The Singing Mind

A-Jal

2006-03-13T20:57:00.000+08:00

A-Jal, itu nama temen gue. Biasanya elo bisa cari die di gang tujuh. Nongkrong bareng ama anak2 yang lain di pinggiran, bareng2 anak jalanan yang lain.

Gue: "Jal, jek elo mau sampe kapan kayak gini!"
A-Jal: "Emanknye nape? Ga seneng elo man... Cabut deh elo dari sini, elo tuh bukan kita2 lagi. Udah beda kan loe, sono deh!"
Gue: "Siapa bilang man! Gue mungkin udah pake baju beda rapi dikit, tapi gua ngga bakalan bisa lupa sama elo2 semua."
A-Jal: "Alah... tape basi, semuanye juga ngomong gitu tapi belakangan ilang.. ngga tau..."
Gue: "Emang Jal.. Gua kemaren ada lupa. Jujur gua ada lupa sama elo semua. Tapi sekarang gua udah inget lagi. Makanya sekarang gua kesini buat bantu..."
A-Jal: "Ahh diem aja deh loe. Liat tuh semuanya Rian, Romi, mana tuh semua pada. Gitu udah hidup enak pada cabut semua, elo juga anjing!!!"
Gue: "Mereka belajar untuk gede Jal, berubah gara..."
A-Jal: "Totong doang elo gedein!"
Gue: "Tenang dulu donk man. Gue beneran kesini buat bantu elo man."
A-Jal: "Udah minggir deh loe! Ngga ada urusan gue ama elo."
Gue: "Jal.. Oii.. A-Jal!!"

Toresan Diri!
~Blank

Laughable Oscar

2006-03-05T09:11:00.000+08:00

Why do they want to merge politics and arts together at the same time. I mean "Paradise Now" is a movie with controversy, but why do they want to ban it from receiving the oscars.

People are just to blind that with or without the movie, the middle-east is already filled with people who bore gurdges against US. Now I am not taking any side in these matters, but I always belive that movie such as paradise now acts as a mediator for people, who are unaware about the overall situtation to open up their eyes.

Should this movie being judged on being negative, I think it should also receive a positive value.

Work, Work

2006-03-05T08:59:00.000+08:00

More work?

I am feeling like one those peasants ogre in warcraft right now...! It has been a while since I updated this blog. Well nothing much happened anyway. Last saturday (25/02) I bailed from an invitation by my colleague to party out at Ministry Of Sound. Have no idea why, but I just didn't feel right at all.

Kinda feel bad afterwards... but I decided not to think too much about it. Went to get a haircut the next day, and I nearly wanted to shave my head clean!! Guess I am still feeling bad about it.

Wrote an email of an apology, and she was cool about it. Wonder why she has gone cold to me lately (well isn't that obvious)..!!

End: Magnificent Blank!! Magnificent!! Stupid ass!!

Exploration

2006-02-18T17:53:00.000+08:00

Exploration on music. Well this post is for my log on exploration about music especially about percussion and drum.

This week.
Face To Face - Mambozart (Mozart, Symphony Nr. 40)

Classic music meets Cuba, outstanding.

!Blank

Sambomaster

2006-02-18T17:25:00.000+08:00

I can't get enough of these 3 amazing dudes from Japan. They are Yamaguchi, Kiuchi, and Yoichi. Their songs are damn infectious inside your ear and brain. I get to know about the band and their songs somewhere in 2004. Well basically I was surfing the web looking for indie bands from Japan. Someone actually popped the name "Sambomaster" in a forum and for the next 3 hours I was scowering the internet using babel-fish translator looking for a clue on this band. Through My findings somewhere in 2004 they are already quite famous in Japan. Darn always a step behind!!

Well they hit a tight composition between punk - rock and roll - soul, and most of their songs sound pretty upbeat. Yamaguchi's vocal is amazing. I can't believe it, that such a vocal could come up from a Japanese singer, FANTASTIC!

The personality of this band is a plus point as well. They are all simply goofy and believe me, Yamaguchi looks like a geek straight down from school. Damn!! Keep up the voice guys.

Give it try; you won't be disappointed if you like a fast tune rock and roll. Hmmm something like Jet... but BETTER!!!!!!

End:

Sound out singing voices
Let our sins become prayers, and turn into tomorrow
We sing like this
And morning comes, and we're smiling
Stop the world that sings out sadly
Rise up singing voices, in my heart

~ Translated - Sambomaster

How to beat a Hedrick!!

2006-02-12T01:53:00.000+08:00

Fantastic, nothing less can be said about him. A veteran in the speed skating arena, have won numerous amount of medals, and yet not the best technical skater out there.

Well I was routing for Sven Kramer the wunderkind from Netherlands. Still... Hedrick just zoomed past him. Unbelievable!! Such a great determination and endurance from Hedrick. I just cannot believe it how he calmly skates through the arena in Torino, knowing that he need to beat a tight finish time.

Well I guess it needs a Heiden to beat a Hedrick. Congrats Hedrick! And for the prodigy Sven as well.

Chaos

2006-02-06T21:29:00.000+08:00

Damn a half dead bloc, and a f***ing chaotic week.... Everything just goes and spins so fast that a week fly by like nothing. Not even a single memory could be depicted. Somehow this goes very well when listening to arctic monkeys.

With all the rush, yet the time just stand still and not moving even an inch. So fast till every little thing feels like a blur, yet time feels so freaking slow when you look at the watch. Feels like zooming straight down the line, yet hitting the gutter all the time.

What the hell am I talking here anyway, just pure non-sense and rubbish. Just pure chaos and straight psychedelic!

End: I turned down my lights and my curtains weren't closed ~ Arctic Monkeys

CNY

2006-01-28T12:25:00.000+08:00

Finally Chinese New Year is here, and a well deserved break for all people, especially for me. Time to recuperate, and get myself back in shape.

End: Happy Chinese New Year everyone, and don't let the dogs out =)

Bravado

2006-01-28T11:59:00.000+08:00

24/01/2006

My project is getting closer and closer to the date of release. More and more strain are being put towards the employees that are involved. People are drained, physically and emotionally, yet we just march on and put on a brave face.

Hang in there people, the last and final stretch is here.

End: “If the dream is won though everything is lost. We will pay the price, but we will not count the cost” ~ Rush

Rain

2006-01-28T11:40:00.000+08:00

20/01/2006

It has been raining non-stop and people are already feeling strained. People are grunting and cursing everywhere. Well they have the right too.. In Indonesia due to the excessive rain and storm, a TV station antenna pummeled to the ground and took 4 lives, including one innocent little child. Another case would be the miraculous billboard that collapsed and hit... the back portion of 2 cars!! The debris blocked the path of a train railway as well... but to be amazed no casualties at all, just some people with light injuries.

But amidst the rain, I always tell myself not to utter even a word of hatred. Why? Well when I was a kid, I traveled to village areas and it was during a long drought season. All the farmers were in so pitiable condition and the soil is so dry, so much it looks like an abandoned toxic land. Another reason would be those kids at Jakarta. Usually when it rains in Jakarta, some kids will go out and bring the best and biggest umbrella they can find at their home, and run around the area to provide umbrella rental service. Well people will only pay a small amount for it, the kid is totally soaked in rain, and somehow you just feel helpless why they have to do this....

Well that are the only 2 reasons among others that I always keep to remind myself.

End: "No we're never gonna to survive unless we are a little crazy" ~ Seal

3 Phases Of Time

2006-01-19T15:00:00.000+08:00

Yesterday is a history....

Tomorrow is a mystery....

And Today is a gift...., and that is why it is called "present"

Put some courage and You will dash past yesterday, speed through today, and catch the tail of tomorrow.

~Blank

Da Vinci

2006-01-17T14:12:00.000+08:00

Hey the title is Da vinci, but I am going to talk about Einstein. No idea why, but I always think that Einstein is the modern Da Vinci. Though I know nothing much about the detail history of both person though. Currently I am reading Leonardo biography, and trying to look for more information about him. Suprisingly the more pages I turn, the more distant I feel.....

Can't really wait to read the bio of Einstein.

Anyway here are some famous quotes from Einstein. Maybe to end this post wit a quote from Da Vinci.

End: Where the spirit does not work with the hand there is no art ~ Da Vinci.

Take The Chance

2006-01-10T21:09:00.000+08:00

Finally a chance to update my Blog. Since the start of the new year, the works at the office just never stop. Good enough I can still squeeze enough time, and I feel like talking about South Africa right now.

I always wanted to go to South Africa, mainly due to Nelson Mandela. He is my all one of my all time hero. To be able to shake his hand will be my dream... but recently I find another reason to go to South Africa MARK SHUTTLEWORTH. A man who founded THAWTE back at his garage in South Africa, and now a superb philanthropist.

They learned to take chances, and that chances will eventually change the history of the world. "Chances that Changes", hmm.. should take it more often then.

End: I Said, Hey baby Take a walk on the wild side. ~ Lou Reed!

Addict!!

2006-01-05T17:07:00.000+08:00

What a real pain in the mouth!!!

Stop smoking for 4 days now, and I am starting to feel like a lowly addict. I am setting my daily limitation of 1 cigarette. Just cannot stop thinking about cigs for even a moment...! But hey... no pain no gain, but hopefullt I won't gain weight!!

End: I can hear you sing it to me in my sleep ~ SemiSonic (Puff.. puff... puff...)

Happy New Year

2005-12-31T16:55:00.000+08:00

Quick post before the new year celebration

And love is not the easy thing
The only baggage that you can bring
Love is not the easy thing
The only baggage you can bring
Is all that you can't leave behind...

Walk on... ~ U2

End: Happy new year, wishing everyone a splendid and romantic year ahead.

Merry Xmas & Happy Holiday

2005-12-25T00:43:00.000+08:00

Man what an exhausting trip I made. The city is crowded with people, all bustling here and there celebrating christmas. Anyway, wishing everyone a warm, and wonderful christmas. Happy holiday as well :D

End: Jingle bell, jingle bell... Wish & hope that everyone is well...

Sucess

2005-12-24T23:13:00.000+08:00

Quite often I hear people that surrounds me or my friends ask “How can be I be successful, I mean to achieve success what should I do? I know what I want, and I believe I know how to get it, but somehow I never achieve it.” Most of the time I just plainly answer “Just read Robert Kiyosaki books, you will become a Rich Dad.” With that reply they always think that I am just a numbnut, especially daring to mention the name Robert easily, though they never understand clearly why I look so calm all the time. Either I am just plain ignorant with "happy go lucky" attitude, or maybe I know the answer.

The truth is I never know the answer, nor am I serene as well. But every time I feel uncomfortable, I always remember a wonderful story. Somehow I am dared to write about it here, after watching a Korean Drama series "Jewel In Palace" (Gosh.. I am such an Obasan, LOL). Anyway the story that I read is from Japan (similar found in the Obasan movie hehehe), and it goes like this:

There is a boy who is a son of a successful tradesman in the old era of Japan. His father is very well respected by all the people that surround him. One day his father accidentally meets up with a noble samurai who works under the lord. They become very good friend, and one day insisted on each other that they should become sworn brothers. From that day the boy treats the Samurai as his own uncle, and really admired him. He wanted to become a samurai as well, just like his uncle. So one day he asks his uncle “I want to become just like you in the future, but I want to know why you want to become sworn brothers with my father? You are such a noble person, yet my father is only a tradesman.”

The samurai answers “It doesn’t matter who he is, or what he is. We both share two sound similarities. There are 2 points you must remember if you want to become successful in anything that you do. The first one is to remember the value of simplicity, and passion. Think about for a while then I will give you the second later.”

Too bad the lord has fallen, and all the people with previous lords were killed. Due to jealousy, some tradesmen take the advantage and framed the boy’s father with a false rumors that the business is so successful due to the relationship with the previous lord’s circle. All the family members and possessions are captured, but luckily the boy manages to run away. The boy wanders in the streets alone and becomes beggar afterwards.

One day while wandering, he hears that an expert master swordsman will be in town for a week. Intrigue he finds where the swordsman stays, and tries to steal the katana. He is caught red-handed by the swordsman, but the boy refused to be scared away. The swordsman is drawn by the courage, so instead of punishing him right away he asks him “Why do you want to steal my Katana?” The boy replied “I want to become your disciple; I heard that you refused to take one. So I decided to steal your katana to prove that I am worthy.” The master asks again “Why do you want to become a swordsman.” Then boy tells the story of his dream and life so far, and ended by saying “I want to learn, so I can be strong and then I can take revenge.” The swordsman replied “Even if you swing a wooden katana 100 times a day you won’t reach me in 50 years.” The boy replied “Fine I will swing 200 times a day then, I will reach in you in 25 years.” The swordsman replied again “Then by doing so you won’t even reach me in 75 years.” The boy not giving up replied “Fine I will swing a real katana. I will be able to reach you in 35 years.” The swordsman replied “Well then you won’t be able to reach me at all.” The boy, feeling frustrated cries and asks “Why do you do this to me? I am all alone right now, my family being treaded unfairly, and yet all I ask is a chance with simplicity and passion, yet you mock at me.”

The swordsman feeling pity, and at the same time acknowledge his desire, decided to test him. The swordsman then says “It is true what your uncle said, to be successful in anything you need to hold the value of simplicity and passion, but you have missed the second point. This will be to understand the reality and to go beyond it.” With that he told the boy to go and understand the meaning. When he can understand it, the swordsman will take him as a disciple.

A week pass by, and the boy never shows up. The swordsman feels a bit disappointed, and decided to leave the town early in the morning. When he is about to leave the town he sees the boy waiting at the exit. The boy directly approaches the swordsman, bows down to the ground, and presents a katana, a self made wooden katana. The swordsman asks “Is this for me, if you think that by giving me a wooden katana like this instead of understanding the points will make you as my disciple, you are totally foolish.” The boy replied calmly “No master, this will be my katana for all my life. I want to become a humble master just like you, to be strong and to protect people. I do not wish to take revenge anymore, and I will show to all the people, who and what is right and wrong. By this I will go beyond the reality.” The swordsman was overwhelmed by the answer and took him as his disciple and son. The boy then became a respected and successful master swordsman.

Nuff said.. finger numb…

End: To be, or not to be. Shouldn't we consider that we are already "BE"?

Pacific Jazz

2005-12-24T13:12:00.000+08:00

This is the music that gives to some legendary drummers known, name a few Gene Krupa, and Buddy Rich. I am currently listening to this madly.... One CD I have been frantically trying to look is Burning For Buddy... Sigh where I can find this CD in Singapore...

Well try another day perhaps, as of now while I can still enjoy a song or two online from the CD... :D Love For Sale, and Beulah Witch are simply refreshing and spectacular.

End: If God is a DJ, Life is a dance floor, Love is rhytm, and You are the music ~ PINK

Just Pretend!!

2005-12-22T15:41:00.000+08:00

1.Always change the way you sit while looking a bit confused and frustrated. This will make everyone thinks that you are trying so hard to solve some problems that you are encountering. One bad thing about this is that all the chick will either think either you are gay or you are having some infections at your butt.

2.Put your hands across the chin while reading useless stuff on the net. Remember to continually change the movements. Under the chin, massaging your forehead and neck, adjust your glasses if you have one, or adjust your hair. Picking your nose is strongly unadvised.

3.Spread all the papers, books, organizers on top of your table, the best that all the contents would have different contents. People will dig that you have a lot of works and you can multi task as well. Besides you can surely slip one of those dirty magazines, but hey, no hands under the table OKAY!!!

4.Blankly glare at the beautiful chicks that pass your table. You want to make people think that you are quite disturbed by people passing by at your table, leaving you unable to work, but safe enough not to be considered gay by the office chicks. Don't stare straight at their body, it will be too noticeable, and one more thing... NEVER EVER stare at the assistants of the boss.

5.Now the next one really needs a bit of practice to master. Look at your computer monitor excitedly while being excited listening to songs in your mp3 player!! Remember always stare at the monitor, and just simply move your body lightly. Never swing your whole body like a mad cow, and sing like an alley cat. Any songs that makes you horny is strongly banned.

6.Now if you need to read something hilarious from the net like www.I-am-bored.com, always use a jacket. Lower your hydraulic office chair to the lowest point (don't sit at the floor!!!), use your jacket and zip up every zipper that you can find, and giggle. When people see you shaking, just say that you are feeling a little bit cold. Hey even the chicks might sympathize with you by making you a cup of coffee or tea.

7.Practice your ALT-TAB, master it to the point where you can even make Bill Gates cries!!

8.Chat or do something with good rhythm. You don't make a report and continuously type right? Pause and think, stop for a while and then continue to type again. This will make everyone think you are doing something important, while in fact you are doing something stupid and redundant like for example... AHA writing this!!!

9.Bring a book, a pen, or thumb drive during a break. This will give you the impression that you are going away for a meeting or to discuss something important instead of taking a break. Don't show off your ZIPPO lighter, or your fancy cigarette cases! Remember, when you want to smoke with your friends, go out in small groups to avoid any suspicions. Taking a break here doesn't mean a chance to have a session or two with one of the chicks at the office OK!!

10.Now when you want to take a quick nap, just put your face intensely near the computer monitor, and use your right or left hand to support your head. And keep mumbling all the jargons that you can remember. Oh.. make sure to install a slide show program and set the screenshots of your desktop, as the pictures.

God Speed with You!!

Tribute To Jeanne French

2005-12-17T14:00:00.000+08:00

Jeanne French ~ Mean Man Blues (Jeanne French Live in Concert)

Mam... wherever you are right now, your tremendous voice has touched my heart and awakened my dull senses. I still have your album signed by You, and everytime I listen to it, it whips me to learn about music better and better, and to be able to play Blues someday. You, John Chee, Mike, and the rest of the musicians will always be with me and goes along with my life journey.

Just small quotes from her album:
If you've ever seen French perform, you know that she emerges from her songs like a fetus about to be born. As the song progresses, it gives birth to her persona in a miracle of creation that often leaves her audience completely mesmerized. Outside of Janis Joplin and Joan Osborne, I've never seen such possesion take hold of an artist.

-DON WILCOCK, Author, Buddy Guy's biography Damn Right I've Got The Blues

Nuff said...

Itchy And Scratchy Show

2005-12-10T19:55:00.000+08:00

Listening to Del Amitri and Duncan Sheik, while trying to ignore the itchy feeling all over my body right now. Can I just be like snake and peel all of my skin in one single motion!!! LOL, I am thinking of Goldmember in Austin Powers, should I taste my own freaking peeling skin, YUCKK!!!!

Ok enough.. Btw there is a new beach volleyball court in Clementi, hmm should get all my volleyball dudes, and the kids I trained to play there...!! Damn.. sun-burned again??

FREEZE CID!!!

2005-12-10T19:21:00.000+08:00

One crazy night two guys, jumped out of their car, and said "FREEZE CID!!!” I Can't believe it till now. It happened a couple of years back. Both I and my friend were going to buy some food at Seven Eleven in 2 AM in the morning. We had to pass by some rich neighborhood along the way.

When we were walking back home, I decided to take a quick pee at the corner of one house. But there is this car that drives slowly towards us, so I decided to wait till the car pass by. Strangely the car slows down, and moves inch by inch. I decided to walk away and pee at the corner of another house. Suddenly two guys came out from the car and said "FREEZE!!! CID!!" What the hell, can I have a very late night, peaceful emergency pee, S*&@#.. Well they asked for my IC, and I explained the whole thing, while trying very, very hard to hold my water pipe tap down there, to avoid any unnecessary leakage.

The cops were laughing afterwards, and even kindly point us to a nearby park with a huge tree. So I went to the park, and take my emergency pee there, while they are watching from distance. One of the most unforgettable pee ever, in my life!! Hahaha Singapore is a "fine" city, and I prove it all wrong. Just pee anywhere, they won't book You for it, but you will a get a CID jumping out at you!!

Dream In Metaphor

2005-12-08T13:39:00.000+08:00

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players
They have their exits and their entrances;

William Shakespeare, As You Like It

Drum Ear Drum

2005-12-08T10:08:00.000+08:00

Alright a week ago, I decided to enroll in a drum course with Yamaha.. WOOt!! Hey it is better late then never anyway. But my friends keep asking me, why do you wanna enroll for a class if You played in a band previously...? The answer is simple: I AIN'T NO JOHN BONHAM.

I want to take the class to be a more technical drummer, not just by heart. Well I believe I have to, if I really wanna try playing blues. Why blues, after all this time jamming grunge, alternative, and rock songs? Blame Steve Jordan and JM3. Yups, John Mayer Trio is the cause of all this. It has been such a long time since I listened to a 3 men band, that plays with such passion and skills, and performed live as well.

Now the class gonna start in January next year, where I will be learning alongside with teenagers. Bah.. who cares.. Steve Jordan, Keith Moon, Buddy Rich, Matt Sorum, and Bonham, HERE I COME!!!

Burned Baby, Burned

2005-12-06T09:17:00.000+08:00

Well last weekend, me and my friends went out to Ponggol Marina Centre to do some wakeboarding. Guess what I didn't even manage to stand properly, and all I get is a bad sun-burned, yeap.... not sun-tanned.

Well it was a good morning till afternoon, with a lot of sun and cool breeze, junks at the sea, flying fish, monitor lizard, and a swan who keeps laughing at us each time we fall down. But.. hey luckily we have a very abled driver and instructor "Bang Yuzman", and he has been a driver and wakeboarder for 15 years now!! Highly recommended for those who are beginners and new in wakeboarding. Look for him and you won't regret it.

When I reach home everyone at my house refer to me as NCOTB (New Crab On The Block), yeah right red and shiny. Damn having my aunt, uncle, mom, and grandma at the house really make things even uncool. Who cares anyway, I had a terrific day (I believe all of my friends did as well). So.. GUYS!! When shall we go again...?

Hmmm... Comes to think about it, I have a crazy idea... I would like to propose to them!!

I'M FEELIN YOU!!

2005-12-02T13:37:00.000+08:00

I'm feelin you.. Hell who Am I feeling here?

Who cares.. I'm feelin you! Yeah... I'm feelin you. Ok Steven Tyler, Just Feel Better next!! Santana such a simple name, but has a very deep meaning in each person who enjoys his songs. Btw, I did shake his hands once.. well not directly.

Here goes the stories, I used to hang out at Crazy Elephants with my buddies, and one night I decided to strike a conversation with one of the band members, Mike! Due to my english accent, he asked me whether I'm from Australia, and I told him that I am from Indonesia. Guess what, he just came back from Bali, for surfing expedition. But not just that.. Unexpectedly he met up with Santana there, and had a gig with him. Right about here, my jaw dropped to the ground. So I asked him, "Can I shake your hands one more time?". He was freakin confused by my action, so I told him.. hey mate, I am shaking hands with Santana indirectly, am I?

Cooly, he said "Yeah mate, if you say so. But I forgot to wash my hands, after I took a piss just now". Well there it was, my piss smelled indirect handshake with Santana.

Santana wherever you are, please drop by to Bali again sir. The people there need you badly after all the torrid experiences they had (notify us first though). For, people in Bali hang in there you all, keep the sunny side up all the time!! Amazing place, filled with amazing people won't be erased by any means.

Cheers.

Be BAD!!

2005-11-29T14:24:00.000+08:00

I have just finsihed chatting with my old buddy from Indonesia. Well he studied psychology in Universitas Indonesia if I am not wrong. He decided to check on my blog, and try to analyze me through my writing. Sometimes in writing You can find the deepest emotions of a person, believe it or not. Every stroke of ink, or every stroke of button in your keyboard represent your emotions. I guess that is the main reason he wanted to check my Blog.

Well anyway he told me that I am Blue... means that my writing is always about sad stuff. LOL, ok one sickness found. After that he told me that I can take bad days as BAD days. I was so confused, till my jaw touch the ground!! Well BAD actually stands for Blessed And Deliver, so as a person you always take the pain, learn from it and move on, while helping others who are having the same problems. So.. be BAD OK!!!

I guess being BAD offers a different kind of satisfaction. Even when I was in such a turmoil due to the end of my previous relationship, I cannot stop being BAD. My friend told me on how boring her relationship, at that time. LOL, I am not even done healing myself over the loss, but I talked to her anwyay, and currently she is having the best time in her relationship, and moving on well.

Funny to understand that I can somehow help other people but not myself. So be BAD will ya? I am BAD, but I still another BAD people as well.

Cheers.

Korpan!!

2005-11-28T22:50:00.000+08:00

My friend is going to Korea and Japan in 2 weeks time. Me and my mates decided to meet up and chit-chat while having some hookah... LOL I thought my friend who proposed this was going to find some h**ker (well this assumption is based on his infamously well known persona, Sorry about that mate), till he told me it is Sisha, LOL. Hmm.. should I buy one, but then all of them will drop at my place every week to have a free puff... NO WAY MAN!!!

We talked about Ron Jeremy(Hehe, purposely use a pornstar name) previous experiences in trippin round the world while puffing through. ENVY!!!! Damn I am so envy to him at the moment, a pure backpacker that has travelled to most part of continent in the world. As a matter of vengeance and revenge, I asked him to buy a shamisen for me. Well satisfied.

The 1st And The Last

2005-11-26T14:06:00.000+08:00

Just cherish...!

"Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time"

~Betty Smith

December The 1st

2005-11-25T13:49:00.000+08:00

I believe everyone is waiting for the 1st day of December to come. Well why not, it is supposed to be the most joyful month in the year.

But I hope people will remember 1st of December as the AIDS day as well. I have been digging through my collection of songs, and I manage to find songs from Bruce Springsteen. One particular song can be well linked with the AIDS day, "Philadelphia". I still remember the movie very well, everytime I watch the movie it manages to inspire me to work in social justice line (Thanks to Vincent, ex-global corporate lawyer for the correction, cheers).

I even still remember on how Tom Hanks made that wonderful acceptance speech in Academy Award for his role in the movie "Philadelphia". Sometime we just need to look and sit back for a while to contemplate. So, please remember the 1st of December as one special day.

June

2005-11-24T23:24:00.000+08:00

December is coming but I am feeling June right now. Jamiroquai is behind all of this with his song "Seven Days In June". Well who cares, it is better than listening to Bob Rivers "Walking Round In Women's Underwear".

Curious about the song from Bob Rivers.. just GOOGLE it up, or maybe you can sing it as well. Don't know how to? Just change "Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland".

I-P-O-D-O = IPod

2005-11-24T22:51:00.000+08:00

YEAH!! A new vocabulary for today "IPodo". Well this new word was said by one of my colleague just before we had our lunch today. Well he is from China, 30+, married, and has a daughter. I thought at first he is supposed to be a wise person, but.. the truth says otherwise.

Anyway he was looking for me and my friends around 12 this afternoon at our desks, to go and have lunch together. Somewhat being annoyed by his attitude lately, I decided to keep quiet and just keep doing my programming stuff. Well, he is not stopping. He decided to harass my cheap MP3 player instead. In a very confident manner, he said that my MP3 player is very bad, and I should get IPodo instead. I didn't understand at first... so my reply was "HUHHH??" then he replied "YES, IPODO!!", and I was thinking "WTH, WTF, WTS, are you talking?". Then he said well this MP3 player is so outdated and I should throw it away (while making a mocking gesture of throwing away my MP3 player), and change it to IPodo. Now I finally get it, ohhh... IPod.

LOL, luckily he didn't speak to any Malaysian, coz they might catch it as I BODO (I am stupid in English). I wanted to talk back to him about the fact on how bad IPod is (the battery mind you), and how irresponsible the Apple company acted previously. In short, I wanted to say "JUST GO AND READ MY PREVIOUS POST IN MY BLOG, YOU F*@&#! CRAP!!". But I decided to stay quiet... To win the argument with him, will make me feel somehow like winning an Olympic for retard.

But then.. no dislike to the guy though. He is alright... just that a bit retard in my opinion, and believe me when I say this, this is not the first time he ridicule himself.

PS: Joe please don't use I BODO for your MSN nickname... I kinda feel bad towards him man. =P

Blog And Sleep

2005-11-21T03:10:00.000+08:00

Here I am writing my blog at 3 am in the morning. I am amazed on how I can stay awake writing and re-writing my blog at the moment...... Maybe I should try writing my blog half asleep next time. Sounds great, maybe I should listen to Stacey Kent to set the mood as well.

Well Mike Patton used to record a song in a sleep-deprivation mode.....

Photograph

2005-11-21T02:32:00.000+08:00

Photograph a single from Nickelback has been airing in Singapore wildly lately. Almost everytime I can hear the song is playing. Being frank, I am not really a fan of Nickelback, so just to check it out I decided to find information about their new albums. I find and read a mix of review from different places, and it really gives you a funny things to laugh at. A lot of people gives the review based on the skill and performance of the artists, others judge on the emotional quality of the album, and etc, whereas the rests are giving direct ratings.

Funny... isn't art to be relative? I am fine with critics, but ratings and specific reviews in my opinion is a bit redundant. You can find strength of a song, not in the performance and skill of the artist, not the lyrics, not the tunes, but in each person mind and heart. Gee... humans love to judge I guess...

Laporan Harga Kol Gepeng, Cabe Keriting

2005-11-13T18:32:00.000+08:00

Udah lama ngga balik ke Indo terus belanja2, tau2 harga juga udah ngga jelas gini. Kemaren baru ketemu temen gua yang baru balik dari Bandung.. abis Mandolin (Makan, Modol, Ulin) semingguan. Laporan harga lansung, sate kambing setusuk sekarang tiga rebu, saceng bo... mahal beeng. Gua balik sebelum BBM naik, perasaan baru dua setengah setusuk di Jakarta.

Buset deh kambing Indo makan BBM yeh sekarang, tuh juga sih pasar kambing di Tanah Abang kena gusur... Untungnya kuli2 Tanah Abang ngga cuman makan ketela doang buat makan siang. Amin, Amin.

Edit: Baru inget, buat Romi... sorry man gue tau elo biasanya makan ketela doang buat makan siang!! Bertahan jek... jangan ngebilliar terus loe!

Bosen dan capek

2005-11-13T17:57:00.000+08:00

Akhirnya sampe juga dimana gua udah merasa bosan dan capek terhadap blog gue... Tapi lumayan rekor baru buat gua yang orangnya gampang bosenan, dan lebih seneng lompat2 kayak kutu, ngga jelas juntrungan.

Tapi yah mau dibilang apa juga nih... blog musti tetep berjalan, dan akhirnya gua mutusin sekalian aja deh posting bahasa indo. Temen2 bilang, blog gua tuh payah banget.. ngga ada isinya dan kurang berbobot... bah sebodo deh, gua udah bilang jelas2 dari dulu ini cuman tempat gua ngejubrag-in segala uneg2 gue.

Belakangan ini gua ada ketemu lagi bekas temen2 serumah dulu di west coast... asik beeng udah lama ngga ngegokil bareng2 mereka. Ampun deh yang satu udah mau jadi politikus tingkat dunia pula.. lagi ngambil master di strategic decision. Berhubung gua dulu anak IPS (yang ngga tau kenape bisa nyusruk ke Computer Science), jadinya nyambung lagi deh hobi dari dulu... berkoar2 tentang politik. Gilanya gua tuh baru sadar dari dulu gua masih masuk garisannya rada miring ke kiri.. biar kata tai lalat di jidad gua nangkringnya di sebelah kanan.

Cuman kalo mikir2 kenapa gua bisa terpita dengan paham pemikiran yang.. ehemm... condong ke kiri... itu mulainya dari guru ekonomi SMA gua. Bapak Syahril Hamzah dimanapun anda berada.. terima kasih anda telah mendidik saya. Sebagai seorang ekonom intelektual di Indonesia (yah setahu gua di sekolah SMA banyak tuh yang pake buku ekonomi dia), beliau selalu berpikiran cerdas, berwawasan terbuka, dan berpandangan jernih.

Keinginan gua mendalami manajemen sendiri yang menyeret gua ke arah2 sekarang. Satu hal yang gua selalu gua inget adalah pemahaman dari Karl Marx sendiri. Sekarang kalo misalnya elo pilih, mau yang mana... elo diperkerjakan sebagai kambing perah, dan ngga ada deh namanya kesempatan untuk mengembangkan kemampuan diri sendiri, ato milih gaya modern management dimana perusahaan itu bukan juga memperkerjakan tapi juga memberikan kesempatan setiap karyawan untuk bisa maju dan berkembang... Emang sih kalo didebatin orang bisa ngomong "Yah kalo emang kalo udah ngerasa mandek yah cabut aja jek, ngapain buntu di ujung pintu". Wow bener juga tapi jangan salah jek... seberapa banyak sih elo pengen lompat2 dari satu pintu ke pintu yang lain... ngga cape tuh, gua sih yang udah punya napas A-Mild capek booo...

Jadinya perusahaan juga nyadarin sekarang bahwa investasi tuh butuh juga di diri para karyawan. Nah tergantung deh pada pilih yang mana. Kerennya Karl Marx ada ngusulin pemikiran ini dari dulu. Nih ada kutipannya:

"A contrast between the alienated nature of labor under capitalism and a communist society in which human beings freely developed their nature in cooperative production."

Nah tau deh pilih yang mana... sekarang berhubung masih jadi "monkey programmer" milih yang COM kali yeh, ntar kalo udah jadi boss milih CAP... JADI SAPI PERAH DEH LOE PADE!!! Gokil.. kalo gini mah AGS (asal gue seneng) juga doang dong gue... bapuk deh, bapuk!!!

Dragostae Din Tei

2005-11-05T10:01:00.000+08:00

Ha..

This song was pretty popular across Europe back in 2004, I remembered listening to this song back then. But it was popular under the name numa numa, not dragostae din tei as of now. Oh btw, the artist is Ozone from Romania.

Why I started listening to the song again... well it is all thanks to Chicken Little. Couple of days ago I went to watch Tom Yam Goong (to all the fans of Tony Ja please just watch Ong Bak....), and the reminder to "switch of your mobile phone" was the chicken little dancing with the song. Too bad I cannot find any link to that clip. I will try to put it up as soon as I find it.

But it is amazing how a simple story book character can make it to the big screen, and no... it doesn't stop just there. The brave little chicken has a complete makeover as well *they must be using the service of Queer Eyes FAB 5*

Here is one of the original picture I can find:

Ok, enough talking... time to do the "Numa Numa Dance".

Help..!!

2005-11-03T13:48:00.000+08:00

What the hell, actually I wanted to write about the British Bands Invasion in the music industry, till I accidentally heard the new single from Madonna "Hung Up" in BBC Radio 1. Couple of days ago, I accidentally saw her music video as well. One thing cross in my mind right now, damn this one Mom never know the meaning of stop!!!

Amazingly I used to love her, then loathe her, then love her, then loathe her... and goes on, anyway enough of the babbling. I really enjoy listening dance tracks, though I really hate the 70's & 80's disco, but after listening her single I am F!!@(* confused right now. Fine, I am a self professed collectic in listening to music, but I can especially never understand the disco of 70's & 80's (DAMN I HATE THOSE CLUBS IN SINGAPORE THAT KEEP ON PLAYING RETRO MUSIC). But what the hell!! I need to take back the word right now. Everytime I listen to the song, I start to tap my feet and sway my shoulder.

Spandex is a dud and doesn't fit on me at all, but this particular music does. Ohh.. S!@# I enjoy watching the couture show *Project Runway* from Bravo TV as well. I am beginning to look and sound like one of those metrosexual and new age sensitive guy.... what a bullock!! LOL.

Blood And Man

2005-10-30T10:36:00.000+08:00

Feeling lazy to update the blog, so I will just put up a quote by Robin Williams that I read somewhere.

See, the problem is that God gives men a brain and a penis, and only enough blood to run one at a time.

~ Robin Williams

MP3 Player

2005-10-22T11:06:00.000+08:00

I just bought a new MP3 player couple of days ago, and Yes, it is not one of those Ipod series =P. Lots of people have actually expressed their difficulties to me in choosing the best MP3 player in the market. I find it to be a bit amusing… since I am not having difficulties in buying the MP3 player, but more on what is the first official song that I would like to play in it.

I cannot stop thinking about it, till I saw a U2 video clip “With Or Without You”. How on earth I can forget about this song? Well maybe it is because every time I feel dispirited, I always listen to this song. But then again there is one special condition that I impose to myself; I only listen to the live version.

Me and one of my friends (who used to be in the same “high school wannabe rock band”) agree that if you listen, and watch a fantastic song performed live by a band, high probability that you will fall in love with the song for the rest of your live. The first live performance we watch was “Guns N’ Roses laser disc - live in Japan” (this happened a long time a go =P). The second was U2.

Since then the song “With Or Without You (Live version)” has been a song that is a must-have in my life. So have I put in the song in my MP3 player? Nope. I am listening to the song over and over continuously.. again.

We’ll shine like stars in the summer night
We’ll shine like stars in the winter night
One Heart
One Hope
One Love
With or without You

~Bono ~ U2 ~ With or without You (Live version)

Ironology of love

2005-10-15T01:57:00.000+08:00

I spent almost 5 years of my life in a relationship and it tastes like a short time, yet it has only been 3 weeks since the relationship ended but it feels like ages.

The relationship supposed to be romantic and enthralling, yet it was monotonous and boring which I really can’t understand.

Loving her was the best thing I wish to treasure every day, yet now I have to forget about it at all cost and move on.

I lost that precious love leaving myself with anger and hate, yet I learn more on how much I truly love and miss her.

I still want to meet her, yet the best solution is to be stranger in order for her to move on.

I REALLY WANT TO TELL HER IN THE FACE THAT SHE IS A B!#&*, yet I am silenced by my own feeling and mind.

To the person (You know who you are).

I'm in the sky tonight
There I can keep by your side
Watching the whole world wind around and round

Foo Fighter

13 + 2

2005-10-15T01:42:00.000+08:00

The story of the unlucky number 13, Triskaidekaphobia.

~me just being curious~

The boy And The Starfish

2005-10-05T21:12:00.000+08:00

Lately I have been asked by people that surround me, which one do you want… the reality you are having or following your long time dream. To tell you the truth I really have no idea on how to answer it, in the first place.

All I know is the story of a boy and starfishes that I encountered while studying about sociology. Basically the story goes like this: There is a boy, a son of a fisherman, who likes to go out to the beach and throwing starfishes back to the sea, he wants to save them all. The people around keep asking him to find something else to do, rather than doing something useless, because there are to many starfishes stranded at the beach, and the boy just simply can save them all. So one day a man approaches the boy and says “Does it make a difference to DO that? There are too many starfishes, and anyway once you throw them back they will get stranded back again.” The boy answers “Well it won’t DO such a big difference, I know that. But it makes a big difference for this one, at this moment.” And with that he throws the starfish that he holds back to the sea.

Sometimes we dream too much and become upset about our reality, and at the same time we accept reality until dreams are nothing but dreams to us.

"There is a fine line between dreams and reality, it's up to you to draw it." ~B. Quilliam

Faith....

2005-10-01T08:17:00.000+08:00

Keep The Faith

Walking in the footsteps
Of society’s lies
I don’t like what I see no more
Sometimes I wish that I was blind
Sometimes I wait forever

To stand out in the rain
So no one sees me cryin’
Trying to wash away the pain
Mother father....

Bon Jovi

These is the feeling that I can sense after spending a day at Beyond Organization near Tiong Bahru in Singapore. I never tought I would relive this kind of feeling again, after quite some time. It is an organization that helps kids... helping them in any difficulties.

If You are willing, please lend them a helping hand.

INFJ!!

2005-09-27T16:48:00.000+08:00

I have decided to remove the links to other bloggers, since there are not much bloggers that I know in the first place... Well, I am a newbie anyway in blogging business. So if I have more bloggers to link, I will put it back again.

I have just checked the Mindification, by Darvin Kurniawan... (hands up for this man for making an interesting journal). From all the visits to his site from some times ago, I have just noticed that he puts himself as a Melancholy INFJ, in his profile.

Couple of days ago I took a personality test for fun (I feel stupid and retarded at right now, is it because I am listening to Let's Get Retarded by BEP??), and I have just realized that I share the same personality with Darvin The Maginificent. INFJ!!!!! I just couldn't stop thinking at it. Anyway the test that I am taking is Myers Briggs Type Indicator, I believe a lot of people has taken this as well. Well for those who never take it before, if you want to take the test, just drop me an email (which is provided in my profile), and I am also inviting people to post their results 8).

Invictus

2005-09-26T12:29:00.000+08:00

I have just finished reading a book by Jeffrey Archer, A Prison Diary Volume 1, also titled Hell. Inside it there is a poem, that I accidentally came across some times ago, and fell in love with.

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance,
I have not winced or cried aloud;
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade.
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

William Ernest Henley (1849-1903)

I hope this will bring strength to anyone who needs it.

The Haunted & Cursed House

2005-09-24T12:09:00.000+08:00

Nope…. 8) this is not one of those scary stories, believe me. I used to stay in west coast condo, with a bunch of amazing peoples there (5 of them). Since I move out from that house, we were all separated in our own way of life, and I didn’t have a way to contact them (I want to make a well-wish to the person who hack my MSN account and delete my contacts, “MAY YOUR BUTT GROWS AS BIG AS DISNEYLAND, PEACE!!!”).

So I decided to gather up my courage to move my lazy fingers to start using MSN, and start contacting my friends again. I manage to add and chat with one of them (for the publishing sake I am going to call him Armando, btw dude... if you read this please, don’t kill me), while listening to Bad Day by Daniel Powter.

I realized that Armando has scoliosis condition (he was telling me while laughing) and Armando also tells me, that the rest of the guys are not really in well condition too. WOAHHH!!! So all of us have some kind of illness then, I realized 8O. But to my amazement that all of them take it as nothing and positively move on with their live. 3 of them are pursuing master degree (I am the only one left, way to go Dumb-O 8| ). Guys… I really have to take my hats off for all of you. In just a while we were making jokes, about the cursed & Hunted house, and blaming the teochew food near our house, we used to frequent as the probable cause 8D. Then the song repeats itself “Cause You had a Bad Day”… and I pause for a while to think… Bad Day…. Blah…. We didn’t have it in our little west coast condo.

At Last

2005-09-23T07:37:00.000+08:00

Let Me Go by 3 Doors Down

You love me but you don't know who I am
I'm torn between this life I lead and where I stand
And you love me but you don't know who I am
So let me go
Let me go

The long relationship with her is finally ended, at last.

Raining

2005-09-22T12:51:00.000+08:00

It has been constantly raining here in Singapore, and I realize how awful people feel about it. So I just cannot resist playing this song "Rain Drops Keep Fallin' On My Head by BJ Thomas. Thank goodness I still have that oldies CD from my dad. Just listen to the song, satisfaction guaranteed 8).

What A Phunk

2005-09-21T16:27:00.000+08:00

Couple of days ago, I was thinking of getting a new MP3 player for myself. I forfeited my old CD player, which for some reason cannot recharge the battery anymore. I decided to look for information about Ipod (what else I can think off). To my amazement I found about this website (all credits to the Neistat Brothers, BRAVO!!). Apparently Ipod has a major flaw in their battery *GULP*. I think most of the people know about this, well for those who don't, just visit the Neistat Bros website.

After hours of digging in the internet, I manage to confirm about the truth behind this shocking discovery. The Apple silhouette commercial really impressed me a lot, to the extent that it never crossed my mind to think about the battery life, warranty, and etc. The ads feature most of my favorite artists such as Jet, Ride, Black Eyed Peas, Gorillaz and hell know what else.

I really wanna see a new Apple ad, which feature Don’t Phunk With My Heart. I wonder how people, who feel cheated by the battery problems of Ipod will react. So I cancel my dreams to own an Ipod, and bought a headphone instead…. and listen to Feels Good Inc.

The start of a singing mind

2005-09-20T08:57:00.000+08:00

What an unbelievelable journey I had.... I started this blog due to the fact that I am having a meniere's disease. Such a beautiful name for such a torrid disease, blah... being ironic is not just my style. But anyway you can find further information about it here... Meniere's Org. Another reason for me to start the blog is to let my steam go, after tremendous amount of things that happened in the last 3 months (I shall tell in further postings 8) ), since I stopped working.

I have decided not to stop listening to music, something that I tremendously treasure in my life. The chance to listen music, apart from the ringing noise caused by the disease, is something that I feel blessed with. I really want to tell people around the world with meniere's : "Please do not forsake your life". Just listen and treasure every sound while you can.

"Having vertigo... as well? Can you turn your body to the other direction, just to counter the spinning movement?" my friend said, half jokingly. I was quite confused at first, how can a person make a joke out of it? Well..., I have come to a realization that laughing at it, is the best thing to it in the first place.

Well enough of the blabbering anyway, one particular song I enjoy listening at the current moment is Mr Brightside by The Killers. Leaving the context of the lyrics, which I am not sure what is it about (Please, do tell me if you know 8) ), I just love the catchy tune and the title, brightside.

Somehow I feel the song can lift me up, and make me to start writing a new chapter in my life. I hope others can share experiences with their own song. Anyway, well here I go!!