How Mind Works

"On one fine morning, there was a lean guy riding a cab to work. He was on his way to his client's office for an early meeting, when suddenly he wondered about, how fun it could be, if what he does for life, is covered on the media. What a weird fantasy, he then told to himself, while tossing a dumb smile out of the car window."

That lean guy, was me.

It was actually a silly thing, that thought. It randomly just popped out of my head. Well, not so random because by that time my cab was passing in front of one of my friend's building where he works for a notable local radio station. He's a pretty successful friend of mine, an announcer, also a rapper. I remembered just earlier this year, he was invited to a hip TV station to perform, and yes, it all made me having this weird fantasy of appearing on a media.

Well, there's no harm in dreaming yes?

And so I went on with life, acting as if that was just another typical morning thought of mine—some leftover from last night's dream.

Only this time,

The dream is much more powerful than mere night's dream.

Walking out of the client's reach, thank Gooodness, I could finally reach out to my phone. Lots of texts were there already, and I was kind of expecting those were from work. But not really.

Two of those texts are unusual—they came from non-regular texters of mine. One was even unknown. The other one being from my publisher, which always gave me a mini heart attack -of joy- seeing her name on my messenger. So I opened her messages, and was startled like a spineless little boy encountering an aligator by the swamp.

It was an invitation.

To a local radio station owned by the publishing house that published my books. Oh yes, it was about my book really. They wanted to interview me for my newest book, in their "Book of the Week" section on the following day—that day's next day. So I didn't think twice. And turned to the unknown texter whom apparently the one I had to confirm my availability to.

All set, and I was just standing there. Still at my client's office. Just standing there, doing nothing, smiling, trembling, with some tears clogged around the corner of my eyes.

It was shocking to me figuring out that I was actually embarking on the life I had been dreaming about. That what I had been working for this past two years was starting to open more paths in my writing career. That I'd be like my friend had been doing.

But that's not just it.

There's something else beyond just "dreams come true"

That made me stunned and speechless to the core of my soul.

It was my mind.

I really don't know how it works. To have the scheme came to reality just several hours after the wondering, it scared me more than amazed me. And I'm not telling you any lie here. I literally had that weird thought of me being covered, just before I received the invitation. I literally envisioned myself being on that TV show, instead of my rapper friend, and got asked this and that about how I did whatever I did.

But let's just be grateful and clear-headed here.

At least it was something good, that became true.

And the interview on the next day, it went really well. I had to leave my work for a while, as it was held after lunch. But I didn't care, this was a stepping stone to me. And everybody was there to see me stepping that stone. My family tuned in from home, my friends raided me with supports, and, this is the best part for me: my co-workers recorded the show and forced me to hear my super annoying voice back in the office! Haha!

All and all, it was an experience I'll always cherish.

With the radio announcer!

---

"On one fine morning, there was a lean guy riding a cab to work. He was wondering about how fun it could be, if what he does for life, is covered on the media—yet apparently the exact next day, his so called fantasy turned literally real."

Well.

Sometimes I just can't stop thinking

About how my mind—no. It's beyond that.

Sometimes I just can't stop admiring, about

How God works

四代目 — Fourth

In the world of Naruto, there were four respected forefathers.

Heroes of the ninja village, honored even before the anime started.

The first one was the pioneer. Powerful, admired, someone everybody look up to. The second one was dependable. Quiet yet impactful, supporting what was lacking from its predecessor. The third one, was full of potentials. Determined, and timeless. And the fourth one, was the most dynamic, and the star of the village.

Ahh, the fourth one. My favorite.

Everybody deared the fourth one, for his high quality.

And that's exactly what I wish to have, in my fourth baby.

"Cheating Central Japan"

Don't ask me how I did it, because I barely believe myself. To have a fourth book while my third one was still fresh from the oven, it was beyond expectation.

And this one is about my best trip so far. The trip I had always been dying to have. To a country I had always been dying to visit. Doing lots of things I had always been dying to experience. All those stuff I did, now is in a form of a book.

Well I'm not going to tell how I did the book, and how I showed them to my family in our favorite surprise-I-am-having-another-book-now corner -it all happened just the same with previous ones. I'm actually here to state how I wish this baby can bring me to a new level of, being an author.

Because it's Japan.
Everybody loves Japan.

And having this one can provide me to a wider range of readers. They who are seeking to have the same experience I had, they who are longing to enjoy the wonder I felt—and I'm sure there are literally millions of them. No wonder why my publisher didn't think twice accepting my script.

And having more readers can allow me to unlock more doors in me. With their encouragement, their criticisms and suggestions, their supports, and of course, their money. Until eventually, all will lead me to more and more places on the globe I can visit, and more and more babies I can give birth to.

So, am I done?
Of course not.

I'll be having the fifth, the sixth,
And it'll be going on and on even after
Naruto loses its counts

Three's A Party

The last two months have been a skyrocketing time of life.

Between works, friends and family, passion and interest,

All juggled in balance, and I'm starting to get a hang of it.

Sounds like something to celebrate eh?

Yeah, and for that, enter my third book.

Cheating Philippines in a form of "Let's Go to Philippines"

This one underwent a crazy long journey.

Finished right after I gave birth to my first book, only a couple of months after I arrived from Philippines. Sounds easy? No, because although I have the script done so quick, the search of the publisher wasn't of that easy. But yea, all the struggle was worth celebrating.

And the process wasn't so bad, though. The writing part relived my journey. Then after my first rejection, I found another publisher in which bringing me new air, new hope, and... New task, too! Why, they wanted me to make the script their way so, I had to revamp it all the way. But who cares, because this meant that I had to get in my Filipino Party once again! It eventually led to a second rejection, though, but hey, it was all fine. Until finally, after my second book was released, I found the one that I've been looking for: THE, publisher for this book.

Two total major revisions.

Two years of editing and waiting.

But again, all the struggle was worth celebrating.

Because all my sacrifices finally paid off. And rereading, retouching, also reworking my script made me not only once, twice, but four times doing my Philippines pistas over and over again.

Moreover, this book celebrates so many aspects in my life. About how productive I am—and my family couldn't be prouder to see me striking three books in three consecutive years -oh and yes, of course, I brought them to a surprise bookshelf visit thing, just what I did last year and two years ago. About how cool I am—and My friends applauded me for this superb achievement. And about how I am now more and more connected to the world of writing and publishing—the publisher, being so different and so supportive from the previous ones, kept in touch with me and my precious work through social media.

Can't say much about this.

I'm truly proud of myself. I so am.

Beyond grateful of what I've achieved, too.

Because I now have three (plus one) babies.

And I feel like there are more to come.

So yeah.

One's a company,

Two's a crowd and

Three's a hearty

Keeping Up with Vicky Amin

I owe this blog lots of stories so...

Prepare for some
Internet Breakout

Classic Jealousy

Before you go on I must warn you that this is about F1 again. Well, I did tell you the likeliness of me "won't be over it any time soon" yes?

Although honestly, this time's not specifically about the race nor the tournament as a whole. It's more about, you know, ripple effect caused by the championship.

Well duh, I'm blabbering way too much now. Before you turn confused and run away, let's just get down straight to business.

It's about Malaysia.

Pic's from here.

After the best night race in Singapore two weeks ago -still can't move on, by the way, the next set of Grand Prix will be held in its neighbor—MY "neighbor" too: Malaysia. It'll be fun, I'm sure, yet at the same time, well, I don't know, it feels a little bit like, umm, to me, it's more like a...

A torture.

I've always had this rough relationship with that country. With all its one-sided claims, its fiery soccer encounters with us, its attempts to look international, its "oh we're so Asia we're rich in culture in which we're actually not but we're just smart enough to look like one" lalala well okay I'm biased. And okay I visited that country once, but I don't know, I can't seem to be able to sincerely like that country.

And now F1 is entering their region. A thing I'm starting to show my love to, is entering the country I don't really love. And if I may say, it bugs me. A lot.

Starting with how the social media rants about the drivers having fun in Malaysia—it hurts me somehow. Then how Malaysia's culture being adored by the F1 universe—it really fvcking irritates me. And every single time I see name Malaysia mentioned by either the account of F1, or Red Bull, or worse yet, Ricciardo, I really just, ugh, want to shut down the digital world and live in the peace of olden-days.

I don't mind about Singapore being loved because, for me, that country is on a whole different level. They're goblin. I don't know how they could do it, but I got to admit that they're not supposed to be a Southeast Asian country. They're on the same level with Europeans. Indonesia on the other hand, without a doubt, is far far left behind. So admitting that Singapore held a Grand Prix so spectacular that it awed people from all corners of the globe, wouldn't be hard to me. I'll submit wholeheartedly to that.

But Malaysia? What's so special about them? Culture? Indonesia's got it all -except the mental. Nature? Indonesia's much more beautiful -except the fact that we have no idea how to make the most of it. Indonesia's not that different from that nation, that it's so unnecessary to have a Grand Prix there and skip it here!

But then again,

Despite this stupid jealousy,

It's their prize to enjoy the Grand Prix.

Because no matter how hard I try to deny it, it's obvious that Malaysia's much developed on so many levels.

But still I just can't take it.

Because this is not just about F1.

This is MUCH bigger than just races.

It is pride,

In which Indonesia

Doesn't have yet