Hidden Dragon Coaching Tiger

Before we go to the detail, that title has nothing to do with the things I want to tell you.

Surprise surprise...! I found some money, still sealed by bank ribbon paper, inside my bagpack. That's the good news. The bad news is my bag was soaked in soapy water for a night! Duuuh... So this morning when I brushed the inside part of my bag, my hand bumped into something. I checked it out and there it was. My money...! I completely forgot that I had it. It was there all along since fasting month last year. Yeah...

Hit me in my head coz there were moments when I was broke, that I had to rob my piggy bank of coins just to have some meal, and I didn't know I have my beautiful, straight, smooth five thousands in my bag, waiting to be used. Man..!

But, I always like surprises, so I was really excited finding it out. Hopefully I still keep some other grands in some other places so I could have my own treasure hunt...hehehehe

Snail's Trail

He comes again. Always wearing the same outfit. The grey long-sleeved shirt and black pants. And again, I always smell the smell...

He comes once in a month, usually to one man who becomes his target, with the same expression. Asking for money in certain way. Sometimes he brings cloth for sale, but most of the time merely telling story to create compassion. I'm sorry, I don't mean to underestimate or something. But I highly appreciate people who fight. There must be a way other than "begging". It's not fair judge, but it's not fair either to give up.

Sunset and Sunrise

Hey hey hey...happy new year! Altlhough it's kind of late, but I think it's okay.
2008 is sunset and 2009 is sunrise. Many things had happened before sunset and I might well say that I am really really grateful and thankful for everything I experienced last year. My book was published, had new members in my family, and got a scholarship for my Master degree (after July maybe I'll be writing this blog from a place somewhere in Gottingen) were some of the blessed moments.
In this sunrise, let's pray that things are getting better, souls are getting wiser, bodies are getting healthier and hearts are getting happier.
Have a wonderful life, dear friends.

Lots of Love,
NoniER

Wheels and Shows

I see myself as a half-spoiled person when it comes to traveling these days. I prefer taking taxi than bus to go somewhere. Yeah, Jakarta with its overcrowded, overnoisy, and overpoluted traffic give you bigger vein on your forehead, makes comfortable journey such a delicious dream. Of course I am not always that rich to have taxi all the time (civil servant, what do you expect?), so I take the bus and the angkot.

You really experience being a very common person (read "rakyat jelatah") when you are in the crappy old bus, full of people in super various smell. Full has a new meaning for people in sardines' world. When it's so overpopulated, you wouldn't need any bar to grab on. Just like sardines.
But, some really interesting shows often happen in the bus. Things that paint a smile on your face, even a giggle. Always find good things to enjoy, man.

Here is one of the moments. It happened couple years back when I was still in Jogja, at the time I was learning to play guitar. Learning to play guitar means that your ears are getting more sensitive with tunes, whether you realize it or not. Somehow you know when something is wrong with your opening tune (when you're singing).
So, my friend and I sat on the chair...or bench?...right after the bus door. When we arrived at four junction near Gramedia store, the bus stopped for a while, waiting for passengers. Soon after that, three men got into the bus, the street musician - pengamen. They played in front of me. It seemed okay when the music was on. It was not okay when the vocalist started to sing. His tune was a bit high, which I assumed he wouldn't make it with the chorus. And he didn't. As an emergency procedur, he lowered his tune to fit the music. I couldn't help it, I giggled. The vocalist then giggled too and that ruined their song. Hahahaha... He said "Mbak e ki ngguyu barang, aku dadi melu ngguyu" and we laughed again.
Beside common street musician (solo or band, with guitar plus other isntruments: violin, harmonica, [home made] drum) other types of street musicians are:
Karaoke on Box Artist - man or woman, sometimes alone, sometimes with partner, holding a box of tape recorder, playing dangdut or pop songs, mostly (sad, miserable, gloomy) dangdut songs - with a bit echo sound, then they sing without expression, or maybe a little sad, miserable, gloomy expression like the song itself. "Masak masak sendiri...nyuci baju sendiri..."
Traditional Instrumentalist - Whether you are in group or just solo. The instrument might be a flute, a rebab (don't know the English word), kecapi or harpsichord, kendang, or maybe combination of some of those. Since the instrument is traditional instrument, you might wear traditional outfit too to perform totally. "Yen ing tawang ono lintang cah ayu..."
Then we have Bottle Caps Shaker -you just need a stick about twenty centimeters, put two or three nails on it filled with some bottle caps. Shake it and clap it, then you hear "ecrek ecrek" or "icrik icrik", a suitable music for all kind of song. Want a happy song? Shake it fast. Want a sad song? Shake it slow. Want a rhythm? Shake it with some combinations. "Aku tak mau kalau aku dimadu..."
Hands Clapper - you don't really anything to jazz up the tune, just use your hands as your instrument. The cheapest way to go. And if you can't sing, you can read poetry.

Musician is not the only "show" we have on the bus. You will also have a menu of traders, selling things from food, drinks, clothes, books, hair accessories, kitchen stuffs, even home alarm with live manual. Some of the traders advertise their goods while offering them to the customers and others gives the goods to customers first to be examined, then advertise the products. Either first kind or second, the price of the products are usually not more than ten thousand rupiahs. A reasonable price of common people like us.
Anyway, I always wonder about the spirit and the strength of those traders. They get in and get off the buses maybe more than seventy two times everyday (I assume they work 6 hours a day and five minutes for each bus) or even more, saying and offering the same thing, over and over again... Dude, that' tough for me (that's why I couldn't imagine myself as direct salesman/woman. I ever tried once - offering service to be English tutor for kids. Knocking every door in the neighborhood, with many kind of responses...most of them full of dissapointment... It killed me!).
Hey, you know, I kind of notice the way the traders/musicians talk. One specific word I hear lately is the using of -nya in the end of the sentence. "Assalamu 'alaikum, selamat pagi Bapak sopir-nya dan para penumpang-nya sekalian. Sebelum-nya, mohon perhatian-nya dan maaf bila mengganggu perjalan-nya. Perkenankan-nya kami memperkenalkan-nya sebuah produk-nya yang darimana-nya banyak guna-nya. Bapak ibu-nya, adik kakak-nya, silahkan-nya dilihat dulu, harga-nya cuma lima ribu-nya..."
What a grammar!

Baby Dayu's Out

On 9 August 2008, my niece was born. It was the same time I took IELTS test for applying DAAD scholarship. All that morning I felt my stomach felt horrible, combination of being nervous, digestion problem and weird feeling. Maybe my weird feeling was a soul-contact between sisters when she was laboring.

I was so happy when I received a photo of a very beautiful baby - Malfa Dahayuna, right after she was born. She's just so gorgeous, with prefect chubby cheeks as her family - Chubby Cheeks Clan (Suku Pipi Tembem). Here, I proudly share her pictures with you..

Took a bath - a week old

Dancing with grandpa - 40 days

Ready to rock - 40 days

Snow White - 4 months

Fire-cranker

I saw something unusual yesterday morning. Some men wore certain shirts and hats; and they seemed having coordination in the Block I lobby. I had never seen such uniform, so I guessed there was a special occasion. When we were having routine job in the office, at about 10.00 a.m suddenly one of the men - on special shirt - came and checked things out. Something was about to happen. I knew that. Then I remembered that my friend told me there would be a fire simulation, so I confirmed. "Will it be fire simulation?" I asked. "Just wait and see". Okay, that meant yes.
"When you heard the smoke bomb, run!" Mr. BS said that when I asked what time would it be. He clearly knew when the simulation began and didn't want to tell. But seeing the inspection I guess it wouldn't be long. I started to put my notebook in my bag and be ready to scram anytime. Just couple seconds after putting my notebook into my bag, my boss asked to borrowed it. I had told him that we would have "fire" soon, but he insisted. So I reluctantly gave it to him. I didn't know how the simulation would be, who knew there would be water spray that could damage my notebook. It's still a precious thing for me, man, since it took me a year to pay it (psstt...) and just got it finished couple months ago.
Not more than five minutes later, I heard something exploded, the alarm rang, and men - on special shirt - gave instruction for us to get out froum our rooms and went through the stairs. I also heard a taped voice in the speaker, telling us to go out quickly through the stairs and not taking the elevator.
My boss, who sat still and worked didn't seem to take it seriously about the situation, untill I came to him, a little uneasy. "Sir, come on, there's fire! Let's ruuuun!" Though I sounded that I cared about his being, actually I only cared about my notebook. Hehehehe. Maybe it's just a simulation, but hey, we couldn't be that careless to leave that expensive and important stuff (once again, for me) in the room. Perhaps if there was really a fire, then I wouldn't that mind leave everything and just run. Safety is the first. But since it's still doable to gather my things, then I would do it.
So I took my notebook from his desk, still with his two flash discs on it and ran. "My notebook's softcase!" I said before leaving the room. "Okay, okay, I'll bring it," My boss replied. He might be very annoyed with my attitude at that time, I could see it on his face. "I still need your notebook. You get back here as soon as this thing over," he added. Hehe..
People had already left their offices when I came out. Silly thing I forgot to take my cellphone in my drawer and I had to go back. When I was out for the second time, the hall was already full with orange smoke, a thick smelly smoke. It's worse than mosquito's smoke attack, man. But I think real fire would be a lot worse.
The alarm sound and smoke covered Block I and Block IV building. We were walking to the yard for evacuation. If this was real, I don't think we would be that calm. The canteens wouldn't be that crowded. And those ladies wouldn't speed off to Tanah Abang for brief shopping.
I went to parking lot in front of Block IV where peole had already been there. I saw something pretty different view. There were many young man and woman, looking fresh and chic outside. Well, that's something. So that's how those people looked. You see, Block IV was the place for private company and offices, so the employees somehow had different look-type with us, civil servants. Hahahaha... I was just kidding... no, it's true. We're a little bit different indeed. Just like "Metropolis" versus "Margipolis" (comes from the word 'marginal') - Hey, I do make new words here. Well, it's my blog, I can say anything I want..tehehehe. I don't mean to generalize. Young civil servants are fashionable too now, but still most of us are just ordinary.
All right, back to the fire. People were taking pictures, even taped it on video when a strong spray of water from a hose came out of one of the window, along with the orange smoke. Maybe it was supposed to be the "fire". I sensed something was missing there. But what?
Then the sirene wailed and came a fire truck. That's it! When there was fire, there should be fire truck coming in short time. But at that time, it was not that short. If it was a real one, there would be dead people already. Where the heck have you been, dude?
Those firemen pulled off the hose from its place and dragged it to the hydrant. After filled with water, they aimed it at the fake fire. Some people cheered like seeing a mortal combat show between good water and bad water - the fake fire. Some others just made comment "They sure help the cleaning service to clean that unreachable wall" and "Hey, look at that, some people are lucky to have their cars washed for free. Wish I put my car there this morning" when the water hit some cars in the parking lot.
Yeah, adults enjoyed this occasion as two hours free time from work, but I did see a kid cried. He asked to his father to take him home. He was really scared. Eventhough his dad and somebody told him that it was fake, he didn't buy it. If I were him, I would be afraid too. Not with the smoke on bad water, but with Godzilla.
No coherence with previous line, huh? I don't care.
I heard this simulation is regular - once in a year maybe, but in a few years back there was also a simulation to safe people from higher floor, using a special equipment for people to glide from windows to the yard. That would be really fun...

My "Great" Great Granny

There's never a wish, better than this, if you only had a hundred years to live (Five For Fighting - 100 years)



I believe that I'm one of the lucky people regarding family. I still have a great granny. Until yesterday...

At around 08.30 a.m, my great granny from my dad passed away (Tuesday, 7 October 2008) after almost a hundred years living in this world. I don't know exactly how old she was, but my dad is 51 years old, so Mbah Dok (my great granny's nickname) would possibly be more than 90 years old.

She was a very tough woman. She still recognized us in the last days of her life. I visited her this lebaran day. She had already been in bed for about 40 days after she fell down in the bathroom. She didn't eat at all, only took water. My dad, my sister, my brother and I held her hand when we greeted her. She said to us that it was the time for her to go and she asked us to let her go. And we said we did.


I was sad hearing that, but I thought that she had had her journey well. She did a great job nurturing all of us. You see, she had been through a lot, more than most people could bear. She had nine children but only two survived. They died when they were little. She experienced pains, losses, disaster, problems, any kind of things for ages and yet she still got up and fought. Even for her age, she was still taking care of her grandchildren and great grandchildren when they were in trouble. She's just a hard bedrock, man. Like no bullet would make her get shot, no bomb would make her explode, no nuclear weapon would make her surrender. Remember the battery rabbit? I guess my great granny is like that one.

Yeah, when you have been through so much in your life, anything that happens to you is just another day. Just bring it on!

Mbah Dok, thank you so much for what you have done for all of us.
I will keep you in my heart always.
LOVE YOU...