Happy or sad. Nasty or modesty. TIL DEATH DO US PART.

Celebrating Three Decades of Survival: A Reflection

2012-01-29T23:06:00.000+07:00

When I was starting my 20s, I feel like having all the time in the world to do anything. This is a recap of the last decade of my life and a reflection.

My goal was heavily shaped by my parents when I was in my early 20s. It's not surprising because I was living with them at that time. At the time I was living with my parents, I used material possession and location of where one is living as a parameter of achievement. I envied my friends that could live, study, travel and work abroad. I envied how easy it was for them to switch country. I was just starting my career as a low pay graphic designer at that time. Slowly, I earned more money and I could save more. Then I moved to Jakarta. Away from my parents. Gradually, my goal, my parameter of achievement, and my perspective of life started to change when I live apart from them.

I was exposed to backpacker's life when I was staying in a hostel during my travel in Singapore. Wordly possession and living location isn't a matter to me anymore. How much I can explore this vast world and experiencing local's living are my new parameter of achievement. That's it. Traveling the world is my goal now.

I find it amazing when I met a backpacker that can travel from one country to another for years and years. Supporting his/her life with any job that he/she can find along the way. Picking up a new languages during the journey, meeting various people, and experiencing life as a local. My decision to work in Singapore, partially because I want to save money with higher exchange currency than my native country. So that I can travel further.

I am grateful that I could save enough money to sustain my life in Singapore during the first 2 months of unemployment. It took two years to save that bloody money and I was nearly bankrupt in the end of the second month. I was ready to pack back to Jakarta and forget about Singapore. Luckily I got my first job. I worked for six months at that company and it was a hell of eye opening experience. What I thought I know enough about graphic design, turned out to be nothing. I realized how ignorant I was about my field of work. I didn't read any book and didn't bother to improve my skills. I resigned from that job and was ready to pack back to Jakarta.

But, my friend convinced my that I can do better in Singapore rather than in Jakarta. I pushed my luck once more. A week later I got a new job. It's not a flattering job because I am making classified advertisement for newspaper and once in a while I do real design job. I said to myself, I am just working for the end result (money). Then I got bored with my Monday to Friday routine. There are questions that keep rumbling in my mind. What am I going to achieve next? Where am I going to be next? Will I be happy with just earning the money? Will I be able to transfer some knowledge to my juniors if I decide to go back to Jakarta?

How shallow it is if I am just working for the money. That means I will learn nothing and just be a so so graphic designer. I won't be proud of myself when I am in my 40s and reflecting back to my 30s. I have to love my job, I have to be more observant when doing the job, I have to be able to do the job efficiently. These are my homework.

I just turned 30 today. I have fulfilled some of the check list I made in my early 20s.

... And I am grateful for it.

I Am So Tired

2011-09-26T23:13:00.000+07:00

I am going to resign. I have been trying to find another job in Singapore but not desperately trying because I have scheme what I plan to do if the worse case scenario happens. Which is going back to Indonesia.

I want to take 6 months break from job hunting. I want focus my time to improve my skills. I want to review my Japanese skills, improve my drawing skill, pick up digital coloring skill and pick up other skills that relate to my field of work, read design books, read history books, read biology books, and other subjects that triggers my curiousity.

The sole purpose of this is I want to stimulate my brain and pick up new skills. I am hoping after 6 months I can revamp my portfolio and resume. So that I can apply for the job I want confidently, because I have the skills and sufficient knowledge. I barely have time to enrich myself, pick up new skills, or read books in my spare time while I am working. After work, I have an urge to socialize!

I have been working for 6 years. I feel unsatisfied about the works I have produced. Whenever I see my previous work, I always think I could do better. I feel like a robot at work. I'm losing my creativity. I do what I am told. I feel like I am out of track. No strong solid ground to defend or justify the reason of my artwork. I have to make a design that is beyond visually good. I want to make a design that answers the problem. I want to make a design that gives solution!

Every time I have interviews at companies that I am dying to work for, the interviewers are always doubting my skills. They said that I may have the potential but my portfolio isn't convincing! I am so jealous with my friends that have worked with big names.

My parents disapprove my idea. They think it's just waste of time and money. Their concept of success is working at a good company and earning a sum of money that can fulfill your desirable lifestyle. They are the type of persons that always look to the sky but doesn't realize that to reach the sky they have to build a rocket and to build a rocket they need a sufficient knowledge to build one.

My steps are stumbled. My breath is heavy. I feel like carrying weight on my shoulders.

I feel so tired...

Red Light District Tour

2011-05-03T10:53:00.001+07:00

I went to Geylang area for a tour tonight. Even though I had been expecting to see this famous district of Singapore, this tour was not planned. I was scared that I would be harassed because I was wearing hot pants. An Indian guy who is staying at the same hostel with me said it should not be a problem. Girls are completely safe even at 2 am.

He is my guide to tour around the area. He said that the area was more lively about two years ago. He could see girls on the street. Now the girls are waiting inside the brothel. I passed by a brothel and I could see them sitting inside a big glass room. They looked like they were sitting inside a giant aquarium. The girls working in this area are Chinese, Thai, Bangladeshi, Spanish and even Indonesian.

At the other corner of Geylang, we met a group of transvestites from Thailand. There were around five or six of them. One transvestite was sitting on the side walk. His legs were wide open. No panties... I could see his bushy pubic hair!!! Oh bloody sweet Geezus! He was not pleased when we walked across them. He shouted at us in Thai and one of his friends chased us yelling, "Fuck you!" I was scared that he would beat us into a pulp.

At the other corner, we met a nice Malay Singaporean girl. She sat on the sidewalk with no panties and I could see her thing too. We had a little chat. She said that a decent girl walking in this area must be accompanied by a male companion. If not, the police officers will mistakenly think the girl is a prostitute and put her in jail.

I wanted to take some pictures around the area but I was afraid it would cause trouble. It was a thrilling experience. My feet are tired because of walking around the area. I am not going to revisit Geylang in any time soon. The transvestites really scared the shit out of me!

I Shouldn't Have Given Up My Bunk

2011-03-09T23:27:00.000+07:00

My bedroom in my hostel is a big dormitory room with a lot of double bed bunks. I always prefer to sleep on the lower bunk because I can put up a cover around my bed. It feels like I am building a tent.

One day, a whole Malaysian family came to the hostel. Uncle Tong, the person in charge at that time, asked me to give up my bunk for one night. He would trade it with a better bunk in the female dormitory. I was happy to sleep in the female dormitory because it's cleaner, more private, and the bathroom has a big mirror.

The next day, I saw a big backpack on my bed. A new guest had taken over my bed!!! I had to sleep on the upper bed in the corner of the room. It was disaster because the ceiling was leaking at night when it was raining hard. The water hit me bull's eye on the forehead. CRAP!!!

I changed my head to the other direction of the bed and it was even worse. The air conditioner was a few centimeters above my head and it blew directly to my face. I got runny nose in less than a minute. I shouldn't have listened to the old man and this wouldn't have happened.

Luckily the guest only occupied the bed for two nights. I moved to my original bed as fast as I can when she moved out. It's good to have my bunk back.

Life After A Failure

2010-11-25T22:10:00.002+07:00

Many books, talk shows, or workshops are talking about how to be successful or how to build habits that will lead to a successful life. So far, I haven't seen anything about life after a failure. People prefer not to talk about embarrassing things. After lost count of how many failures I've made. I would like to share some helpful points to keep going on with your life.

Except yourself. Everybody fails. You are not the first person that fails and won't be the last either. A failure isn't the end of your life. Unless you decide to end your life by suicide.
Analyze. Note down every important point that contributes to your failure. Every failure is a lesson to gain in experience. Make a comparison to another person that has successfully achieved the same goal as you. Analyze every point that contributes to his/ her success. Learn it and use it for your next attempt. If you are sick of trying, you should skip this point.
Indulge yourself. Take a break from your daily life. Do whatever you like! Pursue your hobbies. If you don't have a specific hobby, do an activity that makes you happy. Make a beautiful memory of yourself. After some time, you'll say, "Been there, done that" to yourself. I won't explain it further. You know what it is.
Make a short term goal. A short term goal is a practical goal and effortless to achieve. For instance, saving $1 of your salary is effortless. After some time it will amount to something.
Write a book. I think I should publish a book about this topic after writing all those four points above. I could charge you some money for it but I share these points for free because I am generous.

I am a failure. I except myself and keep going on with my life. Take a moment to reflect your life. A failed attempt is worth a while of your effort. It directs you where to go. I hope you have the time of your life.

What Would You Say?

2010-11-18T15:38:00.000+07:00

A woman recently wrote a heartbreaking confession in the counseling section of a magazine that I read.

She was raped shortly after being wed. The rapist was her sister-in-law's husband. Her husband was being treated at a hospital and her sister-in-law was at the hospital to visit him at that time. The woman told her sister-in-law about the incident. Her sister in law asked her forgiveness and begged her not to disclose this to their families and relatives. She was heartbroken because no one stood beside her. Not even her husband. Her husband and her sister in law prefer to save themselves from embarrassment.

Shortly after, the woman was pregnant and gave birth to a son. Her sister in law adopted the woman's son as an act to redeem her husband's bad deed. Two decades later, the son is aspiring to be a pastor and is studying at a seminary now. The woman's heart wound hasn't healed. She is longing for her son to recognize her as his biological mother. Up until now, her son knew her as his aunt. The rapist has grown old, weak, and sick. She has been distant with her husband since that incident.

In that article, she is asking how to tell her son about the truth and what would be the best way to tell her son.

If I was her counselor, I would suggest her to take the truth to the grave for her son's good sake. It's cruel but it would be the best. Any sane mother would love to be recognized by her own flesh and blood but telling the truth might make the son hate the origin of his existence. He might also think that God has destined him to be a pastor as a redemption of his biological father's deed. Not because of his pure love of God . Moreover his son has many years in his life to come but the woman has reached her old age. The truth might hurt her son for the rest of his life.

What would you say if you were the counselor of that article?

My salary

2010-11-18T15:33:00.000+07:00

I earned little salary when I started my career. It was only enough to eat. Fortunately, I stayed with my parents and rode dad's car to office.

I moved to Jakarta two years later. My salary was doubled but I wasn't financially independent. My salary was only enough to pay half the rent, food, and transportation. I couldn't save. I wanted higher salary.

I moved to other company two years later. My salary is doubled and I financially independent. I can save and I live a better life, but I want higher salary. I want to separate emergency money from saving and I want to allocate some money for investment.

Humans never get enough money.

I should grow some money from a tree.

Story of Food

2010-10-10T21:18:00.000+07:00

Food fulfills your hunger, nourishes your body, and restores your stamina. Food tells story too. Throughout history, Indonesia has been involved in trade with many foreigners, such as India, the Middle East, China, and Europe. These contacts influence Indonesian cuisine and assimilate with local dishes.

Indian and Middle Eastern incorporate curried meat and vegetables, goat and lamb dishes, as well as yogurt based sauces. Though coconut milk has replaced the using of yogurt. Elements of Chinese cuisine can be seen in Shumai (dim sum), Bakpao (steam buns with various fillings), Bakmi (noodles), Bakso (meat balls), and Lumpia (shrimp roll). The Chinese originated dish, Fried Rice, has been adopted as Indonesian national dish. Europeans introduced cassava, potato, cauliflower, cabbage, peanuts, tomato, corn, and chili pepper to Indonesian cuisine.

These various dishes reflect the complex cultural history of people who live on the archipelago that make up the modern nation of Indonesia.

Kittens Rescue

2010-10-10T21:10:00.002+07:00

My neighborhood is surrounded by stray cats. I like to take home sick kittens to treat their illness. Most kittens are overly ill and died few days later. My cat is the only kitten that grows to adulthood.

A kitten made a way to my house. It was raining. He was wet, cold, thin, and had droopy eyes. I wanted to adopt him but I don't have a space for two cats. So, I decided to nourish him before releasing him. I bath him everyday because he has thick layer of fleas. After a few days, his eyes are getting better but he's still thin.

This noon, when I checked how he was doing, his box was empty. The housemaid said, that he went to the veranda, jumped from the second floor, and escaped through the front gate.

Ramen Girl

2010-10-10T20:01:00.000+07:00

Two weeks ago, Abby came to Tokyo to live with her boyfriend. After a brief reunion, her boyfriend left her. Broken hearted, Abby consoles herself at a small ramen shop near her apartment, where she finds her new life and love. This movie has a good morale. When you see a hardship ahead, that means your new life awaits you.

At first, I was irritated by Abby because of her ignorance of other people’s culture. Furthermore, she can’t understand Japanese after one year living in Tokyo. I started liking her when I saw her persistence in studying ramen cooking.

Okuribito

2010-10-10T19:30:00.003+07:00

Daigo is a cellist of an orchestra. He returned to his hometown to search for a new job after the dissolution of the orchestra. He landed himself on a bizarre job as a postmortem caretaker. He disliked his job, but eventually came to love his new profession, when he found fulfillment. He restores the cold dead bodies to their beauty. He assists the family of the deceased to have one last beautiful moment to cherish. The most important thing in funeral is, not to mourn the departure of the deceased, but to celebrate the deceased life.

A couple years ago, my grandfather died just a few days before my birthday because of heart attack. My maternal relatives don't have the custom to call a postmortem caretaker. I was terrified when my mom told me to kiss my grandfather's cheek. I was close with him when I was a child. Even though I became distant with him in my teenage years, I will celebrate the memories I had with him.

Forever.

My Association With My Religion

2010-10-10T19:26:00.003+07:00

I studied in a christian school all my life. Christian teachings were like my daily bread. My christian teacher taught about how superior christian faith is, Christians are the chosen ones, how pathetic an atheist is, and claimed that atheists always repent to christian faith on their deathbed. I didn't realized how prejudice these teachings were.

For a brief moment, I assisted a Sunday school at a local church in my hometown. TThe teacher told her pupils that dinosaurs didn't exist because they were not in the bible. Of course, they aren't there because at the time when the bible was written, dinosaurs hadn't been discovered yet.

A Christian believes in a self prophecy. What comes out of one's mouth impact one's life. I call it a tell-a-lie prophecy. What's the point of telling anybody, that you have something you don't currently have.

A Christian is self centered. I have a Buddhist roommate. My Christian roommate mocked her behind her back, saying that my Buddhist roommate is praying to a false god and everytime she lights her incense, she invites bad spirits.

Christianity is part of the identity I grew up with, but I don't want any association with those I mentioned above.

Palaeocontact

2010-10-08T18:12:00.002+07:00

Yesterday, I watched a video from History Channel on Youtube. It unfolds evidences, the theory supporters explanation, and the skeptics contradiction of the palaeocontact theory.

Palaeocontact is a theory, that human has been in contact with aliens since ancient time. The alien came to earth to assist human to advance their technology. Ancient human recognized the aliens as gods.

The theory itself is debatable and the, so called proofs, are generated from archeological excavations. The skeptics label the supporters of the theory as delusional.

I personally believe that extra terrestrial DOES exist. It could be true that the ancient gods were, in fact, aliens. I am open to this possibility. In the middle ages, when Copernicus said that earth is not flat and the sun is the center of our solar system, all scholars said he was delusional and absurd. Look at it now. We believe that the earth is round and it revolves around the sun.

The video can be watched at this channel.
http://www.youtube.com/user/2012IHC

My Relationship with my parents

2010-10-08T18:07:00.000+07:00

I lived with my mom almost half of my lifetime because my dad was away to work from city to city. He came home only on holidays, or when he was assigned in my hometown. He spoiled my with money whenever he was at home. I respect him, when I knew, that he had to sacrifice his time at home to support me and mom.

I am closer to my mom even until this time, but our relationship is not always smooth. At some points in my life, she was over control, and I hated her. In the end of the day, I realized, she did what a mother must do. My father often plays as a mediator to make up the relationship between me and my mother better. When I lost my temper, my mom always takes it patiently.

I am the only child in my family. Eventhough my parents aren't rich, they will do to help me to achieve my goals. Sometimes, I feel like an unuseful child, because I haven't been able to give back anything significant for them.

Mom, dad...

I will work harder and make you proud!

Learning Kanji and Kana

2010-07-25T04:42:00.002+07:00

I can write Hiragana's 五十音, 拗音, 五十音濁点, 拗音濁点 by hand. On the contrary I almost can't do it with Katakana. Katakana is more difficult than Hiragana, that's why! I have to put more effort for Katakana!

I have started to learn kanji. I can write from 一 to 十. I learn it by myself by using an online site. I study romaji only at a language school.

I'm taking a break from the school. I want to surprise my teacher with my kana and kanji ability when I start the class again!

New Rule For Myself

2010-07-05T17:07:00.000+07:00

I've been thinking about travelling to Thailand by train next year. I have set a rough budget, but one thing is bothering me. Travel is a vacation for the mind, but what will I do beyond that?

After traveling I often end up broke and have to put my plan to work in Singapore on hold because I couldn't afford even the cheapest ticket if I got an interview. It sucks!

To solve this problem, I've made a new rule. Here it is: Each time, when I set a travel budget estimation, I will times it by 3 so it becomes triple. One third is for traveling, another third is for saving, and the last one third is for going to interviews.

Now I have a goal as to what I must save my money for.

Going Rafting

2010-07-05T15:11:00.000+07:00

On July 3rd, 2010, I went to rafting on Citarik river in Sukabumi, West Java. The night before I had set an alarm clock to wake me up at 4. 30 am because I had to arrive at the meeting point at 6 am.

I have bad habit of turning off my alarm whenever it buzzes in the morning. That morning the alarm was loud and I turned it off. I woke up 2 hours later in shock because it was 6.30 am. I called the coordinators to ask whether they had gone or not. Fortunately they were willing to wait for me. I didn’t take shower and went straight to the meeting point.

We went to Citarik at 7 am and arrived at 12 am. The journey wouldn't have taken that long if we hadn't gotten trapped in a traffic jam. In the main lobby we changed clothes, took our belongings to the deposit room, and went to the river.

The rafting track was 9 Kms long and we took approximately 2 hours to sail along the river. My right arm went numb because I rowed too hard. I was dissatisfied because it wasn’t long enough. I wanted more!

Watching Sea Turtle

2010-06-25T23:20:00.000+07:00

Few months ago I went to Ujung Genteng to see a sea turtle laying her eggs. The turtle came from the Indian ocean. It's a vast ocean that borders Indonesia on the south. Its waves is well known among surfers.

Before seeing the turtle my group and I released 2 baby turtles to the sea. Their sizes were half of my palm. After 30 years the baby turtles, that we released, will come back to the same shore to lay their eggs.

To see the mother turtle we had to walked 600 meters one way. Walking on the sand at 1 am was tiring and it was dark also. Our guide warned us not to point our flashlights to the sea because the sea turtles eyes were sensitive to light and they would feel threaten if they saw us going near to their nests.

Some minutes later we arrived at the nest of a turtle. The guide held us for few minutes for the turtle to have her some privacy. The turtle was huge. Twice times my size wide. The female turtle, that I saw that night, was 90 years old and very grumpy. She swung her flippers if we swarmed too close to her.

At that night there were also few groups beside mine. All of us were so eager to see the turtle closely. Flash light from our camera didn't stop taking her picture. The more eager we were, the grumpier the turtle became. I pity the turtle because some people pointed their flashy camera right to her eyes.

I couldn't stay long taking the turtle picture because I got dizzy looking at the flashy camera light. I could imagine how dizzy the turtle was.

Indonesia sea turtles are protected one of the endangered animals. Let's preserve and protect them.

Passive Sentence In Daily Indonesian Conversation

2010-06-18T11:19:00.001+07:00

The basic word order of Indonesian is Subject Verb Object (SVO). However, I notice in daily conversation, my friends and I never speak SVO word order. We often use passive voice or Object Verb Subject (OVS) word oder. We also often omit the Subject in our conversation. Thus the word order becomes Object Verb (OV).

I think the reason, why we never use active sentence in daily life, is because active voice is more formal than the passive one. Even I speak in passive sentence to my parents and other older persons than myself. To add the level of politeness I choose polite words and combine it with passive form. I'll show you the examples below.

Situation 1:
My friend is reading a book but she keeps the TV on. I tell her to turn the TV off. I will say, "TVnya kalo ga ditonton dimatiin donk". The literal English translation is, "The TV if not watched, is turned off". The idiomatic translation is, "Turn the TV off if you're not watching it".

Situation 2:
I'm in my boss' room to ask him to sign a paper that have to be sent right away. I will say, "Pak tolong sekarang kertasnya ditandatangani karena harus secepatnya dikirimkan ke klien". The literal translation is, "Sir, please now the paper to be signed because it has to be sent to the client immediately". The idiomatic translation is, "Sir, please sign the paper now because it has to be sent to the client immediately". To add politeness I use the word "tolong". It's equal as "please" in this context.

My advice to Indonesian learners is to learn more passive sentences to sound more like the native. It's helpful in daily conversation because you're not talking too formal and it banishes the barrier of native and non-native speakers. Enjoy learning!

Trip To Pangandaran

2010-06-18T11:18:00.002+07:00

The trip took on long weekend on last month. The trip was a bit disappointing because all the participants came late to the meeting point. It was no one at the meeting point when I arrived there on time. I waited for 2 hours, in bored, to see 29 other participants coming one by one. When it was about time to go, the coordinator & the drivers had a little meeting to discuss which route we should take. I felt like this trip was half planned by the coordinator. We were 30 minutes behind schedule and were trapped in traffic.

Our first destination was the White Crater. It's the remnant of an inactive volcano. Its last eruption took place in 11th-12th century. For several centuries the crater and its surrounding remained untouched because the locals thought the location was eerie. In 18th century a Dutch scientist observed the crater. Since then the crater becomes tourists attraction.

The crater emits strong smelled sulfur smoke from the center of the crater. No birds or other animals are living around because of the toxic smoke. Only plants are able to live. Besides going to the crater tourist can go to strawberry farms to pick the fruits which are plenty around. the famous snack is strawberries satay. It's strawberries in stick covered with colorful sweets.

On the second day we took boats to see nature crafted sea rocks. The ocean, where our boats were sailing, is Indian ocean. The wave was so high and kept splashing our boats. I took the pictures of the rocks but they were blurry. I didn't retake the pictures because I was afraid of falling to the scary sea. After that we went to see caves. Inside one of the caves we saw hedgehogs while outside we saw deers and monkeys.

In the afternoon we went to a rocky beach called "Batu Hiu" (Rock Shark). It's named this way because in the sea there lies a rock in the shape of a shark opening its mouth. Too bad after tsunami hit the beach the rock was broken and now it doesn't look like a shark at all. Surfers were doing surfing on another beach. I saw many surfers around from various countries. They blended with local surfers.

Along the sea shore near our hostel are where clubs and restaurants located. One of the clubs is "Silent Club". It's called this way because the owner is mute. Eventhough he is mute, he is a creative person. He created the club concept, a club with candle light, by himself. Even he created a toilet next to his club while other clubs rely on public toilet. I went to this club to enjoy full moon under the light of candles. I saw many couples in the club. I was the only one without a partner. In midnight bonfire was set to entertain the clubbers.

In the morning we went to a souvenir shop. In front of the shop I saw a traditional candy maker. He was kind to let me taking his picture. in the noon we headed back to Jakarta.

Watching Sea Turtle

2010-06-18T11:16:00.000+07:00

Celebrity Sex Video

2010-06-09T11:20:00.000+07:00

These days Indonesia has been struck by 3 sex videos of a male celebrity that involves 2 female celebs. These celebs aren't just ordinary ones. They are the A listers!

One of the females, a socialite and a gossip show host, on the video is married and has a son. She made the video after she married and before she bore her son. So rumor says it could be not her husband's. her wedding ring is visible on the video. WOW!!! what a scandal!

The other celeb is a model. She is a brand ambassador of a well known soap brand franchise and a life show TV host. She is the current girlfriend of the male celeb. Both of them are exclusively contracted to star the couple version of the TV commercial. Now the commercial is terminated from TV. The female host is kicked from her show!

As for the male celeb he is a vocalist of a rock band. Well known for his love adventure! He made the video when he was married to a woman. He and this woman were ex couple actually. He married this woman just because at that time she was having his baby!!

Now the rumor has it that there are other 20 videos to be leaked after the vocalist's laptop was stolen. I can't wait to see other videos. I collect them LOL!!!

I can't stop thinking why they are so freaking idiot recording their intimate moment like that. There were soooo many lessons to learn in the past. Paris Hilton, Pamela Anderson, and the list continues.

NEVER EVER RECORD your sex scene because it will be leaked when you least expect it!

Weekend Trip

2010-05-20T12:38:00.003+07:00

I'm back from a trip. From May 14th-16th I went to Ujung Genteng, West Java, for the weekend. I went with a group of 15 people whom I met on an online backpacking community. It was our first trip together. Although we were strangers, when we first met, we got along fast and built friendships on the trip.

The journey was 8 hours one way. It was a bumpy ride because the location was deep in a village. I barely slept because of the uneven terrain. One minute I fell asleep but the next minute I woke up with neck pain. I should've brought neck support to help me sleep.

In the morning we went to a nearby waterfall. At midday we walked along the coastline so that we could arrive at the turtle park in the afternoon to release baby turtles to the sea. After that in the evening we went to see a turtle laying her eggs. We walked in the dark because sea turtle eyes are sensitive to light. Walking in the dark was like walking in a big planetarium. I could the the stars above and I could see the silhouettes of the other people around me. Although it wasn't pitch black at all I had to watch my step because logs and coral were everywhere. Too bad my camera couldn't capture the wonder of the night sky.

It was a fantastic experience!

Getting Hit On

2010-05-03T16:51:00.002+07:00

I take public transport to go home.

This happened few months back in 2009. As soon as I entered the door. I FELT that a man kept looking at me. I say FELT because I didn't look straight into his eyes but from the corner of my eyes I could FEEL that he kept looking at me.

For few minutes on the road he was silent. Then he broke the silence by asking where I came from before hopping in. "From office", I replied briefly. Then he asked where my office is. "Near here". He kept and kept asking me. I replied because I didn't want to be rude and there were few passengers in the vehicle so I thought it was safe. I didn't bother to ask something about him because i wasn't interested in knowing him.

I didn't complain and he thought that I was open for his further questions. He kept asking about what my job is and what I do at my job. During the interrogation we sat on a long bench next to each other. I saw that next to him was a lot of space for him to sit but he kept pushing his way to me and sticking plus rubbing his shoulder into me. I was disgusted and creeped! Again I didn't yell at him because I didn't want to be rude and impolite to a much older person. He looked like 35-40 something.

At that very moment I felt that there was something wrong with him and I needed to stand up for myself. I said to him, "Sir, why don't you ask questions to other women around. There are plenty". I waved to a woman sitting in front of me, "Miss, miss, this man needs a word with you". This not so gentleman pulled his shoulder off of me. I was relieved but my heart was still beating fast and my body was shaking a bit.

Then his last words before stepping out of the vehicle were, "I'm a member of a movie committee". I didn't buy his words because I'm a graphic designer and I know that the relation of graphic designing and movie making doesn't click.

How do you deal with the situation of getting hit on?

Mr. Jerk

2010-04-17T05:20:00.004+07:00

He popped up on a chat window and greeted me with "Hello baby". Whenever he was online, he always used sweet-talking words like "Baby", "Honey", "Darling", "Dear", "Hi pretty". I was truly uncomfortable with these words. Moreover he called me "Shit" when I told him I wasn't his baby . From the first time we talked I sensed he had ulterior motive.

I never initiated any first contact with him and I had erased him from my list but I kept replying, although half-heartedly, if he initiated the talk because I didn't want to receive any shitty words from him. Actually I could've ignored him but I didn't because I thought he would change.

For the third time, he asked me to meet him because next month he's going to visit Jakarta (his company has a regional office in Indonesia). I also rejected it for the third time. Suddenly he was upset and was insulted by the rejection. He thought that I thought he was a bad person and would rape me when we met. On top of that he argued that he comes from a decent family.

O, well, hey, mister-comes-from-a-decent-family! You're not the only one who comes from a decent family. You said you graduated overseas but you have zero respect for women. Why would an intelligent woman, who also comes from a decent family, agree to meet you in a far-away hotel? What kind of gentleman asks a lady to come to his room at 10 pm, at fucking night, and asks her to stay overnight because he promises not to rape her? Did you think I would feel safe because of that? Just because you come from a decent family, did you think your invitation was a privilege for me in your mercy?

I'm not a callgirl you selfish prick!!

You said our meeting would be nothing but a date. I wouldn't call it that. I wouldn't meet a man I barely know and call it a date. I'm strictly selective about whom I'm willing to date! I will go to several casual meetings as friends before I continue on to date someone! What outcome did you expect if I agreed to date you?

You're a such a jerk!!

Any of his compatriots have the same manner in a chat rooms too. Whatever room I go to, these men, from this certain country, always, pop up with the same behavior. It's like imprinted on their DNA. The country name consists of repeating vowels and 5 letters.

Keep the name to yourself.

Sumimasen, Love

2010-04-14T16:53:00.005+07:00

Do you believe in fate?

If you meet the person of your dreams, would you ask for their name and number directly to them? Or do you prefer to ask the person to write the name and number on a bank note?

Chie Tanaka, a young model who works in Taiwan, is overwhelmed by her work pressure. One day she left Taipei for Kaohsiung for a day off, where she met Wu Huai Chung in a museum. Chung is an employee at the museum and is well known for his daydreaming habit. The boy was captured by Chie's smile and tailed her anywhere.

In a coffee shop, Chie was in panic because she couldn't find her wallet. She didn't realized that she had lost it in the museum. Chung had appeared to save the day and kindly lent her his money to pay the bill. On the $500 note Chung asked Chie to write her name and number. Telling her that she will be his girlfriend on the day that the note come back to his hand. Chie paid the bill with the money and secretly left Chung.

On the same day they met again in a church. I can't tell whether it was a pure accident or not. They enjoyed the day together. During that time Chung retrieved his note back but didn't realized it. Because of it, he used the money to buy a ticket. By the end of the movie they went separate ways and the note didn't go back to Chung for the second time.

This movie reminds me of a Hollywood movie. Serendipity. Both main characters are separated and united by fate. The difference is the Hollywood movie has a happily ever after ending while this Asian movie has an open ending.

Personally I prefer the Asian movie ending to the Hollywood one because it feels more realistic. Splitting ways with a stranger, whom I known for only one day, is more likely to happen. The ending is open to the viewers' imagination, whether the both characters will meet again in 10 years time or not. It's a nice movie that gives a heart warming feeling. I enjoyed every bit of it.

Having Baby Out of Wedlock

2010-04-10T12:01:00.002+07:00

Recently, a young Indonesian celebrity, age 21, became hot news in the media. She is a shining star but was caught red-handed in a drug case. Since then her popularity quickly diminished. Suddenly she caught the attention of the media because she was pregnant in jail. At that time she didn't tell anyone whose baby she was having.

The public gave her a mixed response. Some berated her and some supported her. On February 24th, 2010 she gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Today a man, another celebrity, admitted in a live broadcast that he's the baby's father. The girl has forgiven the man but she doesn't want to marry him.

Having a baby out of wedlock alone is already shameful in Indonesia. Furthermore, it was the first time a celebrity has admitted he was a father in a live broadcast. The public is truly shocked because this kind of act would have been done secretly away from the man and the girl's family.

I personally think the girl should be forgiven, but her careless behavior should not be an example for other youngsters. I salute both the man and the girl's big heart for the sake of the baby.

Had they both been living in a western country, they would have received a lot less fuss. I think this kind of circumstance is commonly accepted among westerners.

What about Asians living in western countries? Would they make a fuss if this incident happened in their neighborhood?

I LOVE IT!

2010-03-11T21:30:00.003+07:00

One of the house mates left. She lived in the house longer than anybody else. Thus it makes her cocky, bossy and monopolized the house. All girls don't like her but we didn't want to go "head on" because it would've made the house not peaceful.

She had no good attitude. All the girls at home are happy that the owner took control of the situation and kicked her out. The owner should have done this earlier.

Until this day life has gone normal and cheerful.

Work Hard Study Harder Play Less

2010-03-11T21:16:00.005+07:00

I was busy at work and hardly managed the time between my job and Japanese class. I was thinking to stop taking the class if the work load kept overwhelming me. Thank God the hard work paid off. I had a good review and salary raise. My boss also gave constructive inputs for my progress. I'm blessed for it.

My former teacher resigned and too bad I didn't have the chance to say good bye to her. She is a kind teacher and I like to study under her guidance. Her position is replaced by a new teacher. He's a good teacher too. He spent few years in japan and thus gives different perspective on Japanese learning. However, the Japanese school I'm going to has a applied new system that is less flexible, unlike the former curriculum. It's troublesome for a working student like me.

I'm dedicating my free time for productive activity. I used to watch movies in my spare time but it doesn't didn't contribute to self improvement, only self indulging. Now I use the time for drawing and studying. I've been Been studying Japanese for almost 1,5 years but haven't been fluent until now. I only understand simple greetings

Still I love to play around. I went out with friend of the house on the last weekend. We went sightseeing and ended up buying clothes because there was a discount event. Honestly I didn't want to buy anything because I have spent a lot in the last month but shopping is a way to release stress. It's like guilty pleasure. After that we went to Starbucks for expensive cups of coffee. I didn't fancy the coffee but the place has a good hang out view. At night Jakarta has a good metropolitan view with lights everywhere.

Suicidal

2010-01-12T18:49:00.004+07:00

Have you ever felt it?

I have it since high school. I didn't fit in with the classmates and they often picked me as the target of their bullying. At that moment I wished I hadn't been born. I wished that sky would fall down on me. I wished for the earth to crack open and devour me.

I took pills but it didn't work. I got stomachache and kept puking for few days. I got a stomachache and puked for a few days. Then I was thinking about cutting my wrists but was too scared to do it. I Also had the idea to jump from a high floor but didn't have the guts.

Years passed but I still have these feelings when I get depressed.

Solved & 100% Independent

2010-01-10T03:44:00.005+07:00

Quarrel with mom has been solved. Our relationship has been recovered. We met on last Christmas. I asked apology to her and forgiven. Since the quarrel I am committing to be 100% independent financially from parents which are:

Not using credit card because the bill is addressed to them.
Not overusing cellphone. Although I transfer money to pay my bill. Mom covers the excess because I only pay the minimum payment of the cellphone
Saving money in my own account. In the past years I divided my income to 2 accounts. I keep the money I want to spend in my own account while the money I want to save is transferred to mom's account. It's basically my money though. Only under her name. She doesn't save anything there. Occasionally when I am out of money and the salary payment is late, I ask mom to transfer some money to my dry account. Now I manage my own income and expenses on my own and in my own account.

My Life Without Me

2010-01-10T03:03:00.002+07:00

A twenty something wife and a mother of 2 daughters is diagnosed with ovary tumor and doesn't have much time left on earth. She writes down a list about things she will do before she dies. Among others are giving birthday tapes to her daughters until they are 18, finding new wife for her husband whom the girls like, and cheating with another man then makes him falling in love with her.

I like all the points of her list but not the cheating part. If I were her and only have 2 months living on earth, I'd resign from my job and go backpacking. I'll go further than just across Asia. I'll pull to Europe if I don't like on the trip between Asia countries.

Where do I get the budget?

That's good question which I already have the question. I'll draw money from my dad's account which he has saved to support me to Singapore.

10 Things I Hate About You

2009-12-09T12:24:00.002+07:00

An old movie. Released in 1999 but haven't watched it until few days ago. I love the scene when the lead character read this poem near the end of movie.

I hate the way you talk to me, and the way you cut your hair.
I hate the way you drive my car.
I hate it when you stare.
I hate your big dumb combat boots and the way you read my mind.
I hate you so much it makes me sick, it even makes me rhyme.
I hate the way you're always right.
I hate it when you lie.
I hate it when you make me laugh, even worse when you make me cry.
I hate it when you're not around, and the fact that you didn't call.
But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you, not even close not even a little bit not even at all.

The last part of the poem is the most captivating.

Facebook

2009-11-30T17:59:00.002+07:00

Dad asked me to make an account after seeing his little brother having one. I don't think he need facebook. At home he and mom don't have internet connection. Although being computer literate he's not internet literate and kept asking me how to update his page.

I was unaware that uploading "sensitive" pictures would cause incident. The pictures aren't pornography stuff but several pictures of my cat inside my room. You know what cat does right? Sleeping on my bed, exploring the room, climbing to computer table, etc.

I wouldn't think my parents would discover those photos because they are internet illiterate. I was totally wrong. On Friday night mom investigated me over the phone. I had hinted to parents I have a cat long ago before that night. They opposed me. Then the issue became unheard along the time. Now the issued emerged as they saw those photos on bloody facebook.

She, my mom, ordered to abandon my cat and have a toxoplasma blood test. WHAT THE HELL!!! I'm fucking 27 years old and you orders me around!? I declined. Disappointed by the answer she claimed had never either disappointed or broken my heart. THAT IS BULLSHIT!! That was my reply to her because that's a fact. Since that day our relationship has become distant. Dad becomes our mediator when we want to communicate to each other.

Few nights ago dad called me how to make an account for mom. FACEBOOK ACCOUNT. What the heck!!! You bitch wants to track my life?? She is both computer and internet illiterate. Why does she need facebook for? She even can't connect herself to internet no matter how many times I have directed her step by step.

This night I approved her friend request. Rejecting her request would cause trouble. DAMN. Since this night I set privacy adjustment on my page. I blocked some informations and photos from her.

The Forbidden Legend Sex And Chopsticks

2009-09-21T23:48:00.002+07:00

Based on Chinese classical novel called Jin Ping Mei. The story resolves around the rise and fall of Ximen Qing whom wealthy enough to marry many women. The story follows the domestic sexual life of the main character.

The movies are divided in 2 parts. The sexual act of both part is well choreographed but I feel like it was lack of real sex. It doesn't build me enough hornyness! The 1st part is more enjoyable. More plot, jokes, and character developments while the 2nd part is more and more sex which I think few scenes are impossible. How come a pussy is able to peel a grape skin?

My review is 3 out of 5 stars. Go to google for download!

Learning Japanese

2009-09-20T19:55:00.002+07:00

It's been a year and few months since I started my japanese class. During the learning I learn how to understand the japanese grammar. Been practicing the conversation with various friends. They said my japanese was fine. Thus I am confident with myself.

But...after having conversation with tatsu. Indonesian guy whom learnt japanese longer than me. He said my japanese might be better but sounds silly and ridiculous. I lost my confidence.

I'm thinking to switch school after finishing the 1st book in Ikuzo.

Meeting A Guy Update: Opinion From Friends

2009-09-20T19:38:00.003+07:00

Chris' perspective:
Chris is a devout christian. When he interests a girl, he would gives her a kiss on check but he would hold his urge. Plus suggesting me to meet and date christian guy because on his opinion christian guy would have better control over his hormone.

Darnell's perspective:
Not a devout christian. He said gentleman would wait for a lady's response. A gentleman waits but a man does not. He alerted cuddling might leading to foreplay.

Yukisan's perspective:
A japanese man whose opinion I seek the most. He confirmed what happened yesterday wasn't cultural barrier problem but rather human problem. He added I should not coming to a man's house whom not a boyfriend.

Meeting A Guy Update: Whuah!!!

2009-09-20T01:32:00.003+07:00

I met this guy on skype. We exchanged photo on few times chatting. He was nice and decent meaning never talking about adult stuff. Hence I agreed to meet him. He asked me to meet him in a mall and came to his house. I agreed because based on past experience going to a chat friend's house wasn't a problem.

He was nice during meeting. Although we had language problem. He's been living for 1 year in Jakarta but speaks little indonesian and I tried as much as i could to speak japanese. Overall we understand what each other saying. Several times he tried to hug me. I tried to make distance as smooth as possible. I didn't want to be impolite besides I was interested in him.

When I was at his home I tried to be nice as possible like offering my hands to help him cooking for our lunch but he refused. Hence I just sat and watching an anime from Studio Gibli. We had lunch and watched the anime untill the end together. After the anime ended I tried to make conversation because I wanted to know him.

He asked me what time I will be go home from his house. I said 8pm from his house. It was 2-3 hours to go. He asked what would we do until 8pm. I answered talking. I really do wanted to know him. His reaction was "talking only??"

He tried to touch me and hug me. I didnt refuse because I liked him but he kept being aggressive trying to touch the private area. As last resort he tried to touch the privy area by force but I was refusing. He straightly grabbed my shoulders and show me way out. Before parting he said "thankyou" and my reply was "gomen ne".

I think both of us won't be in touch again. Thus I stipped his number and ID from my cellphone and skype respectively.

Up until now I can't sleep. Why do I feel bad and sorry for a man whom was to harm me? He was the one to be sorry!!

Meeting A Guy

2009-09-17T20:26:00.003+07:00

It was a month ago that I met him. He was nice, talkative, good looking, and fulfills 4 out of 8 points of my ideal requirement. We had dinner and had good talk during that time. I enjoyed our meeting. I think he did too. After parting I sent a message to his cellphone saying good night. He replied then calling me. We talked over the phone for some minutes before saying good night for sleeping.

It's been a while after the meeting. I missed his presence. I sent a message but no reply. Maybe he wasn't into me. "Just get over him" saying that to myself.

This upcoming saturday I will meet another guy. I have know idea how it will be turn out.

Sigh...

I miss the 1st guy. Where and what are you doing now?

Update on Hongkong Plan

2009-09-17T20:13:00.004+07:00

Lebaran holiday starts tomorrow but I am switching the holiday to November because of Hongkong vacation.

I've been saving since early of this year and have been calculating and recalculation on the budget plus the basic expenses. I have firm confidence that the remaining balance of the budget will be enough for emergency expenses. Still I have little nervousness I won't bring enough money with me. I would be less restless if I go with a friend whom I could lend some money from whenever I need.

Been thinking to lend some money from the office. As exchange I would offer salary cut on November and December.

Maybe I shouldn't plan this trip at 1st place.

In The Search of Rotring Cleanser

2009-08-18T17:43:00.004+07:00

The equipments I need to draw are a piece of paper, a pencil, and a set of Rottring pens. These technical pens have been my best friends from outlining my sketches. Since I haven't been using them for 3,5 years causing drying ink blob at the edge of the pens.

I have been searching the cleanser in a Rotring booth in Jakarta but the product has been run out. The booth keeper suggested me to wash the pen with hot water to wash away the drying blob. I did. Out of 3 pens only 1 works.

I called the same store. The same booth keeper said she will contact me after making an order to the producer. Few days later she sent a text message saying the product has been discontinued. SIGH. Should I buy a new set instead?

A whole new set costs IDR 700.000. SIGH. That's god damn fucking expensive!!!

Sharping Old Skill

2009-08-18T17:25:00.004+07:00

I haven't been drawing for 3,5 years. I use the reason for not having desk nor table for not drawing. Actually I am lazy to lift up a pencil. The desire burst out when I started reading manga again and revisitting Deviantart. I said to myself "I could have done it if I keep practising" while admiring those artworks not mine.

Hell yeah. My biggest weakness in drawing are body pose and fingers drawing. I don't have problem drawing face. I am confident with facial expression drawing skill. Although I kept drawing single facial expression throughout my sketches.

So... what I need to sharp up are... body pose, body proportion, finger drawing, refining facial expression, and background. Well... I'd like to add up the number of person on each sketch. I always end up with single person each paper with blank background.

Visiting The National Museum

2009-08-18T16:08:00.004+07:00

I gave myself a little unusual treatment on this weekend. It's unlike the usual weekend when I wake up at noon and being be a geek in front of the computer all day. The ritual keeps repeating until Sunday night.

On Saturday the National Museum opens until 17.00. I woke up early and made my way to the museum. The entry ticket was god damn fucking cheap. IDR 750,0 for 1 adult & IDR 250,0 for 1 child. The management should have made it free.

Instead of arranging the collections in chronological order the relics are gathered in 1 room based on their categories. Visitors can choose which room they want to see based on their interests. I was clueless about the room I should visit first. Therefore I visited all rooms starting from the 1st chamber on my left.

The explanation on the display wasn't telling much. It said the name of the relic, the time it was constructed, and the place of discovery. I was hoping to read longer sentences. It would be nicer if I had a museum guide to explain those relics deeper. Next time I'll join a guided tour. The stillness, while I was reading the display explanation. was occasionally interrupted by noisy Indonesian visitors. They couldn't keep their crap shut. Foreigners were more observant and silent. The ethnography room displays had longer explanations attached to the display boxes. I just passed them because my feet were tired.

Next was the scupture room. Observing an old sculpture was fascinating. I noticed the difference between prehistoric statues and the ones from the Hindu-Buddhist era. The prehistoric one is sculpted simpler & less embedded with ornaments. In contrast artists from Hindu-Buddha era gave artistic details to their arts. The details make their statues more complex than the ones from prehistoric era. My mind wandered: what story did each statue have in the past? They were worhipped as gods but now they are piece of artistic stones from the ancient era.

After departing from the museum I went to Veteran Street. There lies "Ragusa Italian Ice Cream". I had heard about it several times before, but had not yet visitted. It was easy to find. It was around a 5 minutes walking distance from the Juanda Busway Station. Even though the ice cream shop is old, it had many visitors. Maybe it is because it was on the weekend. On the wall there were some photos from the 1930s. The Ragusa building was bigger then than it is now. The customers were westerners. During its golden age Ragusa had music performances at the edge of the room.

All of the ice cream options do not exceed IDR 30.000. I ordered a Banana Split (IDR 27.000). I enjoyed the ice cream because I had it a lot. The banana slices were small. Such a pity. It would have been great if they were bigger. I almost had some left over because of the milk ingredient in the ice cream. It made me full quickly. Overall I like Ragusa ice cream. The ice cream leaves an aftertaste. I am surely going to visit again. Upon finishing my ice cream I took a bus home.

Akeboshi & Angela Aki

2009-07-30T15:17:00.002+07:00

Finally I have complete collection of their mp3. I had searched google & torrent some times ago but ended up in vain. Many thanks to those out there whom has shared the songs with me. I could have their works via buying site though. I HATE PAYING!!! I'm using the songs for myself & I don't have intention to redistribute.

These 2 are my favorite currently. Both mix pop, ballad, & rock. Their songs are relaxing. Just listening to them makes my mind wanders somewhere far. I'm intrigued to start my backpacking immediately each time listening to their melody.

I'm a bit disappointed after listening to complete Akeboshi works. He often repeats his popular songs in his next album. It's like he doesn't have confident creating new song and affraid of being fail to make popular song.

On the contrary Angela Aki, I adore her piano skill, makes more new songs than akeboshi. It's refreshing after listening some same melodies from Akeboshi. I compare Angela with Vanessa Carlton because of their similarity.

Puppy Rescue Day

2009-07-01T10:22:00.002+07:00

Two men came over to office offering a puppy. They claimed the puppy was sheltered at a pet shop and looking for new owner because his mother died. All people at office straightly fell in love with this puppy.

My boss warned us that they could be lying about the puppy origin. Her warning was reasonable because the puppy was weak and all dirty. A pet shop puppy supposed to be clean and healthy. We had suspicious the puppy was stolen by these men and they wanted to make some money from us.

After hard and long negotiation finally we bought the puppy half the price those men initiated. Now he is under the care of my coworker. she took this puppy to her home. At last he has forever home.

Bara

2009-07-01T10:17:00.001+07:00

Bangunlah pribadimu sedemikian hebat dan jayanya
sehingga sebelum Tuhan menentukan taqdirNya bagimu
sudilah Dia bermusyawarat dengan kau dulu
Apakah kehendakmu sebenarnya.

Mengapa tidak menggelora sungai hatimu ?
Dan kenapa pribadimu tidak berpancar “ Insan” hakiki ?
Apa gunanya bermuram durja dan mengeluhi taqdir Illahi ?
Mengapa tidak kau sendiri menjadi pencipta taqdirmu ?
Mengapa mau juga menjadi burung alit ?
Binalah sangkarmu jauh di gunung tinggi
sangkar diliputi kilat dan guntur
Lebih tinggi dari tempat Sang Garuda
Agar layaklah kau bagi perjuangan hidup ini
Agar tubuh & jiwamu menyala
Dalam api kehidupan

Dr. Moh. Iqbal
Thanks to Kuntarini "Tari" upon her permission I may post this encouraging poem :)

Hongkong

2009-06-29T14:59:00.001+07:00

It's official I am going to Hongkong this November. Coming with me is a travel mate whom I met from backpacking online community. There will be another person joining in but I haven't had her confirmation so far. I picked them out of other interested participants based on the chemistry "clickness". Hopefully we will be truly click when doing our journey together.

Ticket has been booked. I am nervous and thrilled at same time! I cant wait for November

Travel Plan

2009-06-19T12:46:00.003+07:00

I just found Jakarta-Kuala Lumpur-Macau round trip US$130. From Macau I will take ferry to Hongkong. Going to Kuala Lumpur, Macau & Hongkong doesn't need to apply visit visa. If nothing hinders my travel plan, I will start from 5 November-11 November 2009.

I'm calculating my budget for this trip. It needs around US$300 only for flight ticket (JKT-KL-Macau-KL-JKT), ferry ticket (Macau-HK-Macau), plus staying in hostel with dormitory room type. Transportation and meal are excluded. I'm thinking to take US$500 along when travelling.

Making a trip plan myself surely is troublesome! It would be my 1st time backpacking but hey there's a good thing. I learn some weather cast and the route to get to know my destination better. I threw a thread to backpacking mailing list and there are some interested participants. Hopefully i will meet my partner soon. I might end up in kuala lumpur only if i haven't found partner by the end of october.

Going alone is more adventurous don't u think?

Shirt Beotch!!

2009-06-19T11:48:00.002+07:00

There's only 1 housekeeper at my boarding house to do laundry for 9 rooms. Thus it's common thing if a girl's clothes accidentally taken to another room. Few days ago a neighbor asked me about her lost tank top shirt. I picked up my ironed cloth piles at a same time with her. There wasn't a dark brown shirt within my piles but I forgot to tell her that I do have the same color and size like hers.

This morning the housekeeper told me that this girl had messed up my pile and claiming my shirt as hers although her lost shirt has been found. Whatta beoch!! She is the last bitch on earth I want to confront with. Slicky and Tricky she is!

It's a cheap shirt anyway. Unlike her claiming other belonging as hers to replace her lost cloth I'll buy new one and sew my name tag on it!

Work with Love

2009-05-18T12:50:00.005+07:00

Takemoto is a sophomore at an art college in Tokyo. He lives with friends in an apartment. Near the end of his study he begins questioning what he wants to do after graduating. Thus it leads to his journey traveling around Japan for self enlightenment.

Along the way he encounters many experiences and the answer he's looking for. In a town he meets a group of builders restoring an old temple. They move from town to town after finishing a temple. Takemoto enjoys himself while he is among them. Therefore he decides to join them after graduation.

Takemoto, who is college graduate, takes a job as temple restorer. As his fellow worker says, "it's low paying job and it's not easy". If Takemoto was a real life person and living in Indonesia, I believe people would look down on him, since little we are pressured by our parents to study hard and get a good job. A good job here equals a high position, working in big company, and a high salary. We are taught not to work as random, unimportant things because they are not money producing. This dogma causes us to underestimate certain job positions.

My mind goes to a quote I saw couple years back. A pair of woman's hands making handy craft. A hand of an old woman pictured in black and white. Under it there's a saying. More or less it says, "whatever you do if you do it with love and you're a successful person".

Singapore Trip

2009-05-15T21:58:00.002+07:00

My trip to Singapore was by plane and ferry. The plane flew for 2 hours from Jakarta to Batam, an island for transiting to Singapore, and then 1 hour crossing the sea by ferry. That 2 hours flying was boring but I enjoyed the ferry much. I went to the top of the ferry enjoying wind breeze, ships traffic, and the sea scenery as well. I stayed 4 days in Singapore which was more than enough for sightseeing around that tiny country. I visitted must visit spots within those 4 days.

Here's the pictures

Money Lost

2009-05-15T21:48:00.002+07:00

This incident happened few days before I visitted Singapore. A friend, whom I went to singapore with, lost her money. The amount was truly hell plenty. It's IDR 2 millions. The story started when she withdrew some money from ATM machine but she forgot to pulled back her card. Few minutes after walking away from the booth she realized her forgotten card. Unfortunately some of her savings had been withdrawn by a thief by the time she getting back to the booth. The thief face was taped in cctv camera. She didn't recognise him as one of the employee of the same company as hers. At home she told me she lost her desire for singapore vacation.

I had my card lost last year. It was fortunate for me nobody stole anything from my account. Since then I've become more carefull everytime withdrawing some money from ATM booth.

Eventually she overcame her grief and we went to Singapore together.

Unforgetable 5th January 2009

2009-05-15T21:24:00.002+07:00

I had terrible experience in the opening of 2009. one morning bunch of thieves broke in to my room stealing my brand new cellphone. Nokia Communicator. Those low life punks pretended to rent one vacant room in the house. After gaining access they went rampage and broke every room. Other friends lost their jewelries and money. Upon salvaging our rooms they took away our house keys.

On the incident day I vomited since dawn and kept having headache until morning. I intended to excuse not coming to work. Before going to office I saw all 3 of their faces and having bad feeling about them. At that time I didn't want to accuse them for something they hadn't yet committed. In addition the house keeper, the owner's brother, and a friend were at home. Hence I thought nothing would happen. Later at noon a phone rang telling me about the robbery. A friend, whom stayed in her room, didn't have any property loss. Other 2 rooms next to her didn't suffer property loss. I should've trusted my premonition. Upon arriving at home I felt shock seeing
the room had been vandalized.

Renting rule in the house was loose. After this incident the owner makes the rules stricter. He commits to check and recheck a prospect renter's ID before renting. He granted 4 months free rent which will expire next month. Starting from June I have to pay again.

Sigh.

Odd

2008-09-19T23:10:00.010+07:00

This was the 1st evening he did not ask when I was going to off. Odd? Yes. Indeed it was odd. Was it because of my question before? Was it offensive? Was I being obvious? Has his radar sense me?

I asked what time he would be off. No replied on messenger. He passed by my desk. Not stopping by to ask me. Straight to the door and said good bye. Then faded in the dark.

Is it the sign for the next evening you will not asking when I will off? Is it the sign we can't walk on the path together before parting? Is it the sign you're keeping your distance from me? Is it the sign we can't talk casually but work?

Is it the sign?
IS IT THE SIGN?
IS IT YOUR SIGN????????

In Relationship Or Not?

2008-09-19T23:10:00.006+07:00

I have the curiosity on his relationship status. He is seeing someone or not. Furthermore I want to know whether he's currently crushing someone or not if he does not have any girl. His friendster says "it's complicated" while his facebook says "single". In addition to his friendster he states he's closing off from love to keep him from its pain. His blog states he's under broken heart status. He can't forget a girl from his past. I assume he's alone and not being intimate with a girl. Still the curiosity bothers me. Confirmation is needed to conclude my assumption.

I asked questions though. Not straight forward ones because it will be obvious. I disguised my curiosity under these questions "what do you do on weekends?"and "whom do you hang out with?". The answer to the 1st is "doing houseworks" and "friends and sometimes alone" is for the latter. Those answers implying he's currenly not in any relationship. Again that's my assumption.

What I have is only assumption. Not exact answer of "yes" or "no". I arranged a seri of questions this morning. Questions that were implanted in my head and have been simulated. I would ask another question if the 1st one was answered smoothly. The last question would be the conclusion of all the preceding. The 1st question out of that seri was "what gift shoud a girl give to a boy for surprise?".

He didn't answer.

Eyes On You

2008-09-17T23:02:00.004+07:00

Hey boy! I have crush on you. It happened since the 1st time you enter our room. Your figure at the door caught my eyes. Do u notice my feeling? I guess not or not yet. I don't want to frighten you. I am approaching you as friend. Later on I will slowly disclose my affection to you. Making you aware of my existence is my 1st priority at the moment.

I can't stand looking to your eyes too long. You are too cute. I threw my sight to other point yesterday when u look at me. It was a glance look of you to me but it felt sooooo long. I couldnt stand it. I blushed.

I was more than happy 2 days ago. It was the 1st time I had lunch alone only with you. Probably the 1st and last chance to lunch out alone for both of us. You were chatty about your reunion with your friends from former office. I loved it. In my opinion you are stolid but you can be communicative on the right topic.

I looooooooove you asking about what time I am going to off every evening. Getting off of work at the same time is awesome moment. Walking down the path only you and me, just us, before parting ways is amazing. Our path is short. Lasts few minutes before parting. It's memorable though. Talking few is your signature. I think. We wouldn't talk along that path if I don't start the conversation.

Oh... I love your smell. Well I believe it coming from a fragnance brand you use not actually your body odor. Anyway......... it smells goooooooood. It's so you. I identify it with you only. Physically you are my type of man. I tolerate your short height because of cute good looking apperance of yours.

Hey JOESAUR! I hope one day you'll notice this affection of mine towards you. Truly hoping you will feel the same towards me when that time come.

Reunion Overview

2007-10-28T00:26:00.000+07:00

A short message came to my mobile phone last night telling all Visual Communication Design (VCD) graduates of the class of 2004 to gather at Erasmus Huis. The agenda was hanging out reunion for the graduates who are presently working in Jakarta. At first I didn't have intention to come up because of the coming deadline. Then the second message came. It said, "Too bad you can't make to come. Most graduates have agreed with the timing. Please spare your time. It'll be hard in the future to match their schedules for another reunion." I straightly confirmed to be counted in.

At 1 pm the graduates gathered at Erasmus Huis. After that we headed to Pizza Hut outlet in Plaza Indonesia for hanging out and ordering late lunch. There were 6 of us in the outlet. Because of our small numbers we sent some short invitation texts to the VCD earlier and later graduation class currently working in Jakarta. Few minutes later they showed up. Later on the small outlet capacity wasn't able to accomodate our numbers. Therefore we moved to Starbucks to have wider space. Our chit chat continued to the plaza food court where we ordered dinner. Overall I spent nearly all money in my wallet for pizza, dinner, and beverage. Night getting late thus the party had to be closed down. In the end we said goodbye to each other.

Hanging out in a plaza located in the heart of Jakarta business central off course was lavish. Despite its extravagant ambience this reunion was truly worthy to attend. I didn't only catch up with the latest news of my friends but also their knowledge. During the fuzz I absorbed their knowledge like a sponge. It was really enriching my insight on how managing a work, making an interesting resume, presenting oneself well in an interview, getting a kick ass idea, and so on, and so on.

I usually avoid any kind of reunion because of its location in lavish and extravagant plaza and mall where I rarely order either food or beverage and do shopping. But this day it changes my judgement on reunion, I won't be mind to attend another one next time. The knowledge transfer is priceless.

Eccentric Office Environment

2007-10-22T22:26:00.002+07:00

My office was three stories building and located in Manggarai, an area in south Jakarta. A wide long river is crossing in front of it. Under the river bridge vault lives some homeless people. In day time, there's nothing extraordinary.

Life starts at night. Transvestites go out from their nest starting to make their living. On the other side of the river, it's she-males' playground. Music plays out loud after the sun goes down. The next morning I saw a worn condom in front of my office gate. Prostitution and theft are common in this area.

Within a year, two corpses were found. The location was about 10 meters from the gate. The victim was an adult man and belong to an arm force division. Bare chest with burnt injury, tied wrists, he wore green arm force trousers and the boots. His eyes were covered by mud, witnesses said, they could see the pain on the victim face. Several months prior the incident, a seven-year-old-dead boy was found. he had been drown by his mother. The motive was unknown.

Let's talk about the office itself. The building has its story inside. It's haunted. My colleagues saw supernatural thing at night. An office boy and my friend saw a headless black figure. Another colleague didn't see anything particular but she felt the presence of this spirit. Luckily, this sighting didn't happen to me.

Inside and outside, this office has a lot of story. Totally eccentric environment for working. Eccentricity comes along with creativity isn't it?

RIP Kitty

2007-10-22T20:58:00.000+07:00

I found him dead this morning when I woke up. He died in his sleep. He looked like he was sleeping. So peaceful. At first sight I didn't know that he was gone. I got the feeling when I touching his little body. It was cold and stiff. No life signs. No heart beat. No breathing exhale.

I did anything possible to give him longer chance to live but God already had made his plan for this little fellow. His two neck bumps deflated after I pushed the pus out but it left 2 deep big hollows on those spots. I cleansed and sterilized those wounds with alcohol and dropping antiseptic medicine but the result of my effort was the opposite. Infection paralyzed him. He was able to move his legs but he couldn't able to wake up and to walk. He stopped purring since the paralyzing. He lost his appetite of eating and drinking. I had to help him eating and drinking.

I couldn't able to give him proper burial. This boarding house doesn't have any vacant soil space. In the end I wrapped him in used newspapers where he used to sleep. I double wrapped it with black plastic bag. Then I put him inside the dumpster outside the front door. I never did that before. None of my late kitties had this kind of burial.

Goodbye kitty. I haven't given you any name yet but my mind is still with you. I hope you are happy now at the rainbow bridge playing with my other late kitties.

Eskimotube(dot)com

2007-10-20T23:54:00.000+07:00

The subject above is a link related to a site similar to youtube but with different contents. Are you looking for explicit porn and hentai clips? Go to that site.

Kitty Rescue

2007-10-20T19:57:00.000+07:00

On last Wednesday Evy called me that she found a kitty on her way off of our office. That kitten was in front of a house near the office. I rushed to finish my work that day. Then I went to the spot Evy told me. I turned left from my office. I walked ahead and passed two houses. There I found a kitty in front of the second house. I grabbed that little one. He struggled to get off my hand when I first grabbed him but then he purred. I examined that it's a male. His face was full of dirty dry mud. I found also an open wound on his left side neck. I saw coagulated blood along with pus inside that hole. It caused a bump. Later on I found another bump on his right side neck.

I walked back to office and headed to the toilet to do some cleaning on him. Before cleaning I had to push out that pus along with the coagulated blood in order to deflate his bump. After that wiping off the mud was on the way. What I thought dirts, was dry tissues of wounded skin. Once I wiped off those dirts my wet white tissue turning red. Blood ran out fast. I didn't continue cleaning him because of the bleeding. He kept purring when I did the cleaning. He purred hard and loud like motor engine. I wrapped his body with a plastic bag to prevent him scratching and tearing off my paper bag where I took him inside. I let his head unwrapped so that he was able to breath. Some times kitty tried to get off of my paper bag during my way home. Then he fell asleep knowing his struggle ending in vain. Arriving at home I released him from the wrapping plastic. He purred knowing someone caring about him and loving him. He's home now.

Movie Review

2007-10-16T02:24:00.000+07:00

I was bored with The Sims and browsing that I had done. Then I search to my unwatch DVD piles. I selected 4 movies out of those piles. They are Wicker Park, Pan's Labyrinth, The Fountain, and Casanova. I review only the first 3 because I am impressed with them. Let's start with the first one.

Wicker Park:
A story about love lost and found. The storyline is moving back to past then forth to present. The story is revealed from each character's view. Like any other love story this movie ends happily but the twisting love triangle gives spice on it. I love the editing effect on most of the scenes which takes me to look the scenes from pieces of glass. Good soundtrack too! The plot set in winter about a young man named Matthew who's obsessed to find his long lost girlfriend. This girl, Lisa, vanished without a trace 2 years ago. One day he finds a glimpse trace of her and he begins his search. Then the 2 reunite. I wish Matthew and Lisa never reunite. I pity Alexis the girl who causes Matt and Lisa separation. I'd love to see the ending that he hook up with Alexis and Lisa really vanishes. I think Matt's eyes only projected to Lisa because she has stunning beauty, blond, height, and body. In the other side Alexis has ordinary face, short, red hair, and little chubby. I'm on your side Alexis!

Pan's Labyrinth:
The plot set in Spain in 1944. A girl named Ofelia with her pregnant and ill mother are on their way to rural area of Spain to accompany Ofelia's stepdad in the war field. Unable to find comfort in the harsh real world surround her then Ofelia builds an imaginary world of fairy tale. Should you not be deceived by the fairy tale theme. This movie isn't for children. Many violent scenes and blood spilled along the story.

The Fountain:
A story about life, love, and death. A researcher husband is seeking a cure for his wife who's apparently having brain tumor. The hubby is devoting himself in a research and is hoping that the result can be used to cure his wife. Tragically the wife dies when the result indicating the cure for the tumor. This movie is extraordinary in my opinion because the plot isn't set in one linear storyline but 3 parallel stories. The movie is supported with awesome soundtrack too. I love how amazingly brave the wife facing her own dead. She isn't afraid at all. She also encourages her husband to finish the final chapter of her novel. I'm in awe how the actors play their role. No crybaby impression I had about this movie although a lot of tears is shed. In the other hand I felt the lost of the husband. I'm also deeply impressed by the wife's perspective about death. Death is a road to awe.

Sold

2007-10-10T00:01:00.000+07:00

Yesterday the house maid of my boarding house, where I live, told every room renters to gather at 9 pm in the house owner's resident. His house and the renters are in one big house but it's separated with different entrance doors. The owner lives in the front part of the house while the tenants live in the hind. All his room renters are females because this is female only boarding house. The owner name is Koh Ayong. Koh is a term in chinese to address an older male fellow in order to pay respect. Back to the invitation. The maid said that the owner had an urgent announcement. I wondered what would that annoucement be. Would it be the raise of the room cost? Or would it be application of the earlier curfew for visiting male guest?

This night my questions were answered. None of those predictions above were close enough to the annoucement. Koh Ayong invited his renters inside his house. While he was serving his guests, he said that the house was sold to a couple of husband and wife from Padang and he will move out on this 20th October. We were surprise with that news. Major questions from the girls were about the rent cost and the new policy. Koh Ayong replied that the cost will not raise. He added that the new owners are nice couple. They will live with their 2 children. He implied nothing to worry about. In his last words he added that he takes his maid when he leaves. Now he is in searching of temporary maid to wash and iron the girls clothes.

My concern about this new owner are the house rules. They are moslems. Most moslems owners, as I once surveyed, have stricter rules and more conservative. That was why I prefer to rent a room from chinese. Well. I've made my decision. It's not nice to make prejudice to someones you have not known yet. Hopefully they are not conservative as I think.

Lovely Comment !!!

2007-10-09T23:53:00.000+07:00

I browsed to my friend's friendster account and I found this lovely comment.

Dream what you want to dream;
go where you want to go;
be what you want to be,
because you have only one life
and one chance to do all the things
you want to do.

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet,
enough trials to make you strong,
enough sorrow to keep you human, and
enough hope to make you happy.

The happiest of people don't necessarily
have the best of everything;
they just make the most of
everything that comes along their way.

The brightest future will always
be based on a forgotten past;
you can't go forward in life until
you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying
and everyone around you was smiling.
Live your life so at the end,
you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

Long Road To Heaven

2007-10-07T00:47:00.000+07:00

My first contact to the net was 7 years ago when my old pal from junior high school made my first email account. The location took place at one of internet station in the campus library. Mainly I used the internet for sending and replying email.

One day I went to internet rental at the campus. I browsed to msn chat. That was my first contact to chatting world. I went online more often since then. I began going online from my house using the dial up connection. I went online for hours. In the end it effected the monthly telephone bill. Mom was upset for it. I was wondering how I could have internet connection at home without adding any rupiah to the bill.

Time flew. I kept online from internet cafe and sometimes via dial up at home if it was urgent. Then a year ago my dad decided to subscribe to Speedy. Yippie!! Finally I could online at home although it was limited access. Yuck!! Three months later my dad unsubscribe the provider because he seldom use it.

I kept wondering why was it so hard to go online from home. I kept dreaming having internet at my room in Jakarta. Then one day a friend, living in the same boarding house, told me that she was going to subscribe to speedy unlimited. In addition she was looking for friends to share the monthly payment. That was dream come true!! I've been longing for this moment. Off course I'd love to share the subscribe and the payment.

Finally after 7 years waiting I am able to go online from my own room. I have unlimited access plus affordable monthly cost. What a long road to heaven.

Makna Pekerjaan Anda (By James Gwee)

2007-06-07T09:26:00.000+07:00

Beberapa waktu yang lalu saya memberikan pelatihan mengenai sikap kerja disebuah hotel berbintang lima di Singapura. Salah satu peserta pelatihan adalah Pak Lim, seorang pria berusia 60 tahunan yang bekerja di hotel tersebut. Bagi saya pekerjaan sehari-hari Pak Lim sangatlah monoton dan membosankan. Setiap hari, dengan membawa sebuah daftar, dia mengecek engsel pintu setiap kamar hotel.

Saya akan menceritakan sedikit bagaimana tugas Pak Lim sebenarnya. Pak Lim memulai rangkaian tugasnya dengan mengecek engsel pintu pintu kamar 1001 dan memastikan bahwa engsel dan fungsi kunci pintu berfungsi dengan baik. Pengecekan yang dilakukannya bukanlah pengecekan "seadanya", namun pengecekan yang saksama di setiap engsel dan memastikan bahwa setiap pintu bisa dibuka-tutup tanpa masalah. Untuk mengecek satu pintu saja, Pak Lim berulang kali membukan dan menutup pintu tersebut hanya untuk memastikan bahwa semuanya berfungsi dengan baik. Barulah setelah puas, dia memberi paraf pada daftar yang dibawanya dan mengecek pintu kamar berikutnya, kamar 1002, dia melakukan hal yang sama, begitu seterusnya. Dalam sehari, Pak Lim bisa mengecek pintu 30 kamar. Anda tentu bertanya, berapa hari waktu yang dibutuhkan Pak Lim untuk mengecek pintu semua kamar di hotel itu. kurang lebih sebulan! Tidak mengejutkan sebenarnya karena hotel berbintang lima ini memiliki sekitar 600 kamar.

Tugas pengecekan Pak Lim dapat diibaratkan sebagai lingkaran. setelah pintu kamar terakhir selesai dicek, Pak Lim akan kembali lagi ke kamar pertama, kamar 1001. Rangkaian tugas ini terus berjalan seperti itu, dari hari ke hari, bulan ke bulan, tahun demi tahun. Pekerjaan semacam ini jelas merupakan pekerjaan monoton, tanpa variasi dan membosankan! saya sendiri tidak habis pikir, bagaimana mungkin Pak Lim masih bisa cermat dan teliti mengecek setiap engsel pintu dalam menjalani tugas yang membosankan ini. saya membayangkan, seandainya saya sendiri yang diminta melakukan hal semacam ini, mungkin saya akan memeriksa setiap engsel sekedarnya saja.

Karena sangat penasaran, suatu hari saya bertanya kepada Pak Lim apa yang sebenarnya membuatnya begitu tekun menjalani pekerjaan rutin itu. Jawabannya sungguh diluar dugaan saya. Dia mengatakan,"James, dari pertanyaan Anda, saya bisa menyimpulkan bahwa Anda tidak mengerti pekerjaan saya. Pekerjaan saya bukan sekedar memeriksa engsel, tetapi lebih dari itu. Begini. Tamu-tamu kami di hotel berbintang lima ini jelas bukan orang sembarangan. mereka biasanya adalah Kepala Keluarga, CEO sebuah perusahaan, Direktur atau Manajer Senior. Dan saya tahu mereka semua jelas bertanggung jawab atas kehidupan keluarga mereka, dan juga banyak karyawan dibawahnya yang jumlahnya mungkin 20 orang, 100 atau bahkan ribuan orang. "Nah, kalau sesuatu yang buruk terjadi di hotel ini, misalnya saja kebakaran dan pintu tidak bisa dibuka karena engselnya rusak, mereka bisa meninggal didalam kamar. akibatnya bisa Anda bayangkan, pasti sangat mengerikan, bukan hanya untuk reputasi hotel ini, tetapi juga bagi keluarga mereka, karyawan yang berada dibawah tanggungan mereka. Keluarga mereka akan kehilangan sosok Kepala Keluarga yang menafkahi mereka dan karyawan mereka akan kehilangan sorang pimpinan senior yang bisa jadi mengganggu kelancaran perusahaan. Sekarang Anda mungkin dapat mengerti bahwa tugas saya bukan sekedar memeriksa engsel, tapi menyelamatkan Kepala Keluarga dan Pimpinan unit bisnis sebuah perusahaan. Jadi, jangan meremehkan tugas saya."

Saya benar-benar terperangah mendengar penjelasan panjang lebar Pak Lim. Dari situlah saya mengerti bahwa jika seseorang tahu benar makna dibalik pekerjaannya, dia akan melakukan pekerjaannya dengan bangga, dengan senang hati, dengan penuh tanggung jawab. Sebaliknya, seandainya saja Pak Lim tidak mengerti makna pekerjaannya, dia akan mengatakan bahwa tugasnya hanya sebagai tukang periksa engsel.

Sekarang, coba tanyakan pada diri sendiri. Apakah anda tahu benar makna dibalik pekerjaan Anda? Katakanlah Anda adalah seorang Staff, Kepala Bagian, Manajer unit bisnis, Kadiv, apakah Anda tahu makna dibalik pekerjaan anda sebagai seorang Staff, Kepala Bagian, Manajer atau Kadiv? Ingatlah bahwa jika seorang tahu makna pekerjaannya, dia pasti akan melakukan pekerjaan dengan rasa bangga, dan yang terpenting, dia akan membuat pekerjaannya penuh arti, bagi dirinya, bagi keluarganya dan bagi perusahaannya.

Regards,
JAMES GWEE

Mengeluh

2007-03-02T08:53:00.000+07:00

Sebuah kata sederhana yang mungkin jarang kita gunakan dalam kehidupan sehari-hari, tetapi seringkali kita praktekkan langsung baik secara sadar maupun tidak sadar. Beberapa waktu lalu saya berkumpul dengan teman-teman lama saya. Seperti biasanya kami membicarakan mengenai pekerjaan, pasangan hidup, masa lalu, dan berbagai macam hal lainnya.

Setelah pulang saya baru tersadar, bahwa kami satu sama lain saling berlomba untuk memamerkan keluhan kami masing-masing seolah-olah siapa yang paling banyak mengeluh dialah yang paling hebat.

"Bos gue kelewatan masa udah jam 6 gue masih disuruh lembur, sekalian aja suruh gue nginep di kantor!" "Kerjaan gue ditambahin melulu tiap hari, padahal itu kan bukan "job-des" gue" "Anak buah gue memang bego, disuruh apa-apa salah melulu".

Kita semua melakukan hal tersebut setiap saat tanpa menyadarinya. Tahukah Anda semakin sering kita mengeluh, maka semakin sering pula kita mengalami hal tersebut. Sebagai contohnya, salah satu teman baik saya selalu mengeluh mengenai pekerjaan dia. Sudah beberapa kali dia pindah kerja dan setiap kali dia bekerja di tempat yang baru, dia selalu mengeluhkan mengenai atasan atau rekan-rekan sekerjanya. Sebelum dia pindah ke pekerjaan berikutnya dia selalu ribut dengan atasan atau rekan sekerjanya. Seperti yang bisa kita lihat bahwa terbentuk suatu pola tertentu yang sudah dapat diprediksi, dia akan selalu pindah dari satu pekerjaan ke pekerjaan berikutnya sampai dia belajar untuk tidak mengeluh.

Mengeluh adalah hal yang sangat mudah dilakukan dan bagi beberapa orang hal ini menjadi suatu kebiasaan dan parahnya lagi mengeluh menjadi suatu kebanggaan. Bila Anda memiliki dua orang teman, yang pertama selalu berpikiran positif dan yang kedua selalu mengeluh, Anda akan lebih senang berhubungan dengan yang mana? Menjadi seorang yang pengeluh mungkin bisa mendapatkan simpati dari teman kita, tetapi tidak akan membuat kita memiliki lebih banyak teman dan tidak akan menyelesaikan masalah kita, bahkan bisa membuat kita kehilangan teman-teman kita.

Yang menjadi pertanyaan adalah mengapa kita mengeluh? Kita mengeluh karena kita kecewa bahwa realitas yang terjadi tidak sesuai dengan harapan kita. Bagaimana kita mengatasi hal ini. Caranya sebenarnya gampang-gampang susah, kita hanya perlu bersyukur.

Saya percaya bahwa di balik semua hal yang kita keluhkan PASTI ADA hal yang dapat kita syukuri.

Sebagai ilustrasi, Anda mengeluh dengan pekerjaan Anda. Tahukah Anda berapa banyak jumlah pengangguran yang ada di Indonesia? Sekarang ini hampir 60% orang pada usia kerja produktif tidak bekerja, jadi bersyukurlah Anda masih memiliki pekerjaan dan penghasilan. Atau Anda mengeluh karena disuruh lembur atau disuruh melakukan kerja ekstra. Tahukah Anda bahwa sebenarnya atasan Anda percaya kepada kemampuan Anda? Kalau Anda tidak mampu tidak mungkin atasan Anda menyuruh Anda lembur atau memberikan pekerjaan tambahan. Bersyukurlah karena Anda telah diberikan kepercayaan oleh atasan Anda, mungkin dengan Anda lebih rajin siapa tahu Anda bisa mendapatkan promosi lebih cepat dari yang Anda harapkan.

Bersyukurlah lebih banyak dan percayalah hidup Anda akan lebih mudah dan keberuntungan senantiasa selalu bersama Anda, karena Anda dapat melihat hal-hal yang selama ini mungkin luput dari pandangan Anda karena Anda terlalu sibuk mengeluh.

Try it now:

1. Bersyukurlah setiap hari setidaknya satu kali sehari. Bersyukurlah atas pekerjaan Anda, kesehatan Anda, keluarga Anda atau apapun yang dapat Anda syukuri. Ambilah waktu selama 10-30 detik saja untuk bersyukur kemudian lanjutkan kembali kegiatan Anda.

2. Jangan mengeluh bila Anda menghadapi kesulitan tetapi lakukanlah hal berikut ini. Tutuplah mata Anda, tarik nafas panjang, tahan sebentar dan kemudian hembuskan pelan-pelan dari mulut Anda, buka mata Anda, tersenyumlah dan pikirkanlah bahwa suatu saat nanti Anda akan bersyukur atas semua yang terjadi pada saat ini.

3. Biasakan diri untuk tidak ikut-ikutan mengeluh bila Anda sedang bersama teman-teman yang sedang mengeluh dan beri tanggapan yang positif atau tidak sama sekali. Selalu berpikir positif dan lihatlah perubahan dalam hidup Anda.

"Semakin banyak Anda bersyukur kepada Tuhan atas apa yang Anda miliki, maka semakin banyak hal yang akan Anda miliki untuk disyukuri."

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish

2007-03-02T08:48:00.000+07:00

"...When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation...It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before. Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions...(publisher) Stewart (Brand) and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off...And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish."

- Steve Jobs

7 Penyakit Pengusaha Kecil

2007-02-01T09:20:00.000+07:00

7 HAMBATAN PENGUSAHA KECIL (Yanto Sidik Pratiknyo)

Pengusaha kecil dalam menjalankan operasinya banyak menghadapi permasalahan berupa penyakit yang menyerang usahanya. Penyakit ini terkadang dianggap sepele, tetapi banyak yang menyebabkan matinya usaha. Meskipun ada pengusaha kecil yang menderita penyakit ini
tetapi dapat besar dan sukses, namun umumnya mangalami banyak permasalahan. Ada tujuh penyakit yang banyak diderita oleh pengusaha kecil :

1. Tuli, kurang dapat menerima informasi. Bila sudah mendengar satu informasi ia tidak dapat mendengar / tidak mau mendengar informasi baru. Penyakit ini dapat mematikan usaha.

2. Muntah, mengeluarkan sesuatu dari mulut yang seharusnya diproses dalam perut. Meskipun penyakit ini sederhana tetapi membuat hidup pengusaha kecil semakin susah saja.

3. Mencret, penyakit yang diakibatkan kecerobohan dan kurang hati-hati. Penyakit yang sederhana ini juga dapat mematikan.

4. Kurap, penyakit sederhana yang sering diabaikan tetapi lama kelamaan dapat mematikan.

5. Batuk, juga banyak penyakit yang banyak diderita pengusaha kecil dan penyakit batuk menahun sangat berbahaya.

6. Kutil, penyakit lain yang lama kelamaan juga membahayakan pengusaha karena biasanya akan mengecewakan orang lain.

7. Campak, penyakit terakhir yang paling berbahaya dan kebanyakan tidak dapat diobati. Hanya dengan kesadaran yang kuat penyakit ini dapat disembuhkan.

Kebanyakan pengusaha yang menderita penyakit dapat mengalami kematian
usaha.

7 HAMBATAN
Tujuh penyakit di atas sebetulnya berkaitan dengan masalah yang dijumpai dan dihadapi oleh pengusaha kecil yaitu dapat digolongkan berdasarkan fungsi-fungsi manajemen dikatagorikan sebagai berikut :

Ø Masalah Pemasaran (Tuli, mencret, muntah)
Ø Masalah Produksi ( Kurap dan batuk)
Ø Masalah organisasi ( Kutil)
Ø Masalah keuangan ( Campak)

Penjelasan berbagai masalah ini adalah sebagai berikut :

TULI, yang dimaksud tuli adalah "Satu Pembeli". Mungkin hal ini sangat janggal, mengapa ada pengusaha yang hanya memiliki satu atau dua pembeli saja. Untuk lebih jelasnya diberikan contoh-contoh di bawah :

Ø Pada kontraktor, perusahaan kecil biasanya hanya mampu mengerjakan proyek kecil saja. Setelah mengerjakan proyek tersebut, seluruh kapasitasnya habis terkuras. Proyek lain tidak ada lagi, sehingga pembelinya hanya satu, itupun untuk dapat satu proyek harus berusaha dan bekerja dengan susah payah.

Ø Catering juga mengalami hal yang sama, setelah menerima order, misalnya selama tiga bulan, suatu kantor atau pabrik, sudah sukar untuk jualan lagi di akntor lain karena kapasitasnya sudah habis.

Ø Kadang kala dalam kasus subcontractor, produsen hanya satu perusahaan besar lain, dan sudah habis tenaganya.

Dan masih banyak lagi contoh lain, kelemahan utama dari penyakit ini adalah :

Ø Harga jual dikuasai oleh pembeli, pengusaha kecil tidak berani menawar, takut kalau batal ordernya, yang berarti perusahaan tidak dapat penghasilan karena tidak memiliki pembeli lain.

Ø Sering order yang diperoleh tidak kontinyu, karena pengusaha jenis ini banyak yang mengantri pekerjaan, sehingga diterapkan asas giliran atau arisan pekerjaan.

Ø Bila satu-satunya pembeli tidak membeli perusahaan akan bangkrut.

Kadang kala ada perusahaan yang menderita penyakit ini tapi tetap sukses, tetapi tidak banyak, dan biasanya mereka memiliki suatu hubungan yang khusus dengan pembeli, tetapi hubungan ini putus setelah perusahaan menderita/ mengalami masalah.

MENCRET , yang dimaksud mencret adalah " Menjual ceroboh dan Teledor". Pengusaha sering kurang perhatian terhadap pembelinya, pelayanan yang tidak baik, sering "Mengecewakan Pembeli" dapat menyebabkan pembeli lari ke tempat lain . Diberikan beberapa contoh di bawah ini :

Ø Seorang calon pembeli menanyakan harga produk yang ditawarkan, tetapi salesman tidak dapat menjawab dan mempersilahkan pembelinya langsung telepon ke pemilik perusahaan karena masalah harga menjadi wewenang pemilik. Calon pembeli marah dan berkata, kalau jualan tidak tahu harga produkmaka jangan jualan, pemiliknya saja yang disuruh menjadi salesman. Kamu duduk-duduk dikantor saja, ini pemilik tidak mau sampai anak buahnya berhasil menjual, karena dapat merongrong kewibawaan, meskipun karyawan ikut memajukan perusahaan.

Ø Seseorang menjahitkan setelan jas untuk resepsi, setelah disepakati tentang lama pemesanan (order), pemesan datang lagi pada hari yang ditentukan. Ternyata jasnya belum selesai, sedangkan jas tersebut harus segera dipakai untuk pertunangan, tentu hal ini akan membuat keributan.

Ø Penjual selalu memberikan kembali dengan permen. Oleh seorang pembeli permen tersebut dikumpulkan lalu dipakai untuk membeli ditempat penjual tersebut. Penjual marah : yang benar saja beli pakai permen, memang toko bapakmu.

Ø Ukuran kaki ibu terlalu besar, silahkan saja pergi ke rak sepatu basket pria, disana banyak yang cocok. Masalah yang dapat timbul adalah :

Ø Penjual sering menyinggung perasaan pembeli.
Ø Penjual tidak memahami kebutuhan dari pembeli.
Ø Pembeli tidak datang lagi karena kecewa, sehingga lama kelamaan pembeli habis tidak ada yang berkunjung.

MUNTAH, Yang dimaksud dengan muntah adalah " Menjual Mentah". Pengusaha sebagai penjual tidak melakukan nilai tambah apa-apa, barang yang dijual persis seperti yang dibeli. Untuk jelasnya diberikan contoh di bawah :

Ø Penjual cabe, hanya menjual cabe saja tanpa proses. Waktu produksi sedikit, harga jual baik, tetapi harga beli cabenya juga naik, waktu kelebuhan produksi harga jual, pengusaha menderita kerugian. Masalah yang dihadapi oleh pengusaha ini antara lain adalah :

Ø Laba yang diperoleh tidak banyak, karena pengusaha tidak melakukan proses tambahan.

Ø Karena tidak diproses maka produknyya bersifat umum dan biasa, sehingga mudah direbut pesaing.

Ø Harga tidak stabil cenderung merugikan pengusaha.

KURAP, penyakit kurap adalah "Kurang Pemasok/suplier", Banyak perusahaan hanya memiliki satu pemasok. Karena mereka menganggap pemasok tersebut sebagai langganan, mereka percaya penuh, sehingga tidak pernah membandingkan dengan pemasok lain, sedangkan pemasok lain harganya dan syaratnya bisa lebih baik. Akibat pengusaha tidak memiliki hubungan dengan pemasok lain, sehingga kalau terjadi masalah dengan pemasok tersebut, maka pengusaha akan menghadapi masalah besar. Bahkan banyak pengusaha hanya memiliki satu pemasok bahan baku sekaligus pemasok tersebut menjadi satu-satunya pembeli. Contohnya
sebagai berikut : Seorang pengusaha sepatu membeli kulit dari pemasok kulit, yang ternyata adalah sekaligus juga pembeli dari seluruh produk sepatu. Masalah yang dihadapi oleh pengusaha ini adalah :

Ø Harga beli dikuasai oleh pemasok.
Ø Bila pasokan berhenti maka perusahaan dalam masalah karena tidak ada alternatif dari pemasok lain.
Ø Akan muncul masalah komplek yang lain.

BATUK, Penyakit batuk adalah "Barang Tunggal dan Ketinggalan Model", juga sering dijumpai diberbagai pengusaha. Sampai pengusaha itu akan bangkrut namun tetap mampertahankan produk yang dihasilkan walaupun sudah tidak sesuai lagi dengan selera pasardan tidak melakukan diversifikasi produk usahanya.. contoh yang dapat diberikan :

Ø Pengrajin lurik dengan ATBM (Alat Tenun Bukam Mesin) banyak yang bangkrut di daerah Delanggu, Pengrajin gerabah yang memproduksi kendi, celengan sederhana yang mengalami gulung tikar karena tidak mencoba melakukan diversifikasi usaha dan menuruti selera pasar konsumen yang berkembang. Masalah yang dijumpai oleh pengusaha yang hanya memiliki satu output produk antara lain :

Ø Perusahaan yang hanya memiliki output satu produk mudah disaingi oleh kompetitor lain, karena tidak memiliki produk potensial yang lain.

Ø Perusahaan yang hanya memiliki satu output produk bisa mengalami bangkrut, karena produk yang dihasilkan memiliki usia kejenuhan suatu produk dan apabila sudah tidak laku pengusaha tidak dapat menyesuaikan diri untuk beralih ke produk lain.

Ø Pengusaha yang demikian biasanya tidak memiliki daya kreatif dan tidak mau diberi saran.

KUTIL, yang dimaksud adalah "Kurang Terampil". Banyak pengusaha memasuki bisnis tanpa memiliki ketrampilan yang baik dan hal ini tetap terus dipertahankan selama usaha. Pengusaha enggan untuk meningkatkan kemampuan ketrampilan, lebih-lebih untuk meningkatkan kemampuan bawahannya, karena dianggap hanya akan menambah biaya operasional perusahaan. Contoh sebagai berikut :

Ø Pengusaha mebel, yang tidak pernah meningkatkan ketrampilannya untuk dapat membuat mebel knock down. Pengusaha ini secara perlahan-lahan akan mengalami kehabisan pasar alias tidak ada pembeli yang ingin membeli produknya.

Ø Pengrajin kompor, selalu mempertahankan tehnologinya meskipun sudah banyak keluhan dari pembeli kalau kompor tersebut sering meledak saat digunakan. Masalah yang sering dijumpai oleh pengusaha tersebut antara lain :

Ø Pengusaha tidak mau meningkatkan kemampuan untuk perkembangan usahanya.

Ø Pengusaha tidak mau meningkatkan kemampuan bawahannya, sehingga mutu/kualitas produknya kurang sesuai dengan keinginan konsumen.

CAMPAK, yang dimaksud adalah "Campuran Usaha dan Keluarga". Penyakit ini adalah penyakit yang paling parah dan paling banyak dijumpai oleh pengusaha kecil. Memang dalam usaha kecil, usaha dan keluarga tercampur, tetapi kalau hal ini terus dilestarikan, banyak pengusaha kecil justru tidak berkembang atau mengalami kebangkrutan. Faktor yang tercampur biasanya meliputi keuangan yaitu membeli keperluan keluarga yang dibebankan pada perusahan dan masalah keputusan, dimana istri dan anak yang tidak memiliki keahlian ikut campur dalam keputusan perusahaan yang berarti. Perusahaan seperti ini dalam perkembangannya justru semakin menyempit, dimana yang berperan dalam perusahaan adalah anggota keluarga dan orang luar disingkirkan. Sebenarnya dibandingkan dengan penyakit sebelumnya, penyakit ini merupakan penyakit yan dibuat sendiri. Pada aspek pasar, masalah
dikendalikan oleh pembeli, pada aspek produksi dikendalikan oleh pemasok dan aspek organisasi masalah ditentukan oleh kayawan. Dalam aspek keuangan terjadinya masalah karena muncul dari diri pengusaha sendiri. Karena pengusaha sering tidak dapat mengontrol diri sendiri, maka banyak masalah timbul. Contohnya adalah :

Ø Seorang pengusaha berfoya-foya ketika perusahaanya untung dengan menggunakan uangnya secara konsumtif untuk keperluan keluarga, kayawan tidak ikut menikmati, bahkan uang lembur diberikan terlambat.

Masalah yang dijumpai dalam hal ini adalah :

Ø Sulit melakukan kontrol keuangan, karena pengusaha kecil memang tidak mau keadaan kas keuangannya terkontrol.

Ø Pengeluaran keluarga sring dijumpai jauh lebih besar dari pengeluaran perusahaannya.

Ø Tidak memberikan teladan yang baik pada karyawan, karena karyawan dapat ikut-ikutan merusak perusahaan.

ALTERNATIF PENGOBATAN

Alternatif pengobatan yang bisa dilakukan oleh pengusaha

1. Tuli (Satu Pembeli) dapat diobati dengan "PERMEN" yang dimaksud adalah "Pengecer atau Multi Konsumen". Pengusaha sebaiknya menjadi pengecer yang melayani partai kecil atau eceran, bukan grosir, yang hanya menjual partai besar. Menjadi grosir dimungkinkan apabila pembelinya tetap banyak. Contoh pada sentra sepatu Cibaduyut, sentra jeans di Cihampelas, sentra gerabah di kasongan Yogya dan sebagainya.

2. Muntah (Menjual Mentah) dapat diobati dengan "PROMAH', yang dimaksud adalah "Proses dan Nilai Tambah". Pengusaha harus memberi nilai tambah dengan alternatif cara dalam pemprosesan produksi.

3. Mencret (Menjual ceroboh dan Teledor) dapat diobati dengan " KEMENYAN", yang dimaksud adalah "Ketrampilan Menjual dan Ramah", diperlukan peningkatan ketrampilan penjualan, terutama dalam mengatasi keberatan pelanggan secara bijaksana.

4. Kurap (Kurang Pemasok) dapat diobati dengan "Surbek T" yang dimaksud adalah "Survey ke banyak Pemasok dan Tempat Lain". Meskipun membeli dalam jumlah sedikit, perlu kita membeli barang ke berbagai pemasok agar dapat mengetahui perkembangan dan dapat membandingi harga antar pemasok juga penting untuk membina hubungan. Memang tidak
selalu satu pemasok itu buruk untuk usaha kita.

5. Batuk (Barang Tunggal dan Ketinggalan Model) dapat diobati dengan "Diatab" yang dimaksud adalah "Diversifikasi Produk dan Tambah Barang ". diversifikasi dijalankan dengan produk yang sejenis atau yang mendukung, jangan yang berbeda jenis, kemungkinan pengusaha mengalami kesulitan. Pada periode-periode tertentu perlu dilakukan perubahan mode sekaligus mengamati perkembangan selera pasar.

6. Kutil (Kurang Teliti) dapat diobati dengan "Kurma" yang dimaksud adalah "Kursus dan Magang". Mengikuti baik pelatihan ketrampilan teknis maupun manajerial dan juga perlu mengikuti program pemagangan. Pengusaha juga harus bersedia mengirimkan bawahannya mungkin sampai berbulan-bulan untuk magang tanpa mnghasilkan apa-apa.

7. Campak (Campuran Usaha dan Keluarga) dapat diobati dengan " Oralit" yang dimaksud adalah "Moral dan Itikad". Obat utama dari penyakit ini adalah moral, etika dan nilai yang baik, tidak hanya dipahami tetapi juga diterapkan. Tanpa hal ini, banyak perusahaan tidak berkembang bahkana mengalami banyak masalah. Tanpa didasari moral yang baik, maka pelatihan manajemen keuangan, harga pokok produksi, pembukuan sederhana, tidak ada manfaatnya sama sekali.Pengontrolan hanya bisa dilakukan dengan moral yang baik dan kuat. Bila pemilik sudah tertutup dan tidak dapat mengontrol dirinya, maka perusahaan terus menerus dalam kesulitan.

PENUTUP

Pada saat ini, suatu saat kita suka atau tidak suka akan segera menghadapi masa era globalisasi perdagangan bebas,sehingga pengusaha dituntut untuk mengetahui kekuatan dan kelemahan (penyakit) perusahaannya secara menyeluruh. Alternatif pengobatan/ pemecahan masalah yang diuraikan diatas mungkin dapat menjadi acuan bagi para pengusaha, namun hal yang lebih penting adalah kemauan dan kerja keras pengusaha kecil untuk meningkatkan serta mengembangkan usahanya, karena masa depan suatu usaha sangatlah ditentukan oleh pengusaha kecil itu sendiri. Dunia entrepreneur adalah dunia yang sangat menarik serta penuh tantangan. Masa depan dunia entrepreneur adalah juga masa depan perekonomian Indonesia.

KONEKSI

2007-02-01T09:07:00.000+07:00

Setiap salesman yang senior menyadari benar akan kebenaran ini dan menerapkannya secara naluriah.Juga ingatkah anda ketika pertama kali ketemu dgn ex pacar anda yang sekarang ini ?

Anda tidak akan dapat menggerakkan orang bertindak untuk kepentingan anda kecuali lebih dulu menggugah emosinya,dengan demikian perasaan dulu baru rasio, sehingga akhirnya bantuan yang diinginkan ada dihadapan kita. Kita saat ini juga melihat disekeliling kita bahwa banyak orang yang tergugah emosinya, karena ada imbalannya, bukan ini yang kita bahas (imbalan berupa uang dsb ). Untuk membangun koneksitas tersebut anda harus membangun jejaring semacam laba-laba membangun jaringnya, yaitu anda harus punya hubungan antar pribadi yang kuat. baik terhadap kelompok maupun perorangan. Untuk membangun hal tsb, terapkanlah :

ORANG TIDAK PEDULI ANDA TAHU, TETAPI YANG DIHARAPKAN MEREKA SEBERAPA BANYAK ANDA PEDULI MEREKA.

Dengan demikian anda tulus ingin menolong mereka. Tetapi hukum ini jangan anda balik menjadi:

KAN SAYA BOS NYA, SAYA PEGANG POSISI. MEREKAKAN CUMA BAWAHAN SAYA. BIAR SAJA MEREKA YANG DATANG PADA SAYA.

Kalau anda menerapkan asas berdasar hukum posisi bahwa pimpinan berada diatas, lambat laun anda punya masalah. Jangan pernah meremehkan kekuatan dalam hubungan-hubungan yang dibangun dengan orang lain sebelum minta mereka untuk mengikuti anda, demikian pentingnya membangun jembatan-jembatan hubungan antar diri anda dengan orang disekeliling anda. Ada sebuah ungkapan yang perlu diingat bersama :

UNTUK MEMIMPIN DIRI SENDIRI CUKUP KITA PAKAI OTAK SENDIRI,TETAPI UNTUK PIMPIN ORANG LAIN GUNAKAN HATI ANDA.

Fucking Singing Beggar

2007-01-31T09:10:00.000+07:00

I met this singging beggar on my way to the office when I took bus number 11 from Slipi Jaya. This boy sang with an instrument which was familiarly called "ecek-ecek" in indonesian. It is an empty capped bottle or jar filled with sand. I was looking out through the window. Therefore I didn't pay attention to his song neither did others passengers. Minutes passed. All was quite. Then the beggar bumped on me. I wouldn't had noticed him if he didn't touched my arm. He raised his hand with his pityful face in front of my face. I said nothing but my head gave body language which said "No". I headed my face to the window again. He touched me again with his raising hand and with mercy expression. This time I said verbally "No". The next second he cursed me saying "curek". I guessed the word was local language for cursing someone. I paid no attention to him by looking at the window. Seconds passed. No sounds. The beggar boy touched my arm again and still with his ugly faking mercy and pity face expression. My temper was up. I yelled at him asking what he wanted. Why he kept irritating me. I cursed back at him. I loudly hurled my local dialect to curse him, "Ojo jancokan kon yo!". All passengers in the bus looked at our point. Few minutes ahead the bus stopped at the my stopping destination station. I jumped off of the bus and walked ahead to the office.

Birthday Surprise

2007-01-29T12:49:00.000+07:00

I never think a birthday is a special day. I sometimes forget what date I was born. It takes some seconds to recall what my date is when someone is asking me. One day before the "B" day I did something as every other day. I woke up. I went to bathroom. I did activity as usual. I slept at night. That night I was not expecting something.

At 12 am two girls walked in to my room. They could do it because I never lock the door. I sleep with the door open. They were Henny and Ivy. The boarding house mates. In the dark they brought roll tart cake with 6 candles on it. I saw them with sleepy eyes. I woke up and I sat on the bed. I blew those candles with one blow after making wish. Henny turned my room light on. Henny and Ivy prayed for me. The two prayed beautiful ones. I was gratefull. Thaks a lot!!

After praying I cut the cake for the 3 of us. After that the girls said good night to me and they went back to their rooms. I went back to sleep again.

Little Kitty

2007-01-25T13:17:00.000+07:00

On the way back from the office I see little kitty on the dark pedestrian. I think kitty is 1 one month old. The kitty just learned to walk and still dependents on the mother. I can't clearly examine what the kitty sex is because the street lite is too dime to lighten the spot that I want. I guess it is a kitty girl. I am touched by compassion seeing her. I always do every time seeing an abandoned cat.

I am thinking what I will do. What I can do for the cat. Keeping the cat at home is crossing my mind. She is fragile and dependent. I can't leave her alone. Doubt also crosses my mind. I am doubt that I can't take care of her well. I don't have enough space for pet at boarding house. Not all of my neighbours love cats. I bet Devy is the one.

I put the kitty on my front pocket of my bag. I put her slowly. I decide to released her in the small path near my boarding house. I think it is the best option. The path is rare of big vehicles. only motorbike crisscross the path once a while. There is also a lot off food in the garbage cans. Other wild cats around the path do eat from them. They are growing well.

I am walking on the path heading to boarding house. It's rainy night. I release kitty in the middle on the road. Kitty is meowing. She is heading to the opposite of me. I hear nothing but the the kitty mew while heading to my direction. I wish you survive the night and the night the after.

Next night I am trying to look after her. I find her nowhere. Perhaps she dies but i do hope someone has already took after her.

ATM Lost

2007-01-23T17:11:00.000+07:00

Last Sunday I went to graphic design exhibition in National Galery on near Gambir Train Station. I met Dina and Nicky. The Two are my friends at campus. They asked me to join them to watch Blood Diamond on Djakarta Theatre.

We took taxi to sarinah for taking some cash from ATM. I took the middle machine while the two took my left and right ones. After taking cash I walked out from the machine box. We go to the theatre building next to Sarinah and buying tickets.

Fourty five minutes passed. Sitting in Oh La La Cafe I realised that I hadnt took my card out from the ATM. I rushed to the ATM counter. I found no card anywhere. I asked the security officers whether anyone had gave a lost card to them. They replied negative. I called the BCA call center to shut down any transaction from my ATM account. The officer accross told me that no newer transaction had occured before the shutting down. I was thankful knowing that my last money to survive is save.

The next day I went to BCA office center on Sudirman. I walked to the Customer Service desk asking for new ATM card. Thank You God. The process only took half day. Now I have my new card in hand. I must be more carefull next time.

Finally I have Internet At Home

2006-12-10T23:07:00.000+07:00

I always dream having internet connection at home since I have computer. In my mind if I have internet, I will be able to channel my passion of playing games, chatting, browsing, and other online entertainments. Now it's not only a dream anymore. I finally have internet at home!!!

Recently my dad is ordered by his company to install internet at home. The company demands my dad to have new horizon of knowledge by taking benefit from information on the internet. He is not well literate about technology. I think the reason behind the company policy is good to encourage him to be more literate.

Dad consult me what provider is best suite for him and his budget. I tell him to install internet from cable TV provider (Kabelvision or Indovision) rather than Speedy (Telkom). Cable TV internet gives unlimited quota and I think it's cheaper than Speey monthly fee with the same quota. Mom and dad discuss the provider. Then they settle down on Speedy. It offers 4 packages. They take the 1st one. The 1st package offers Rp300.000 monthly fee and 1000 MB quota. Any exceeding quota will be charged Rp 500 per MB.

With that limitted amount we can't download games and browsing too much. We must used it wisely. At least I am happy that finally I have internet despite its limitted quota.

Kiriman seseorang yang cukup menarik untuk direnungkan

2005-10-24T17:11:00.000+07:00

Seringkali kita terkecoh saat menghadapi suatu masalah, dan walaupun masalah tersebut terpecahkan, tetapi pemecahan yang ada bukanlah suatu pemecahan yang efisien dan justru malah terlalu rumit.

Kasus 1

Salah satu dari kasus yang ada adalah kasus kotak sabun yang kosong, yang terjadi di salah satu perusahaan kosmetik yang terbesar di Jepang. Perusahaan tersebut menerima keluhan dari pelanggan yang mengatakan bahwa ia telah membeli kotak sabun (terbuat dari bahan kertas) kosong. Dengan segera pimpinan perusahaan menceritakan masalah tersebut ke bagian pengepakan yang bertugas untuk memindahkan semua kotak sabun yang telah dipak ke departemen pengiriman. Karena suatu alasan, ada satu kotak sabun yang terluput dan mencapai bagian pengepakan dalam keadaan kosong.

Tim manajemen meminta para teknisi untuk memecahkan masalah tersebut. Dengan segera, para teknisi bekerja keras untuk membuat sebuah mesin sinar X dengan monitor resolusi tinggi yang dioperasikan oleh dua orang untuk melihat semua kotak sabun yang melewati sinar tersebut dan memastikan bahwa kotak tersebut tidak kosong. Tak diragukan lagi, mereka bekerja keras dan cepat tetapi biaya yang dikeluarkan pun tidak sedikit.

Tetapi saat ada seorang karyawan di sebuah perusahaan kecil dihadapkan pada permasalahan yang sama, ia tidak berpikir tentang hal-hal yang rumit, tetapi ia muncul dengan solusi yang berbeda. Ia membeli sebuah kipas angin listrik untuk industri yang memiliki tenaga cukup besar dan mengarahkannya ke garis pengepakan. Ia menyalakan kipas angin tersebut, dan setiap ada kotak sabun yang melewati kipas angin tersebut, kipas tersebut meniup kotak sabun yang kosong keluar dari jalur pengepakan, karena kotak sabun terbuat dari bahan kertas yang ringan.

Kasus 2

Pada saat NASA mulai mengirimkan astronot ke luar angkasa, mereka menemukan bahwa pulpen mereka tidak bisa berfungsi di gravitasi nol, karena tinta pulpen tersebut tidak dapat mengalir ke mata pena. Untuk memecahkan masalah tersebut, mereka menghabiskan waktu satu dekade dan 12 juta dolar. Mereka mengembangkan sebuah pulpen yang dapat berfungsi pada keadaan-keadaan seperti gravitasi nol, terbalik, dalam air, dalam berbagai permukaan termasuk kristal dan dalam derajat temperatur mulai
dari di bawah titik beku sampai lebih dari 300 derajat Celcius.

Dan apakah yang dilakukan para orang Rusia? Mereka menggunakan pensil!

Kasus 3

Suatu hari, pemilik apartemen menerima komplain dari pelanggannya. Para pelanggan mulai merasa waktu tunggu mereka di pintu lift terasa lama seiring bertambahnya penghuni di apartemen itu. Dia (pemilik) mengundang sejumlah pakar untuk men-solve. Satu pakar menyarankan agar menambah jumlah lift. Tentu, dengan bertambahnya lift, waktu tunggu jadi berkurang. Pakar lain meminta pemilik untuk mengganti lift yang lebih cepat, dengan asumsi, semakin cepat orang terlayani. Kedua saran tadi tentu memerlukan biaya yang tidak sedikit.

Tetapi, satu pakar lain hanya menyarankan satu hal, "Inti dari komplain pelanggan anda adalah mereka merasa lama menunggu". Pakar tadi hanya menyarankan untuk menginvestasikan kaca cermin di depan lift, agar pelanggan teralihkan perhatiannya dari pekerjaan "menunggu" dan merasa "tidak menunggu lift".

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Moral cerita ini adalah sebuah filosofi yang disebut KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid), yaitu selalu mencari solusi yang sederhana, sehingga bahkan orang bodoh sekalipun dapat melakukannya. Cobalah menyusun solusi yang paling sederhana dan memungkinkan untuk memecahkan masalah yang ada. Maka dari itu, kita harus belajar untuk fokus pada solusi daripada

Job Search in Tomorrow’s World: Developing An Online Resume Strategy

2005-10-21T09:27:00.000+07:00

Excerpt from an article by Heather Stone
A thorough job hunt takes time to execute. The use of technology and online resources requires a careful strategy if the objective is to find the job you love. Job seekers would be well served if they followed these key steps in developing an online resume:

Research - Explore the web. Find out what tools are out there to deliver the message of you. Seek out hints from companies in your field of expertise. The very things they advertise to their customers are the same attributes they require of an employee. Pick up on the "buzz" words. Before you put anything down on paper or uploaded to a web site, know where you are going by thoroughly researching the options.
Develop - Become your own marketing director, design expert and writer. It is okay to seek professional advice in these areas. But remember that the product is you. Assume total responsibility for anything produced about you. Make sure it has a consistent look and message.
Network - Network is a verb. It requires action and interaction in speech, written word and displayed web pages. Make liberal use of Internet connectivity tools such as email signatures, newsletter subscriptions, hypertext links and cross promotion.
Target - Resist the temptation to paste your resume, your face and your name all over the place. If you did your research correctly you will know those potential employers to target. Do not waste your time posting your resume on every career site you can find online. That is like throwing bricks in the Grand Canyon. And just about as effective. Go after them to present your resume. Do not expect them to stand in line to see yours.
Follow Through - When you have made a contact or developed a lead, jump on it. The world runs at a different speed on the Internet. Expectations for timely response run high.

The use of the Internet and technology in finding the right job is exciting. It is still the best medium for giving that "wow" impression. The unique possibilities of harnessing technology to promote yourself are becoming the only way to promote the unique possibilities of you.

Marry or Not to Marry

2005-10-09T17:58:00.000+07:00

As foreword I don’t know if the subject above will be the proper title for this posting bellow. I hope it will be the proper representation of what I am going to share here. I am not a good storyteller neither a native english speaker. Therefore I will use mix language, Indonesia and English, for this posting. I do hope my readers get the essence of what I am going to say.

Apa sih gender itu? Apa sih kodrat itu? When I was a student, my teacher described what gender means. Gender is not sex (jenis kelamin). That’s what I remember. Gender menyangkut peran sosial seseorang yang dibentuk di masyarakat. As example a woman should be at home. She should serve her husband and be a good housewife.

On the other side kodrat adalah takdir yang kita bawa dari lahir. Another example we can’t choose to be born as a female or male baby. We can’t choose our sex. If we could, there would be no shemale and operasi ganti kelamin bakal jadi komoditi tak laku. Second example only woman is able to give birth, menyusui, having monthly periodical cycle.

The two above are still warming up before we heading to the point of my tought. Here we go.......

One day I read an article on a newspapers. A lady who writes that article said that marriage, being a mother, and bla bla bla is a woman’s faith –– I do hope this word, faith, will be the proper translation of “kodrat”. I don’t find the exact word from my indonesia-english dictionary. Aku dibuat gusar oleh kata-kata dalam artikel itu tadi. Hello lady who writes that article!!!!! To marry or not to is our life option. Choosing a decision to marry or not is an option of life. It seems that this lady has been influenced, may be poisoned, by an ancient prehistorical opinion which says, “semua orang dilahirkan berpasangan dan HARUS menikah”. Jadi kalau seseorang tidak menikah maka masyarakat menganggap ada yang salah dengan dirinya. Ada yang kurang dengan dirinya. Ada apa-apa dengan dirinya dan bla bla bla sehingga dia tidak punya pasangan hidup. Masyarakat menganggap orang yang tidak punya pasangan hidup is a miserable and pathetic person. Dia akan melewati hari tuanya dengan kesepian dan kesengsaraan. Dia akan melewati hari tuanya di panti jompo dan tidak ada seorangpun dari anak/ cucu/ sanak saudaranya yang akan mengunjungi dia di akhir pekan karena dia tidak pernah menikah.

Menurutku menikah atau tidak adalah sebuah pilihan hidup. Jika aku bisa hidup lebih bebas dengan tidak menikah maka lebih baik I am staying single. Jika keadaan keuanganku bisa lebih baik dengan tidak menikah maka lebih baik aku tetap single. Menurutku hidup dalam pernikahan memerlukan biaya 2x lebih besar daripada hidup single. Wong yang hidup di satu atap ada 2 orang bukan satu. Apalagi kalo punya anak. Whuah!!!!! Habis tuh duit buat sekolah, makanin anak, biayain pengeluaran buat anak, apalagi kalo anaknya udah kenal cinta. WOOOOOW!!!! Tuambaaaaaah gedeeeeee!! Mending uang ditabung buat keliling dunia.

Dunia ini begitu luas. Kenapa harus menetap dan tinggal di satu tempat? Begitu banyak orang yang bisa ditemui di dunia ini. Banyak hubungan yang bisa dijajaki dengan banyaknya orang di dunia ini. Jadi kenapa harus hidup terikat dengan satu orang? Sampe mampus lagi!! “Till death do us apart”, begitu katanya. Jika aku bisa bertemu dengan 100 orang dalam satu hari kenapa aku harus menemui satu orang saja. Orang yang sama sampai salah satu dari kami meninggal. Membosankan.

Sebetulnya ini dari hidup melajang adalah meraih lebih banyak kesempatan dalam hidup karena dirimu tak dibatasi oleh aturan-aturan pernikahan. Inti melajang adalah kebebasan. Menikah bukanlah takdir yang digariskan Tuhan untuk manusia. Itu adalah pilihan hidupmu dan aku.

“Tapi kan di kitab suci dikatakan Tuhan menitahkan kita untuk beranak cucu dan bertambah banyak dalam jumlah dah bilangan.” Begitu sanggahmu.

“Iya!”, jawabku cepat. Aku melanjutkan, “Dulu kan jaman manusia masih sedikit. Cuma ada Adam dan Hawa aja kan?”. “Kalo misalnya hanya mereka berdua aja yang mengelola dunia ini kan kecapekan merekanya. Wong dunia begini luas. Lagian kalo mereka meninggal siapa yang akan melanjutkan pengelolaan dunia ini kalo bukan anak cucu mereka yaitu kita.”

“Mungkin Tuhan harus menciptakan manusia generasi kedua setelah Adam dan Hawa mati,” celetukmu.

Aku tidak anti menikah. Sungguh. Aku hanya belum memikirkan kearah sana. Being a single has not been my final decision. I have no traumatic love story which makes me to think this way. I surely not have. I only think that being a single will give me alot opportunity rathen than being a married woman. Currently I am open to any possibility of relationship. Bisa saja aku menikah. Bisa saja tidak.

Bagiku menjadi single sekarang membantuku fokus terhadap karir yang sedang aku bangun. Aku tidak punya masalah dengan patah hati sekarang ini. Heart broken will be fatal distraction for my career pursuing. I am grateful for that. I am grateful kalo aku punya waktu-waktu yang menyenangkan dan gila with my male and female friends.

Menikah seharusnya menjadi pilihan yang membahagiakan bagi yang memilihnya. Berstatus single seharusnya menjadi keadaan yang membahagiakan bagi yang masih mencari tambatan hati dan menjadi single semestinya menjadi pilihan yang membahagiakan bagi memilihnya. Menjadi single bukanlah kutukan. Menurutku menjadi single bukan status yang memalukan. Hello ladies out there it’s your choice whether to marry or not!

Karyawan Baru: Perhatikan Ini!!!

2005-10-07T10:58:00.000+07:00

By Teddy Arifianto
Bila Anda adalah seorang karyawan baru masuk di suatu perusahaan , percayalah bahwa posisi Anda ini bukanlah hal yang mudah. Tampang manis, banyak senyum bukan berarti Anda dapat langsung diterima oleh lingkungan yang baru. Disinilah kemampuan menyesuaikan diri sangat dibutuhkan. Ada serangkaian peraturan tak tertulis yang tidak bisa tidak, harus anda patuhi. Asal tau aja, peraturan tak tertulis terkadang lebih banyak dari peraturan tertulisnya.

Simak beberapa langkah berikut agar sukses sebagai 'orang baru' di kantor manapun:

Perkenalkanlah diri Anda
Sebagai orang baru, Anda wajib memperkenalkan diri pada penghuni lama. Anda bisa minta tolong salah seorang rekan untuk memperkenalkan kepada rekan-rekan lain.Hal ini dilakukan untuk menghindari kita dicap terlalu agresif. Jaga sikap anda baik-baik.Jangan terlalu diam karena bisa dianggap sombong, namun kalau terlalu ramah kita bisa dianggap cari perhatian

Jangan lupa bersikap ramah
Sikap seperti ini mutlak untuk membangun kesan positif pada diri anda sebagai karyawan baru. Jangan sampai anda dicap sombong, jutek, dan kurang gaul, hanya gara-gara anda kurang bisa membawa diri di kantor baru. Perhatikan juga penampilan selama bekerja. Gunakan pakaian yang sopan, nyaman, dan tidak mengundang perhatian.

Jangan bersikap sok akrab
Bila tidak ditanya nggak perlu berbicara terlalu banyak. Karena terlalu banyak bicara juga akan menyebabkan anda terkesan sok akrab.

Gunakan Inisiatif
Jika ada hal-hal yang belum anda mengerti, jangan ragu untuk bertanya. Rekan-rekan kerja anda pasti maklum, sebagai orang baru banyak yang belum anda pahami. Tapi ingat loh, jangan sampai mengesankan anda tidak tahu apa-apa sama sekali. Karena tidak paham tentu beda dengan tidak tahu sama sekali. Dalam hal makan siang, tunggulah sampai rekan kerja anda mengajak makan siang bersama. Jika mereka tidak basa-basi mengajak anda, maka andalah yang harus berinisiatif menanyakan apakah anda boleh bergabung makan siang bersama mereka.

Hati-hati pada rekan yang menyebalkan
Tidak bisa dipungkiri kadang ada juga beberapa rekan kerja yang bersikap sinis, nyinyir dan tidak bersahabat pada orang baru. Kalau memang ada, jangan terpancing emosi. Hadapi rekan yang menyebalkan itu dengan sikap netral sama seperti menghadapi rekan lainnya. Kalau anda bisa menghadapinya dengan baik, bukan tidak mungkin suatu saat kelak ia akan menjadi sahabat anda.

Selesaikan pekerjaan sesuai target
Sebagai orang baru yang masih dipertanyakan kemampuannya, jangan ragu tunjukkan kualitas anda dalam bekerja. Selesaikan tugas-tugas anda dengan baik, tepat waktu dan sesuai target. Dan biarkan rekan-rekan serta atasan menilai anda.

Jika anda pandai membawa dan menempatkan diri anda sebagai orang baru di kantor baru, anda akan mendapatkan tempat tersendiri di hati rekan-rekan dan atasan anda. Selanjutnya anda tinggal mengatur strategi untuk memuluskan lajunya karir anda.

Loving the Job You're In

2005-10-07T10:52:00.000+07:00

by Myrtis Smith
In the days of corporate down sizing, a poor economy and relatively high unemployment, many people with jobs may not be inclined to complain about them. Often your job related complaint will be met with the statement "just be happy you have a job." If you find yourself in a position where you really don't like what you're doing, but its not the right time to move, the best thing you can do for yourself is learn to make the most of your current situation.

So how can you learn to love (or at least like) the job you’re in? By grasping the concept that the present is perfect. You are in your current situation for a reason. If you aren’t ready or able to move beyond it that could be a message that you haven't learned everything you need to learn.

Here are a few ideas to help survive those days when your heart isn’t in it:

1. Remember why you joined your company. There was something about your company that appealed to you when you first joined. Was it the product, the people, the environment? If the reason why you joined is no longer there, what can you do to rekindle it? What is your company's reputation? Many individuals are very proud of the company they work for. The company is prestigious in the community, a leader in its industry, or treats its employees well. Keeping these things in mind will help keep you mentally afloat when times get tough.

2. Appreciate your co-workers. Going to work everyday is about more than just doing a job and getting a paycheck. You also should be building relationships with your co-workers; these are people you spend 1/3 of your day with, learn about their families. Remember the product and the customers. You can take pride in the quality and type of product you produce. This is especially obvious if you make medical equipment but what about cars or clothing or toys. All these things help make people lives better and safer. You play an important role in that.

3. Skills you've learned. If you've been at your job for any length of time, you've learned a few things that you didn't know when you got there. When you open your mind you would be amazed at all the things you can still learn. You can always learn more about the business, customer service, relationships, technology and slew of other things if you keep your eyes open to opportunities.

4. Listen to what your friends are saying. There are a lot worse places to work than where you currently are. People always think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, but they forget it still needs to be mowed (and weeded, and watered). There are some people out there would envy where you work and what you do.

I firmly believe in loving what you do. Life is too short to waste time working at a job you dislike. But if you find yourself in a position where the timing isn't right for you move, whatever the reason, use these ideas to help you appreciate (and even love?) the job you're in.

SIKAP KERJA

2005-09-21T16:47:00.000+07:00

Jongos menjadi Boss

Basuki dulu adalah pelayan sebuah mess perusahaan USA yang besar. Pekerjaannya cuci piring dan ngepel lantai. Ia mengerjakannya dengan sepenuh hati. Karena prestasinya seorang yang dilayaninya tertarik dan ia dipindah ke bagian lain. Sempat menjadi staff saya jadi tukang material; ber-sama saya memikul pipa, elbow, flange, dll. Basuki memiliki sikap kerja yang patut diacungi jempol. Motivasinya tinggi. Sekarang ia sudah Manajer ! Jabatan yang tinggi
bagi mantan tukang cuci WC. Dengan keterbatasan abilitynya, ia mampu membaca spesifikasi2 teknik yang harusnya bacaan tukang ingsinyir. Dengan susah payah ia membaca gambar2 teknik. Ia bisa! Ia tahu spesifikasi American Petroleum Institutes. Ia paham ASTM. Ingat, 20-25 tahun yll, ia tukang cuci piring. Ini bukan kisah fiktif. Ini nyata, jika anda ingin ketemu orangnya ada.

Hadi dulu adalah pembokat atau abdi keluarga saya, ketika saya masih ABG. Tetapi Hadi tidak punya mental batór. Jika tugas sudah selesai, ia belajar membatik. Jika ditugasi belanja bahan2 batik, ia sangat bersemangat. Ia menyimak ilmu perbatikan dengan gairah. Ibu saya sering menegur anak2nya karena kesantunan Jawa kami kalah dibandingkan dengan sopan santun Hadi. Kata ibu saya, Hadi bukan batór tetapi benðoro (ningrat) yang sedang menabdi jadi batór. Ia menyimak sikap swargi ayah saya dan kawan2 ayah saya yang juragan2 batik. Ia menyontek. Sekarang ia bukan lagi batór. Hadi telah menjadi juragan. Ia telah keliling Eropa dan USA untuk mendemonstrasikan keahliannya melukis batik. Ia punya show róm, punya bengkel, karyawan, dan expor. Ia sekarang juragan. Ia punya keahlian melukis dengan batik, sikapnya bagus, dan motivasi untuk menjadi juragan.

Mas Noto adalah óm saya. Ia mengawali karirnya sebagai sopir pribadi direktur pabrik cerutu di suatu kota. Ia tidak membatasi diri hanya sebagai sopir. Ia membantu bossnya yang orang Belanda mengumpulkan tembakau. Ia menyimak sikap bossnya. Ia ikut2an belajar ilmu permbakoan dan ia menguasai ilmu meramu Serutu. Ia tidak berhenti sampai disitu, ia belajar manajemen sedikit demi sedikit dan akirnya diangkat menjadi direksi Perusahaan Cerutu. Diberi rumah dinas besarnya sak hoh hah di daerah elite. Bandingkan dengan sopir saya, sudah 17 tahun ia ikut saya dan tetep saja ia jadi Sopir.

Contoh2 diatas adalah pribadi2 yang mengerjakan pekerjaan2 ora kajèn. Dari tukang cuci piring, batór dan sopir. Mereka tidak pedulikan keadaan itu. Mereka mengerjakan tugas2nya lebih dari yang diminta. Walau mereka mengawali dari tingkat sangat yang sangat rendah, mereka tidak pernah merasa asor (rendah diri). Ke-tiga2nya waktu itu mungkin statusnya adalah setara dengan `batór' tetapi sikapnya bukan sikap jongos. Walau pekerjaannya asor mereka mengerjakannya dengan sepenuh jiwa.

Bahasa Inggris mereka mbur adul tetapi mereka bicara dengan mantap seolah TOEFLnya lebih dari 600. Walau mereka bukan dungu tetapi mereka tidak secerdas anda. Mereka mengembangkan kecakapan lain. Hadi pandai melukis batik. Mas Noto adalah pakar srutu atau permbakoan. Basuki mengembangkan photographic memory. Ia mampu menghafal detil2.

Tiga contoh diatas adalah kisah sukses. Bukan yang gemebyar seperti kisah Bill Gate atau anak desa Kemusu yang jadi Presiden. Tetapi dari tukang pel ke Superintenden perusahaan raksasa dari USA adalah kisah sukses. Dari batór jadi juragan yang tiap bulan menggaji berapa puluh tukang. Dari mantan Sopir yang kini berunding dengan orang2 dari mancanegara yang mau mengipor mbako made in RI.

Mereka memiliki ketiga faktor internal, ability, attitude, dan motivasi. Kita harus punya ke-tiga2nya. Kita harus mengembangkan ability sendiri, di jalanan, bukan dikampus. Ability ini bisa menjadi zimat. Kita harus menyimak dengan saksama, bagaimana harus bersikap. Kita senantiasa mengggengam motivasi tinggi.Dengan prestasi tinggi kita tidak hanya anti PHK tetapi dipuncak kita juga melihat pemandangan yang lebih indah

Sepuluh Tip Sukses Right Here, Right Now

2005-09-15T09:40:00.000+07:00

Sepuluh tahun yang lalu, kalau saya ditanya apakah tip sukses saya, mungkin saya tidak bisa menjawab. Sekarang, sukses bagi saya bukanlah ketika buku saya menjadi best-seller atau ketika menerima pujian untuk artikel ilmiah yang diterbitkan di jurnal terkemuka di Inggris Raya. Sukses bukan pula ketika saya dan suami berhasil juga membeli rumah di San Francisco Bay Area dengan keringat sendiri setelah hampir sepuluh tahun merantau di Negeri Paman Sam.
Sukses bagi saya adalah mindset. Sukses adalah saya; saya adalah sukses. Sukses bukan tujuan, bukan pula perjalanan. Success is about being dan becoming.

Berani dan overconfident kedengarannya? Mungkin, yang jelas ribuan bahkan jutaan manusia "sukses" di dunia alias manusia bermental juara mempunyai mindset seperti ini.

Apakah Anda perlu menjadi juara tenis tingkat Wimbledon atau juara golf profesional di PGA Pebble Beach untuk disebut "sukses"? Apakah Anda perlu mengendarai Corvette dan Lexus SUV hybrid? Jelas tidak. Seorang bermental juara alias bermindset "orang sukses" bisa jadi hanyalah seorang salesman saja.

Ambillah contoh Bill Porter, seorang salesman door-to-door dari Portland, Oregon yang terlahir dengan cerebral palsy. Ia berjalan kaki setidaknya 10 mil perhari selama 40 tahun dengan tertatih-tatih setiap hari tanpa mengeluh. Hebatnya, karena tubuhnya bagian kiri tidak bekerja sebagaimana orang normal, ia sebenarnya sangat sulit untuk berjalan tegak dan berbicara dengan jelas. (Baca www.billporter.com, filem Door to Door dan buku berjudul Ten Things I Learned from Bill Porter oleh Shelly Brady.) Dengan penghasilan pas-pasan dari seorang salesman rumah ke rumah, jelas di mata orang awam ia tidaklah termasuk kategori "sukses secara finansial."

Namun, bagi saya, Bill Porter adalah salah satu orang paling sukses di dunia yang amat sangat saya kagumi. Salah satu cita-cita saya adalah bertemu muka dengan beliau suatu hari.

Nah, lantas apa resep 10 tip sukses concoction ala Jennie?

Satu, bersyukurlah atas hari ini. "Just to be alive is a grand thing," kata Agatha Christie, salah satu novelis detektif terkemuka. Jauhkanlah perasaan depresi dan sedih tanpa juntrungan. Jalani setiap hari dengan hati penuh syukur. Ingatlah akan Bill Porter. Kalau dia bisa jadi seorang salesman berhasil, apapun yang Anda inginkan sebenarnya pasti bisa tercapai.

Dua, belajarlah seakan-akan Anda akan hidup selamanya, hiduplah seakan-akan Anda akan mati besok. Mohandas Gandhi pernah berkata demikian, "Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever." Belajar terus, upgrade diri terus dengan berbagai cara baik yang memerlukan effort maupun effortlessly.

Tiga, setiap ketrampilan pasti ada penggunanya. Ini saya dapat dari salah satu sahabat saya seorang wanita blonda dari San Diego. Sahabat saya Crystal ini pernah membesarkah hati saya, "There are all kinds of writers, there are all kinds of readers." Ketika saya down karena merasa incompetent bertarung dengan penulis-penulis lokal di sini, Crystal mengingatkan bahwa setiap jenis penulis pasti ada pembacanya (niche). Find your niche, so you find your place in the world.

Empat, bukalah jalan sendiri, orisinil. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." Jangan latah mengikuti orang lain, dengar kata hati dan ikutilah jalan yang belum kelihatan.

Lima, belajar mencintai apa yang Anda punyai, bukan berangan-angan akan apa yang Anda tidak miliki. Use whatever you have at hand, impian hanya akan menjadi nyata kalau Anda menggunakan instrumen yang kasat mata saat ini juga.

Enam, lihat apa yang kelihatan dan lihat apa yang belum kelihatan. Gunakan visi dan misi untuk mengenal apa yang Anda tuju. Seringkali, apa yang belum kelihatan adalah blue print untuk sukses Anda. Begitu kelihatan, ia akan menjadi semacam de ja vu.

Tujuh, telan kepahitan hidup dan bersiap-siaplah dalam menyongsong hari baru. Setiap hari adalah hari baru. Bangunlah tiap pagi dengan hati yang curious akan apa yang akan Anda alami hari itu. Be excited, be courageous to start the day.

Delapan, semakin banyak Anda memberi, semakin banyak Anda akan menerima. The more you give, the more you get in return. Dalam marketing, ini mungkin disebut sebagai taktik public relations atau publicity. Namun, dalam kehidupan sehari-hari, ini juga berlaku tanpa diselipi dengan iming-iming tertentu. Saya sendiri sudah membuktikannya. Semakin banyak kita memberi (dalam arti luas, tidak terbatas uang dan materi), semakin besar penghargaan dan berkat yang kita terima.

Sembilan, jadilah mentor diri sendiri. What would Oprah do? Itu yang saya pakai sebagai ukuran. Saya tidak memilih Nabi atau pembesar negara, namun seorang wanita berkulit berwarna yang telah membalikkan nasibnya sendiri menjadi salah satu orang berpengaruh di dunia.

Sepuluh, saya eksis dengan maupun tanpa tubuh saya. Setidak-tidaknya sekali sehari, saya mengingatkan diri sendiri bahwa hidup ini bukanlah untuk selamanya. Maka berbuatlah terbaik pada saat ini juga. Jangan tunggu-tunggu lagi. "Just do it," kata Cher di Farewell Concertnya beberapa tahun yang lampau. I do my best every chance I have. Berbuatlah terbaik di setiap kesempatan, karena itu mungkin yang terakhir.

Ingatlah sukses bukanlah tujuan, bukan pula perjalanan. Sukses adalah mindset. Bukan hanya cogito er go sum (saya berpikir maka saya ada), namun sum ego prosperitas (sukses adalah saya).

Sumber: Sepuluh Tip Sukses Right Here, Right Now by Jennie S. Bev. Jennie S. Bev is a prolific author and co-author of 17 books and over 850 articles published in the United States, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Singapore and Indonesia. She is based in scenic Northern California where she resides with her husband.

KATA-KATA MUTIARA DARI TOKOH DUNIA

2005-09-15T09:33:00.000+07:00

Semua yang dimulai dengan rasa marah, akan berakhir dengan rasa malu. ( Benjamin Franklin )

Orang yang bahagia bukanlah orang pada lingkungan tertentu, melainkan orang dengan sikap-sikap tertentu. ( Hugh Downs )

Sukses seringkali datang pada mereka yang berani bertindak, dan jarang menghampiri penakut yang tidak berani mengambil konsekuensi. ( Jawaharlal Nehru )

Orang yang luar biasa itu sederhana dalam ucapan, tetapi hebat dalam tindakan. ( Confusius )

Kita tidak tahu bagaimana hari esok, yang bisa kita lakukan ialah berbuat sebaik-baiknya dan berbahagia pada hari ini. (Samuel Taylor Coleridge )

Kesalahan terbesar yang bisa dibuat oleh manusia di dalam kehidupannya adalah terus-menerus mempunyai rasa takut bahwa mereka akan membuat kesalahan. ( Elbert Hubbard )

Kebanggaan kita yang terbesar adalah bukan tidak pernah gagal, tetapi bangkit kembali setiap kali kita jatuh. ( Confusius )

Semua orang tidak perlu menjadi malu karena pernah berbuat kesalahan, selama ia menjadi lebih bijaksana daripada sebelumnya. ( Alexander Pope )

Kita berdoa kalau kesusahan dan membutuhkan sesuatu, mestinya kita juga berdoa dalam kegembiraan besar dan saat rezeki melimpah. ( Kahlil Gibran )

Musuh yang paling berbahaya di atas dunia ini adalah penakut dan bimbang. Teman yang paling setia, hanyalah keberanian dan keyakinan yang teguh. ( Andrew Jackson )

Kebanyakan dari kita tidak mensyukuri apa yang sudah kita miliki, tetapi kita selalu menyesali apa yang belum kita capai. ( Schopenhauer )

Tidak ada pelaut ulung yang dilahirkan dari samudera yang tenang, tapi ia akan dilahirkan dari samudera yang penuh terpaan badai, gelombang dan topan. ( D Farhan Aulawi )

KATA-KATA BIJAK DARI CEO KELAS DUNIA

2005-09-15T09:26:00.003+07:00

Takut akan kegagalan seharusnya tidak menjadi alasan untuk tidak mencoba sesuatu. Kepemimpinan adalah Anda sendiri dan apa yang Anda lakukan.

Frederick Smith, Pendiri Federal Express. Kejujuran adalah batu penjuru dari segala kesuksesan, pengakuan adalah motivasi terkuat. Bahkan kritik dapat membangun rasa percaya diri saat "disisipkan" diantara pujian.

May Kay Ash, Pendiri Kosmetik Mary Kay. Jika Anda dapat memimpikannya, Anda dapat melakukannnya. Ingatlah, semua ini diawali dengan seekor tikus, tanpa inspirasi.... kita akan binasa.

Walt Disney, Pendiri Walt Disney Corporation. Uang merupakan hamba yang sangat baik, tetapi tuan yang sangat buruk.

P.T. Barnum, Anggota Pendiri Sirkus Barnum & Bailey. Sumber kekuatan baru bukanlah uang yang berada dalam genggaman tangan beberapa orang, namun informasi di tangan orang banyak.

John Naisbitt, Pemimpin Umum Naisbitt Group. Jenius adalah 1% inspirasi dan 99% keringat. Tidak ada yang dapat menggantikan kerja keras. Keberuntungan adalah sesuatu yang terjadi ketika kesempatan bertemu dengan kesiapan.

Thomas A. Edison, Penemu dan Pediri Edison Electric Light Company. Ketika satu pintu tertutup, pintu lain terbuka, namun terkadang kita melihat dan menyesali pintu tertutup tersebut terlalu lama hingga kita tidak melihat pintu lain yang telah terbuka.

Alexander Graham Bell, Penemu dan Mantan Presiden National Geographic Society. Jangan biarkan jati diri menyatu dengan pekerjaan Anda. Jika pekerjaan Anda lenyap, jati diri Anda tidak akan pernah hilang.

Gordon Van Sauter, Mantan Presiden CBS News. Hari ini Anda adalah orang yang sama dengan Anda di lima tahun mendatang, kecuali dua hal, yaitu, orang-orang di sekeliling Anda dan buku-buku yang Anda baca.

Charles "Tremendeous" Jones, Presiden Life Management Services, Inc. Kebahagiaan biasanya merupakan hasil dari sebuah pengorbanan. Sebelum tidur, bertanyalah, kebaikan apa yang sudah kulakukan hari ini ?

Good Quote for the Day

2005-09-07T12:32:00.000+07:00

I get this good quote from my chat friend Kupit. I love to call her Prit Prit.

"A change is going to come. Some past events of people may pass out, only to be replaced by fresh encounters, experiences and friends. Keep an open mind and stay cool"

35 Pertanyaan yang umum diajukan pewawancara

2005-09-05T09:07:00.000+07:00

From Book : Guide for Job Sear

Berikut ini adalah beberapa pertanyaan yang seringkali ditanyakan oleh pewawancara kepada seseorang pencari kerja / calon karyawan. Untuk mempersiapkan diri menghadapi wawancara, bacalah pertanyaan berikut ini, dan tuliskan jawaban anda pada sehelai kertas.

Apakah tujuan dan sasaran jangka pendek serta jangka panjang anda, mengapa anda mau mencapai tujuan tersebut, dan bagaimana anda mempersiakan diri untuk mencapai hal itu ?
Apakah tujuan khusus anda, selain tujuan yang ada hubungannya dengan pekerjaan ? Sudahkah anda mempersiapkan diri untuk 10 tahun mendatang ?
Bagaimana anda melihat diri anda dalam 5 tahun yang akan datang ?
Apa yang menjadi tujuan jangka panjang anda ?
Apa rencana anda untuk mencapai tujuan tersebut ?
Imbalan apa yang anda inginkan terutama dari usaha/pekerjaan anda ?
Apakah yang anda inginkan tersebut dapat diraih dalam waktu 5 tahun ?
Mana yang lebih penting bagi anda: uang atau imbalan lain dari pekerjaan tersebut ?
Bagaimana anda menggambarkan diri anda sendiri ?
Mengapa saya harus mempekerjakan anda ?
Kualifikasi apa yang anda miliki yang membuat anda beranggapan bahwa anda akan berhasil dalam bekerja ?
Bagaimana anda mengevaluasi keberhasilan anda ?
Menurut anda, apa yang dapat dilakukan perusahaan agar berhasil ?
Dengan cara bagaimana anda dapat memberikan kontribusi kepada perusahaan ?
Kualiatas-kualitas apa yang harus dimiliki oleh manajer agar ia dapat menjadi manajer yang baik ?
Apakah anda mempunyai rencana untuk melanjutkan studi ?
Apakah anda menganggap nilai yang anda peroleh merupakan indikasi yang baik dari prestasi akademik yang anda miliki ?
Pengalaman apa yang telah anda dapatkan dalam berbagai kegiatan extrakurikuler ?
Jenis lingkungan kerja seperti apa yang paling menyenangkan bagi anda ?
Bagaimana kalau anda bekerja dibawah tekanan ?
Jam kerja paro waktu mana yang paling anda sukai ? Mengapa ?
Setelah lulus dari perguruan tinggi, pekerjaan seperti apa yang ideal menurut anda ?
Mengapa anda memutuskan untuk mencari pekerjaan di suatu perusahaan ?
Apa yang anda ketahui mengenai kondisi kehidupan suatu perusahaan ?
Kriteria apa yang anda gunakan untuk menilai perusahaan yang menjadi sasaran anda ?
Apakah anda mempunyai pilihan kota atau negara tertentu untuk anda bekerja / tinggal ? Apa alasan anda ?
Bersediakah anda ditempatkan dikota lain ? Apakah pemindahan itu akan mengganggu anda ?
Apakah anda bersedia menjalani masa pendidikan minimal 6 bulan ?
Mengapa anda berpikir bahwa anda akan menyukai kehidupan masyarakat dilingkungan sekitar perusahaan ?
Apakah permasalahan utama yang pernah anda hadapi dan bagaimana anda menanganinya ?
Apa yang anda pelajari dari kesalahan-kesalahan yang pernah anda lakukan ?
Bidang atau mata kuliah apa yang paling anda sukai ? Mengapa ?
Bidang atau mata kuliah apa yang paling tidak anda sukai ? Mengapa ?
Menurut anda, bagaimana pandangan teman atau guru mengenai diri anda ?
Jelaskan pengalaman anda yang paling menyenangkan selama di perguruan tinggi ?

Fokus Wawancara Penerimaan Pegawai

2005-09-05T09:01:00.000+07:00

Oleh: Curtis E. Loewen
Hasil penelitian membuktikan bahwa wawancara terfokus pada empat area dengan prosentase yang berbeda yaitu:
- Sikap 40%
- Penampilan 25%
- Ketrampilan berkomunikasi 25%
- Persyaratan kerja 10%

Sikap
Secara umum mengacu pada antusias, inisiatif, ketertarikan pada pekerjaan, keinginan untuk belajar dan menerima tanggung jawab, citra diri yang baik/ positif dll. Yang anda tampilkan dalam wawancara.

Penampilan
Adalah kesan yang anda berikan kepada orang lain ketika mereka melihat atau bertemu dengan anda; bagaimana anda tampil apakah anda rapih, bersih, menyisir rambut dengan rapih, mengenakan pakaian dan tingkah laku yang pantas.

Ketrampilan berkomunikasi
Adalah menunjukan bagaimana anda mampu mengekspresikan diri anda dengan menggunakan kalimat dan tata bahasa yang baik dan bagaimana anda mendengarkan orang lain berbicara.

Persyaratan kerja
Secara umum dengan sikap yang baik dan ketrampilan komunikasi yang baik, seseorang dapat dengan cepat mempelajari ketrampilan yang dibutuhkan di pekerjaannya nanti, kecuali pekerjaan yang bersifat teknis.

Inti dari wawancara adalah tanya jawab.
Tiga syarat utama untuk menjawab pertanyaan adalah:

Singkat
Pewawancara adalah petugas yang sangat sibuk. Usahakan untuk memberikan jawaban yang tidak bertele-tele.

Positif
Jangan terus-menerus menyatakan apa yang tidak dapat anda lakukan, konsentrasi pada apa yang dapat anda laksanakan.

Jujur
Jangan berbohong atau memberi penjelasan yang salah sebab pewawancara akan meneliti surat lamaran dan riwayat hidup anda.

Ingat, wawancara adalah saat yang tepat untuk mempromosikan diri anda sendiri.

TIGA HAMBATAN DAN TIGA RESOLUSI

2005-08-22T10:56:00.000+07:00

Diadaptasi dari: Stephen R. Covey

Seringkali kita sadar kita mempunyai kebiasaan buruk, semisal, menunda-nunda pekerjaan, mengkritik orang tanpa berpikir panjang, makan atau tidur berlebihan, dan sebagainya. Kemudian kita ingin memperbaiki keburukan tersebut dengan mencanangkan resolusi perubahan diri. Kita menumbuhkan kemauan dan tekad untuk berubah. Tetapi seringkali tekad saja tidak cukup. Kita harus menggunakan banyak usaha dan tenaga untuk membentuk perilaku baru, karena pada saat yang sama perilaku lama menarik kita tetap pada kebiasaan-kebiasaan lama. Perubahan itu terasa amat sulit pada awalnya. Mungkin kita harus mengorbankan "kebebasan" kita untuk melakukan hal-hal yang kita sukai sampai kebiasaan baru terbentuk dengan kuat dan keinginan kita untuk kembali kekebiasaan lama berkurang. Hal ini sama halnya dengan pesawat yang lepas landas. Terasa sulit di awal, karena masih besarnya pengaruh gravitasi, tetapi ketika sudah mengudara, semuanya menjadi lebih mudah.

TIGA KEKUATAN PENGHAMBAT
Penting sekali kita perhatikan ada tiga kekuatan besar yang membuat kita terpaku pada kebiasaan-kebiasaan lama, yaitu:

1--Hasrat dan nafsu.
Kita semua kadang-kadang mengalah pada hasrat - keinginan dan kebutuhan badaniah (misal, makan, minum, tidur). Banyak orang menjadi budak dan pecandu makanan dan minuman. Perut mengontrol pikiran dan badan. Dan ini penuh dengan resiko. Di saat kita menjadi berlebih-lebihan, kita menjadi kurang peka terhadap kebutuhan orang lain. Kita mudah menjadi marah pada diri sendiri dan menimpakan kemarahan itu pada orang lain, kadang-kadang hanya disebabkan oleh hal-hal sepele. Maka dari itu, apabila kita dikendalikan oleh hasrat dan nafsu, kita pasti mempunyai masalah dalam berhubungan dengan orang lain.

2--Kesombongan dan kepura-puraan.
Kalau kita tidak mampu menerima diri kita sendiri, kita menggunakan cermin sosial untuk memperoleh identitas dan jati diri kita. Dengan demikian, konsep diri berasal dari apa yang dipikirkan oleh orang lain tentang kita. Maka, kita pun mengatur hidup kita menurut harapan orang lain. Semakin kita hidup menurut harapan orang lain, semakin kita tidak bisa menerima diri kita sendiri dan berpura-pura. Padahal harapan selalu beurbah-ubah. Dan sewaktu kita terus bersandiwara menuruti kecongkakan dan kesombongan, kita menipu diri sendiri, dan karena merasa terancam, kita terus berjuang mempertahankan citra palsu itu.

3--Keinginan dan ambisi
Apabila kita dibutakan oleh ambisi, kita minta dipahami terlebih dahulu dan berusaha mendapatkan kemuliaan, jabatan, kekuasaan, dan kenaikan pangkat, bukannya memandang waktu, bakat dan harta milik sebagai karunia yang harus kita pertanggung jawabkan. Orang-orang yang berambisi itu sangat posesif. Mereka menaksir segala sesuatu berdasarkan pada manfaat bagi dirinya. Setiap orang menjadi pesaing. Hubungan mereka - bahkan yang intim dan dekat - cenderung bersifat persaingan. Mereka memakai berbagai cara manipulatif untuk mencapai tujuan mereka.

TIGA RESOLUSI UNIVERSAL

Setelah mengetahui kekuatan-kekuatan yang menghambat kemajuan diri, maka selanjutnya kita harus berlatih untuk mengatasi hamabat-hambatan tersebut. Mau tidak mau kita harus menjalani peperangan pribadi dan memenangkan diri sendiri. Dan, kita semua memiliki kesempatan untuk memenangkan peperangan publik kita di dalam pikiran kita sebelum perang itu benar-benar menjadi kenyataan. Atasi itu dalam pikiran terlebih dahulu. Kita bisa mengatasi ambisi, egoisme, kecenderungan negatif, ketidaksabaran, kemarahan, kebiasaan menunda-nunda dan rasa tidak bertanggung jawab. Lawanlah hal-hal ini dan menangkan peperangan dengan gagah sebelum kita melakukannya dalam kenyataan. Kita bisa mengatasi kekuatan-kekuatan penghambat tersebut di atas dengan membuat dan memenuhi tiga resolusi universal berikut.

1--Resolusi pertama
Untuk mengatasi kekuatan penghambat berupa selera dan nafsu, saya memutuskan untuk menjalankan disiplin diri dan penyangkalan diri. Ketika kita terlalu mengumbar selera dan nafsu badani, kita merusak proses mental dan penilaian kita dan juga hubungan sosial kita. Tubuh merupakan ekosistem dan apabila sisi ekonomis atau fisik kita tidak berimbang, semua sistem lain akan terpengaruh. Itulah alasan mengapa kebiasaan untuk memperbaharui diri (ingat kebiasaan ke tujuh: mengasah gergaji) demikian mendasar. Prinsip-prinsip penguasaan diri, konsistensi, dan disiplin diri menjadi dasar seluruh kehidupan seseorang. Mengumbar nafsu merugikan perhitungan dan kearifan kita.

Saya sadar bahwa banyak orang yang tidak mengendalikan diri namun tetap menunjukkan kebesaran dan kejeniusannya. Tetapi, dengan berjalannya waktu sikap tersebut akan mengalahkan orang itu. Lihatlah, banyak orang terkenal dan kaya telah kehilangan kekayaan dan keyakinan, keberhasilan dan keefektifan dirinya karena tidak bisa mengendalikan diri. Contoh lain, tentang kesehatan. Memelihara kesehatan membutuhkan lebih dari sekedar sikap
bijak. Semakin tua kita semakin berada di persimbangan arus antara kebutuhan akan disiplin serta pengekangan diri dan keinginan untuk bebas bersantai melepaskan kendali. Kita mungkin merasa telah melakukan segala kewajiban dan berhak untuk bebas. Namun, bila kita menjadi permisif dan menuruti diri kita sendiri, kualitas kehidupan dan kerja propfesional kita akan terkena akibat buruknya.

2--Resolusi kedua
Untuk mengatasi kekuatan penghambat berupa kesombongan dan kepalsuan, saya memutuskan untuk memperbaiki karakter dan kecakapan. Apabila kita menuruti selera dan nafsu, kita dapat dengan mudah tergoda oleh kesombongan dan kepalsuan. Kita kemudian mulai berpura-pura, bersandiwara dan menguasai teknik-teknik manipulasi. Apabila definisi konsep diri kita merupakan hasil dari anggapan orang lain pada kita - dari cermin sosial - kita akan menjalankan hidup ini dengan keingan dan harapan mereka. Semakin kita menjalani hidup untuk memenuhi harapan orang lain, semakin kita lemah, dangkal dan tak aman.

Seorang eksekutif muda, misalnya, ingin menyenangkan atasannya, rekan kerja dan bawahannya, namun dia mendapatkan bahwa kelompok-kelompok orang ini menuntut hal-hal berbeda-beda darinya. Maka dia mulai bersandiwara dan berpura-pura agar dapat diterima bergaul atau terhindar, untuk menyenangkan atau menenangkan. Dalam jangka panjang dia mendapatkan bahwa dalam usahanya menjadi "segalanya bagi orang lain", pada akhirnya dia menjadi bukan apa-apa bagi setiap orang. Akhirnya diketahuilah apa dan siapa dirinya. Dia
kehilangan harga diri dan tidak dihargai oleh orang lain.

Memang kita harus menaruh perhatian pada pendapat dan persepsi orang lain sehingga kita dapat lebih efektif dengan mereka, akan tetapi kita harus menganggap pendapat mereka bukanlah suatu kenyataan yang harus kita tindaki atau tanggapi.

Apabila kita amati kemarahan, kebencian, kecemburuan, keirihatian, kesombongan, dan prasangka atau emosi dan nafsu negatif lain, maka hal itu seringkali disebabkan karena kita ingin diterima dan dihargai oleh orang lain. Karena itu, anda harus hidup selaras dengan nilai-nilai dan prinsip-prinsip utama anda. Anda dapat berterus terang, jujur dan bertindak langsung. Dan tidak ada yang lebih mengganggu bagi orang-orang yang licik dan bermuka dua daripada kejujuran yang tak ditutup-tutupi.

3--Resolusi ketiga
Untuk mengatasi kekuatan penghambat berupa keinginan dan ambisi yang tidak dapat dikekang, saya memutuskan untuk membaktikan bakat-bakat dan ketrampilan-ketrampilan saya bagi tujuan-tujuan mulia dan untuk melayani sesama. Jika orang berusaha menjadi nomor satu dan mencari keuntungan sendiri, mereka tidak akan menghayati makna pelayanan. Mereka mungkin berbicara mengenai pelayanan, tetapi mereka akan selalu berusaha untuk menonjolkan kepentingan mereka sendiri. Mereka mungkin berdedikasi dan bekerja keras,
tetapi tidak berfokus pada pelayanan. Mereka hanya berfokus pada kekuasaan, kekayaan, ketenaran, posisi, dominasi dan harta benda.

Orang yang beretika memandang setiap transaksi ekonomi sebagai sesuatu ujian terhadap pelayanan moralnya, Itulah sebabnya, kerendahan hati merupakan induk dari semua kebajikan. Sebab kerendahan hati mendorong pelayanan. Sebelum orang memiliki semangat pelayanan, mereka mungkin akan berkata bahwa mereka menyukai apa yang mereka lakukan, namun mereka membenci kewajiban-kewajiban yang berkaitan dengan hal itu. Ini adalah sikap mendua, yaitu memiliki motif yang saling bertentangan yang membawa kita pada peperangan dengan diri kita sendiri. Yang lebih buruk, seringkali peperangan kita berakibat menjadi peperangan dengan orang lain. Maka, lawanlah sikap mendua ini dengan integritas diri. Dan, integritas dapat kita peroleh dengan membaktikan diri kita kepada pelayanan tulus bagi orang lain.

CEO's Tips: AMBILLAH JATAH CUTI ANDA

2005-08-11T12:33:00.000+07:00

Kebodohan seorang manajer menyebabkan mereka tak bisa memperoleh cuti. Karenanya, anda harus bisa menyusun tugas, pekerjaan dan tanggung jawab agar anda terhindar dari macetnya fungsi bagian anda ketika anda tak berada di tempat. Sebab, adakalanya anda harus melakukan perjalanan keliling untuk menemui para mitra bisnis. Bagi para peniti karier, ada beberapa alasan untuk mengambil cuti. Misal, melakukan perjalanan yang memberi peluang untuk bertemu dengan orang yang berpotensi membantu karier anda kelak. Atau, mengamati gaya hidup, trend baru, cara-cara lain dalam menjalankan bisnis, datau meningkatkan pengetahuan anda.

Cuti juga dapat anda gunakan untuk menulis sebuah buku atau melatih ketrampilan anda, misal, fotografi. Singkatnya, cuti adalah waktu paling tepat untuk memikirkan dan membuat rencana. Anda juga bisa sekedar mengambil liburan untuk menjaga kesegaran otak anda saat kembali menghadapi pekerjaan dan menyelesaikan tugas-tugas yang berlimpah. Jangan pernah melakukan perjalanan liburan tanpa rencana. Buatlah rencana itu jauh-jauh hari. Pilihlah tempat tujuan untuk menghabiskan liburan setahun sebelumnya, Kemudian, anda harus segera memberitahukan jadwal keberangkatan anda pada atasan. Jangan pernah membatalkan rencana cuti. Jangan pula memberikan nomor telepon tempat anda berada pada kantor. Saat mengambil cuti, perluas pengalaman anda dan pergilah ke tempat yang berbeda-beda. Tapi jangan pernah anda tak mengambil jatah cuti anda.

7 SIFAT YANG TAK DISUKAI ATASAN

2005-08-11T12:25:00.000+07:00

Salah satu kunci sukses dalam bekerja adalah kemampuan bekerja sama dengan "Bos" atau atasan. Untuk itu anda harus menjaga jangan sampai atasan tidak menyukai anda. Nah, sehubungan dengan itu, ada tujuh sifat yang tak disukai setiap atasan (siapapun dan kapanpun). Ketujuh sifat tersebut yang perlu kita buang jauh-jauh adalah:

1--Pembohong
Siapa suka bekerja dengan orang yang tak jujur? Tentu tak ada. Siapapun sukar bekerja dengan orang yang akan mengatakan A padahal kenyataannya B. Apalagi seorang atasan yang menggantungkan informasi pada bawahannya. Ia pasti tak suka bila ada yang mengatakan laporan sudah dikirim, padahal belum. Mungkin anda takut atasan akan marah sehingga terpaksa berbohong. Tetapi, jangan lupa, begitu dia tahu anda berbohong, dia akan lebih kecewa dan jengkel. Apalagi kalau ketidakjujuran itu menyangkut uang atau harta perusahaan. Bukan tidak mungkin anda akan diberhentikan.

2--Melempar Tanggung Jawab
"Bukan saya, tetapi mereka yang ...," inilah kalimat yang acapkali diucapkan oleh pelembar tanggung jawab. Sudah jelas-jelas bahwa kekeliruan pengiriman barang adalah kesalahannya dalam menulis pesanan, tetapi dia katakan pemasoklah yang salah mengirim. Sifat seperti ini tak akan disukai atasan. Umumnya atasan masih bisa menerima terjadinya kesalahan yang tak disengaja tetapi akan jengkel bila si pembuat kesalahan ternyata tak mau bertanggung jawab.

3--Pembelot
Sifat inipun sangat menjengkelkan setiap atasan. Atasan mana yang tak kesal jika perintahnya dianggap angin lalu. Contohnya, sudah diatur bahwa laporan mingguan harus diserahkan setiap akhir minggu, tetapi Tito tak pernah mau membuatnya. Kalau ditagih malah mengatakan sistem laporan itu tak ada gunanya dan kemudian mengajak berargumentasi. Atasan pun membenci bawahan yang suka menerobos dan mengabaikan prosedur. Anton, misalnya, seorang salesman, dengan gampangnya menjanjikan potongan harga yang lebih besar daripada potongan yang ditetapkan. Akibatnya? Atasan jadi repot menghadapi tuntutan pelanggan. Bagi Anton, yang penting targetnya tercapai, dagangannya laku, dan soal prosedur adalah omong kosong. Sifat membelot dan main sodok ini bukan sifat yang tidak baik dari seorang bawahan.

4--Tak Disiplin
Setiap perusahaan punya aturan, dan salah satu tugas atasan adalah menjaga agar aturan berjalan lancar. Tentu dia akan jengkel apabila anda sering terlambat masuk kantor, ngobrol tak berketentuan selama jam kerja, sering absen tanpa alasan, dan sebagainya dan ketidakdisiplinan ini bukan saja menjengkelkan, tetapi juga seperti penyakit yang mudah menular pada karyawan lain.

5--Selalu Mengeluh
Asti sebenarnya rajin dan baik hati, sayangnya dia punya segudang keluhan. Ada saja yang dikeluhkan. entah itu AC yang kurang dingin, deadline yang mepet, tugas terlalu bertumpuk, teman kerja cerewet, kursi terlalu keras, dan sebagainya. Celakanya semua keluhan ini dia tumpahkan pula pada atasannya di setiap kesempatan. Tentu saja atasan jadi kesal. Atasan khan bukan psikolog atau penampung keluhan. Mungkin Asti hanya cari perhatian, tetapi yang pasti sifat suka mengeluh ini tak akan pernah disukai atasan.

6--Loyo
Tak ada atasan yang suka pada bawahan yang tampak loyo dan tak bersemangat. Keloyoan ini bisa tercermin dari muka murung, tampang mengantuk, atau pakaian acak-acakan. Bisa juga terlihat kalau sedang mengerjakan tugas dengan malas-malasan, atau setengah hati, lamban, dan akhirnya mengganggu kelancaran pekerjaan. Bukan itu saja, yang membuat atasan tak suka hal demikian, karena keloyoan akan mudah menciptakan suasana kerja yang tak bergairan pada orang lain.

7--Tak Punya Dedikasi
Dedikasi artinya pengabdian. Seorang bawahan yang berdedikasi tak hanya menyelesaikan tugasnya dengan baik. Kalau perlu ia pun mau bekerja di luar jam kerja tanpa terlalu mempersoalkan imbalan. Bahkan tak segan untuk membantu pekerjaan orang lain bila diminta. Yang penting baginya semua pekerjaan lancar dan perusahaan pun maju. Sebaliknya ada bawahan yang selalu berhitung untung rugi. Dia hanya mau mengerjakan tugasnya sendiri
dengan seadanya saja tanpa mau mengejar prestasi. Pulang selalu tepat waktu, bahkan jam kerja belum lagi usai dia sudah berkemas-kemas. Bila diberi tugas di luar jam kerja mungkin masih mau menerima tetapi dengan muka masam atau langsung menolak. Sifat semacam ini sungguh menggemaskan atasan.

Positive Quote for The Day

2005-08-10T08:33:00.000+07:00

Enjoy your current life but forget not the future goal.

PERUBAHAN PARADIGMA DALAM PENGEMBANGAN KARIER

2005-07-29T13:00:00.000+07:00

Karier merupakan sesuatu yang amat penting dalam kehidupan pribadi maupun sosial seseorang. Dalam konsultasi karier di Kompas banyak pertanyaan berkisar pada pengembangan karier, baik dari kalangan non manajer maupun manajer. Misalnya: Saya sekarang sudah bekerja di suatu jabatan selama 5 tahun. Kapan waktu yang tepat untuk pindah jabatan atau naik jabatan? Bagaimana meningkatkan karier dalam situasi bisnis yang tidak menentu? "Organisasi tempat saya bekerja tidak memungkinkan saya untuk naik pangkat, apakah yang harus saya lakukan dalam pengembangan karier saya? Tulisan ini membahas mengenai perubahan yang terjadi dalam pola karier seseorang dan bagaimana strategi kita agar pengembangan karier kita dapat terjamin.

Pengembangan karier tradisional
Dalam pandangan tradisional, pengembangan karier merupakan tanggung jawab suatu organisasi yang menyiapkan karyawan dengan kualifikasi dan pengalaman tertentu, agar pada waktu dibutuhkan organisasi sudah memiliki karyawan dengan kualifikasi tertentu. Sifatnya paternalistik, dari atas kebawah dan tersentralisasi. Jadi yang dilakukan karyawan adalah bekerja sebaik mungkin, mengikuti semua pelatihan yang diberikan, menunggu kesempatan kenaikan jabatan dan biasanya menurut saja menduduki jabatan yang ditawarkan oleh perusahaan. Pengembangan karier tradisional pada umumnya berupa kenaikan karier secara vertikal dari satu jenjang pekerjaan tertentu ke jenjang berikutnya. Jadi seseorang diharapkan mendalami suatu bidang pekerjaan tertentu kemudian menduduki jabatan manajerial. Pengembangan karier yang sifatnya vertikal dimungkinkan karena bentuk organisasi yang sifatnya hirarkis/birokratis. Pengembangan karier tradisional kurang memberikan kesempatan kepada seseorang yang memiliki kompetensi teknikal yang tinggi namun tidak memiliki kemampuan manajerial karena tidak tersedia jalur spesialis. Namun beberapa perusahaan besar yang mempunyai sistem pelatihan dan pengembangan yang terintegrasi memberikan kesempatan kepada para karyawannya untuk pindah jalur profesi atau memberikan kesempatan kepada karyawannya menjadi generalis.

Tantangan Lingkungan Bisnis
Tantangan eksternal seperti globalisasi, persaingan, kemajuan teknologi, tuntutan pelanggan, mendorong suatu organisasi untuk berubah. Situasi ekonomi serta persaingan yang tajam mendorong organisasi melakukan restrukturisasi, perampingan organisasi, desentralisasi, merger, pemanfaatan IT dsb. Struktur organisasi yang bersifat hirarkis dianggap terlalu lamban untuk memberikan nilai tambah kepada pelanggan. Organisasi dalam situasi yang sangat dinamis harus mampu bergerak secara cepat dan luwes. Struktur organisasi yang lebih datar/ horisontal dianggap lebih tepat untuk keadaan sekarang karena jarak antara konsumen dengan pengambil keputusan lebih dekat. Bahkan struktur organisasi yang bersifat network dimana suatu organisasi hanya memiliki pusat yang kecil dan fungsi fungsi organisasi dilaksanakan secara outsourcing., dianggap sebagai struktur yang cocok untuk situasi ini. Tantangan lingkungan bisnis ini membuat rasa aman karyawan menjadi hilang. Tempat seseorang dalam suatu organisasi tiba-tiba bisa hilang. Hal ini dapat menimbulkan masalah besar dalam kehidupan seseorang. Seseorang tidak dapat lagi menggantungkan hidupnya pada organisasi. Tanggung jawab pengembangan karier seseorang didorong menjadi tanggung jawab individu. Seseorang harus mencari nilai tambah bagi dirinya sendiri sehingga lebih luwes dalam mencari pekerjaan termasuk menciptakan pekerjaan bagi dirinya sendiri (entrepreneurship). Job security yang hilang harus digantikan menjadi career security.

Paradigma Baru Pengembangan Karier
Sejalan dengan perubahan struktur organisasi maka pengembangan karier yang bersifat tradisional dianggap tidak cukup luwes untuk memunuhi kebutuhan organisasi dan karyawan pada saat ini. Tantangan dunia bisnis menuntut pola kerja yang sifatnya lintas fungsi dan tim kerja. Seseorang yang bekerja di bidang pemasaran harus memiliki pengetahuan keuangan, sumber daya manusia, produksi atau operasi. Seseorang dapat pula mengembangkan karier ke bidang spesialis dan profesional tanpa harus melalui bidang manajerial. Pada beberapa perusahaan imbalan yang diterima oleh seorang profesional dapat melebihi imbalan dari seorang manajer. Pilihan penting lain adalah menciptakan lapangan kerja untuk anda sendiri dan orang lain. Nah orang-orang yang berani mangambil risiko, peka terhadap tantangan bisnis dapat memilih alternatif ini. Jadi arah pengembangan karier pada saat ini lebih variatif, bisa vertikal, horisontal, dapat juga horisontal dulu kemudian vertikal. Agar anda memiliki career security lebih aktiflah meningkatkan ketrampilan dan kompetensi, sehingga anda benar-benar menjadi sangat ahli atau memiliki keahlian yang bersifat multiskill.

Kiat-Kiat Memperoleh Career Security :

Tetapkan sasaran karier anda, teknikal, manajerial, profesional, fungsional atau menjadi wirausaha.

Carilah seorang mentor yang mengetahui kekuatan dan kelemahan anda.

Jangan membatasi karier anda hanya dalam satu bidang saja, karena akan mengurangi fleksibilitas ruang gerak anda.

Berpartisipasi dalam setiap kesempatan pelatihan dan pengembangan di organisasi anda, meskipun anda tidak yakin manfaatnya untuk saat ini.

Pendidikan S2 antara lain di bidang bisnis dapat memberikan lebih banyak pilihan dalam meningkatkan karier, termasuk pilihan menjadi entrepreneur.

Berkontribusilah jika anda dipilih menjadi anggota suatu proyek kerja, karena akan memperluas kompetensi lintas fungsi dan meningkatkan kerja kelompok.

Tingkatkan jejaring kerja anda baik didalam maupun diluar organisasi tempat anda bekerja.
Tingkatkan ketrampilan hubungan antar manusia anda seperti komunikasi, kepemimpinan, motivasi, negosiasi dsb.

Perbarui ketrampilan teknikal anda termasuk pengetahuan dalam bidang IT .

Jangan mudah berpuas diri, selalu mencoba cara kerja yang lebih baik.

Berpegang teguh pada etika yang berjalan seiring dengan sukses karier anda.

Nah siapkah anda untuk meningkatkan karier sesuai dengan perubahan paradigma baru organisasi?

KETERAMPILAN PALING DICARI PERUSAHAAN

2005-07-29T12:54:00.000+07:00

Apakah anda punya salah satunya ..?

Seperti tiap orang yang ingin karirnya maju, masa depan karir anda jugaditentukan keterampilan yang anda miliki dan dapat anda 'jual' padaperusahaan. Dan para pencari kerja dengan keterampilan yang diinginkanperusahaan pencari kerja itulah, yang akan lebih cepat mendapatkan pekerjaan.

Sebenarnya, anda dapat meningkatkan keterampilan yang anda miliki lho, tentu saja tergantung dengan minat, kemampuan, bakat, kecukupan dana dan kesesuaian target karir. Tetapi, mengingat ketidakpastian ekonomi seperti sekarang ataupun saat mendatang, maka lebih baik anda mengutamakan untuk memiliki keterampilan yang berguna untuk peningkatan karir anda dalam waktu dekat. Berikut ini 8 keterampilan yang paling dicari saat ini, menurut penelitian Departemen Tenaga Kerja Amerika Serikat.

1. Keterampilan bahasa asingPada jaman modern seperti ini, penguasaan bahasa asing sudah menjadi syarat mutlak di semua perusahaan ketika mereka membuka lowongan pekerjaan. Karena itu, mereka yang menguasai bahasa asing seperti Inggris, Jepang, China, Jerman dan Perancis, acapkali lebih disukai dan diprioritaskan dalam ujian saringan masuk di sebuah perusahaan. Bidang kerja spesifik yang masuk kategori ini misalnya penterjemah, diplomat dll.

2. Keterampilan teknis tentang mesin. Saat ini, teknologi adalah mutlak diperlukan di semua bidang usaha. Bagian instalasi yang memperbaiki sebagian besar jaringan listrik suatu gedung, peralatan elektronik dan sebagainya. Insinyur, bagian telekomunikasi, ahli otomotif, ahli transportasi adalah sebagian diantara bidang kerja yang masuk dalam kategori ini.

3. Keterampilan dalam mengelola sumber daya manusia. Umumnya, perusahaan yang mempunyai pegawai lebih dari satu orang, tentu mempunyai masalah yang berhubungan erat dengan bagaimana melakukan interaksi timbal balik di perusahaan itu. Sehingga sudah pasti, sukses sebuah perusahaan sangat bergantung pada bagaimana para pegawai di semua lini perusahaan itu dapat saling bekerja sama. Mereka yang bergerak di bidang kerja ini umumnya memang memahami dan menangani segala kebutuhan para pekerja di suatu perusahaan.

4. Keterampilan di bidang pemrograman komputer. Perusahaan masa kini telah sangat bergantung pada sistem komputerisasi yang canggih. Itulah sebabnya, mereka membutuhkan orang-orang yang mengerti secara detil seluk beluk program komputer. Jika anda mempunyai keterampilan berupa penguasaan seluk beluk tentang HTML, Visual Basic, Unix atau SQL Server, anda akan menjadi salahsatu aset besar perusahaan dan berpeluang meningkatkan karir anda.

5. Keterampilan mengajar. Sebagai bagian dari komunitas modern yang selalu berkembang setiap waktu, perusahaan masa kini kerap menginginkan anak buahnya mempuanyai pengetahuan yang multidimensi, bahkan yang bukan bidang kerjanya. Sebab itu, kini banyak perusahaan menggaji pengajar khusus untuk meberikan kursus tambahan bagi karyawannya, misalnya perpajakan, bisnis manajemen, pelayanan sosial atau manajemen administrasi. Mereka yang memiliki pengetahuan multi disipliner semacam ini biasanya kerap 'dikejar' banyak perusahaan untuk memberikan 'short course' bagi pegawai mereka.

6. Keterampilan manajemen keuangan. Seperti juga dalam keluarga, perusahaan juga membutuhkan perencanaan keuangan yang sistematis untuk kelangsungan hidup jangka panjangnya. Banyak perusahaan seringkali mendatangkan penasihat bisnis, investasi dan perencanaan keuangan yang ideal bagi masa depan mereka. Oleh karena itulah, anda yang mempunyai kemampuan di bidang akuntansi, perencana keuangan atau bisnis dan investasi, akan selalu menjadi incaran perusahaan-perusahaan.

7. Keterampilan ilmu kimia dan matematika. Banyak sekali kemajuan besar di dunia ini tercipta dari beragam penemuan di bidang kimia dan obat-obatan. Oleh karena itu, kebutuhan pasar kerja terhadap sumber daya manusia di bidang kimia, fisika, biologi ini akan selalu tinggi dan tidak akan pernah surut. Bidang kerja yang termasuk di dalamnya misalnya apoteker, ahli pangan dan obat-obatan, peneliti, dll.

8. Keterampilan memecahkan masalah. Berbagai tugas yang kita hadapi setiap harinya, baik secara personal dan juga dari segi bisnis merupakan hal yang kompleks yang kerap terjadi. Mereka yang mampu mengidentifikasi berbagai masalah, mencari solusi, membuat keputusan-keputusan yang efektif adalah nilai tambah yang paling dicari perusahaan. Yang masuk dalam kategori ini misalnya bidang kerja bisnis administrasi, konsultan manajemen, administrasi negara, ilmu pengetahuan, obat-obatan atau insinyur.

Jenis Pekerja

2005-07-25T12:57:00.001+07:00

Jika seseorang BELUM selesai mengerjakan tugasnya, kemudian dia cari koran, atau chatting atau browsing, ngobrol sana sini. Sepuluh tahun kemudian pasti orang tipe ini akan menjadi PENGANGGURAN.

Jika seseorang SELESAI mengerjakan tugasnya, kemudian dia cari koran, atau chatting atau browsing, ngobrol sana sini. Sepuluh tahun kemudian pasti orang tipe ini akan menjadi TETAP PEGAWAI BIASA.

Jika seseorang jika SELESAI mengerjakan tugasnya, kemudian dia MULAI memikirkan, bagaimana yang terbaik untuk divisinya, lalu dia menulis ide itu, kemudian mengajukan ke atasannya dan berusaha mewujudkannya agar divisinya bertambah baik. Sepuluh tahun kemudian pasti orang tipe ini akan menjadi KEPALA DIVISI.

Jika seseorang jika SELESAI mengerjakan tugasnya, kemudian dia MULAI memikirkan, bagaimana yang terbaik untuk divisinya, lalu dia menulis ide itu, kemudian mengajukan ke atasannya dan berusaha mewujudkannya agar divisinya bertambah baik. TIDAK HANYA SAMPAI SITU, dia juga mulai memikirkan kantornya, semua divisi, belajar dari perusahaan lain, melihat situasi dan kondisi, lalu dia ajukan lagi rencana yang brilyan ke atasannya. Tidak semata konsep tapi sampai ke eksekusinya. Sepuluh tahun kemudian pasti orang tipe ini akan menjadi DIREKTUR PERUSAHAAN.

Tipe apakah Anda?

One Step that Makes a Difference

2005-07-21T16:47:00.000+07:00

One song can spark a moment.
One flower can wake the dream.
One tree can start a forest.
One bird can herald spring.
One smile begins a friendship.
One handclasp lifts a soul.
One star can guide a ship at sea.
One word can frame the goal.
One vote can change a nation.
One sunbeam lights a room.
One candle wipes out darkness.
One laugh will conquer gloom.
One step must start each journey.
One word must start each prayer.
One hope will raise our spirits.
One touch can show you care.
One voice can speak with wisdom.
One heart can know what's true.
One life can make the difference.

You see, it's up to you to begin a change for success

Stench On Living Room

2005-07-21T08:58:00.000+07:00

Arriving at home after back from office yesterday mom told me to clean up my cat urinal stain in living room. She added that she felt dizzy when she was in that room. We walked in to our house gate to our home. I put my working bag and I put off my jacket on computer seat on my bedroom. I had dinner with my parents. Afterwards I cleaned up the table then I stored the rest of the dinner to dining room oven. After that I washed the dishes. I didn't straightly do the living room. I was up to something.

I watched The Legend of The Condor Heroes on TV7. I watched it one full hour in my bedroom. During its commercial break I took an air refresher dispencer from the top of my studying table. I winded its lock and I took a canister spray from inside it.

I Sneaked out from my room to the living room. Meanwhile dad and mom were in the garage. Dad demonstrated a series of instructions for mom about operating her new Honda Jazz which just arrived that day. I sprayed a flower patterned long sofa in the room with a can that I held. I sprayed its seat quickly and straightly to its stench. I sprayed its stenchy pillow and the space around my standing feet where I could smell the stinky urinal odor.

I looked at my back several times. I was affraid mom or dad busted me in action. Mom would be damn pissed knowing the four legged uncivilzed one marking her living room couch. I set awaring alarm inside me to prevent her knowing. She only smelled stenchy odor from living room but she didn't know that it came from her couch.

Psss.........t!

I knew my pet pissing the sofa since 2-3 days ago. I knew that stain when it was wet mark. But I didn't do anything. At that time I thought air circulation would wipe its odor away. However detaching it from sofa needed more than air circulation.

Comfort Leads to Lazyness

2005-07-20T10:36:00.000+07:00

I grow in small family member. There are only 3 persons in my house which are dad, mom, and I. Growing as the only kid makes me a single object of affection from my parents. They give what I want if they are able to fulfill my wish. They support my expenses until I am able to earn my own money. Since this month mom is educating me to afford my own expenses so that I can be more independent.

Deep in my heart I feel satisfied with my current life. I have a home as my shelter. I have my own small sized private room with air conditioner mechine. I have my cozy spring bed and a warm thick blanket to cover my body at night from cold air conditioner breeze while sleeping. I have dinner to eat every night. I have two cats. I have no worry about monthly bills such as electricity, house tax, water, and so on. My parents pay those every month. My parents are strong and healthy to afford my life some years to come.

I am prouding myself up to the sky when mom or dad picking me from the office with car. My head is up the sky if I can show my parents cars to my friends. My parents are in their wealthy condition. They are able to afford 2 cars credit bill. Toyota Inova and Honda Jazz VTEC. I look down and I see that my office friends don't have my luxury. I feel comfort. I love my life.

Last night dad said,
"When will you raise your spirit?"
"I didn't satisfied with my current life when I was at your age."
"I kept finding a way to raise our standard of living that's why I can achive all we have now." "Have you study the books that I give you?."
"Yes, still one book", I said.
"Make a time target so that you can finish all of them in short time."
I didn't say a word. I looked at the ceiling above my head.

Dad continued his sentences
"You never grow young. your age is alwys crawling up. Who will afford your life when dad and mom pass away if you do not step out from your comfort life."
"If you satisfy with your current salary, you will not be able to change your life."
"You will walk on spot forever.".
"Look at your mom! She has high learning spirit in her late age."
"She does every word that she says. You should inherit that spirit."

I spoke no words and he continued.
"Raise up your spirit!"
"Change your life!"
"You are still young. There are a lot of challenge in front of you. Face it!"
"If I were young, I would take the star but I am not young anymore. I'ts your turn to take that star."

I walked out from his bedroom and walking to my own. I kept thinking of his advice. I have to start study those book this night. It's a must!

Next time I want to apply a job which dad recommends me to. I want to change my life. I have to step out from this comfortness. I have step out from this demonic circle which leads me to lazyness. I have to achieve my 3 dreams.

Little Miki stole Toasted Fish from Dinning Table

2005-07-02T02:13:00.000+07:00

I went home with my mom this day, 28th June, since I asked mom to drive to my office. Mom took me home to prepare dinner and she went to a doctor to get prescription to remove her itch that she suffered for few days.

I did what she told me then I fed my cats. after feeding the cats I got shower and while I was in the bathroom, dad came home. He didn't straightly get shower like he does after getting home. I went to his room to brush my wet hair and I found that he was sitting in his bedroom reading several papers. Then I took a newspaper from our living room to my parent's bedroom. I sat on their bed then starting to open the newspaper. I read some lines when dad went out from the room.

Few seconds later I heard a ramming sound from our dining room, I know something is occur, and I heard that dad yelled calling my name. I saw that the diner veil was open and the toasted fish for dinner has been eaten half. Two big chunks of fish are dropped on the floor. I know who did this. It was little Miki. He is my little male white cat and he is very naughty for he loves to steal dishes from dining table. Feeding him isn't a guarantee that he won't steal dishes.

I cleaned those chunks and I give the other half to my dog and my other cat, he is the older brother of little Miki, when dad dines out. He didn't want to eat the dinner on the table although some are untouched by little Miki. After cleaning I clinched the table then taking the rest of our dinner to a frige. I saw little Miki went in to the house, He ran out from the house after stealing, then I grabbed his legged and I spanked him. He cried for mercy but I kept spanking. I spanked him alot.

After that I took him out then I closed the garage door and I let him on the yard.

The Power of Thankful Heart

2005-06-25T04:30:00.000+07:00

AKU TAK SELALU MENDAPATKAN APA YANG KUSUKAI, OLEH KARENA ITU AKU SELALUMENYUKAI APAPUN YANG AKU DAPATKAN.

Kata-Kata Diatas merupakan wujud syukur. Syukur merupakan kualitas hati yang terpenting. Dengan bersyukur kita akan senantiasa diliputi rasa damai,tentram dan bahagia. Sebaliknya, perasaan tak bersyukur akan senantiasa membebani kita. Kita akan selalu merasa kurang dan tak bahagia.

Ada dua hal yang sering membuat kita tak bersyukur. Pertama : Kita sering memfokuskan diri pada apa yang kita inginkan, bukan pada apa yang kita miliki. Katakanlah anda telah memiliki sebuah rumah, kendaraan, pekerjaan tetap, dan pasangan yang terbaik. Tapi anda masih merasa kurang. Pikiran anda dipenuhi berbagai target dan keinginan. Anda begitu terobsesi oleh rumah yang besar dan indah, mobil mewah, serta pekerjaan yang mendatangkan lebih banyak uang.

Kita ingin ini dan itu. Bila tak mendapatkannya kita terus memikirkannya.Tapi anehnya, walaupun sudah mendapatkannya, kita hanya menikmati kesenangan sesaat. Kita tetap tak puas, kita ingin yang lebih lagi. Jadi,betapapun banyaknya harta yang kita miliki, kita tak pernah menjadi "KAYA"dalam arti yang sesungguhnya.

Mari kita luruskan pengertian kita mengenai orang ''kaya''. Orang yang''kaya'' bukanlah orang yang memiliki banyak hal, tetapi orang yang dapat menikmati apapun yang mereka miliki.

Tentunya boleh-boleh saja kita memiliki keinginan, tapi kita perlu menyadari bahwa inilah akar perasaan tak tenteram. Kita dapat mengubah perasaan ini dengan berfokus pada apa yang sudah kita miliki. Cobalah lihat keadaan disekeliling Anda, pikirkan yang Anda miliki, dan syukurilah. Anda akan merasakan nikmatnya hidup.

Pusatkanlah perhatian Anda pada sifat-sifat baik atasan, pasangan, danorang-orang di sekitar Anda. Mereka akan menjadi lebih menyenangkan.Seorang pengarang pernah mengatakan, ''Menikahlah dengan orang yang Anda cintai, setelah itu cintailah orang yang Anda nikahi.'' Ini perwujudan rasa syukur.

Ada cerita menarik mengenai seorang kakek yang mengeluh karena tak dapat membeli sepatu, padahal sepatunya sudah lama rusak. Suatu sore ia melihat seseorang yang tak mempunyai kaki, tapi tetap ceria. Saat itu juga si kakek berhenti mengeluh dan mulai bersyukur.

Hal kedua yang sering membuat kita tak bersyukur adalah kecenderungan membanding-bandingkan diri kita dengan orang lain. Kita merasa orang lain lebih beruntung. Kemanapun kita pergi, selalu ada orang yang lebih pandai, lebih tampan, lebih cantik, lebih percaya diri, dan lebih kaya dari kita.

Saya ingat, pertama kali bekerja saya senantiasa membandingkan penghasilan saya dengan rekan-rekan semasa kuliah. Perasaan ini membuat saya resah dan gelisah.

Sebagai mantan mahasiswa teladan di kampus, saya merasa gelisah setiap mengetahui ada kawan satu angkatan yang memperoleh penghasilan di atas saya.

Nyatanya, selalu saja ada kawan yang penghasilannya melebihi saya. Saya menjadi gemar bergonta-ganti pekerjaan, hanya untuk mengimbangi rekan-rekan saya. Saya bahkan tak peduli dengan jenis pekerjaannya, yang penting gajinya lebih besar.

Sampai akhirnya saya sadar bahwa hal ini tak akan pernah ada habisnya. Saya berubah dan mulai mensyukuri apa yang saya dapatkan. Kini saya sangat menikmati pekerjaan saya.

Rumput tetangga memang sering kelihatan lebih hijau dari rumput di pekarangan sendiri. Ada cerita menarik mengenai dua pasien rumah sakit jiwa. Pasien pertama sedang duduk termenung sambil menggumam, ''Lulu, Lulu.''

Seorang pengunjung yang keheranan menanyakan masalah yang dihadapi orang ini. Si dokter menjawab, ''Orang ini jadi gila setelah cintanya ditolak oleh Lulu.'' Si pengunjung manggut-manggut, tapi begitu lewat sel lain ia terkejut melihat penghuninya terus menerus memukulkan kepalanya di tembokdan berteriak, ''Lulu, Lulu''. ''Orang ini juga punya masalah dengan Lulu?'' tanyanya keheranan.

Dokter kemudian menjawab, ''Ya, dialah yang akhirnya menikah dengan Lulu.''

Hidup akan lebih bahagia kalau kita dapat menikmati apa yang kita miliki. Karena itu bersyukur merupakan kualitas hati yang tertinggi. Saya ingin mengakhiri tulisan ini dengan cerita mengenai seorang ibu yang sedang terapung di laut karena kapalnya karam, namun tetap berbahagia. Ketika ditanya kenapa demikian, ia menjawab, ''Saya mempunyai dua anak laki-laki.

Yang pertama sudah meninggal, yang kedua hidup ditanah seberang. Kalau berhasil selamat, saya sangat bahagia karena dapat berjumpa dengan anak kedua saya.

Tetapi kalaupun mati tenggelam, saya juga akan berbahagia karena saya akan berjumpa dengan anak pertama saya di surga.''

Bersyukurlah !

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