Ndeso

I just noticed that I could do this with my cell phone.

Ju On mode

AWESOME!!! SUGOI!! YEAHH!!! (ndeso)

Frankly speaking, I am a cell-phonelogy inept. My predecessor cell-phones have only been equipped with basic functions such as calling and sms (and sometimes camera), as I wont give a damn with trying something new and hip.

But even though my current phone is the cheapest of all, it still can manage to do things that put me in an awe. I love Japan and its technology.

Got this from Anna. Thank you very much. It was really an inspiring speech :).

Quoted NTU Computer Engineering Club President, Xiao Yuhong:

"When you are choosing a university or a major, instead of worrying about the distance you have to get to campus, or the rank of the university, or whether people will hire you after you graduate, you should concern more about this:

Think about what kind of person you want to be upon your graduation, then think about whether your choice of university and major enable you to be the person you want to become."

I am a Business graduate from Nanyang Business School. I am thankful for all the experiences, as it made me who I am today. But i would never conform with the framework they promote the graduates, for everybody to climb on the corporate ladders, and to be a highly paid top executive with so many zero digits on the monthly payslip and work and work from 9 to 5 everyday even sometimes during weekend. I didnt say that it is morally wrong, in fact I really show high respect for those who could manage that highly maintained life (because I couldn't). I took a Bachelor Degree not to be a corporate slave, as that is not the end of my journey, and not the whole purpose of my life. I dont want to work when everybody said I should. Nobody could feed themselves if they do not work full time, i do understand that. I think some people feel the same with me too.

But here is one thing, if you want to break-free, be optimist! Be a risk averse person. In a stockmarket, those assets with high risk could probably produce a high return of investment. The question is How? The truth is there, the fact is here, problem lies on how to play the card, you had in hand. How to manage the highly risky investment into an astronomically profitable one? It is the same thing with life. The more risky decision you have, the more effort you put into it, the sweeter the reward you would get in the future. And remember, reward is not only tangible, but also intangible. Everyone should play their own card, but not all the game is beautifully played ;).

If the first attempt failed, dream big and try again! Don't complain, just work harder; as the time we spend whinning would not make us get closer to our ultimate goal. Time is finite -and there's no turning back-, thus more precious than any gold, hence spend it wisely. Luck is when preparation meets opportunity. Do your best to reinforce the luck. Always endeavor to put the best on everything, as you wont know when the opportunity would come. Don't obsess on what people think and don't take yourself seriously -coz nobody does. Think positive, open yourself, be honest. Afterall, we are just a mere powerless human being who needs help from others. Always know where we are, and never give up.

If all else fail, praise yourself who have undergone such hardwork, be proud of it, thank the God, dream big, and try again! Dont complain, just work harder. And everything would be the same with the previous paragraph. Even though you didnt get everything in the end, please believe that you have successfully developed your personal growth, and that is an intangible asset. You have reached higher level of maturity and survival skill from what you are before, so it is not a zero sum game. Congratulations on gorgeously playing the card game :).

Finale, I would like to congratulate all NTU graduating class of 2009. Congratulations on reaching another important leap in life. There are so many things that await you outside, so let's play the game :).

"Anata no yume wa, nan desu ka?"

I am recently turning Sho Sakurai's obsessed fangirl after watching The Quiz Show, and craving for the weekly dose of HonmaxKamiyama. Despite the slight BL aura, its worth watching. So i do recommend you to check that out xD. And the tagline of the dorama is the above, "What is your dream?" (it sounds less cooler with the English translation, bah)

Anyway, one of my dream is not just to be able to read the original Japanese manga, but also to own it. Lucky that the cheap second-hand bookstore is everywhere here, and the prices are amazingly cheap. Last wednesday i went to one at Akihabara, and found X manga for 53 yen EACH! I bought like 16 volumes at once. Now the problem lies on my atrocious Kanjis and how to swiftly improve it xD.

mountainous manga vs few textbooks LOL

And believe it or not, i went to Meido Cafe afterwards. I MUST BE CRAZY AND CANT STOP TO THINK HOW COME I ENDED UP BEING THERE. Well, Francois, a Canadian guy, asked me to go with him. We stayed with the same Host Family, and that's how i managed to know him. We went to @homecafe, the most famous meido-cafe at Akiba. The feeling of going to that place is just so wrong but i think everybody would enjoy it. At first the Meido would ask you to choose the menu, and talked with superlatively cute voice and motion (and thats called 'moe'?). Then when the food comes, they will again do the same manouevre and ask us to follow their 'moe' gestures before tasting the food. Oh i guess i have to lock myself at the library until 9PM everyday to redeem my sins TT__TT.

How to win an interview?

The answer is Be Yourself.

What a cliché! We all love cliché nonetheless! Superhero movies teach eclectic stories about good and bad deeds, and that happens for centuries. Bollywood movies depict hilarious cliché of abundance out-of-place rain and trees, and that still sells. Cliché represents mainstream and majority, hence the 95% significance! Cliche's voice is people's voice hence God's voice! (baka)

Most of the time I always win an interview, and its no lie! Be it a job interview, a committee interview, or any random interview. Though I must say that not everything ended up successfully, at least I still think I managed to impress the interviewer. During my undergraduate studies, I attended every career workshop held by the schools, and got advices on how to dress up and win from head to toe. Everything works out in theoretical way, starting from the style of handshake, how many accessories acceptable for wearing a suite, how appropriate the distance when facing the interviewer, how to dress up in formal suite for a specific hair/skin/body shape. In the end I became pretty much exhausted and do it on my way instead.

Lets think about it, imagine, an interviewer facing a bunch of job hunter with same attitudes and styles, same color of suites, same speaking tone, same body language, same hairstyle and makeups. I really pity the HR and the bosses out there, as they will face the same doppelganger over and over again.

I didn't say that my grades are on the top, or my English is so superb that I could sway the interviewers, or my leadership capability is so exceptional that I could run as a candidate presidency :p. Hell NO, its just a super average Jane we talked about, with mediocre brainpower and run-of-the-mill leadership skill plus legendary messiness. But one thing is that, I would always try to be honest, and be myself, no matter what the situation is. Who need a straight A student with rocket science capability, if she or he cannot work in a team, or cannot cope with stress? People will need those who can trust others, can delegate tasks to others, and can work with others. Image and first impression are a crucial importance and its an absolute 'Yes'. However, in the end, its 'You' that matters the most! Lets cross check with HR people (and pardon me if I made the wrong perception. I am no HR afterall xD).

And its just last week that I got my first time coldsweat before attending a scholarship interview (I have never had this feeling before). This was different, the interview is conducted in Japanese, and I just learnt Japanese for 1 month. YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME, HOW COME I ATTEND AN INTERVIEW WHILE I HAVENT EVEN DONE THE ORAL TEST???? well anyway, the Vice President himself will come and see me. While I am sure that I will successfully butcher the language, this is my last attempt:
1. Try to talk 100% in Japanese no matter how atrocious the speech would be
2. Write myself a 4 pages CV in Japanese and MEMORIZE it before the interview
3. Jot a possible Q&A for interview, and again, MEMORIZE it
4. Smile and be honest xD
5. Recite prayers inside, and believe that God will help ;___;

It was due to God's benevolence that I managed to secure the scholarship last Monday. This has been a good lesson for me, that #4 and #5 work out better than #1-3. Though I might say that impression does count, but whats more important is your inner rich and personality. And I would testify that :).

And I sincerely thank God, and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, for having faith on me.

Need Help

Anyway, I am currently working on a research proposal about pegged-currency (and floating currency system) across both western and eastern hemisphere, as a way to minimize the impact of currency crisis in the future. I am still a newbie into this field, so if anyone read this and is willing to help, please tell me any good books that talks about the above.

I know that Krugman's the Return of Depression Economics as well as Greenspan's Age of Turbulence are pretty good, but its not too scholarly written. I need the more technical one, but it has to be pretty recently written. Oshiete kudasai! (_ _)

Do (Not) Judge Book From Its Cover

During golden week my hosuto fam went to Tohoku for Holiday. They intend to drag me along, but honestly i was too tired of traveling due to the latest Kansai trip as well as the crazy workload that I must finish. I stayed at a friend's apato around Chiba. She was an ASEAN Scholar in Singapore, and went to Japan with Monbusho scholarship. On the late night casual chit chat, she mentioned about how Singaporeans dress up is way too casual. They won't spend much effort on outer appearance as they are already contented (and confident?) of what they are.

While, again, hasty generalization sometimes misleads, I second this. I think of Singapore as the land of meritocracy. As long as you have what it takes, images won't be that important anymore. If you are smart, people wouldn't dare to badmouth you. People respect you because you do have something intangible to be proud of. I might be wrong, but this is what i perceive. And this is what i praise from Singapore. When I was in Singapore, I always wear bermuda, school's T-Shirt and not to mention slippers everywhere. This habit starts during my Undergraduate studies, whereby a technological university is (in)famous of having the most number of students dress up too casually as they dont really care. Despite being a business student -who supposedly dress up glamorously-, other students often perceive me being Engineering student xD (so i look that smart huh? LOL). But some problems persist when I went back to Indonesia. I still dressed up that way -as its damn comfy and i cant deny-, even when I went to saloon, shopping malls, and hospitals xD.

Gembel! Rasanya pol banget xD

One time during my break, I had fallen ill and went to a nearby hospital. As a courtesy to the patients, Doctor sometimes involved in a casual conversation. In my case, it went up like this:

Doctor: Are you a high school student? College student?
Me: Nay. I am working now.
Doctor: (disbelief) oh... where do you work?
Me: err... Singapore.
Doctor: Maid? Domestic Helper?
Me: ..... (speechless) er no, I am an Analyst
Doctor: huh?
Me: (grin)
Doctor: (still in disbelief) but you work in Singapore, so I assume you must be a domestic helper!
Me: =___=

Same thing happened when I cut my hair at the saloon. And I was once being perceived as a maid too, when I arrive at the airport.Bah, whats wrong with people? Or is it whats wrong with me? Whats wrong with all the ugly bermudas and casual school's T-Shirts? Well, i cant deny being a slave/maid/helper, as a matter of fact, i do help my boss working on projects right? ;___; Still, I do hope that people stop underestimate others just by looking at their outer appearance -this is one of Indonesian's pittfalls, they care MUCH about images. They are far from being a civil society (hasty generalization rules! xD). No matter how lowlife I am, If i dress in Armani suites, people will gasp when glancing at me! No matter how much god-forsaken debt i have, if wear lavish jewellry and go to country club often, people will respect me. So its easy to buy respect afterall? xD

Tokyo! Mantan Yakuza

But now that I am in Tokyo, my fashion sense do improve radically. I feel like there's an obligation to dress up, even though I dont know why (peer pressure?), especially during blooming spring, when the atmosphere turns out very sweet and pretty with sakuras everywhere. I suppose it's because people here dress up very well, so it does have a positive impact on my side.

Nonetheless, the weather is getting warmer pretty recently. During summer, I think my old habit would come to emerge naturally, with super casual dress such as slippers, school's T-shirts, and bermudas xD. O' Summertime, please come soon, I really miss my slippers!

(Rizaldi asked me to record a travel journal while in Japan, so here comes xD. Rizaldi you better read coz I have spent my opportunity cost writing this stupid journal xD)

To Live is To Travel, quoted HC Andersen....

.... but it was not necessarily applicable towards certain people, particularly a first semester Kenkyusei/Daigakuinsei who just starts the semester, and feels like dying.

Sakuras at Tokodai

Gosh, I think Japanese is the hardest language EVER! I have committed more than 4 hours a day just to learn Japanese (2 hours everyday during the intensive class, and at least another 2 hours at night to catch up the materials). This misfortune happened after I took the Japanese Placement Test. I had no idea of what I have done to the answer sheet, but the result shows that I got the class which pre-requisite is to have mastered more than 200 kanjis. WTH! (Pardon my bad bad bad English, coz i feel that my English is zettai gradually deterioriating in here. Eh, zettai is not an English word? whatever.. iro iro kotoba wa shikatanai yo). In fact, i never really study Japanese before, coz I am easily bored and just quit impulsively (I am infamous of being restless, in terms of moving prematurely toward other commitments without really finishing the previous).

I am zombified everyday. I study until very late, say 3-4 AM, and then wake up early morning to catch the superuber crowded morning train, and thats quite a turn off. I want to scream out of loud "HEY I AM DAMN TIRED, GIVE ME YOUR F***ING SEAT!!!!" but thank goodness am sane enough not to do that -coz I dont think that people do understand English anyway. This is just my third week and I feel like I study for the exam everyday. In fact, I am always in Trans-Am/SeeD/Trance/Sage mode, and wondering if i will be easily burnt out in the latter time.

But...

A couple of really good friends, my nakama, went to Japan for holiday, and I cant resist the temptation to travel together. HC Andersen is damn right, To Live is To Travel! I have to travel in order to live (Obaka!) Consequently, I missed my 3 Japanese and 1 International Econs Class, and now I feel like devour people coz I have to catch up for so many things. Nevermind, Golden Week is coming and I will use my time wisely. I promise. Hopefully xD....

In a nutshell, we covered greater Tokyo, Nara, Osaka and Kyoto. Here comes the brief report...

Tokyo

Asakusa, Kaminari-Mon

Ueno Park, Eki Mae

Asakusa inside

Went to Asakusa and Ueno Park before heading to Akihabara. Asakusa looks like Japaneses Chinatown for me *grin*, while Ueno, being attractive of its shrines and park, is not really interesting without the overwhelming Sakuras.

Akihabara is still my most anticipated destination. I bought 3 BL mangas for 100 yen each (Obaka Obaka Obaka, Setsuyaku jyanai yo!), and found superduper cheap Gundams (1000 yen only for Athrun's Justice 1/100 scale! And 100 yen for Exia and Friends 1/144 scale!). Graaah, I hate of being bimbo! I have to hurry find out the part time jobs!

Shinjuku

Kabukicho!!! LOL

Went to Shibuya and Shinjuku at night. Spotted an interesting nightlife at Kabukicho (plentiful of hosuto kurabu LOL!!!!). Lucky that I read Tokyo Babylon before coming, coz CLAMP's vivid depiction of Tokyo is almost precise. Tokyo is all about modernity and ancient at the same time, whereby the modernized citizens still take out various superstitions.

Venice Doppelganger

???

Disney Sea tengah2

NAKAMA POSE!!!! YEAH!!! (One Piece Reference)

Spent a day at Disneysea, which reminded me of Epcot at Florida, USA. Fooling around with deadly rollercoasters and thrilling attractions such as Tower of Terror, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Indiana Jones, et cetera, et cetera.

Kyoto

The day after i rushed for classes, I had a test before taking Shinkansen to Kyoto (bah, what a bad bad bad Daigakuinsei I am). Kyoto is reaaaaaaaly pretty, especially if thou art fond of ancient Japan; mentions samurais, wars, temples, shrines, onmyoujis, geishas and all (abundance of depiction at the mangas).

Awww Beautiful Geisha

Ryan D'Massiv?

Mesmerised by Gion area in Kyoto, a place whereby so many geishas are still existed. I feel like being brought back to the ancient Japan and enter the PeaceMaker Kurogane's world (or mention any other similar manga in here).

Inari Jinja... I liiiike

Kyoto Eki

Small shrine at Kiyomizudera

Inari Jinja

Next day, run to the Kiyomizudera as well as Inari temple. GOSH THEY ARE SO DAMN PRETTY!! Nevertheless, I found Inari Jinja more appealing due to its tranquil environment, unlike Kiyomizudera that is so touristy.

ONMYOUJI!!!???

Kiyomizu

Inari Jinjaaaa

Nara

Contemplating... gosh life is so tough yet here I am fooling around

New nakama: Tony Chopper

Have no idea why we ended up being in Nara. Reason being is because our two Oniichans are the big fan of Lucky Star and intend to run a weird errand: do the Lucky Star pilgrimage at Nara (whereby Konata CS went for a study trip to Nara).

Lucky Star pose!! LOL

freak Onii-chamas

Nara's mocchi is the best mocchi i have ever tried! And a lot of maccha flavor tidbits could easily be found around Kyoto-Osaka. Tanoshikatta!!!

Osaka

Osaka Castle

keren deh, LOL

One word for Osaka is, unique! The people, the food, and the culture. Osaka is the place for having fun! We covered just Osaka Castle and Denden Town.

Tried Okonomiyaki, Yakisoba as well as Takoyaki in here. SO DELICIOUS! Had a great time too listen to Osaka-ben (Osaka's accent everywhere LOL). And, Osaka is real Osaka with a Karaoke session -and this is where the unfortunate event began.

Takoyaki hunting

Dotonburi

Had a crazy Karaoke session, sing plentiful of Anime and Japanese songs (GOSH I AM SO DAMN HAPPY!), ranging from GReeeeN, Orange Range, One Piece's Crazy Rainbow Star, ARASHI's, Naruto's, Code Geass', Gundam's to AKB48 =___=. But, we missed out the last train to Kyoto and had to spend a night as vagrants! Hostel or Hotel are so expensive that we choose not to opt for it, and finally we went to Manga Kissa to wait until morning to catch the earliest train.

And so, my dearest Nakamas went back to Singapore and Indonesia last Sunday. And i feel like those fun we had are just fatamorgana (SOBS!!!!). I have to deal with the reality: crazy workload and tough life. Zettai sabishii desu kedo, GANBARU YO!

Oh sh*t, its already 1 past and I have to prepare for today's classes. GRAH i need another holiday (Obaka-sama, please die).

A Quick Note, For Now...

I loathe it when my mother talked to me pertaining to marriage issue...

While hasty generalization sometimes misleads, I personally thought that most ladies perceive marriage until certain point they become a bride -and doesnt really take into account that life must go on after the fairy tale like-wedding, and it will be tough. Reality bites!

Parents, most of them, wish for their kids to be the creme de la creme of the society, especially girls, to be princesses, that own everything from head to toe: from lavish crown to fancy gowns. From stable job and perfect soon-to-be spouse. As if education and physical attractions are not enough, they demand status.

As for me, I am not a realistically ambitious person yet not a strong believer of status either. I just want to be happy and make an endeavor to do the best (and not to be the best -there is a difference!). Why fight for status when it doesnt make a single bit of happiness? Why follow what society thinks while you yourself take all the impossible burden. We are humans, not Hercules who could accept the divine 12 godly tasks. We just want to be happy, ne?

I left my stable job up there, get out from my comfort zone, and make myself blindfolded of all the expectations i could never fulfill. I descend to the land where everything is still uncertain, but I am sure that I will be fine! The mantra is "i dont care, as long as I am happy!". Dont force me to "catch" a random guy, appear as if I am ready to settle down, make an effort to be domesticated, while I am not the one suitable for that role -for now! The difference between mature and childish is: responsibility. As long as we are responsible of our life, and not being a burden to others, that is called an adult! And an adult, could really do everything they wish for, because they are likely to be responsible of their own mess!

Currently, I have never put myself in this situation before. I really DO struggle, academically and financially -and i cant think of anything besides those two. Language issue is my biggest impediment (i never thought that it will be this hard), and secondly, the people. People in my cohort are really the top of the top, both academically and socially. They are both future leader and academicst, party goers who also spend their weekend reading papers. I feel like an insignificant dust over here xD.

Nevertheless, i enjoy the feeling, no, I am grateful for this feeling. We are alive when we are struggling to live :). And after I succeed to conquer all these, I believe that I alone could survive nuclear ;)

Holy Scythe!!! I mistakenly erased my Bandung trip pictures ;__;

I went to Bandung during the long long weekend in the beginning of March, and catched up with some old-friends. We were so outspoken during online encounter, but why it felt so awkward when we met in person?

.....

Lie xD

It only happenned in a minute, the next second, the chemistry came to emerge pretty easily *LOL*

Having said that, I don't think that a digital encounter could deprive a real-life rendezvous!

Sinar Penghancur!!! *pip pip pip*

To my dearest Agent:

I NOT STUPID!!!! -Error in purpose, don't bombard me

AND YOU ARE THE MOST IDIOTIC AND CRAFTY PERSON I'VE EVER MET!!!!

I read Business Law for one semester, and it went well even for a college freshman. Despite the atrocious English speech, i was a debater too! Don't ever mess around with me with all the bullshits, foxy schemes and fake assumptions, as I am ready anytime to take you down at the court!

On the more constructive note, please furnish your English so as to comprehend the law terms!