Who's Getting a Book Now

Hey blog, what's up?

HAA hahaha yeess I'm talking to you again now. Wow--what?? Are you accusing me of been hiding something from you again and this post is the part when I'm confessing?? How could you do that to--okay, yes, I'm here to confess something again.

Sorry I been concealing this for so long but,

I actually been working on my own traveling book.

And since it's out in the bookstore now, there's no harm telling.

Well, in my defense, I kept sending you signals that I planned to make a book out of my Vietnam trip ya!? Let's take a break and look back to my posts about Vietnam. See? See? See!? I said, "Well I'm sorry I can't tell much about it. I have plans of where to spill more things about Vietnam." didn't you get what it means?

Okay whoa sorry I'm here to confess and apologize now, not to make a scene.
And maybe to briefly tell you how this magical thing could actually happen to me.

Trip to Vietnam was too affecting for me. It was crazy unforgettable, with all stuff I did alone, all people I met along the way, God, I can't just waste it, I talked to myself. So I had this idea to record everything in a form of a book. Because I know, a blog couldn't -and wouldn't- hold all details anyway.

Spent the whole February and half of March working on everything from A to Z, before I finally sent it to a publisher. At first I didn't expect them to want to publish the script I proposed because, they're like the top publisher in here. But then, God really loved me because it was reaching my birthday when they mailed me back, telling me that they were interested to work on the script. I was trembling all week long.

Since after that, the times of struggling kept coming. Worked on the revisions, checked and edited the proof, I did so many editorial stuff I never even learned before. Those were actually fun because, it was what I like! What's not fun was, the waiting process. When I couldn't do anything about it, but to wait and to keep myself in the loop about the on going stages.

Until last week, my editor said that the book was going to be out on Monday, August 25th. It drove me crazy. I don't know why, I mean, I knew it'd eventually be released, it was not a shocking-unexpected news. But then, ya, I was totally energized. But the climax happened on Friday, August 22nd.

I was passing by the bookstore, and slowing down near the traveling section, when I saw a blue book I knew I was so familiar with. Because I've been too many times exposed to that cover. Because I was the one approving that cover. Because that was the cover of my book.

I went out of control. Flashed straight to the nearest praying room and cried in joy. All the waitings, finally paid off. But still I have to wait for the best time to show this book to my family. And then to everybody, right after my family. Because of course, I'd want to show that first to my family.

So last Sunday I brought them to the bookstore. It was a really weird invitation because at first my brother didn't really want to come -he's not a really big fan of books- but I somehow insisted all four of them to join me to the bookstore. They gave in tho, maybe because I started to be all nerdy and freaky. Then I walked them to the traveling section. Stopped near my book, turned around and face everybody before saying,

"Guys, all these times, I wasn't unemployed
for nothing. I made this."

Then entered my book. Right to their faces. Their stunned faces. Seeing my name written on the cover. Dad was speechless, mom cried. My brothers started shaking my hands awkwardly. We spent like almost half an hour taking photos of the book. And me.

Crazy day. I've been dreaming about that scene since, wow, I don't know when. I always pictured it before I slept, when I was doing nothing, basically, almost all the time. And it went the way I wanted it to go.

That day, and that August 22nd,
And that day when I got the emails from my editor,

God, will forever be in me.

"Cheating Southern Vietnam"

Never thought I could go through everything. Alone.
Well, not that alone because I always have a place to lean on.

So thank you, Allah Almighty.

Stampede in Our Heart

It was a fresh morning. Full of joy.

As my young brother's having his birthday,

My family and I sat together praying for him...

Then something really heartbreaking came into the screen of my phone. About somebody I adore so much, but never in my entire life I declared that outloud. Until today. His death.

Robin McLaurin Williams

(1951 - 2014)

Pic's from here.

One fine, true entertainer.

I'm sure everybody's with me about that.

He appeared on my early life, and still counting. As a jungle survivor, a reverend, a former American president, he even starred in the cartoon franchise I always been a fan of, became the guess on the 90s sitcom that I'm still watching till now, and finally, took a main role as somebody in advertising agency. The series I've been planning to start watching, about the field I'll be doing for my living.

Never thought he gave so much joy to us. Since earlier today when I woke up, everybody in the social media couldn't stop grieving about him. He stole millions of hearts, apparently, ranging from young to old, male or female, race to race.

I don't care about how he died. And how people judged about how he died. I don't care at all. His appearance during my childhood, his constant adoring existence during my growing up stages, and his never ending cheerful smile... Those outshine to be what matters the most.

I can see it's not just the loss of Hollywood.

It also became my loss, my friends', my generation.

Gadget kids nowadays, out of the X and Y generation,

Would have no idea at all about how crushing this is to us.

I'm not even sure they know who he was.

And how magical his touches were, even from the TV.

Can't remember where I got this pic from, the thing is, it's not mine.

Well, Mr Robin Williams,

Rest in peace, my childhood buddy.

Wherever you go, how long you'll ever be,

No matter what anybody says,
You'll always be a prince to me

NP: Pupils' Terror

Hi, teman teman 90s survivor.

Ya, I know I know, seperti biasa, apa yang gue gencar lakukan di awal pasti ada vacuum nya sebelum akhirnya ada sesuatu yang bikin gue inget trus gue mau mulai posting lagi. Terakhir pasang playlist masa kecil itu bulan Januari awal, dan sekarang, TUJUH BULAN KEMUDIAN -gokil gaktuh molornya? :D- gue pun baru muncul lagi. Yaudasih, namanya juga dewasa muda, kan banyak kegiatannya *bela diri*

Sebagai persembahan setelah lebih dari setengah tahun tidak menepati janji, kali ini gue mau pasang lagu nostalgia yang sangat menggebrak. Kalo sampe ada yang gatau, well, kehidupan SD lo pasti kurang menegangkan. Imajinasi lo pasti tumpul. Masa kecil lo pasti kurang bahagia sob. Monggo dicek

Ghost at School

Category:

Elder Elementary

Parah sih ini kartun. Seinget gue, gak ada episode yang gak gue suka. Gue nonton dari awal banget sampe akhir banget, dan ngerasa super gak puas pas kartunnya tamat, karena emang cuma ada 20 episode!!! Ditambah dengan setting nya yang kisaran di sekolah, PLUS pemeran utamanya yang kelas 5 SD -satu angkatan sama gue!- bikin segala galanya makin hidup dan kerasa. Adeknya si pemeran utama bahkan kelas 1 SD, dan adek gue waktu itu pun kelas 1 SD. Kayaknya ini kartun diciptain khusus buat gue deh.

Lo tau kan apa inti dari kartun ini? Ya, mengalahkan setan yang berkeliaran dengan cara cara tertentu yang dijabarin secara jelas dan lengkap dalam buku peninggalan almh. ibunya Satsuki Miyanoshita. Dan menapak tilas dari ke-freak-an gue masa lalu yang ngumpulin segala pernak pernik Trunks dari Dragon Ball, juga bikin kartu kartu yang ditangkep di Cardcaptor Sakura, lo bisa tau dong apa dampak yang terjadi dalam hidup gue selama gue nonton serial setan ini? Ya, gue bikin buku panduan penangkapan setan itu dan gue pamer kemana mana.

Tiap episode gue pantengin cermat cermat kalimat yang muncul pas bukunya lagi dibacain, gue catet betul betul cara nangkep masing masing setan, apa aja yang harus disiapin dan mantra apa yang harus diucapin. Dan gue praktekin di sekolah. Plus kalimat kalimat para setannya. Kayak pas temen gue ke kamar mandi, gue yang brengsek ini ngikutin dari belakang dan pas dia masuk bilik, gue dari luar berkata "pilih tisu merah atau tisu biru?" hehehehehehehee :)

Huff...

Udah selesai sih sebenernya. Tapi berubung gue baru muncul lagi setelah sekian lama, dan gak ada jaminan bahwa gue akan muncul lagi dengan playlist nostalgia berikutnya minggu depan, yaudah deh ini gue kasih bonus ending Ghost at School yang gak kalah kece / catchy dari openingnya.

Ngaco kan? :( Kayaknya bukan filmnya aja deh yang setan, pencipta ini kartun sama staff staff nya gue rasa setan semua. Pun TV7 yang kala itu baru banget masuk ke pertelevisian Indonesia tapi udah bisa bikin gue dan generasi gue jatuh cinta parah sama kartun kartun yang mereka tayangin. Jamnya ituloh! Maghrib sampe malem gitu, bikin gue jadi males solat dan males belajar -oke itumah emang guenya dodol.

Ahh, good ol' days.

So cheerful even in a scary way.

Makes me wanna dance and scream,

"Sexy, Sexy!"

Lesser-Known Idol

I was scrolling down my Facebook timeline when I over-read this news.
Death of someone. Not so famous, but curious-making enough for me.

I've been a fan of American Idol Facebook page since, I was first signed up to the social media. The talent show itself has always been my favorite since its 6th season, back when I was still on the 9th grade. But my favorite edition was the following season, the 7th, which I watched from the very beginning to the very end. Plus, the set of the judge was still the original three, the last season with only Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell on the panel, before it got screwed up starting from the 8th season.

Oh how can I forgot the season?

I watched all the auditions, the Hollywood Round, the top 24, each and every single week, I watched it all! I felt like so close to every single contestants, trembling along the result show, and cried my ass off when the one I really liked got eliminated -I remember it was when Asia'h Epperson singing her elimination song "I Wanna Dance With Somebody". I even waited for their Ford Commercials and fell for some songs sang on the series that I still hear up till this very second. And guess what, I even had my first high school crush from this show! Browse Kristy Lee Cook and you'll definitely agree with my type.

See? I was that attached to the season, I even remembered the details. But ya as a high school student with lots of meaningless thoughts and activities, I forgot everything pretty quickly as the show was over.

Until six years later, today.

I was scrolling down my Facebook timeline when I over-read this news.

Death of someone. Not so famous, but curious-making enough for me.

It came from American Idol page which I usually take for granted,

Mentioning the death of one Idol alumni, from season 7.

I was not aware at first, but after absorbing the sacred number, the fact that season 7 is the only American Idol I enjoyed, which contestants I knew pretty well, even from the top 24, I began to realize that this could be one that I used to be a fan of.

And I was right.

His name is Michael Johns.

Pic's not mine, taken from here.

No wonder if you have no idea who he is. He finished on the 8th place. Even if hypothetically he ended up being the winner, there would be no guarantee he could be a famous singer because the actual winner of season 7 David Cook's not that shining anyway. So ya, he's basically not famous.

But then again, it's season 7.

And I knew who Michael Johns was.

He started really well and promising, even I predicted that he at least could make it to top 4. But he was eliminated early. It was kinda shocking tho, not just for me, but the whole audience of American Idol because he was that good and some remaining contestants -including, I must say, Kristy Lee- weren't even as good as him!

However the show went on, they got the winner,

And I began to forget the existence of Michael Johns.

Until today when I was scrolling down my Facebook timeline. American Idol devastatingly announced their first ever Idol's death. Come to think of it, ya, the show started on 2002, which natural common would say that the contestants should've still been young and healthy. So why should one of them died early? Why should it be from the season I completely watched? And why should be Michael Johns?

You know the answer to those rhetorical Qs.

I asked because I'm still in the state of being shocked.

He was my favorite and never thought he'd go this fast.

So...

Thanks for your performances, Mr Johns.

Thanks for giving such a competition on the series.

Seriously I'm not a sudden fan claiming that I adore you just today.

If I could I'd bring you back to 2008 and show you what an Idol freak I was.

Rest in Peace,

And "Dream On"