Finale (?)

They say February is a month of love. But I experienced broken heart several times instead.

I had to let go Peggy,  me beloved ride, for particular reason. She's healthy. There's nothing wrong with her, unless, we had to choose to keep her or Livy. We thought having two cars in a house would be too much. As we have 6 family members, Peggy would be to small for all. So we decided to keep Livy.

How ever it wasn't easy. We asked a friend to take care everything. The time I got the news, that Peggy was sold, I cried. She was more than a ride. She was a part of me. I and her understood each other. With her I could run fast and always feel safe. It's not that Livy is not safe. It's just, I don't feel any bond with it.

The other heart breaking moment is today as I visited Sunday Scribblings. It's February 2014 and I just found out that it has stopped prompting at December 2013. I know I haven't been participating for over two or three years. I some times stopped by and walk around the link. Today I'm doing it to find it's 400th post, that be the last.

I used to participate regularly around 2007-2008 when I started blogging. I needed some thing to start writing. And I needed to communicate with other bloggers, them who I found on the links. I can't remember exactly when I stopped participating. It's been a long time.

Still it is sad to see some thing good has to end up. I see many people have been 'faithful' being parts of the prompts. So far. Until 400.

***

Life wouldn't end up just because I lost Peggy, and Sunday Scribblings no longer prompting. This is my new part of life: without Peggy, nor, new prompts from Sunday Scribblings. An ending of a scene has always been a new beginning to a new one.

PETALS (I hate you but I miss you)

sebuah catatan dari menghabiskan long weekend bersama 25-26 desember 2009. tidak ada yang lebih 'nikmat' dari kemesraan bersama keluarga...
a note from a family reunion, 25-26 december 2009. nothing more 'delicious' than being with our family...

=================

I've often wondered if there's ever been a perfect family / I've always longed for undividedness and sought stability
…...
And I miss you little sis and Little brother / And I hope you realize I'll always love you
And although you're struggling you will recover / And I miss you little sis and little brother
......
But I miss you dandelion
And even love you

=================

Maunya jajal nyanyi sendiri, tapi cari chordnya setengah mati ngga ketemu, dan kalau berkeras nyari sendiri mungkin ga akan ketemu sampai mati. Jadi mendingan dengar langsung dari penyanyi aslinya… PETALS
I wanted to sing it by myself, but i was dying trying to find the chords. I might already be dead if I kept trying. So please enjoy the song from the very own singer.. PETALS



=================

Aku tidak akan malu mengakui bahwa kita lima bersaudara bukan anak-anak yang tidak pernah bertengkar. Tidak pernah terkontaminasi cemburu satu sama lain. Harmonis seratus persen tanpa masalah. Tapi aku yakin bukan berarti kita tidak saling mencinta dan mengasihi.
I will not be ashamed to confess that we are not siblings without fights. Nor never been contaminated with jealousy. I wouldn't say we are in a 100% harmony. But that doesn;t mean we do not love each other.

Hubungan persaudaraan terasa berbeda, ketika kita masih anak dan remaja, dengan kini ketika kita sudah punya anak dan remaja. Beberapa hal dulu terasa penting untuk diperdebatkan, dan kini terasa menggelikan. Kadang keberadaan saudara terasa menganggu tapi ternyata tanpa mereka ada yang hilang.
Relationships between siblings feels different, how it was when we were children and now as we have children. Long ago some things seemed so important to fight over, now we laugh at. Long ago some times we thought the existence of siblings some times bothering. Now without them we feel some thing's missing.

Berkumpul menjadi saat-saat yang dirindukan. Lalu ketika saat itu tiba, tidak perduli perbedaan pandangan yang seringkali membuat kita tidak rukun. Tidak peduli dengan anggapanmu bahwa aku keliru mendidik anakku. Tidak peduli bahwa kau tidak bisa menerima kegilaan tingkah lakuku. Tidak peduli bahwa kau kadang begitu kaku. Tidak peduli bahwa kau sering egois dan selalu menganggap dirimu sendiri yang benar. Tidak peduli bahwa kau tidak setuju dengan pola pikirku.
Being together become a moment we miss. Then when the time come, we wouldn't give a damn to any differences those made us missunderstand. I don't care if you think I don't educate my children right. I don't care if you can't understand my craziness. I don't care if you some times so stiff. I don't care if you always think you are always right. I don't care if you don't agree with my opinions.

Waktu kita cuma dua hari dan kita tidak akan menodainya dengan hal-hal tidak menyenangkan. Jadi aku akan ikut makan di restoran yang kau pilih, meskipun aku tidak suka menunya. Aku akan ikut pergi ke tempat yang kau pilih meskipun medannya menyiksa. Aku akan biarkan anak-anakmu membuat kekacauan di mobilku, meskipun setelah ini aku harus kerja setengah mati membersihkannya. Aku akan kubur egoku – hanya dua hari ini saja.
We only have couple days and we will not stain it with things not fun. So I will eat with you though I don't like the menus in the restaurant you chose. I will go to the place you want to go though it will kill me. I will let your children do mess up my car, though after this I will have to work hard cleaning it. I will bury my ego -- for these couple days.

Mari tertawa melihat tingkah anak kita yang polos.
Let us laugh to see our children.

Ibit and Shib (Train Museum - Ambarawa)

Iqbal and Inas walking on the net across the valley (Umbul Sidomukti)

Kuh and the crackers (in front of my house)

Mong, Muy, Ar, Ir, Nauf on the bamboo bridge (Umbul Sidomukti)

Mari tertawa melihat tingkah kita yang wagu.
Let us laugh to see us behaving silly.

a race on the net (Umbul Sidomukti)

let me go!

come dance with us (Train Museum - Ambarawa)

a Reog? (Gedong Songo Temple)

Mari gemas melihat yang masih belum terkontaminasi juga.
Let us be curious about those pure ones.

Lin is still uncontaminated (Train Museum - Ambarawa)

Dan biarkan waktu yang sebentar ini menjadi berharga, juga untuk Bapak Ibu kita yang telah berpuluh tahun berkorban untuk kita. Melihat bahwa jerih payah mereka tidak sia-sia.
And let this moment be precious, also for our parents who have spent years scarifying for us. Let them see they didn't do it for nothing.

the riders (Gedongsongo temple)

23 of us ( in my house)

for this weeks sundayscribblings prompt: delicious

GIANT puzzle!!

Is there any better indulgence, than having the children spending their holiday away at granny's home, and only you and hubby at home? I still have time until Saturday before I have to pick them up.
Apa ada kenikmatan yang melebihi mengirim anak-anak liburan jauh di rumah Embah, dan kita berdua suami aja di rumah? Aku masih punya waktu sampai hari Sabtu, sebelum aku harus menjemput mereka.

Wednesday was the day for Indonesia's President Election, and was a national official day off. Yes I didn't have to go to work.
I voted as early as I could -- and it was 08.30, not early enough actually :P (I woke up at 5.00, did my shubuh prayer then back to bed until 08.00) coz I and Dan planned to spend the day for something more fun than just staying at home.
Rabu kemaren Pilpres, dan jadi hari libur nasional. Yesss... ngga ngantor. Aku nyontreng sepagi mungkin -- yaitu jam 08.30, ngga cukup pagi juga sebenarnya :P (aku bangun jam 05.00, habis sholat shubuh tidur lagi dan baru bangun jam 08.00) karena aku dan Dan ada rencana menghabiskan hari dengan sesuatu yang lebih menyenangkan daripada tiduran dan nonton tipi di rumah.



We went to... BOROBUDUR TEMPLE, the amazing temple comprises six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. A main dome, located at the center of the top platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupa. (this sentence is just to good to be mine. you are right, I copied it from Wikipedia :D)
Kami pergi ke... BOROBUDUR! Candi yang menakjubkan, yang terdiri dari enam lapis, dengan tiga lapis lantai berbentuk lingkaran, dihiasi 2.672 panel relief dan 504 patung budha yang duduk di dalam stupa bolong-bolong (diterjemahkan dengan semena-mena dari Wikipedia)

Borobudur was built by King Samaratungga, one of the kings of Old Mataram Kingdom, the descendant of Sailendra dynasty. Based on Kayumwungan inscription, an Indonesian named Hudaya Kandahjaya revealed that Borobudur was a place for praying that was completed to be built on 26 May 824, almost one hundred years from the time the construction was begun. The name of Borobudur, as some people say, means a mountain having terraces (budhara), while other says that Borobudur means monastery on the high place. (And this sentence was copied from here)
Borobudur dibangun oleh Raja Samaratungga, salah satu raja dari Kerajaan Mataram Kuno, yang masih keturunan dinasti Syailendra. Berdasarkan script Kayumwungan, seorang warga Indonesia bernama Hudaya Kandahjaya mengungkapkan bahwa Borobudur adalah tempat berdoa, yang selesai dibangun pada tanggal 26 Mei 824, hampir seratus tahun dari saat dimulainya dibangun. Nama Borobudur, menurut sebagian orang, berarti bukit yang memiliki teras-teras (budhara), juga bisa diartikan sebagai vihara di tempat yang tinggi (dan paragraf yang ini diambil dari sini).

before going upstairs

OK. My own sentences now.
I think it is amazing how people from 8th century has built such a wonderful monument. Sculptured relief telling stories all over the walls. And I think it deserved to be one of The Seven Wonders, years ago. Now it is not, but I think it's okay. It is still a 'wonder' to me. Too many wonderful things in the world, you can not limit it only for seven things, right?
Ok, kalimatku sendiri sekarang.
Menurutku, sangat luar biasa, orang yang hidup di abad ke-8 membangun monument yang begitu megah dan indah. Pahatan relief di sepanjang dinding candi. Dan kupikir Borobudur memang berhak jadi salah satu dari Tujuh Keajaiban Dunia, waktu itu. Sekarang memang engga lagi, tapi ngga papa lah. Bagiku Borobudur tetap suatu keajaiban. Masalahnya, banyak sekali keajaiban di dunia. Ngga bisa dong, dibatasi tujuh aja, ya kan?

it was hi-noon and HOT!

But, I think of something that also amazing, the restoration of the temple. Borobudur was once upon a time buried and become a hill with bushes all over it, and the construction under. I mean... it was built with thousands (even millions) pieces of stone. When it was found, I believe, it wasn't as how it looks in the present time. It must have been messy with parts apart, some are away from where it should be. Now, how can you put the right pieces in the right place?
Tapi, aku berpikir tentang hal luar biasa lainnya, pemugaran candi ini. Borobudur waktu ditemukan, katanya terkubur dan menjadi bukit yang ditumbuhi semak belukar. Maksudku... Borobudur itu kan terdiri dari ribuan (bahkan jutaan) potongan batu. Pada saat ditemukan, aku yakin keadaannya tidak seperti sekarang ini. Pasti berantakan kemana-mana batu-batu itu. Jadi, bagaimana bisa tahu batu mana harus ditaruh di mana?

Look at this small simple example. Just a small piece of the beautiful giant.
How can you be sure that this three head sculpted stone was supposed to be here?
Lihat contoh kecil ini. Hanya satu bagian kecil dari raksasa cantik kita.
Yakin pahatan tiga kepala ini harus dipasang di sini?

Are you sure you don't miss it with this one?
Ngga tertukar dengan yang ini?

Or this one?
Atau yang ini?

Not only to match which head with which body, but it also had to match the story told in the relief..
Bukan hanya harus cocokin badan dan kepala, tapi juga harus cocok dengan cerita yang tergambar di setiap relief.

Ahahaha... I know archaeologists are good at this, but still it is beyond my imagination...
They sad it took 15 years and US$20.000.000, involving professionals from 27 countries. And more than 1000.000 pieces of stone had to be put together, just like doing a giant jigzaw puzzle. Plus 13.000 panels of sculpted stone to clean up and maintain. (translated from here)
Ahahaha... Aku tahu itu bagian para ahli arkeologi, tapi tetep saja ga bisa bayangin...
Katanya butuh lebih dari 15 tahun dan 20 juta dollar amerika, melibatkan tenaga profesional dari 27 negara. Dan lebih dari sejuta potongan batu harus disusun seperti mengerjakan jigzaw puzzle raksasa. Ditambah 13.000 panel relief yang harus dibersihkan dan dirawat (diambil dari sini)

I still saw here and there around the temple, some parts has been missing. So it is replaced with new stone, but you see, it will never be the same.
Aku masih melihat di sana sini di seputar candi, banyak bagian yang hilang. Akhirnya diganti dengan batu baru, tapi lihat deh, hasilnya ngga akan pernah sama.


Well, how ever, either as a Javanese or just as Indonesian, I feel like I also own Borobudur. And I am so proud of it.
Yah, bagaimanapun, baik sebagai orang Jawa atau hanya sebagai orang Indonesia, aku merasa ikut handarbeni Candi Borobudur. Dan aku bangga banget.

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for Photo Story Friday


Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

and

this weeks Sunday Scribblings prompt: indulgence

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Dan had lots of better pictures taken with his camera. All pictures here were taken with my Camera-phone. That's explain why I couldn't take any picture of both of us together. With tripod Dan did. But Dan bring the memory card to office today, while I only have time now to write. So any picture will do, I guess.
Dan punya banyak gambar yang oebih bagus, diambil pakai kameranya. Gambar-gambar ini cuma aku ambil pakai henpon, jadi itu sebabnya kenapa aku ga bisa ambil gambar berdua. Dengan tripod Danang bisa. Tapi masalahnya, kartu memori kameranya dibawa Dan ke kantor, sedang aku hanya punya waktu untuk nulis sekarang. Jadi ya... seadanya sajalah.

I follow behind my kids

that's Dan. and Ar, and Ir, and Ibit. I, followed them behind and took this picture, while riding my bike.
itu Dan. dan Ar. dan Ir. dan Ibit. aku, mengikuti mereka dari belakang dan mengambil gambar ini, sambil mengayuh sepedaku.

this is one of our favorite family activities beside swimming, riding bike to places near by. we could go at least 5km away, and back.
ini adalah salah satu aktivitas bersama favorit kami selain berenang, bersepeda yang deket-deket aja. kami bisa pergi sejauh 5 km, dan pulang

and this is how we usually do it. Dan will lead the way, the kids follow him behind, and I follow them, very behind.
dan begini biasanya kami melakukannya. Dan di depan, diikuti anak-anak, dan aku mengikuti mereka, paling belakang.

and I believe that's also how we should live our life. I believe that a man as a husband, and a father, should be the leader in a family. and the kids follow him. it doesn't matter if along the way my kids find their own way, as long as it is right and good for everyone, I will let them go that way. I will just follow them behind, or walk beside them, to make sure they won't take the wrong path.
dan begitu jugalah menurutku, bagaimana seharusnya kami menjalani hidup. aku percaya bahwa laki-laki sebagai suami dan ayah, harus menjadi pemimpin bagi keluarganya. anak-anak mengikutinya. tidak masalah jika di tengah jalan mereka menemukan jalan sendiri. selama itu benar dan baik untuk semua, aku akan biarkan mereka ambil jalan itu. aku hanya akan mengikuti dari belakang, atau berjalan di samping mereka, untuk memastikan bhawa mereka tidak akan mengambil jalur yang salah.

*****

for this weeks sundayscribblings prompt, follow

I speak trilingual, do you believe it?

aku bicara tiga bahasa, percaya ngga?

for this weeks sundayscribblings prompt: language

click my blog tittle and scroll down slightly, or you may want to read my post one by one. like doing a psycho test, you'll find a pattern...
klik judul blogku lalu scroll down pelan-pelan, atau mungkin mau baca dengan teliti satu per satu. seperti ketika mengerjakan psycho test, kamu akan nemu sebuah pola.

yup I write bilingually. in English and Bahasa Indonesia. I know my English is not so fluent. my grammar is far from perfect. I never took an English course. I only learned it at school, and listen to or read some "English" I can see or hear around me.
yup. aku menulis dalam dua bahasa. Inggris dan Indonesia. aku tahu sih bahasa Inggrisku ngga sempurna. lha gimana, aku memang ngga pernah kursus bahasa inggris. belajar cuma waktu di sekolah, ditambah baca dan mendengarkan apa yang bisa dilihat dan didengar di sekitar..

do I care at all? oh I did, long ago. but people, from Indonesia and even the English native speakers said that my English, with some mistakes here and there, is understandable. *wow, I thought 'understandable' wasn't a word, but my spelling checker didn't underline it red, so it is a word...*
memangnya aku peduli? dulu, iya. tapi kata orang-orang, bahkan yang native speaker bahasa Inggris, katanya bahasa Inggrisku walaupun salah di sana-sini tapi bisa dimengerti.

did I make a mistake writing my post tittle? no. I do speak trilingual. my third, which is actually the first language I learn in my life, is Javanese.
eh, apa aku salah nulis judul? engga. aku memang bisa bicara tiga bahasa. yang ketiga, adalah justru bahasa yang pertama kali kukenal dalam hidupku: bahasa Jawa

there are hundreds (or may be even thousands?) origin languages of hundreds (and again, may be thousands) tribe in Indonesia. Javanese is only one of those. I know some people don't speak traditional languages any more. for many reasons. some because they married people from different tribe with different language. some, married people from the same tribe with the same language, but live in community of vary tribes. so it will be easier for them and children to communicate each other with Bahasa Indonesia. some even speak English daily for many reasons too.
ada ratusan (atau mungkin ribuan) bahasa asli di Indonesia, yang dimiliki oleh ratusan (lagi-lagi, mungkin malah ribuan) suku. Jawa cuma salah satu. aku tahu sekarang banyak yang lebih memilh bicara Bahasa Indonesia. karena perkawinan antar suku, atau karena lingkungannya memang bhinneka tunggal ika, jadi lebih mudah memakai bahasa Indonesia untuk berkomunikasi satu sama lain. malah ada yang sudah pakai bahasa Inggris untuk percakapan sehari-hari.

I speak Javanese and Indonesia to my children. but they prefer to speak Indonesia more. what can I say, people around us, their friends and teachers, mostly speak Indonesia.
aku bicara bahasa Jawa dan Indonesia kepada anak-anakku. tapi sepertinya mereka lebih suka ngomong bahasa Indonesia. mau gimana lagi. sekitar mereka hampir semua memakai bahasa itu.

how dare I call my self trilingual when I don't speak English daily! oh pardon. I do, some times, with some friends and Dan *but Dan always replies in Javanese... he understands but can not speak it*. and off course I speak English a lot, here in my blog. enjoy....
pede banget aku menyebut diri bicara tiga bahasa! oh maaf. paling tidak aku suka ngomong Inggris juga sedikit-sedikit dengan teman dan Dan *meskipun Dan selalu nyautnya malah pake bahasa Jawa*. dan lihat saja, aku bicara bahasa Inggris banyak, di sini, si blogku.

I'm crazy about aerobics

yes I am. it's fun.
beneran. it's fun

I was raised in a sports lover family. my mother was an athlete when she was young. she, and my father played tennis. at home, we used to have a table for us to play pingpong. so sad it's gone since we, the children, one by one left to go to college.
aku dibesarkan di keluarga pecinta olahraga. ibuku dulu atlit waktu masih gadis. dia dan bapak juga main tennis. di rumah, dulu kami punya meja pingpong. tapi udah hilang entah ke mana sejak kami, anak-anak bapak, satu persatu pergi untuk kuliah ke lain kota.

yeah that's me ;)
but I didn't wear my headdress so I cut it there...

I workout 6 days in a week.
monday and thursday, I do it after work before home at gym.
saturday morning, I go to other gyms to find more fun.
tuesday, friday and sunday, I do it at home. some neighbors come to join me, or you can say I am the instructor... :D
aku latihan aerobic enam kali seminggu.
senin dan kamis, di sanggar, sepulang kerja.
sabtu pagi aku cari kesenangan di sanggar lain.
selasa, jumat dan minggu, aku senam di rumah. ibu-ibu tetangga ikut senam bareng, boleh dibilang aku jadi instrukturnya... :D

yup, I took an instructor course. but I am an office worker, so I don't have much time to be an instructor in a gym. so I decided to share what I got in my course to mothers in my neighborhood. for free? half free. they pay but not as much as they should if they go to gym. I would say it is a social work, while having fun at the same time.
iya, aku pernah ambil pelatihan instructur aerobic. masalahnya sekarang aku kerja kantoran, jadi ga bisa kalo mau konsen jadi instruktur di sanggar senam. jadi kuputsukan membagi ilmu yang kudapatkan dari kursus kepada ibu-ibu tetangga. gratis? setengah gratis. mereka bayar tapi tidak sebanyak kalo jadi member saggar. itung-itung kerja sosial yang menyenangkan...

some people do workouts to lose weight. I do it for opposite aim: gaining weight. yes I am under weight. but workout doesn't work alone to do something with weight. it is something has to be combined with diet, whether you want to lose or to gain it.
banyak orang ikut senam untuk menurunkan berat badan. aku justru sebaliknya: ingin menambah. iya, aku kurus banget. tapi latihan aerobic itu ga kerja sendirian untuk mengubah berat badan. harus dikombinasikan dengan mengatur pola makan, baik yang mau nambah atau mengurangi berat badan.

I am one who don't like to eat, and that's why I'm so skinny. but working out has given me a little more appetite in food. I've gained 5kgs (10lbs) in the last year. it is something easy for some people but was a hard working for me. tell me to lose gain, that is easy for me to do.
aku orang yang ga suka makan, makanya kurus. tapi rajin senam agak nambah sedikit nafsu makanku. aku sudah berhasil menambah 5kgs dalam setahun terakhir. buat orang lain mungkin gampang, tapi buatku itu penuh perjuangan. suruh aku menurunkan berat badan, itu baru gampang.

my weight has stopped increasing at 42kgs. I still want to gain 5kgs more but I don't know why it seems I got stacked at that number.
berat badanku berhenti naik di 42kgs. aku masih ingin nambah 5kgs lagi, tapi susah banget.

so I just hold on to what my instructor told me. the main aim of doing aerobics (and other sports) is to be healthy. if you then look well-shaped, that is a bonus...
akhirnya aku berpegang saja pada kata-kata instrukturku. tujuan kita melakukan aerobic (dan olahraga lain) adalah untuk sehat. kalo bentuk badan kita jadi bagus, itu bonus...

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for this week's sundayscribblings prompt: sport

manasik haji Ar Ir

Ar Ir's manasik haji



Minggu lalu Ar dan Ir dan ratusan murid Tk Islam se Semarang selatan melaksanakan manasik haji, sebagai simulasi pelaksanaan rukun Islam yang kelima, pergi ke Mekkah untuk berhaji.
Last week Ar and Ir and hundreds of Islamic kindergartens students in South Semarang did a manasik haji. Manasik haji is a simulation to a Islamic Pilgrimage to Mecca, to do the fifth rukun as a moslem, and be home as a haji.

Buat muslim Indonesia, pergi haji butuh usaha besar, terutama sangunya. Memang buat sebagian orang, uang bukan masalah, tapi buat sebagian besar yang lain, itu perlu usaha lebih.
For us, moslems who live in Indonesia, going to Mecca to do haji is a big effort, mostly about the funding. Off course, to some people money doesn't matter, but for most of us, it does.

Alhamdulillah kedua orang tuaku, juga kakak perempuanku dan suaminya sudah melaksanakannya. Sekarang jadi mimpiku dan suami untuk menjadi yang berikutnya.
Alhamdulillah both my parents, and my eldest sister and her husband have already done it, and it becomes my dream to be the next to go.

Menyaksikan anak-anak berpura-pura menjalankan ibadah haji membuatku trenyuh, dan bertanya-tanya kapankah, atau akankah aku pernah punya kesempatan sekali seumur hidup melakukan haji yang sesungguhnya.
Watching those kids pretending doing the pilgrimage has made my eyes watering and wondering when will I be able to, or will I ever have a chance of a life time to do the real one.

Semoga Allah mengabulkan permohonan kami, amin.
May Allah fulfill our wishes, amin.

*************************
for this week's sundayscribblings prompt, the pilgrimage

and photo story Friday


Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

batik contest (again)

I looked up at the dictionary and found the word 'organic' means 'dasar', a word that if I translate back to English would also mean 'basic'. can I consider it as 'original'? my idea to write in this blog bilingually, do you think it is original?
so I post about this 'original' idea of mine as a response to this weeks sundayscribblings prompt: organic.
along with my weekly new habit, joining PSF.

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I always think that Batik has been a special gift to the world....
aku selalu merasa batik adalah anugerah istimewa buat dunia...

I once made a batik giveaway, on my #100 post. it was a sheet of batik fabric and won by Carrie Keiser.
aku sudah pernah bikin batik giveaway untuk post ku #100. waktu itu yang menang Carrie Keiser

this time I'm giving away some other batik stuffs for two winners
kali ini aku mau bagi dua barang untuk dua pemenang

a pair of batik sandals
sepasang sandal batik

and a batik blouse
dan sebuah blus batik

are you interested?
well this is all you have to do:
tertarik?
ini yang harus anda lakukan:

since I am NOT an English native speaker, and I learned my English only from school, enriched by listening to English songs and watch English movie -- and read English blogs... :D... I realize that my English is far from perfect. then why I post in it? because I believe, the more I use it, I will improve it. now as I post in English, I know I make mistakes, but some times I just don't know where I do the mistakes.
berhubung aku ini bukan berbahasa ibu inggris, dan belajar bahasa inggris juga cuma di sekolah, ditambah denger-dengerin lagu-lagu berbahasa inggris, dan nonton film berbahasa inggris, dan baca blog berbahasa inggris... maka aku yakin inggrisku jauh dari sempurna. jadi ngapain aku nulis blog dalam bahasa inggris? karena aku yakin dengan makin sering menggunakannya aku akan makin mahir. aku tahu aku banyak bikin salah, cuma ga tahu juga salahnya di mana...

1. I want you to pick any of my post in this blog, that you think has mistakes in writings, grammar, anything (in English)--- (which I believe each post does :P..). then post it on your blog. in your post you should:
1. pilih satu postingan dari blog ini, yang menurutmu mengandung kesalahan dalam penulisan di bagian bahasa inggrisnya -- yang aku yakin pasti semua ada... :P, lalu tuliskan postingan. dalam postingan tersebut, harus:

• write on your tittle: "when a silly Indonesian woman tries to write in English (a contest)". if i still write this tittle wrong, go write it right..
• tell in the beginning of the post you do, about this give away and link to this post.
• optional: rewrite the post you choose, and its tittle. or just show me where the mistakes are... (you can skip this if you feel don't want to do)
  
• tell me how you think about this blog, in any way (you can choose one, or two, or all): the language, the topics, the style, the look, the pictures, anything! remember, I don't mind if you tell bad things, as long as it is not rude. I'll take it as a critic.

• tulis judul postingan: "when a silly Indonesian woman tries to write in English (a contest)", kalau judul yang aku bikin ini masih salah juga, ya betulkan sekalian
• di awal postingan, ceritakan tentang kuis ini, dan kasih link ke postingan ini
• opsional: tulis ulang postingan yang anda pilih, juga judulnya. atau cukup tunjukkan di mana letak kesalahannya. bagian ini boleh tidak dikerjakan.
  
• katakan apa pendapat anda tentang blog ini. boleh kasih saran atau kritik.
  

2. dont forget to leave a comment here, I'll be glad if you give the URL to your post so I can go straight there and find out how bad my english has been :P...
I know I should have used miss linky, but I still haven't figured out how to use it...
2. jangan lupa tinggalkan komen, aku akan senang kalau sekalian di kasih link ke postnya jadi aku bisa langsung ke TKP dan melihat betapa buruknya ingrrisku selama ini... :P
emang sih, enaknya pake miss linky, tapi aku belum tahu caranya..

this contest will be closed as January ends. and I will tell you who the winner will be on 2 February 2009, and I'll bear the shipping don't worry :D
kuis ini akan ditutup akhir januari, dan pengumuman pemenang insya Allah tanggal 2 Pebruari 2009, dan jangan khawatir, ongkos kirim aku yang tanggung :D

come and join me, and thanks!
selamat bergabung, dan terima kasih!

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Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

'late' is my middle name

'terlambat' adalah nama tengahku

for this week's sundayscribblings prompt: 'late'

why?
because......
kenapa?
karena......

in the office where I work, there is a morning briefing at 07.00, and every employee has to attend. now imagine. I live about 20 km away, and going through morning traffic jam, I need at least 45 minutes to get there.
di kantor tempat aku bekerja, ada apel setiap jam 07.00 pagi, dan setiap karyawan harus hadir. sekarang bayangkan. aku tinggal kira-kira 20 km jauhnya, dan dengan kemacetan pagi hari, butuh paling tidak 45 menit untuk sampai ke kantor.

means, I have to get out of my house at least at 06.15. but, I'm a lazy one. I usually get out my house at 06.20 or more. so it is a fortune if I could get to my office before the briefing begins.
artinya, aku harus berangkat paling tidak jam 06.15. tapi aku ini anak malas. biasanya aku baru keluar rumah jam 06.20. jadi beruntung sekali kalau aku bisa sampe kantor sebelum jam 07.00.

is it ok for me to miss the briefing? off course not. some important things are announced here, and I've missed some, because I was late. I try to go earlier, but my best is at least once being late in a week.
apakah terlambat apel tidak jadi masalah buatku? bukan begitu. ada beberapa hal penting yang disampaikan di apelan. beberapa kali aku tidak tahu, karena terlambat apel. aku sudah coba sih untuk berangkat agak pagian lagi. tapi hasil terbaikku adalah, telat sekali dalam seminggu.

I never make a full presence in morning briefings during my five workdays. does my boss mad at me? you bet. I'm not a discipline girl, I know. so I try to pay my 'late' by working as hard as I can after I get to the office. does it work?
aku belum pernah berhasil hadir apel pagi seminggu full. bossku marah ngga padaku? ya pastilah. aku tahu aku bukan anak yang disiplin. jadi aku mencoba membayar keterlambatanku dengan bekerja sebaik-baiknya begitu aku sampai di kantor. berhasil?


almost :D
hampir :D

Bersih Desa

Bicara soal tradisi, Indonesia memang gudangnya. Suku yang ribuan jumlahnya mempunyai tradisi masing-masing yang berbeda.
Aku tinggal di Jawa Tengah. Dari yang kuketahui, bahkan di Jawa sendiri, masing masing daerah punya tradisi yang berbeda.
Speaking about traditions, Indonesia is the place. Thousands ethnics live here, and each has its own traditions.
I live in Central Java. I have learned, that even in Java, every place has their own traditions.

Bersih Desa adalah satu tradisi di kampung tempat kami tinggal. Acara ini diselenggarakan dalam rangka bersyukur pada Tuhan atas segala yang telah diberikannya. Yang harus dicatat, ini bukan acara keagamaan, tapi benar-benar tradisi Jawa.
Bersih Desa is one of the treaditions in the village we live in. This occasion is held as one way to thank God for all His blesses. One thing is important, this is not a religion thing, this is purely Javanese tradition.



Acara ini diadakan setahun sekali, pada waktu-waktu di antara bulan kalender Jawa, Syawal dan Besar. Tahun ini diadakan tanggal 22 Nopember kemarin. Puncak acara adalah pertunjukan wayang kulit semalam suntuk. Lakon untuk kali ini adalah 'Arjuna Syukur'
We do Bersih Desa every year in times between Javanese months Syawal and Besar. This year it was held on last 22 November. The biggest event in Bersih Desa is wayang kulit all night show. This time the story was "Arjuna Thank God"
Wayang kulit is a Javanese Traditional puppets show. The puppets are made of bull's leather, and played by an artist called 'dalang'. The performance can not be separated with the javanese orchestra, gamelan. It has hundreds parts of stories, which all are fragments of whole story Mahabharata. The story is always about the battle between good (represented by the Pandawa family) and bad (represented by the Kurawa family). And of course, the good always wins.

Aku sih suka nonton wayang. Ngerti juga bahasanya. Cuma ngga tahan ngantuknya, semalam suntuk gitu lho...
I enjoy watching wayang. I also understand although the story is told in Javanese. But I can't stand to stay awake all night long...

Jadi kami sekeluarga cuma nonton pembukaannya, yang isinya cuma omong-omong di dalam istana. Padahal yang seru itu sebenernya 'goro-goro', yaitu ketika para punakawan beraksi, dan saat-saat terakhir di dini hari ketika tiba saatnya perang. Kalo dalangnya pinter... wayangnya bisa lompat dan jungkir balik berakrobat, asyik banget...
So I and Dan took the children to the show just to see the beginning part. The best parts were usually played at mid night, 'goro-goro', it's when the punakawan (some kind of clowns) perform and entertain us with jokes; and at dawn when the battle began. If the dalang is expert, the wayang will jump and roll like doing acrobats... so cool..

Ngga papa lah, yang penting anak-anak bisa kenal, kita punya kesenian tradisional yang hebat...
It's OK, at least I can show my children, that in this modern life we're living, there still is a great traditional culture we try to maintain...


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for this week's sundayscribblings prompt, tradition

and photo story Friday


Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

I'm grateful for everything Allah has given to me.

My self.
My life.

My job.
My family.

My laugh.
My tears.

My health.
My wealth.

Even if the ocean is the ink
and the earth and the sky are the papers
it will never be enough for me to write on
all His blesses on me.

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for sundayscribblings

and photo story Friday


Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

miracle is...

when the nurse handed me my babies
tiny creatures that makes me stop breathing for a second or two

miracle is
when I see my babies roll

miracle is
when I hear my babies giggle

miracle is
when I feel my babies touch

miracle is
when I see them crawl, then stand up, then walk, then run, then ride a bike...

miracle is
when I hear them laugh, then humble, then say words, then speak, then sing...

miracle is
when I feel them rub, then hold, then kiss, then hug, then squeeze...

miracles happen everyday in my life, seeing my babies growing.


*for sunday scribblings*

solace

this week's prompt for sundayscribblings is solace. I wrote something about it couple months ago, in my other blog, but it was in Indonesian. so this time I want to rewrite it in both language of Indonesian and English, for Dandelion.


picture was taken from here

read a book? what kind of book? some books just make you fell even worse. books they said will strengthen you? some time instead of being solace, it makes me feel guilty.
baca buku? buku apa dulu. ada buku yang kadang justru menambah buruk suasana hati. buku yang menguatkan hati? kadang justru bikin aku makin feel guilty.

listen to music? what kind of music? some songs drifted me away and give more sadness. any kind of song? will the ears listen?
dengerin musik? musik apa dulu. ada lagu yang kadang justru menghanyutkan dan bikin kita makin sedih. lagu seadanya? kupingnya juga ga mau dengerin.

playing piano? OK. but I'm not that good. making mistakes drives me crazy.
main piano? ok. tapi belum pinter. lama-lama bete juga karena salah-salah mulu.

working out? not bad. I can do two hours and get all tired, then go to sleep.
senam? lumayan. tapi paling-paling cuma kuat ikut dua jam. kelelahan, lalu tidur.

sleep? I'm not one who can fall asleep easily. beside, it's not solace, it's a runaway
tidur? aku bukan orang yang gampang tidur. dan itu bukan solace, tapi runaway.

what about reading Qur'an? I know I won't understand the meaning unless I read the translation. and it may sounds too much, finding solace by reading it. but it works
gimana kalau baca Qur'an? aku memang ga ngerti artinya kalau ga baca terjemahannya. dan kedengarannya mungkin 'sok' banget, finding solace dengan baca Qur'an. but it works.

just listening to the words come out of my lips, sounds so peaceful to me.
mendengar kata-katanya keluar dari mulutku, mendamaikan hati.

ghosts

this one is for sundayscribblings

do I believe in ghosts? I do. and I hate ghosts I see in films, they're damn too scary.

apa aku percaya hantu? pasti. dan aku ga suka lihat hantu-hantu di film, terlalu serem.

west ghosts look better than Indonesian. is vampire a ghost? than he's the most handsome ghost ever...

hantu-hantu barat kelihatannya ga terlalu serem, dibandingin hantu Indonesia. vampir itu hantu atau bukan? kalau iya, berarti vampir adalah hantu paling ganteng...

Chinese vampire (as I see in movies) make me laugh. they're not scary at all, they're funny. they wear china clothes with funny hats, their hand straightforward, and they jump over here and there chasing people.

kecuali vampir china yang bikin aku ketawa. gak serem sama sekali, lucu. pake kostum china lalu lompat kesana kemari mengejar orang-orang.

Indonesian ghosts ARE scary. pocong, kuntilanak, genderuwo, wewe gombel, gundhul pecengis.... I definitelly won't put any picture of them here, you can google it if you like.

kalo hantu Indonesia baru serem. pocong, kuntilanak, genderuwo, wewe gombel, gundhul pecengis.... jelas aku ga akan pasang gambar mereka di sini. kalo mau google aja sendiri...

have I ever seen ghosts? it's kinda strange that I've never seen either one of those origin ghosts I mentioned, alhamdulillah. but I saw a ghost once. and that was not so long ago. it was when I had vacation with Dan in yogya. I was in the homestay we stayed for a night. in the middle of the night I woke up for I couldn't breathe because my nose was clogged up. it happens when I stay too long in an aircond' room.

pernahkah aku melihat hantu? aneh juga aku belum pernah lihat hantu-hantu asli Indonesia yang aku sebutin di atas, alhamdulillah. tapi aku pernah lihat hantu, belum lama ini malahan. kemaren, waktu aku pergi ke yogya sama Dan. tengah malam di penginapan tempat kami menginap satu malam, aku terbangun karena hidungku mampet dan ga bisa bernafas. aku biasa begitu kalo kelamaan di tempat ber-AC.

I sat up and saw a head, yes head without body. it was long-blondy-haired, and was spinning around before my eyes. I couldn't see its face to be able to say it was 'he' or 'she'. it just kept doing it for few seconds, I reached my hand to it and felt it's hair was stiff, like a cheap wig. but then it flew directly to the window and gone.

aku bangun terduduk dan melihat kepala, yup kepala doang tanpa badan. rambutnya panjang dan pirang. berputar putar di depanku. aku ga bisa lihat wajahnya, jadi ga tahu itu laki atau perempuan. aku mengulurkan tangan dan rambutnya tersentuh olehku, kasar seperti wig murahan. tapi dia tiba-tiba terbang ke arah jendela, dan hilang.

I hope I don't have to deal with ghosts no more.

mudah-mudahan aku ga usah berurusan dengan hantu lagi.

oldest friend

this is this week's sunday scribblings.

when first I read this prompt, I was wondering. is it about an old friend, I mean really old. some one with my dad's age or something?
or is it a friend that you already have since long time ago?
to be honest, I'm not some one who is easy to get close to other. and when I do, no guarantee I'll stay close to them forever. I mean, when a friend is away from me, and I meet new people, it is to the new ones I will get close, although still never be too close.

first I want to take 'old' as age. so my oldest friend would be my friend at office. he's old enough to be my father. he's nice and warm, first thing he does when he meets me in the morning, is greet me and shake my hand. he tell jokes, and give me prompts to sing. yeah, I do sing all the time, even some time just humbling. everytime I stop singing, just because I feel bad, or I was thinking hard of something I was working on, he would sing a line or two. and I will sing to the rest. and then he'll say: yes! I made you sing again.

and taking the word 'old' as long time ago, music would be the one. I sing since I can remember things, say it I was 3 or a little bit more or less. this is the only friend I never let go. I don't even think I could live without it.

FOUL

for sundayscribblings

I grew up in Solo, a region wellknown as an ultra-polite javanese, beside Yogya. I use to speak in polite java language to everyone.
The time I had to go to college, I had to live in Semarang. This is also a javanese region, but with more complicated people. Many people from other origins, from Sumatera, Kalimantan, and other islands.
My first impression was, the javanese language here is lil rough. My ears sometimes got itchy hearing it.
Especially among students, ooogh, so bad.
I remember a comment that a friend said, has make me completly dazed and speechless for a while. We were talking about an annoying professor. I was upset too, but to hear what my friend said has really shocked me.
He said, "dosene utege njeblug". In English: The proffessor's brain has blown up.
1. It's so impolite to say so about a professor
2. It's about the feel. You who don't know javanese language may not be able to feel it. 'uteg' is 'brain', but usually used for animals.
I thought (and still think) it was really foul.
I've been living in Semarang for over ten years now. My ears get used to hear foul words. But I try to keep myself, not to use them in my daily conversation.

fellow traveller

for sundayscribbling
my best fellow traveller, in plane
would be Ar-Ir-Ibit, they made the trip an adventure...

The Date

This is for Sunday Scribblings.

The day that changed my life
would be the day I got married
When I started my very own brand new life
With the man I loved, and love more each day

It has made my life more beautiful
colorful
filled with happiness and blesses

I swear