Sunday, September 18, 2005

Indonesian Arts Festival 2005

Yesterday I went to IAF 2005 in Kallang Theatre with Vivy, all thanks to Vivy who was willing to accompany me and to Copper who weeks ago sent me an sms asking me if I was interested in watching. He actually really did his job, he really made sure that I got my tickets. I actually didn't watch the first IAF in 2003, but I remembered clearly that it was staged on the day when I came back to Singapore after some time of soul-searching back at home. Anyway, yesterday I actually thought that it was gonna start late, being it an Indonesian thing, so me and Vivy decided to just take our time We would actually have been on time if not for the jam in Orchard. Well what to expect, Orchard + Saturday night. Arrived a few minutes late and the show actually started on time. I actually saw Dendry but didn't call out to him because he seemed busy. Saw Copper as we got in, well as Vivy put it at least we already "setor muka" to him (show our face). He told us to quickly come in since we were late. We also met Malvin who ushered us in. We were seated at the upper level and the show had already began. There was this, well at that time I could only call it as a monster though it was actually called Barong, anyway I just found it to be quite scary and it turned out it was only Etu inside the costume *sigH*

IAF 2005 is staging Cindelaras and nope it's not the Indonesian version of Cinderella. Cindelaras is a folklore and they turned it to a musical with a touch of pop and all the things that kids these days listen (I suppose) I honestly don't really know what Cindelaras is all about. In short it's about this kingdom where the king lived with his queen and concubine. There's this spiritual healer / advisor who wanted to have the power to run the kingdom. Through the concubine, he managed to get the queen to be thrown away from the kingdom. The queen then lived in the jungle and gave birth to Cindelaras, rightful heir to the throne. As he grew older, he just had this feeling that there's something more than live in the jungle. So as fate it he got out from the live in the jungle and ventured out and he reached his kingdom, which was now in chaos. The king hold a competition to elect a new prime minister. In the end we saw that Cindelaras fought his half brother in the competition. Of course Cindelaras won, the king discovered the truth, the queen was back and the spiritual healer and the concubine ran away. Pretty simple good-will-prevail story.

I found the whole thing to be quite interesting, though I found some of the items like the dances, songs, like the part when Cindelaras was describing his dream to be kinda too long and the very awful sound system didn't help. The sound system was bad and I wasn't the only one complaining this. The most interesting part of the whole musical for me was the Saman dance, it was pretty cool and I actually always want to do that since I was a kid The host, Arie and Desta, were funny. I suppose their reputation as funny hosts really made it easier for them to do this gig. They didn't even have to try that hard to entertain us. The guest stars are Bhumi band and Maliq & d'Essentials. Bhumi band is a Singapore based band, with all Singapore Malay members and only 1 Indonesian but it's enough to make them really sound like an Indonesian band. They brought 2 songs during the musical and I just couldn't help feeling how they really sound so Indonesian, they sounded a bit like Dewa or Padi. I wonder if there is truly an Indonesian sound or is this kind of sound just belong to the region? I also wonder if there is a truly Singapore sound?

Maliq & d'Essential closed the show and truly they were what the crowd was waiting for. I have to admit myself that they're the one who made me really interested in going. Honestly speaking, I don't really know the songs that they brought yesterday. I've only listened one of their song once (I think it was Terdiam) long time ago and I was truly impressed and yes they were that good. Indonesia do have so many talents. Again, too bad the sound sytems was so bad. I just got word that Vivy had sent me their songs to my gmail account. Vivy is very efficient and effective All and all the whole thing was pretty good. Knowing how difficult it must be to make such event come true though they couldn't devote their entire time for it, for all the practice and everything, the whole crew really deserved a thumbs up.

During the intermission, I saw, first it was Steven's back first, then I saw JTG and Arief and then Roy. After much waving and calling, Roy finally noticed me. He was there with his all-girls team Couldn't really see his sister clearly but why is it that I had a feeling that she's taller than Roy He seems to be doing pretty good, nice to meet him again, and yes it's been a long time since we last saw each other. He said that I looked exactly the same though I said "What do you mean? I'm skinnier" Well, I hope he meant that I still looked 18 Then Felis saw me and Vivy and we talked quite a bit. It's good to see her again, she told us about her little incident when she came back home recently, it was so like her Should really catch up with them actually. After the show finished, we quickly got home because I didn't want to get stranded in a middle of nowhere. Some people that we saw were Angelica (talked a bit to her), Antonius (Vivy was the one who recognize him), and then Nyile (good to see him again) and there was Rimbun too. A pretty interesting night, and all because copper asked that question. One should really ask, I suppose Too bad in the end didn't really get to talk to him and Dendry.

:) eKa @ 7:08:00 PM • 0 comments

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

We Are Not Playing Chess, Or Is It still Chess?

After successfully getting myself sick for weeks, I think I also successfully damage my mental state. Feel really not well mentally today. I think it all started Sunday night. I'm just gonna summarize what happen on Sunday night. I once read this booklet from NUS about the things to expect as an international student. Of course, I didn't really read the thing fully, but I read this part about international students normally get a shock when they return home. It is because things were not as we remember it to be when we left. When we left home, things still go on as they used to, as they suppose to. Yes, people would miss us, but they also must go on with their lives and carry on with the hustle bustle of lives. But then that Sunday night, I felt that people are so used to doing things without me, that I felt forgotten and insignificant *sigH* Honestly as selfish as this may sound, but I do get pissed off if people wouldn't give time for me when I come home. Come on, I can not spend much time at home, so can you like get out of your routine for a while. I mean you've been doing your things for quite some time; can't you give some time for ME? That wasn't really the case though on that Sunday night. On Sunday night, I just felt that I was not longer counted or being considered for certain things. It's not like they try to change their so-called plans to include me, but I was somewhat being told to be at fault because I couldn't accommodate them. I really couldn't shake that off. Still feeling kinda sad and angry this morning when I wake up. The bible and so many things have been written about never go to sleep still feeling angry or don't still be angry when the sun sets. Well, following that, I would not sleep, nor would the sun set on my account, but again who cares?!? The sun will still set and everything will still go on as usual, no matter what I feel. Argh...I want to scream!

Let's move on to the title then. Chess, why the title? Because after a heavy conversation this morning, I just feel that life is not like playing chess, when you make your move based on what your opponent do, or in this case of life, based on what your friends make. However, is it still chess? Courtesy of Joan of Arcadia, the main character, Joan, in one of her conversation with "God", they were discussing about chess and life. God corrected her when she said that when she played chess, she based her move by what her opponent did. God said that she should never do that because if she did it like that, she wouldn't be in control. Just play the games the way you want it to be played. It may look chaotic but things will work out.

I honestly don't know why I do the things that I do, like why I did such a moronic act this afternoon. I don't know if I am right, or does it matter to be right? What is right? What defines it. I was talking to Ayu this morning and told her, how come I'm this old and I'm still clueless about things. It's so difficult to understand what is happening, because I don't understand. I don't even know if I am happy. It's just like there's no guidance, there are no criteria to define whether things are enough, things are correct, and so on. How do you know when you just whine too much? Or if you have done more that no more can be given? How do you know that you really need to make a move? Or you should stay put? Do what your heart tells you to do? What if your heart lies? Or what if you can't hear what your heart says? Do you know that your heart also has a protective mechanism to protect you so that you wouldn't feel hurt? I am afraid that I'm not doing the right thing. I'm so afraid that I'm just scared of things and I have done God wrong, because I'm not doing what He wants me to do because I'm scared, because it's not comfortable, because it's new, because I would be alone? How strange is it? Being afraid of being afraid? Fix me.

:) eKa @ 9:27:00 PM • 0 comments

Saturday, September 10, 2005

...Was it you? I hope it was you. Hi!

:) eKa @ 8:24:00 PM • 0 comments

Saturday, September 03, 2005

I Love Professor Snape

Comments on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince:

What?!? Some big Potter's fans out there will shout at me Well, I just have so much sympathy for him after reading this book. Really felt that he hadn't really got a fair treatment. Come on! People would shout, he's a death eater, he was once and he maybe is now, difficult to trust a person like him. I wrote "maybe he is now" because I really do think he's still in a good side. Yep, even after he killed Dumbledore. That part when Rowling wrote "'Severus...'. The sound frightened Harry beyond anything he had experienced all evening. For the first time, Dumbledore was pleading.", I felt Dumbledore wasn't pleading for his life. A man like Dumbledore wouldn't plea for his life like that, I think he wouldn't be afraid to die. I think he was pleading so that Snape wouldn't do such an evil act, I think he knew the desperation in Severus's mind and in that short moment, he felt his best shot was to plea so that Severus wouldn't end up doing something really bad, something that could be avoided. Notice how I now address him in a first name basis Again, I still do feel that Snape is not with the dark side. Dumbledore trusted him so much. It's still a mystery why but my guesses are perhaps they are related, or Dumbledore loves her mother, those sort of things. Actually, as great and amazing as Dumbledore was pictured to be, we still don't know much about him. The way he expressed his trust in Severus were pretty strong, which kinda makes it somewhat impossible to think that he was wrong.

I don't know why Harry couldn't give Snape a break. He saw that his father was mean towards Snape for fun and yet though he felt slightly sorry for the man, he couldn't give him a better attitude and judgment. I really feel sorry for Snape, I really think he's been so unfairly treated and judged Anyway, feel glad that one of my guesses for any of the Potter books ended up right in this book. One out of the so many which ended up to be wrong, I finally got 1 right. I was thinking (or maybe hoping) the half-blood prince's potion book would be related to Snape and I was right. I really like how Harry actually owed Snape for something One whole book with a title dedicated for Snape, I suppose there's so much more about Snape that we will find out. Really looking forward for the next book, hopefully all questions would be answered.

On other parts of the book. Dear Neville were not mentioned much, I think his name only came up 1-2 times in the earlier chapters and a little bit in the endings. Kinda surprised that he didn't come more in the story. One thing that I think I hate most of the whole thing, well this and the fact that Dumbledore died is the love story between Harry and Ginny. Well, I kinda against it, I don't really know why. I just don't feel as excited as when it was Harry and Cho Chang. In the end Harry and Ginny did split up but I can assure you that by the end of the last book, they would be kissing and holding hands again. Ron was also a bit over the top with Lavender, but I think his love story with Hermione was better written. So now it's official that they like each other but nothing major had happened, so I guess they're moving it slowly, so it's pretty nice and interesting. I didn't like the ending, how Hogwarts maybe closed and Harry decided not to return to school even if it was to open. First, I just don't understand how they could close a school like that, especially when it was one of the 3 magic schools around. Come on, in our real world, even when incidents like the one in Columbine happened, schools still stay open. So I didn't get why they need to close the school. I also think Harry's decision was kinda too rash and come on, I thought the whole point of having it to the 7^th book was to chronicle Harry's life as he was having all his adventures and life in Hogwarts?

So much to look forward too. For one of course that I hope Severus Snape is really good. I also hope Draco will be good, been hoping for him to be good for a long time. I even hope he would have a crush on Hermione Oh yeah, as for R.A.B, I have several guesses. Got this during my 1 week break from chapter 29 to 30. As usual I maybe wrong, but this was what I found from The Order of the Phoenix. I think R.A.B could be Dumbledore's brother Aberforth. It would be interesting to know more about Dumbledore or it also could be Sirius Black's uncle who had died and gave him some gold Alphard. I maybe completely wrong. So that's all folk. One last thing perhaps, Snape in the movie was played by Alan Rickman, well played perhaps that we did feel that he was pretty bad but now since I like Snape more, I feel that I may perhaps can like people who's not really that good looking Yeah...yeah...yeah, it is silly. Forgive me

:) eKa @ 8:30:00 PM • 0 comments

Ache

Went to visit the doctor again today. I just couldn't take the sickness anymore. Now, she gave me 4 medicines. The amount of pills I have to take kinda freak me out but what matter now is that I can get rid off the disease as soon as possible. The doctor gave me another news which really freaked me out. I'm kinda very scared about it but I have to deal with it. She wants me to deal with it as soon as I am well again. I just don't think I could do this here alone, really thinking of going home to deal with it. I may sound too dramatic now. Don't be too alarmed, it's not a big deal. God help me through please...

On other news, finally finished reading Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Comments coming out soon. I kinda didn't want to end it and knowing the whole story will really be ending by the next book is kinda very sad. Anyways, the silly me tried to cling on for far too long. It's only a week later after chapter 29 that I read the last chapter. I guess I really didn't want it to end I finally also read that post in Cheryl's blog about her take on the story Don't think she gonna likes what I am about to say Osh on the other hand seemed to be slightly in the same side as me Well, everything do come to an end. Okay, take care people, take better care of yourself. I'm pretty sure you're doing a much better job than me

:) eKa @ 8:03:00 PM • 0 comments

Sunday, August 28, 2005

Went to watch March of the Penguins yesterday. When I saw the trailer, I actually wasn't interested in it. Then I happened to stumble on the web and it just captured me The story or the facts about these Emperor Penguins are amazing. There they are in Antartica, it's like a whole different world out there. So far from our reality, of our problems that we often hear in the news. Quite surreal seeing them, seeing Antartica. I believe in God and it's just amazing in this same planet, there's a totally different lives going on and how God is still watching them as He watches us. Surreal.

So, this documentary is about the lives of these Emperor Penguins. How, as winter approaches, they will start to make their walk across the white dessert, to a place called Oamock in the story. Apparently, this Oamock is enclosed by granite walls, which according to them (the penguins), it is quite a nice and safe place to mate. So they left their ocean, walk all the way there. Imagine Penguins, with their small feet, imagine how big a step they can make. Sometime they do slide on their tummy. So they walk day and night, without food, because there's no more ocean in their journey. It takes them around 20 days to reach this Oamock. After that, they will mate, 1 female and 1 male. There are more males than females, so the females will have to fight for the males, they will start slapping each other. Kinda funny. I wonder if being slapped by a penguin hurts For the females that don't get a male, it's a wasted trip for them. For the ones with mate, the female will then lay just 1 egg. As soon as they do that, they must transfer the egg to the fathers. The egg will be kept somewhat inside their pouch, just on top of their small feet. It's a very delicate and difficult process. I mean seeing their bodies, I can see that it's difficult. So they must do it delicately and carefully. If there's a slightest crack in the egg then the whole process is wasted because the cold weather will just freeze the egg. Imagine that. So as soon as the eggs are safe with the fathers, the mothers will start to make their way back to the ocean to eat and replenish themselves and have enough reserves food for the babies when the eggs hatch. So it will be 40 days before the fathers see the mothers again. 40 days, where the father have to stand there, without food, and keep the eggs safe and warm.

The mothers return to the ocean and eat. Actually as they do so, they are also becoming targets of predators in the ocean (I think it was seal). If they don't make it, then the whole process they have gone through are a waste. Their babies will die if the mothers don't return. Meanwhile, as I said before, the fathers will stand there waiting for their wives to come back. When a storm or blizzard come, this whole tribe of penguin fathers will huddle together and stand together against the nasty weather. It's pretty amazing. What a sacrifice. The babies hatch and they will get hungry. Sometime, so hungry that the fathers will have to let them eat on the food reserves that they have inside their beaks. This storage was actually meant for them to ensure that they have enough energy to go back to the ocean. As soon as the mothers return, the fathers will give the babies to the mothers, so that the mothers could keep the babies warm and give them food. It's now time for the fathers to go back to the ocean and eat. Amazing, right? How they device this system. The babies will then learn about the environment, make their first steps and get to know their world. As they learn how to walk, their predators will start picking on them (literally). Their predators are birds, I don't know what birds. These birds really only attack the babies. Some babies didn't make it. When their fathers return again, it's already around summer time and these baby penguins will start to get to know their ocean, and maybe around winter time, as usual with the rest of the penguins, they will make their way and start the whole journey their ancestors have walked before. The journey of life, of making life.

Pretty amazing. The documentary is so amazing for me. I can not stop saying amazing When I saw the penguins walk, I suddenly thought that maybe this was what it looked like when Moses lead his people out of Egypt. Me being too imaginative, I thought maybe if reincarnation exists, those people who didn't really trust Moses back then, were reborn as these penguins where they have to make that journey and sacrifice over and over again for the sake of life. The penguins are amazing, amazingly cute How these penguins know where to go, when to go and how to do it all is amazing. God is amazing

:) eKa @ 9:37:00 PM • 0 comments

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Dramamine

Yesterday, I finally succumbed to the disease that seems to have been lingering inside of me. The funny thing was, the diagnosis that the doctor gave me wasn't really what I was expected, but I do have to admit that it wasn't really the stupid virus that forced me to lie down. Anyway, what the doctor said might be too bloody to be mentioned here. It's quite private and personal anyway, so I will not give any detail. The doctor gave me a medicine and a vitamin. The medicine's name is Dramamine. I couldn't help smiling reading the name, because it was somewhat a drama what I had to face yesterday morning. Thank God, all is well.

Yesterday wasn't really that bad. I did get to relax and be idle. Watched the IBF World Championship. Watched half of the match for Mixed Double where Indonesian Widianto / Natsir came out as the winner Also saw Taufik Hidayat won against Lin Dan Well, Lin Dan was a bit bad, especially in the first set. Taufik actually managed to lead 13-0 in the first set! Watched half of the men double too, didn't watch the rubber set that caused Budiarto / Wijaya to lose That was so sad. But, the half of the team that won was Indonesian (was, I think). His name is Tony Gunawan. He was playing for USA. The crowd was really cheering for them, playing in the so-called home soil. The men double was kinda a let down for me *sigH*

What else is a let down? Arsenal lost!!! To Chelsea!!! Hiks

:) eKa @ 5:25:00 PM • 0 comments

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Indonesia Raya

Happy Independence Day 60 . We are old Better not go on ranting about how even though my country is quite old, it hasn't achieved as much as the young Singapore has. But, I suppose we have so much other things that we can be proud of. I'm still so happy being an Indonesian. Today, I'm actually quite in a nationalist spirit. I was wearing red Unfortunately, today didn't go as well as I planned it to be. Maybe I should really not make plan. It's just crumbled right before you *sigH* Mom is giving herself a holiday today. Miss her, miss watching that flag raising ceremony in TV. Indonesia doesn't have that grand National Day Parade like Singapore. We have the normal flag raising ceremony. The one being held in the Presidential Palace (Istana Presiden) is being broadcasted live on TV. If you've been staying in Indonesia for a long time, you will most probably get bored with it, but I kinda really miss it now. I really miss seeing Indonesian flags. I miss seeing all those flags in houses. I miss putting the flag in the pole in our house. I'm just homesick, I suppose.

60 years, imagine that. Soon we really don't have people from that time to really tell the story of what had happened on August 17, 1945. Imagine when our country turn 100. I may actually live that long to see that. Look at that, me being optimistic, thinking that I will still be alive at that time, thinking that Indonesia will still stay together and not disintegrate, thinking that Armageddon will not happen by that time We'll see, we'll see.

Anywho, today has been quite a test of patience, in which I think I kinda failed. I'm a bitch, I am. On other news, or maybe not really a news at all, is about how Singapore's President is still the president because there was not other candidate approved to challenge his position. Well, some of the Singaporeans out there who care enough to voice their opinion was saying how sad it is that as usual they don't get to vote. Hmm...How about this, how about actually having a voting to determine whether Singaporeans still really do want their president to serve for the 2^nd term. It may not change anything, but in a way the people do have a feeling that they actually have a say in something. I suppose not much Singaporeans out there care though, they most probably think it's just such a hassle Okay, don't mind me. I may not know what I'm talking about. This is not my country anyway. I really do wonder how the Singapore Government really can go away with lotsa things, how their people never really question the Government that much. I suppose having that safe and secure country and economy really can make your people shut up. That also happened in Indonesia before. For my country, Merdeka!

:) eKa @ 8:29:00 PM • 0 comments

Saturday, August 13, 2005

Au Revoir Mademoiselle

Chloe left today. I'm kinda sad about it. I'm gonna miss her. Such an interesting and funny girl. I think she's kinda sad about leaving Singapore too. She's actually a bit more tame today. She didn't give me her big and loud "Hello" today. She also didn't try to annoy me as much as she would normally do. We talked quite a bit during my lunch. Ah...Really going to miss her and her antics. I gave her The Alchemist which makes her the 4^th person whom I gave the book to. By the way, she is quite pretty, she really can be a model. Anyway, kinda funny seeing her all packed and all. Remind me of me. I'm thinking if I also look like that everytime I leave home. Au Revoir Mademoiselle

:) eKa @ 7:59:00 PM • 0 comments

Saturday, August 06, 2005

NUS Centennial Rag 2005

Today, I went to watch Rag in NUS. Was really excited about it because I missed Rag last year. I actually really got a thing for Rag. I was so impressed with it when I was a freshman and being a ragger kinda forged a stronger bond with it though I must say I don't really contribute to the raggers after my year Anyway, met Vivy and then we had our walk through, as in we walk through the floats one by one as they were being queued in the track field. One of the first float that I saw was from SoC and my goodness, I actually felt impressed and happy that there was a float. I still remembered the time when the float was something like a box or maybe it was actually just a banner, I don't know, anyway it was very pathetic. So seeing that they actually had a float which looked quite impressive, it was just pretty cool. Then we walked all through the rest of the floats. Saw and said "Hi" to Jessie, as she was taking pictures in her hall's area (Sheares Hall). Then moved on to my own hall, dear Kent Rigde Hall. I got there, couldn't really figure out what the float is all about. The raggers were still touching the float in a manner that kinda made me puzzled and worry, just seemed like they still had so many things to fixed. Anyways, wasn't really impressed with it. Didn't really see the static display, I initially didn't realize which one was the static display. Anyways, after that, me and Vivy decided to just go to the seating places, as it was quite hot back then. Vivy got a call from LiHua, so we went to meet her. I think we were quite lucky to be able to watch Rag with her, because her straightforwardness quickly brought us to the seats. We wanted to sit and the seats were marked alumni but I guess we're just feeling humble that we asked first if we could actually sit there In the end, our seats were quite good.

Now about Rag. The faculties seemed to be getting better in making the floats and all. Arts faculty usually came up with interesting stuff, but it wasn't really so this year. Bizad's presentation was quite interesting. I kinda forget how the result for the faculty side, I think the awards mostly went to School of Design and Environment and to the Science Faculty. If I'm not mistaken, I think Science won overall champion. The halls were doing not bad, I think. Really wasn't impressed with KR, but I wasn't expecting much. It just wasn't impressive. I don't know if there were any change in the rules or what, but I just felt that the floats are smaller and shorter compared to my year and the year before me. I think everyone really enjoyed Sheares Hall's presentation because it's fun and cute. The rest of the hall still focused on creatures and good against evil. I guess Sheares was the only one who took a different approach and just be fun. In the end, they went home with quite a number of awards, awards which were given really based on their design and creativity. However, they didn't win overall champion, as I predicted. I predicted Eusoff would take home the overall champion. Why? Because Eusoff won gold for Flag, just like KR. The overall champion award is based on Flag result also, not just rag. I think Flag contribute 50% of the whole thing. KR and Eusoff won gold for Flag, however since KR's float and presentation weren't as awesome as Eusoff (sucks), so it's like pretty obvious that Eusoff would win the title. This situation kinda reminded me of why KR also won overall champion when I was a ragger Too bad for Sheares, they should have tried harder for flag. But I supposed it's all good for them, compared to KE VII, Raffles, and Temasek who went home empty-handed Well, it's all good, baby. I know the work was hard and the sacrifice was huge. I guess there are always other things that matter rather than all the shields.

Alrighty, attached is some pictures from the event. Small, so you might not see anything. The picture from the top left is SOC's float

:) eKa @ 11:02:00 PM • 0 comments