July 7, 2013

Like A Rainbow


I am not a kind of black and white person. If you visit my house and come over to my closet, you will find colorful things to wear that I have. Yes. I like color. I love color. I remember when I was kid till at my late teenager, I have a yellow bedroom. All in yellow and blue design. I like red. I love purple. And I lately passionate with green and orange.

I am a colorful person. Just like my mood. Just like my live and life. My life is not only black and white. It just like a rainbow hanging up there. Sometimes I feel blue. Sometimes there are dark chapter. I can also be an angel and have my white clean color :D and in another day, I am just as red as blood. But mostly I kind of a cheerful yellow person :D

So what color are you???

July 4, 2013

I Love You in All Seasons


(winter in Canberra. Photo courtesy by: @kristian hariyono putro)

I still remember the day when we first met. It was in the springtime when we met and fell in love. Everything was so beautiful. The universe seemed so kind and sweet to us. Just like the season, the flowers grow and it starts blooming. So does our hearts and love. It was in spring when we made our commitment. For nothing below the sky that can separate us. I will always be your number one and you will always be mine. For whatever happens in life, we will always stick to each other. How beautiful was the season in springtime. I can see and I can taste all the beautiful colors and sweet fragrances. Even to those that I never see in my life before. It just because I met you, and in spring we hold on to our love. Just like a poem, words can't simply describe the fragrance of the very breath of spring and nothing's more beautiful than the garden of flowers in springtime and two people falling in love.

It was in the summer time when our love grows and it getting stronger. Where the clear sky, the blazing sun and the gentle summer breeze never leave our days and us. The days were long and the joy was always there.  In summer, the song sings itself and we left the footprint of our love in that summer time. Together we explored the world. Together we adventured the ocean. From one island to another beautiful island. Together we experienced many beautiful underwater. Together we were having fun with the waves, the sea creatures and the sea currents. There was no current strong enough to throw us away. Holding hands we walked across the white sandy beaches. Holding hands we witnessed the falling stars when the night comes.  And as I have the sun of my life, I have no longer fear with the darkness.  It was not the darkness that I see during nighttime, but the beautiful shining of the moon and the stars, and they witnessed when two hearts and two souls blended into one. Yes, I still remember every moment we cherished together in the entire summer time that we had. The whole season just belong to ourselves and the stars went off like fireworks for us. In summer time, the story of our love wrote down beautifully and romantically.

If I only know that summer time is never lasting. It will always end, and the autumn starts to come. When the autumn comes, it is the time when the leaves start to change color. When the green can no longer be seen, as it turns to red, yellow and brown. In autumn, the leaves start to fall off the trees.  In autumn, the birds migrate south, moving from their beautiful summer place to another new summer place. In autumn, the sun comes out less and we no longer feel the warmth but the weather starts getting colder. And in autumn, the daylight hours are growing shorter, and the darkness night becomes longer. How I wish that we lived only in spring and summer time. How I wish there will be no autumn and winter in the journey of our love. But it was in autumn when I remember things just were not the same. It was in autumn when the tears of our love start falling down and the broken heart was there. If I only know earlier that everything will never remain the same, for everything has its own season, then I will learn to prepare my heart. I will learn to love the autumn just as I love the spring and the summer. I will learn to accept thing to change, even our commitment. For nothing's eternal. And changes could be as beautiful as the beautiful garden in springtime. A girl can look beautiful not only on her summer dress but also stunning when she bundles up with scarf and coat in winter dress. Now I realized that I should learn to take time to just sit and watch the leaves turn its color, and when it start  falling down to the earth. And let the autumn passes by too in its beautiful way.

It was on the autumn of our love, I realized that I was just as fragile as the broken glasses. It was on the autumn, I remembered I shall not living in grieve, longing for uncertain things, wonder and asking will it belongs to me or will it belongs to other, or to nobody. Chasing the sun that no longer shining up there. It was on the autumn, the universe reminded me of another dream that I once let it hidden as I busy chasing the sun and the waves in my life. It was on the autumn, I finally made a decision. It's time for me to chase that long hidden dream. But it's also time for me to learn to accept changes and to let go what should go. Learn to detach. So here I am standing alone in this wintertime. Separated by thousand miles away from the sun and the light of my life. Here I am sitting alone on long and cold winter days. Trying to understand and accept life just like the changes of the seasons. When it comes, it will come. Nothing can stop. As nothing can stop when it times to go. Season comes season goes. There goes our life. After all, what good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness? So I ask my heart again on this wintertime. How long will these loves last? Will you be the reason, the seasons or the lifetime in my life? Will the end of this season would be the end of the journey of you and I and this love. Or would be in the depth of this winter, as what happen in all winter and autumn, we can feel the bone structure the landscape on the earth, and something wait beneath, to grow and be blossom again. For now, I let it un-answered. For I also do not have the answer. For I also do not want you to answer it. Let us let this winter also passes by. Let the time heals. Let the time proves our love. Will this love last forever in all seasons. And I may hear the song of the birds again, and the sound of longing whispering that: I love you in all seasons.

(Melbourne in cold winter time)

May 23, 2013

I Cooked


Yes! I cooked! :)) After so many years I've put it pending and always keep it on so many new-year resolution list, I finally entering the kitchen world. Well, of course as a new beginner being in the kitchen, I am still clumsy. I still find it hard and sometimes complaint to my hubby that I need to sacrifice my time :p. I also still feel upset when I know the taste of the food that I made are weird or tasteless. But I also feel happy when my hubby appraises my food (of course I checked his expression to make sure that he isn't just try to makes me happy!).  

After more than four months leaving in Melbourne, I now can say that one of my "most significant change" is I am now cooking. It's like another dream come true .... hehehe Another changes is I start watching youtube for cooking guidance and recipes! Aha! I also become appreciating and admiring the work of a mother at home and our previous personal home assistant. Now every morning when I wake up, I am start thinking, "what to cook today?" :D and heyyyy...this is not easy! I understand now that cooking needs strategy. It also needs arts. Moreover, it needs patience! 

I am not dreaming myself to be like a truly chef, but at least I can learn a new skill and enjoying the process of cooking, while other (hopefully) can also enjoy my food. 

April 5, 2013

Walk With Me


Do not walk in front of me. I may not follow.
Do not walk behind me. I may not lead.
Just walk beside me...
Together we walk toward our journey of life...

(Melbourne, April 5th 2013)

March 26, 2013

Finding Happiness

Happiness comes from small things. It is when we appreciate small little thing in our daily lives, it is when your heart say nothing than just "thank you". You'll get your happiness. Some of mine are  seeing the smile and laugh from my love one when I cracked a silly joke, or knowing that he excitedly eating the food that I made (despite it may have no taste!hahaha). I find my happiness when we walk together, holding hand along the pathway. A little kiss and hug before leaving and arriving at home. Lying down and just cuddling each other.  

[do not be so corky in finding your happiness, like this meerkat that I met in Melbourne Zoo...:D]  

I always love walking. Here in Melbourne and back when I lived in Jakarta, Indonesia. I also find my happiness when I have my daily walk. Seeing the view, the people, the car and public transport like tram and train here, seeing the beautiful trees and colorful flowers, or just by feeling the gentle wind touching my face and knowing that I am still breathing! I feel grateful that I still can sense all these, my heart and mind are still amazed with those sound simple ordinary things that everyday we see and experience with. Happiness is never expensive. Happiness is within yourself! 

So what is your happiness???


DEEP Indonesia 2013


Time passes so fast! It's time for this year 2013 DEEP Indonesia Exhibition! It feels like only yesterday we are busy preparing and arranging the DEEP Indonesia 2012 which turned to be very successful event for us from Bali Marine Sports! Thank God! 

So if you are a diver or keen to learn to dive and try scuba diving, or just an ocean lover, come and visit us during the exhibition on this coming early April 2013 at Jakarta Convention Center (JCC). Even though this year you won't see me as I am still here in Melbourne, Australia, but you can always meet my best buddy, Nicky Wirawan! Find out from him and feel free to customize your dive plan and get our special offer for exploring Indonesia underwater!

So, just don't miss it! :D



March 18, 2013

Independently Dependent


About a week ago, I accidentally pouring boiling water from the pot onto my hand. Burn hurts! Really hurts and painful! For few days my left hand must be covered with bandage and I can not use it. I can't even do simple daily routine like putting toothpaste, button and unbutton my pants and cloths, and I can't do my paper, typing as smoothly as when I use my two hands. I feel like a handicap. I feel weak. I feel so bad that I have to rely to my husband to help me doing things that I used to do it by myself. I feel bad that I have to depend on others. Sounds very arrogant? Yes, I think so! 

Thank God that I am now getting recover. Nothing serious, only one finger need further bandaging. I just need to deal with a bit of trauma feeling when I work in the kitchen now. Well, I am just a new beginner on this kitchen's world. I still very clumsy and silly. But hope that I am getting much expert on cooking and in the kitchen soon! Who knows! :) 

So what are the lesson learned? For sure, the incident made me realized how good to be "a normal", can do various things that we sometimes just do it without being grateful, and may never appreciate ordinary things as we should have. I also further think about the disabled people, and I started admiring them. For not only they teach us how to appreciate life and "live life to the fullest" with whatever limitations we may have, but also they brave enough to admit and to ask other's help for things that they can't do. It need courages to do this, to admit that we have limitation and to admit that we need others. To depend to other people in certain areas and to some degree. We are not the wonder woman. We are not the superman. To ask someone's help without feeling hurt on your ego. To brave enough to say "Hi there, I need your help". I just feel so ashamed with myself! 

Everything happens for a reason! I take this incident as another process of my self and soul's journey. Another good lesson in my life. This incident also made me feel that I should be able to do more for those disabled people. Voicing their right more. What I suffer are nothing than those with handicaps. I may not know yet what I can do at this very moment, but I wish you and me, we can showing more respect and be more friendly with them and together we can make an easier place and playground for them. May God bless me on this and show me the way. 

March 7, 2013

W O M A N


To celebrate International Women's Day, the UN Women Australia facilitated a gender discussion which invite panel members: Julie Bishop (Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade), Tanya Plibersek (Minister for Health), Julie McKay (Ex Director of UN Women Australia) with ABC Presenter, Virginia Hausseger as the Moderator. I watched the discussion thru ABC TV News yesterday. It was interesting, thus entertaining, specially watching the debate between two smart women, Julie Bishop and Tanya Plibersek. I like them both. Julie is always aggressive but she delivered her strong arguments and criticism with her charming style. Whereas Tanya looks so firm, tough and serious, but also we can still see her feminine and sensitivity when she talked about difficulty being a women in politics.  

As much as I enjoyed watching the debate, I also learned on how those women from this developed country defending their arguments and claims, using not only their beauty and speaking skill, but mostly their analytical skills and logic. It is also surprising me knowing that not only women in developing country like Indonesia still struggling with their gender roles, inequity and inequality, but to certain degree, women in Australia today are also still facing similar challenges. So I believe, we, Indonesian women, are not too left behind :) 

I quoted below on Tanya Plibersek's concern about one example on the unfairness made up by our social structure (in both Indonesia and Australia) about women's dual role in both professional and housemother/wife.  

"No man has ever, ever been asked to choose between a satisfying career and a family they love. No man has been asked to explain why they don't have a family, like the Prime Minister, like Julie....Sure life changes but the idea that we have to explain all the why we made a choice or even have this debate is unfair and old fashioned."

If you are a woman, how about your condition today? Are you still struggling the same? 

I have many female girlfriends, they are still single (by their choice) and have good career. Some even have high level position at the company or organization they work. Some of them are the breadwinner for their family. Something that I used to admired about them. But I also see, how we sometimes too focus to see their unmarried status as their weakness and neglect the fact that they do have good career and produce lots of fruitful things for the community and their family. How many of us have contributed to make those women's lives become inconvenient by keep asking them about their choice and decision? In my own story, many of my friends and families are still questioning why I decided not to have my own children. Seeing me and my decision as something weird, intolerable and need to be fix. In contrast, we may see and feel different thing when those decision or situation occurred to our male friends and brothers. We tend to easily accept whatever their decisions on their life: marry or being a happy single-man, without seeing it as they have some significant weakness.

To see Indonesia treats their women fairly might still far to be happening. But I would encourage us to start it by treating more fairly and with respect to the women surrounding you, your wife, your girlfriend, your siblings and relatives,  or your female co-workers. This could be by just doing an easiest thing: accept and don't doubt whatever their condition today. Without digging further, keep asking them, instruct them, and/or confusing them with their status or decision that they've made. Challenge what they've done, but not stressing on what is embedded into their life as a woman.

If you are a man, be a feminist without loosing your masculinity, and support us to achieve many great things in life. If a woman happy, it is the happiness of all at home. A healthy woman at home (physic and mentally), then we will also have a healthy nation. 

Happy women's day for all women, in wherever you are! We are precious!

February 24, 2013

Mother & Daughter

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and put them on the stove. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first pot she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and in the last she placed ground coffee beans.

She let them sit and boil and twenty minutes later she turned off the burners.

She removed the carrots and placed them in a bowl.

She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.

Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me, what do you see?”

“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied. Her mother asked her to feel the carrots.

She did and noted that they were soft.

The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it.

After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she smelled the aroma and tasted its rich flavour.

The daughter then asked, “What does it mean?”

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity, boiling water. Each reacted differently.
The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water, making it fragrant and giving it flavour.

“Which are you?” she asked her daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?”

What about you?

When facing a challenge in life are you weakened and feel defeated by the experience?

Or do you become hardened and bitter because of the event?

Or do you see it as an opportunity to influence those around you, to make a positive difference, to leave the situation better than when you started?

It is possible to be the latter, so now’s the time to start working towards it.
 
(taken from http://www.facebook.com/PositivelySistersClub) 

New Path of Life



Here I am with my new path of life. A new city and a new country to live. A new identity as a full-time student that I've been praying for. Another dream come true, and I must fill it now with thanks and gratitude. 

Today is my first month living here in lovely Melbourne. I was on the train this morning, when I suddenly though what would I miss most from Jakarta. Of course a lot, from food, weather, friends, previous work, my Pine Eleventh home, but mostly my siblings and the fact that I can't go diving as often as I used to be :( However, life is also beautiful in this down-under land. Many new things to see. Many new places to explore. Many new friends and people that I hope I will have good relationship and friendship with them. Mostly, I am eager to learn about new knowledge and skills, explore as much as I can from my current academic life. Wish and bless me, please...

So this is my new post for this 2013. There will many stories. There will be many thought I am hoping to document in here. I hope so :)