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!"

Journal Closing

I thought 2012 was the sweetest one.
But I was wrong. Until I met 2013.

Which turned to be the year

I learned more about myself.

All year long, I'm telling you, all year long.
I kept exploring hidden potentials inside of me.

Potentials I thought were strong enough but eventually,
I kept exploring something bigger as days and months went by.

Flying Solo -- January - February

Never once in my mind, back then, that I'd actually ever gone traveling alone to some new places I never even been to. But I did. I completed the challenge I set to myself. And it was not only me, but my parents were also proud of what I did, my friends applauded me. A regular trip, supposedly, but the extreme touches I sprinkled, made it more interesting. I began to love myself.

First Real Jobs -- March - April

Things got more serious and it was more than just a traveling thing. So I got a freelance copywriting offer from my lecturer. To a guy in his junior year of college called "me", it was considered tremendous. I couldn't stop praising myself because, umm, she trusted me? :')

"The Field Trip" -- June - August

More about the professional world, yea as you knew I was called as apprentice by BBDO. One big, noted advertising agency worldwide. What I liked myself about this part was, I did everything by myself. Applying for the position, calling in the interview, doing the whole internship program ALTHOUGH, I have a relative who works for Lowe, I skipped the advantage and worked it all myself.

Getting American -- October

This, could actually be the highlight of the year and placed the last in this list. But after all, traveling should be placed one step below education and career so, it's placed fourth.

But still, this was the one I won't ever deny. The thing that makes me see myself higher. Although the success of this was achieved with my friends, I can't ever take myself for granted anymore. Or underestimate myself. So starting from US, when I felt down, I would just say to myself "dude, at least you been to America" :)

Done and Ready -- December

So as you know, the peak of my achievement was about myself in college. Yes. My degree. My title I worked myself to get. The phase where I could finally take a break from campus stuff. Well, the last break. Before I finally have to feel the real professional world. Not just an underdog freelance jobs. Nor a semi-real jobs called the internship.

But a real job.

That recently, has been haunting me too much.

Causing me lots of lots of thoughts and considerations.

Which actually, doesn't necessarily have to be like that tho.

Because I know somehow I can make it eventually.

Because I possess something greater than I ever even known.

I thought 2012 was the sweetest one.

But I was wrong. Until I met 2013.

And I hope I'm wrong again.

After I see 2014 :)

A Kiddy Trip

I went to Bali again.

I know, no matter how denial I am trying to get rid of the island,

Somehow there's always this big, strong calling, urges me to come back.

And I never had the same way of enjoying Bali in each of my trips.

With family, with friends in a survival way, with friends in a luxury...

This time, the theme would be

"Pampered."

Went there with a group of mixed friends. Some from campus, some from high school, and some others I hadn't even known before. But umm, somehow, we could manage to get along well to each other and there were no awkward moment at all. Felt like we had been friends for a longer time.

So we did many stuff together. Less likely friends, more like a family, for me. 

I don't wanna talk about the destinations because it's just typical.

Though some places we visited were new to me.

Now the highlight of the trip was the togetherness I felt,

That made me felt like a total child again.

One of us took the role as the mother. A very painstaking mother. Another girl acted like the eldest sister, concerning about how we can survive. One boy came like a protective, let's-go-wherever-you-guys-want-to-go kind of brother. And one other girl is like a twin sister who's just the same dumb and innocent as I was, whom to me, committed to look after each other.

See along the trip, I subconsciously relied everything to them. I took granted about the financial stuff and let them count, I just okay-ed what they asked, I whined to be treated some snacks, I didn't get the chance to drive the car although I offered them to, I was lost and had them worried and looking.

Uncle Clint from USA

The kiddy-like experience wasn't all coming from my friends. But also when I met some strangers, talking about age and they were like you're 21? I thought you were 17!? and when I had a very long, interesting talk with a cool dad about many stuff, mainly about being youthful and ignorant, living your own path and give no fvck to nothing... Damn I wonder how he knew that this trip's theme was "A Kiddy Trip", he treated me like his boy and it was so nice I felt like one of his sons. Well yea those, seriously made me thinking twice about getting older.

Because I'm only good at being young.

Because presence of mature people make me alive.

I'm pampered.

Pampered and scared.

An underdog, acted like a kid.

Blame on you guys, I'm one step further to becoming a mature man.

Well I have no idea whether I should be happy about this or not.

But the trip, without no doubt, made me happy and again, all spoiled.

Now guys, you seven people on my trip, you do know

Who pampered us the most, right? :)

Teaser

Saturday, July 27th 2013.

We called it a regroup.

Mari kita mulai dari awal banget.

The building, the place where retarded stuff happened.

Gue adalah alumni SMAN 68 Jakarta angkatan 2010. Angkatan yang, menurut gue, paling kompak di 68 sejauh yang gue liat, dan yang paling kompak seumur hidup akademik gue. Kita udah lulus 3 taun yang lalu, dan gapernah sekalipun punya acara kumpul angkatan resmi.

Sampe akhirnya bulan Mei kalo gasalah, timeline 68'010 digemparkan dengan kehadiran akun twitter angkatan yang sampe sekarang ga ada yang tau siapa adminnya. Anak anak sih udah pada koar koar penasaran caritau siapa dalang dibalik akun itu, tapi gue mah sekut ae -padahal diem diem udah ngepo sana sini suudzonin orang orang yang berpotensi jadi si admin.

Nah buat starter, si admin ngusulin bikin bukber angkatan, dan swoosh jadilah kita bukber angkatan Sabtu kemaren di sekolah dengan ketua panitianya Vania -kandidat utama admin yang udah dicurigai oleh banyak oknum. Walopun yang dateng cuma setengah angkatan, tapi...

Gamungkin sih, gue kangen banget sekolah.

Ketemu sama orang orang dongo dari 3 tahun silam, ngulik ngulik kedongoan masa lalu, ceng cengan, mencak mencak, berkata kasar seakan lupa bahwa ibadah puasa masih berjalan... Ah, kangen deh berperilaku tak berbudi luhur macem itu.

Vimo & Mpi, temen dari SD sampe SMA :"

Trus gue diminta jadi MC. Bareng salah satu orgil jebolan 68'010 bernama Cindy. Udah ditunjuk dadakan, banyak rundown yang bolong pula. Jadilah segala kekosongan acara diisi sama candaan kita yang Alhamdulillah cukup menghibur. Tapi kadang emang cuma kita berdua doang yang ngerti ya abis gimana, orang orang pada kangen kangenan kan jadi gue sama Cindy cuma ngobrol berduaan aja :(

MC (Mates in Crime) hazek gatuh??

Kebatuan angkatan pun gak berubah. Di hari yang sama sebenernya ada banyak acara bukber di sekolah yang sejatinya, mereka adalah pemilik tulen sekolah itu dan kita hanyalah tamu. Tapi. Nyatanya 68'010 bukber di lapangan. Sound system lengkap, dikuasai oleh dua orang cot yang bisik bisik pun tetep pake mic.

Yang paling gatau diri adalah, di lantai bawah kan awalnya udah ditek sama anak futsal. Mereka mau pake dua kelas yang koridornya udah dikuasai sama meja prasmanan bukber 68'010. Dalam kesepakatan, koridor itu mestinya cuma dijadiin tempat singgah anak anak buat ngambil makanan, tapi makannya gak boleh disitu. Namun?

Ya tau sendiri lah gimana. Makan di koridor, ngeroko di koridor, ketawa di koridor, semuanya di koridor. Pada akhirnya anak anak futsal menyerah dalam hormat dan melipir ke satu kelas aja di pojokan, tak bergeming.

Oke. Gue rindu segala hal berbau sekolah.

Gue rindu ketemu pengajar dan harus cium tangan,

Gue rindu bertingkah gila individu maupun kolektif,

Gue rindu ditunjuk jadi sesuatu di kegiatan sana sini,

Gue bahkan rindu, hmm... Itu tuh... Belajar di kelas.

Gamungkin sih, gue kangen banget sekolah.

Twist, Dipsi? Duh gatau deh nama kelasnya apaan

I know the only thing to feed this longing

Is simply by meeting them all. At. Once.

Thank God we'll have one more soon.

So I'll see you guys on 2014

Campus Last Blow

Remember the time, when I was about to turn 20,

And I freaked out like a retarded chicken?

Well, it was last year.

And now I'm 21 already.

Haha gatau kenapa giliran mau masuk umur 21, gue ga ada panik-paniknya sama sekali. Yaiyyyallaah!! Umur 21 gitu! Batas umur antara si kecil dan si dewasa secara hukum. Which means? I'm Legally Legal!

Pokoknya sedari pagi, sampai malam, bahkan sampai keesokan harinya, semuanya bikin nyenengin. Mulai dari pagi pagi pas mau browsing ngerjain tugas, trus gak sengaja ngeliat Google doodle hari itu yang gambarnya kue ulangtaun. Gue pun membatin, "Hah siapa nih yang ulangtaunnya sama kayak gue? Keren dong gue tanggalnya mirip sama orang terkenal." dan pas gue scroll pointernya untuk mencari tahu, ternyata...

Sumpah ya, it made my morning haha. Padahal cuma gitu doang tapi gimana ya, seneng aja gitu. Trus agak siangan gue jalan ke tukang cukur. Ketika melintasi seorang anak TK dan mboknya, ternyata mereka lagi nyanyi "Happy Birthday" fufu sounds pathetic gasih? Tapi gue seneng gimana dong. Semacam pertanda aja gitu kalo hari ulangtaun ini masih panjang.

Dan bener aja. Di kampus gue dikasih surprise lagi cem taun lalu. Lagi duduk lucu di takor eh tiba-tiba pada nyanyi trus Pus muncul dengan kue hasil patungan anak-anak iklan. Sedih gak sih? :'( Gue udah sok-sok tegar aja gitu sok-sok gak tertarik buat nutupin rasa haru yang tak terbendung ini.

Abis potong kue, beranjaklah kita ke kelas. Di tengah jalan, you know, those freaking people wouldn't let me pass my day for granted, dijejelin lah muka gue pake kue. Tangan pun dikekang biar gak bisa kabur, segala materi berbentuk tisu dan kain lap diumpetin biar gue gak bersihin muka.

Lalu gue diarak sampe kelas kayak penganten sunat. Sampe kelas pun gue dikurung, Bu. Gaboleh keluar gaboleh bersih bersih sampe akhirnya si dosen dateng, gue berhasil melipir keluar tanpa hambatan. Untung tubuh gue selangsing kijang.

Pulangnya, gue dicegat lagi nih. Kali ini mereka punya chant, "Ma~ndi dulu! Ma~ndi dulu!" maksudnya gue mau dicemplungin ke kolam takor gitu. Etapi kan udah malem kan ya, lagian gue juga buru buru nih mau pergi kan skejul masih padet tuh, nah jadinya secara diam-diam gue lenyap bagai debu.

Tapi nih ya, pas lagi ditarik gitu, pas gue lagi berontak gitu, seseorang membujuk gue supaya mau dimandiin karena,

"Ini kan taun terakhir lo ulangtaun di kampus Vick, ayolah..."

Sumpah, itu jadi bikin gue rela digotong ke kolam. Ini taun terakhir gue ulangtaun di kampus. Taun depan gue bakal ngerayain ulangtaun gue sama temen kantor yang, yaa gatau sih, tapi gue rasa feel nya bakal beda aja. Cuman yang pasti sih gabakal ada lagi maskeran kue, ga ada cemplang cemplung, ceplak ceplok dan segala kelakuan imbisil idiotic lainnya.

Well, umm, well we'll see about that.

With all these super, amusing, crazy friends of mine,

No matter how separated we are, how busy we'll be later,

Eventually we'll celebrate our birthday, our 30th birthday, our wedding day

Together :)

P.S. : Thank you, AdPle Par 2010, thank you so much

City Three: The Best Closure

George Town, Penang

Three days of calm and prosperity

After a wild, hectic life in Bangkok, I flew back to KL and then took a bus straight to Butterworth, Penang. Another indescribable experience, I must say, because it was a night bus and then I had to take the ferry so early in the morning to the island.

But that long, exhausting journey to get to the city was all so worthed. You know why, because George Town is a paradise for, uh, how do we say that... Yeah, a peaceful seeker.

It was a small town, clean, quiet, with a few number of cars, as well as the pollution. The tourist spots are close one another and for me, those are all in a walking distance. If I want to take a bus around the city, they have this free shuttle. And if I want to go somewhere out of George Town, other buses are always available and you can ask anybody on the street about how to get there!

Read the board :p

Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah 

Kek Lok Si Temple

And Chinese New Year was so close. I still had lots of ringgits and yeah, I supposed it was the time to start being prosper. So I stayed at a dorm booked from the hostelworld.com named Roommates. I ate more expensive foods, I didn't care anymore about the money I've been strict about since the first day of my trip. It's all about self welfare.

The best part, was the CNY evening. I was invited to have a Chinese dinner with a local Penangite, ate steamboat with them and spent some time with their families. Finished? Not, yet! After that I went to the Esplanade to attend this CNY countdown event!

Ferry and its wind

Ms An Lim and her lovely family

When this happened, I almost cried because on the next day, I was going home :')

Yea and that was all. George Town and its tranquility. I loved all those three cities I visited, but for this one, it's more than just love, I guess.

Now I know why George Town's called as a World Heritage.

I can't describe it, I just know :)

City Two: The Land of... Freedom?

Bangkok, Thailand

Four days of self discovery

I flew to Bangkok after KL. It was a culture shock actually, haha. People changed, sense of currency changed, way to live changed, and stuff. You saw many mosques and heard prayer calls around KL and now, all you've got to see are temples.

Yes, temples are all around the city. Even in malls. You can pray everywhere, if you want to, and nobody bothers. You can come and see others praying, and nobody bothers.

I visited like tons of temples. It was like a spiritual journey for me. Haha no, kidding! I'm not converting to Buddha. But yaa along the visit to the temples, somehow I explored this potential of myself where I turned to be a shy-less guy.

You see, I was alone. And to have a picture of myself with the best sceneries, I've got to ask people to take that right? Yea that's what I meant by shy-less. I didn't care what people thought about me being only with myself, I just need some photographs :p

Night market in Thammasat University

Student's dorm at Asian Institute of Technology

Taxi boat on Chao Phraya river

Grand Palace

Wat Pho, Temple of Reclining Buddha

Silom - Sukhumvit

And once again, what I liked from this trip was the people I met. This time, they weren't locals. It was my friend whose dorm I stayed at, a Tunis guy named Sadek. Such a fun guy, talkative, insightful, tricky and somehow, moslem. We shared a lot about our similar interest and it opened a lot about my mind.

But the best guy is Rin. A forty something doctor, Filipino decent from US. He's married, but free as a bird. He was even visiting Bangkok without his wife knowing that. I adored this guy, a lot. Some of his words are way too hard to understand, and too much -seriously, he talked a lot- but I learned so much about myself from him. At last, I considered him as a mentor haha.

GOD! After all, it was that free in Thailand. It's beyond just a religion choice. People can dress whatever they want to dress, think whatever they want to think, be whatever they want to be. And just the time you think what people do is inappropriate, stick to this phrase:

"But again, it's Thailand :)"

City One: The Praised Child

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Five days of cultural transmission

My single-fighter-twelve-days-trip started from the city. First impression, the airport wasn't as cool as Soekarno Hatta's Terminal 3. But after I took a bus to KL Sentral LRT Station, I shut the fvck up.

Have you watched a drama of a poor child and rich one, switched at birth? The poor's raised by the rich family and grow to be the bad ass, while the rich's taken cared so so by the poor family and soon will be bullied by the poor child and can't fight about it? Yea well along the trip, that's the scenario I've always played in my mind. Malaysia's the poor, and Indonesia's the rich one.

No wonder why Malaysia enjoys annoying us. They are actually not as rich as Indonesia, but they know best how to manage what they have. It makes them a nation worth to visit, and I did enjoy my trip there. Although I was alone, I still can survive because information is easy to obtain, and most people speak English.

A longest night market, weekly in Cheras

Genting Highland

Batu Caves

KLCC - Petronas Twin Tower

KL Tower 

Bukit Bintang

And the locals, man, they're so up in the air. I stayed at my Chinese friend's boarding room, his name is David, then moved to my other friend's house, a Malay named Hazwan. Then again, I also spent much of my time with my other Chinese friend named Joseph. And the three of them, are impeccable. Best services, best helps as well.

But the best part I liked was the one where we shared about culture. Like how there are so many words in Indonesian and Malay that literally similar, but have different meanings. Or about Jakarta and its famous traffic jam. Or about local foods and snacks that apparently have so many similarities. God! It was soooooooooooooooooo fun and priceless.

After all, I love Kuala Lumpur. I love how it could let me wander around it, even I was just traveling alone. Aside all what Malay had done to us, I still adore the city. Tidy, structured, not as strict as Japan tho, but still, way way better than Jakarta -and Bangkok.

But one thing I couldn't stop thinking,

Was the one with the mighty question of

"Why the hell can't Indonesia do the same?"

Yearly Myth

So Happy New Year 2013, everybody!!

Postingan pertama di 2013 nih wuwuwuwuwu ya Allah 2012 beneran deh ya, gak kerasa banget tiba-tiba udah abis aja fufufu. Tapi emang deh, itu taun kebesaran gue haha banyak banget nikmat serta karunia Allah SWT yang gue rasain -tadinya gue pikir itu kan taun terakhir kita di bumi, makanya dikasih happy ending gitu :')

Jadi ada satu hal yang pengen gue sampaikan. Yaitu soal malam tahun baru. Sejak taun baru 2008 ke 2009, gue menemukan sebuah pola nan unik yang mengantar gue ke sebuah spekulasi spektakular -jir apa banget sih bahasa gue.

Yodeh mari ditelaah satu per satu.

New Year 2009: Bandung, Friends of X-2.

Di rumah Khobbab nih ceritanya, bareng rombongan anak kelas X-2 SMA 68 angkatan gue pastinya. Seru kan tuh bareng temen-temen, ceqaqaq ceqiqiq dengan segala ups and downs nya. Nah gotta tell ya, all year long in 2009, I learned a lot, A LOT, about friendship. Backstabbing, loyalty, togetherness pas kelas XI, comfort zone, team work from BAZKOM, independency from Baduy pas kelas XII. Shocked? Not yet.

New Year 2010: Singapore, Family.

Kala itu, pas jam 12 tiba, warga Singapore sudah siap dengan perkakas canned foam mereka dan mulai nyemprot-nyemprotin senjata mereka ke siapapun, bener-bener orang gak kenal sekalipun, pokoknya semua orang yang lagi nongkrong di Orchard Rd. Fun? Banget!! Berasa selebrasi kemenangan apa gitu deh gila kacau serunya. Dan apa yang terjadi selama 2010? Graduation. Selebrasi kelulusan yang, ya Tuhan, gabisa diungkapin gimana senengnya. Di taun ini juga gue mulai ospek di kampus. Seru-seruan sama total strangers, temen-temen baru yang sama sekali gak kenal sebelumnya, tapi bisa-bisanya nyatu dan jadi sebuah keluarga baru.

New Year 2011: Bali, Family.

Meskipun di Bali, gue mumet banget sama NYE yang satu ini karena ujan. Pulangnya pun harus nunggu taksi berapa lama baru bisa cabut dari Discovery Mall. Alhasil, setaun penuh selama 2011 itu gue ngalamin hal-hal yang yaaahh gak ngenakin deh.

New Year 2012: Jakarta, Mom and Dad.

Di Bunderan HI, ngeliat kembang api dan langit bersahabat. I didn't quiet enjoy the atmosphere tho, but one thing I liked was, I spent the night with my parents. Mungkin karena itu Allah ngasih setaun penuh kecerahan buat gue di 2012 haha! Emang deh restu orangtua gak ngalahin apapun.

The point is, subconscious matters. Suggestion works. You got one belief, and you put faith on it, then there you go. You'll surely have that.

So start from now, I'll see a bright side from each year, and hope the positive side for the next one. No matter how suck the NYE could be, I'll just make it fun, for the sake of my whole upcoming year.

Wets bentar dolo, satu lagi nih.

New Year 2013: Home, Alone.

Gatau sih ini pertanda apa, tapi yang pasti, awal dari 2013 ini akan dimulai dengan trip gue ke KL - Bangkok which I'm gonna be... Alone.

So could this year be my single-trip-all-around-the-globe-alone year?

Let's just hope that's true :)

Saltwater Mistletoe

Ho, ho, ho...

So christmas is finally over. But umm, okay this one this year was the best I ever felt -since I never celebrated one, anyway. But in spite of experiencing it in polar-like ground, I rocked the christmas in the sandy land of Bali!

It was just four-days-escaping-self-from-those-freaking-exams getaway but, damn fun! We didn't go to Kuta, Sanur or any other places we usually go. We stayed at Seminyak, and our beachy itineraries were... Umm... Don't tell anybody okay?

Those were secret beaches!

Yes, secret! These are anti-mainstream beaches that are not what come up to mind once people plan to go to Bali.

So by the first day we went up to Jimbaran. Tough road, I must say because we rode through many turns, ups and downs, and stuff. If you ask me to get you there, I don't think I might remember.

But gotta tell ya, the place is paradise. People call that Tegal Wangi. On that day, there were only some people, thank God, and the ambient was... indescribable. The cool thing was, you have to walk down some steep steps of rocky path to get the beach.

On day two, we went down south to Benoa area. Today we planned to go to the southernmost point of the island, and paid a visit to this beach called Pandawa. White sand, clear sky, nice wind blowing... The only thing that's missing was the silence. Yea, this beach is much more crowded than Tegal Wangi.

But that's alright. Because the journey to this beach, as one of my friends said, was dramatic. So we had to take a quiet long ride. Then entered some cut-off valley -which looked like a mighty entrance gate- until finally we reached this corner where you can see the wide sea right before your very eyes. God, writing this can't ever picture the real scenery!

Anyway, besides those new tourist spots, I also dedicated this trip to explore some new culinary experience. So yeah, my friends introduced me to these two restaurants named Warung Kolega and Warung Italia!

I never planned to blog this so I didn't take any photograph of Warung Kolega.
So the left pic is from here, while the right side is from here.

Warung Kolega was more about Javanese food. Like warteg, as you know it. While Warung Italia, yea I don't think I have to tell what it is. So one thing that makes me want to share about this two eating places is because they set a very, very cheap price for the foods. And the concept's kinda cute. You pick what you want to eat from the buffet, they'll give you the price tag of those food and, you eat first then pay later.

What an experience! I prepared quiet much for this. I mean, for the christmas. Picked red and green rubber for my brackets, wore red-themed shirts for the christmas eve and the christmas itself and of course, wore the Santa hat all day long! Including airport and the plane :p

With a friend from Australia. Argh if only you could see my braces... They're so christmasy!

Never been so ready for christmas.
Can't wait to do the same next year and-
Oh anyway, talk about next year... Santa?
Can I please step on snow rather than sand?


P.S. : Amen to what I wished ;)

Worst Gig, Maybe...

If the fucking traffic jam,

If the sudden heavy rain, and

If the wet outfits are included.

Aside of that...

DAMN WHACKING PLAN!!

Djakarta Warehouse Project

At Istora Senayan, Dec 7th 2012

Emang sih, gue nonton cuma bertiga. Sama Cika sama Kejot. Yang lain entah dimana beredar ga karuan, gue gak bawa hape dan males ngubungin satu satu. Dan gue gak nonton dari awal. Karena macet yang guguk banget itu, gue baru sampe venue jam setengah 11. Dan stage yang gue pantengin cuma satu dari tiga.

Tapi entah gimana, gue ga ngerasa sia sia ngeluarin 500 ribu.

Meski gue cuma bisa nonton Angger Dimas yang gue gatau samsek lagu-lagunya -pun gue baru tau ada orang namanya Angger Dimas hari itu juga- sama Calvin Harris -gila aja kali kalo gue sampe ga dapet Calvin Harris, masa insiden 13/10 keulang lagi??- yang gue cuma tau tiga dari sekian lagu-lagunya... I was having fun though.

Apalagi pas "Feel So Close". Udah gangerti lagi keseruan yang terjadi di dunia pada saat itu. Berasa... Apa ya? Semacam hidup bebas hidup ringan tanpa perlu kerja karena uang dikasih sama pemerintah -beraque, mana mungkin yak :')

Trus yang bikin mood gue boosted adalah karena sejak awal, gue udah dapet semua insentif yang dijanjikan dengan maksimal. Foto booth dapet 3 -tanpa harus follow account twitter mereka- jadi masing-masing dapet satu. Neon stick dapet 6, masing-masing dapet dua. Gantungan Wakai, meskipun stoknya udah abis, tapi karena Kejot sama Cika anaknya seductive parah gitu kan, jadilah dapet 3.

But one thing I like the most from the event was, because I explored a little further about the other side of me that was able to enjoy the show wholeheartedly, sincerely. Was like Pitbull all over again. Without forces, without pushes and tensions, if you know what I mean.

Because with him,
even the gig that I thought was supposed to be the worst
Could turn so extremely marvelous

I'm Oh So Done!

Friday, November 30th 2012

Maybe the best day of the entire 5th semester,

I suppose.

So you knew about Jiffy Jive. I was in charge of the opening performance -which turned out to be a fashion dance- AND the honor to be the admin of the event's twitter. Those are quiet much jobs for one person, eh? Ho. Ho. Ho. Not for me.

At the same time, I was asked to handle the publication and design of another big big event called Barata Dwipantara. That was an event of feature, photography and poster competition of Indonesian travelling. And there was a talk show by the end of the event, which was yesterday. Oh, for your information, I never had any experiences about this division. And once I had the chance, I was the coordinator :')

Anyway that's just not all. Although I have some men who were in charge of this, I was also taking care of the event's twitter! Can you imagine that? Two crucial positions at two big events, with two twitter accounts under my control?

Hectic, yes but... I did learn a lot.

About fashion. About publication strategy. About clothing line. About media partnership. About British slang. About digital designs. About life. About choices. About priorities. About hard work. About coordination. About... Cherish.

Thank God.

I made it, I survived.

And I worked with the best team.

Now I really need some time off.
Like no more committee things for now!

But still...

Friday, November 30th 2012

Was the best day of the entire 5th semester,

I'm pretty sure about that

P.S. : I swear I'm gonna post pictures of my co-workers. Soon enough.

Excitement in Here, There, And Everywhere

November 24th, 2012

We call it A Day In The Life

Jadi di Komunikasi UI, ada satu tradisi turun temurun dimana satu angkatan diharusin buat bikin acara semacem pentas seni yang nunjukkin bakat-bakat maba, sekaligus ngundang senior-senior dan para alumni. Taun 2010 lalu, gue jadi pihak yang dieksplorasi itu. Tahun ini, angkatan gue yang bikin acara itu.

Dulu namanya "Komnight". Tapi, angkatan gue pengen sedikit merubah persepsi dan branding yang udah diasosiasiin sama nama itu. Nah jadilah tahun ini -atau mungkin buat seterusnya- namanya jadi "Kom Art Fest".

Tiap angkatan punya tema yang beda-beda buat Komnight mereka. Nah taun gue, kita ngangkat The Beatles gitu deh. Namanya pun beda-beda sesuai tema. Kalo angkatan gue ngasih nama

Jadi sejak angkatan 2012 masuk UI, panitia Jiffy Jive udah mulai ribet sendiri. Nyusun konsep acara, nyari sponsor, ngaudisi talent buat ditampilin, nentuin artis, nentuin sistem ticketing, bikin media publikasi, la la la~ ye ye ye. Nah kalo gue, ditunjuk jadi PJ Opening, dibantu sama empat cewek kece ini.

From left to right, meet Ratih, Paula, Catia and Bunga

Alhamdulillah semuanya lancar sampe hari H. Yaa ada sih ya sandungan-sandungan kerikil nyeri yang ampuh bikin gue jadi kepikiran siang malem gitu tapi untungnya dengan bantuan Allah Yang Maha Kuasa, semua beresssss.

Ngomong-ngomong soal hari H. Gimana ya bilangnya. Hmm pokoknya setelah kemaren itu, gue jadi makin sayang sama angkatan gue.

Gimana nggak. Jadi kan kalo pas mabanya lagi nampil, senior yang gemes banget pengen kenalan sama itu anak-anak baru itu, pengen banget nerobos stage buat ikutan tampil. Nah buat menyiasati itu, dibentuklah yang namanya Komborder. Nah kemaren itu, entah kenapa secara alamiah Komborder kebentuk dari cowok-cowok angkatan gue.

Se. Ru. Ba. Nget. Awalnya sih masih sante. Kiri gue Kristo, kanan gue Reza. Tangan udah saling kait-kaitan, kaki udah nyilang. Apesnya, posisi gue ada di ujung panggung nih, perbatasan leveling. Jadi kaki kiri gue ada dibawah, kaki kanan gue di stage. Ngaco gak ngaco gak??

Trus trus. Mulai deh gejolak dorongan senior berdatangan. Mereka histeris gitu kan minta dibolehin masuk sama teriak-teriak nyuruh kita duduk karena gak keliatan. Yang lebih ngaco lagi, senior yang ngegerombol di sekitaran gue itu banyak banget, ada kayanya seribu orang. Gila deh itu mah gue udah kayak rumput laut diterjang ombak.

Nah jadi ceritanya ikatan antara gue sama Reza udah melemah nih -cielaaaahh- gue udah meringis takut aja ada yang jeblos. Trus tetiba dari arah depan, bantuan datang. Willy langsung ngeback up kita berdua. Tapi bukan border aja nih guys yang bisa ngeback up, senior pun bisa. Makin gila aja kan tuh yang dorong-dorong gue Reza sama Willy.

Posisi gue udah kayak sumo. Ngerti kan, kaki ditekuk lebar membentuk huruf O, trus tangan ngepel diatas lutut. Nah tiba-tiba gatau gimana jadinya, kanan bawah itu lowong parah kan, siapapun bisa masuk. Duh yaudah daripada daripada, kaki kanan gue panjangin buat mengisi kekosongan itu. Jadi intinya gimana kawan-kawan? Posisi gue udah kayak sumo dengan kaki kanan diluruskan. Lu pikirin deh tuh.

Etapi etapi, gak selesai disitu oy. Dengan posisi terbaru gue itu, terjadilah kekosongan antara tangan dan kaki kanan gue. Senior yang mungil bisa meluncur dengan indahnya lewat lobang itu. Trus, gatau gue harus berterima kasih apa nggak, junior gue ada yang lari dan ngisi lobang itu dengan... Pantatnya :')

In the circle, anak 2012 yang dengan santainya duduk di kaki gue. Gue dimana?
Gausah dicari, kepala-kepala yang histeris pengen masuk ke stage itu ngalangin gue :')

Jadi bisa dibayangin gak sekarang? Posisi gue yang udah absurd itu, dengan kaki yang diluruskan, sekarang ada orang duduk diatasnya. Gimana gak gemeteran sih lutut kiri gue? :'(

Tapi sumpah ya, itu seru banget. Anak-anak cowok angkatan gue ada di atas stage, ga peduli dia panitia atau bukan, SAR atau bukan, semuanya naik buat ngebantuin. Bahkan Saurin yang disitu seharusnya jadi MC, bela-belain bantuin border huhu terharu.

Nah pas Komboys udah di puncak dengan perpiramidan mereka, gue pengen nangis tuh disitu. Bukan karena apa-apa, tapi karena pas itu gue ngeliat angkatan gue yang lagi susah payah menghalau senior buat masuk. Gila, cool abiz.

Setelah penutupan, ga ngerti lagi gimana senengnya kita panitia. Apalagi pas ada pengumuman kalo acara ini surplus. Gini deh, bisa balik modal aja udah seneng, ini surplus loh haha.

Oh well, that's a lot of story. I'm stopping here before I can't control myself.

However, although I don't tell the whole story, I have this bottom line to share.

When we come together,

With a little help from my friends,

We can work it out, no matter how hard it is.

Jiffy Jive, Let It Beat :)

All pictures belong to Aziman

As I Say 'Gig', It Usually Means Standing And Dancing All Along

But for last night, well it's the other way around.

Jadi semalem gue nonton sebuah konser. Alhamdulillah dapet tiketnya gratis, tapi kayaknya gue gamau ceritain disini karena ntar merusak esensi postingan yang mau gue dedikasiin full buat

HITMAN

David Foster & Friends

Mata Elang International Stadium, Ancol

http://www.beadonorsavealife.com/david-foster-photos

Haha sumpah gue gapernah aware sama sekali sama si om David Foster ini. Bahkan awalnya gue kira dia penyanyi! Tapi setelah menelisik lebih jauh, akhirnya gue tau kalo dia ini pencipta lagu, dan lagu-lagunya dinyanyiin sama orang-orang tenar yang gue tau. Meski demikian, meski gue cuma tau satu dari lusinan lagu yang muncul dalam konser itu, gatau kenapa gue ngerasa seneng-seneng aja gitu nontonnya. Oh wait, gue tau!

Karena konser ini beda sama yang sebelum-sebelumnya. Ya ya, pas David Guetta juga gue bilang itu konser beda dari yang sebelumnya. Tapi yang ini beda dari awal sampe akhir, beda luar dalem!

First of all, and the most crucial thing, we didn't really have to take a queue. Damn, I love high-end concerts! Karena si promotor tau yang dateng bakalan orang-orang generasi terdahulu, jadilah seat nya tertulis di tiket, jadi gapake rebutan. And yes, we got a seat! Seumur-umur nonton konser, selalu bediri gitu kan trus jingkrak-jingkrakan ampe modar.

Then the line-up, well don't get me started with the line-up. But I have to!

Please click each name to see the source of the pics

Let's talk about each of them from left to right! Fernando Varela, gila suaranya dahsyat banget. Hayley Westenra, pertama kali denger doi nyanyi langsung keinget Celine Dion. Paul Young, yaaa gak terlalu berkesan tapi okelah. Chaka Khan, well I'm so gonna talk much about her on my next post. Kenny "Babyface" Edmond, ahh thanks to him because he sang "The End of The Road" which was the only song I know from the whole concert. Raisa, baca aja deh disini. Terakhir Dirty Loops, band dari Swedia apa kalo gasalah, yang semoga aja mereka cepet terkenal, jadi at least gue pernah nonton mereka pas masih cupu :')

One last thing that I loved was, the interactivity. Si David Foster nya itu kayak gak keburu-buru gituloh. Bawain lagu, becanda, ngundang orang, becanda lagi, ngajak penonton nyanyi, becanda lagi sama Om Pri, ngenalin anggota band, becanda lagi ahh lucu deh pokoknya. Beda banget ama Pitbull yang bet bet bet tiba-tiba udah selesai -tapi tetep, itu konser yang paling oke sejagad.

Trus ada satu segmen dimana si Babyface disuruh bikin lagu dari kata-kata yang bakal dipilih sama penonton, saat itu juga. Trus muncul ide bikin dari kata 'Obama', kata 'rainbow' usulan seorang gadis Malaysia, dan kata 'Pri' sebagai primadona yang dielu-elukan pada malam itu. Dan Babyface bisa aja gituloh bikin lagunya haha gue gak sempet ngerekam saking terpesonanya.

Tapi, ehm... Kadang karena terlalu iteraktif, muncullah orang-orang yang penjilat malesin yang argh pengen gue lempar pake makanan ayam biar kepalanya dipatokin. Jadi kan di beberapa sesi Om Foster kayak nyari talent gitu kan, siapa yang bisa nyanyi. Nah mulai deh berdatangan orang-orang yang sok ngefans, sok-sok bilang, "We watch you again because we love you" bla bla bla pup meong -had to smoothize the word.

Gue bukannya sirik ye, haha liat mungke si David Foster aja baru kemaren itu. Tapi gimana ya, gue males aja gitu liat orang-orang carmuk sok penting cem mereka. Haha sudah, sudah. Gue gamau mencemari kesakralan postingan ini hanya karena baby-baby -had to switch the words because I got complained hehe- itu.

Oke, sudah kepanjangan sepertinya. I gotta stop here. Dan gak kayak biasanya, gue pulang dari konser ini tanpa membawa cinderamata apapun.

Hmm yea well that's just fine, it was costless anyway.

Nevertheless, considering all those things, it was priceless.

There's a fine line between them

P.S. : Pas lagi nyari kata buat dibikinin lagu sama Babyface, awalnya si gadis Malaysia dengan seronoknya mengajukan kata 'Malaysia' like we were okay about that. Nyatanya? Ya nggak lah!! Satu auditorium langsung nge-huu-in dia trus David Foster nya bilang, "Malaysia? Hmm it's not sexy." huff puazz!