2012, Bandung, and 2013

How was your new year celebration? Was it fun or plain?

Mine was, thank God, too fun to forget. But since I'm a forgetful person, I'll write it here so that I won't forget.  

I went for holiday with my boys, Asri, Asrul, Hafit, and Ryza, to Bandung. We planned to have some more people join, but too bad on the planned day some people already had another agenda, so that only five of us went. 

We were coworkers in Farida Law Office until last January 27th. Before we were off for holiday, four of us conveyed resignation letters jointly LOL not because we planned it jointly, but that was totally a coincidence. I was actually the one who planned to resign first due to better offer in another law firm, but then Ryza told me that he would too, followed with Asri, and I just found out that Asrul also resigned in the same day. Hafit was not included since his contract would still end in August. But imagine how shock our ex-boss was LOL.

And so we left Jakarta in Sunday morning by travel car. We found hard to find cheap hotel in new-year days, but thank God we coincidentally found a lodging house which had a quite big bedroom that we could rent for only around 500k IDR/3 days. What a saving! And these are the arrival photos I took with Asri before entering the house.

But since I was the only girl and the bed was not enough to have four people on, we asked for two additional beds. 

Afterwards we went lunch in a restaurant nearby. Sigh too bad I can't show much pictures because of the lost SD card -_-

We had delicious grilled chicken and soup there, and they also sold delicious bottled tea that I don't remember the brand. 

At night we went to CiWalk to have dinner and karaoke, this time Asri's friend joined us (um but I forget her name -_-)

Afterwards we were picked up by our friend Adit, whom was also our coworker. We were off to Bukit Bintang and took some photos.

Since the place was too down low, Adit failed to drive the car up with all of us in. So that we needed to get out of the car to push it up to the normal street LOL. We laughed and joked about that like 'we are lawyers who push the car up' xD

Afterwards we went to Gedung Sate and took some photos. Surprisingly such building was lightened with beautiful lamps around the roof.

Then we headed to Matari to have some...what is the name of 'eating between dinner and breakfast'? We had yummy Indomie with eggs and beef corned.

Next day on Monday, which was the New Year's eve, we went shopping like crazy. We visited nearly all factory outlets and distros, and thank God that some distros gave great discounts for their items, so that we shopped a lot. We had late lunch in Legoh, a small restaurant whose food are also delicious and I am impressed by their tofu cuisines. Afterwards we were picked up by Adit again in our lodging house and went to Paris van Java to have dinner. Since nearly all the restaurants were full, we ended up dining in Pepper Lunch.

 

It was my first time eating in Pepper Lunch. What a high cost food but I admit that the food is delicious. But surely I can't eat there each month -_- 

We ended up 2012 in Killiney Kopitiam. We sat beside the window so that we could watch the fireworks. They were beautiful and jaw-dropping, since there were some new kinds of fireworks that we never seen before. Going back from PVJ, we failed to find taxi and rent a public car instead, but too bad the driver rejected to drive us until the lodging house due to the traffic. So that we stopped by...I forgot, somewhere, and took a walk. 

Really?

Nooo, because in the middle of walking, the goddess of luck visited me, Asri, and Hafit, so that we could get a ride from another public car, while Asrul and Ryza had already walked too far from us LOL. We arrived at the house with dirty feet caused by the tarnished street after the rain then slept until the afternoon. LOL.

We packed our bags and went to the travel car site, ordering tickets to go home, and since the order had been full we got the 8PM trip o_O but we had no choice since we should go back to work by the next day. So we still took that schedule then went lunch in a cafe called S-28 nearby. The place was cozy, they have yummy nasi bakar that we fell for! And they offered me to make member card for free as well.

Then we shopped (again) in some distros in Jl. Riau as yesterday, and I'm glad that I found some beautiful clothes with logical price, my friends did find great clothes like cheap blazers as well. So we could go home with satisfaction since we know we could not obtain good clothes with low price in Jakarta.

We left Bandung in 8PM, and the traffic to Jakarta was totally hell. I could not sleep calmly since my mother kept texting me, asking me where my position was. Seriously, everyone in Jakarta seemed to move to Bandung in the new year -___- so I just arrived home in 2:30AM. I texted Hafit and he said everyone arrived in 3:00AM. What a long way home.

But then in year-beginning party, my ex-boss asked me how my new year holiday was. I told her that since I spent it with my best friends, it was fun, crazy, and unforgettable. We hope that we could spend the next year-end holiday abroad or at least in another island like Bali LOL hopefully we've earned enough money by the day. AMEN. LOL.

And that was my new year holiday. How's yours?

Happy belated new year 2013!

p.s: I'm currently going out with one of my boys above. Guess which one? ;) 

Continue

Tanyakan Temanmu

Ada sebuah artikel yang pernah kubaca, entah di mana, menyebutkan bahwa apabila kamu sedang jatuh cinta dengan seseorang, biarkan teman-temanmu juga ikut menilai. Kenapa? Karena saat matamu sedang dibutakan oleh cinta, teman-teman dekatmu-lah yang bisa melihat dengan wajar.

Masuk akal.

 

Kukatakan demikian karena aku sendiri mengalaminya. Aku maju sendirian, diam-diam, tanpa diketahui oleh teman-teman dekatku yang juga teman-teman dekat si pria. Dan karena aku dipaksa untuk tidak menyebarkan hubungan yang mana peraturan ini sangat mencekik leherku sebagai pengguna media sosial yang senang bercerita, maka aku hanya bisa bercerita dengan kode. Tentu itu membuat teman-teman lelakiku malas menggali lebih dalam.

Lalu hubunganku gagal. Aku menangis, merengek, dan mengeluh pada mereka. Mereka mengatakan bahwa seharusnya aku bercerita dan mencari tahu lebih dulu sebelum memacari pria itu, karena ternyata mereka malah mengharapkan dan mensyukuri aku putus dengannya karena dia 'tidak baik'. Kesal memang, tapi setelah move-on kuakui memang mereka benar.

Kemudian aku tidak mau lagi maju sendirian. Target berikutnya pasca putus kuincar dengan strategi cukup matang, yaitu pendekatan pada teman-teman kuliah si target. Kutanyai mereka apakah aman bila aku mengincarnya, dan lain-lain. Kutanya juga kepada teman-teman dekatku yang juga dekat dengan si target, mereka mendukungku meski ada isu perbedaan usia yang cukup sensitif antara aku dan si target. Dan karena tidak ada isu negatif mengenai karakter dan track record si target, aku maju dengan pasti dan sejauh ini kudapatkan hasil yang baik.

Berangkat dari pengalaman itulah, aku berpendapat bahwa masukan dari teman-teman dekat tentang target percintaan kita memang penting. Memang benar bahwa ketika kita sedang dibutakan oleh cinta pada si target, teman-teman kitalah yang bisa melihat dengan benar apakah si target baik untuk diincar atau baik untuk menjadi pendamping kita. Lebih baik lagi kalau teman-teman dekat kita juga dekat dengan si target, niscaya penilaian mereka bisa lebih objektif karena berada di antara dua pihak, bukan cenderung berpihak ke salah satu.

Jadi, carilah teman-teman yang baik lalu komunikasikanlah dengan mereka. Jangan sampai menyesal! ;)    

Continue

Investasi

Sukakah kamu memberi hadiah pada orang yang kamu sukai? Pada cowok/cewek yang ingin kamu pacari/nikahi/sejenisnya?

Wajar kalau suka. Aku juga suka. Aku filantropis, semacam Santa Claus untuk cowok yang aku suka. Kado ulang tahun, ucapan terima kasih, atau hadiah-hadiah kecil seperti makanan dan minuman ringan bisa kuberikan dengan mudah. Uang bukan masalah, karena biasanya aku punya anggaran sendiri untuk hal ini. Ups, tapi mungkin untuk sekarang ada yang harus kurevisi dari pernyataan barusan.

Aku Santa Claus hanya untuk cowok yang aku pacari. Dan nantinya untuk suamiku kalau aku sudah menikah.

Aku punya istilah lain untuk 'memberi hadiah pada kekasih/calon kekasih' yaitu investasi. Ya, aku berinvestasi. Kamu berinvestasi. Untuk apa? Untuk menjaga stabilitas dan meningkatkan kualitas hubungan. Memastikan bahwa dia akan tetap mencintai kita. Tentu investasi hanya salah satu cara untuk itu, dan bukan yang utama. Tapi investasi adalah cara yang paling konkrit di antara semuanya, yang menurutku nggak semua orang bersedia melakukannya. 

Tapi hati-hati. Menurutku jangan pernah melakukan investasi pada cowok/cewek manapun yang belum menjadi kekasihmu, yang belum membuat komitmen denganmu. Serius, itu merugikan karena kondisinya masih belum pasti. Dengan kata lain: gambling. Bagus kalau akhirnya kalian pacaran/menikah dengan orang itu, kalau sebaliknya? Hih. Rugi. Aku bicara seperti ini bukannya ingin menghakimi atau menakuti siapapun, tapi karena aku pernah berkali-kali jatuh ke dalam lubang kegagalan investasi seperti ini.

Salah satu investasi terbesar yang pernah kulakukan adalah di tahun kedua kuliah. Aku suka pada mahasiswa dari universitas lain, dan semacam tergila-gila padanya. Wajar, dia baik hati, ganteng, pintar, kurus, tinggi, berkacamata, dan mengambil jurusan sains. Tipe idamanku. Pernah pada hari ulang tahunnya yang ke-21 aku memberinya 21 kado. Bukan kado mahal tentunya, karena aku masih mahasiswa. Hanya makanan2 kecil seperti 1 buah permen untuk dia yang berumur 1 tahun, 2 buah permen untuk dia berumur 2 tahun, dan seterusnya sampai kaset berisi rekaman lagu2 bertema cinta dan persahabatan untuk dia yang berumur 21 tahun. Nggak mahal, kalau nggak salah total semua kado itu termasuk pembungkusnya bahkan nggak sampai 50 ribu. Tapi kupikir itu investasi yang besar dan inovatif. Apalagi akhirnya dia nggak jadi pacarku dan aku menyukainya sampai 5 tahun lamanya. Aih. Such a waste of time.

Aku juga pernah berinvestasi lagi sewaktu aku bekerja di kantor ketigaku. Waktu itu ada associate baru yang aku suka, dan dia baik karena selalu mengantarku pulang (karena memang rumah kita searah), jadi di hari ulang tahunnya aku membelikannya kue ulang tahun yang cukup mahal sebagai kejutan. Lalu apakah dia jadi pacarku? Tentu tidak. Aku pernah sangat membencinya karena satu dan lain hal, tapi akhirnya kita berteman kembali. 

    

Komik di atas menyentuh hati orang-orang, khususnya teman-temanku. Tapi tidak denganku. Aku mendengus dan mencibir ketika selesai membacanya. Siapa suruh investasi pada orang yang belum pasti? Mengorbankan diri sendiri pula. Ih, aku sih nggak mau. Sama seperti putri duyung yang berkorban suara demi menjadi manusia dan mengejar pangeran, dan akhirnya si pangeran malah menikah dengan putri lain. Lalu si putri duyung malah berakhir menjadi buih. Ih. OGAH.

Aku tidak hobi mengatur orang, karena aku benci mendengar mereka mengatakan 'suka-suka aku dong' ketika kuatur. Terserah saja. Tapi kalau harus memilih, aku memilih untuk melarang kalian berinvestasi pada orang yang belum membuat komitmen dengan kalian. Orang yang belum tentu punya perasaan yang sama dengan kalian. Karena menurutku, selain kalian rugi, mereka juga keenakan. Ih, enak saja terima ini terima itu tanpa membalas perasaan kita. Nggak ada yang gratis di dunia ini kecuali oksigen. Itupun yang sudah tercemar, kalau mau yang bersih ya harus beli.

Meskipun begitu harus kuakui ada orang-orang yang senang menjadi investor seperti itu. Entah karena mereka kebanyakan uang atau memang filantropis, tapi mereka merasakan kepuasan tersendiri ketika orang yang mereka sukai menerima investasi itu, meskipun reaksinya tidak melulu positif. Ada saja, 'kan, orang yang menerima hadiah dari orang yang menyukainya lalu mengatakan 'ih apaan sih, lebay' atau sejenisnya, tapi tetap menerimanya.

Dalam track record-ku, kalau aku melakukan investasi terlalu dini maka percintaanku cenderung gagal. Maksudku bertepuk sebelah tangan. Makanya lebih baik itu kulakukan setelah si cowok membuat komitmen denganku, dan ketika itu sudah terjadi, perasaan kita sama, aku akan menghujaninya dengan hadiah. Dengan atau tanpa momen. Dan karena aku, ehem, pintar, hadiahku 99% pasti barang yang sedang ia perlukan karena aku selalu mengumpulkan informasi terlebih dahulu.

Jadi, sebelum investasi, pikirkanlah baik-baik, oke?   

Continue

Hari Cokelat

Menurutmu, aku harus mulai dari mana?

*ketawa*

Oh tidak. Terlalu banyak menghabiskan waktu bersama kamu dengan berbagi cerita-cerita bodoh dan menertawainya ternyata tidak sepenuhnya baik. Contohnya ya karena ini, aku jadi sulit membuat tulisan yang romantis dan puitis buatmu. Aih, tulisan seperti ini saja aku sulit membuat, bagaimana surat cinta?

AAAH~!

Aku sinting. Sebentar lagi. Oh tidak, aku sudah sinting. Aku menyerah, aku nggak sanggup membuat tulisan puitis dan romantis. Kalau ini acara uji nyali horor di TV swasta, aku angkat tangan menghadap kamera. Aku menyerah, nggak sanggup! T-T

Tapi berhubung puisi dan gambarnya sudah terlanjur dibuat, kuunggah saja ke dalam postingan ini, deh. Ngomong-ngomong, gambarnya kubuat dalam waktu kurang dari satu jam, lho. \(^o^)/ 

it's a love story, Baby, have cupcakes

Hari ini hari cokelat. Daripada hari kasih sayang, aku lebih suka menyebutnya hari cokelat. The Saint Chocolate's Day. Karena hanya 14 Februari setiap tahun yang membuat cokelat berbentuk lucu-lucu menjadi bertebaran di mana-mana, termasuk di toko buku (-_-) agak aneh memang. Dan di hari cokelat ini, karena kamu bilang nggak terlalu suka cokelat (aku heran kenapa demikian karena cokelat itu makanan surgawi), aku mengenyahkan semua rencana dan ide membeli cokelat buatmu. Lebih baik kumakan sendiri Jadi hadiahnya ini saja, ya? 

Terima kasih untuk setiap hari yang menyenangkan. Terima kasih sudah membuatku memilih untuk memulai dari awal yang baru daripada mengulang yang pernah gagal. Terima kasih untuk meyakinkan aku hingga kuambil keputusan yang tepat.

Trapped and tied in a dark clueless cave
Been sick and tired, longing for a light
Believing in proper happiness I shall have
You came when wrong blinded me of right

Closer to death, I was the one you saved
With your eyes shining at my soul so bright
To the painful past my hand doubtlessly waved
As your shadow grows bigger in my sight

You bring laughter back in my gloomy days
Unconditionally grant your heart beside mine
Casting the fear, I decided to erase the haze
In my cold winter night, you are the sunshine

I made my choice and you are the one
Without regrets I left the others behind
You are the happiness I properly found
A proof that all this time my belief is fine

Like a summer grass longing for the rain
This love is longing for yours now and ever
Hummingbird lands and picks up each grain
Your gaze picks my eyes, lock them forever 

  

(Proper Happiness - February 12th, 2013)

Continue

Moving On Like Taylor Swift

Moving on. Easier said than done.

It indeed is. Moving on from a past, especially the ones with hurting farewell, is quite hard. The wound is haunting, even the will to go back to the past keeps tempting. We forgot that once it hurts, we are ought to leave as soon as possible.

We forgot that we deserve the proper happiness more than the past we left behind.

Here in this post I am talking about moving on from a failed relationship. From a heartless ex-lover who heartlessly left us, or whatever you name it. And I just simply want to talk, without judging or such, because I have been in this difficult position for more than once, so I know exactly how it feels to be moving on difficultly.

Three months ago I just failed a relationship again. I was broken, could not stop myself from crying. I kind of still believed that the ex-boyfriend shall come back to me somehow because I believed that we were a completion so that we should stay together. Yes, I was stuck on him. The good news was he also seemed to stuck on me, so that he tried to reach me but I kinda wanted to punish him by not responding easily to his poor communication.

At the same time, I kept eyes on someone else, whom was nearly impossible to be mine due to the distant of age. I mean, I was not sure that he would want to be mine according to the 'age' issue. Still, he was considered as worth fighting for, so I went forward on him as well as I expected my ex to come back.

Until one day my eyes were opened.

I tried to talk with the ex and all he said was he did not want to talk due to bad mood. I was disappointed and decided to stop expecting his comeback. At the next day, the 'new guy' gave me good signal while we hung out together with friends, so that when the ex tried to talk to me that day I did not respond since I wanted to respect this 'new guy' who has responded me well. I did not know that I already made the right decision.

This 'new guy' keeps giving me the signal, even he gave me green light, especially since we became desk mates when our seats were rotated by the boss (to me, ex-boss). And in the new-year days, I was like in between of his green light and my ex's communication attempt. Still, I went for what's worthy, and I did made the right decision, again. 

He is currently mine by the beginning of the year.

The lesson I learn is that moving on is hard to do, while on the other side it is your choice. Yes, moving on is a choice. Whether you want your present to stay with the past or move forward with the future. 

Taylor Swift is one good example of someone who moves on quickly. She truly is my idol both in music and life. The way she changes boyfriends quickly is, in my opinion, adorable. Even though people said she is not persistent, compared to her songs which lyrics are usually about beautiful fairytale love, I still think she is adorable. It means that even though she changes boyfriends quickly, each love story means much to her that makes her able to write adorable lyrics in her every song. 

And I think she just easily realizes that to stay in the past is not quite worthy. Taylor just thinks to take every new chance that brings her to the new future instead of staying with the past that brings her nowhere. Either it is to go out with someone new or go back with the previous ex-lover. Currently I hear that Taylor has just left someone-Kennedy and is going out with one of her ex, Harry Styles, which means she gives him second chance.

At this condition, mine and hers are different. I do not say that second chance is wrong, but before giving it there are some things to be considered, that convince us that this person (ex-lover) really deserves it. Taylor should have considered this well and convinced that Harry deserves it, so that she decided to leave that Kennedy guy and go out with Harry. And it counts as moving on as well.

Oh and one more thing to be noticed well, moving on could be performed perfectly when there is a new place where we can move. Taylor found it. I found it. Once it happened, why not giving our hearts a chance? Taylor deserves it. I deserve it. We all deserve it.

So, moving on quickly like Taylor Swift? Why not?

Continue