Crushing Eternity

This is something I actually been longing to write but, I kept pending it. But just today, after I watched NCIS and Rizzoli & Isles back to back, I now have that mood to write.

You know what the bottom line is,

Sasha Alexander.

http://dailyinspires.com/sasha-alexander-wallpapers/

I'm a fan of hers. Also her alter egos.
I mean, her characters on both NCIS and Rizzoli & Isles.

It started several months ago when I began to be exposed by NCIS. Mom's fave TV show. She watched it several times when I happened to be around and, poof! The next thing I knew I was in love already with Kate Todd.

And I believe I once told you the story of how I'm loving crime slash cops slash detective TV serials. Including Law & Order, The Mentalist, Cold Case, and yes, Rizzoli & Isles. At first I didn't notice that Sasha was in there. But then Kate died on NCIS, it really broke my heart made me browsed Wikipedia in hoping to find her in other serials and there God showed me the way. I found her, and started to realize her, as Maura Isles.

Speaking about her death in NCIS, oh man, I was literally upset. Knowing that I'd stop seeing young Sasha and will be much more exposed to the mid-aged one -which, still, so beautiful and undeniable. And although she's one of the main star in Rizzoli & Isles, she appears slightly less times than the true main actress Angie Harmon -why do all Harmons mess in her way??

Well but that's okay. Because apparently, FOX aired the episodes of the first and the second season way much more often than the rest of the seasons. I never liked Ziva anyway, because her brother killed my star :(

All from Google, I forgot which site

And no matter how less popular she will be, I mean, if *knock on the wood* Maura dies in Rizzoli & Isles, I'd still love Sasha. Because apparently, this pity crush had appeared even long before NCIS.

Back to when I browsed her Wikipedia, I discovered that Sasha appeared in FRIENDS's episode "The One with Joey's Interview". Subconsciously, I had a fling with her starting from back then, but since her appearance was minor, I didn't pay much attention and efforts.

But at least now I believe.

That this adoration, is real

An Indie in Me

When it comes to music, usually I’m dragged to the mainstream.

You know I like Pitbull. And Jason Mraz, and The Black Eyed Peas, and I’d mostly fall for any Billboard Top 40 hits that match my ears. I ain’t any indie guy, because their tunes aren’t any of my preference. And I just can’t vision myself enjoying the music to myself, not having a chance to easily share my love for the music with the other fans, or going to their big concerts to sing it aloud—no, that’s just not how I appreciate music.

But it doesn’t necessarily mean that all my favorite artists are ‘em boring guessable ones. I like tunes that “that match my ears”, remember? So of course, I have a bunch of fave artists that come from the indie section. Like this London-based indie pop group named Autoheart which I started listening to since August last year. Don’t know them? Haha okay, what about this.

A friend of mine once asked me, after all the gigs of my idols I succeeded to catch, which artist(s) whose concerts I’d really dying to see. Well I’ve witnessed many of my faves. But still my life feels incomplete withouth these two. And so I answered

Bastille, and Imagine Dragons.

Pics are from here and here.

A British indie pop group, and an American indie rock band. Lead by vocalists named Dan Smith and Dan Reynolds –I don’t know what happens: whether the universe cospires, or they are made purely for me and meant for me but, what a coincidence to have both groups led by vocalists who share a same damn first name!?—these two had been on my iPod since the beginning of last year.

My love towards Bastille grew during my Bali trip in late 2013. It was “Flaw” that first came to my ears, which song to me, is Bastille’s best piece. Then I started listening to “Pompeii” in Vietnam-Cambodia 2014, “Overjoyed” in my recent Philippines 2014 trip, and I’m sure many more yet to listen.

Contact with Imagine Dragons was even longer. I brought “It’s Time” to Malaysia-Thailand 2013 –my very first solo trip experience!– and been in love since then. “Demon” was played all along my USA 2013 trip, while “On Top of the World” and “Radioactive” were always with me in Vietnam-Cambodia.

Those, and many other vacations and occasions afterwards, were times where I subconsciously fell in love with the bands.

A love I can’t do much about,

But listening to them through my headphones.

Cause these two, as I said, ’re pretty off the stream.

And would probably not come to Indonesia.

Please don't leave me hangin here, Dans. Pic's from here.

Many of my favorite artists come and go to Indonesia. David Guetta, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, Calvin Harris –although I missed many of them too, but it’ll be much fulfilling if I can ever catch at least one of these bands. But yea, I don’t know.

Indonesia’s growing but it seems like international artists are much more interested to come to Tokyo or Hong Kong. And of course, Singapore.

But still I have faith in me. And I’ll definitely catch ‘em.

Right before they lost their Indie-ness

A Retired Actor

Long ago, when I was still a high school student freshman, I used to do all sorts of things I thought I was interested in, just to feed my curiosity. Enrolled -but failed halfway- in the Student Committee, joined as a member of Flag Hoisting Troop, tried to deal with school magazine, and umm got myself in the Physics Team for the competition and stuff -see how blind I was!? PHYSICS!?

Well all didn't end so well, eventually.

Unless one, who I was kinda interested in.

It was the theatrical act.

Guess which one I was!? Guess! GUESS!?

Damn. I was so into role playing. The casting started several months before the first semester break. The audition itself was a hell lot of fun. Held by the seniors, done it with some new friends, such cool new experience!

Then some people got accepted. Some others were assigned as the committee of the performance. We started stuff real absurd. With no professional coaches, no fixed script, not even settled roles for each of us.

Until finally, they hired a real theatrical actress. Then she brought a friend of hers. They were, well, the first professional actors I ever faced. Not actors I saw on TV or so, but actors of real acting thing! And they were indeed pros. They trained us like real actors and actress. Every single practicing day, with exciting warming-ups and stuff, OH LORD I MISSED THEM!

Truth to be told, we didn't even get the main actor until the halfway of everything. I myself got the second important role as the main character's son. I might've given the main role but THANKFULLY the character of a stingy cunning Batavian dad wouldn't ever fit me. Plus I was still really small and lean back then.

So we kept practicing day by day, month by month. Been ups and downs, lazy days and on-fire ones kept coming back and forth within this spineless soul. Dramas inside dramas also happened. You know, as our true personality got revealed the longer we spent time together, thoughts grew among us and stuff, ya that kind of drama, it occurred.

But somehow, me managed to do everything well until the D-day.

The day when we really had to perform, in front of actual audiences.

Gedung Kesenian Jakarta 

Saturday, May 17th 2008

Yes, the venue. It gave pressure to us.

We were actually considered pros.

But yea we were.

Because we nailed it.

We did good performances,

On the stage where true actors act.

Rehearsing

In make ups

SO FVCKIN THEATRICAL AND ARTISTIC!? Unless that stupid plant in front of my fancy shoes...

The missy on the frontest, is our adorable coach

Yes, the venue. It gave pressure to us.

And the date, it gave pressure to me.

Because it reminds me the fact that

Six years ago, at this time, in GKJ,

I had no idea that in six years I'll be writing about

How cool my fellow actors and I were

P.S.: Happy Dramus-Ceriosa Day, guys. May Kak Ara and Kak Achoy be ever in our favor. "Pelit apa iriiitt?? Masa sih?? Padahal kan suaminya Bu Dahal!"

Who's Getting Older Now

Hey blog, what's up?

Long time not talking to you. Well, actually I been too much posting lately but did you realize? I was talking to the readers, not you. So by this, before we all got too carried away, I'm dedicating my time, and my post, to talk with you, my dearest blog.

So. Best, friend...

You might have been wondering, why I don't seem to be interested in... Getting a job? Wha--you seriously thought that I'll be forever living my childhood, too afraid of jumping in the professional world like what I've always been afraid of all these years??

No, I'm not! Unless yes, I'm scared. But no I won't forever be trapped in my childhood, although yes, I want to be forever young but--okay. Now I'm talking to myself.

But hey, blog, I wanna confess something.
That I, actually sort of joined to a temporary project
I call myself as a, well how do we say it... A part-time job?

Don't get mad, it's not something that big. I took this project simply because I needed the money. You know it wasn't easy to fly my ass to Philippines. And you know that I won't forget sharing every single baby step I take to build my life, don't you? Sweetheart?

So ya that's also why I'm here.
Because today, I got an interview.

Don't you see how big this is to me? A real, professional job interview! Like what I've always seen Rachel Green doing! I'm one step closer to the real world! I'm growing up! An adult! A responsible adult! With a family, and obligations to pay taxes, and three other persons I have to support! That's right where I'm heading :)

So today I went to the office.
Interviewed by an expat and her subordinate.

Got that now? First interview ever.
With two people asking. Using English.

I either should be proud, or crying for how complicated the first interview was, but to be honest, I enjoyed it. The interviewers were easygoing, we laughed and stuff -is that supposed to be a good sign?- and I might want to consider the interview as a regular-laid-back talk! Also the field is in my competence. The topic is totally my interest. The money, well we didn't discuss the money because, I'm not yet sure anyway.

Ya, the current project I'm having now is not yet to be finished until next month. Yet those people is urgently in need of a new employee. So it's not a good situation to me now.

But ya, there are plenty of clams in the sea.
It's not that I'm rejected tho, they loved me instead!
Well, that's what I sensed along and after the interview...

I'm okay. I have been, and I will be.
Getting older's fun, so far

Wrath from the Past

There's one thing I couldn't stop thinking about last year. Pretty phenomenal, yet when I came to think of it, it wasn't something we could be proud of.

It was Vesak 2013

http://www.journeymart.com/holidays-ideas/festivals/vesak-festival.aspx

Last year, Vesak was a big thing.

Everybody seemed to be so interested traveling to Borobudur. Asked their whole peers to come enjoying the festival -yea some people called that 'festival' like a public fair they could just visit and shit around. All those agendas, man, it crowded the temple.

Last year, was hell. For them Buddhist.

And for me too, to be honest.

Because reading of what happened at the temple, sort of made me burning, back home. Burning of anger, and disappointment. I knew it wasn't my religion. Who am I to be upset then?

Well, I'm a civilized human being.

With high sense of religion-tolerance.

It was a damn SACRED RITUAL, for God's sake. And those imbeciles were like, contestants of that show The Amazing Race, trying to conquer all the spots and all parts of the ritual, finishing tasks by taking pictures of praying monks, lanterns, also the tasks of littering, making loud noises, laughing disrespectfully outloud, joking around with their same-dumb friends, being an asshole, laughing like assholes, then going home like groups of assholes.

I was so mad. I don't even know why, but I just was.

Until 2014 came. And May rushed back in.

But this year, Vesak was a smaller thing.

I didn't get any invitations from any friends to visit the temple, didn't see any posts related to the temple flooding my news feed, and media didn't spill bad stories from Magelang. Maybe people started to realize that last year was a mistake. And they seemed to lose interest too. I could really sense that the hype wasn't as strong as last year, all just felt calmer.

That's actually good. Because Vesak is not something people should be interested in. It's just a regular but happened-to-be-a-beautiful ritual, we other religion aren't supposed to interfere. No one have the rights to ruin the sanctity.

Let them do their thing.

Don't make any excuses of crashing Vesak as you want to see one of Indonesia's rich culture--blah, bullshit man. You see Vesak in Borobudur because you want to check in on your social medias, telling the world that "dude look, I'm in Borobudur now seeing such fancy occasion~"

If you actually want to feel Indonesian culture, there are thousands of other traditions you can "annoy" and take part into. Don't talk shit on me. Or do shit on them.

"You might look pro, hipster, or rich, but after all you're just morons trying to look like a pro, hipster, or ya, rich."

Picture belongs to Made Yudistira

We're Indonesians.

I know what you think

Halfway Merman

This is gonna be the part where you're getting sick of my traveling posts, because it's talking about just the same thing, trip by trip. But I don't care, because that's my goal. To make all places in this world, as my home.

But for Philippines, I guess there'll be a slight difference.

Because the home I was visiting, were both land, and sea.

And by so, I began to realize I got something else in myself.

Enemy: Taxi

I didn't ride it in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, only once in Bangkok when I was in a terrible rush of catching my flight, not at all in Vietnam, Cambodia and Cebu, and only twice for getting out from and reaching the airport in Manila. After all, those are my homes too. Why would I ride a cab, when local transport can easily get me to my desired destinations?

Best friend: Map

Stupidly, I didn't plan a lot for this trip. But gratefully, with a pinch of local friends' recommendations, and the almighty power from the map, I got to visited all stuff I wanted to see. After all, those are my homes too. Why would I be doubt of getting lost, when everybody can easily be approached and showing me the way?

Lifetime goal: Local of the sea

One breathtaking session with the sharks. Two clear falls in two consecutive days. Three hours of snorkeling in the best surface I could ever ask. Four large groups of sardines swimming within the deep blue ocean and I didn't freak out at all. Well, I freaked out mediocre, but I'm okay -I guess. After all, those are my homes too. Why would I be afraid of exploring the depth, when deep inside I can feel the true beauty of the place I call home?

After Philippines, I realized I now have this huge interest of underwater wonder. I began planning to buy underwater apparels and gadgets, although I knew I wouldn't gonna use it pretty often. But at least I'm preparing myself to be ready.

If somehow, someday,

I did the same mistake again,

Arranging such trip full of levities,

Where locals thought I was one of them,

And where land meets water

Lavety #3: Swimming

The short-notice, unprepared out of nowhere trip,
Caused me in the lack of preparing to rove Philippines' true essence.

Yes, its nautical side.

Panagsama in Moalboal

I knew I was about to visit Cebu. And I knew that Cebu has lots of beautiful beaches and coastal sceneries. But what I didn't know was, that the genuine experience of Filipino seas, were actually lying 3 hours away off Cebu. Yes, they call it Oslob, Badian, and Moalboal.

Those three places, well I used this word so much along my trip, exposed it in every social media assets I have. Okay let's start over. Those three places, were sick! Sick in a positive way, that I ran out of any other proper words I ended up using word "sick".

I had the best waterfalls. Tumalog in Oslob, Kawasan in Badian. I knew I could actually find the same charming falls in Indonesia but well, I never seen or heard any of those local falls before so I'm sorry my nation, I got to see overseas falls first.

And here I gotta tell you. After visiting those falls, turquoise had officially became my favorite color. Wanna know why? Here's why.

Left is Tumalog, right is Kawasan

Sick eh? But not as sick as me snorkeling for three hours straight. In Moalboal. Shit man, I got to be honest here. Deep blue sea, is actually what scares the hell out of me the most. Like imagining swimming on the surface of a bottomless sea, with no life jackets, and fins, it's just depending on your goggles, lungs and your ability to swim, I EVEN GOT GOOSEBUMPS TYPING THESE RIGHT NOW.

But somehow I did it. For the sake of observing cute little beautiful fishes, and corals. And got to the deeper ocean just to do scavenger hunt of sea turtles. And got to the deepest one ever, the sea where I couldn't even see the bottom, only deep blue color gradation that I saw, just to enjoy a mob of sardines run. That was fvcking amazing. And foolish because I didn't get any underwater camera.

Boat on the way to Pescador Island

Sick. But no. Because the sickest one, happened in Oslob. Where I finally fulfilled my long lost dream. To swim with the whale sharks.

I been using this pic everywhere, but out of 5 pics I had with the sharks, this was the best

Not in the tank, not in an aquarium. It was seriously on the sea. Their origin. Their true habitat. I'm not really sure if they're actually tamed or not but THEY LIVE IN THEIR ORIGINAL ECOSYSTEM! Those people who claimed themselves as tamers were actually locals, not a real trainers with certificates or stuff. But then yea, I nailed it. Or should I say, I smacked it three times. Yes, the shark. It was unintentional for sure, who would've got the guts to even touch the beast anyway?!?!

And those local tamers, man, they laughed as I panicked. And I panicked almost all the time. Which means that they laughed all the time. Because the sharks were freakin' everywhere! They laughed as they kept speaking Filipino which I didn't know, but I'm pretty sure they were encouraging me to get closer to the sharks. Well in such time, I didn't have the chance to defend that I wasn't Filipino. My mouth was too busy cursing as I swam away from the sharks.

Sharks from above, and within the water

Damn man, can I say it again?
Yea it was sick. All of them. S. I. C. K.

I can't stop smiling when I recall those mistaken times.
Levity forced me to visit the open ocean, sunk me deep,
Made locals spoke Filipino to me

Levity #2: Exploring

The short-notice, unprepared out of nowhere trip,

Caused me in the lack of city-exploring preparation.

Did I told you I didn't bring any travel guide books for this trip? Damn come to think of it, this was really a mega giga disorganized trip I ever did. So I didn't know where to go, I only had this print-outs papers of Manila and Cebu I obtained from Wiki Travel and that was all.

But then again, it's me. Do you expect me to not going anywhere, stay at the dorm instead enjoying the wifi and posted dumb stuff on Path letting people know that I was in Makati or Pasay? Lol of course not.

I dragged my ass to where tourist spots were. I got lost several times, opening up again the offline map I downloaded at my phone on my last minute before leaving Indonesia and if I still couldn't make it, well, who else to ask but the locals?

So I came to them and ask for direction. They'd be like answering with big questions on their head why would this guy ask me in English? and they'd be like can't you speak Tagalog? This has been so cliche, for real. I always smiled and answered no, I'm Indonesian and their respond were always the same:

"You look like Filipino."

Then my re-respond will always be the same too:

Smile even bigger, faked a laugh and said,

"Hahaha people always said that"

Then we burst in laughter, I thanked them and left with a big smile. It's always been the same exact script from time to time, day to day, people to people. And it's always been the same exact reactions too once I reach the places I was looking for because, those are worth-getting-lost for.

Magellan's Cross, Cebu City

Lapu Lapu Beach, Mactan Shangri-La

Manila Cathedral

I can't stop smiling when I recall those mistaken times.

Levity forced me to visit random places, take me to the crowds,

Made locals spoke Filipino to me

Levity #1: Commuting

The short-notice, unprepared out of nowhere trip,

Caused me in the lack of transportation preparation.

Thank God in Philippines, transport system is not that different from Indonesia. I'm not talking about taxi, hmph, dude, trip won't be that fun and challenging with taxis intervention. I'm talking about the all-time-local public transportation. Ya I'm referring to bus, trains, habal-habal -or in here as we know as 'ojek'- and Pilipinas' signature ride,

The Jeepney

Yes I took it all. I had no idea which jeepney to take to which tourist spot, which bus to ride to which city, I. Just. Had. No. Idea.

All I ever did was to decide which place I wanted to visit, then asked local securities which means of transport to take, and there I went! Boldly -or should I say, recklessly?- stopped the jeepney, asked if that one headed to the place I'd be visiting, then hopped on the ride, mingling with locals who, starting from the very beginning of my trip up to the very end, would always thought that I was Filipino.

Yea and they'd be like staring at me, might thinking like why on earth is this guy speaking English? before they start to ask me stuff in Tagalog and I'll be like whoa dudes and dudettes, I ain't Filipino so speak English to me.

I can't stop smiling when I recall those mistaken times.

Levity forced me to ride local rides, take local routes and stuff,

Made locals spoke Filipino to me

Classic Me

Hi.

Understood the title already? Haha so I guess you had this script about how this post might end up yes? It'll be like oh shit, it's been a while, oh Lord I feel so bad abandoning this blog, oh sorry I been away traveling and in the end, I'll label myself

"Oh classic me."

So yes it's been a while and I feel so bad abandoning this blog, it's because I was traveling. Oh wow, traveling again??? You didn't even make an oath -or should I say, a bragging post noticing every single people on earth that in a month or two, you'll be traveling somewhere?- out of any trip like what you always been doing!? Where is it again now??

Chill out, dude, you asked me a lot.

I'm sorry, this was seriously out of nowhere. Unlike any other trip I did before, I prepared for everything like a year before I departed. This one, surprisingly, I bought the tickets like several weeks before the date. I even bought the departing flight from Jakarta four days before the date!

Yea doesn't sound like me. And to be honest, for sure, I'd never do this kind of trip again. The fare broke my wallet and hurt my heart so bad.

But I needed this trip. Because I got permission from my boss already, and I might not have this kind of chance, you know, leaving whenever I want to because starting from June, I'll be working like a regular employee.

Plus, it's summer.

Well, not in Indonesia of course.

But sunny, bright and summer, in Pilipinas

Pescador in Moalboal and Pasig in Manila

Yea I went there. The Philippines. 7 days. 4 cities. Manila, Cebu City, Oslob and Moalboal. And all of them was like, spontaneously. I never planned to visit that one(s). I didn't make a proper itinerary, I didn't even equip myself with some travel guide books.

But I live in spontaneity.

The sparks continuously surprise me.

But umm, I'm bored of using word "spontaneous"

So I'll try using something odd, and will start calling this trip

A Lavety