Red White

Independence Day?

Yes, that's the main dish.

But this year, it's beyond that.

It all started on last Sunday night.

Just when I thought the fun was over, giving the fact that weekend reached the end and Monday was coming, something amazing happened in England. Yes it was the first matchday of Premier League, and Liverpool was playing.

Against Arsenal.

At Emirates.

It was supposed to be uneasy for us. And I didn't expect much anyway. But since it was a big game, and it was the debut match for the whole season, I streamed to London anyway.

The drama was real. A real emotional roller-coaster. Penalty against Liverpool, but blocked. First goal by Arsenal, but the lads could catch up with more goals. Gunners leveled up their game with more goals, but eventually, Liverpool managed to survive 'til the end. And won.

Pic's from here.

I swear, it was a sweet night for me. And I swear I woke up with the biggest smile on the next day, despite it was Monday, and I had to go to work. But what made it "the biggest", was because on that Monday night, I was going to have another open trip which I hadn't done for so long.

Yes, just like last year to Krakatau.

It was a trip for Indonesia's day.

This time,

To Dieng

I know, it's a crazy view eh?

I was all excited. Plus this was my first time joining a non-sea trip. And, it was my very first time using an office day-off - I'M AN ADULT! And the 2-day-2-night trip itself, it turned out to be so incredible.

Rice paddies along the way, rolls of hills on top of the plateau, multi-hued lakes and awesome craters, ancient temples and insightful historical watchings, countryside people with their fresh routines, new friends sharing the same Indonesian-treasures interest, nice warm local specialties with mountainous weather, DAMN! I never felt a trip more Indonesian than this.

But the main show of course, was the one on the August 17th itself. When we trekked the 2600-meter-something mountain to have our annual patriotic ceremony, with flags waving everywhere and scenes of sick hillsides graced the background. And with the moment when "Indonesia Raya" was marched from all corners of the mountain, leaving back to reality was indeed a difficult thing to do.

They called it Puncak Sikunir

Well. Mesmerizing, huh?

But that was not it.

Just when I thought the fun was over, giving the fact that my wonderful trip reached the end and another working day was coming, something amazing happened again. This time, in Rio. Yes,

The Gold Medal

by

Tontowi Ahmad | Lilyana Natsir

It's a big thing for me. No, not because of the event. Not necessarily because it's Rio, and everybody is talking about that, and posting things about the athletes, that it became a big thing for me. No. I've been a supporter for Indonesian badminton since long ago. I even watched it when Hendra Setiawan and Markis Kido won their gold in Beijing 2008. I ain't any bandwagon fan who suddenly became interested in this sport just to swim along the stream.

So my love for them is real. And seeing them winning, seeing them getting back the gold tradition Indonesia didn't have in 2012 Olympics and on top of all, seeing them giving it all right on the day Indonesia was celebrating its Independence Day, it was too beautiful.

Pic's from here.

So intense, yet beautiful.

Full of all red and white things.

And you know what makes it more touching?

That all of these happened in just 4 packed days.

It overlapped, in the most delicate ways.

Thanks, Liverpool.

And I love you so much

Indonesia

Isn't It A Week of Support

setuju gak sih? awal minggu, gue lupa hari apa, ada final beregu bulutangkis putra Indonesia vs Malaysia yang ng-gereget-in banget karena kemarennya di partai yang sama buat putri, Indonesia harus kalah dari Thailand

dan meski lagi di kosan, gue bela belain turun ke ruang tamu, gabung sama orang orang yang lagi nyiapin diri buat presentasi ketua BEM, cuma buat nonton mereka yang alhamdulillah menang

trus beberapa hari kemudian Indonesia ketemu Malaysia lagi di pertandingan terakhir grup A bola U-23, yang sebenernya gak krusial banget gara gara dua duanya fix lanjut ke knock out. yaaa walopun kalah tapi seneng gak sih kalian liat pelatih Malaysia diusir keluar lapangan??

dan kemaren, bagi gue, adalah puncak segala dukungan.

Badminton Singles, Final Round

Senayan Sport Complex

Saturday, November 19th 2011

parah. gue naik busway (again, as i did last week) ke Gelora Bung Karno dengan indahnya tanpa suatu hambatan berarti dan sampe sana jam 12. ketemu ichoy trus beli tiket di tribun A6 yang agaknya sedikit condong ke dalam dan setara dengan kursi VIP. emang pinter ini bocah satu dalam mengakali keterbatasan dana

jam setengah 1 udah di depan pintu, gabung ama jutaan orang lainnya yang udah siap siaga disono biar dapet tempat terajib. jam 1 orangnya dateng, buka pintu daaaaaann... yiha, macem bagi bagi daging kurban. isinya orang kesakitan minta tolong sama marah marah gara gara didorong. posisi badan gue dong yang paling asik, melengkung sodara sodara macem sedotan. mana stuck gara gara depan belakang memberi tekanan pula kan. tapi seru banget gila haha

gue masuk duluan, ninggalin ichoy sama ocit yang masih berjibaku di belakang. bodo ah, langsung aja gue lari ke dalem nyari spot yang masih kosong. yasudah duduklah kita di tengah tengah dan itu cukup strategis

jam 2, baru deh dimulai. dibuka sama tari jaipong plus basa basi MC, gak lama masuk deh dua pasang ganda putri Indonesia

left: http://www.cekskor.com/news/read/6253/dua-gelar-dibawa-pulang-dari-vietnam

right: http://peta-kota.blogspot.com/2011/06/vita-marissanadya-melati-takluk-di.html

All Indonesian Final, Anneke/Nitya vs Nadya Melati/Vita Marissa. gue kira ini bakal garing karena gada perjuangan ngedukungnya kan, eh ternyata... serunya gak ketulungan. udah gak jelas deh gue dukung siapa

left: http://www.tribunsport.com/olympic/kidohendra-melaju-simon-tumbang/

right: http://sports.okezone.com/read/2010/09/25/40/375896/40/harapan-indonesia-pupus-di-semifinal

sama juga pas Bona/Ahsan vs Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan. ah gile berasa nonton tinju. apalagi pas udah selesai. tuh atlet pada ngelempar macem macem kan. gue udah lari larian turun ampe maju ke pager, eh malah dilempar ke belakang. becanda kan

http://w0rld-sp0rts.blogspot.com/2011/05/firdasari-pastikan-kemenangan-indonesia.html

pertandingan ke-3, ini dia baru dimulai dukungan. Firdasari lawan Fu Mingtian dari Singapura. paling asik sih ngecengin supporter mereka. udah bawel bekoar koar pas di-woo-in trus kuncup macem kura kura masuk cangkang. tapi sayang, Firdasarinya atit. menang deh si Mingtian. tapi inget, udah sakit pun masih rubber set, dan deuce pula!! gila kan emang

http://sports.okezone.com/read/2011/08/14/40/491772/natsir-tantowi-tumbang-garuda-tanpa-gelar

next was mixed doubles Owi/Butet vs Thailand (males search namanya) and they were above the wind. menang gampang tapi tetep... jangan jumawa. yang seru, supporter Thailand kan bawa bedug. pas mereka lagi maen, supporter Indonesia -yang emang dasarnya bangsat, tukang ngecengin dan bacot- malah nyanyi "sauuur, saur..." tai semuanya, tai! tapi tetep luvley :">

http://suaramerdeka.com/v1/index.php/read/sport/2011/03/18/9407/Simon-Santoso-ke-Semifinal

nah terakhir baru deh Simon Santoso lawan Tanongsak Saensomb dari Thailand. ini baru klimaks. tenaga gue emang selalu abis buat singles. set pertama menang mudah, set kedua kumat, set ketiga baru deh mati matian

alhamdulillah menang banyak. empat kali nyanyi Indonesia Raya dari lima partai? sekarang dada gue sakit kalo batuk atau ketawa. tapi yaaa gila lo kapan lagi boy nonton badminton live

pulangnya pengen berburu foto dulu, tapi karena kelamaan dan udah gerimis, kita pun bubaran. gue ke FX ketemu bang ryo, makan makan lucu dulu trus pulang naik busway

nah disini deh nih gue baru sadar kalo rakyat Indonesia udah ketemu begini-beginian, apapun rela mereka kerjain. jadi gue pulang berbarengan dengan bubarnya pertandingan semifinal bola U-23 Indonesia lawan Vietnam. sumpah ya itu halte busway penuhnya bukan main. isinya merah semua dan gue yakin malingnya ada dimana mana

bangga? ya, banget. walopun gue yakin setelah Sea Games ini semuanya jadi sebodo amet lagi ama Indonesia, tapi paling nggak ada satu wadah yang bikin kita jadi nyatu begini kan?

yea, whatever...

I still belong to you, RedWhite

When Glory Flies Away...

Orang-orang mungkin udah gak peduli Indonesia kalah di Thomas - Uber. Tapi entah kenapa sampe sekarang gue nyesel loh Indonesia gak menang. Waahuahuahuahuahuahua masih bete cekale nih mamen. Apalagi partai terakhir game terakhir. Kalo diinget-inget bikin hati panas euy. Sudahlah, apa daya nasi telah menjadi bubur.

Gini nih anehnya gue. Kalo udah kepincut sama sesuatu ya jadi kebawa-bawa terus. Apalagi ini Indonesia kan negara sendiri. Apa kabar gue yang jadi atletnya yak? Nangis seminggu penuh kali.

Yaaa semoga Thomas - Uber berikutnya sukses deh.
We'll stand by you, INDONESIA.

image source: here