Have you noticed, people change?
Whether they change how they looks, behaviour, gestures..

I have so many old friends.
I found a friend are ignorant to even bother replying e-mails or SMS..but once I visited her home, I knew she was so happy.

I remember my friend X, who loved to snap to anybody around her, but she now turns to be the most warm-hearted girl I've ever knew!

I hope I can always be a pleasant friend for all of you from time to time! :)

I feel numb.
Monotone.
Cold.
Old.
Empty.

I need a refreshing.
a getaway
to rejuvenate
regenerate.

I blame to my workspace.
It should be warm, welcoming....inspirational.
It has to reflect a positive culture, foster imagination, thinking, creativity.

I should add some positive energy:
Flower?
Bright color?
A good lighting?

Any idea?

ARE YOU REASON, A SEASON, OR A LIFETIME?

Pay attention to what you read. After you read this, you will know the reason it was sent to you!
People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you figure out which one it is,
you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON. . . It is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are!
They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part, or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or
do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die.
Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered. And now it is time to move on.

Then people come into your life for a SEASON. Because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They bring you an experience of peace, or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons: things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life.

--

I found this posting from my old blog :) It's nice to dig some old treasures ;)

Kalau kebetulan kita bicara hal-hal yang baik dan lalu jadi kenyataan, ternyata menyenangkan,ya?

Dalam perjalanan ke kantor- di daerah Kalibata, aku jadi inget kejadian yang sama. Kayak dejavu. Dulu..sekali, pas aku masih kerja di bilangan Pancoran, aku pernah berandai-andai...

"Wah enak kali ya kalau ke kantor dekat dari rumah, ngga harus habisin waktu..ngga jadi tua di jalan..Coba bisa ngantor di daerah Kalibata.." Lalu hampir 4 tahun kemudian doaku terkabul..Aku tidak lagi harus menghabiskan 3 jam pulang pergi di jalan..bahkan pergi dari rumah menuju kantor juga bisa lebih santai..(tapi ini kebetulan kantorku ngga pake absensi)

Meski ucapan kita cuma sepintas lalu, kalau dipikir-pikir lucu juga kok bisa seperti yang kita mau. Wah, kalau gitu aku mau berandai-andai lagi,ah!

Gimana dengan impian dan harapan kalian?
Ada yang udah terkabul?

Nocturnal: wakes and moves about at night, opposite of diurnal.
Image from CartoonStock.

I was once a diurnal person..on my teen ages. My parents are morning people and mostly on 7 o'clock got occupied with their activities. I can always smell a cup of coffee in the morning, the daily havoc when Mom ask me to help her in the kitchen, or my Dad is humming his fave song in funny way..

I woke up at 9 a.m this morning. I hate when I must get rush to the office (thank God, my current office will usually takes 30 minutes from my house). I hate when I woke up late. I can not even make breakfast, and I usually blame my bad habit of sleep.

I think I have this insomnia attack for the last couple days. Maybe I have this sleep disorder because I tend to think in bedtimes, so  then sleepy at work.Heheh!

I knew I am tired, but I couldn't sleep. Last night Oscar was busy with the figurines (he needs assistant, really!), and if he is still working I usually stay awake, and for the last four years, every past midnight the street in front of my house was crowded with brain-mutant morrons with their annoying noisy motorbikes (it's 2 a.m, people!)...

Aargh!! I hopelessly need a good sleep.

(thanks, Rin!)

Another story taken from paulocoelhoblog, i think it's very inspirational for all of my friends here in Multiply.

To be like a river flowing

 

     “A river never passes the same place twice,” says a philosopher. “Life is like a river,” says another philosopher, and we draw the conclusion that this is the metaphor that comes closest to the meaning of life. Consequently, it is always good to remember during all the year to come:
     A] We are always doing things for the first time. While we move between our source (birth) to our destination (death), the landscape will always be new. We should face these novelties with joy, not with fear – because it is useless to fear what cannot be avoided. A river never stops running.
     B] In a valley we walk slower. When everything around us becomes easier, the waters grow calm, we become more open, fuller and more generous.
     C] Our banks are always fertile. Vegetation only grows where there is water. Whoever comes into contact with us needs to understand that we are there to give the thirsty something to drink.
     D] Stones should be avoided. It is obvious that water is stronger than granite, but it takes time for this to happen. It is no good letting yourself be overcome by stronger obstacles, or trying to fight against them - that is a useless waste of energy. It is best to understand where the way out is, and then move forward.
     E] Hollows call for patience. All of a sudden the river enters a sort of hole and stops running as joyfully as before. At such moments the only way out is to count on the help of time. When the right moment comes the hollow fills up and the water can flow ahead. In the place of the ugly, lifeless hole there now stands a lake that others can contemplate with joy.
     F] We are one. We were born in a place that was meant for us, which will always keep us supplied with enough water so that when confronted with obstacles or depression we have the necessary patience or strength to move forward. We begin our course in a soft and fragile manner, where even a simple leaf can stop us. Nevertheless, as we respect the mystery of the source that gave us life, and trust in His eternal wisdom, little by little we gain all that we need to pursue our path.
     G] Although we are one, soon we shall be many. As we travel on, the waters of other springs come closer, because that is the best path to follow. Then we are no longer just one, but many – and there comes a moment when we feel lost. However, as the Bible says, “all rivers flow to the sea.” It is impossible to remain in our solitude, no matter how romantic that may seem. When we accept the inevitable encounter with other springs, we eventually understand that this makes us much stronger, we get around obstacles or fill in the hollows in far less time and with greater ease.
     H] We are a means of transportation. Of leaves, boats, ideas. May our waters always be generous, may be always be able to carry ahead everything or everyone that needs our help.
     I] We are a source of inspiration. And so, let us leave the final words to the Brazilian poet, Manuel Bandeira:
      “To be like a river that flows
     silent through the night,
     not fearing the darkness and
     reflecting any stars high in the sky.

     And if the sky is filled with clouds,
     the clouds are water like the river, so
     without remorse reflect them too
     in the calm deep.”

Baca postingan Uci jadi inget ama kejadian berulang-ku.

Mungkin cuma suamiku Oscar, yang tahu dan sering membuktikan sendiri kejadian kebetulan yang selalu terjadi berulang. Kalau Uci selalu merasa sering melihat angka 11:11, aku rasanya selalu kebetulan melihat angka di jam menunjukkan 10:10 atau 22:10 (yang bikin merinding, ini tanggal lahirku). Hehehe..bukan, bukan karena jam di rumahku mati di angka itu, tapi ngga tahu kenapa, kalau aku merasa ingin lihat jam, pasti lagi pada waktu angka jam dinding-ku menunjukkan angka yang sama.

Teringat Isa, teman kuliah dulu. Suatu kali aku pernah diramal telapak tanganku, dan dia lalu  bertanya padaku, "Ne, ada apa dengan angka 10?"

Nah lho..

Blue=> Typically Caucasian, West
Red=> Typically Indonesian, East

Opinion

B: straight to the point.
R: blunder muter-muter dulu, apalagi kalo opininya berbeda paham

Way of Life

B: individualis, mikirin kehidupannya sendiri.
R: demen kumpul2 sama saudara, ngurusin problem keluarga.

Punctuality

B: on time.
R: in time (or get late)

Contacts

B: contact to related person only.
R: semua temen, semua sodara, relasi luas, bisnis lancar

Anger

B: marah ya marah.
R: marah tapi ramah.

Queue when Waiting

B: biasa antri teratur.
R: rebutan dong, siapa cepat dapat lah

Sundays on the Road

B: menikmati weekend with his own way.
R: doyan ke tempat2 keramaian, mal, dll.

Party

B: bebas-bebas aja berkelompok dengan groupnya sendiri.
R: semua fokus ke satu acara party yang diatur oleh EO.

In the restaurant

B: ngobrol pelan-pelan di resto.
R: ribut ngobrol keras-keras and ketawa-tiwi, ga peduli meja sebelah.

Travelling

B: love to sightseeing, yang penting menikmati pemandangannya.
R: yang penting foto-foto buat kenang-kenangan, pemandangan cuma jadi background

Handling of Problems

B: tabrak aje, yang penting solve the problem.
R: sebisa mungkin menghindari masalah, or jangan sampe ninggalin jejak.

Three meals a day

B: makan kenyang 1 kali sehari.
R: 3 x makan, ya kudu 3 x kenyang

Transportation

B: dulu pake mobil, sekarang udah care sama environment & health yang ga polusi.
R: dulu sengsara pake sepeda, sekarang gengsi dong kalo ga pake mobil

Elderly in day to day life

B: udah tua lonely, paling ditemani Snoopy.
R: masa tua ga bakal kesepian, asal bantu ngemong cucu ya

Moods and Weather

B: logikanya, hujan ya bikin repot.
R: banyak hujan, banyak hoki ya.

The Boss

B: boss is also member of team.
R: boss is dewa yang ditakuti

What's Trendy

B: Healthy Asian food.
R: Trendy Western food

The child

B: its ok punya anak, ntar dia harus berjuang untuk hidup kayak ortu-nya.
R: kerja jatuh bangun, segala-galanya demi anak, sang penerus generasi.

 وَقُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ ۖ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَائِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَائِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي أَخَوَاتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَائِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ أَوِ التَّابِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُولِي الْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ أَوِ الطِّفْلِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا عَلَىٰ عَوْرَاتِ النِّسَاءِ ۖ وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِنْ زِينَتِهِنَّ ۚ وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (٣١)

"And O ye Believers! Turn ye all together towards Allah, that ye may attain Bliss."
Q.S. An.Nur : 31.

Sometimes I have to accept unusual event as a sign from Him.
Thanks God, He save our lives and prevent us from terrible accident.

--

( Bertobatlah kalian semua, wahai orang2 yang beriman, semoga kalian termasuk orang2 yang beruntung ) Q.S. An.Nur : 31.

Sepulang kantor tadi hampir ngalamin kecelakaan di underpass Pasar Minggu. Aku dan Oscar masih dilindungi Allah. Kami termasuk orang yang masih beruntung bisa terhindar dari bahaya. Benar-benar beruntung.

Motor kami sedang kencang, kebetulan dari arah Kalibata menuju underpass jalanan agak menurun. Ngga tau datang dari mana (perasaanku datang dari atas!) ada ban mobil lepas dan terpelanting masuk ke terowongan dan memantul ke arah motor kami. ban itu melanting ke arah badan Oscar yang sedang memboncengku. Aku jerit dan benar-benar brain freeze. yang kuingat Oscar tidak mengerem motor tapi menepis ban itu ke samping. Ban itu menggelinding ke arah kanan, dan syukur alhamdulillah mobil dan motor di belakang kami masih sempat mengurangi kecepatan mereka. Setahuku sih ngga ada korban. Tapi yang jelas pasti yang di belakang kami juga ikutan kaget.

Ya Allah, ya Allah, ya Allah. Inikah peringatan dari-Mu untuk  kami berdua?

--

foto diambil sbagai ilustrasi saja. asalnya dari sini

Thinking About Quitting:

Setelah dipikir masak-masak, kayaknya aku harus mengambil sikap. Ketidakjelasan ini sudah berlangsung lama, jauh sejak aku diterima di tempat kerja baru.

Pada dasarnya aku tidak bisa fokus pada dua hal yang sama pentingnya. Aku merasa ngga adil kalau mengajar tapi pikiran ngga tenang dan fisik ngga prima. Padahal mengajar itu perlu ketahanan tubuh yang bagus dan konsentrasi tinggi. Selain itu mood yang baik harus terjaga sepanjang hari supaya semua anak bisa tertular mood happy dari gurunya.

Mengajar adalah berkah tak ternilai. Mengajar adalah ladang pahala, dan buatku aku menemukan kebahagiaan di luar nilai materi yang mungkin tidak seberapa buat sebagian orang.

Tapi aku juga harus berpijak pada kenyataan. Multi -tasking sebetulnya biasa aku lakukan, dan aku terbiasa pula bekerja dalam situasi penuh tekanan. Tapi sekarang ini aku lagi perlu waktu untuk sendiri, lepas dari terlalu banyak tekanan, dan konflik kepentingan.

Ah, aku akan kehilangan masa-masa menyenangkan bertemu senyum manis murid-muridku :) Tapi apapun harus kulakukan supaya aku bisa kembali memberikan senyumku yang hilang.

Wish me luck, people*!
--

Submitting your letter of resignation does not mean you have to resign yourself from the long-term colleagues you have acquired in a business relationship. Often times a resignation is simply a step out of one work environment into a better, more productive work environment that suits your needs as an employee.

Hihihi..terinspirasi oleh postingan Herda yang misuh-misuh soal artikel dengan penyebutan nama narasumber yang salah, aku nemu gambar-gambar ini dari salah satu aplikasi di Facebook.

Postinganku kali ini bukan ngomongin stiker vintage yang khas Indonesia, mungkin akan aku ulas dalam kesampatan lainnya, sementara, kalau mau lihat gambar2 stiker angkot yang menggelitik lainnya silakan intip di sini.

Cakep tapi bloon.

Tuhan memang Maha Adil. Kadang-kadang aku juga suka nemu orang oon (=bloon) kayak gini. Sebetulnya ngga ada orang yang bloon sih, tapi mungkin karena ignorant, atau kuper jadinya mereka yang aku sebut oon ini terlihat bodoh. Oon di sini bukan dari inteligensia-nya ya. Lebih ke perilaku, maksudku.

Menghadapi orang kayak gini gampang-gampang susah. Karena bukan bodoh, jadi ngga bisa diperlakukan seperti orang bodoh. Paling kita cuma bisa mengurut dada dan kalau matamu jeli bisa melihat talking balloon yang besar bertuliskan: "Doh"

Mudah-mudahan kita ngga pernah dianggap oon di mata orang lain ya. Hihihi!

Orang baik ada di mana-mana..merekalah yang kadang suka kasih rejeki tak terduga. Misalnya Tyas Palar :) Makasih ya, bukunya udah keterima. Padahal selama ini aku hanya kenal dia lewat LiveJournal.

Tyas mengirimkan buku hasil terjemahannya, tentang soft furnishing.
Hehehe..berguna buat dandanin rumah!

First Home: Soft Furnishings: The Beginner's Guide to Creating a Beautiful Home

Aku juga dulu pernah dikirim buku dari Jepang oleh orang Indonesia yang tinggal di Jepang, namanya Leoni.

Dia dulu member milis yang sama dan mengirimkan buku yang  menjadi kesayanganku karena kami sama-sama penggemar Harry Potter :)

The Sorcerer's Companion: A Guide to the Magical World of Harry Potter

Yang dapat kiriman buku ini malah bukan cuma aku, tapi juga Chita. Sebetulnya malah aku kenal Leoni dari Chita..hihihi...

Alhamdulillah ada aja ya yang baik ama saya :)

"Psst.."
"Ngapain sih repot-repot?"
"Si Ini nulis artikel seru, baca deh.."
"Lucu juga kalau browsing barang baru.."
"Hihihi..email anak-anak lagi rame.."
"Udah check milis?"
"TKS ada pesenan baru.."
"Ganti avatar,ah.."
"Ngga usah dikebut sekarang, santai aja.."
"Pulang cepet yuk?"
"Mau nulis di jurnal,ngga?"
"Ngga pengen update goodreads? facebook? multiply?"
..
..
..
Terus aja si setan merah kecil ini mengganggu kerjaku hari ini. Hehheee....

Libra Horoscope
Anne,
Obtaining and exchanging information takes on more emotional significance for you now. Your desire for excitement and adventure may put you into a very dangerous situation. Using good judgment will help to keep you out of trouble. New interests may be preoccupying your time.

--

Sigh.
I know.

Aku pengen selalu menjadi orang yang harus ambil jalan yang mana dan mengambil keputusan yang tepat untuk setiap masalah yang sedang atau akan dihadapi.

Ketakutan, keraguan, adalah teman-teman yang selalu menggoda supaya aku kembali salah, supaya tidak berani mendengar kata hati, supaya terpengaruh hal yang tidak perlu..

Yang penting sekarang aku harus selalu ingat saja untuk memulai sesuatunya dengan : niat yang baik, insya Allah, sambil menjalani hidup dengan benar, semua jalan jadi terbuka.. Amin!

I stayed at home this morning, skip from work.
I don't consider this to be my new habit, but I feel so much happier today.

I made this illustration for myself :)

My husband gave me a nickname: Panic Button.
I think he is quite right, because I tend to freeze when panic attacked me.

Today is a horrible hectic day. There are so many things to do, so little time.
I have to sort all things out once at a time.

Relax,Anne.

The current symptoms  of my panic are:

1. palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate
2. sweating
3. sensations of shortness of breath
   
4. chest pain or discomfort
5. feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint
6. chills or hot flushes

Here’s how to attack the problem:

A. Identify the sources

Why should I panic? Is it worth to keep the negativity? Focus on what you are doing, but I think I also have to find out why and what is the problem.

B. Offer a gentle initial learning curve

After you have discovered the bumps, try to eliminate them. Where you can’t eliminate them, smooth them out. Offer better prompts that users can understand. Break big steps into a series of little ones.

C. Ensure early success experiences

I have to be confidence to continue! I did my best back then, so I can do that again!

Kutipan dari blog Rony:
..di Metro tv
"Pemkot Balikpapan, Kaltim melarang anak sedolah dasar menonton tv pada pukul 18.00-21.00 karna dinilai tayangan tv pada jam tersebut tidak mendidik"..

Naaah, gitu dong!
Tapi harusnya dijelaskan yang termasuk tidak mendidik itu tayangan seperti apa. Kalau menurutku sih sinetron bisa dibikin mendidik, sayangnya  kebanyakan produser ngga mendidik :D

I worry about the things my children see on TV. How can I be sure what they are watching is appropriate?

The TV rating system, known as the TV Parental Guidelines, was created to help parents choose programs that are suitable for their children.

The following are other ways you can help your children develop positive viewing habits:

1. Set limits. Limit your children's use of TV, movies, and video and computer games to no more than 1 or 2 hours per day. Do not let your children watch TV while doing homework. Do not put a TV in your children's bedrooms.
2. Plan what to watch. Instead of flipping through channels, use a program guide and the TV ratings to help you and your children choose which shows to watch. Turn the TV on to watch the program and turn it off when it is over.
3. Watch TV with your children. Whenever possible, watch TV with your children and talk about what they see. If your children are very young, they may not be able to tell the difference between a show, a commercial, a cartoon, or real life. Be especially careful of "reality-based" programs. Most of these shows are not appropriate for children.
4. Find the right message. Some TV programs show people as stereotypes. If you see this, talk with your children about the real-life roles of women, the elderly, and people of other races.
5. Help your children resist commercials. When your children ask for things they see on TV, explain that the purpose of commercials is to make people want things they may not need.
6. Look for quality children's videos and DVDs. There are many quality videos and DVDs available for children. Check reviews before buying or renting programs or movies.
7. Give other options. Watching TV can become a habit for your children. Help them find other things to do like playing; reading; learning a hobby, a sport, an instrument, or an art; or spending time with family, friends, or neighbors.
8. Set a good example. As a role model, limiting your own TV viewing and choosing programs carefully will help your children do the same.
9. Express your views. When you like or do not like something you see on TV, make yourself heard. Stations, networks, and sponsors pay attention to letters from the public. If you think a commercial is misleading or inappropriately targeting children, write down the product name, channel, and time you saw the commercial and describe your concerns.
10. Get more information. The following resources can provide you with more information about the proper role of TV in your children's lives.

Complete article: http://www.aap.org/publiced/BR_TV.htm

Tapi kan ini di Amerika..kalau di Indonesia masih perlu perjuangan ya?

Lagi ngga semangat pergi ke kantor. Banyak yang harus dilakukan tapi kebanyakan semua belum pasti. Harus nyiapin pameran, tapi ukuran booth untuk kantor aja belum ada jawaban pasti dari pihak penyelenggara. Begitupun dengan denah, lokasi booth dll..Malesnya kalau udah gini..

Padahal masih banyak kerjaan lain yang harus aku dahulukan. Tapi sepertinya dalam bulan depan semua kerjaan teriak-teriak.

Sebal. Sebal .Sebal.