Balik Dari Mudik

Hey peeps. I am back here in Singapore. I was thinking how unlucky I was with this trip, even from the beginning. When I went back, I was having difficulty finding a taxi under the drizzle of rain. I called for one but it never came. NanSee was really good that she tried to locate and get me another taxi, but at that point in time there was no freaking taxi in Singapore. I made it to the airport on time. It was pretty much my first time going to the plane straight away without waiting to board. When I arrived at the Soekarno-Hatta airport, I thought I saw my cousin. But since we haven't seen each other for a long time, I wasn't sure it was him and I didn't say "Hi". I then found out that it was him and I felt pretty bad for not greeting him because I am eternally grateful to him for taking care of me on my first day in Singapore. The trip home from the airport to my house was a pain because of traffic jam.

Arriving here early this morning was a worse trip. All started yesterday in the airport when I checked in. I think there were around 3 planes departing to Singapore at around 10 minutes apart and I think all those planes are full of Indonesians going back to Singapore. So checking in was a pain. Then there was the queue for the tax exemption and afterwards there was the queue for the immigration check in. Because of the so many people boarding, my plane was delayed more than half an hour so that everyone can get in. Emirates was pretty nice that it gave us bread, cakes, and drinks while waiting. I must say that flying with Emirates is really really good. Arriving in Singapore, we had to go through another baggage check. I think it's because Singapore thought that Indonesia didn't do a proper job since we were just rushed to take off. Then waiting for my luggage was a pain. Afterwards the taxi queue was a British (I think) tourist said, "It's horrendous!". I think there were 2 taxi queues in the terminal, left and right. Due to the so many people queuing for taxi, the end of the 2 queues actually met! I only got my taxi at around 00:45 am. The taxi uncle was pretty nice, he drove really fast. I think he didn't go below 80 and around half an hour later, I reached my place. With a bit of this and that, I think I slept at around 2 am.

Chinese New Year was not bad. It was actually the NBA all stars weekend. Goodness, I forget how I used to enjoy watching NBA back in junior high school. NBA matches are really cool. Didn't really watch much of the competition and the all stars games though. For once, I really think that Eva Longoria is pretty. I guess it's different seeing the normal her outside Desperate Housewives. What Eva Longoria has anything to do with NBA? Well, get to know more things peeps.

My days at home was pretty okay. There was a heavy thunderous rain last Saturday night that I was really worried that there would be flood. Fortunately, there was none. Had really good sleep on my bed. I love my hard tough bed so much. Didn't bring my vaio home and I actually managed to watch a few DVDs:
:: The Longest Yard - I love it. Love Adam Sandler in it. I think he's a really nice guy. Too bad Chris Rock had to die.
:: Cheaper by the Dozen 2 - I didn't watch the first one. I think the 2nd one is your average family movie. Not so interesting.
:: In Her Shoes - Not bad.
:: Just Like Heaven - aaahh ... so average. After watching this and In Her Shoes, I do wonder what it's like to find that 'guy'.
:: Mean Girls - I think this was pretty good. I think Lindsay Lohan was pretty good in it. She is not a bad actress actually. I guess she should really focus on acting rather than creating drama.
:: Repli-Kate - Aarrgh ... I regret watching this. I feel I was getting dumber after the movie.
:: Click - Just when I thought I like Adam Sandler. Not his fault actually. The idea was interesting but the story was just not that good.
Other than DVDs, there were the usual cartoons, love Jimmy Neutron! Too bad I didn't spend more time for Spongebob, Hey Arnold, and The Rugrats. There were also Oprah. The most captivating one I must say is 4 Mata. Perhaps the hottest talk show currently in Indonesia, hosted by the silly Tukul Arwana, or perhaps in English, he would love it to be known as TooCool. When I first heard news of him, I thought he's some kind of brilliant and sharp comedian. After watching the shows, I think it's his creative team who are the smart ones but now I realize that he himself is pretty good because different people can be given the same resources and how you make the best of it and come out with something amazing show how brilliant and creative you are. There were chances to watch soccer but I missed them. Saw a bit of a Italian Serie A league match (I forget between which). It was pretty weird watching a match without spectators in it. You can actually hear the players shouting. I wonder if they felt it's like a normal training session. There were chances to watch Champion League matches but I couldn't muster the will to get up and Arsenal lost! and so they lost again from Chelsea Freaking unlucky!

Met with the girls twice. Love them. They actually gave me my first birthday present this year and I got another one from Marlisa's sister. I got 2 presents and my birthday is still some weeks to come and I haven't even bought a present for Marlisa. Anyways, I got really girlie stuffs. I think I should really slowly embrace the girliness in me? Well, I guess it's necessary. The girls seemed to be doing pretty alright. I almost forgot to tell you that my dear cousin, Marlisa, created a very lovely card for me. I love it! She must have spent much time doing it.

Had that life discussion with mom and she's not so supportive with what I want to do. There was plan A, make that A1 and A2. However those didn't come true. There was plan B, due to some restriction I actually tone it down but mom disapproves! I wonder what plan C will be (currently there is none). Anyway those things and the fact that today I am getting back to what I have been doing, I just got really depressed and frustrated with my life. To the point that I really felt like crying. Life sucks! Seriously! I feel it with all the bones and blood in me. It's just I don't want my life to be like this. Aaarrrrrggghhhh...I have a headache and a tummy problem that I don't even have the energy to tell you what's wrong with me. Anyway, I'm just gonna be in a mellow mood until further notice and as such I will just be a bitch.

Can I just say that I love Leonardo DiCaprio! and Jennifer Hudson is really a testimony of how God makes everything beautiful and better in His time. Night peeps. A picture from home, cropped and the sky was photoshop enhanced. You are looking at electricity cables and some rain droplets. Taken from my house's 2nd floor balcony. I don't usually spend much time there. One afternoon I actually saw a good looking sky. Stupid me, it didn't occur to me that I should take pictures and after waiting for another sky to appear, which didn't happened, I had to settle with this on my last day.

:) eKa @ 10:42:00 PM • 0 comments

Half Nelson

Finally managed to watch Half Nelson after thinking that I should just let it go since it seemed that I may not have the chance to do so. Before I elaborate about the movie, can I just say that it has been an individualistic start of the week for me. Yesterday I had dinner alone in a public place and today I watched the movie alone. I really like it. It feels good to remember that I can do this, that I can be with myself. Really love the alone movie experience today. Half Nelson was at the Picture House at the Cathay. My first time in that cinema. It looked really cool upon receiving the ticket, because it came in a small black envelope folder (can't really describe it well). The ticket counter girl said that snacks weren't allowed in the cinema (just when I really felt like having snack). So I thought the cinema must be so exclusive, but it wasn't really so. The seats were different. It was a smaller cinema, but nothing special about it. Of course there's the Picture House lounge, which I didn't enter. I wonder if only patrons who are watching in the Picture House get to use the lounge. Either way, the things sold in the lounge seemed to be too high-end for a movie. Okay, enough, let's talk about the movie.

Ryan Gosling received an Oscar best male lead nomination for his role in this movie. I forget why I wanted to watch this movie in the first place. I think because I thought the trailer was interesting, and he actually looked attractive in the trailer, and finding out about his Oscar nomination raised my urges even more. Was he really good in this movie? I'm sorry, I think I will be bias. I just love him so much!!! I want a Ryan Gosling type of guy. From the first scene until the end, I just couldn't take my eyes off him and it's not because he's amazingly handsome. He looked rugged and not clean, though he did clean out for the last few seconds of the movie (Thank God!). The point is, given any girl out there, I don't think he will be seen as the handsome one. However ... I love him!!! I love him!!! I love him!!! Oh the eyes! I think they were green. I love him despite of his role as a junkie. It kinda felt a bit strange for me, how a junkie can ever function properly, especially as a teacher. Ryan's role in this movie was very interesting, especially since the story pretty much centered around him. Story wise, the movie is not bad. I wonder what kind of message it tried to deliver, but then it hit me that sometime it is just a story. A story that some people think it might be interesting to be told. Some people may find the movie boring and slow moving but I found it to be interesting enough to keep me on my seat. At one point I thought the ending would be unhappy. There was a really deep-thought-and-emotion-provoking scene which I thought was beautifully made though there were no words being uttered. The ending wasn't a clear happy one but I found it to be pretty hopeful and it made me smile I wanted to write a lot of things about this movie. Things that I was thinking about on the way home, but I don't have the energy.

Finished reading By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept by Paulo Coelho. The same thing, I have no energy to write and analyse the book further. One thing I can say though, I am now pretty curious with charismatic church and how it feels to speak in tongue. It doesn't mean I want to partake in any activity from the church anytime soon. I still find it pretty freaky and that's enough to keep me out. I must say that Coelho is so contradictory. Well I don't think he means to be that way. He believes what he believes and noone has to justify what he believes or conforms with what the norm or what the society accept if they do not fall in the same line as what a person believes. I may not get what Coelho was really trying to say in this book, simply because all the other things got me thinking and questioning. It's another book from him that I read that involved lots of spirituality and God. He does see God in a different way, unlike the conservative Catholic church.

Okay, I cannot write any longer. My mom warned me not to get sick when I get home and I should really rest. I may not have time to write before I go. Don't feel like addressing anyone actually. The individualistic mode may have turned to a selfish / hostile / anti social bitch mode. Take care peeps! Let me leave you with a line that Ryan Gosling said to his students in Half Nelson. I got the answer correct, by the way

The sun goes up and then it comes down, but everytime that happens what do you get?

You get a new day.

:) eKa @ 10:48:00 PM • 0 comments

Charmingly Sentimental Brain

Sometime it matters pretty much. Sometime it doesn't matter. Sometime the desire to take the plunge and chase that dream kicks in badly that everything seems possible. Sometime reality checks come in and the dream has lots of paper works to be dealt with. This morning was one of those days when I felt pretty demoralized. Not having the happiest day today though people had been pretty nice. Feeling very mellow and sad and afraid. I wonder why though these feelings can continue to seep through, I never get used to it. I just need to take that step perhaps and take it from there. But days like these are the days when I'm very clouded and waver. I guess I need to remind myself times and times again that I need to do justice for my life and I don't want to die without having done something really really good for me. You can't rely on other people, so you must make sure that you will be kind to yourself.

Was invited to a traffic party tonight. I must say that the concept is interesting. However of course I didn't go. Here I am blogging. The peeps were pretty nice about it and tried their best to convince me to go. I'm always stunned with the sincere care that people show me, especially these peeps. They are really nice people. Gosh, chances like this may not come again, to be invited to a party by the organizer herself who happens to be quite well known in her industry. But it's just not me. I wouldn't know how to react and I would be a bore there. Nevertheless I can not help thinking that the 10-year old me would have expected the 25-year old me to do such thing. So see, I am already disappointing myself. Maybe I can take comfort that I am not yet 25? No, I cannot *sigh*

Flood has gone away in my parent's parts of the world. So home is a real possibility now. It will not be long enough for me, but I guess I must make do with it, and get all the necessary life discussion going on. It's really important for me to know that they are supportive with what I want to do. Afterwards, I guess I should really get off my chair and get moving. It's very scary thinking of everything, thinking of all the people I've met. The people pretty much got me thinking a lot today. It has been a blessing and an interesting encounter indeed. Like the people I've been spending my Saturdays with. It was scary when I first started and I still get nervous pretty often, but it's been an interesting meetings with them. So I will leave you with a line from one of Letto's song, I'll Find a Way, below. It's not just about a person, it's about many people, a group of people, and of places. The title of the post is also from one of their song, Truth, Cry, and Lie. I hope I am that charmingly sentimental brain

...you cast your spell on me darling...

:) eKa @ 11:19:00 PM • 0 comments

FLOOD

If you watch the news regularly here in Singapore, you will know that Jakarta is currently having a bad flood. It's been making the news for 3 days now. My mom first told me about it on Friday morning. Our area is flooded but luckily the water hasn't flooded our house (just yet). Just received an sms from my mom hours ago, saying that it's around 2 cm more and our house will be flooded. I really hope that it wouldn't come to that. To have the water come in our house would mean that the water in the street in front of our house reaches around 1.5 m. It is really really scary. I managed to call my mom yesterday night. The flood subsided and was not bad last night. We still managed to laugh about it but right now I think it's really really rally bad. Imagine seeing a raft floating around in front of your house, how bizzare is that? Yesterday I can still see the fun of it, but after 3 days and my parents are still suffering with no electricity and running water, and the forecast of things getting worst, it is so NOT right!!! Of course, my parents are still the fortunate ones. I mean there are people who are worse off, our neighbours for example who I heard have taken refuge in our house. My cousins also took refuge in our place 2 days ago and perhaps today as well. I suppose their parents are persistently staying in their flooded house just to make sure things are alright. You don't want people to go and rob your house, hence the persistence if you are wondering.

Imagine now as I am writing this at 7 pm +, imagine Jakarta, flooded and no electricity. It's dark, that also means your fridge is not working, which means whatever meat or vegetables you have in your fridge will most probably get spoilt. I heard from my mom that there are people coming in the raft and bringing them food, like biscuits and being the typical Indonesian (we love our instant noodle), they are also getting instant noodle. To live with instant noodles for days, you're gonna get sick. Then there's also no water, so they must really use water wisely, and showering is really out of the question. It's also not like you can go out there and buy food. I also imagine that it gets quite cold. So for all you God believer out there, can you say a little prayer for my beloved home, so that things will get better. This makes me wonder if I can go home in less than 2 weeks time. I will be so miserable if I am stuck here for Chinese new year. I also feel a bit bad that my family are suffering there and I am not there with them. I often feel like I miss out on the many happenings with my family, especially with my mom. As such, it really makes me wonder if I should be here *sigH* Please say a lil' prayer, peeps.

I had lunch and Starbucks chilling out session with the circle of trust yesterday. We had a complete set yesterday. Ms. J and I were actually discussing some days ago that coming into it we would stand united and not divulge some of the shocking things in our life. In the end we let it all out. Well, I was most worried with awkward silence and so some scandalous information must be revealed for the sake of having a conversation. I regret saying some of the things that I said. As bad as I am for saying this, but I have a big apprehension that the circle of trust is as strong as we were. Paranoia is building in me. As luck would have it, NanSee called me yesterday evening and we touched on an issue that I shared with the circle of trust. She said I would be so dead if I disclose it, and I did, and she totally thought that I had made a mistake. I think she's right. Seriously, I am so paranoid right now *sigH* Anyway, Metallotorto gave a good analysis on Ms.J's situation. You do need to hear it from a guy's perspective.

Starfish finally called it quit on Friday. I had my doubt that he would do it and he did. So now, I should really take the leap as well. I was so nervous for him. Seriously when I saw egg came, I think I blurted "shit!" and my heart was beating faster and my hands were getting colder. I didn't expect to be nervous. I'd always thought that there's nothing to be nervous about, but turns out it was nerve-wrecking. Starfish handled it really nice actually, it was really amicable of him. I don't think I would care that much. Around 2 weeks ago, he wrote such a touching post in his blog that made me teared a drop. I said goodie bag, he said basket *sigH* It was really comforting to have him in the same boat. It's really comforting to know that he shares all the frustration and feeling on unfairness that I also feel. I think we both managed to put pressure on egg last year. Yes, A4 was the one who did the talking and pushing but I think since me and starfish stand united, things are better for the pets now. I think I actually didn't do much, because they were more frontal than me. So I kinda fly under the radar and yet I also gain the profit. People weren't there when we first started, they weren't there to see the struggle we had when we there were just us and we were trying so hard to cover all our basis. He has been smart and helpful and I am just thankful to be trusted enough by him. I feel he has been treated unfairly but I hope what I think will come true.

Take care peeps!

LATEST NEWS (added 08:38 pm) - My mom just sent me an sms. Our house is flooded now, it's around ankle length in our first floor. They are moving up now. This is definitely the worst flood ever.

:) eKa @ 7:11:00 PM • 0 comments

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