About Writing

I haven't been writing for quite some time. It is not cause I don't have anything to share. It's just something that I really want to work on. See, writing is actually fun. I like writing as much as I like salt in my food. It determines the "taste". I have some stories related to work, friendship and even movie reviews that I would like to share with people. I start wondering why. Why am I so NOT productive? I used to write a lot back in the school year. Spent the time thinking of nothing but plots. I even wrote a short story during Anthropology class with my partner in crime... LOL

Things change. I DO change. I know that, but somehow, it's the writer in me that really wants to exist. Ah well, what I'm writing here is a piece of crap. So, see you when I'm in a better mood, hahahaha

Things Can Turn Out Just Fine

Hiya bloggers! Wonder why i'm soooo not reluctant to post? Well, it's because of the free internet and computer here in the backpacker hotel, or should i just say hostel? Anyway, remember how i ended up here? Wait, ended up, that doesn't sound great, does it? 
Okay, lemme refresh your memory (hey, you didn't read my previous posts??? Get out of here and read them! Then you can continue reading this one >:( ) about how i felt before starting this so-called life adventure. I already thought that i wouldn't enjoy it. Then about the bumpy ride, and before that, the delay. Well, As my updates on social networks 'said', i 'told' everybody that i met 2 new friends.
I didn't expect that to happen because i just think that i should enjoy my time here ALONE. I mean, i'm a people person, but sometimes i enjoy being in 'solitary life'. Hehehehe
My new friends are Mika, from Japan, and Jelena, from Serbia. We share the same room. We didn't have the chance to meet because the night i arrived, they were not around, so they didn't know my existence til the next morning.
Now, i really wish i had my netbook with me so i can tell you the story with some pictures to see. Ah, i'll do it later, then. 
Anyway, these two girls have their own stories. Mika was going to live here and work, but she decided to go back to Japan to be close to her family. She has this HUGE suitcase and some stuff she bought. I wonder how she can manage to put all the stuff back, or how she carries them later. See, she's such a small and cute gal, you know, Japanese cute and small gal like those in a comic book! Mika, if you read this, i mean well, okay... Don't be mad...
Then, there's Jelena. Her name reminds me of those BELIEBERS that call Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez a cute couple! Um, Jelena if you read this, please forgive me, i'm just, you know, a funny person that can't live without thinking what i think is funny. (Ok, now you're lost! LOL) She's going to KL because her friends are already there, but she's waiting for her visa. She didn't know that the office was closed last time, as this is holiday season. But, anyway, she said that i was the only person in this building to say that "I like KL!" I was like, WHAT?! I mean, no offence Malaysians (in case you read this), though your country (or your government, or your people) sometimes gets on my nerve, but i do like KL! Then when Jelena asked me why i like KL, then the answer was just as easy as saying, "BECAUSE THEY SELL THE CHEAPER CHOCOLATEs THAN THE ONEs IN MY COUNTRY!" Um, i didn't shout when i said this, really...
Well, things can turn out just fine even when you think they won't. Because until today, i don't know what's coming to me. Yesterday, i had fun with my new-found friends. We walked a lot. Going round the Arab Street and trying to get Arabian taste of food and ending up having some Indian food! That was weird, but um, who cares? Just enjoy it! 
Actually there are many things i'd like to share here. But lemme save them for later. Because this is not about the trip yet. This is more like a 'reflection', hehehehe... Sometimes i need to have a self-reflection of what i think of things. 
Okay, gotta go now. I'm kinda tired typing this. And you're kinda bored reading this, no?


Catch you later


Hit me back just to check,
Surely yours,






Lou

First Time? Well, Ain't That BAD?

Hiya bloggers,
Here i am writing this blog in another country! LOL! Well, lemme tell ya how difficult it is to open my blog from here...
Or, should i start from the beginning?


Here goes,
Remember my story about how upset i was in my previous post? Don't remember? Ah, that's too bad...
Okay, so here how i ended up here...
I arrived at the terminal 3 of Soetta International Airport at about 2 pm yesterday. I checked in, paid the tax and booked the baggage for the flight back. It was also my first time in terminal 3, so i looked like i was stupid, or was i? I was "entertained" by this "smoking kills" room! Ahahahaha, for you who have been so many times to terminal 3 can laugh your ass off!!!
Then, the flight was delayed! Dang! I was like, WHAT?! I'm gonna arrive later then, which means, NIGHT FLIGHT?! Never been on a night flight before. And... i was freaked aout by the idea. Um, not to mention, i didn't get the "look-out-to-the-window" seat which again, scare the hell out of me! So, i was praying, "Oh dear God, please help me..."
Okay, the flight? Um, it was... bumpy BABY! Yeah, great, ain't it? Hey, i'm not being sarcastic here!!!
Long story short, i landed safely in Singapore. Hehehe, haven't mentioned it yet, no?
The cabin leader was a male (i think senior) flight attendant. He was so funny. When he announced to the passengers to have their gadget switched off, his exact words were: "Please switch off your electronic devices such as mobile phones, mp3 players, blackberry, iPhone, iPad, iPod, and other 'i', thank you." The whole cabin laughed. 


Then, as soon as i landed, i passed the immigration, then got into a cab. The driver was nice. He "helped" me got into this backpacker hotel: The Little Red Dot by calling the place. See, it is forbidden to make a phone call while driving. Wonder why he called? Well, it was because Lavender Street, the location of this backpacker hotel, is a loooonnnggg street and he never heard of the name. Yeah, it's because the hotel is new! Then, i realized that my phone didn't work. Stupid! Stupid provider! Back home, i registered the blackberry roaming, but... dang! It didn't work. IT ISN'T working as we speak... (Um, who's speaking?) I might buy a local number later...


Then, i am so LUCKY that i got this computer to post this. See, the internet access is free! Free computers and wifi! I don't have my netbook with me, but still, i can use this free facility! Even so, i found difficulties getting into my accounts! I had to answers some questions first since the Web God knows that i'm accessing them from a different country. 
Okay, actually i don't know what my agenda is... Anyway, i have longer time here, so i just wanna be Lou the Explorer!!! 


Okay, thanks for reading this crappy thing... You just wasted some of your time. May God forgive you! LOL


Hit me back, just to check
Surely yours,






Lou

Holiday! Travel and Plans, Oh Well

Hiya bloggers! We can say that this is my second post this month :) Well, it IS my second post... Okay, let's cut the crap and go on with our journey.

This Christmas holiday, i kinda hope to jump on an adventure with my close friend, Iceh, or shall we call her Icha in real world! (Um, that depends on what kind of world you're living in...)
We planned the trip (or shall we call it our have-fun-go-mad time) since a few months ago. Yea, it's only traveling to Singapore, and nowadays, people say, "Who hasn't been there? Everybody has. So what's the big deal of going there?" It's not the destination that matters, it's more to the timing and the guy next to you... or girl, hehehehe
I was so brokenhearted knowing that Icha cannot join me in this so-called holiday.
Not because she is my best friend or what, um... that too probably..., but it because of my ruined plans and sudden-dropped expectations. I was sorta hoping that i'll have the book hunting as we both are geeky bookworms, and have the exploration together. (Maybe i should ask Dora to join me)
As the tickets were economy promo, they're non-refundable. Though Icha said that she was okay with that, there's a part of me that feels slightly guilty. Last time, well, this April actually, we were supposed to go to Singapore. But, another but here, it was "doomed" because the friggin' airlines went collapsed and we, until now, haven't got our money back. DUH! 
There are so many plans of mine that just go poof!!! I do feel "guilty and bad" and sad as well...
I hope i can go on my trip safely and of course i wish there will be some more trips with my close friends!


PS: I'm leaving on the 27th, in case you're wondering... LOL



Surely yours,



Lou

Prejudice, Stereotype and Suudzon

Hiya, bloggers, long time no post, eh?


I have been lazy to do it, so i guess i can just sit back and enjoy my not-so-famous life :) 


Okay, judging by the title you would probably wonder why i'm posting this, or not... LOL


Well, it started simply. I don't know why i don't like anything connected to Korea. Yup! While some gals are crazy about K-Pop, K-drama, and those what they call cute actors, well for me they're just a bunch of stuff i could slightly care about. I don't even like Korean food, in this case, kimchi. Well, you know (you probably don't know) that i LOVE food, as much as Joey Tribbiani does. Hahahaha


And here how my story started...


Oh-kay... as i might have mentioned earlier in the previous posts, i work as a freelance EFL instructor. And recently, as in November, i joined an institution where i work as a private tutor. 
I found out that i had a Korean student. He's an adult, expecting a conversation class. When i knew that my student is a Korean, i said, "Um, i'm not so excited about this. I mean, i don't like Koreans." Then my supervisor asked, "Why? What's wrong?" I just shrugged, matter-of-factly, "Nothing's wrong with them. I don't even know why i don't like them."
As i was saying this, i thought about anything connected to Korea. Umm, only one thing i like, that is SAMSUNG! Anw, d'you know how to pronounce it correctly? Ahahaha, we'll get to that later, kay?


And so i hoped, i wouldn't get on the wrong foot. I had this stereotype of Koreans, that they are so not flexible. They work so hard, they are so stingy about money, they are soooo disciplined and will not tolerate anything in the name of efficiency. You know, those kinds of "labels". 
Honestly, they kinda clouded my judgement, so i had this prejudice. I was so negative about this not-yet-known student. I mean, i cannot help myself being so suudzon, can I?
But then, when i was "enlightened", i was relieved to know that being negative really does make you feel bad when you know the reality.


I thought that this guy, this Korean guy would be annoying. I wouldn't enjoy the sessions and bla bla bla! Well, it turned out that he really is a nice guy. His name is Choi M_n S___k. I bet you will find so many Chois out there in Korea. Hahahahaha... It really is hard to pronounce his name. I mean, CHOI is not CHOI. It sounds like Che (as in Che Guevara) but you say it with your mouth forming an O sound. Go ahead, try it. He just graduated from university double major in Marine Biology (OMG! I would kill to study that!!!) and Logistics. He stays here for only 4 to 5 months because he misses his family back in Korea. He can speak English quite well, though sometimes his pronunciation is sooo confusing! X_x
You know, i don't know if all Koreans are like this, or is it just him, but he cannot pronounce L and/or R, F, V, P and sometimes i wonder whether he just gets mixed up or something else. 


Choi told me many stories about Korea. Including the relationships with North Korea and Japan. I pretty much got the idea that Korea was in a bad condition before the independence. Even after the independence, there was a war. Korean War of course. He said that the soldiers from Indonesia came to help. And i told him that was because at that time, Indonesia had a very solid and tough military. 
Talking about military, he said that all men in Korea must serve for 2 years as they hit 21. Well, 21 in Korea is 19 in Indonesia, as they count the pregnancy as 1 year, then 3 months after the baby born, it is counted as another year. So, Choi is 27 in Korea and 25 in Indonesia. Well probably in "International Age". (Is there such thing?)
Choi told me that the first thing the Army "teach" is: The first enemy is North Korea. So all men need to be prepared for the war. He said that North Korean Army must serve the country for 10 years when they hit 19, which means 17 here...
And about SAMSUNG, Koreans pronounce it SAM and SUNG here is a bit complicated. It's like saying SUNG with your mouth forming SONG. Hehehehe...


All i'm saying here is, being negative really blocks your mind. You probably have less interest in something that may be really interesting. Come on, people, there could be a lesson from everything you do. I really am sorry for being so judgemental about this Korean thingy. Anw, that's it and that's all.


PS: He doesn't look like those Korean actors, okay...


Hit me back, just to check


Surely yours,






Lou

Cuap-cuap: Obrolan Tentang Pria

Begitu baca judulnya, mungkin yang terlintas di benak kalian adalah curhatan gw tentang pria idaman gw. Atau tentang sang gebetan, si doi, atau siapa pun yang kalian sangka akan gw bahas. Sebenernya, ini cuma rangkuman dari obrolan antara gw, dua orang teman wanita yang sudah menikah, dan seorang teman lelaki yang sudah menikah. Lantas, apakah dengan membaca tulisan gw, kalian yang belum ahli mengenai urusan PRIA akan menjadi ahli? Atau mungkin kalian yang sudah ahli dan paham mengenai LELAKI akan menertawakan gw? Yah, apapun reaksi kalian nanti, ini adalah sepenggal cuap-cuap tak berazas apapun mengenai COWOK yang terjadi Kamis, 6 Oktober 2011 lalu.


Oh ya, maaf juga nih, kalau ada yang tersinggung. Itu sih situ aje yang sensitippp!!!! 


Kamis menjelang siang, kami yang sudah selesai dengan tugas menunggu waktu makan siang. Nggak tau gimana, di ruang itu adalah gw, Inang (salah satu tetua), Eva, dan Pak Fajar (tetua juga, hehehehehe). Obrolan kami juga nggak jelas mulainya dari mana. Tapi yang jelas, tiba-tiba mengarah ke perbedaan lelaki dan perempuan. Mulailah si Inang yang memberi gw petuah.


Inang: Entar kalo lo merid, jangan lupa kalo beli rumah atau apapun atas nama lo.
Gw: Kenapa gitu, Nang?
Eva: Eh iya tau, gw aja gitu. (lalu mulailah perbincangan itu...)
Inang: Ini rahasia para wanita ya. Eh ada si Fajar! (padahal emang dari tadi dia ngejogrok di situ)
Fajar: Udah nggak pa-pa, terusin. Kalian ini emang ya para wanita, licik. Kami para pria selalu lurus!
Inang & Eva: Ya iya lahhhh lurus, kalo nggak lurus nggak enak lah (kode! kode! kode!) >>>> kalo nggak ngerti, tanya ama yang ngerti yah, males gw jelasinnya.
Fajar: Bukan lurus itu yang saya maksud....
Gw: Terus lurus apa? (sementara Inang dan Eva masih cekakak cekikik)
Fajar: Pria itu selalu punya tujuan. Dan untuk mencapai tujuan itu, dia nggak akan ngeliat apapun. Dia fokus pada tujuannya. (tangannya kayak petugas kabin lagi nujukin pintu darurat)
Gw, Inang dan Eva bengong dan nunggu penjelasan selanjutnya
Fajar: Jadi, pria itu kalau sudah menikah, dia akan berusaha semampunya untuk mencari uang demi kebahagiaan istri dan anaknya. Nah, kalo tujuannya udah tercapai, dalam arti dia sudah mapan, barulah dia mencari tujuan lain. Misalnya poligami...


(Bentar ya, jangan marah duluuuu... ini belum selesai)


Gw: Maksudnya?
Fajar: Maksudnya, karena ukuran sukses dan berhasilnya seorang pria kan dari hartanya. Bisa nggak dia ngasih istri dan anaknya apa yg diperlukan. Begitu itu udah terpenuhi, rasanya dia ingin "membahagiakan" orang lain.
Inang: Ya, rata-rata emang begitu sih...
Fajar: Nggak semua pria kayak gitu, tapi biasanya, it's about power. Berarti kalo dia bisa "berhasil" untuk kedua kalinya, atau ketiga, itu berarti pria itu powerful. Dan di mata sesama pria, dia juga ada di posisi atas, "Wah hebat" kayak gitu. 
Gw: Tapi kenapa juga dia harus ngerasa mau "membahagiakan" orang lain. Tau dari mana istri pertama dan anak-anaknya bahagia kalo dia mau "berbagi"?
Fajar: Nah, itu kan karena pilihan. Kalo emang si istri pertama nggak mau dan udah nggak bahagia, ya udah.
Gw: (memicingkan mata)
Fajar: Nah, pria yang pikirannya beres, biasanya nggak bakal mempersoalkan rumah, mobil atau apapun itu atas nama siapa. Karena kalo seumpama hal kayak gitu terjadi, cerai dan sebagainya, dia nggak peduli. Mau itu rumah diambil. Terserah. Kami nggak ngumpulin barang, itu biasanya cewek.
Gw: Kalo cowok yang ngatur, misalnya rumah nama lo tapi mobil nama gw, itu gimana? 
Fajar: Ah itu mah banci. Kan aturannya udah jelas. Nyari duit buat istri dan anak. 
Gw: Terus kalo udah kagak kaya, eh maen perempuan. Pake poligami, padahal nggak bisa ngasih makan...
Fajar: Itu lebih parah, mau enaknya aja. Kan tujuan utamanya harus tercapai dulu baru bisa liat sana-sini...
Gw: Jadi intinya, kalo pria mapan, "wajar" ya kepikiran mau poligami?
Fajar: Iya. Harus mapan dulu. Tapi bukan berarti setiap pria mapan pingin poligami ya...
Eva: That's what MEN are like. Tapi nggak semua kan ya, pak???
fajar: Iyaaaa... tenang aja...


Gw memang nggak tau apa-apa tentang pernikahan dan sebagainya. Punya teman yang udah pada merid pun nggak jaminan gw punya "bekal" yang cukup buat menghadapinya nanti. Cuma, gw sangat menghargai pendapat. Setidaknya gw bisa tau dari sisi lain. Soal "alasan kenapa pria 'memilih' poligami" mungkin bukan seratus persen akurat, meskipun teman gw menyatakan pendapatnya yang mewakili para pria di luar sana. Logikanya, mana ada wanita yang rela dipoligami, kalau pun ada itu pasti setelah berpikir, bukan "bercita-cita" mengharap hal itu akan terjadi. Lalu soal pria yang memang ingin poligami, bisa jadi alasan pertamanya karena nafsu, tapi sekali lagi, nggak ada yang pernah tau.


Gw dan beberapa teman gw, baik cowok maupun cewek, pernah saling debat. Kaum cewek enyatakan: semua cowok ujung-ujungnya pasti poligami. Ceweknya yang harus "pintar-pintar" menjauhkan hal itu dari cowok. Teman-teman cowok gw bilang: eh sori ya, kami nggak kayak gitu (ada yang sudah nikah dan masih singel) itu sih oknum aja...


Lalu, kalo gw rangkai semuanya, bisa jadi, beberapa temen cowok gw belum matang secara usia, dan belum "mapan". Jadi mungkin kepikiran soal poligami ya... nggak lah! Dan, gw rasa yang namanya hormon cowok, testosteron itu pasti seneng sama kompetisi dan kemenangan. Itu alamiah banget! Mungkin di dalam jiwa para lelaki pasti ada lah saat-saat mereka merasa ingin bisa membahagiakan wanitanya. Dan dengan demikian, mereka merasa "menang" dan "hebat". Makanya, mungkin juga beberapa pria nggak mau wanitanya "lebih", hehehehehe...


Yasud, ini cuma pendapat, nggak penting sih... nggak usah didebatin, nggak masuk tipi juga...


Hit me back, just to check
Surely yours,








Lou


  

Tinjauan Seorang Amatir: Film Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Bagian ke-2

The Elder Wand

Bukan cerita baru kalau saya memang tidak terlalu menyukai film-film Harry Potter. Bukan kenapa-napa, hanya saja, menurut saya yang sangat menyukai novel karangan Madam Rowling ini, sulit sekali membuat film berimajinasi tinggi. Yah, berhubung saya cuma seorang penonton, lebih tepatnya penonton yang sulit dipuaskan... (oowwhh!), saya cuma bisa bercuap-cuap di blog memberi "kritikan" mengenai film terakhir dari kisah Harry Potter. 


Sebelumnya, kita bisa kembali ke tinjauan film bagian pertama dari HP & the Deathly Hallows. Pada tinjauan pertama, yang saya tulis dalam bahasa Inggris (kebanyakan), saya bisa memberikan nilai E! Hei, bukan E seperti kalian para muggle bayangkan! Tapi E dalam standar O.W.L! Yep, Exceed Expectation! Kenapa demikian? Baca saja postingan saya... hehehehe... Intinya, film itu setidaknya membuat saya sedikit memuji. 


Seperti yang kalian para muggle tahu, bahwa di negara kita, pernah terjadi "isu meresahkan" mengenai film Hollywood. Saya sempat berniat pergi ke negeri singa demi menonton film ini. Untungnya saya tidak punya uang, jadi saya batalkan! Kalau tidak, saya nggak bakal menontonnya di negeri ini! #inipentingkarena
Lalu, saat "semuanya baik-baik saja" saya mendapat tawaran untuk menonton film ini dari teman saya, Mbak Lucky, yang memang seorang baik hati yang rela meluangkan waktunya untuk memesankan tiket. Saya dan teman saya Icha, yang juga gemar menulis tinjauan film, tentunya sangat senang mendengar hal ini. Adiknya teman saya, sebut saja namanya Dilla, karena memang itu namanya, pun ingin menonton. Jadilah saya memesan 3 tiket pada Mbak Lucky nan baik hati. 


Hari yang dinanti tiba, kami pun tiba di tempat pemutaran film. Meski ada beberapa kejadian yang sebenarnya ingin saya ceritakan, saya putuskan untuk menyimpannya saja. Kami masuk ke studio blitzmegaplex dan menikmati trailer film-film yang akan datang. Daaannnn... mulailah film tersebut. Awalnya, saya sempat terkejut melihat makam Dobby. Kenapa? Di film bagian pertama, tidak ada tulisan "Here lies Dobby, a free elf" dan saya kesal bukan main sampai-sampai saya tulis di postingan tinjauan film saya. Entah karena David Yates membaca postingan saya #sumpelogeeramat atau memang karena beberapa kru sadar ada yang kurang pada properti mereka #inilebihmasukakal, sehingga tulisan itu terpatri di makam Dobby...

Kreacher: Peri rumah yang tertukar...
Duh...........

Sayang beribu sayang, adegan yang saya harapkan di film ini adalah "Battle of Hogwarts" yang saya asumsikan akan sangat keren! Yah, lagi-lagi David Yates gagal, untuk ukuran saya. Sama gagalnya ketika dia membuat "kekacauan" di Hogwarts saat Fred dan George meninggalkan sekolah di HP #5. Saya pikir adegan pertempuran itu akan sama menegangkan dan membuat bulu kuduk merinding seperti saat menonton the Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King! 
Saya teringat bagian di buku ketika Kreacher si peri rumah memimpin pasukan peri rumah sambil berseru: "Fight, fight for my master, the defender of the house-elves! Fight the Dark Lord, in the name of brave Regulus! Fight!" (saya belum baca terjemahan Indonesianya, jadi saya tulis bahasa Inggrisnya) Waktu baca bukunya, rasanya saya bisa merasakan semangat Kreacher yang langsung saya visualisasikan, seperti dalam film TLOTR. Memang bukan hal mudah untuk membuat novel ke dalam gambar, tapi menurut saya, Yates melakukan kesalahan fatal. Esensi pertempuran Hogwarts hilang, setidaknya bagi saya. 

Gandalf

Bicara tentang TLOTR, saat Harry "bertemu" dengan Dumbledore sesaat setelah Voldemort "membunuh" Harry, saya juga jadi teringat pada Gandalf. Kenapa? Mungkin karena mereka sama-sama terlihat bijak dan berpengalaman... Nggak tahu kenapa, saat saya melihat Dumbledore, Gandalf-lah yang ada di benak saya.


Oh ya, ada satu hal lagi yang "mengganggu" saya. Saat Harry, Hermione dan Ron menjatuhkan diri dari naga yang terbang, mereka tercebur ke danau (atau sungai) di mana mereka akhirnya menepi. Nah, di situ, Harry menyebut Voldemort sebagai "You-Know-Who", padahal Harry tidak pernah menyebut Voldemort demikian, apalagi di depan kedua sahabatnya.

Karakter rahasia Madam Rowling

Saya juga heran, kenapa perasaan saya tidak teraduk-aduk sedemikian hebatnya ketika Harry mengetahui kebenaran tentang Snape? Ketika saya baca bukunya, rasanya saya sampai tidak tahu harus bereaksi apa. Benar-banar hebat karya Madam Rowling ini! 

Albus Severus Potter

Tidak semua tentang film ini jelek. Saya bisa dibilang cukup senang dengan aktor-aktor yang memerankan Lily kecil, Snape kecil dan Albus Severus Potter. Albus Severus terlihat bingung dan khawatir sehingga cukup meyakinkan bahwa mungkin dia mengalami krisis percaya diri. Yah, seperti yang kalian para muggle tahu (atau tidak) bahwa Albus Severus atau bahkan banyak penyihir yang menganggap bahwa Slytherin adalah asrama yang buruk. Eh, jadi apa bagusnya ya film ini? Sebaiknya memang kalian menyaksikannya sendiri...


Saya beri nilai A untuk film ini. A! Acceptable! Untuk setidaknya berusaha semaksimal mungkin menuangkan tinta Madam Rowling ke dalam gulungan film.  


Harry Potter, kisahmu akan dirindukan...






Tinjauan ini dibuat oleh seorang amatir yang nyinyir dan suka nyengir, kalo nggak suka silakan minggir dan menyingkir! Kalau suka, kapan-kapan boleh mampir!!!






Lou