yesterdays

When I went to Singapore for studying, I was late for that year batch that I had to wait for another year to apply. Since I was already there, I decided to take an English course. The class was full with Indonesians, some Indians, a few chinese from the mainland, a thai girl and a European woman that I can't remember where she was from.

After finishing the course we parted and slowly lost contact. A few months ago Thanks to friendsters, I was found by one of them (let's call him Mr. L). And recently another ex schoolmate (Mr. P) found me through Mr. L's friendster. Mr. L doesn't live at jakarta, but he comes here quite often to check his business here. he called 2 days ago informing that he's flying to Jakarta the following day, asking if we could meet up for a 'reunion' along with Mr. P.
We decided to meet up for dinner last night. I was so bored at the office yesterday that I left early for the dinner. After walking around Plaza Indonesia, I waited for them at Sushi tei. Lucky me, there was no queue. I was seated less than 5 mins. I guess it's because I came before dinner time.
While waiting, I couldn't help myself eavesdropping 3 girls seating next to my table. I knew I should mind my own business but they spoke so loud, well... one of them did, that I guess they didn't mind me listening. They spoke with a thick american twang and they look very local chinese. Bet they're rich brats studying in america. But nothing interesting about their conversation so I killed time reading the menu. I normally sit by the conveyor belt that I hardly read the menu. Now that I know they serve quite variety of jap food.

Back to my friends, they finally came. They don't change much, just a little heavier. They had the same comment on me too, yes I am chubbier now, thank you...
We updated each other start from Mr. P, he's married with 1 kid, work as a merchandiser and just had an operation from a cyst, I 'm not going to write more about it. Mr. L runs his own entertainment and some other biz. Anyway, Mr. L told us that 2 of his female friends would come to join us. I was rather annoyed as it was supposed to be our reunion, all about us... But I thought, well what the heck these 2 guys might be boring and more companies would be good. Then there she came, white tank top, black bra, dyed hair, high heels, triple layers mascara and brown contact lenses. The other woman is just average (yes, it always looks like that. The "attractive looking" and the "less attractive looking") Gee... it's going to be an interesting night... I always have this image about women in such appearance, maybe I'm stereotyping but most of the time it never fails me. They are pretentious, needing to cover something up about themselves or desperately seeking attention. And she had all that.
It should have been a nice reunion, but since Mr. L is all over her Mr. P and I thought it's better to end the night early and promised to meet next month when Mr. L comes over again. Hopefully without those uninvited guest.

p.s: apparently, the brown eyes is Mr. L's friend's fiance. But from the way she flirted with Mr. L, it seems that she can be easily snatched by him. She's unemployed and financed by her fiance. Maybe she's taking her chance to be snatched as Mr. L is wealthier than her fiance... meeooowww!!

I wish I were there

sigh... I desperately need that!!

5 things I need now...

1. A week fully paid spa vacation
2. A good facial
3. A G5
4. A bowl of China Square fish soup
5. A new pair of Mango pants

today I learn...

MY BOSS IS A COMPLETE IDIOT!!!!!

where are you?

Over lunch I heard the 'news', the searching for the missing team has been stopped.
I knew the SAR team had stopped their searching after the 7th day, as they'd found no clue whereabout the missing boat and the 4 men. But our team and the locals were still looking for them every single day. But yesterday, it had to stop.
Last week, the last thing found was a cap belongs to one of the boat crew. That's the only clue...
Nothing else found not even some dry boxes supposedly floating in any condition.
Some rumours going around that it's not their time to be found yet for some mystical reasons... well, nothing can prove nor unprove such thing...
whatever it is, I always believe things happen for reasons. Though at time like this, I wonder what the reason is...

some people

Some people come and go in your life

Some of them teaching you a few lessons
Some of them breaking your heart
Some of them crying with you through difficult times
Some of them making you laugh
Some of them are always there
Some of them are not you think as friends until you miss them...

We've been drifting apart somehow but you are always in my heart and won't be forgotten

4 of 8 TV crew found in Papua

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Jayapura

Four of eight production and camera crew members on assignment in Papua to film a television travel show were found alive on Saturday, after experiencing their own survival adventure against the elements.

The eight were in Papua to shoot part of the TV travel show Jejak Petualangan (Steps to adventure).

Producer Dody Johanjaya, assistant producer Wendy M. Firman, cameraman Budhi Kurniawan and presenter Medina Kamil were found by a joint search-and-rescue team four days after the crew was reported missing.

Cameraman Bagus Dwi and three locals hired to assist the team from TV7 are still missing.

The station's news and current affairs director, Bambang S.K., told The Jakarta Post by phone that the four were found in stable condition.

"They were found at around 3:30 p.m. on Tiga Island," Bambang said Saturday.

Tiga Island is located some 50 kilometers offshore from Poumako port in Timika, the capital of Mimika regency.

He said the team, which went missing on Tuesday while traveling by boat to Timika from the Asmat capital town of Agats, was found by a search-and-rescue team comprising Mimika officials, police officers, military personnel and PT Freeport workers.

In a phone interview with TV7 on Saturday shortly after being evacuated and arriving at a health post in Timika, Dody said their boats had been capsized by big waves, spilling the passengers into rough waters.

He said he and the three others managed to stay in one group, holding on to anything they could, while the missing cameraman was rescued by a local crew.

"We floated on the sea for 20 hours. In the morning, we decided to get to a nearby island. We swam for three hours before reaching Tiga Island," he said.

They found the island deserted, he said, and walked every day around the island in the hopes of getting help from passing fishermen or ships.

Some locals apparently saw them, but did not stop.

"We survived by drinking rainwater that we collected when it rained, and there wasn't much food, so we ate anything we came across. Crab, seafood," Dody said.

Jejak Petualangan features interesting corners of the country and airs Monday to Thursday and on Saturday.

The show's team was one of three TV7 teams sent to the province to film three separate programs. The other teams are expected to return to Jakarta on June 20.

Still missing

They haven't been found yet.
It's been 11 days...
I wonder if they will ever be found alive...

Missing...

Jejak Petualang Ekspedisi Papua team had lost contact with Dharmala studio since last Tuesday.
They were on their way from Agats to Timika, 11 hour by boat.
Thank God, 4 of the team members were found on saturday afternoon, stranded on a tiny and muddy island off Papua.
But a cameraman and 3 boat members were still missing.
SAR team and the Navy are still searching for them.
I cross my fingers that they'll be found soon... safe and sound...

What comes around goes around...

It's about time that you get tight slaps on your face.
You think your big EGO, smarter than others, superior asshole attitude will make you respected and admired. Too bad, no one cares...

And when you fall, you'll fall damn hard it's gonna hurt like hell.
Yeah, you... the mighty one, the big brother, the watch dog...
I'm counting your days... to have you lick my pretty arse...
And when the day comes, humanity will be glorified and it's gonna be a paradise once again...

...a smirk on my face...
I'm gonna have a dreamless night....

tsunami...

I had a dream last night.
I was on the 20th floor, sitting on my desk facing the window with beautiful city view and suddenly huge wave came crashing the city right below my window...
Thank God my radio woke me up...

no smoking?

After living in Singapore for quite a while, I grew to appreciate cleanliness, discipline, queueing, dry public toilet and of course, smoking-free environment.

Recently the Jakarta admin. issued a smoking ban at public places.
As a non-smoker, I really think it's about time that changes are made for smoking publicly. I guess it's more related of courtesy.
The "puffs" have to learn to respect the non smokers and the environment. The society is so used to having smokers light up anywhere they want, it's part of our culture. And definitely shaping them into "i am addicted to nicotine, i have to puff right here right now and nobody can stop me" kinda atittude. It's gonna be very difficult to break. Unless the admin. plan a clever campaign to educate people about the hazards of smoking and its' effects.
What's important now is to keep city residents well informed instead of enforcing the ban to the people who don't see the aim of it.


an interesting article...

A crime when smoke gets in your eyes
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Two little birds perching on a tiny twig are having a chat. One bird says: "They mean it." The other quickly replies: "No, they don't mean it."

"This time they really mean it," the first bird says through a twisted beak.

"Ah, yes they mean it this time, but not really."

These are probably the kind of boomeranging thoughts shared by Jakartans who have been following the news of the much-praised air pollution bylaw during the last few weeks, particularly its key article banning smoking in restricted places.

Last Thursday was no doubt one of the most hectic days in recent memory for officers from the city's public order agency, as they patrolled the streets, malls, parking lots and public buses to catch those who dared to light up a cigarette in these now no-smoking areas.

But we know that such get-tough measures are only possible if Governor Sutiyoso and God wish. After all, they are the only ones who know when antismoking raids will take place -- periodically, regularly or at the whim of the governor. Administration officials were unable to answer a simple question like: "Will there be massive raids like the ones Thursday in the coming days or weeks or months?"

It depends on orders from our superiors, they answered.

Enough with this ABS culture, short for Asal Bapak Senang (which loosely translates to as long as the boss pleases).

If the smoking ban is part of a bylaw, it must be enforced at all costs. And please don't run out the standard excuse of budget problems.

Experience shows us that in Indonesia laws and outlaws are brothers. As soon as a new law is introduced, people start thinking about how they can break it. Thus, the smoking/no-smoking signs that have been slapped up around the city are unlikely to be effective tools for upholding the law.

Above all, it is a good thing to ban smokers from public places, to teach them to respect nonsmokers. It is the global trend now, with London, New York, Riyadh and other large cities around the world taking a tough stance on smokers. This might explain why Jakarta has decided to follow suit.

It is common here to see impulsive smokers, who cannot help but light up a cigarette even when they are in close proximity with newborns, pregnant women or inside air-conditioned offices.

For those who use the city's public transportation system, one of the daily tortures is drivers enjoying a cigarette inside their packed buses.

The main goal of the smoking ban may be to educate smokers about respecting the right of others to breathe clean air, but the city can also begin pursuing the noble goal of discouraging people from smoking, a habit that does much more harm than good.

Simply imposing a fine of between Rp 20,000 (about US$2.20) and Rp 50,000 will not deter people from smoking in public places. That amount is about the equivalent of lunch, plus cigarettes and coffee. So, maybe judges should also order offenders of the bylaw to pay a visit to a health clinic to have their lungs checked. This way the offenders will be able to see for themselves the damage they are doing to their bodies. Maybe then they will think twice before asking, "Do you have a lighter?"

Hopefully, over the next year we will see a remarkable drop in the number of smokers here.

The little bird cracks a joke over an after-lunch cigarette that the only ones who will benefit from the ban -- if it is not properly implemented -- will be the vendors of the exhaust fans and ashtrays installed in the new special smoking rooms in public buildings. Can there be anything more cynical than that?

So when you are lonely...

Somewhere there's someone who dreams of your smile,
and finds in your presence that life is worth while.
So when you are lonely, remember it's true
Somebody somewhere is thinking of you.

- K. Blackburn -