Vicky's Dirty Thirty

Oh yeah, still talking about this shit.

Sorry not sorry, because we're entering March. My birth month. I have this can't-let-go habit where I turn to this blog whenever I'm reaching a certain milestone in my life. And being thirty is not just a milestone, it's a HUGE MILE-FUCKING-STONE so... here I am, bragging a lot about this.

Anyways.

Remember my plan to have fun and all dancing before turning 30? Yea it turned to be a rubbish. I was being innocent and naive, thinking that Covid will be rid soon. You know what happened: the fucking pandemic had been on and off and on and off it gave uncertainty to everyone throughout my days of being 29 so... none of those plans happened.

Well it was partly my fault anyway because, who's smart enough to plan all those ambitious dances while at the same time being busy with works and workshops and on top of all spent 3 months in total living in Bali? Me.

Then entering 2022, I began to realize that... Gosh, I only have three full months to meet all my different circles and fulfill that dream goal I set a year ago! 

Super.

So yea! No more stoopid snoozing.
And that's where I began planning this:

Operation Dirty Thirty.

I started to write down the list of my circle - whose WhatsApp groups are pretty active and that's how I thought about them - and sending codes to meet them. Of course I brought up the idea of me wanting to have fun because I'm turning 30, just so it caught their attention.

Some reacted with huge enthusiasm, some were just responded out of courtesy, and some others were kind of wondering why out of the blue I was the one initiating to meet where usually I just tagged along lol. Well this is ME who's turning 30, okay, so of course I'm the one who should be more proactive.

Again, due to the fucking pandemic, those who responded earlier agreed to meet but, sadly, only casually. No dancing and boozing involved. Damn. But hey I couldn't complain because this weird ops aside, I'm actually missing these people. I couldn't remember where and when was the last time I actually met them in person! So of course I agreed to that plan and thanks to that, two of my circles were officially crossed off of my list.

Traveloka Flocks

CMUNNY Delegates

That leaves me with three more circles to go: High School Gang, Ogilvy Survivors, and Lazada Mates—all has to be done within this month. *chuckles* Sounds crazy, eh? Three different circles in less than 30 days, all should include dancings and drinkings?

Well at first I thought it was, but, somehow I came up with a plan just EXACTLY LAST NIGHT.

Involving apartments - yes, plural - renting, a bit of event organizing, schedule fitting, works hijacking, family compromising, and, a little bit too much of ambitious sprinkling. And according to that overnight plan, this should start exactly this weekend. The first weekend of March.

Oh and on top of that, I'm planning to go to Bali mid-March to do something I don't feel like disclosing for the time being, but then I realized I could use this opportunity to ask my friends there to complete this operation and add up more circles to have fun with!

Gosh.

I never thought my 30th birthday would extend to be a 30th birth-MONTH plan. I'm genuinely excited, and a bit grateful also, for not doing it last year and just gather everything to a compact 27-day ops like this! Now this March would be even more special than others!

Really hoping that all goes well this month because...

I feel dirty already for turning thirty.
So please just let me enjoy the preparation of it.

Dirty-less-ly

30 to 30

This is it.

I'm turning 30 in 30 days.

I've been bragging a lot about this since God knows how long. Well I know how long as well, it's about... I think it's about whenever I'm having my birthday. Oh especially when I was turning 24, God did I rant a lot about being 30 even though it was not for the next 6 years!? Such an ungrateful little kid.

I'm not gonna talk much. For now.

I just want to let myself sink into the fact that in 30 days, I'll be 30.

So...
Let the countup begin

Dance The 20s Away

You know what's nice?

To be young forever of course lol why God why are we given the concept of age? Well no, okay, no I'm not gonna complain about that now. So hey! Back to the original question: you know what's nice?

To wrap up the years of being 20s real nice.

I just turned 29. But unlike the old me, I'd rather not to make a big fuss of it in this blog. My last birthday post was in... wait let's see... ah, 2017. My 25th birthday. Years after, I kinda felt like I didn't want to keep reminding myself about how I'm getting closer and closer to leaving 20s. So I distracted myself, with my works, my books, my travels, my cats, my ambitions, my every other things expect my age.

But then it came. My 29th birthday. And all of the sudden my "distraction wall" just got tear down. I'm exposed, once again, to the fact that I'll turn 30. And this time shit got even more real because the culprit would come in less than one year.

Well.
No one can deny this, eh?
So I guess it's time for me to give in.
And welcome 30 with grace.

I'm actually doing it now! Exactly one day after my birthday, I fled to Bali for my first ever long trip on the island. The max I ever had was 12 days, and here I am now, writing this thing on my 19th day while I still have one week to spend here. Well I started my last year of being 20s really right—of course I'd do something much better if it weren't for the stupid pandemic so, Bali during this time would be more than enough.

So I'm good for the first month. After this I'd come back to Jakarta, spend the rest of Ramadan, go on an annual family staycation and poof! All I need to think of is just the rest of my 10 months of being 20s. And how would I do that? How could I make these last months of being 20s... worth reminding?

Well, a lot, actually... but one thing I really want to do THE MOST would be...

To dance again.

Yes, literally. At the club, especially, or at a concert, or at some home parties would be okay as well. With some people I like, with strangers, with the presence of boozes, and loud music, and crazy crowd, OH MY GOD I WANT TO DO THAT AS MANY TIMES AS I CAN BEFORE I TURN 30!!!

I entered the pandemic being 27, and now I'm 29. And I have no guarantee that we'll be out of this fucking pandemic while I'm still 29.

TWO. FUCKING. YEARS. Of no dancing. Of no partying with my friends. Of no moving weirdly with some intoxicated guys I made friends with at the club. Of no traveling abroad, and getting into some random dance floor only to get a little taste of what it feels like to dance in that country. TWO, FUCKING, YEARS, of none of that, and I'm getting really weary.

I've had some of my best times on the dance floor during my 20s, and I don't want to leave the age stage not doing that.

20 y.o - 2012 - Singapore
This was just several days after I turned 20.
Oh how amazing life was back then...

21 y.o - 2013 - Bali
So many things happened following AND preceding this :')

22 y.o - 2014 - Bali
Yep these two broke up lol so I had to cover their faces.
Your secrets are safe with me Pong, Gan (trus disebut wkwk)

23 y.o - 2015 - Tokyo
Of course even in a karaoke session I dance!

24 y.o - 2016 - Singapore
At the concert of Imagine Dragons thanks to Singapore GP!

25 y.o - 2017 - Jakarta
Probably one of the messiest dance I ever had.
And it was in my hometown lol wth was I thinking!?

26 y.o - 2018 - Madrid
And this, was one of the fun-est, random-est dance I ever done.

27 y.o - 2019 - Monza
But never thought that the best dance OF MY LIFE was a dance to a national anthem.

I know it's a lot to ask during this uncertain times. One can't really predict what the universe has already prepared for the future. Would it be better, would it be worse, would we be more free to see each other, would there be more restrictions? No one knows.

But I want it. No.
I WANT IT.

I want to dance again with EVERY SINGLE CIRCLE of mine, before I turn 30, before everyone else turns 30 on their respective timeline.

And heck, it's always nice to have a plan, right? I mean, now that we are limited to do stuff we love, a plan would make things feel a bit more... hopeful.

So for now I'd just let the imagination runs in my mind. The good times with all my friends and family, let's just play the scenario in the dreamland, hoping that it'd come.

Although if it eventually doesn't come,
At least I had it well played in the back of my head:

The Last Dances of Being 20s

Silver

Late.

I know, it's almost been three weeks past the momentum. But similar to the previous posts, I cannot NOT talk about this one. No, it's not about childhood anymore. Instead, it's about me drifting even further from childhood. Yes,

It's about me turning 25.

Nice saying I got from a friend

I don't know how else to say it.
Time won't compromise.

I remember how five years ago I freaked out like a pig before entering the world of twenty, not being ready for this and that, and the next thing I know, dang, I turned 22. Then came that phase where I really enjoyed being an early 20s guy so I just had the time of my life and before I knew it, dang, I'm 25.

But you know what's good? Reaching the day, I didn't feel any fear or whatnot. Because I knew I had done fair good stuff so far. Everything turned out just well. REALLY, really well.

My first ever solo trips, happened when I was 20. My official internship and university graduation, which marked the very beginning of my adulthood, happened when I was 21. My freelance jobs and first book release, happened when I was 22. My very first permanent position and abroad job happened when I was 23, and my settling down career happened when I was 24. See, I always achieved something these recent years.

I didn't feel any fear or whatnot.
In welcoming this new life stage.
Instead, I feel more like... intrigued.

Exactly one day before my 25th birthday, I went jogging near my place. As usual, I put my earphones on, switched my iPod to shuffle mode, and let my body flew with the rhythm. Then Taylor Swift's "22" played. LOL. I liked the sarcasm. My asshole gadget knew that I was turning 25, so he reminded me how it was like to be 22. I couldn't ask for a better song to welcome my birthday. Until the next one came, and turned me upside down.

It was John Mayer's "Stop This Train"

Damn these two. It's not enough for them to create a drama in their own lives, now they created one inside my mind???

I've been listening to this song since the beginning of my college years. By that time I related to this song literal-wise. As I always went to my boarding room outside of the town, by train. So every Monday morning I'd always be like stop this train I wanna get off and go home again. That early stage of being an adult seemed so heavy to me back then, who still had known nothing about real life.

Meanwhile now, back to the jogging track where Taylor just finished singing and James started his tunes, when that set of lyrics came rushing into my earlobes, saying that turning 68, you'll renegotiate and you can't for a minute change the place you're in no matter how you try your hand—surprisingly,  I didn't feel terrified like I did 7 years ago. Instead,

I broke out of my immaturity.

And gave in to the fate, that I'm now 25.
And soon I'll be 26, 50, 68.
And I can't stop it.

In fact, I want to keep on going. I see a new milestone before me. More opportunities, more doors to see the world, more people to help me climb the ladder to my goals. I've done my first stage of life, perfectly, it's time to kick the next's ass.

I won't stop acting like a kid, I won't all of a sudden become a real mature individual with formal pants and suits, no. Deep inside I'll still be a 10 year old fool, adoring Power Rangers and Naruto, wearing the shortest pants a 25 year old would wear, hunt for the rest of my Toy Story collections, and buy unnecessary trinkets. That's how I cope with maturity, I don't care what people say. Let the age just be age. Let the clock do its own business.

Because time won't compromise.
And honestly, we'll never stop this train.

If you're questioning, the quote on my shirt says, "Space is the Place". It has nothing to do with the story though.

So yea.

Welcome, adulthood


P.S.: I wonder if in 25 years I'd still be writing here and make a post titled, "Gold"

No Worries, You're Doing Good

"Realizing that you're closer to 30 than to 16, and you're screwed."

This is one of the scariest quote I ever read. Both numbers are like, two of the most important numbers in life. One is the age where you depart from childhood to early adulthood, and the other one is the age where you have to be all ready for maturity. I've passed the first one, and I am now halfway to the second one.

I came across that quote several months ago, then I freaked out because, damn, I'm so close to being 30. But when I did my math, I cooled down a little. I was still 23, so it made me right in the very middle—7 years to 16, 7 years to 30. No need to feel screwed. Yet.

I laughed as if I would still be 23 forever.

Until finally last week, the number left me.

Yes, I birthday-ed. 24 took over.

And now I'm closer to 30

If you don't get it, the greeting means "awww, 24, really???"

Honestly, I kinda lost the excitement of welcoming birthday because of this. Because of this feeling. Because of this fvcking quote that now I'm hating. I'm drifting away much further from teenagehood, and shifting ridiculously closer to the phase where I should think about settling down. No more irresponsible tidbits. No more reckless trips.

Things got a little rougher thanks to one of my dearest friends. He wished me a happy birthday, and to have a joyful last year of being "18-24". Got it? The age group in registration forms and stuff? Yes, it's my last year belonged to the group. Next year I'll be under "25-35", and it didn't even come to my mind until last week!

Plus, exactly on my birthday, I tuned in the TV and caught an episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. It was "The One Where Everyone Turns 30". Fuck, yeah? What are the odds? I know it sounds like I made it up, but trust me, it happened. Well they turned 30 while I turned 24, but still, the feeling, it was all the same!

If I could whine a little, this year shouldn't be hard like this. It should be next year. The time when I'm in the middle of my 20s. The time I can consider as my silver age. Now with all these universe conspiracies, I think I must give in to feel the "dark moment" a year earlier.

But then again,
Come to think of it,

Well, it's okay.

Because looking back to what I achieved so far, I shouldn't have fallen too deep for this. It's not that I've been doing nothing all these times, that I should be worried of getting older.

As a matter of fact, I did quiet a bunch. Two published books, kickass trips, overseas internship -this is the best thing I ever done in my life, good career, good money. I should be grateful instead of anxious. I've successfully completed many things that most of my friends, or people my age -or even older- never even think about doing.

I went to an interview several weeks ago -in which position I failed winning because of some salary disagreement, and these interviewers -there were four of them, for God's sake- asked me what kind of thing I was currently aiming for. Without further ado, I chose "money". Not because I'm materialistic, nor because I had nothing else in my mind but money, no, not those. I then told those people that money was what I was aiming for, because

"I felt like I've done much. I've fulfilled many of my passions, accomplished most of my dreams, and now I feel like I want something more realistic."

And then I smiled to myself, in front of those people. I smiled because I just realized how I was so true about that answer. About how I've been here and there, doing this and that, while people my age were struggling with their office hours and boring routines. I took granted of how ambitious I was, yet so powerful and driven that whatever my ambitions were,

I could reach it.

My first ever permanent job.

Covered in Fashion TV Magazine.

Trip to Harapan.

Trip to Pahawang.

Trip to Krakatau.

Published on MyTrip Magazine. Great timing, because exactly one week after...

You know this scene: my second book.

And exactly one day after I showed my new book, I had to say a temporary goodbye...

To have this beyond amazing Japan trip.

Then I returned to Indonesia, went back and forth to Bali (this pic was Ceningan tho)

Until finally I wrapped up my last days of being 23 in Singapore.

Well.

Not sure if I've given credit to myself but umm, here goes: I'm so proud of me. And now I don't feel like I need to fear being 24. Because being older means that I have to achieve more, and unlock more potentials in me.

And oh hell yeah, I'm looking forward to that.
So no worries, Vicky, you're doing good.

Plus, on that episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S I was talking about, Rachel's boyfriend Tag was 24 -she turned 30—THIS EPISODE WAS MEANT FOR ME. He was still playing with the scooter, unsure about his life, and the gang (especially Rachel) still sees him as a youngster.

One of the scenes I hate so much because they're actually really cute together.
Now I hate it even more because I'm turning 24. Pic's from here.

So really,

Vicky, oh my dear,

Really there is no need

To feel screwed

Rebirth, Again

In the last two Ramadans,

I've always felt like, you know,

A little bit too carried away.

As I realized that I became too busy and I started to slowly lose my childhood Ramadan rituals, I felt like I'm now far from doing my best on the holy month. So that's why reaching the end, I always begin to feel this discomfort and extreme sadness of the fact that my month is about to leave, again.

Today was the last Friday for this year's Ramadan. Since last week I had this plan of wearing my signature koko outfit for the last Friday, giving the thought that I wouldn't be meeting this day again until next year. It wasn't a necessity tho, because wearing koko is really not my thing. But I don't know, I felt like I had this urge for myself to MUST wear that.

So I just followed where my guts led me. I went to the office looking all muslim-ish, my bosses were all like "well, Amin, you look awesome in that!" and my co-workers forced me to "you have to wear this again on the last day of Ramadan, and I'll join you!" and it brought up my day. I knew I would do that for a reason.

But that wasn't it. That, wasn't just it.

Hours went by, and I suddenly recalled a thing.

Today was my Hijri birthday.

I was all psyched about that. Because unlike last year, I finally remembered that I have two birthdays. And eventho I was the only one who recognized this special day of mine -of course, who else would bother about my Hijri birthday? I'm pretty sure they don't even know theirs, I really enjoyed today a lot. Because I got to celebrate my second birthday, again.

To sum it up, I had an awesome day well spent at basically, everywhere. Nice atmosphere, nice mood. Then it led to a meaningful last Friday prayer for this year's Ramadan, and I got to close today with some good old pals I haven't met for a long time. After all it's just another great birthday I felt this year. And it was a blast, again.

"I knew I would do that for a reason."

The plan to wear koko, yes.

I knew there was something good behind it.

And starting from this year on, I promise that

I wouldn't take my Hijri Birthday for granted.

Ever again.

22

Have I ever told you that life seems to be made perfectly for me, and my generation?

I was born in 90s and we claimed to have the best timing in the history of human existence. Well, we lived in the era where playing outside was still super relevant, the way of life our parents did their whole childhood and young adulthood. And, technology showed up later on our life, exactly just on time as we started to need it.

That's obvious.

What's not obvious is that, somehow, it's the 1992s, whose lives match perfectly with universe's growth. I came up with this idea, just when I realized that when I turned 22, a super booming song titled 22 came along with me.

Original pic's from here, copy "twenty two" is my personal touch up

The song was technically about someone who's actually older than 22, but feeling like 22 at some point of their lives. It was not about being, nor turning 22, no, but still, it felt like I, and some friends who turned 22 last year, were crazily welcomed by the universe.

And apparently, being 22 was that, crazy.

For literally one whole year, I didn't get a permanent job even once. I only had a 4 months freelance job during the political campaign period, and another 3 months as a substitute copywriter at one local agency. The other 5 months? Well, I was focusing on my book, traveled three times to Bangka, Bali and HK - Macao and, keeping myself busy to enhance my travel writing portfolio.

And oh wow, I drove my parents crazy because of what I did. Especially my father. He obviously freaked out the whole year. Said that I was wasting my time, letting myself several steps behind my friends who started working already, and seriously, many more things -that actually, he was so right about- he worried about.

But hey, I was happy. I got the chance to experience every single thing I doubted and was dying to try for my whole life. My campus slash advertising goal was to become a copywriter. Check. My selfish ego inside of me wanted to work from home. Check. My long-treasured childhood dream was to publish a book, and had my name printed in a magazine. Check, check, and check!!!

Plus, and this was the best thing that happened to me and me as a 22, I WAS COMPLETELY FREE! I didn't really have to start my post-graduate life right away after I finished university, forced myself to work 9 to 5, trapped in traffic and be all whiny about it, no! And it didn't necessarily mean that I had no money at all hoho, keep in mind, missy, that eventho I was staying at home most of the time, money is all available for me to withdraw.

However, everything came with negative sides. Got to admit that during my idle time, I was super confused of what I should do in life. Where to work after I get bored doing nothing like this, what to do to get my ass back to the employment line, la la la. And the worst thing was, the lonely feeling I couldn't deny. Being at home with no actual co-workers for 5 months in total, that was the only thing I didn't want to feel again from this 22 thingy. Oh please don't get me wrong, I was talking about making new friends for professional scope. About my real friends, abroad friends, traveling friends and friends who stayed at my house, that was the other story. I didn't lose my social life, no, pft, come on.

Well compared to the excitement I got, those tiny pains were totally nothing. The sensation of being a guy who didn't rush himself despite all the pushes to start preparing for his future, that was priceless. I may not get the result of that crazy thing I did any time soon, no, but I'm pretty sure that in the future, it'll come back to me. At least the good story will do.

Crazy, huh?

A friend of mine, who's a year older than me, once said that being 22 was the best thing ever happened to her. Moved to Indonesia, started working and had the craziest time of her life. I saw that before my very own eyes; her life and how dynamic it was. It looked super fun, but didn't affect anything to me because, it's her life. I didn't know how amazing it actually was, until I felt it myself.

And it happened.
One crazy hell of a year.

Here's for being eternally 22 :)

In one hour, I'll be 23. I don't know bout you,

But I feel like I'm still going to be 22 for 5 more years.

Oh well, I know 22 looked like bad news, for my parents.

But for me,

It was miserable

And magical

Rebirthday

For you who have no idea, according to the Hijri calendar, I was born in the holy month of Ramadan -well that's why my middle name is 'Ramadan', and that's why I'm holy :)

But somehow, people oftenly mistaken the date. When they ask my full name and Ramadan is near, they'll be like "Oh cool, you'll be having your birthday soon!" but seriously guys, you do know that Hijri calendar's not synced with Gregorian. So my birthday is March 27, and don't you guys bother asking me some treats in Ramadan.

Although actually, I know when my Hijri birthday is.

All these years, all these 21 years living in this planet, I never knew in what Islamic date I was born. Mom and dad never had an idea either, so I convinced myself that I lost the track.

But fool me, I never realized in what era I'm living now. So weeks ago, I browsed the internet to find out what Hijri date was that when I was born on March 27. And boom, I finally answered my all time top priority question of my life.

And yes, it's today.

Ramadan 23rd. Today.

Picture of Agrabah, obtained from here.

I'm so glad I finally explored it.

Now I have two birthdays in one year.

But don't you guys bother asking me some treats

Because we're fasting, remember? :)

If I Had You Earlier...

Ternyata udah lima tahun.
Kebersamaan gue dengan blog ini.

Udah lima taun.

Ih gila ye ternyata gue betah banget mencurahkan segala kesampisan jiwa dan raga ini disini. Kalo ini blog jadi orang, gue udah dirajam kali ya gegara ngejejelin doi dengan ceritera ceritera gue.

Oke jadi kemaren gue sempet kepikiran. Kalo misalnya gue udah punya blog ini dari lahir, kayak apa ya kira kira isinya... Nah dari hasil napak tilas gue ke perjalanan hidup gue, kira kira seperti ini rangkumannya.

Playgroup

Skip kali ya? Nulis manual aja belom bisa, apalagi ngetik? :)

Phre-Elementary

Bahasanya bakal lebih kayak dear diary, isinya soal musuh musuhan sama naksir naksiran, hal gapenting dijadiin masalah besar, sehari hari kisahnya hanyalah "hari ini main ini di sekolah, pulang sekolah les dulu, abis itu main sebentar di rumah si itu, sorenya dijemput Ibu, trus sampe rumah nonton TV7."

Jam postingannya pasti sekitar jam 8an, di kala segala PR udah beres, udah beresin buku, tinggal selonjoran aja sambil nonton Srimulat atau Dunia Lain. Tapi fix sih bakal susah update blog karena internet masih zonk banget, mesti pake infrared Nokia bokap dulu biar bisa konek :')

Junior High

Duh. Takut sih gue sebenernya ngebayangin kalo SMP udah punya blog. Tulisannya jadi 5eM4CeMz eEniY -gak separah itu sih, tapi menjurus lah- trus bakalan banyak foto foto dengan bird view angle, cewek ceweknya duck face, pose hormat atau ssshhh gitu HAHA sumpah enek sendiri ngebayanginnya.

Pada masa ini, skejul postingan mungkin lebih fleksibel karena warnet udah menjamur dan game online sedang merajalela. Palingan ledakan jumlah posting itu terjadi pada hari Sabtu, dimana gue dan temen SD gue Poska sering banget ke warnet main Ragnarok.

Early Senior High

Jaman jaman awal SMA itu jaman paling indah. Dan fanatik. Jadi gue dan Turistas, kelas pertama gue di SMA, itu kayak we belong to each other gitudeh, apa apa bareng, kemana mana bareng, anya unyu inyi segalanya dilewati bersama. Hampir semua- kelas lain ampe sirik gitu sama kita.

Jadi, pasti isi blog gue kebanyakan bakalan menceritakan keseharian gue di kelas, bagaimana kebersamaan kita yang hangat itu terjadi, bagaimana kita melawan aura aura negatif kiriman kelas lain, pokoknya so sweet deh.

Gue inget banget pas Lebaran, gue kayak pengen cepet cepet masuk biar bisa main bareng lagi. Fix sih kalo segala hal itu ditulis di blog, gue di kelas sebelas dan gue di kelas dua belas bakalan nyesel banget pas baca harapan naif itu.

Tapi gue yang sekarang,

Kalo baca segala hal fana itu,

Pasti bakalan senyam senyum sendiri,

Nepok jidat sambil geleng geleng dan membatin,

"Apa sih yang ada di otak gue waktu itu?"

But then again, I will thank my old self big time.

For having such willingness to write every details of those times.

And let the now me to enjoy, relive, re-imagine, feel it all over again.

So that's my blog is all for

P.S. : Happy birthday, Lifetime Journal :)

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

Newly Young-Adulthood-Ed

Selasa, 27 Maret 2012.

Tebak siapa yang udah tua?

Gue.

Iyeee, gue ulangtaun yang ke-20 puas lo puas?? Haha akhirnya gue sampe juga ke umur yang gue takut takutin selama ini.

So far, nothing bad happened. Yet. Bukannya pesimis atau gimana, tapi ya mau seaman apapun gue ngejalanin hidup, pasti nanti ada mentok mentoknya kok haha.

Oke jadi tiga hari yang lalu itu, gue lagi di kosan. Basically, this was my first birthday without my parents by the next room. No prayers by the morning, and no birthday special meals prepared. Haha fix banget gue udah masuk ke dunia super mandiri.

Di kampus, hmm yaa, biasa lah ya suasana tipikal orang ulangtaun. Jadi pusat perhatian. Dicengin, digoda-godain bakal dicemplungin (padahal nggak, thank God... Gue gamau mandi di toilet takor lagi) dan yang bikin gemes, orang-orang dengan bahagianya selalu nyebutin angka baru gue. Gapapa, gapapa. Liat aja nanti kalian semua PASTI bakal terjerembab JUGA di umur kepala dua ini :)

Siangnya ada kuliah Komunikasi Pemasaran Terpadu (Integrated Marketing Communication) Mbak Nadia. Seperti biasa, gue dan beberapa fellow adple sengaja dateng telat. Dan ternyata Mbak Nadia marah-marah karena doi udah muak sama ketelatan kita semua. Tapi yaaa gimana ya, marahnya Mbak Nadia tuh hmm gitu deh haha. Semenit kemudian udah deh balik lagi ke wujud semula, berasa gaada apa-apa.

Di tengah jalan Vanessa ijin keluar. I didn't notice anything, she seemed natural. Gak berapa lama doi balik lagi. Pus ada di belakangnya. Bawa strawberry cheesecake Harvest sambil cengengesan.

Jujur selama beberapa detik gue sempet mikir,

"Ih ini siapa yang lagi disurprise-in? Kok gue gak diajak??"

Tapi pas liat ada lilin dengan angka '20' diatasnya, gue langsung tau itu buat gue. Lagian siapa lagi coba yang lagi ulangtaun di kelas itu? -,-

Dan seisi kelas pun bernyanyi. Gue... Hmm gue paling gak bisa ngadepin suasana kayak begini. Salting parah, gemeteran, segalon air udah numpuk di ujung mata. Dengan ringkih gue disuruh maju ke depan, tiup lilin trus motong kuenya.

ini dia dua PO surprise gue, Vanessa di kiri sama Pus di kanan uuu terharu gila :')

kuenya udah keburu diborong anak sekelas, yang tersisa cuma ini

Sebenernya gue sama sekali gak ngarepin ada surprise atau apalah. Mengingat umur gue yang udah segitu krusialnya, gue lebih tertarik buat mikir gimana cara nyiapin diri dalam waktu kurang dari dua taun sebelum gue lulus cepet (amin ya Allah!) dan nyari uang sendiri.

Tapi yaa masih kepagian sih ya gue mikirin itu. Selama masih di kampus mah masih sah sah aja lah ya leha-leha sama seneng-seneng. Toh kerjaan gue di agency nanti (amin lagi ya Allah!!) bakal banyak hura-huranya juga fufufufu

Ah well, intinya awal dari masa kedewasaan gue ini dibuka dengan ulangtaun yang oke. Gue juga dapet kado dari si Rabo yang hmm terharu sebenernya gue nerimanya...

So thank God, I made it this far

Thank God I have such marvelous buddies

And thank God I finally am acting calmer about turning twenty

Happy (Soon-To-Be) Twenty, Me!

2011. Bagi saya dan temen-temen seangkatan saya, tahun itu adalah tahun terakhir kami sebagai remaja. Tahun terakhir kami hidup foya-foya dan ugal-ugalan dengan menyandang titel teenagers. Tahun terakhir kami ngerasain punya umur belasan. Karena setelah terompet tahun baru berbunyi, satu per satu dari kami akan menginjak umur baru; dekade kedua dalam hidup kami.

Semenjak ulangtahun saya yang ke-19, saya sudah mulai khawatir dengan kehidupan saya tahun berikutnya.  Siap kah? Modar kah? Yang pasti nggak ada lagi bangun siang, nggak ada lagi leye-leye bareng temen-temen, nggak ada lagi hidup bergantung sama orangtua.

Dan jadilah, resolusi saya buat nyambut tahun 2012 nggak jauh-jauh dari masalah yang besar dan ngebikin geregetan itu:

“Bersikap lebih tenang dan sepenuh hati, jiwa dan raga menerima kenyataan bahwa berumur dua puluh tahun adalah sebuah keharusan.”

Setakut itukah? Iya, banget malahan. Ngerti lah ya gimana rasanya. Bayangin waktu kita duduk nonton TV pas Minggu malem, di luar ujan dan segala macem cemilan ada di sebelah tangan. Trus tiba-tiba keinget kalo besok harus balik ke kampus. Runtuh lah harapan dan kegembiraan akhir minggu.

Tapi tunggu. Itu dulu. Masa lalu. Sekarang udah nggak lagi.

Karena ada internet. Penemuan luar biasa yang satu ini, bisa bikin saya lebih siap hidup berdampingan dengan umur berkepala dua.

Menginjak umur tersebut berarti menjadi satu langkah lebih dekat dengan dunia profesional. Dan masuk ke dunia ini jelas ngeharusin saya buat memiliki bekal yang cukup biar bisa bertahan menghadapi kejamnya mencari uang.

Nah dengan bantuan internet, saya bisa ngakses banyak hal untuk memperkaya dan mempercantik portofolio saya. Saya juga bisa ngakses banyak info soal lomba dan magang buat nambah added value saya. Atau paling nggak, internet bisa jadi dewa penyelamat saya buat nyelesain tugas-tugas kuliah dan skripsi.

Intinya, internet akan menambah nilai jual saya, dan saya pun akan merasa sedikit tenang menghadapi umur dua puluh.

Tetapi percuma juga ngumpulin banyak amunisi, kalo nggak tau apapun soal dunia pekerjaan. Internet pun akan bantu saya buat ngelurusin hal ini. Mencari tahu bagaimana mekanisme melamar pekerjaan, apa saja yang dibutuhin buat memenuhi standar lapangan pekerjaan tertentu, juga ngebantu ngebikin CV sekaligus nyari beasiswa.

Intinya, internet akan membantu mempemudah jalan untuk karir saya kelak, dan saya pun akan merasa makin mantap untuk ‘bergaul’ dengan umur dua puluh.

Namun secara keseluruhan, berumur dua puluh bukan cuma soal kemana saya nanti setelah lulus. Berumur dua puluh bukan cuma soal karir. Berumur dua puluh lebih susah dari itu. Jadi dewasa, penuh tanggung jawab, dan independen. Ah, ngebayanginnya aja udah bikin merinding.

Nah di sinilah saya butuh internet, lagi. Saya butuh wawasan tentang orang-orang dewasa diluar sana, yang mampu bertahan hidup dengan koleksi umur yang banyak. Saya butuh ‘bocoran’ soal gimana asiknya hidup mandiri. Saya butuh bergaul dengan mereka, belajar dari apa yang udah mereka lewatin dan lari 'merengek' lagi ke mereka kalo saya butuh bantuan.

Intinya, internet akan membuka mata saya bahwa menjadi dewasa bukanlah suatu mimpi buruk, dan saya pun akan merasa tidak sabar untuk mencapai umur dua puluh.

Bersikap lebih tenang menghadapi umur dua puluh? Hah. Dengan internet, saya bukan cuma sekedar ngerasa tenang lagi. Saya justru berapi-api. Sisa waktu tiga bulan sebagai manusia dengan angka belasan ini kayak pengen saya lewatin gitu aja.

Karena saya tahu, internet bakal jadi pelarian saya buat segala kegundahan ini.

After 12 Months...

Tepat hari ini setahun yang lalu...

BLOG GUE RESMI TERCIPTA!

http://www.cakes-you-can-bake.com/images/first-birthday-cupcake.jpg

Fufufufu betah juga ya gue nulis-nulis disini. Semoga aja makin betah, makin banyak inspirasi, makin banyak PEMBACA yang paling penting sih hahay amin amin ya Allah!

Well,

Happy bornday Lifetime Journal

Double Pleasure

people may consider that the celebration of the end of the national exam supposed to be done yesterday, right on the last day of the exam. but that's not for me.

emang sih, kemaren gw merayakan berakhirnya UAN dengan makan dan nonton, tapi semua kesenangan itu berlanjut sampai hari ini, bertepatan dengan ulangtaun gw yang ke 18! man, i have to claim that it is the most bestest birthday i've ever had.

semua berawal seperti tahun-tahun sebelumnya. sms ucapan selamat ulangtaun berdatangan mulai dari jam 23.45 hari jum'atnya (kerjaan si pipit) dan terus berlangsung sepanjang gw tidur. paginya gw bangun jam 8an kurang. bokap nyokap udah rapih, adek-adek masih kusut. bahkan gw nya yang ulangtaun pun baru bangun. trus kita doa, bokap yang pimpin (thanks, dad!) dan berakhir dengan sarapan pagi setelah bersalam-salaman dan besun-sunan.

selesai makan dan berceloteh ria, gw masuk kamar bokap. nonton avatar. tiba-tiba nyokap rapih-rapih lagi, tapi waktu itu gw nggak ngeh. trus dia nyuruh gw keluar karena mau nanyain sesuatu. ternyata di depan rumah, segerombolan manusia yang tak disangka-sangka kehadirannya sudah siap berdiri disana menyambut gw dengan 27 tambah 3 potong oreo soft cake yang diatasnya dikasih chocolatos sama chacha membentuk angka 18 yang aduh gak bisa diungkapkan dengan kata-kata betapa saltingnya gw pas ngeliat kue hasil request gw itu.

gw keluar sambil cengengesan, mulailah si mpi, ocit, bajay, muthe, ila, sindy sama pipit bernyanyi untuk gw. sumpah baru pertama kali gw ulangtaun didatengin dan dikasih kue hahay makasih banyak ya kalian semua! abis tiup lilin, gw dikasih siluet bart dari bungkusan oreo soft cake sama korek api (emang gak waras ye pada) dan mereka pun masuk.

mengingat gw belom mandi, jadilah gw berlalu ke kamar mandi. abis itu pada makan, ketawa ketiwi sambil foto-foto sampe akhirnya si fira dateng. lama lama kemudian baru kita cabut rencananya mau ke puncak, tapi masih mikir-mikir dulu. abis itu kita mau mulangin pipit sama ila dulu, baru ke 68 buat nurunin sindy sekaligus ngangkutin capung.

pas mau ngeluarin mobil ocit dari jalan depan rumah itu loh repotnya ampun-ampunan. harusnya mundur biasa aja bisa, tapi banyak mobil di belakang jadilah tuh mobil diputerbalikin dengan susah payah. mana harus ngelewatin kepungan fogging nyamuk pula, eh sampe di ujung jalan mobil yang tadi udah pada raib. brengsek gak tuh?

ceritanya ila sama pipit udah turun nih. abis isi bensin baru deh ke 68. dan ternyataaaaaaaaa...?? capung gak bisa. yaudah kita cabz tapi belom tau mau kemana. akhirnya keputusan bulat dan kita bergegas ke bogor. muthe bilang sih disana ada kafe yang oke gitu. tapi dia lupa dimana tempatnya. yaudahlah yang penting jalan dulu.

kita berenti sebentar di rest area yang gatau tuh ada dimana. si ocit mau ambil uang sambil isi bensin. sisanya solat sambil nungguin. nah terjadilah suatu kejadian yang memilukan. gigi mobil ocit nyangkut gak bisa digerakin. mpi sama bajey nih kerjaannya, mereka udah panik gitu kan haha. gw juga sih, takut gak bisa makan malem ama bokap haha. tapi setelah nelpon abangnya ocit, semua pun beres. akhirnya kita beranjak ke bogor sambil menghela napas lega.

sampe bogor ngider-ngider dulu karena si muthe emang gak tau pasti tuh kafe ada dimana. jadilah si bajey cari di internet bentar trus nemu gitu list nama-nama kafe yang murah di bogor. si muthe bilang kafe yang enak itu namanya kafe teras (apa kafe taman ya gw lupa). trus ketemu tuh kafe teras di internet. dari list itu sih bilangnya deket makaroni panggang sama kampus ipb. masih bingung nih, nanya ama ibu-ibu di pinggir jalan tapi agak rancu juga. jadilah kita dengan pedenya masuk ke jalan makaroni panggang trus berkat rahmat Allah yang maha kuasa kita langsung nemu tuh kafe.

nah disini nih yang oke. kafenya gak buruk-buruk amet, oke malah. adem, ada house band nya, murah pula. mantep deh. kita makan sambil biasalah, ketawa ketawaan dan foto fotoan. mana di meja sebelah ada dua orang pemuda yang makan sepiring berdua dengan mesranya pula. tambah berwarna aja kan aktivitas makan siang kita itu.

nah pas udah agak lamaan, mas mas yang daritadi sibuk nyanyi tiba tiba nyanyiin lagu happy birthday gitu. gw kan gak ngeh, karena tadi ada yang ulangtaun juga dan dinyanyiin happy birthday, jadi gw kira lagu itu buat orang lain yang juga ulangtaun. ternyata pas gw nengok, ada puding pake lilin gitu di atasnya. kali ini kerjaan fira yang tadi gak sempet ikutan ngasih surprise. wadaaah, salting lagi gw kan. tangan gw gemeteran loh gak boong.

sebenernya fotonya ada 5, tapi yang satu lagi gak berani gw taro disini karena kemungkinan besar bisa menyulut kontroversi

udah cape nih seru-seruan di bogor, balik lah kita ke jakarta. lagi lagi dengan tawaan dan fotoan, ditambah dagelan berupa seorang mas mas mengendarai motor sambil memboncengi ribuan kardus di belakangnya. serius, ngakak semua satu mobil. jahanam anjrit mas masnya disiksa. mana di depannya masih ada kardus pula. ampun deh ngeliatnya.

nurunin fira, baru nganterin gw pulang. dan malemnya bokap ngajak makan di sushi tei. trus ternyata ada promo gitu yang ulangtaun dapet kue gitu tapi bentuknya nasi sama ikan ala jepang gitu lah. haha gilaaaa gilaaaaa. thank you so much, dad and mom!

serius gak pernah gw ngerasain ulangtaun selengkap ini. momennya tepat banget, abis UAN pula. gila beruntung banget gw. makasih ya Allah.

dan makasih banyak, sebanyak banyaknya buat:

-ibu dan ayah atas semua-muanya

-adri rosyidi atas mobil dan hiburannya sepanjang jakarta-bogor-jakarta

-elvina noviawanti atas inisiatif ngadain surprisenya

-gemelli eka putri atas keikutsertaannya dan patungan oreonya

-labibah zai atas tawanya yang high-pitched

-muthi'ah atas susunan kue dan siluet bart dari oreo soft cake nya

-nurul isnillah atas semangatnya ikutan ngasih surprise

-sindy dwita hapsari atas kepolosannya yang bikin seru

-zafirah dhanni farida atas surprise pudingnya

-32 teman teroke gw atas smsnya

-127 teman facebook mantap gw atas ucapan selamatnya

oh man, high school should really never ends!