What Do They Mean by Treats Anyway?
12 hours ago
In Memory of Ida Bagus Gde Arditya Hardaya: May you continue on to a better place
First of all, I'd like to apologise for the long delay in updating this blog. I will not justify it by claiming to be busy; on the contrary, for some time I have been far from being busy. It's merely because of my being incredibly lazy over the past few weeks (or is it months? I can't seem to recall, but I don't intend to dig it up). Neither will I claim that it is due to the lack of interesting events in my life, because many blog-worthy events have occurred since my last post, most notably the arrival of a few of my friends here and our traipsing around Bali. However, that is not why I am posting today (but if it piques your curiosity, you may visit Boon's blog for the juicy details). Today's post will be dedicated to one of my closest friends, Ida Bagus Gde Arditya Hardaya, with whom I spent a few months in SMAN 3 Denpasar during the short few months of SMA just before my departure for Singapore.
Initially, I regarded him as little more than a member of my class -- who was my class chairman, make no mistake. Although he was in my class, I hardly had any meaningful encounter with him in my first few days, due to my reluctance to socialise and choosing to stick with those from my SMP (namely Egy and Nana). Plus, in the first year he took Meditation as a Co-Curricular Activity before he moved to my CCA, which made me regard him as somewhat eccentric. However, since Egy and I were assigned the task of being the class administrational helper (mainly like a foreign maid, minus the accent), we got to know more and more of him, thus changing my impression of him. What I had first noticed about Arditya (after getting to know him more) is that he smiled often and had a charming personality, thus making him impressionable to mostly anyone we met. Although he used to tease me about my corpulence, something practically everyone did, I bore no grudges toward him (because I teased him back a lot too, but mostly because I'm a good person). Until my final days in SMAN 3, we hung out a lot, and I considered him one of my closest friends.
During my four years in Singapore, I would often fly back for most holidays and plan numerous outings, almost all of which he attended as well. It was also at this time that I wondered why Boon used to dislike him so much, but that's all in the past now. He was one of the few people I followed on Twitter whom I actually know in person, and when texting was inconvenient we would tweet each other often. He was also one of the few friends I had in Bali who stayed updated on Gossip Girl, 90210, Sidekicks and fashion outerwear, such as Massimo Dutti and Salvatore Ferragamo. In fact, one of his last tweets that caught my eye was along the lines of "watching Salvatore Ferragamo @ FTV. kalo udah jadi boss, I will wear his work on my body! hehe :)". Well, that and the fact that on his last flight to Jakarta he was on the same plane as Cinta Laura, an artist without any sense of art. More tweets can be found here.
All in all, Arditya was an amazing person who charmed mostly everyone with whom he came into contact. He has very few flaws of character of which I can speak. No, this is not a case of de mortuis nil nisi bonum dicensum est. He was truly a wonderful person, so much so that I regret greatly that I didn't get to spend more time hanging out with him. When I received the text informing me of his passing away, I was in tremendous denial. I practically ran around trying to find confirmation of this piece of devastating news. I even tweeted one of his Twitter-buddies for confirmation.
Yesterday many of his friends and family attended his cremation, done in Balinese style, of course. Many were too devastated to even hold back their tears. Of course, I was not one of them, since I tend to shout and order people around when I'm sad. Only when I can't find an outlet of this grief do I actually shed tears. Many of his friends, from SD, SMP and SMA carried the multitude condolence wreaths that he has been sent. It was a mournful procession from his house to the sea, so much so that few even noticed the sweltering heat. When the cremation was over, we left after giving our condolences to his family.
It may seem out of place to mention this here, but ever since his cremation, and also the night before in fact, I have been taken ill. It seems as though I have caught the flu bug, because I have had severe fever, painful coughs and an irritating blocked nose. I couldn't get out of bed at all this morning, and was forced to remain there while my maid carried up my food and medicine. Let;s just hope it's not the H1N1 virus that's crawled into my home. If I don't recover by tomorrow, I will definitely go and see a doctor. For now, let's just hope that I'll be up and running soon. I hate being ill!
Initially, I regarded him as little more than a member of my class -- who was my class chairman, make no mistake. Although he was in my class, I hardly had any meaningful encounter with him in my first few days, due to my reluctance to socialise and choosing to stick with those from my SMP (namely Egy and Nana). Plus, in the first year he took Meditation as a Co-Curricular Activity before he moved to my CCA, which made me regard him as somewhat eccentric. However, since Egy and I were assigned the task of being the class administrational helper (mainly like a foreign maid, minus the accent), we got to know more and more of him, thus changing my impression of him. What I had first noticed about Arditya (after getting to know him more) is that he smiled often and had a charming personality, thus making him impressionable to mostly anyone we met. Although he used to tease me about my corpulence, something practically everyone did, I bore no grudges toward him (because I teased him back a lot too, but mostly because I'm a good person). Until my final days in SMAN 3, we hung out a lot, and I considered him one of my closest friends.
During my four years in Singapore, I would often fly back for most holidays and plan numerous outings, almost all of which he attended as well. It was also at this time that I wondered why Boon used to dislike him so much, but that's all in the past now. He was one of the few people I followed on Twitter whom I actually know in person, and when texting was inconvenient we would tweet each other often. He was also one of the few friends I had in Bali who stayed updated on Gossip Girl, 90210, Sidekicks and fashion outerwear, such as Massimo Dutti and Salvatore Ferragamo. In fact, one of his last tweets that caught my eye was along the lines of "watching Salvatore Ferragamo @ FTV. kalo udah jadi boss, I will wear his work on my body! hehe :)". Well, that and the fact that on his last flight to Jakarta he was on the same plane as Cinta Laura, an artist without any sense of art. More tweets can be found here.
All in all, Arditya was an amazing person who charmed mostly everyone with whom he came into contact. He has very few flaws of character of which I can speak. No, this is not a case of de mortuis nil nisi bonum dicensum est. He was truly a wonderful person, so much so that I regret greatly that I didn't get to spend more time hanging out with him. When I received the text informing me of his passing away, I was in tremendous denial. I practically ran around trying to find confirmation of this piece of devastating news. I even tweeted one of his Twitter-buddies for confirmation.
Yesterday many of his friends and family attended his cremation, done in Balinese style, of course. Many were too devastated to even hold back their tears. Of course, I was not one of them, since I tend to shout and order people around when I'm sad. Only when I can't find an outlet of this grief do I actually shed tears. Many of his friends, from SD, SMP and SMA carried the multitude condolence wreaths that he has been sent. It was a mournful procession from his house to the sea, so much so that few even noticed the sweltering heat. When the cremation was over, we left after giving our condolences to his family.
It may seem out of place to mention this here, but ever since his cremation, and also the night before in fact, I have been taken ill. It seems as though I have caught the flu bug, because I have had severe fever, painful coughs and an irritating blocked nose. I couldn't get out of bed at all this morning, and was forced to remain there while my maid carried up my food and medicine. Let;s just hope it's not the H1N1 virus that's crawled into my home. If I don't recover by tomorrow, I will definitely go and see a doctor. For now, let's just hope that I'll be up and running soon. I hate being ill!
Recent laughter
Recently, out of sheer boredom, I've been scouring around the internet for some source of entertainment, especially since the shows I'm currently following are all on hiatus until August. (Why do a lot of things seem to happen on August? There's FoA, the airing of new seasons and the much anticipated release of acceptance results from B University.) Actually, I've already known about the websites I'm about to mention for quite a while now, but I've only started to check them frequently lately because I'm so bored. Anyway, without further ado, and in no order of preference, these websites are:
- FailBlog.Org -- This site features a plethora of ways in which humans show off their stupidity. It's a complete showcase of how many have the problem of being unable to think properly and inevitably bringing them total social humiliation. Take this for example.
- SomethingAwful.com -- The most noticeable thing about this website is its slogan, "The Internet Makes You Stupid". As does FailBlog.Org, this website also exhibits the stupidity of some people that, when I first opened it, brought me many a laugh. Unlike FailBlog.Org, however, this website mocks specifically users of the internet in a variety of manners, ranging from pranks via ICQ to screenshots of forums where the participants practically insult themselves with their own words, like Rapture Ready.
- Nguping Jakarta -- This is a hilarious compedium of ridiculous dialogues (or monologues) overheard in the grand city of Jakarta. (The italics were not supposed to show sarcasm, guys) However, this website limits itself to mainly conversations in Indonesian, something with which my foreign readers probably have a problem. When discussing Nguping Jakarta, it is only natural and obligatory to speak of the site that inspired it in the first place:
- Overheard in New York -- This website is dedicated to exposing the outrageous things people say in New York. There are also affiliated websites that make sure that the rest of the world is not left out, like Overheard Everywhere and Celebrity Wit.
- Talking Cock -- As one would naturally surmise from the distinct Singapore vibe that emanates from the name of the website, this website carries material of a nature that can only be fully appreciated by someone who has lived in Singapore, ranging from politics to even parodies on the kiasuism of Singaporeans. Since I've been hanging out on this site the most, I'll give a lot of examples of the humorous content I've seen, like this JC Musical:
On top of that, I also read a suggestion of how guys and gals can watch movies together, what with the recent sporadic spreading of either action movies or chick flick, which forces a couple to choose either a conmpromise or a breakup. The solution that's been offered is to merge the two genres together. Here are a few suggested titles, courtesy of Talking Cock:
1. Indiana Jones’ Diary
2. Passion: Impossible
3. Kiss Bill Vol. 1 and 2
4. Terminator of Endearment
5. My Big Fat Greek Happening
6. Alien v. Pretty Woman
7. When an Iron Man Loves a Woman
8. Four Weddings and a Full Metal Jacket
9. Cry Hard
10. Cry Hard with a Fragrance
11. The Joy Luck Fight Club
12. There’s Something About Miami Vice
13. When Dirty Harry Shot Sally
14. Three X-Men and a Baby
15. Blood, Actually
16. Batman at Tiffany’s
17. Pride and Predator
18. Saw and the City
19. 881 to Yuma
20. Titanic 2: Judgment Day & Titanic 3: Rise of the Machines
Another excerpt fromTalking Cock is this list of rejected car names, which I shan't post in full here. There are a few, however, that I'd like to point out, like:
1. Toyota CorrodedWell, that's all I'd like to share today. Hope you enjoyed the comedy!
...
3. Ford Exploder (which is quite funny, since my last car was a Ford Explorer --pootz)
...
5. BMW 10-Year Series
...
9. Kia Su
...
Sherina Munaf, you did not deserve this...
As I'm sure many in Indonesia have heard, rumours are rampant that the Indonesian actress/songstress Sherina Munaf claims to have been raped by a co-star in her childhood. Before we discuss anything else, however, I'd like to point out that this rumour is completely false and should not be taken seriously. After all, everyone who's been personally mentioned in said rumour claims complete ignorance to the matter, and the rumour does sound completely outrageous.
Naturally, Sherina's response to the matter was to deny it completely. After all, this juicy piece of gossip was completely unfounded. Even Sherina's friend, Azmirandah, merely chuckled in response, since both initially thought that this was something a few mischievous blabbermouths decided to fabricate purely out of mischief. However, since then the rumours have been intensifying, with an additional detail every time it gets published, so much so that even a fearsome gossip like me would cringe at how malicious this fabricated story has become. The scandal escalated to even tabloids and newspapers, most of which add their own spice to it. Of course, this has got the public wondering about the truth to the rumour, despite interviews with Sherina and any others mentioned within the rumour, and the public opinion has become muddled due to the involvement of heretofore-reputable sources of news. Sherina's dignity has also been harshly debased because of the venomous tongues (or fingers, if the news was originated on the net) of those who bear malice against her.
Obviously, this has enraged Sherina greatly, because this scandal has untruthfully defamed her and caused much trouble for her, her family and her friends in the clarification thereof. Moreover, the rumours did begin to sound as if they were started for the sole reason of destroying her social life -- to the remnants of which I offer my condolences -- probably by some of her anti-fans or real-life enemies who have been on a Gossip Girl overdose. (If that's the case, let me remind you that there are a few more months left until the next season, so go and obsess about another TV series!) I doubt that my words will express her emotions better than her own, so here's an excerpt from her blog:
Anyway, she also claims that she did not start the rumours herself in order to attract attention and publicise her album. I too think this an extremely stupid way to publicise an album. That's why she posted this:
Here's my opinion: Sherina's been viciously harmed by this rumour, which is a complete fabrication of her anti-fans or enemies, and this matter has escalated to enormous proportions. However, there also seem to be elements of the rumour that have been contributed by mischievous gossips with too much time on their hands, such as Gita Gutawa's being a witness to the crime. I found this hilarious, yet idiotic, extra spice here. I could totally imagine some mischievous gossip chatting about this and cheekily adding in this extra spice, of course both parties knowing that the rumours are false, while someone overhears and makes a big deal out of it.
I'm trying to say here that what these people did to Sherina and her public opinion is completely outrageous. She may not be perfect (I mean, I've seen pictures of her having a night out with her friends, and boy did I see a lot!) but she's still got some self-respect and she is a person with feelings. I'd simply like to say that, in this case, I'm on her side -- at least until I hear what her anti-fans have to say about her.
By the way, if you want to read what her blog originally says, here's the link to the post from which I've been quoting quite liberally. Don't worry, my foreigner friends, it's in English, so there should be no problem reading it. On that note, I'd also like to commend her amazing English -- at least for a person who grew up in Indonesia it's apparent that she's effectively bilingual, unlike certain German-born actresses who can't even speak German.
Hope you enjoyed this post!
Naturally, Sherina's response to the matter was to deny it completely. After all, this juicy piece of gossip was completely unfounded. Even Sherina's friend, Azmirandah, merely chuckled in response, since both initially thought that this was something a few mischievous blabbermouths decided to fabricate purely out of mischief. However, since then the rumours have been intensifying, with an additional detail every time it gets published, so much so that even a fearsome gossip like me would cringe at how malicious this fabricated story has become. The scandal escalated to even tabloids and newspapers, most of which add their own spice to it. Of course, this has got the public wondering about the truth to the rumour, despite interviews with Sherina and any others mentioned within the rumour, and the public opinion has become muddled due to the involvement of heretofore-reputable sources of news. Sherina's dignity has also been harshly debased because of the venomous tongues (or fingers, if the news was originated on the net) of those who bear malice against her.
Obviously, this has enraged Sherina greatly, because this scandal has untruthfully defamed her and caused much trouble for her, her family and her friends in the clarification thereof. Moreover, the rumours did begin to sound as if they were started for the sole reason of destroying her social life -- to the remnants of which I offer my condolences -- probably by some of her anti-fans or real-life enemies who have been on a Gossip Girl overdose. (If that's the case, let me remind you that there are a few more months left until the next season, so go and obsess about another TV series!) I doubt that my words will express her emotions better than her own, so here's an excerpt from her blog:
To the creative rumor starter; you have freakin piss the head out of me however may God forgive you for causing all this commotion. You could've put your creative mind for other uses.
To the media, thanks for giving me the chance to clarify everything. No thanks, for chasing my Mom down to PIM. No thanks for disturbing my family. My career has nothing to do with them and the risks are not theirs to handle. It is mine to handle. And, oh, don't be such drama queens for elongating matters that have NEVER HAPPENED to begin with. So not cool.
Anyway, she also claims that she did not start the rumours herself in order to attract attention and publicise her album. I too think this an extremely stupid way to publicise an album. That's why she posted this:
If you speculate that I'm the mastermind behind all this for the sake of sensation for my next album, you are terribly wrong. Why would I risk my name for sensation. It's a matter of rape and dignity. The past months I've tried my best to avoid any gossips (even 'dating gossips' to start simple) because I want my album launch to be the focus. I wouldn't appreciate the moment when others give out questions surrounding rumors during the session. So it's really unfortunate that this ridiculously false rumor appear around this time.
Here's my opinion: Sherina's been viciously harmed by this rumour, which is a complete fabrication of her anti-fans or enemies, and this matter has escalated to enormous proportions. However, there also seem to be elements of the rumour that have been contributed by mischievous gossips with too much time on their hands, such as Gita Gutawa's being a witness to the crime. I found this hilarious, yet idiotic, extra spice here. I could totally imagine some mischievous gossip chatting about this and cheekily adding in this extra spice, of course both parties knowing that the rumours are false, while someone overhears and makes a big deal out of it.
I'm trying to say here that what these people did to Sherina and her public opinion is completely outrageous. She may not be perfect (I mean, I've seen pictures of her having a night out with her friends, and boy did I see a lot!) but she's still got some self-respect and she is a person with feelings. I'd simply like to say that, in this case, I'm on her side -- at least until I hear what her anti-fans have to say about her.
By the way, if you want to read what her blog originally says, here's the link to the post from which I've been quoting quite liberally. Don't worry, my foreigner friends, it's in English, so there should be no problem reading it. On that note, I'd also like to commend her amazing English -- at least for a person who grew up in Indonesia it's apparent that she's effectively bilingual, unlike certain German-born actresses who can't even speak German.
Hope you enjoyed this post!
I totally need a life...
Lately, i have been thinking of myslef as a lifeless person. I haven't been going out much, and the only times I do I go to the office. On top of that, it's not like I actually do anything in the office, except for opening facebook, sending gossip requests to all my friends and ranting about how full of boredom this life of mine is. Those who bothered to listen to my rantings would know that I am craving for at least some form of excitement, be it in the form of a challenge, some juicy scandal unraveling or a war to fight with anyone who crosses my path. Now, I don't even have any of that. That's why my life has been so empty these last few months, especially when compared with the busy life I once led as an IB student.
Speaking of being an IB student, I am planning to tutor a few IB students from the local international schools. Unfortunately, i have just found out that there is only one international school in Bali that offers the IB course, which is Bali International School. The other international schools apparently don't care enough for a well-rounded education of their pupils. Nevertheless, I still hope that I can tutor a few mroe students for their O-Level examinations, which I also took in my salad days. I've already put up a notice on KasKus.us and hope to put up a notice on FaceBook Marketplace too in hopes of perfecting as much as possible the market information. After all, I doubt there are many other tutors here who are IB graduates and O-Level graduates.
I should have foreseen this and applied for relief teaching at BIS early in the year, but now it's too late to work as anything except a tutor. I'm doing this partially because I miss my IB days, which used to keep me so occupied that I thought I'd enjoy seeing the end of IB, and partially because I miss all the high school drama from which I've stupidly distanced myself by moving back here instead of staying in Singapore and to which I have little access except for the now-extinct weekly dose of Gossip Girl. This may be difficult to apprehend -- especially for those whose perception of IB is only built from the stressed recounts and narratives of their friends in IB nearing IOC/WL time -- but my IB years turned out to be much more fulfilling than the time I'm spending rotting away in the office. Being in IB gave me a sense of purpose, something for which I could strive, while not forgetting the witty banter and stress-relief we had in class (by playing Bridge using the namecards given out by Student Council nominees) and the liberal use of philosphic concepts in our everyday conversation. On top of that, there was the politics and drama, a part of high school (or IB) that reassures even the most ignorant brute and the most intellectual geniuses that they were still in high school. There was power-play amongst practically everyone, or everyone who wanted to prove their existence actually, from the brainiacs to the gossips and drama queens all the way up the hierarchy to teachers and deputy principals. Everyone had fun participating in power play. Of course, if I want to go back to this, I have to at least find a connection to a local high school -- hence the eagerness to tutor.
Obviously, there is one prerequisite I shall have to satisfy before this plan goes into motion, and that is for me to be able to drive! I'm so ashamed that I'm 19 and stll have to depend on either my parents or my friends for transport. What's worse is that my house is rather out-of-the-way so picking me up will be a total hassle for all of my friends. Fortunately, during today's lunch break I took the opportunity to ring up the driving instructor and arrange for a meeting. At least I can look forward to this.
Anyway, I'll try and post again tomorrow.
Yours sincerely,
Huck Finn :P
Speaking of being an IB student, I am planning to tutor a few IB students from the local international schools. Unfortunately, i have just found out that there is only one international school in Bali that offers the IB course, which is Bali International School. The other international schools apparently don't care enough for a well-rounded education of their pupils. Nevertheless, I still hope that I can tutor a few mroe students for their O-Level examinations, which I also took in my salad days. I've already put up a notice on KasKus.us and hope to put up a notice on FaceBook Marketplace too in hopes of perfecting as much as possible the market information. After all, I doubt there are many other tutors here who are IB graduates and O-Level graduates.
I should have foreseen this and applied for relief teaching at BIS early in the year, but now it's too late to work as anything except a tutor. I'm doing this partially because I miss my IB days, which used to keep me so occupied that I thought I'd enjoy seeing the end of IB, and partially because I miss all the high school drama from which I've stupidly distanced myself by moving back here instead of staying in Singapore and to which I have little access except for the now-extinct weekly dose of Gossip Girl. This may be difficult to apprehend -- especially for those whose perception of IB is only built from the stressed recounts and narratives of their friends in IB nearing IOC/WL time -- but my IB years turned out to be much more fulfilling than the time I'm spending rotting away in the office. Being in IB gave me a sense of purpose, something for which I could strive, while not forgetting the witty banter and stress-relief we had in class (by playing Bridge using the namecards given out by Student Council nominees) and the liberal use of philosphic concepts in our everyday conversation. On top of that, there was the politics and drama, a part of high school (or IB) that reassures even the most ignorant brute and the most intellectual geniuses that they were still in high school. There was power-play amongst practically everyone, or everyone who wanted to prove their existence actually, from the brainiacs to the gossips and drama queens all the way up the hierarchy to teachers and deputy principals. Everyone had fun participating in power play. Of course, if I want to go back to this, I have to at least find a connection to a local high school -- hence the eagerness to tutor.
Obviously, there is one prerequisite I shall have to satisfy before this plan goes into motion, and that is for me to be able to drive! I'm so ashamed that I'm 19 and stll have to depend on either my parents or my friends for transport. What's worse is that my house is rather out-of-the-way so picking me up will be a total hassle for all of my friends. Fortunately, during today's lunch break I took the opportunity to ring up the driving instructor and arrange for a meeting. At least I can look forward to this.
Anyway, I'll try and post again tomorrow.
Yours sincerely,
Huck Finn :P
Late Today
Today, something horrible happened to me. Well, it didn't actually happen to me, but it did happen to one of my most beloved possessions. However, to avoid spoiling the story for you, my loyal readers, I shall being from the beginning of the day for me.
This morning, I woke up at 6.15 with the intention to go for my usual morning jog. However, a sudden wave of inertia hit me so strongly that I was forced to lie back down on my bed and sleep for another hour. After all, I wouldn't want the eyebags I used to have in my IB days, anyway. Upon waking up and feeling refreshed, I performed my usual morning routine.
After completing everything that had to be done, I suddenly felt an urge to go to the gym, since I realised that I'd taken too long a vacation from proper exercise and should start to work hard again for my weight loss. That's when I requested for my white bag (the one I bought with Mel in Takashimaya) from a certain someone who barrowed it a few weeks ago. He replied that he had left it downstairs in the living room, so I went down the stars and...
Lo and behold! There was my bag lying on the floor -- only it was no longer white in colour. The bag was so tarnished and smudged that it looked as if it was light grey to begin with! Of course this greatly enraged me, so I marched upstairs to my bedroom to ask that certain someone what trials and tribulations to which my no-longer-white bag had been subjected. My enquiry was, unfortunately, answered by a mere shrug, followed with a meaningless "Oh" that was obviously supposed to stand for an apology that he refused to give. Seeing red, I immediately moved to my sister's room and took all that I needed, namely some facial tissues, a lot of facial cotton and some body lotion, and I began rubbing like mad (a neat trick that Valentino claims should be able to clean the bag a lot more than wiping with water does).
The first few times I rubbed the bag with body lotion, the tissue paper I used to wipe the smudges were literally as black as coal. The tissue had to be replaced so often that I felt as if I were the second worst environmetal hazard, right after national examinations. After many good rubs, the bag looked slightly more presentable, though it was extremely difficult to remove so many of the smudges. It looked as if the bag had been to a war and came back with permanent scars.
Smiling with a little satisfaction at my hard work, I glanced at the clock and was shocked to find out that I was 20 minutes late for work! I quickly began packing what I thought I would need for work and the gym and rushed right out. My maid then insisted on taking me to the office on a motorbike so that I wouldn't be as late. I reluctantly agreed, becaused caring for the environment seemed less important that being on time for work, for me at least. With many an angry thought against the certain person who ruined my bag and was stiing quite comfortably on my bed and littering there wiht no thought of apologising, I rode the motorbike as quickly as I could to the office. And so did my hectic morning start.
On another note, I've been checking those who visit my blog regularly. Funnily enough, soemone stumbled upon my blog when he searched on Google for ... wait for it ... "paddy clarke foreshadowing". Isn't that simply hilarious? I mention Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha once on my blog and get traffic! Funnily enough, too, was the fact that the search came from Singapore, so I presume that this person is actually one of my juniors who are atternding year 6 of their IB course. Sorry, man, I don't have any juicy and helpful notes for you. in fact, I didn't believe in taking notes for English class.
Well, I've got to go for lunch soon, so I'll end this post right here.
This morning, I woke up at 6.15 with the intention to go for my usual morning jog. However, a sudden wave of inertia hit me so strongly that I was forced to lie back down on my bed and sleep for another hour. After all, I wouldn't want the eyebags I used to have in my IB days, anyway. Upon waking up and feeling refreshed, I performed my usual morning routine.
After completing everything that had to be done, I suddenly felt an urge to go to the gym, since I realised that I'd taken too long a vacation from proper exercise and should start to work hard again for my weight loss. That's when I requested for my white bag (the one I bought with Mel in Takashimaya) from a certain someone who barrowed it a few weeks ago. He replied that he had left it downstairs in the living room, so I went down the stars and...
Lo and behold! There was my bag lying on the floor -- only it was no longer white in colour. The bag was so tarnished and smudged that it looked as if it was light grey to begin with! Of course this greatly enraged me, so I marched upstairs to my bedroom to ask that certain someone what trials and tribulations to which my no-longer-white bag had been subjected. My enquiry was, unfortunately, answered by a mere shrug, followed with a meaningless "Oh" that was obviously supposed to stand for an apology that he refused to give. Seeing red, I immediately moved to my sister's room and took all that I needed, namely some facial tissues, a lot of facial cotton and some body lotion, and I began rubbing like mad (a neat trick that Valentino claims should be able to clean the bag a lot more than wiping with water does).
The first few times I rubbed the bag with body lotion, the tissue paper I used to wipe the smudges were literally as black as coal. The tissue had to be replaced so often that I felt as if I were the second worst environmetal hazard, right after national examinations. After many good rubs, the bag looked slightly more presentable, though it was extremely difficult to remove so many of the smudges. It looked as if the bag had been to a war and came back with permanent scars.
Smiling with a little satisfaction at my hard work, I glanced at the clock and was shocked to find out that I was 20 minutes late for work! I quickly began packing what I thought I would need for work and the gym and rushed right out. My maid then insisted on taking me to the office on a motorbike so that I wouldn't be as late. I reluctantly agreed, becaused caring for the environment seemed less important that being on time for work, for me at least. With many an angry thought against the certain person who ruined my bag and was stiing quite comfortably on my bed and littering there wiht no thought of apologising, I rode the motorbike as quickly as I could to the office. And so did my hectic morning start.
On another note, I've been checking those who visit my blog regularly. Funnily enough, soemone stumbled upon my blog when he searched on Google for ... wait for it ... "paddy clarke foreshadowing". Isn't that simply hilarious? I mention Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha once on my blog and get traffic! Funnily enough, too, was the fact that the search came from Singapore, so I presume that this person is actually one of my juniors who are atternding year 6 of their IB course. Sorry, man, I don't have any juicy and helpful notes for you. in fact, I didn't believe in taking notes for English class.
Well, I've got to go for lunch soon, so I'll end this post right here.
Why is facebook considered haram?
I may be late in informing the public, since this information has spread all over Indonesia last week, but I also hope to cater to those who reside overseas, since this information may be of public interest. It has been said that the MUI (Majelis Ulama Indonesia), which is the religious authority of Islam in Indonesia, is planning to release a fatwa to classify facebook as haram (sinful). Honestly, I have no idea what would make them even think of considering doing so, although I'm not Muslim, so my views are hardly relevant or accurate in this case.
Currently, the argument for allowing this classification is that facebook allows incredibly many people to view and use one's photographs for whatever purposes (I believe you all are adult enough to understand what I'm alluding to). It also removes the restraint most people have when communicating or expressing themselves in person. Yes, facebook is also harmful when it hinders one's personal growth. However, all these arguments base themselves on one assumption: the purpose of going facebook is to perform the abovementioned acts. This assumption, however, is completely invalid, since many do not use facebook for those purposes.
In my opinion, facebook is as haram as a knife, which can be used for both beneficial purposes, such as cutting up fruit, and for negative ones, such as stabbing a certain actress whose inability to speak Indonesian amazes even people like me, although most people in the society would consider that good riddance. I think the MUI are either simply narrow-minded or trying to create a buzz to make it look like they're actually doing something besides sit on their backsides.
By the way, this is one of the articles about this phenomenon. Unfortunately, it's in Indonesian., though I did try my hardest to find one in English.
Currently, the argument for allowing this classification is that facebook allows incredibly many people to view and use one's photographs for whatever purposes (I believe you all are adult enough to understand what I'm alluding to). It also removes the restraint most people have when communicating or expressing themselves in person. Yes, facebook is also harmful when it hinders one's personal growth. However, all these arguments base themselves on one assumption: the purpose of going facebook is to perform the abovementioned acts. This assumption, however, is completely invalid, since many do not use facebook for those purposes.
In my opinion, facebook is as haram as a knife, which can be used for both beneficial purposes, such as cutting up fruit, and for negative ones, such as stabbing a certain actress whose inability to speak Indonesian amazes even people like me, although most people in the society would consider that good riddance. I think the MUI are either simply narrow-minded or trying to create a buzz to make it look like they're actually doing something besides sit on their backsides.
By the way, this is one of the articles about this phenomenon. Unfortunately, it's in Indonesian., though I did try my hardest to find one in English.
My Scholarship Application
The text below is my application for scholarsip at B University (using initials to avoid search engines). There's a 500 word limit, and I've reached 499. If you have comments, just type them below or in the chatbox. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
The website itself does not specify what the required attributes are, but this essay is supposed to follow these guidelines:
Thanks for your comments and suggestions!
At the age of fourteen, I received the ASEAN scholarship which funded my secondary and pre-university education in Singapore. Since then, I have always lived an independent life, a life to which I have been accustomed after spending four years of my life in a foreign country. I was, and currently am, accustomed to making decisions on my own, and living away from my parents and relatives. This ensures that my work will be of the same high standards as that of my pre-university course.
I also commit myself to all that I undertake. In my previous school, I was a member of the Drama Club, and I devoted myself completely to it, so much so that the school has given me a Distinction for my devotion. I have also performed many forms of charity work one of which is to tutor a group of children who come from economically-incapable households. Although I was not monetarily rewarded, the experience proved enough of a reward, as I saw my students excel in their academic pursuits.
My passion for contributing to the society is also reflected by my dedication to the Interact Club, a Club affiliated with the Rotary Club which aims to involve youth in community service. I have, with much fervour, participated in various events aimed at benefiting the society, such as Preserve Planet Earth Conference and Flag Day. My friends and I have also organised our own projects, one of which involved the cleaning up of a local beach.
Furthermore, I am also passionate in learning languages, which is my main reason for taking up Spanish ab initio in the International Baccalaureate, my excellence in which has earned me a Subject Award which is given only to students who have scored the highest in the level. As a result of this, I currently speak five languages – English, Malay, Indonesian, Spanish and Japanese. I believe that by learning more languages I am able to overcome many barriers that prevent many monolinguals from catering to society’s needs. For example, it would be difficult to empathise with someone whose words can’t be understood.
I have unfortunately joined the group of the economically-incapable students I once taught. My family’s financial position deteriorated when the global crisis struck. Since I live in Bali, where most of the income is generated from tourist expenditure, the crisis has had a negative impact on my family. Despite my dreams to study in the United Kingdom, my family is simply financially incapable to help me. For this reason, the scholarship is my only chance of helping to lessen the burden my family has to face.
Although I have been waitlisted at Bath University due to unfortunate circumstances, I still hope to study there due to the University’s reputation, especially in the area of psychology. Thus, I hope to gain new skills and give back to society in general. Since I spent my childhood in different cultures, I hope to also enrich the cultural diversity of the University.
The website itself does not specify what the required attributes are, but this essay is supposed to follow these guidelines:
This is your chance to highlight key features from your academic record such as your school or university, your grades, prizes and competitions you have won, your interest in your chosen programme or any other point which you think is relevant.
You can also tell us about:
- excellence in extra-curricular areas such as in sport, music or other interests or your wider contribution to society through voluntary work
- how you think you can contribute to the university community at Bath and your experience of different cultures, languages, countries and communities
- your future career goals and your leadership potential
- your life experience such as overcoming adversity or challenges in your life
Thanks for your comments and suggestions!
The martini, please!
I am in love with martinis. When I close my eyes, I see martinis. Don't get me wrong, I like a variety of cocktails, but the martini is definitely my cocktail of choice. Thus, it hurts me and offends me so to witness so many people -- most of whom have no idea what they're talking about -- deface the prestige of this highly-esteemed drink and insult its class and history. Yes, people, there is such a thing as a martini, a classic martini. I simply can't help cringing whenever I hear people go up to a bartender and ask awkwardly, "Umm ... What kind of martinis do you have?" I mean, get it right, people! You're not ordering a kind of martini; you're ordering a martini! Do it with some class and give it the respect it deserves! This occurs largely when rookies order -- not that I'm a veteran at ordering cocktails or anything, because I only started drinking cocktails at the end of last year, but I do my research -- because the martini is probably one of the few drinks they have heard of, due to its popularity. This vague idea of a martini is then convoluted by the notion that anything in a cocktail glass is a martini. I mean, honestly, how on earth is a cosmopolitan like a martini except for the fact that they come in the same kind of receptacle?
Another thing that annoys me is the ignorance of many bartenders. Sometimes, when I order a martini, the bartender just looks at me quizzically and goes, "What kind of martini?" This just gets me on my nerves. Usually, I just get bitchy and say "A martini. Don't you know how to make one?" Of course, he ends up serving me a mixture of vodka and vermouth, to which I reply, "A proper martini is a mixture of gin and vermouth. In using vodka, you've just dulled the drink, my appetite and your tip." Aren't I bitchy?
Something that I love about martinis is that they -- usually -- contain olives, fruits that I love to eat! Sometimes the olives are replaced with a twist of lemon, which makes it less filling and less classy, but it's nevertheless a legit combination. The last martini I tasted, a dry martini at the bar before Agnes Monica's concert, had a lemon peel instead of an olive, but I downed the drink regardless. It didn't have enough vermouth, though, which brings me to another common misconception: a dry martini isn't one with less vermouth; it's just a martini that uses dry vermouth instead of sweet vermouth.
I've never actually stirred a martini myself, since I don't have access to the raw materials, but I just found out the proper way to do so from this article. It pokes fun at the purist way of mixing and drinking martinis, though, but it's nevertheless an interesting read even for purists or purist wannabes.
Anyway, I've got the craving for a proper martini now, but I don't know where to find one in Bali without having to sound bitchy or anything. I have no idea why I have this craving; it's probably the Blair Waldorf in me.
Another thing that annoys me is the ignorance of many bartenders. Sometimes, when I order a martini, the bartender just looks at me quizzically and goes, "What kind of martini?" This just gets me on my nerves. Usually, I just get bitchy and say "A martini. Don't you know how to make one?" Of course, he ends up serving me a mixture of vodka and vermouth, to which I reply, "A proper martini is a mixture of gin and vermouth. In using vodka, you've just dulled the drink, my appetite and your tip." Aren't I bitchy?
Something that I love about martinis is that they -- usually -- contain olives, fruits that I love to eat! Sometimes the olives are replaced with a twist of lemon, which makes it less filling and less classy, but it's nevertheless a legit combination. The last martini I tasted, a dry martini at the bar before Agnes Monica's concert, had a lemon peel instead of an olive, but I downed the drink regardless. It didn't have enough vermouth, though, which brings me to another common misconception: a dry martini isn't one with less vermouth; it's just a martini that uses dry vermouth instead of sweet vermouth.
I've never actually stirred a martini myself, since I don't have access to the raw materials, but I just found out the proper way to do so from this article. It pokes fun at the purist way of mixing and drinking martinis, though, but it's nevertheless an interesting read even for purists or purist wannabes.
Anyway, I've got the craving for a proper martini now, but I don't know where to find one in Bali without having to sound bitchy or anything. I have no idea why I have this craving; it's probably the Blair Waldorf in me.
Agnes Monica Concert
WARNING: This post has a helluva lot of pictures. If your connection is slow, I recommend against clicking here.
Yesterday, I posted about how excited I was about Agnes Monica's concert last night. I was definitely not disappointed. I'll post some of the pictures and a video for you all to enjoy, after which I'll comment on the actual concert.
Too bad the number of pictures is limited to five, or I would have uploaded my whole album! The pictures are blurry at best, but that's what adds authenticity to them. It's not as if I could carry a proper professional camera and hold still enough to take the pictures.
In short, I found the concert similar to the Agnes Monica I watched on TransTV on Sunday. The choreography was exactly the same. The only difference was that I could see her up close this time and that she performed fewer songs last night.
Last night, she, the Agnes Monica, asked for a male member of the audience to help her in method acting. Aftersome a lot of persuasion, I was eager to volunteer myself. Since I was at the front of the whole crowd, and given my size, she must have seen me. However, she skipped me and decided to pick another person instead, not that I blame her; my size would have cost her stage presence, since I'm much larger than she is. Don't worry, Agnes; I'm still your greatest fan, in more than one sense.
XoXo
Yesterday, I posted about how excited I was about Agnes Monica's concert last night. I was definitely not disappointed. I'll post some of the pictures and a video for you all to enjoy, after which I'll comment on the actual concert.
Too bad the number of pictures is limited to five, or I would have uploaded my whole album! The pictures are blurry at best, but that's what adds authenticity to them. It's not as if I could carry a proper professional camera and hold still enough to take the pictures.
In short, I found the concert similar to the Agnes Monica I watched on TransTV on Sunday. The choreography was exactly the same. The only difference was that I could see her up close this time and that she performed fewer songs last night.
Last night, she, the Agnes Monica, asked for a male member of the audience to help her in method acting. After
XoXo
Advertisements
