no stress and traffic jam like in a big city like Jakarta. I also like the tone of their voice due to their dialect, it sort of like singing to my ear. Perhaps I should get Sundanese boyfriend, no? Kidding, hehehe...

Back to the story, after the horse riding the traffic was no longer jammed. We went to get lunch and ended our trip at Gunung Mas.

PS. I think I still got the sore on my butt after two days. It was worth it though, and I want to do it again =D

There is something about the rain

2009-05-12T11:24:00.016+10:00

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass

It's about getting out there..

.. and dancing in the rain"

I remember when I was a kid my parents never allowed me to play outside when it rains. They always asked me to get into the house immediately as soon as the drizzle starts. I also remember I like to stand under the roof's edge and held my hands up to feel the drizzling water with my palm. And even that, I wasn't allowed. My parents really protected of me that they were afraid I will catch cold if I get wet. I hardly remember myself played under the rain ever when I was living with them.

As I grew up I remember clearly the day I last played in the rain. It was June 2007 in Gold Coast. Me and a bunch of friends chose the wrong date to go vacation on the beach. It rained on and off almost everyday over the 7 days holidays. When sun-bathing under a bright blue sky was no longer an option, we decided to play on the beach soaked over the rain. It was a total fun.

Last night the rain was pouring hard. Mom asked me to take my dog into the house to prevent her of getting wet. When I got out I found my dog was sitting elegantly with her head up, gazing into the rain. I called her. She shifted her head towards me. But instead of get into the house, she came to me and pulled my hand. I knew she wanted to play. And so I accepted the dog offer to play under the rain. We played chase and catch for a while until we both get wet.

The dog got quite noisy with her bark, perhaps too excited and happy. She always barks whenever we play. Sometimes her tiny little foot slips on the slippery floor of my porch. She was too cute.

... and then my mom came out and shouted at me to get inside and stop acting like a five years old.

I don't get why people view rain as a horrible thing. Do people forget that it is just water not ice nor any solid object that could break your head if it hits you?

Let me ask you this, when was the last time you played in the rain?

Image: in the rain

I'm feeling GREEN - story behind the new template

2009-05-04T11:46:00.015+10:00

"Why don't you Green for me.
Green for my joy.
Green for my funny stories.
Green because your life is better than mine.
Or just Green me with envy"

Bored with my old-fashioned-o-so-standard template that I have used for the last 4 years, I decided to change the old looks into something more fun.

Too many variety available templates from the Magestic G. - the place where you can find almost everything. I found it hard to make decision.

1st option.
Pink is cute. But too cute for my content. Too cute for my taste.

2nd option.
Nice and simple. I posted it for an hour before I change my decision. Too simple makes it looks a little bit dull.

3rd option
-current templates-

I decided to use this Olive Green templates. CERIA* :)

Makes it looks yummy, fun, and youthfull. The image that I try to create.
What do you think?

*Ceria (Indonesian) means cheerful, joyful.

Images: Grin

Good things will come your way.. when you stop searching!

2009-04-27T12:28:00.012+10:00

Remember one of the scene in Gossip Girl when Serena was wearing a fabulous gold Sequin dress? Or what SJP wore to the Unicef Ambassador N.Y.C. charity event?

I loved that dress from the moment I saw it. Sadly those kind of dress is quite expensive since it needs a careful handling and handmade!

Yesterday me and my mom went to the mall for some chit-chat lunch and to buy some groceries for dinner. After lunch my mom and I went in to department store because there were a big 50% off sign all over (Yes, this fulfilled the men saying "women cannot resist the temptation of a billboard sale"). I wasn't looking forward for shopping because this year I intended to save all my money to go traveling, but window shopping wouldn't hurt, right?

As I went walking aisle by aisle, I found that great sequin mini dress that I've been longing for for months! I checked the price, and to my surprise I found a great bargain for a designer dress!

Yes yes yes, it was a blue sequin mini dress with colour just almost exactly the same as SJP's (only a bit lighter) with model like below.

The price is down from IDR1,300,000 (USD 120) to only IDR 199,700 (USD 18).
85% discount baybehhh!!!

Smile is all over my silly face :)

Image: Serena's, SJP's, Sequin dress

Suddenly reminded by sequin dress by Thierry Mugler worn by Beyonce.

Ouch, Fashion disaster. eeekkk~

Image: Beyonce's disaster dress

Things I want to do before 25

2009-04-17T16:31:00.015+10:00

"I decide to make this the most exciting and happiest year of my life"

(JulieHutton.com)

In May I will turn 24, therefore I need to make a list of things I want to do before I reach mid-twenties. I always think after 25 I should be more responsible in life especially about my job. Therefore this year I promised my self to have fun, go mad, and living life to the fullest ;)

Here are the list:

Learn scuba diving
Bungee Jumping
Rafting
Horse Riding
Traveling abroad with friends (I plan to go to Korea with my girl-friends this year)
Go to Bangka-Belitung's white sandy beach
Go to Thailand's famous beach
Join WWF/Unicef or any other social organisations
Have beagle puppies (I need to find a stud for my queen beagle!)

PS. I always want to go to New York City and Dubai, but I think those things can wait ^_-

Image: Play-Laugh-Sing-Dance

I miss you

2009-04-05T12:11:00.009+10:00

I used to be able to see you every week.
I came to see you when-ever I felt lonely.
You were always there along with celebration and joy.
But...
Sometimes when I'm in bad mood I didn't even notice you.
I walk passed you like you weren't even there.
Now that I can't see you anymore I just realized how precious you are.
It's funny how I never appreciate you this much until you are gone.
I missed you every single day.
No matter where I go, I'll remember you.
Because I left a piece of my heart in yours.

I miss you my dearest city...

Melbourne, 2008 - Art Center
Places where concerts, opera, musical theater are held (up)
Street artist performance - Woman dolly doll (down)

Angel VS Demon on Louis

2009-04-05T01:38:00.006+11:00

Angel: "You don't need another bag, Mel"

Demon: "Check out the new colour, new collection for spring!"

Angel: "It is too expensive. Remember you want to save for holiday?"

Demon: "You can use it with your new jeans. Totally a head spinner"

Angel: "C'mon, just go find something less expensive. You should save, Mel. You are not little girl anymore"

Demon: "You never had anything this fabulous before. Look at your old bags, they are either free from a gift or you have used it for.. how many years? forever! I think this one will never go out of style. Besides, you love the blue shiny colour. Eyes on you, babe! The girls will green with envy. The guys will stunned with your style and beauty. The money will be well spent. Trust me."

That is why,

Louis Vuitton Vernis Alma Blue is Mine!
^_^
So happy
sya la la la.. la la..

Source: LV Vernis

Love and Marriage in question

2009-03-30T01:30:00.014+11:00

The story began with a boy and a girl met in highschool. The boy fell in love. The girl fell in love. They decided to have a relationship together. They went to college. They finished college. They worked. The relationship lasted for 7 years.

One day the boy decided to further his education abroad. They had long distance relationship. After less than a year they decided to break up.

The girl went to China to study language. She went to heal her broken heart. One year past. The boy finished her education and come back home. The girl finished her education and come back home. The girl contacted the boy to arrange a meeting. "An old friend catch-up", as they described. The girl gave the boy an invitation. The girl found someone else when she was in China. The girl is getting married.

What I see from this story is.. apparently, finding a soulmate is not a matter of love. It is a matter of timing.

You could be head over heels in love with a person for years when you are 20, but with no satisfactory job, no money, or if you haven't finish college (master degree, MBA, blah blah), marriage is not an option.

On the other hand, when you reach 30 and you've got everything, a very young relationship with a partner (say one year) could end up in marriage.

Is that mean that we just have to wait for the right moment; not the right person?

Decision in question

2009-03-27T15:07:00.005+11:00

How do you know whether you've made a right decision?

Life is all about making choices. Sometimes people complain about the choices they made.

Not often we heard people saying "why didn't I made the other decision instead of this, then I wouldn't have to bla bla bla...". But do people really know what will happen if they choose to do the other?

Like me. I got so confused when choosing where to live. Choices are whether to go back to Australia with no job or stay in Jakarta with a job at hand. I finally choose to stay in Jakarta.

Do I made the right choice? I don't know.

I oftenly complain and say "If only I'm in Melbourne right now..." But what if I really in Melbourne right now? what would I do? would I got a job yet? would I be happy? I don't know. I will never know.

So really, how to tell whether the decision we made is correct?

A Dime A Dozen

2009-03-25T12:38:00.016+11:00

I wonder why Indonesian people (Mostly who live in a big city like Jakarta) are so 'latah'.

I really can't find the right words in english. When I checked on the dictionary it says "a nervouse condition characterized by erratic involuntary imitative behavior, often pornographic or socially disapproved".

What I mean by 'latah' is that they are trying so hard to become trendy and up-to-date by following the new trend (which mostly from the US). Example:

1. Used to be Nokia now turn to Blackberry.

I was surprised when I went to java jazz festival a month ago. When people were trying to record videos of the performer, I think almost 65% of them are using BB! FYI, these mobiles are not cheap. They around USD500-600/item.

What made me surprised even more is the fact that the user are youngster (start from 15 y.o). What would they need a BB for? To chat on MSN? To check on Facebook? Such a waste of technology indeed.

2. Bread Top

This one comes originally from Singapore. A bread store which famous with 'roti abon' or meat-floss bread. I remember the first time it open in Kelapa Gading Mall, the lines are almost 5 meter in U shape! One aunty even brought her maid to help her carry the tray which I'm guessing are full with over 10 meat floss bread per tray in it. C'mon people.. it only a bread store...

PS. it still in demand till now but people are not in lines anymore to buy it. Mercy God for that.

3. J.Co

The idea of J.co is come from the famous doughnuts store from the US - Krispy Kreme. The different is that it less sweeter than KK, suit the taste of Asians. As they say, the line of queue reaches miles away (I was in Australia when the store first open, so I didn't witness it myself).

4. Sour Sally

Another one from US. A frozen yoghurt store firstly open in Jakarta in 2009. The crowd are willing to queue for at least half an hour to get a taste of it. The yogurt claim to be 100% fat free but if you see the toppings you will change your mind. It taste much sweeter than an original natural yoghurt. The topping range from fresh fruit, dried fruit, candies, and breakfast cereal. Still claiming it fat free?

5. Facebook / Twitter

I think this one is not only for Indonesian but all over the world. They all got a facebook-fever (even me). If you don't have one people will think of you as "gak gaul" or not trendy. Nowadays starting from junior high student to 40 y.o. mom/grandma have a fb account. Geez...

Melissa says:
The only thing I agree on is Facebook. Other than that are just stupid. Why would you queue for at least 30 minutes to get a snack? Why would supposedly is a PDA phone to help businessman become such a cheap-stuff-looking-because-everybody-have-it-mobiles?

Totally absurd!!!

Some girls are stupid

2009-02-12T00:56:00.004+11:00

*Lagi nonton berita*

Cewek : "Gue baru tau loh kalo kayu bisa menghantar listrik"
Cowok : "Hah?"
Cewek : "Tuh kebakaran Aussie.."

Pelem Indonesia yang Semakin Melarat

2009-02-12T00:29:00.005+11:00

"Kuntil Anak Beranak"

MUAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA

What's next?
Suster Ngesot Kepleset.. or... Setan Gendong Melarat???

Please deh aaaaachhh...

Image: patrick

St.Upid Day

2009-02-10T02:21:00.003+11:00

The best thing about valentine is...
... that my boyfriend doesn't care about it.

Stupid flower...
Stupid chocolate, no thanks for the calories..
Stupid teddy bear...
Stupid pink colour, way too cheesy..

Such a waste of time
Such a waste of money
What a manipulative day of love

It's good for business tho, what a consumer orientated day ;)

Tongue Slip

2009-02-05T01:19:00.002+11:00

Pada suatu waktu ada percakapan sbb:

*Lagi ngomongin kerjaan yang berkaitan dengan mechanical design*

Me : "Temperaturenya berapa Pak?"

Boss : "Pake temperature ambeyen aja."

Me : "Hah?"

Boss : "Iya ambeyen.."

Me : "Maksudnya ambient?"

Boss : "IYA, AMBEYEN! 25 derajat!!!"

Me : *hmpfhhhhh sambil nyubitin tangan sendiri biar gak ketawa*

*Lagi ngomongin game*

Him : "... Iya, jadi makhluk2 orgasm pada mau dimusnahkan dari dunia itu.."

Me : "Emang kenapa?" *polos*

Him : " yaa jadi ada robot mau menghancurkan dunia, jadi semua mahkluk orgasm dibunuh2in"

Me : "...."

Him : "terus orgasm itu.. blablabla...." *masih asik ngejelasin gamenya*

Me : *setelah beberapa menit* "Ya OLooooHHhhhHhhh... maksudnya ORGANISM kaleee??!! Hahahahahaha"

Him : "Emang td gw ngomong apa?!!"

Me : *LOL*

"Niu" Year Superstition

2009-01-28T23:21:00.002+11:00

Does any of you believe in superstition? well, my family surely do.

January 26, 2009 is the Chinese New Year which also is the start of the year of the ox - the "niu" year. I was also born in the year of the ox 25 years ago. My auntie said if the new year is the same as the year of your born sign, that year you will have a bad luck ("chiong"). So to avoid bad things that will happen, people with the ox sign this year should release fishes in to a river. The amount of fishes that should be release should be the same as your age. So if this year I turn 25, I have to release 25 fishes in to the river.

(Note : Chinese age start when we were conceived. So regarding to chinese years we are one year older.

In Indonesia we use "ikan pletis" as the type of the fish that is released. It is quite cheap, only IDR 10,000 for 25 fishes.)

Apparently it's not only the amount of fishes that matter. The timing of the release is also important. It has to be release at before 5 am or between 7 to 9 am.

Do not ask me where did they know all of these because I don't know it either. And I won't be bother to ask them because I am sure they don't understand it too -_- I am sure they will say it is a tradition that has been inherited from ancient chinese. Definitely not satisfying at all.

So today, at 4.30 in the early morning where even the cocks are still soundly asleep, I went out with my 25 little happy fishes. I drove my car to the nearby river. *Ouch it was raining!* I parked near the brige and walk to the top of the bridge. There was no other way to release the fishes because the river banks are filled with bushes, so I have to throw them from the top. I hope they are OK. Anyway fishes don't have heart, do they? so they will not feel the pain of the bungy jump?

We Chinese are very superstitious. We believe in yin and yang. We believe in animal and symbols. We believe in fengshui. Whether its right or not, surely they are scientifically incorrect. So, for those of you who were born in the year of ox and didn't go to release fishes this morning, do not be worry. Chances are that it might be just a superstition anyway.

Happy Chinese 'Niu' Year, Everyone! :)

A poem

2008-04-26T23:15:00.001+10:00

O My Gosh I love this poem written by Aly El Sahly, an African kid.
It was nominated for the best 2005 poem.

When I born, I Black,
When I grow up, I Black,
When I go in Sun, I Black,
When I scared, I Black,
When I sick, I Black,
And when I die, I still black..
And you White fella,
When you born, you Pink,
When you grow up, you White,
When you go in Sun, you Red,
When you cold, you Blue,
When you scared, you Yellow,
When you sick, you Green,
And when you die, you Gray..
And you calling me Colored ??

Answer me this

2008-04-23T14:59:00.004+10:00

How big is the Universe?

How many data can we store in the internet?

Will I still be able to access my blog 50 years from now?

Does God really exist? if so, why do people have so many different beliefs?

Do you think McDonald's will ever go broke?

Why so many people believe in horoscope?

What crossed the mind of the former Indonesia president Soeharto 5 minutes before he died?

How to make Paris Hilton a little bit wiser... eer... or smarter?

Why Oprah never want to get married? is being successful enough?

Could somebody help me answer me these?

I missed the old Disney movie

2008-04-22T21:33:00.004+10:00

I just finished watching Horton Hears a Who. I noticed before I watch the movie that the voice for Jojo character would be done by Jesse McCartney. I knew Jesse is a singer and that is why I expect he sings in the movie. Sadly, Jojo only had given several lines for the whole movie. And the worst part is that there is only one song, ONE SONG, for the entire movie, which is the end song.

I always expected a lot of songs when I watch cartoon animation. Remember the old times Disney movies such as Aladdin, Snow white, Cinderella, and all the other fairytales with their princesses? They all have songs! I guess the producer has lost the sense of musical theme in their movies.

I also missed the princesses and their knight in shiny armor.
Why isn’t anyone make that kind of movie anymore?
Has they all realized that fairy tales is overrated?
And building a dream for little children that someday, somehow, a prince will come is not going to come true?

No matter how impossible for that to come true, don’t we still like to dream?
A dream that maybe someday, somehow, will give us eternal happiness.

Maybe your image of prince charming isn’t always a handsome prince with a white horse.
Maybe your prince charming is a house with view of an ocean.
Or maybe it is to be a CEO in some huge-multibillion company.

No matter how impossible it might sound right now, I believe that we, as human, have never given a wish without the power to make it come true.
Just believe in yourself and your inner strength.
You have the power to be whatever you want to be.

Maybe the road is rough at the moment, buy I believe, like Cinderella, I will someday meet someone who will help me realize my dream.

My own prince charming.

The Moment of Truth

2008-04-16T10:17:00.003+10:00

How far would people go for money?

Surely money is important, but if you have to sacrifice your marriage or relationships with your loved ones, would you do it anyway?

I watched this TV game show yesterday. It is called THE MOMENT OF TRUTH.

The contestant will be asked to answer 50 questions about their personal life prior to the actual show and is hooked up to a polygraph. It will be only a “yes” or “no” questions. In the actual show, only 21 questions will be asked. If the answer is correct, they will move on to the next question. As the level gets higher, the questions will be more and more personal and will mostly give affects to their loved ones. The highest level (level 6) will gives a prize amount of $500,000.

I watched the first episodes last week. Some of the questions are:

Do you think you are a better parent to your children than your own mother?
Do you have any secrets that if your husband knows might end up your marriage?
Have you ever feel ashamed telling people that you are a Jew?

And some of the questions from the other episodes are:

Have you ever had sexual relations with a man more than twice your age?
Since you’ve been married, have you ever accepted a romantic gift from any other man?

Surely most of the questions will be answered “yes” for the sake of television drama. But if it is true, will you put your husband/wife/parents on the line for the sake of money?

I wonder, if I was to be on the show, what questions will I get? Surely have to be something dark, that if my boyfriend / bestfriend / parents know will break their heart. He..he… I don’t think the producer will put me on the show. My life is so plain boring and open. Even though I have a secret or two, it will not be as interesting as “Have you ever received money after you had a sexual encounter with others?”

Free TV and Movies online

2008-04-12T22:54:00.004+10:00

Dear Indonesian who live abroad, here some good news for you.
Now you can watch the local TV for FREE! Yes, it's true. All you need is a computer with a fast internet access. The available channels are: RCTI, SCTV, TRANS7, METROTV, TRANSTV, INDOSIAR, and JAKTV. Some channels are not available since it needs people donations. Come and watch it here: Imediabiz.tv

One more website that offers New Hollywood Movies for FREE is here Livenewmovies

Entertainment Must be FREE!!!

Lindsay Price on Lipstick Jungle

2008-03-24T18:00:00.007+11:00

Anyone who loves Sex and The City must know the battle between Cashmere Mafia and Lipstick Jungle. Personally I love Lipstick more because the three girls seems to have more connection - the way bestfriends have to be. Whereas Cashmere is more about powerful females life without a real connection about the friendships between them. I still enjoy watching it for the sake of the fashion and the wardrobe that Lucy Liu wears =P

Anyway, I've been wondering, does Lindsay Price (Victoria) had a nose job? She is pretty though. And she sings!

I was drown to the lyrics from the last scene on the 7th episodes: "Could you ever really love someone like me?" and so I googled it. To my surprise, the singer was Lindsay Price - THE actress.

The full lyrics isn't that fabs, but its good enough to hear. I am still searching for the songs. Anyone know where I could download it?

Someone like me

Im looking at all the time thats gone.
It seems that i cant say
Of all the things that i have done wrong
I wish that i could change.
I hear you say it doesnt really matter.
Hold on to me and in the end youll see.

Chorus

When all your days go wrong
Its allright
Ill never stop trying.
When all your tears have gone
Could you ever really love someone like me?

Verse 2

It wears me out to see what i have done
And try to make it right.
Tears me up all the little things
That i can never bring to you.
Its true you see it always really matters.
Hold on well try and in the end youll see.

Chorus

When all your days go wrong
Its allright
Ill never stop trying.
When all your tears have gone
Could you ever really love someone like me?

Break

And when i say that i dont give a damn,
That you were never there,
That i,
I never tried,
All the times that i cried
I never really cared for you.
Not true.

Chorus

When all your days go wrong
Its allright
Ill never stop trying.
When all your tears have gone
Could you ever really love someone like me?
Never really love someone?
Ever really love someone . . .

Shrine of Remembrance

2008-03-23T23:08:00.007+11:00

During the extra long weekend of Easter me and my bffs went to the CBD and became a tourist for the day. We went to The Shrine of Remembrance at St. Kilda Road. It is a monument in favour to the people who lost their lives during the battle. The script written in the monument says:

" This monument was erected by a grateful people to the honoured memory of the men and women of Victoria who served the empire in the great war of 1914 - 1918"

The monument is breathtakingly fabulous from afar. Inside there are some memorial pictures and story about the war. It was a little bit spooky and we didn't go far inside (Imagine dark-dimmed light, high pillars, cold breeze, and stairs which lead to i-don't-know-where).

Not far from the monument is the Botanical Garden. It is enormous garden. We only managed to walk to the green house, which is sadly closed by the time we get there. My friend held the rest of the photos, so mean time this is all I have :P (will update later).

On the way back I snapped the pictures of the famous Fliders Street Station; the old station which is probably the landmark of Melbourne.

Boo-yeah, I love my city ;)

It is always comforting to know, when I have nothing, I will always have the city.

Chinese New Year VS St Kilda festival

2008-02-17T00:04:00.007+11:00

Gong xi Gong xi.. Happy Chinese New Year all!
Welcome to the year of the Rats =)

No special celebration this year and no angpao since I'm still stuck in Melbourne waiting for my TR (Temporary Residence) without my loved ones. Anyway here are some of the photos I took around the CBD/chinatown. From what I saw, there are lots of lion dance (barongsai) in every corner of CBD with only two dragons (which I think looks more like a worm than dragon, coz it was long but so thin) -_-" Sadly I couldn't get a snap due to people's head and my tiny (read: not tall enough) figures.

The lion dance

Little chinese drummer boys and girls

On the other side of the town there was another celebration. St Kilda Festival.
Nothing much to be said, just typical street festival; bunch of Aussies with so-called-cultural bands, dance, and food stalls. Eeek... no beer allowed

Hell yeah babe, it's alcohol free. Wondering why I still saw people 'drunk slash high' on the grass floor

Chips, hot dogs, and donuts. 'nuf said!

Strawberry + marshmallow on a stick dipped in chocolate. yummm. Orgasm? not really

..when the bright future is for you to create

2008-01-06T22:38:00.000+11:00

"To often, the thing you want the most is the one thing you can't have

But as tough as wanting something can be

the people who suffer the most are those who don't know what they want"

(Greys Anatomy S3-E21)

This is the start of year 2008. Have you decide what to do with your life yet? For me, silly to say that I am still not sure. All I want is to get a job, either part time or full time. Even better if I can get my dream job as an engineer/scientist.

Finger crossed and wish me luck.

Victorian Beaches: St. Kilda, Geelong, and Wilson Prom.

2008-01-02T20:39:00.000+11:00

The sun has been shining around 38 - 41 degrees hot this last few days on the edge of 2007. So what else to do other than pampering yourself at Victoria famous beaches.

First is the famous St. Kilda beach loacted only few kilometers away from the Melbourne CBD. Loaded with people getting tan around the beach and cafes full of yummy greek cakes.
(Forgot to take photos of the cafes. Doc'h!)

The second one is Geelong - the second biggest city in Victoria, located at 75 kilometers south-west of Melbourne. Geelong is known as a port city, which is a south-western inlet bay of Port Phillip.

The third one, which is the best of all is Wilson Promontory. It is located at the southernmost part of the Australian mainland. White-sand beaches. Naturally reserved. Beautiful river. A good place to fish, bush walking, or even stay the night on caravan or camping. What else can you ask more?

Squeaky beach - the sand makes a squeaky sound when people walk. Literally squeak-squeak =D

White sandy beach

For those of you who wanted a little getaway from the city, these are the three places you must go for summer. Don't forget to put on your sunblock, becoz the sunlight can burn your skin off (not really).

Anyway, I had a nice summer holiday. Envy me?

All I want for Christmas is...

2007-12-15T01:58:00.000+11:00

Cocktail Dress!!!!!!

Summer is here. There is no White Christmas. So I can wear a simple short dresses to Christmas party. Wohooo! So write it down on my wish list... Dress dress and dress.

Lace and Charmeuse Tiered Dress by Faviana

Phillip Lim Waterfall Cocktail Dress

Marc Jacobs Satin Sleeveless Dress

Iodice - Lillian One - Shoulder Mini Dress

-All images are taken from www.shopstyle.com-

Christian Lacroix - what a divine

2007-12-15T01:14:00.000+11:00

I want these shoes!
Christian Lacroix Crystal Wedges with genuine crystals on a 4 inch high wedge heel and a satin bow on the ankle strap is a truly divine. It is sold out at net-a-porter.com and the price is US$1,600.00 (crazy ehh?!)

Santa, could you bring me this shoes as my xmas gift? I promise I'll be nice the whole year ^^

Oh if that isn't too much, I want this one too *grin*. Price is US$695.00

Christian Lacroix Printed Signature Silk Sandal with Bow

A Farewell

2007-12-14T19:09:00.000+11:00

A farewell party was held a day before International student graduation ceremony on 13-12-07. We, chemical engineering girls graduate met on Pancake Parlour, Chadstone to say goodbye to the internationals who will fly back to their home country next week. We sure will miss you all. Wondering when will we meet again. It was a great 4 years knowing you girls - thru the ups and down, assignments, and exams (not forgetting the parties).

You are now officially an engineers.. Hip-hip-huraa!!!

While I'm still waiting for my ceremony (hopefully) with the locals in May next year ^_^

Delicious Day Out

2007-12-11T12:27:00.000+11:00

Went to strawberry and cherry farm the other day. It was awesome! For paying only AU$8.00 can get access to the farm and pick half a kilo of strawberry. As for cherry, the price is AU$5.00 and AU$8/kg cherries picked.

The strawberries are sweet as sugar. Although the bigger ones are not allowed to be picked =( However I'm happy. It probably the sweetest strawberry I've ever tried. Definitely a place to go to :)

where? Located at Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, AU.
Have to use private transportation since it is not reachable by public transport. However there are lots of day tour packages available from the Melbourne city. The journey is approximately 2 hours from the CBD.

P.S. Strawberry season is from November - April, while Cherries are available from December to January only. More information is available here

Art of Graffiti

2007-12-07T17:34:00.000+11:00

The Art of Graffiti from Melbourne street artists.

Location: Flinders Lane, Melbourne, AU

Pic 1. The garbage bin corner. Little corner of street art.

Pic 2. Blue creature on a cup of coffee

Pic 3. Peeck-a-boo man

Pic 4. Safety umbrella-ella-ella (My favourite!)

Pic 5. Red haired beauty

Pic 6. The cat-meaaww

Pic 7. Samesame the pink-nosed raindeer

Silent night

2007-12-05T23:05:00.001+11:00

My housemates have gone for work and will be back in 3 days.
My mom who usually calls, today didn't.
My chatterbox girl-friend who usually very chatty, today didn't.
My boy-friend who usually bugs me, today didn't.

So today I filled my day with VOGUE, some few cherries, and lots of Project Runway.

Suddenly miss my high school girlfriends

"The Capsa Queens".

Wondering the time when the four of us will meet up again.

Their locations at the end of year 2007 are:

Yulichia : Vancouver, Canada

Felicia a.k.a Amoy : Jakarta, INA

Dewi : Perth, AU

Myself : Melbourne, AU

Hopefully at the end of year 2008 we could celebrate New Year's Eve together, as we planned.

Design Celebration

2007-11-17T13:02:00.000+11:00

I did it!

The final thing to do with the Design Project. Final poster and Presentation. Lucky for my group Adam did all that. All I have to do is just stand there, and do nothing.. ha-ha!

Yesterday was the last time we, chem-engers together. So I asked them to write on my doggy doll. Like what people usually did in highschool - except I didn't get to do that. Wonder why... graduation in my highschool was so plain boring-- eekkk...

so here's the photos of the doll before and after HAZOPed!!!

Without forgetting to showing off my team 'lovely-pastel-coloured' poster =)

AARrghhhHHhhH

2007-11-08T22:22:00.001+11:00

I am so damn tired of this!

It's not like I didn't study at all! It's the freakin fuckin questions that is so fuckin tough! I'm sure I'm not the only one who fucked up that exam. What is wrong with that bald, ugly-faced, meanie lecturer????? "Do the tutorial questions and you'll be fine guys"-yeah right I'm NOT FINE. Why can't he be nice for ONCE!!!!! This is fuckin last semester. And the subject he teach is freakin ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING. NOT fucking design!!!!!!!!!!! It supposed to be theory with the little tiny bits of simple calculation. Why the HELL did he gave fucking design question?????? Since when does environmental engineering equals to fucking design????????

Fuck this!

I just want to pass engineering. Why you make it seems impossible?? Freakin MEAN lecturer!

Fuck fuck fuck!

Golden Gaytime

2007-11-06T19:12:00.000+11:00

Ice cream named "Golden Gaytime".

It even come in a meal along with pizza.

One way to market a product: add GAY-word on it

(what is that supposed to mean?)

A fight inside me

2007-11-05T23:59:00.000+11:00

Why can't we choose whom to love?
My heart doesn’t obey my brain
Silly, that it is confusing
Silly, that it hurts

Hoping the brain win the battle
or
they resolve it in a peaceful way

~Lets wait~

Spice Girls – Now Return

2007-11-04T14:51:00.001+11:00

I really should be studying Biochem for tomorrow exam instead of this *sigh*

Bored of the lecture notes, I decided to review the Spice Girls new album titled Now Return.

What I heard was that this is going to be their last album (Seriously last this time!) and also to say goodbye to their fans.
I must say that I am a bit disappointed to this new release. I'm expected not just good, but great songs like their old ones: Wannabe, 2 become 1, Mama, etc. What I get from this album is lame lame and lame. In some songs they are even sounds like they are drunk. Listen to track 5: Space Invaders. What song is that?! They were talking or having girls talk which totally NOT important. Even the Christmas songs are ridiculously bad. The only songs I actually like are track 9: Step To Me and track 8: Aint No Stopping Us Now. And that is because they sing it in duet!

Geez girls, sure you can do better that that.

Secrets

2007-11-03T13:37:00.001+11:00

Secrets? I have a lot? Really?? I don't even realize them… at least not until this convo yesterday night with a best friend.

MeL: Ugh, I really2 want to go back to the start of the semester

Wixwax: for what?

MeL: Lots of things I wanna do over.. Including my holly thesis.. =P

Wixwax: Really? what else? Seems interesting…

MeL: too many to be mention here. Too complicated as well. Hahahaha

MeL: this year is such a roller-coaster for me

Wixwax: Really? Up and down?

MeL: yup. Not just thesis tho.. lots of things

Wixwax: such as?

MeL: secret!

Wixwax: u seems to have lots of secret lately

MeL: really? When??? About what?

Wixwax: umm…

Wixwax: the one I asked u bout ur personal msg. about.. why did u jump??

MeL: why the hell did I jump? Hahahahahaa.

MeL: oh btw.. now I know the answer, and I would jump again if I can turn back time.

MeL: hahahaha… Not explaining ya :P

Wixwax: haha

Wixwax: if u wanna keep that as a secret that's fine. I won't ask further more…

MeL: haha. Thx babe ;)

Well, I guess I have a thing or two I wanna do over this year. Not really a secret, but a bit embarrassing to tell. Another "if only" for me…

Bla bla

2007-11-03T12:20:00.001+11:00

Looking at my friend's blog, I realized how plain boring my blog is.

Guess I'm not such a writer after all

*sigh*

Hectic Design Project

2007-10-30T20:37:00.001+11:00

It has been a while since my last posting. What happened in last couple of months was the freakin' Design Project! Yes, it is the project that I must complete in order to get the Bachelor of Chemical Engineering degree. The topic was about Offshore LNG Production. I have to write 12 chapters plus the essential drawings (PFD, P&ID, and General Arrangement Drawing). It was really hectic. Imagine this, 120 pages of report + appendices and drawings, three interviews, and four other subjects all packed in 13 weeks! That was the first time I stayed in uni until 1 o'clock in the morning. Don't even ask me what it was like in the 13^th week. Computer lab is my new home. Or, should I say "our" new home. The up-side of doing this project is that it brings all chemical engineering students close to each other. Usually the Aussies and international students rarely, or never talk to each other. The project was done in a group of 5 and we were pushed to stay in uni everyday from 9 am to 12 am. From stranger to classmate, and classmate to friends.

I remember in the first week we were all so cranky. We thought 20 hours per week of design project is crazy and we will not be able to finish it in time. Who would have thought that everything is possible? Yes, we made it in time. Friday, October 19, everyone rushed to print off their report. Get them bind and stick the A3 drawings to the appendices. We forgot lunch. We run here and there. We helped each other. It was hectic. It was fun. After that, I saw smiling faces saying "WE DID IT!". It really like we graduated.

After that was party time. We went to dinner and then club. All the hard work; all the energy drink that we drank twice a day; all the group tension; in the end it was worth it. What left now are the final presentation, group photos, and best wishes for the future. Chem-eng-ers, I'm proud of you J

10 Reasons to Date an Engineer:

2007-09-24T09:58:00.001+10:00

We know heat transfer
We do it with precision
Projectile motion: Need we say more?
We know how to handle stress & strain in a relationship
No couple enjoys a better moment
We have significant figures
Friction and lubrication really is a class
We are trained to do it right the first time
We are used to all-nighters
The world does revolve around us... we choose the coordinate system.

Life is about choices

2007-08-22T13:01:00.000+10:00

Sweets or crackers?
Skirt or jeans?
Long hair or short hair?

How I wished that choices in life is as simple as that.

Why choices?
Life is full of choices. Your future is built based on the choices you made.
"What if" is the next question. What if I chose the red pill instead of the blue ones (remember Matrix the movie?)

I have HUGE decisions (yes its plural) to make before the end of this year. These decisions are related to each other and I have to sacrifice one in order to get the other one. And this decisions will definetely affect my entire life.

I hate to make decision; I'm afraid to make the wrong one.

The time is ticking... I have to decide soon...
God Help me!

Lady Stranger on my iPod

2007-08-14T18:44:00.001+10:00

Every time I go to catch a bus I need to cross a main road. This road isn't very big, however it has 4 lanes. Today, when I want to cross that road (I never use the zebra cross because it's too far), suddenly an old lady grabbed my wrist and yelled. I can't hear what she was saying because I had my iPod on. I firstly thought she wanted me to help her to cross the road, until I finally realized it was the other way around. She yelled, "Wait, still have car", then she pointed at my ears and bubbling some other words that I could not understand (I'm guessing she is Greek or Italian). Ooow, she actually yelled at me because I had my iPod on, which is quite dangerous when you want to cross the road. He-he, this is the first time a stranger yelled at me for using iPod. That small thing made me smile. Thanks for making my day Lady Stranger J

Random Quiz

2007-08-12T12:47:00.000+10:00

The Keys to Your Heart

You are attracted to good manners and elegance.

In love, you feel the most alive when your partner is patient and never willing to give up on you.

You'd like to your lover to think you are stylish and alluring.

You would be forced to break up with someone who was ruthless, cold-blooded, and sarcastic.

Your ideal relationship is lasting. You want a relationship that looks to the future... one you can grow with.

Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment.

You think of marriage as something that will confine you. You are afraid of marriage.

In this moment, you think of love as something you can get or discard anytime. You're feeling self centered.

What Are The Keys To Your Heart?

Ulat di dalam SilverQueen Cokelat

2007-07-20T22:14:00.000+10:00

Ada yang suka coklat ini? Ada berita buruk nih. Baca terus ya...

Barusan ibu telepon, katanya ia mencoba product barunya SilverQueen yaitu SilverQueen Chunky Bar (maaf gak bisa nemuin imagenya). Dibukalah si cokelat, kertasnya dirobek, terus cokelatnya dipotes di tengah. Begitu kagetnya ketika ia melihat putih-putih rada menjijikan di dalamnya. Begitu dilihat lebih jelas, ternyata isinya adalah seekor ulat! Yang lebih parahnya, si ulat ini menggeliat-geliat. Yup, dia masih hidup! Spontan, dilemparlah si cokelat. Rekan kantornya justru yang memberanikan diri melihat lebih dekat dan lalu membelah batang cokelat itu di bagian yang lain. Ternyata tengah cokelatnya ada bolong-bolong kecil alias keropos sudah digigiti si ulat. Bayangkan berapa ulat yang hidup disana. Sayang ibu tidak mengabadikan gambarnya (gak inget foto katanya). FYI, SilverQueen tersebut dibeli di Hypermart Kota. Kata ibu sih mau dilaporkan ke consumer affair. Tapi aku bilang masukan ke Surat Pembaca saja, biar seluruh Indonesia tahu!

Review: India Arie (Testimony Vol.1 Life & Relationship)

2007-07-01T10:09:00.000+10:00

If lately you feel down, or you wanted something that you cannot have. You lost faith in yourself, you hate your job, your relationship doesn't go as smoothly, this is definetely the album you should listen to.

A review from India Arie latest CD: Testimony Vol.1, life & relationship.

Ooh, I love love loveeee it!!! The albums has been playing on-and-on this last few days. Can't get enough of her...
I think this is a beautiful album with nice rhythm and the best of all, she has a great voice :) But the one thing that really catch me is that every single songs has a meaningful lyrics (unlike songs in my previous post). They are mostly tell a story about how beautiful, yet hard life & relationship is, but somehow there is always hope:

He lived a simple life and was extremely poor
On top of all of that he had no eye sight,
but that didn't keep him from seein' the light
He said, what's it like in the USA,
and all I did was complain
He said-living here is Paradise
He taught me paradise in your mind

There's hope
It doesn't cost a thing to smile
You don't have to pay to laugh
You better thank God for that
(India Arie – There’s Hope)

There are also songs about losing love. How heartbreak can get you down. But life goes on and all you have to do is get up and see the light. Life is beautiful, with or without that certain someone:

It's crazy how much I miss
a simple good morning kiss
It's crazy how much I've missed
Now it's time for me to live
oh ohhhhhhhhhh

Good morning...
Good morning optimism
Good morning to my faith
Good morning to the beginning of a brand new day

I know that God's will be done
So I lay down my pain and I'm moving on

I know that God's will be done.
So it's a good morning after all
(India Arie - Good Morning)

If you being heartbroken or cheated on recently, this is definitely a song for you; when forgiveness is all you need to be able to move on.

I wanna be happily everafter
And my heart is so shattered
But I know it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore
(India Arie - The heart of the matter)

Oh my favourite ones is about celebrating yourself. You don't need anyone else to make you happy, you are your own strength. The full lyrics goes like this,

I'm having a private party
Ain't no body here but me, my angels, and my guitar singin' baby look how far we've come here
I'm havin' a private party
Learning how to love me
Celebrating the woman I've become, yeah

I tried to call my mother, but
She didn't get where I was going
I called my boyfriend and he said
Call me back a little later baby
I hung up the phone, I felt so alone
Started to feel a little pity
That's when I realized that I
Gotta find the joy inside of me

I'm gonna take off all my clothes
Look at myself in the mirror
We're gonna have a conversation
We're gonna heal the disconnection
I don't remember when it started
But this is where it's gonna end
My body is beautiful and sacred
And I'm gonna celebrate it

All my life (all my life)
I've been looking for (I've been looking for)
Somebody else (else)
To make me whole (ooo)
But I had to learn the hard way (ooo)
True love began with me (ooo)
This is not ego or vanity (ooo)
I'm just celebrating me

Sometimes I'm alone but never lonely
That's what I've come to realize
I've learned to love the quiet moments
The Sunday mornings of life
Where I can reach deep down inside
Or out into the universeI can laugh until I cry
Or I can cry away the hurt
(India Arie - Private Party)

Another stupid love songs

2007-06-12T23:52:00.000+10:00

*Browsing on iTunes*
*Searching “INDO” on playlist*

Track 1: Tompi – Cinta yang kucari
"Meski kusadari cintaku padamu
penuh kesalahan, aku tlah mendua, tlah melupakanmu
abaikan cintamu. Kuyakin kau tau.. akan segalanya"

Kenapa juga selingkuh dijadiin lagu? Bangga?

*skip*

Track 2: Tompi - Salahkah
"Salahkah bila ku mendua
Salahkah bila rasa ku menghilang
Dan aku tak lagi merasa engkau ada
Dan cintaku seolah jenuh akan hatimu"

Haishh, perselingkuhan yang dibanggakan (the legend continues ya Tomp?)

*skip*

Track 3: Dygta – Bukan kekasih setia
"Kau yang mencitaiku
Aku tak pantas memilikimu
Aku tlah melakukan kesalahan yang berulang
Sungguh bukan maksudku tuk menghianati cinta ini
Tapi memang ku bukan kekasihmu yang setia…"

Againnnnnn?????? What is wrong with Indonesian songs???????

*skip*

Track 4: Rosa – Terlalu cinta
"Jangan dekat atau jangan dating kepadaku lagi
Aku semakin tersiksa karna tak memilikimu"

I don’t like mellow song… Titik.

*skip*

Track 5: Bunga Citra Lestari – Cinta pertama (Sunny)
"Sunny, Sunny…
Apa kabar mu kabar ku baik baik saja"

What a stupid lyrics?!?!?!?! Aku juga baik baik saja lhooooo (gak ada yg nanya oy!!)

*OMG SKIIIIIIIIIP*

Another one, if this one another stupid love songs……

Track 6: Kerispatih – Mengenangmu
"Tak kan pernah habis air mataku
Bila ku ingat tentang dirimu"

WTF???????? Cowok kok cengeng???????

ENOUGH ALREADY!!

*iTunes closed*

How sweet a guy can be

2007-06-05T13:59:00.001+10:00

MSN (05/06/07) 2.15 PM

He says:
waktu gw ultah taon lalu
gw kan di indo

n my x juga di indo
yah waktu itu masih sama2 lah
jam 12 malam gw tiba2 dijemput
trus mata gw ditutup pake selendang
n tau2nya dia udah book 1 cafe khusus kita berdua
candle light dinner
trus dia nyanyiin lagu buat gw

MeL says:
Oh my goddddd
how romantic1 cafe khusus lu be2??

He says:
iya

MeL says:
Weew

He says:
bener2 1 cafe tuh dibook ama dia
gw sampe kaget, salah tingkah
cafe restaurant gitu sih
gw masih inget bgt waktu itu kuenya gw warna biru haha
di satu cafe penuh lilin n baloon n u know what...
she kissed me when i was blindfolded hahaha

MeL says:
wat would be romantic for me is..
instead di cafe..
gw lebih seneng diajak makan sate abang2..
trus anak2 pengamen yg nyanyiin hepi bday
heuheueheuehhee
murah meriah.. tp berkesan

He says:
hahaha yeeeee lu kannn senangnya ama tukan sate...
ntar deh yah taon depan gw bakalan bikinin surprise buat lu kayak gitu k
i will book a flight ticket for you

"How sweeeeeeeeet… How I wished I haven't got a boyfriend..."

More on Bags, this time Tote

2007-06-04T00:15:00.000+10:00

(From left to right: Anya Hindmarch Elrod tote - Jimmy Choo Morgan leather tote - Miu Miu Regular leather tote)

Browsing through net-a-porter and suddenly falling in love.
Yes, I fall in love with these big white totes. I always have been a fan of white colour. I basically keen on anything that is white. But just now I just realized that I never have a big white bag! It gets me thinking…Hmm… but with all this big bags, what should I put into them?

What usually inside my bag is as shown on the picture below. Which are, no more or less:

Black wallet from Esprit that I used for almost 3 years (yeah believe me!)
Vaseline lip balm
DKNY sunnies
Tissue
Blue 4G Ipod Nano
Keys
Nokia 6288

I always wonder when I saw woman carrying a big handbag (which really “in” lately), what really inside their bag?? It seems to me they could carry clothes for a whole week! Me? The biggest item that could take up space in my bag is probably an umbrella which I rarely use.

Anyway, I’m in love with those white bags! The bigger the better, despite what should I put inside it.

Definitely putting them on my wish list ^_^

Thesis oh thesis

2007-05-28T21:36:00.000+10:00

Huh... exammm.... thesissssss....
my bad putting it all to the last minutes...

wish i can just fukitol -_-

SMS ibu

2007-05-28T00:21:00.001+10:00

Tiiiittt.. tieeeeet…

SMS ku memanggil.
Dari ibu.
Isinya,"Ica udah tidur? Ntn film pirates of caribbean ya td? Bagus ga?"
Setelah kubaca, kuletakan kembali dimeja.
Aku diamkan dulu karena lagi sibuk mengutak-atik rumus untuk skripsi.

5 menit berlalu

Tiiiittt.. tieeeeet…

Loh kok berbunyi lagi? Ibu sms lagi karena takut sms yang tadi tak sampai?
Dengan malas-malasan ku ambil si telepon yg memanggil.
Dari seorang pria.
Isinya singkat, tidak padat, tidak jelas, "Mel, lagi ngapain?"
Tanpa berpikir panjang aku langsung menekan tombol reply.
Reply, "Lagi ngerjain skripsi nih. Pusing deh gak selesai-selesai. Btw, td aku nonton Pirates of the Caribbean loh. Km dah ntn lom?"

Send.

Telepon ku langsung ramai bernyanyi. Balas-membalas SMS dengan si pria. Setelah 3 kali menerima dan mengirim, telepon ku diam.

5 menit.

15 menit.

25 menit.

Itu telepon kenapa gak manggil-manggil lagi?

Akhirnya aku ingat sms dari Ibu belom dibalas
Reply, "Belom, lagi kerjain tugas".

Send.

1 menit.

Tiiiittt.. tieeeeet…

Akhirnya dibales juga. Abis ngapain tu anak nunggu setengah jam buat balas sms?? Pikirku.

Ternyata bukan balasan sms yang ku nanti.
Dari Ibu.
Isinya, "Oh, ya udah kamu belajar aja deh. Yang rajin ya".

Oalaahh ternyata Ibu menunggu balasan SMS dari ku. Sedangkan aku melupakan ibu dan malah menunggu balasan dari temanku.
Aku lebih mengutamakan panggilan teman dari pada panggilan ibu. Padahal kalau ada masalah dengan si teman aku pasti langsung lari ke ibu.

Aku langsung merasa bersalah.

Cepat-cepat menekan tombol reply.

Reply, "Mama di rumah? Aku telepon rumah ya…"

Aku kangen rumah

2007-05-26T22:04:00.000+10:00

26 May 07

Uh… aku kangen rumah.

Pasti kebanyakan orang kira bisa sekolah ke luar negeri tuh enak banget. Karena dipikir kehidupan di luar sana pasti lebih baik dari pada di dalam negeri. Semua lebih teratur, lebih menurut aturan, dan ilmu pendidikan dan teknologi pun pasti jauh lebih maju.
Memang benar sih, semuanya lebih teratur daripada di dalam negeri. Sarana transportasi gampang, bersih, dan gak berpolusi. Mau jalan-jalan sampai pulang malem pun gak takut rampok atau diculik. Tapi apakah itu semua cukup?

Ternyata kenyamanan hidup minus orang-orang yang kita sayangi (baca: keluarga) itu tidak cukup. Sejelek-jeleknya Indonesia, tetap saja kampung halaman yang tidak akan bisa diganti. Kadang-kadang (seperti sekarang) aku berpikir, misalnya aku di Jakarta, hari Sabtu jam 9 malam pasti lagi pergi makan ato duduk-duduk dan ngobrol sama mama papa. Besok paginya dibangunin pagi-pagi buat ke gereja, lalu acara keluarga lagi. Gak repot mikirin mau makan apa malem ini, dan berakhir dengan indomie gara-gara gak sempet belanja. Ada yang masakin, ada yang anterin kalau aku butuh bantuan transportasi, dan yang lebih penting, ada tangan yang terbuka lebar dikala aku ingin dipeluk. Aku kangen rumah…

Kemaren ini sempet nonton Serial TV Jomblo di youtube. Ceritanya tentang persahabatan 4 orang lelaki di masa kuliah. Aku sempat berpikir, kalau saja dulu aku kuliah di dalam negeri, pasti aku gak akan merasa seperti ini. Teman-teman pasti selalu ada, mau ke rumah mereka pun gampang. Kalau di luar negeri seperti ini, teman-teman dari 4 tahun yang lalu yang tetap bersamaku hanya 1, yaitu housemate-ku yang 2 bulan lagi bakal lulus dan balik ke Indonesia. Di luar negeri cari teman itu gampang, tapi cari sahabat yang susah. Teman sekaligus sahabat ku sekarang mencar-mencar di penjuru dunia. Ada yang sudah balik ke Indonesia, ada yang di Canada, bahkan yang di Australia pun mencar ke Sydney dan Perth. Kalau saja dari dulu aku kuliah di dalam negeri, pasti teman-teman yang menjadi sahabatku sama-sama di Indonesia sekarang. Aku kangen rumah…

Tentang relationship pun begitu. Teman-temanku yang punya pacar disini mulai bingung karena kita sebentar lagi lulus. Ada yang pacarnya mau tetap tinggal di Ausi, sedangkan dia sendiri mau balik Indo. Ada lagi yang baru saja putus karena si lelaki ambil sekolah bahasa di Cina, sendangkan si perempuan tetap disini. Ada lagi yang sama-sama mudik Indo tetapi mereka berasal dari daerah yg berbeda, satu di Jakarta, satu lagi di Surabaya. *sigh*. Aku pun bingung. Kalau saja kita sama-sama tinggal di Jakarta, pasti gak akan serumit long distance relationship (LDR) yang masa depannya masih belom jelas. Kalau saja aku berada di Jakarta sekarang, mungkin aku lagi jalan-jalan sama pacar, atau diapelin ke rumah. Aku kangen rumah…

Boyssssssssss

2007-05-26T21:58:00.000+10:00

Melbourne, 16 May 2007
8.47 am

Geez, I woke up early but have no energy to go to Uni. Today is tutorial (which I hate because the homework sheet is so tough and the tutor is NOT helping at all). So I decided to stayed at home and tell my story about last night.

I dunno where to start, really…

So I have this boyfriend back in Indonesia, so this is what we called long distance relationship (LDR). I feel lately that he don’t care anymore about me. He never calls anymore, he never online to chat with me as he used to do. He still SMS me every day, but the content would be so general that it bore me. And when I reply his text, it would take him an hour before he replied back. Let just say that I am tired waiting for him.

Last night I have two friends (boys, and they don’t know that I have a boyfriend) chatting with me online in MSN. They talk and flirt with me about relationship. OK, they asked me to be they girlfriend =P

Funny it is that they are not the only one. I text my other friend during that same night, we chatted on the phone, and play pranks with each other. This boy (I think) is attracted to me too. He cares, he asked me out, he always chat with me mostly every day.

The question is now… with that 3 boys waiting for my reply, what the hell am I doing with this careless boyfriend of mine? Why don’t I just having relationship with one of those guys? I must tell you that 2 out of 3 are in Melbourne so I won’t need to have LDR, which is sucks by the way. Why why why?????

I guess I’m still expecting something from my boyfriend. But lately, every time he SMS me, all I’m feeling is sadness, because I have to deal or think of him again. In my mind, I am over with him, although he never dies in my heart. Every time I tried to talk with him about this, he always always find a way to change my mind. Always have excuses, and make me think that I am the one who asking too much from him. I don’t know how to break up with him. I’ve tried several times, trust me, but I never succeeded.

Now I really don’t know what to do. Will I be happier without him? God, help me decide. Help me to have the courage to talk with him without him shaking my ground again. Help me to know the differences. Just, help me please…

And if he is not the one, help me to break up with him. Tell me tricks on ‘how to lose a guy immediately’!

All for Love

2007-02-23T23:38:00.000+11:00

Love story time…

Story number 1

I have this friend; lets call him “A”. He recently told me that he is in deeply in love with my girl friend “B”. A and B are childhood friends, but then lost contact for years until 2 years ago they accidentally met. A has been in love with her since they were on elementary school. So when they met for the second time, the love blossoms in his heart once again. However, the down side is, B already has a boyfriend. So A ask me to help him get closer to B even though he knows that he will never win her heart. “I will love her in silence,” he once said to me. “As long as she is happy, I would be fine”… Tragic…?

Story number 2

Another friend of mine just got dumped by his boyfriend. This is what he said to her, “Babe, I’m sorry. We had our differences, and I just don’t love you no more”. I know they had differences in cultural and religion matter. Those things are very fundamental aspect in a serious relationship. They have tried to work it out for a year, but I guess it turned out not well for them. They, or should I say HE, has given up on love. And by saying that he doesn’t love her no more is even worsen the situation.

Just a message for you, who’s broken hearted,

Never regret something that once made you smile

I know it’s easier to say than done, but I’ve been holding to those quote this last couple of years, and it works for me.

One more quote I want to share with you,

No man/woman is worth your tears and the only one who is, will never makes you cry

So people *(khususnya buat kamu yang mau gantung diri di pohon toge), Cheer up my friend! Love will find you without you even realize it.

And for those who is in love, just remember this:
In life there are very rare chances that you’ll meet the person you love and loves you in return. So once you have it don’t ever let it go, the chance might never come your way again.

*Translated as: Especially for you who want to hang yourself on a beansprout branch

Alone at night

2007-01-29T16:53:00.000+11:00

Jakarta, 28th January 2007

I’m sitting here, all alone in my little corner
Waiting for the sun to shine and the night to be over
Thinking about how great today went
And how boring the next 5 days going to be
I waited for someone to call
While wondering who miss-called me 3 times this afternoon
(It was a guy, but I don’t know him. Could it be my secret admirer? =P)
But nobody called
The clock keeps ticking...
Tik-tok-tik-tok
It’s dawn
I feel so alone
Suddenly a lizard crossed by and surprised me
Guess I surprised it too
It ran away and left me still in shocked
Suddenly I laughed
Laughed so hard to my silly thought
Guess what?! I guess I can never be alone in this world
There was the lizard saying “hello” to me during my lonely night
There was an old lady gave me a lift home when I waited 1 hour for a bus
Even, There was my mother smiled at me the second I was born

So tonight, for all the small things and the biggest things He has done for me
I’ll say a little prayer

Dear God,
Thanks for making the world so crowded
So I will never be alone
Thanks for the archangel who always protects me
I know I cannot see it, but I can very much feel it protecting me
And I realized that You will never leave me alone in this world
Thanks for being with me in every steps of my life.

Designer Handbag: buy or steal?

2006-11-27T18:09:00.000+11:00

I went to Senayan City last Saturday with my friends, Fabri and Wiko. My impression? I wouldn’t call Senayan City as a mall or a shopping center; I’d call it a designer showcase!

We circled around the showcase and took this picture on your right. The picture was taken in Debenhams dept. store. Notice the 3 madams on the left, and the 4 sales assistants on the right. I guess the madams can no longer handle their shopping bag, so they need another 4 people to carry them. It good to be rich isn’t it. My friend said the situation remind her of “Pretty Woman” movie. Gosh, I wonder what their husbands do for a living…

Then we went to Gucci, since Fab want to see the Gucci 85th anniversary bags. I must admit it was beautiful. It really is a piece of art.

From all things in fashion, I love bags the most. But would I buy those designers bag right now? Definitely No. Why? Read on

Nowadays, woman handbag is a very important piece of fashion accessory. Top designers around the globe compete to make the most beautiful / fashionable / expensive handbags. Some of the lists include: Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, Fendi, Chanel, Marc Jacobs, Burberry, and many more. The price? It will definitely max your credit card to the limit. It ranges from hundreds of dollars to several thousand each!

One of the examples is a Birkin Bags from Hermes (picture on the right), which start at around $6000, while the most expensive version is made of crocodile with solid gold closures studded with diamonds, tops $85,000!!!!

What is it that makes the designer handbag so special? Some people rather stop eating for months to be able to purchase those bags. Is it a fashion statement? Or is it merely a status symbol? A friend of mine even say it is an investment (?!?!)

I could never understand how a bag can become an investment. If you want to invest, why don’t you just buy a diamond or gold? I think it is mostly a status symbol. A person will feel proud wearing them, even if sometimes they cannot tell the difference between the genuine and the fake ones.

For the case of young girls wearing designer bags, I personally think it just don’t suit them. I will not feel proud wearing $2000 bags knowing it comes from my parent’s account. If I work hard and receive hundreds of thousands of dollars salary, then I will purchase my very first Gucci bag. Even though I’d rather save it to go to Paris or to the Bahamas. ^_-

Dial - up nightmare

2006-11-16T13:10:00.000+11:00

After only 2 days holiday after exam finished, I’m back in Indonesia now. As I imagined, the nightmare of not having Internet come true.

· First of all, I can’t connect my old PC keyboard to my Mac Mini since the plug is not compatible.

· I can’t use MSN messenger since the updated version need Internet explorer 6.0 while mine is still 5.0.

· Officially, it will take me 1 hour to download the messenger and another 2 hours for IE 6.0

· The sad bit is that the Internet connection cannot keep up running for more than 1 hour. It keep disconnecting and I have to keep reconnect it. Imagine how many hours for me to download the update?!

· Mean while when it finally connected, I can’t browse anywhere else since the connection speed is too low to support download and browse (dial up max-45 kbps).

· I have no speaker for my computer. So I have to listen songs from my Mini, which is horrible. I can’t connect it to the home theater since, again, I don’t have the converter for the plug.

· Next. My laptop’s motherboard is broken and I will need IDR 3,000,000 to fix it.

The up side is that I can ask for a new set of PC. I think I’d rather spend it on a new PC than to fix the laptop. But who knows, my dad said we don’t need a fancy computer since he only use it for the Microsoft office and browsing (rarely happen). If that so, at least I have to get a new keyboard that is compatible for Mac and PC. Or else I'll be really really miserable =(

Exam, Home, and Shopping

2006-11-11T12:26:00.000+11:00

Hey wassupp guys...
How is everybody going??
Well, to be honest, I dun really have anything to write about.
My life has been plain boring.

I just finished my exam yesterday and going back home soon. Not really excited about going home. Reasons are:
- I'm gonna miss my new computer with 19" LCD + TV tunner.
- I'm gonna miss the speed of the internet connection, playing online games, downloading movie and songs.
- I'm gonna miss shoppink with my besties (although at home another besties waiting).
- I'm gonna miss hanging out in the city till dawn, having a zip of cocktails while gossiping about the cute waiter who seems to be (sadly) gay.

ARgh.. really2 not excited bout home.

And yet I'm gonna have to work full time for the sake of completing the study requirement (3 months internship program to be able to graduate)

*sigh*

Anyway, last few days before going home I've been shoppink a LoT!
Went to Bridge Road yesterday, the shopping paradise, where all the factory outlet from a big known store such as ESPRIT, GASP, NINE WEST, PILGRIM, JEANS WEST, etc etc...

I found this cute necklace from SEDUCE.

Cute ponny... LOVe iT!!

I bought a new bag from MIMCO, which is reversible made from polyester. What a bargain bcos the original price is $69.95 and I bought it for only $24.95 ^_^

Bought a couple of tops from MNG and PILGRIM *both 50% discount too of course!!*

And today, I am going to continue my shopping spree at Chadstone, the FashiOn CapiTaL ^_*

Excited! Can't wait to see what I'll bring home today =D

Quote of the day:
"Man, Coffee, Chocolate, The RICH the BETTER"

The Art of Photography

2006-10-13T01:38:00.000+10:00

I recently found an interest in photography.
Pictures were taken from Tulip Festival in Melbourne, AU
All were editted using iPhoto
Enjoy...

Buzy buzy butterfly

Pink is a new black

Give some yellow

Windows Sucks

2006-10-13T01:13:00.000+10:00

Geez.. it has been a while since i updated my blog.

Reason? Blame the GUNBOUND online game and those Asian drama series o_O

Anyway, The news is I hate windows!
I have to format my windows twice in a week! Thanks to bugs and freakin' pop ups. Lucky i'm using MacMini so I have no trouble doing my works. I bought Mac Mini for reason that it is compact and easy to carry around compare to desktop PC. It also has longer lifetime compared to laptops (laptops only last for around 3 years if you a heavy user, or even less). So I don't actually prefer MAC than Windows in the first place. But now, I think I started to fall in love with Mac. It's virus-free and also NO POP UPs. I found this interesting website called Microsuck www.windows-sucks.com. I think I am one of the follower now.

Windows is one of the BIGGEST SCAM.
Goo MaCkie!

PS:
The bug I mention above turns all the fonts in my desktop appearance into tiny-very little-size 2 fonts. I can't hardly read anything ~_~ I have searched the internet but cannot find anything about this matter. If someone ever encountered the same problem, could you please tell my why and how to overcome it...

Culture difference: Why not?

2006-09-11T14:50:00.000+10:00

*Smuce ball : is an ordinary ball with 3 course meal, boost, and lots of good times.

That what is promised by the Chemical Engineering department committee which host the event. Sadly of course, it will only valid for the local (Australian) students. I, as one of the international student, will not come to their party. The question is, why. It seems that the Australian and International student can not mix. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not because of discrimination or other negative stuffs we don’t like about each other. We get along well with each other. It just the way we, so called, “have fun” are different.

As you may already know, westerners love to drink a lot. I mean a lot! They always have wine with their meals, going to pubs / bar to get beer or cocktails. I'm not saying its bad, but it just different. In my culture (Asian), we eat to celebrate. Yes, we eat. Every celebration, such as birthday, graduation party, welcoming party, etc, instead of going to a bar to have a drink / listen to bands or go dancing, we sit on a big table and have dinner. The host party will treat their guests by paying their meals. It could last for at least 2 hours because, not only we eat, we chat and keep up with the latest news from everyone: current issues for the gentleman and gossips for the ladies. My background is Indonesian, which is part of the South East Asia. We are not really a dancing culture. We just don’t dance as much as the westerner or middle eastern. So it is hard for me, personally, to get down to the dance floor and dance while everyone else watching. Of course many youngsters right now get to the groove and start following the western culture (nightclubs are one of the examples). However in the case of balls, many of my friends when I ask why they wouldn’t go, said “I’m not really into that western culture.” Or “There would be lots of alcohols. I’m afraid they (westerners) will loose it and get drunk”.

Well, nothing more to say. It that just one of the cultural differences we had. I personally would love to go to a ball if only my friends are going. I want to experience the real ball as in the movie. (PS: remember the ball from the TV serial The O.C.; where the decoration is wonderful and everyone dressed up beautifully?) I want that kind of experience while studying in Australia! So, I guess I will go next year, as it is my final year. It would be my last opportunity to go to a ball ever in my life! Hopefully by then the international student can change their mind. So not only think about the negative, but also can see the positive side of it. Shall we dance, guys? ^_^

* Smuce is stand for Student of Monash University Chemical Engineering.

Their website can be seen here: http://smuce.blogspot.com/

Let's go skiing

2006-08-24T16:36:00.000+10:00

Friend : Ski yukkkk
Me : Mauuuuuuu
Friend : ke Falls Creek aja. Denger2 saljunya lebih tebel
Me : Tapi 5 hours drive loh. Kuat???
Friend : Hmm… iya juga ya. Kalo nginep?
Me : siap keluarin $500 looh. Soalnya lagi high season.
Friend : 500 buckssss? Buat semalem doank? Duh lagi bokek gw.
Me : ke Buller aja yuk!!!
Friend : eh Buller ada dealnya tuh. $150 udah semua sama transport.
Me : Really?? Let’s go!

Mount Buller. For only 3 hours drive from Melbourne, VIC, is the most favourite winter holiday destination. Compare to other ski mountain around VIC, Mt. Buller has the least snow, yet is the most popular for ski beginners. It has various ski tracks, resorts, and restaurants. You definetely won’t get bored no matter if it is only one day or spending a long weekend in the snow.

This is my second time going to a snow trip. My first trip was to Falls Creek on early September 2005. For me personally, I like Mt. Buller better since it has a lot more shops and restaurants!

I love skiing. It is a lot of fun! But, before you go skiing, here are some “guidelines” which (hopefully) can help you spend a fun time in the snow,

Wear a sensible clothing

Waterproof jacket and pants is a must! If you don’t have one, there are some available you can rent along with you ski gear. However, wear a thick jacket because you gonna have to walk from the parking lot to the rental which is quite far. Don’t even think of wearing an open toe shoes or sandals even if you know you will rent a ski boot.

Accessorize!

Not only for you looks good in picture, accessories are an important item to keep you warm. A hat / beannie are very important. A research says that 30% of your body heat is released from your head. So wear a hat to keep your head and ear warm. Gloves are important too to protect you from scratches if you fall and to be able to make a snowman! Add scarf and googles if you want.

Eat breakfast before you leave

When you get there, trust me, you won’t be thinking about food at all. Your thoughts will be about ski ski and playing with the snow. People tend to skip lunch because they forget about time. And since they are busy playing around, they don’t feel hungry. Its fine at first, but after a day playing sport, your body will crave carbs and can ruin your stomach. So, eat up before you go!

Choose your gear accordingly

There are 2 choices available: ski and snowboards. People said that snowboard is easier if you know how to ski. I personally never try snowboard, but I recommend you to ski if you are a first-timer.

Ski lesson for a first-timer

Yes, you have to pay more to get a lesson. But trust me, it is worthed! It usually took about 1-2 hours. They will teach you how to get on your ski, how to walk on it, and the most important is how to stop. It is definetelly not an easy thing to do, but as time goes by, you will learn how to break without falling =)

Don’t even think that ski is easy, and follow more experienced people to go down on a steep track. You may know how to break now, but training is usually done in less steep track, while the real track is steeper (even for the easier level). So remember, it’s not only dangerous for you, it is a danger for other people too. Have a save ski is important! We want to go back to the city in one piece, aren’t we?

Fall on your butt

I know we cannot think when we fall. But at least try to fall on your bottom instead of to your knees. Knees are more fragile and your hand will injure more if you fall to your front since you carry all your weight on them. Bottom is saver and it also easier for you to get up.

That is all I can think of right now. From my personal experience, my very first step on the snow on a ski is definetelly scary. I can not perform break at all, even after one hour lesson. But in this second time trip, it is getting far easier. I finally know how to slow down and how to avoid falling over. So don’t worry too much if you cannot ski after your first time on the snow. Your second time is definetelly easier. I cannot wait to get my third time! Let’s skiiiii…

How much is it cost?

For high season (July – Sept):

· Ski package (include: transportation by coach, ski enterance, ski/snowboard hire, lift, and 2 hours ski lesson) à $149

· Clothing rental (include ski jacket and pants only) à $27

· Foods are mostly expensive. Noodle box at around $15-20 per person.

· Water bottle $4 (retail price in the city is $2.10)

Cuap - cuap seorang Nobody

2006-08-09T01:11:00.000+10:00

"Aku bukan orang yang lemah
Kalau aku lemah, sudah bersembunyi aku di dasar lembah.
Namun aku orang yang kuat
Dengan dagu tercuat, menggenggam kejujuran erat - erat.
Tapi kalau cuma menjadi hantu, maka akupun tak tahu"

(Supernova - Kesatria, Putri, dan Bintang Jatuh)

I open my old scratch book and found the quote. I always love quotation. Whenever I read books/articles (and sometimes movies) and love the phrase, I go to my scratch book and write it down. This is just one of many.

I think this quote is really "Me" right now.
I feel like I am strong inside. But it all do not matter.
I feel like I'm no-one. Nobody recognize me.
What am I to the world?
and if I was never born, what effect do I make? (apart for my Mom and Dad)
I'm not Paris Hilton, Lady Diana or Mother Teressa.
Who am I? I don't even know.

Years and years I've studied Physics and Chemistry.
But until now I don't even know why the sky is blue.
Why ocean is dark blue, while shallow water is green.
One day my Dad asked me when we stop at petrol station, "Why is some petrol works better than the other? How does it work?"
Guess what... I DON'T KNOW!
Down down down... that really get me down.

On Thursday last week, I decided to do some volunteer work for Melbourne City Mission.
What I did is basically stand to introduce and promote the organization. I have to wear a Pjamas at train station during the rush hours.
So, I got up at 5.30 am in the morning, quickly showered, and rushed to the city.
The sun was still on the other side of the globe. It was dark.
I reached city at 6.55 am. I was late for 5 minutes for my meeting.
On that day, I really felt great for myself. Not because people recognize me for what I did. Not because I can answer the toughest yet simple question my Dad asked about science.
And for the first time of my life, I felt great not because I get good grades, money, or 1 kg less of my weight.
For the first time, I know I have a hero inside me.
Knowing I can help someone and make their life a little better.
It was fun too. I received a lot of smile from strangers (some even giggled at me, but who cares rite?!).
And saying "How are you?" and "Have a nice day" to a total stranger is not bad after all. =)

Alzheimers Eye Test

2006-07-31T22:07:00.000+10:00

ALZHEIMERS' EYE TEST

Count every " F" in the following text:

FINISHED FILES ARE THE RE
SULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTI
FIC STUDY COMBINED WITH
THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS...

(SEE BELOW)

HOW MANY ?

WRONG, THERE ARE 6 -- no joke.

READ IT AGAIN !
Really, go Back and Try to find the 6 F's before you scroll down.

The reasoning behind is this

The brain cannot process "OF".

Amuzinggggggg eh?....
If you can read all 6 in first shot, U are a genius.
If you read 3, it's normal.
But if you can read 4, you are RARE.

Firstly, I only read 2. How embarassing. LOL. The second shot I read 3. Hahahaha...
Me dumb? Naahh.. That's because I only use half of my brain. My left brain is resting for the exam which is comming in the next two weeks!!

(Yesh, the gave me the supplementary exam because I was sick and blew it all up. I never been so excited to sit in the exam before =P)

Anyway, it's funny how our brain playing games on us.
I am still amuze how we can't pick the "F" in "OF". I read it three times for Donnut's sake!

So, how many "F" can you pick up?

Winter Flowers

2006-07-28T21:45:00.000+10:00

We finaly reach the middle of winter.

So far, winter means cloudy day, raining all morning, have to go home early because the sun sets at 5.30 pm... but not anymore they don't.

When I went out today, this tree is blossoming with pink flowers! I didn't notice them yesterday. Meaning, they are blooming all the flowers in just one night! They looks like Japanese Sakura... but different. They can only be seen in winter day. During spring, the tree filled with green leaves only, no flowers at all. In autumn, the leaves turns yellowish-red. Leaves falling and suddenly the tree filled with flowers. How amazing!
There are also another tree full with white flowers, just like this pink flowers. The different is that the white flowers one has bigger and taller branch. They are all beautiful!

So that winter isn't always grey and gloomy.
Winter means Pink and White ^_^
Stay in bed til late, hot chocolate, lazy afternoon, and full winter clothing (which I love!)
Beanie, gloves, scarf, layer and more layer.

Look! even the dogs wearing clothes.
Whether for the sake of fashion or they actually need something to keep them warm.

^Happy winter everyone^

Global Recall of ReNu with MoistureLoc Contact Lens Cleaning Solution

2006-07-19T21:42:00.000+10:00

News for Contact Lens user!!

Have you ever heard or even used ReNu by Bausch & Lomb contact lenses cleaning solution?
If your answer is “yes”, then this is a news for you.

On Thursday, 11 May 2006, Bausch & Lomb met with Food & Drug Adminstration officials regarding to the investigation to one of their product, ReNu with MoistureLoc. It was found that the formulation of ReNu with MoistureLoc product can increase the risk of Fungal Keratis infection. The company thus has decided to permanently remove the ReNu MoistureLoc product worldwide.

What is Fungal Keratis?

Based on article published by Ophthalmology section from Purdue University, Fungal Keratis is a serius and painful corneal disease that is caused by fungal infection. The disease will requires prolonged and expensive treatment; or under the worst case scenario, it can result in blindness or the need for enucleation.

Symtoms:

Blurred vision
Red and painful eye that does not improve when the contact lens is removed
Increased sensitivity to light
Excessive tearing or discharge

So if you have any of these symtoms, better contact your optometrist immediately.

The fact is I actually use ReNu all the time for the past (perhaps) 2 years! I am so shocked by the articles. Contact Lenses is actually very useful although maybe a little bit more dangerous than glasses. But I can not imagine if I have to live without it. Glasses is so not for me. Praise and a big thank you to the scientists for inventing contact lens! and to Bausch & Lomb, you dissapoint me *sigh*

MeL's Chatterbox

Torn

Three Girls in The Kimchi World

Morning Thoughts

There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread(Mother Teresa)

- heal the world, make peace with yourself -

Part of Human Life *Funny jokes*

What have technology done to us?

Lift Me Up

30.05.09

Wisata Alam Gunung Mas

There is something about the rain

I'm feeling GREEN - story behind the new template

Good things will come your way.. when you stop searching!

Things I want to do before 25

I miss you

Angel VS Demon on Louis

Love and Marriage in question

Decision in question

A Dime A Dozen

Some girls are stupid

Pelem Indonesia yang Semakin Melarat

St.Upid Day

Tongue Slip

"Niu" Year Superstition

A poem

Answer me this

I missed the old Disney movie

The Moment of Truth

Free TV and Movies online

Lindsay Price on Lipstick Jungle

Shrine of Remembrance

Chinese New Year VS St Kilda festival

..when the bright future is for you to create

Victorian Beaches: St. Kilda, Geelong, and Wilson Prom.

All I want for Christmas is...

Christian Lacroix - what a divine

A Farewell

Delicious Day Out

Art of Graffiti

Silent night

Design Celebration

AARrghhhHHhhH

Golden Gaytime

A fight inside me

Spice Girls – Now Return

Secrets

Bla bla

Hectic Design Project

10 Reasons to Date an Engineer:

Life is about choices

Lady Stranger on my iPod

Random Quiz

Ulat di dalam SilverQueen Cokelat

Review: India Arie (Testimony Vol.1 Life & Relationship)

Another stupid love songs

How sweet a guy can be

More on Bags, this time Tote

Thesis oh thesis

SMS ibu

Aku kangen rumah

Boyssssssssss

All for Love

Alone at night

Designer Handbag: buy or steal?

Dial - up nightmare

Exam, Home, and Shopping

The Art of Photography

Windows Sucks

Culture difference: Why not?

Let's go skiing

Cuap - cuap seorang Nobody

Alzheimers Eye Test

Winter Flowers

Global Recall of ReNu with MoistureLoc Contact Lens Cleaning Solution

There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread
(Mother Teresa)

Part of Human Life Funny jokes