First book shopping in HK.

So today I went to Kowloon Tong. I really need to buy a decent book, and my flat-mate Susan told me there was a great bookstore there. So we both went there this afternoon.

It was a nice indeed, PageOne bookstore. Apart from books, they even sell mini Diana (lomographic) cameras and Moleskine classic notebooks, even the Woodstock 40th anniversary edition. Oh my God. I better watch my next paycheck. :p

I wasn’t sure what book I wanted to buy. No one recommended Dan Brown’s new book, The Last Symbol, so I didn’t bother to buy one. I was planning to but Neil Gaiman’s or Umberto Eco’s but then I decided to buy this book:

Power, Politics, and Culture: Interviews with Edward W. Said. Edited with an introduction by Gauri Viswanathan. Actually I was thinking of buying The Writing of History which was also written by Edward W. Said, but the reason I went to buy a book today was to keep out of boredom during empty sessions at the office. That’s why I bought a “lighter” one, which seems not to be that theoritical. At the office I do get busy like hell, but sometimes I had nothing to do other than poking my colleagues, LOL.

Well perhaps next week (or month!) I will be able to write my own review on this book. Oh and tomorrow’s Monday! Time surely flies, because Tuesday is my second week in HK. Whoa. Another busy week dealing with Indonesian refugee status applicants then.

Hope we will have a great Monday tomorrow, folks!

Just in case you’re asking, people.

where are you right now? – hong kong.

what is your favorite word? – “plastico de polipropileno”

what is your least favorite word? - commitment. nope, kidding.

what turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? – books. food.

what turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally? – depends. today’s about a key.

what sound or noise do you love? – rain.

what sound or noise do you hate? – alarm clock.

what is your favorite curse word? – the f word.

what profession other than your own would you like to attempt? – war/travel journalist. a rockin’ mother.

what profession would you not like to do? – corporate lawyer.

if Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? – I’ve arranged a guitar lesson for you with John Lennon.

the questions were inspired from here.

I am (un)officially a lawschool graduate!

Because the happiest thing that happened today wasn’t just the part when they declared that I passed and graduated.

You guys have no idea how a huge relief it was, stepping out of that “asassination chamber”, just to find all of you sitting outside, eager to ask questions how I’ve been doing.

How blissful it was to receive phone calls, text messages, tweets from Twitter, and Facebook comments full of prayers and hopes.

That the smile plastered on my face was sincerely because I was so happy knowing that you were all patiently waiting, caring, and supporting me through the whole hectic week.

And it seems never enough for me to say: thank you.

Congratulations CB!

(Ah gue sama Adit kucel bener di foto. Abis ngurus ini-itu di kampus, harap maklum.)

This is CB’s graduation cake. We were celebrating at this small but comfortable diner called Mix ‘n Match, just nearby the campus. Well, we’re not officially graduated until August, but it doesn’t hurt to celebrate early.

CB’s one of the first friends I made with in Gadjah Mada University Lawschool. We used to hang-out together, make-out together (hahahaha, sumpah ini boong. nanti gue digebukin Tania lagi.), we shared the same classes and even the same organization in campus. He also helped introducing me to AP.

He just had his “sidang skripsi” today, and afterwards he was declared GRADUATED. Gosh, I’m so happy for him. I was waiting outside with Tania and Adit, anxiously, then CB came out and said, “I graduated. I got an A!”

Well, CB, now it’s your turn to support and wish me luck! Hope I  can manage to get graduated by next week, so we can all celebrate our official graduation day on August. (AMIIIINNNN).

p.s. : The cake was sooo cuuute, and also delicious! Loved it!

Warhol

Answer: it is possible.

Life, lately.

My life’s better now I have my friends. I mean, I always had them all the time, but this is my final year in college, so there’s not much time left to spend (somehow I’m pretty sure I can manage to graduate THIS August), and every single time I’m spending with them now is a moment I really treasure.

Well anyway life’s not that bad these days. Jogja’s quite cool this past 3 days, except the day when I suffered nose bleed due to the heat (this rarely happens, the last time I had a nose bleed was like 2-3 years ago, when I was still a freshman). There was also the final exams, which I managed to do it…umm, representatively well. Not that I’m aware of my GPA since it quite exceeded expectations, so it’s no big deal anyway.

My thesis and meetings with my thesis advisor also went beyond all my expectations, it just needs a few revisions here and there (which I haven’t done also, hahaha). Love life? Well OK, some things didn’t go the way I wanted, but these things often happen when you have a relationship. Anyway some events were predictable, so I wasn’t that surprised. But still, it made me “back in a relationship again” with Dunhill Lights for the past two days. Got the picture?

For your concern, I promise, once the problem’s solved, I’ll quit. Anyway, it needs more than a week for me to finish a pack of cigarettes. I love my lungs, and I also don’t want them to get easily wasted.

Last night, we had this small gathering with my close friends at a place called Manut. Cigarettes, drinks (non-alcohol of course, these guys had quit already), cards, poker, magic tricks, and stupid conversations. Also a few rants on life, hahahaha. It was one of the best times I had for the whole week. Unfortunately I had to spend it with you twats (haha, just joking, guys).

Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?
I’m getting old and I need something to rely on
So, tell me when you gonna let me in
I’m getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
And if you have a minute why don’t we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything.
So why don’t we go, so why don’t we go?

(Somewhere Only We Know – Keane)

There’s always the great and bad times in life. And it’s not always about sugar and spice, because there’s always more to it. Yet whatever people say about it, one thing I know for sure: life’s good.

So, enjoy every bit of it.

Just Because…

…I know. Everything.

Which is something I regretted, because I wish I hadn’t.

And I didn’t ask for it.

What goes around, comes around.

And what you give is what you get returned.

Do what you want.

Because if you thought I’d stay,  well…

…I would.

The question is: how long will it be before you realise that I might be slipping away?

Get Well Soon AP

You have no idea how sad I felt hearing your weak voice through the telephone last night.

You sound really sick, and I obviously can’t do anything about it at all.

But at least I’m wishing that you’ll get well very soon. It’s still the holiday season, dear. There’s still plenty of time for you to have fun and enjoy. (Plus, don’t forget there’s still some extra classes at campus you’ve got to attend)

You know what to do, don’t you? It would be useless for me to remind you to take your vitamins and medicines, eat wisely, take a deep rest, etc. I know that you wouldn’t even cut the smoking, haha. But I believe that you know what’s best for you. Especially with your mother around.

I’d love to say the magic three words, but for now the sentence “take care, get well soon” seems to make more sense.

So…take care, dear.

Deviation

Those who talk about individuality the most are the ones who most object to deviation, and in a few years it may be the other way around. Some day everybody will just think what they want to think, and then everybody will probably be thinking alike; that seems to be what is happening.

- Andy Warhol

I hope you will understand that too. The part that says, “…everybody will just think what they want to think.“

Because I am not always what you think I am.

And you’re not always what I thought you were.

Enjoy.

Enjoy your pack of cigarettes.
Enjoy your hidden weed under the bed.
Enjoy your cold beer that satisfies your thirst.
Enjoy gigabytes of porn videos kept in your computer.
Enjoy the unlimited connection of internet that runs 24/7.
Enjoy the scene and the amazing feeling after getting introduced to all those pretty girls around you.

Do. Enjoy.
Because like you said, I am your Bronx. And there are no rules in the Bronx.

Well, I might need some fine wine, and you, you need to be nicer.

Anyway, credits to shagagraf for the beautiful picture.