Swimming Thougths

I love to swim. Being underwater gives the scarce feeling of peace & serenity.

I often have interesting thoughts while swimming, being secluded from distracting surrounding eases inspiration to come.

Here's my latest swimming thoughts, particularly about life :

• Take a breath, no matter how good you are at what you do, or you'll get suffocated.
• Signs that you need to rest ;
• You no longer looking at your target or you can't see your target,
• You feel disoriented and unorganized,
• Your surrounding seems dark & gloomy

• When you feel your surrounding's foggy and unclear, take a break and check your glasses first (check yourself, your perspective, the way you look at life)
• Signs that you’re in good position ;
• You can see your target crystal clear
• You enjoy the process to accomplished your target
• You're excited for your next target.

Happiness Tracking : No Waiting

Happiness is..
Fast reliable high-bandwidth Internet connection

Happiness is..
No traffic in the road

Happiness is when we don't need to wait just because insufficient resources, incapable facilities, or overload traffic.

We're Like Plants

We live like plants;
as baby we're seeds, absorbing the nutrients from the soil,
as we got older, we grow, while still absorbs from soil, we seek the sun to live,
then we pollinates, sometimes with insects as our matchmaker, we create more seeds,
as we grow older, we're down, back to the ground,
whilst hoping to give back to our seeds through the soil

7 sifat pemuda

7 sifat pemuda yang dibanggakan Allah:
1. Selalu semangat berjiwa muda
2. Memiliki iman yang jujur kepada Allah
3. Selalu menambah ilmu (hidayah)
4. Bersatu, tidak saling menjelekkan
5. Aktif, mengajak orang laim berbuat baik
6. Berdakwah, memperkenalkan Allah
7. Bertauhid, beriman hanya kepada Allah, tidak mau kepada selain Allah

QS Al Kahfi : 13-14
Majelis Pengajian Ahad Pagi, Mesjid Raya Pondok Indah

Backpacking Tips

-Pack light
-Be self-sufficient
-Manage your bladder
-Eat accordingly
-Sharing = fun
-Be punctual yet flexible : you would want to be everyone's source of fun, not their source of stress
-Alone we go fast, together we go far
-Be practical; use diposable panty, kain bali instead of pants for water-related activities

What is this?

What is this?

Why do your hobby same as mine?

Why do we have so much in common?

Why did it seems I waited for your reply before I can sleep?

What kind of sorcery is this?

Bad News (?)

Of course I'm sad.
But then again, I look around and found I have so many to thankful for.
It'd be selfish for me to complained.

Let's make this opportunity to grow and be better.

Dear God,
I'm a sinner, I'm closer to you when I need something.
I'll be better.
But.
You're my only place to pray.
You're my only hope.
With Your Greatness and Kindness, I plead You not to forget me.
Your Guidance is my only help.
I'll be better.

Itsy bitsy things

What I learned about myself:
- The right part of my body seems to be more sensitive than the left (e.g. more ticklish)
- when I'm alone, I prefer pitch black darkness when sleeping

Story vs Preach

Stories and preach may have the same message.
But people seems to received it differently.

Telling stories seems more plausible to be perceived well than to preach and tell people what the message is.

Note to self : Be Selfless

By sincerely care about other, one will gain much fulfilling feeling than one might have thought.

Happiness Tracking : Gathering with Close Friends

Just because.

Does this even need futher explanation?

Happiness Tracking : Checking SNSD Stuff :D

Yep.
That fangirl side of me still very alive.

I don't know how I became such a fan, considering I'm not interested in K-Pop before.
But well, well, well, look what I've missed.
Another world. So deep you may get lost once you're in there :))

But it's fun.
SNSD act always managed to make at least a smile on my face :)
Not necessarily their song or performance.
I'm aware that there are many other more talented artist in terms of musical side.

But it's their act and behavior that makes me starstrucked.
No they're not perfect. 
On the contrary,  they're such a dork and not ashamed of it. LOL.

It's their work ethic, their relationship with each other, their action towards other artists and towards their fans.. call me naive but I think they're truly deserve the success they've got now.

Their sister bond are adorable. They've been together for so long, from their training, when they're still in elementary school, until now (they're in mid 20s).
Sure, it seems some closer to ones than the other, but they've grown so comfortable together, it's not even an issue. How cool is that?

They're relationship with their fans is awesome. They love their fans and surely their fans love them.
There seems to be SONe all around the world.
And with large loyal base of fans, they can do any activities, and their fans will still love them.
(As long as it's positive and rumor-free. I sense that Korean are sensitive like that. Unlike in the West, where more drama means more fame.)

I always like when Korean artist stated their gratitude towards their fans and said that they'll repay them with working hard and become much better (artist).
It's so humble and honorable, don't you think?
They acknowledge that they're big because of their fans. And it's true, right?
Sure there's talent, but manners are important.

As far as I know, SNSD never fail to mention this every time they win anything. Even when they just doing interviews, they always concluded with statement thay they will work even harder in the future to become better.
Most likely it's their management company that came up with that statement at the first place, or maybe it's the standard Korean artist greeting.
But it still nice to see such hardworking attitude stated to public.

One of the English-speaking member stated this in one of their fan meeting in US : "You are all what keep us going when we're tired and when we have no strength left. So I hope that we may be the reason behind you guys'"- Tiffany, SNSD.
Wonderfully concluded.

Oh wow.
Look how long I babble about this.

Let me wrap this.
If anyone ever askes me why I like SNSD, ny answer would be:
"Because they're the living proof of how hardworking and having fun (while being dorks) can be integrated successfully"

They're working together doing things they love with their closest friends.
How perfect is that?
I want to be like them.

Happiness Tracking : Job Well Done

I don't know if this applies to everyone, but I'm bothered and feel unease if there's still an unfinished job at my hand.

I'd like to get things done, and I'd like to do it quickly.
This trait is tricky.
On one side sometimes it is "the quicker the better".
But on the other side, being quick sometimes makes me oversee small things.
There are also some task which requires deep thinking and actually need some time to process.

I like to listed things to be done.
And to be able to tick it once it's complete creates a good mood for me.

Happiness Tracking : Individual Time

I enjoy my individual time.
I enjoy strolling around by myself.
It gives me the freedom to be myself.
It gives me time to think clearly.

Happiness Tracking : Start! - Writing

As I read "The Happiness Project" book, I started thinking about my own happiness.
Am I happy?

By asking myself that question, my mind wondered.
There were obviously times I feel more happy, more content, more free.

I cannot say those times were better than now. Cause it seems what I lacked before, I gained now.
Unfortunately, I miss what I took for granted before.

There seems to be several ideal activities I did before, but have to abandoned due to lack of times, change in priotities, or lost of interest. Writing is unfortunately one of those activities.

In order to keep track of my own happiness plus to start writing again, I'll start posting here things I find enjoyable.

I got one already : writing. Writing for myself seems to have positive impact on my sanity (haha).

Yet as an amateur ad-hoc writer, my mind often wonders somewhere else when I'm writing some topic, like now.... *facepalm*

...

Oh well.

In the spirit of the quotes "practices make perfect", and "small deeds done often and routine are more effective than a big gesture done once or twice", I'll try not to overwhelmed my self by writing a long post now.

Until next post then!

I Think I Know What Happened

I think I know what happened
I could analyze the facts
The truth hidden
behind the shown act

Physically close
But not the soul
Others might notice
Yet they will ignore

I won't ask
You won't tell
Then I guess
this will not end well

I think I know what happened
I think I can guess
You still act like model citizen
I just hope for the best

Hunger > Meteor

Last night, I think I didn't get enough to eat for dinner (or the time length between me eating and sleeping is too far, hahah), and I get hungry in the middle of the night.

So I went outside my room to the fridge and grab some biscuits, then went to bed.

In the morning, my dad asked me: "You're up last night to watch the meteor, right?"

...

...

I didn't even realize there was a meteor. Hahah..

Well, apparently there was, silly me.

Quadrantid Meteor Shower 2013 Peaks Overnight January 2, January 3

Jakarta Night Festival Journey

In the end of 2012, me and my friends decided to try this new event organize by Government of Jakarta :

Jakarta Night Festival, or Car Free Night.

Jakartans laud NYE street fest | The Jakarta Post

We planned to gather at one of my friend's house at Sawah Besar, Gajah Mada then walk from there towards Thamrin, Monas, and Bundaran HI.

As my house is on South Jakarta, I planned to go to Grand Indonesia first, wait until Magrib prayer, then go to Sawah Besar afterwards. I think it was little before 7pm when I was out from GI and queued for taxi, waited for half an hour for taxi, then left to Sawah Besar. It was already raining that time.

From around 8pm we're at my friend's house, eating, chatting, catching up, while waiting for the rain to stop. It didn't. So around 10.30pm, as we began to feel the comfort of my friend's cozy room, we decided to take a walk anyway, while bringing umbrellas. The 5 of us, walked in 2-2-1 pair, began our journey.

The walked from Sawah Besar to Thamrin was crowded. Sawah Besar and Gajah Mada road were not closed for vehicle, so we have to walk on the sidewalk. The fact that there's no decent pavement for pedestrian to begin with, added with many people are heading to Thamrin, many mini dirty pool created by the combination of rain and uneven road, and many peddlers along the way, made it a less pleasant walk.

The situation on Thamrin was not much different. There were so many people. My friend and I was searching for "class A" people, who were, as expected, rarely seen. Sometime past 11pm we made it to Monas. We took pictures outside Monas area, and decided to continue to Bundaran HI.

I bought kacang rebus on the way there, a perfect companion for a cold walk, hehe.. Then we walked past through several stages with various performance like lenong and band. It was still raining, so we walked using our umbrella, tried to pass through the crowd who's watching the show on stage. Meanwhile fireworks were popping from everywhere.

It hurt us when we saw many people were so ignorant, stomping the lovely plant, thrashing, sitting and bending the fence. Ouch >.<. There were also many annoying trumpet sound. Haha. This one perhaps just my introverted-personal opinion, i like silence and solitude :p

Little before 12 we got to the front of eX Plaza. We didn't think we can pass through the crowd to HI, so we waited there, take pictures, and tried to get some rest. Then later the fireworks and trumpet sound got crazy. We're guessing it's midnight already. The fireworks lasted for couple of minutes, but in my opinion, it wasn't extraordinary, just many fireworks got popped concurrently.

We waited until the crowd was more sparse, then at 12.30, we walked back. One of my friend injured her feet while walking, due to lask of comfort in her shoes. So she was struggling all the way back, and we often need to stop walking to gave her a chance to treat her feet. The walk back were like 3 times harder. We're exhausted.

By the time we get to Gajah Mada area at around 2am, we were intrigued by 24hours Dunkin Donut store, which were not very crowded. We stopped there for a drink and to rest.

Finally we managed to get back to my friend's house around 3am. Exhausted and feel dirty, we dragged ourself to a quick wash-up, then to get some sleep before returning to our own house in the morning. I felt like my legs were going to fall off.

The sleep, for me, was not like a sleep. I had to get up by 5 for Subuh prayer, then to be woken up by 6 to return to our own home. So that was not count as sleep.

At 6 am we got up, one of my friend brought his car and willing to take the rest of us to get taxi. I arrived at my home around 7.30am, wash up, then straight to bed. I planned that I'll sleep until 11am. I woke up at 3pm. Haha.

Woke up feeling refreshed, I didn't regret my much-needed sleep. Especially when around 5pm, this video came up :

"Girls' Generation 소녀시대_I GOT A BOY_Music Video"

Haha. I dare you not to get addicted at the song. My energy was refreshed! :p

"Do what your heart says"

Heart is not meant to hide feelings, heart is supposedly used to FEEL.
Brain can't distinguish between what's right and wrong.

Do what your heart says.

Working = Swimming

Hi you,

It's been too long since the last time I actually write in this blog.
I got lazy, or busy, or another media came in with its improved new features,
or simply, I didn't feel like writing.
It's such a pity remembering this blog has accompanied me through my fragile fun crazy years.

Lately I've been feeling down, yet I don't know why,
and therefore I don't know how to overcome it.
It's been mildly frustrating.
If you need me to guess, I think it has something to do with work
(since I've had a strong laziness attack when I heard anything related to it).



I'm working now, in a multinational consulting company (yay me).
It pays me well, alhamdulillah, I don't think that's the issue.

I'm always very sensitive about the people around me.
I believe that our surroundings can influence us to be better or worse.
And so I most certainly concern about my colleagues that surrounds me in almost 80% of my life now.

At first I think I've had the most wonderful colleagues ever
... then along with time, I keep revising that judgment.

I don't think they're bad in person, but I think too much work hours had made several of them exhausted and brought the worse out of them, making egocentric decision, and put manners aside.
Perhaps I do that too, get too overwhelmed with work, and let it diminished the best of me.
That's a shame.

As I try to shake things, to refresh my mind and soul, I swam.
When I was on my (hopefully) routine swimming exercise, I think of this.
Working is similar as swimming.


- It (should be) for your own good
- You should have a goal.
- Over-doing it is never a good idea, it could suffocate you (see the resemblance?)
- Everyone has their own limit, therefore,
- Don't hesitate to take a break, slow down a little.

Working is like swimming.
It's for your own good.
You swim not to make other people happy, right?
Your swimming don't make other feels healthy.
You swim for you, for your own benefit.
You should swim because you like it, because you want to, because you enjoy it.
Same thing applied to work.

Like every swimming exercise, you should have your own goal.
Goal like : "I should manage to get 10 set of back-and-forth swimming today"
After that goal is reached, you could rest. Or get another goal.
It depends on your own capabilities.
And in swimming, the more often you exercise, you become more capable, and your goal will be more challenging.

Need I say more about overdoing?
You could literally suffocate if you force yourself in swimming.
That feeling will also occurs if you force yourself at work.
Admit that you have a limit, your body has a limit, your mental has a limit.
Your human!
Your have the need to rest, to take your mind off something obligatory, to be able to dream.
And your limit maybe different than others.
Know your limit, know yourself.
Don't over do it, for your own good.


Everybody has their own limit.
In swimming, one may need to take air after half-minute underwater, other may be able to endure until 1 minute, or 2.
Breaking those limit will only bring you harm.

Human need to take a break every once in a while.
Don't feel ashamed by it.
Taking a necessary break will make your (work) life better,
like taking a short breath everytime we swim.
Even professional swimmer do it.
They're still human, they're swimmer, not fish. Haha.

Well, well, look at me writing like a work expert.
This note I share, in case any of you need to be reminded of any of those things above.
But mostly I write this to remind myself.

In the ideal life, I've found my passion, and now currently pursuing it with restlessly.
Wow that's ideal.

Meanwhile I'm in this real life, trying to make things work, one day at a time.

*since recently I've been watching Korean variety show, I'll say;
Hwaiting! :p

pic source
pic source
pic source