Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Chatting with Eka 
My best buddies
[Marlisa, Dewi, Emilia] are simply my best buds. I had a little chat with them this afternoon. I think it was my cousin,
Marlisa's idea, to share some time just to chat. So they worked on their schedules and they gave some time to get together and talk to me, or more appropriately to let me talk. They are great. I'm blessed to have such people who actually care about me. I am lucky, aren't I? They seem to be doing okay, still in the middle of their holiday.
Dewi is struggling to get approval for presenting her final year project. I think
Marlisa and Emilia are now starting to work on their final year projects.
Marlisa is part of the family; I wish all the best for her & family . I wish all the gals the best. I know
Dewi is dying to get her final year project done and over with so that she can dig in to
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 
Emilia is a fortress of faith. I know some people with great faith and she is one of them and I'm just glad that she is like that. It's just comforting to know a person with great faith, they can make you feel okay.
Marlisa is more interested in getting me back to the root of the family, she told me to go to the temple if I had time, maybe there I could find some peace of mind. I think
Emilia on the other hand would prefer if I have daily bread every morning. But I know they would respect any decision that I make. It's all about talking to God and acknowledging him and I guess more importantly to listen to him, and this is perhaps the thing that I do the least. I miss them all, miss hanging out with them so much.
Thank you girls, you're cool! And in your own words *thumbs up* 
It has been raining for days now. I'm actually starting to pray for a bright and sunny day and just like everything else that I've asked, it's not being answered. Well, maybe not that it
will not be answered, but just
not yet. Miss home so much and I want to go home so badly. Bye for now people, hopefully tomorrow there'll be sun, because I'm starting to feel unhealthy being in this air for too long.
:) eKa @ 10:57:00 PM •
Thursday, January 22, 2004
HapPy CHiNeSE NeW YeaR 
:) eKa @ 6:58:00 PM •
Wednesday, January 21, 2004
Chinese New Year Eve
Hi! If you are chinese and you are spending this Chinese New Year Eve with your family, then I am happy for you
sincerely. If you have been doing it for years and see no big deal in it, well just put more excitement okay, because if you're not having it anymore, you'll see how precious those moments are. So here I am, my 4
th Chinese New Year in Singapore, four times in a row not spending it with my family. I must be crazy! Last year I thought that no way this year I'd be in Singapore, but plan is just a plan. I learn that lesson this few days. You can plan as much as you can, but ... well things happen
It's okay, I'm cool. I'm enjoying myself. I think mom is slightly feel sorry for me being here alone (I don't think she understands that I'm actually happy being
alone) that for the first time in my 4 years here, she sent me a package. The package contains 2 jars of cookies. 1 is pineapple tart and the other is chocolate cookies and I tell you that this is the best cookies you can find in Singapore
I often feel sorry on how expensive are these chinese new year treats in Singapore. How expensive many of the shops are selling their pineapple tarts, and they may not even taste that good. This kind of thing makes me feel how nice it is to live in Indonesia
Anyway, not just the package, last week mom actually told me to buy clothes if I want to. I was dead surprise, how often do you parent actually endorse you buying clothes? But I declined the offer, because I'm broke and I see no necessity in doing so, since I'm not going to meet anyone.
Anyway, I cleaned the house yesterday and today. Bought myself a nice cake and I think I'm getting fat
It's holiday right? and in holiday there is no rule
So you can eat anything you want. I went to a temple today and surprisingly there were not much people there, even compared to normal days. The streets were rather quiet too. Well, I guess people are just rushing home and busy preparing that so-called reunion dinner. It is so weird, here I am in Singapore, where there are many chinese and all the fuss about Chinese New Year are so thick in the air. There are things that I have only seen for real for the first time in Singapore, like the pussy willow for example and yet as the years before, I don't feel much of Chinese New Year mood. I guess it's not about all the decorations and all the reds, but more about the family. I miss spending Chinese New Year with my family so much. I think I'm starting to forget how that really feels like
On the good side, it is perhaps better that I am here; the family is having some kind of "situation" so I guess I am saved of all the confusion by being here.
I think I'll be sleeping early tonight (early as in before 1 am). I got to wake up early tomorrow, got myself all dressed up and perky and make some phone calls
Okay, hope all of you have a great chinese new year, yah
:) eKa @ 10:03:00 PM •
Saturday, January 17, 2004
*Hurray* 
Last Thursday night, I was scared and worried about the days ahead of me. I keep on reminding myself of what a friend told me earlier this week. I received a phone call from a friend who I haven't seen for...I guess for more than 5 months on Monday night. Anyway, it was surprising that he called. I guess it was partly because he wanted to say goodbye because he was going home for the Chinese New Year holiday and partly because he suddenly remembered my existence
and perhaps he was slightly worried too about me. A few days before, I received a message in my icq from him, he asked me how I was. We didn't get a chance to talk, because we weren't really online at the same time. Anyway, at that time, my reply was that I think I was physically fine but I wasn't sure mentally. So when he called, before we ended our conversation, he kept on saying that I should be strong. I guess, it was just one of those blessing from God, God was actually trying to talk to me. So these few days, I keep on reminding myself, "Be Strong Eka".
Well. I'm glad that this Saturday went well and it was actually getting better
I'm going to have this flat all for myself for a week. My housemates are all in their own homes (I guess) in Indonesia, enjoying their holiday. This is perhaps very mean of me to say this, but I'm just so glad that they are all gone. I feel that I just need to be physically and mentally alone, away from everyone else
I'm so happy I'm bouncing all over the walls. Well, I hope all of you will have such a great weekend and a great week ahead too
:) eKa @ 8:48:00 PM •
Friday, January 09, 2004
Changing Tea
This one may not be an interesting post...so read on your own risk
Even with the diabetic history in the family, my mom still insists me on taking a warm-sweet cup of tea every morning. I used to disobey this request, however since a few months ago, I've started this morning ritual. In the family, mom is the only tea drinker and she really drinks lots of them. Dad is the coffee drinker just like many of my aunts and uncles and cousins. My brother and I don't drink coffee nor tea, well I don't really know if my brother has started to drink coffee on a regular basis. Anyway, now I do drink tea, every morning, and so far I haven't really stuck with 1 kind of tea. I kept on buying different ones each time I finished 1 pack, for the sake of keeping the habit interesting. So far the nicest one I've ever had was actually the Sari Wangi tea bag from Indonesia, it was really nice
Too bad, I can't find it in Singapore. The 2
nd best was peach-blackcurrant tea that I bought from carrefour, it supposedly came from France. It didn't really taste like tea, the peachy taste was so strong and I finished that pack yesterday. Today, I'm starting with a new pack of lime + honey tea, the same brand as the peach one. Personally, I find the peach one was better. I couldn't really taste the lime in my new tea, I tasted lots of honey in it and...and I just missed the peach tea. I guess, I would settle with the peach-blackcurrant tea next time
I finished my origami flower ball today. The title in the book was
Morning Dew and it's really nice, eventhough I think I arranged the flowers wrongly. It consists of 12 flowers and each flowers has 5 petals. It's not hard to make. It makes me want to try other design
I received an interesting email from
Dewi and a whining from
Rista today *sigH* All I can say is, I believe in God and so far I keep telling myself this: God is almighty, right? So He knows everything and He knows our future. I guess if we're having it hard this time, maybe it is just a preparation for harder things to come. So we'd better take this hard time with stride, so that we can take whatever it is the next thing to come on our plate. It's like if you know you are going to go through on a rough journey, you may want to prepare yourself well, maybe with some physical training which can be exhausting. So maybe this hard time, it's just to train ourself mentally for whatever is next. If you're wondering why oh why do we have to face harder things in the future? Well, I guess...We're just fighters
We are meant for challenges
I may not make any sense. I actually find it hard to keep on telling me these things and believing them with faith.
:) eKa @ 3:10:00 PM •
Tuesday, January 06, 2004
School of Rock
Last December, there were 2 trailers from 2 movies both about teachers, running around on TV. Both of the movies was hitting the cinema in Singapore at the same time, December 31. You should know what I'm talking about. One is
Monalisa's Smile and the other one is
School of Rock. I found out about Monalisa's Smile before I found out School of Rock. I was actually thinking of watching Monalisa's Smile rather than School of Rock, because I didn't really find Jack Black's band Tenacious D to be nice?
Maybe, I just didn't get his music. Anyway the trailer for School of Rock was so funny, it won my heart. So I went to watch
School of Rock today
When I found out that Monalisa's Smile is about a teacher who inspires her students, well I was thinking, okay...it's must be something like
Dead Poet's Society but the female version. So I was wondering if School of Rock is something like
Dead Poet's Society with a Rockin' Roll style. Well...Maybe in a way it is true. The teacher, so-called Mr. S (I can't spell the last name too), inspires his students to do something different from what they know, from what everybody expect them to do. Something different from their so-called schedule in life, something that bring out the fire in them, or to be politically correct something that bring out the rock out of them. The movie is way cool
I am amazed at how well the kids were doing. They rock!!! Jack Black did a good job too, I think it's because rock is something very personal to him, so it's not hard for him to relate to his character and no wonder for that Golden Globe Nomination. For anyone who haven't watched it....Go!!! You will laugh a lot. The music is cool, the story is okay, Jack Black and the kids are funny, they will amaze you. The movie even has a smart ending. It will keep you stay seated until all the credit title has finished
Today's assignment : KICK SOME ASS!
:) eKa @ 10:00:00 PM •
Monday, January 05, 2004
SeNin
Senin is Monday in Indonesian. I'm beat. I am so tired. It has been a hectic day today. I was finally able to meet my cousin, after so many confusion on where and when to meet. In short, I burnt a lot of calories today, walking here and there
Mind you! I think I am getting skinnier, so I'm not so sure about burning more calories, because now I feel like I'm shrinking. I'm getting smaller and shorter. It's weird, because if I am in a crowd, I am still pretty tall compared to other people, but there were just times when I felt so short. One thing for sure, if I am among my cousins (from my father side) and brother, I am short...short...short...They're all towering me, How come I can't continue to grow?
Anyway, I managed to meet my cousin today, this one is from my mom side. I was hoping to meet her yesterday, but her flight from Hongkong arrived so late. After squeezing our time here and there, I finally managed to meet her for a few hours. I took her and her aunt and cousins for a little shopping in a rush
I think it all went well, they didn't miss their flight. It has been a good day for me, because it's just so good to be able to meet a member of the family again. I needed that so much
I've been spending too much money
I bought an over-priced cherries for my parent
Then today I made several international phone calls to my cousin's handphone (it is silly and annoying, because she's here!!! It's all because she was using her Indonesian number). I'm broke. Today, dinner was instant noodle again, 3
rd day in a row
I just feel that to compensate on the huge spending I make, I should cut down on my meal fund. Then usually to compensate on my miserable meal, I buy more things the next few days, hahahha
Yeah, I am silly. Still, broke as I am, it won't stop me in making more spending tomorrow. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow
I almost forget to tell you something else. I have a new diary
Yeah! I know that is not interesting
This one is the 6
th book. Hhmm...if I can actually write 6 books and get published, I'll be so happy. Come to think of it, if I can even have 1 book published, I will be soooo happy
Yeah right...dream on Eka!
:) eKa @ 8:32:00 PM •
Thursday, January 01, 2004
Day 1
Well, it's day 1 of 2004 and it's just another day. I started off pretty badly actually. I kinda committed a sin just 1 hour after midnight (or midnight in Jakarta). I like to say that it's not my fault because I firmly believe that there's another person who should just grow up and deal with her own misconduct without having to drag another person into it too
However I was not without the power of making a decision and I stupidly did the wrong thing eventhough I promised that I would never do that again
*sigh* the moral conflict is just too much to bear for me, seriously! *sigh*
Anyway, things seem to be pretty okay in Jakarta. Dad spent day 1 in Bandung to check out how my brother is doing. I highly doubt that my dad would be able to make my brother clean even a square of his room. But I guess even my mom has given up
A few days ago, this blogsite looked like shit (
should I not have written that? well, I don't really care) because VillagePhotos are having difficulties with the traffic from their free users (I am 1 of them) but now I've found out how to store pictures in my geocities account and pull them nicely, so everything is all okay again and dolphins are swimming gracefully
:) eKa @ 7:56:00 PM •