My First-Ever Surgery

[prajab] depression

[prajab] those were the days, my friends

It's No Secret

I'll let you know my birthday wish: to recover and be as healthy as before!

I left the training ground on the 24th already bringing a pain on my lower back, which made it difficult for me to sit. I spent the 25th and 26th in Jakarta, not feeling any better. On those Christmas celebration days I was mostly non-functional, only catching up some sleep and/or smirking in pain during the family gatherings. 
26 evening, on the way back to Bandung, the sore spot burst and not getting any less painful. 27 morning I went to have it checked at Boromeus Hospital, which ended me up in a One Day Surgery room. We were allowed to go home right after the surgery and all I had to do now is rest and consume all my medicines.

Oh, and about taking my medication, here's another revelation: I'm officially 35 and still can't swallow a whole pill. My, my..  

Right. See you on better days!

Photo: taken from a very common position these recent days, and perhaps even as you're reading this entry

I'm Back

People, I'm back from that 12-days civil servant-training-camp! Just arrived this morning at around 10.00 and fell asleep successfully right afterwards. Now I'll have to check my mailboxes and pack for tomorrow (we'll celebrate Christmas in Jakarta). See you soon!

Photo taken in our classroom, with fellow classmates dr. Tachta and Dr. Ganda.

[undangan] talkshow: Peran Riset dalam Pembuatan Karya Kreatif

Komunitas Manyala dan Space59


Mengundang dengan hormat Bapak/Ibu/Saudara
untuk menghadiri acara talkshow dan pameran yang bertema:


“Peran Riset dalam Pembuatan Karya Kreatif”


Jumat, 14 Desember 2007-11-29
Pukul 15.30 – 18.00
di Space59
Jl. Merak no.2 Bandung 40133


Pembukaan acara oleh:
Toni Masdiono


Keynote Speaker:
John De Rantau (sutradara)
Tita Larasati (cergamis - mewakili Peter Van Dongen – seri Rampokan)
Ahmad Thoriq (cergamis)
Devia ‘Dedefox’ Wahyu (cergamis Mayana)
Rendra M. Ridwan (cergamis Cheng Ho)

Susunan Acara

15.30    Musik santai
15.40    Pembukaan Talkshow
15.43    Deklarasi Manyala  
15.45    Talkshow sesi 1: Peran Riset dalam Pembuatan Karya Kreatif
             Moderator:         Toni Masdiono
             Keynote speaker:     John De Rantau (sutradara Denias)
                                             Devia ‘Dedefox’ Wahyu (cergamis Mayana)
                                             Rendra M. Ridwan (cergamis Cheng Ho)
16.15    Tanya jawab
16.55    Break – Musik santai – Konsumsi
17.10    Talkshow sesi 2: Proses dan Metode Aplikasi Riset dalam Komik
             Moderator:         Aziza Noor
             Keynote speaker:      Tita (seri Rampokan – Peter Van Dongen)
                                               Thoriq (Caroq)
17.40    Tanya jawab
18.15    Penutupan    

Pameran untuk umum:
14 – 19 Desember 2007, pk. 10.00 – 17.00

What I'll Miss

I've grumbled about a thing called Prajab a couple of months ago (in Indonesian). Now I'll grumble again for the same reason, and even more: it's going to happen after all. Since last week my name is already in the list of participants (one among four from ITB), to start the Prajab on December 12th. The fee (still three million) is going to be paid by our Industrial Design Lab (not the Faculty of Arts and Design), who sees it as a human resource investment.

In order to make some things clear, I went directly to the human resource department of ITB rectorate office. According to Pak T, a personel who received me, this Prajab will take two full weeks ("the duration will be extended back to two full months starting next year", he added). That means it will end on December 26th. "Really?", I asked, "What about the leave for Idul Adha and Christmas?". He checked a nearby calendar and looked doubtful. "Tell you what", he said, "I'll ask around and get back to you for confirmation".

Whatever they say, if no participant is allowed to leave the camp for the full two weeks, here are things that I will miss:  

• 14 Dec: A talkshow at Space59 with the theme "The Role of Research in Creative Process" - where I will deliver a presentation about the research process of Rampokan series by Peter van Dongen
• 15 Dec: A Children Christmas evening at our church, where Lindri will have the role of Mother Mary. It will be her first play and first involvement in a church activity here in Bandung
• 17 Dec: Dhanu's 7th birthday
• 19 Dec: Our children's report cards distribution (usually in a form of discussion with parents) and Dhanu's class' final project presentation (this semester's theme is "clothing", so the project is a "fashion show", where every student in the class takes part in both organizing and walking the catwalk)
• 24 and 25 Dec: Christmas Eve at church and Christmas gathering with family

Not to mention:

• Project deadlines at the Industrial Design Lab
• Project progress at the Industrial Design Lab
• Deadlines for design competitions
• Deadlines for comics projects, both obligatory and voluntary

Dire consequences:

• A coincidence that Syb also has deadlines for his journal and publication
• Lots of preparation for our kids' school projects and plays, which Syb perhaps wouldn't be able to handle himself (with the shopping, arranging, etc.)

See? Prajab only makes me contra-productive. Perhaps they think government employee candidates have no life.

Grumblingly yours,

- half-hearted ambtenaar (who will definitely sneak out on those dates)

Cuplikan Cirebon

Minggu lalu saya dapat permintaan mendadak untuk menggantikan seorang rekan dosen yang berhalangan untuk mengisi acara dua hari di Cirebon, pada hari-hari Rabu dan Kamis. Kebetulan nggak ada jadual ngajar, jadi saya sanggupi - tentunya setelah mempertimbangkan dengan sang kapten rumah tangga dan mempersiapkan keperluan2 sekolah para krucils utk dua hari itu. Berikut ini cuplikan2 kecil dari Kisah Cirebon..

JANGAN TIDUR
Berhubung ceritanya acara mulai jam 9 pagi, saya pesan travel yang berangkat jam 4 pagi dari Bandung. "Siap-siap jam 3 pagi ya Mbak", kata operator. Dari pada bablas ketiduran sampe pagi, Selasa itu saya niatkan utk tidak tidur. Tengah malem mata udah 5 Watt, tapi terus aja kerja di depan komputer (posisi standar: sambil tiduran tengkurep, di depan TV yg nyala). Jam satu, kantuk makin ilang, asik-asik donlot lagu.. hehe..Tau-tau, jam dua, henpon bunyi. "Ini dari Cipaganti travel, siap saya jemput sekarang ya Bu", kata suara di ujung. "Ha? Udah mau dijemput sekarang? Berapa menit lagi?", saya jawab dengan suara agak2 husky akibat kelamaan nggak ngomong. "Iya kan Ibu paling Utara, jadi dijemput paling awal. Kita masih harus jemput2 yang lain supaya bisa keluar Bandung jam 4. Kira2 10 menit lagi ya Bu". Ya udah deh, kemas2 komputer, cek lagi ransel, terus pake sepatu.
Bener aja, 02.15 ada suara mesin mobil kedengeran baru sampai di atas. Sepertinya supirnya sedang nyari2 nomer 24, tp saya samper aja mobilnya. Ngaget-ngagetin si pak supir karena main buka pintu belakang aja, lalu duduk di tengah. Bener, saya penumpang pertama. Berangkat!
KEVIN BACON?
Yah, saya memang lumayan jadi ngantuk begitu duduk di dalam mobil. Iringan dengungan mesin mobil, ditambah dengan suasana yg gelap, dingin dan sepi, tentunya pengen bikin segera pulesss. Tapi tidak sukses, saudara-saudara, berhubung supirnya ternyata seneng ngobrol. Dan, sebagai penumpang satu2nya yg ingin selamat sampai di tujuan, tentu saja saya menanggapi dengan ramah.Jemputan berikutnya di Cipaku, jadi ngobrolnya lumayan lama lah. Setelah makhluk Cipaku naik, dan duduk di sebelah supir, obrolan berhenti. Selanjutnya, kita keliling2 Bandung utk menjemput 5 penumpang lain, yg letaknya semuanya di ujung2 kota. Setiap menjemput, si supir harus turun utk menyilakan penumpang naik dan mengatur posisi duduk masing2.
Sedikit dicek, ternyata supir ini (masih mas-mas muda), tampangnya mirip Kevin Bacon(!). Kevin Bacon jaman Apollo 13 dan Sleepers ya, bukan jaman Footloose. Entah ini efek kegelapan di jam-jam bencong kelar bertugas - sehingga bayangan sangat membantu membentuk tampang bintang film Hollywood - atau apakah kalau Kevin Bacon terlahir dengan ras Melayu memang pantesnya jadi supir travel? Only Lord Above knows..

'MPET!
Ternyata, setelah berlega-lega duduk sendiri di awal2 perjalanan, saya harus duduk dihimpit dua orang, sejak dari Bandung sampe Cirebon! Asli nggabisa tidur.. Bangkunya berderit di setiap kelokan dan polisi tidur, dan asli nggak bisa bergerak ke kiri kanan, apalagi ke depan! Kalopun jatuh tertidur, pasti segera terbangun lagi utk menjaga agar kaki-kaki tidak kram.
Menjelang matahari terbit, bener aja.. efek Kevin sedikit demi sedikit terkikis.. tapi nggak sampe abis! Kunci-kunci persamaannya: mata Peter Pan (the Disney cartoon version, NOT the band) dan garis-garis pipinya, masih ada! (Heuhh.. ini apa sih, kok malah menganalisa tampang orang..)
CUMA LIMA RUMAH
Acara pagi berlangsung di Hotel A, lalu setelah makan siang saya harus segeral ke Hotel B untuk memenuhi kewajiban berikutnya. Ihsan, temen yg kemarennya sudah melaksanakan bagiannya di Hotel B, bilang bahwa Hotel A dan Hotel B terletak di jalan yang sama, dan jaraknya hanya beda sekitar lima rumah. "Bisa lah jalan kaki", katanya. Jadi siang bolong itu saya keluar dari Hotel A. Sekeluarnya dari atap parkiran, muka serasa ditampar teriknya sinar matahari (nyesel nggak bawa topi). Nggapapa lah, kata resepsionis Hotel A juga, "Jalan ke arah kanan sampai lampu merah pertama, Hotel B ada di sisi kiri jalan, nggak jauh dari lampu merah". Di tengah2 menyepak2 debu di atas aspal, sambil mencari-cari adanya lampu merah, orang dari Hotel B nelpon. Saya segera disuruh naik becak atau angkot, sebab masih jauh! Ya udah nurut aja, sebab saya memang sudah telat. Ternyata naik becak aja makan waktu hampir 10 menit! Dasar Ihsan bahluuulll..

KADIN A vs KADIN B
Jadual jam 9 adalah menjadi pembicara di acara yg diadakan oleh Kantor Dinas A. Setelahnya, mengisi pelatihan selama dua hari yg diadakan oleh Kantor Dinas B. Ternyata ketahuan banget bedanya antara acara yg diselenggarakan hanya demi menghabiskan anggaran, dengan yang benar-benar terprogram rapih dan berkelanjutan. Syukurnya saya berlama-lama di acara yang belakangan tsb. Terasa sekali tanggapan dan masukan dari para peserta, yang selalu hadir bersemangat, tepat waktu, dan lengkap! Tidak ada formalitas di jenis yg belakangan ini; sebagian besar peserta adalah pengrajin (mebel) kayu dan bawaan mereka selalu senang, siap menerima candaan dan tertawa bersama-sama, dan tidak malu atau ragu berpendapat! Sementara jenis yang pertama kebanyakan ja'im, pasif, dan terkantuk-kantuk. Jelas lah, Kadin A mengundang/menunjuk sembarang peserta untuk hadir (baca: dateng, duduk dan ngisi absen), sedang Kadin B mengundang dan menyeleksi para pesertanya, sehingga dapat dengan mudah ditebak kelompok mana yang lebih bersemangat. All in all, saya seneng banget bisa menjadi bagian dari acara yang dua hari belakangan ini, meskipun insentifnya tidak sebanyak acara yang pertama.
          GAGAL BERTUALANG
Acara hari Rabu itu selesai sekitar jam tiga sore. Maksud hati mau istirahat sebentar, terus ngelayap cari jajanan atau makanan andalan Cirebon. Tapi, apa daya badan yg udah diajak begadang ama 'Kevin Bacon' ini menolak. Sore itu saya hanya mampu pesen makan dari room service, terus tepar dengan suksesnya. Bangun-bangun udah gelap tapi masih pegel, habis mandi malah makin pengen tidur. Ya udah deh, jadi melewatkan malam dengan sedikit nyiapin bahan utk besoknya, nggambar-nggambar sedikit, dan tentunya nelpon Ihsan untuk ngomel soal "cuma lima rumah" itu.

BALIK BANDUNG
Saya pesan Cipaganti travel lagi untuk kembali ke Bandung, yg berangkat jam 4 sore dari Cirebon. Siap-siap jam 3, kata operatornya. Oke deh, kali ini kan bukan 3 dini hari, jadi nggak usah nawar. Sekitar jam setengah empat saya sudah dijemput, dan kali ini pengemudinya si 'Kevin Bacon' itu lagi! Enaknya, sekarang saya bisa duduk paling belakang (bukan di jok tengah yg kurang sekrup itu), dan penumpang nggak penuh. Bisa tidur!
Travelnya berhenti di Sumedang. Ah, kesempatan untuk cari pecahan supaya bisa bayar uang pas untuk travel-nya. Barang yang layak beli di sana cuma tahu goreng yang nggak terlalu enak, tapi lumayan lah mereka punya kembalian dalam lembaran 10ribu. Di tempat perhentian ini, sore berubah jadi malam. Bener aja, efek Kevin Bacon kembali tertanam (adeuhh... sampe rhyming gini.. hahahak)Karena (lagi-lagi) rumah saya adalah yang paling Utara di peta, maka diantar paling belakangan. Kita ke Arcamanik dulu, lalu Soekarno-Hatta, dan seterusnya. Penumpang terakhir sebelum saya turun di Cigadung, lalu saya diminta pindah ke paling depan supaya bisa ngasih tau tembusan jalan dari Cigadung ke Dago, lewat jalan Dago Golf. Nyampe rumah jam 9 malam, bagus lah, jadi masih cukup banget waktu untuk istirahat.

KALAU IBU PERGI
Kalau nggak ada ibu, berkuranglah satu pasang mata yg mengawasi kelakuan anak-anak. Jadi begitu saya masuk rumah, nggak heran ketika pemandangan ini yang pertama kali ditemukan:


disclaimer: saya nggak ngefans sama kevin bacon

A New Routine

Friday has become a sort of a leisure day for me. I have no teaching schedule and I can fill that day with a new routine, thanks to Mbak Dona: joining a weekly ladies' gym class from 12.00 to 13.00 (only IDR10,000 per month!). So, after dropping the kids off at school in the morning, I go to campus in my shorts and T-shirt, carrying a duffel bag. Then, after a bit of chatting (or working, whichever comes first) with my colleagues at the office, I walk along with them to the direction of a big mosque across our campus, where they do their Friday prayer. I walk onwards to the gym class, which is located next to the mosque, to gather with my new crowd.

Yesterday, after the exercise, we tried something that's entirely new to me: acupuncture! The acupuncture practice and the gym class are separated only by a wall, so it's fairly easy for us to be tempted to try this one out. Especially because on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays the service is practically free. There's no official charge; anyone can donate any amount in a 'piggy bank' (which, of course, doesn't shape like a pig at all).     
Mbak Dona let me have the first turn, while she'd watch first (she's a bit squeamish about needles). It was perfectly fine for me; I got three needles on my tummy (for fixing my.. *ahum* digestion system), two on my face (one on each cheek, to repair facial skin) and two on my legs (one on each shin). An insert of a needle feels like a sting, but that's only the beginning. The new sensation happens when the needle hits the nerves - it feels like having hundreds of invisible needles sprinting along my internal organs, rippling like an 'audience wave' in a ball game. When all needles already sat still, the rippling sensation subdued and all I had to do was relaxed. Trying to sleep was the best option to fill the hour, especially if you succeeded.

Apparently I did sleep. I woke up feeling a bit woozy when a nurse removed the needles, and was still sleepy after putting on my sandals and leaving the room. Mbak Dona and I then went for a late lunch before picking up our kids at school (her son is in the same class with Dhanu). All in all, it's not so bad. I can do this again next week and see if there's any good coming out of it.

Image source: http://www.ayurveda-berkeley.com/


P.S. Kluffie is no longer with us. Last night our housekeeper, who was about to put it in its cage, found its hide somewhere in the backyard, half-eaten by a cat. This morning everything of it is already gone.

Persepolis Animation at JIFFEST07

I was raving about Persepolis animation movie some months ago, and thought that I would have to be veeeery patient to be able to view it in a cinema here. Now it seems like that time has arrived: JIFFEST will screen it on the opening night (invitations only), and again on the 9th and the 13th of December, 2007. The thing is, being acutely inexperienced about such festivals, I couldn't find information of how to acquire a ticket - not even at the JIFFEST website.
Anyone kind and savvy enough to provide me information for how to go about it? Much appreciated!

A guest who came to stay

This morning, around 07.00, as I was preparing myself to go to ITB's basketball field, Syb shouted from the backyard, "Kids, come here! There's a small rabbit in our backyard!". I went downstairs first, followed by a cautious Dhanu and an eager Lindri. "There", Syb pointed to the direction of our bikes' parking space, "Hiding behind a bush".

It's small and black all over, save for a strike along its nose and neck. Its fur is thick and fluffy, and it doesn't stop nibbling whatever comes within its mouth's range. Nobody knows where it came from; it just suddenly appeared.

Too bad I couldn't stay longer to greet our guest properly for I was already late. But I saw it again in the afternoon after coming back from ITB. It still continues its previous activity: hopping around, hiding, nibbling. We provided a cardboard box and some kangkung (spinach-like veggie), but it jumped off and ran back to the garden. Well, I hope it survives the nocturnals - beasts that roam our yard in the small hours of nights.       



Photos of our cute trespasser, taken by Syb at around 17.00 today

Lomba Desain Tas Non-Plastik

NON PLASTIC BAG DESIGN COMPETITION

Diperkirakan bahwa 500 juta sampai 1 milyar kantong plastik dikonsumsi di seluruh dunia setiap tahunnya. Ini berarti hampir mencapai 1 juta kantong plastik per menit!

BRING YOUR OWN BAG!

Bantu kami mengurangi pemakaian kantong plastik dengan mendesain sebuah tas pengganti kantong plastik dan dapatkan hadiah uang tunai sebesar Rp 1.000.000 dan trophy dari HMTL ITB.

Desain yang terpilih sebagai pemenang akan diproduksi untuk dijual pada rangkaian acara Anti Plastic Bag Campaign, yaitu:

1.   ITB Campaign (5, 6, dan 7 Februari 2008)
2. Community Campaign Day (9 Februari 2008). Venue : Jl. Dago dan Jl. Ganesha

Persyaratan Lomba :

1. Terbuka untuk umum dan tidak dikenakan biaya pendaftaran.
2. Desain dapat dikirim dalam amplop tertutup via pos atau diantar langsung ke panitia lomba di:

Himpunan Mahasiswa Teknik Lingkungan ITB

Gedung Lama Prodi Teknik Lingkungan

Jl. Ganesha 10

Bandung

Tulis di sudut kiri atas amplop: Lomba Desain Tas Anti Plastic Bag Campaign.

3. Desain dicetak pada kertas berukuran A3 (maksimal dua lembar). Termasuk keterangan material yang dipakai, warna, dimensi tas, gambar operasional dan nama produk (bila ada).
4. Desain dapat pula dikirim melalui email (maksimal dua file) ke antiplasticbagcampaign@yahoo.co.id. Harap memakai file jenis .jpeg atau .gif (72 dpi), ukuran file maksimum 600 (tinggi) x 700 (lebar) pixel.
5. Cantumkan keterangan lengkap di lembar terpisah mengenai : Nama, alamat, telepon, dan alamat email.
6. Desain sudah harus diterima panitia lomba paling lambat hari Minggu, tanggal 2 Desember 2007.
7. Hak cipta tetap dipegang oleh peserta.
8. Panitia hanya akan menentukan 1 (satu) desain sebagai pemenang dan panitia memiliki hak untuk memproduksi desain tersebut.
9. Pemenang akan dihubungi via telepon atau email.
10. Panitia penyelenggara dan dewan juri tidak melayani surat menyurat dalam kaitannya dengan hasil lomba ini.

Info lebih lanjut:
website: http://antiplasticbagcampaign.blogs.friendster.com/my_blog/
email: antiplasticbagcampaign@yahoo.co.id

My DNA says...

A rainy afternoon's activity, brought to me via Rizli (thanks!): Personal DNA Mapping.
My DNA test result says that I'm an animated inventor(!) For details please see here.
you are an inventor

• Your imagination, self-reliance, openness to new things, and appreciation for utility combine to make you an INVENTOR.
• You have the confidence to make your visions into reality, and you are willing to consider many alternatives to get that done.
• The full spectrum of possibilities in the world intrigues you—you're not limited by pre-conceived notions of how things should be.
• Problem-solving is a specialty of yours, owing to your persistence, curiosity, and understanding of how things work.
• Your vision allows you to identify what's missing from a given situation, and your creativity allows you to fill in the gaps.Your awareness of how things function gives you the ability to come up with new uses for common objects.
• It is more interesting for you to pursue excitement than it is to get caught up in a routine.
• Although understanding details is not difficult for you, you specialize in seeing the bigger picture and don't get caught up in specifics.
• You tend to more proactive than reactive—you don't just wait for things to come to you.
• You do your own thing when it comes to clothing, guided more by practical concerns than by other people's notions of style.The control you feel over your life is empowering to you-- you believe in your abilities and acknowledge your shortcomings. Explanations of the world that focus on destiny or fate don't really interest you. You take responsibility for what goes wrong in your life, and also for what goes well.

if you want to be different:
Try applying your creativity to more artistic arenas, and letting your imagination take less practical forms.

you are animated

• You are outgoing, comfortable with others, and up for anything, which makes you ANIMATED.
• Some people find crowds and parties exhausting, but not you! You are able to be yourself in many situations.
• Sometimes it is hard for you to understand why others feel the way they do, but that doesn't stop you from trusting them or having faith that they are good people.
• You know the world is complicated and that there is often more than one side to a story, so you are careful not to make judgments about others too hastily.
• You would rather experience the world than sit back and observe it—you are not one to sit on the sidelines.You are an independent thinker and don't get too worried about how others might perceive you—you are not self-conscious about being the active, engaged person that you are.
• Although you have a keen understanding of different people's life circumstances, you occasionally have trouble seeing why people get so upset and emotional about things—they should just lighten up and have fun!
• In addition to having faith in the world, you have faith in the people around you—you trust others to do the right thing and to be honest.

if you want to be different:

• Remember that time alone can be just as fulfilling as time spent with others—take some time for yourself and you might find that there are many things in your inner world that are just as compelling as the world outside your window.
• Your open-mindedness about the ways of world gives you an understanding of people's differences, but that knowledge doesn't always translate into sympathy. Don't be afraid to let your trust and understanding influence your feelings.

your personality chart
(click to enlarge)

Fragmen Semarang

Akhirnya bisa juga nulis2 di sini meskipun di antara kemepetan satu kerjaan dengan yang lain. Sejak balik dari Semarang Minggu malem lalu, rasanya nggak pernah di rumah, terus di kampus dengan jadual penuh, yg bikin tewas dengan sukses begitu pulang. Apa ya yang bisa di-blog dari Semarang? Yang ringan dan yang lucu aja deh...

SEBELAH
Apapun asesoris yang Dhanu pakai, Lindri pasti mau juga. Bahkan kalo bisa barangnya pun persis. Jadi ketika Dhanu pakai kaos kaki Tigger, Lindri juga ingin pakai yg sama. Untung dia punya juga sepasang yg persis sama. Nah, mereka berdua pergi ke Semarang pakai kaos kaki yg sama itu, tapi parahnya Lindri nggak dibawain bekal kaos kaki tambahan. Hari Minggu, ketika siap2 mau ke resepsi nikahan Ayu, Lindri lihat ada lubang di tumit kaos kaki Tigger-nya yg sebelah kiri. Dia nggak mau pakai lagi yg ada lubangnya, tp tetep mau pakai yg satunya lagi. Jadi selama ke resepsi itu dia pakai kaos kaki sebelah, yg kanan aja. Juga ketika ke bandara di Semarang, di pesawat, dan sampai Bandung. Tetap bertahan dengan kaos kaki sebelah dan gaun pestanya yg dia suka banget itu. Apa nggak aneh ya sensasinya, satu kaki anget sementara sebelahnya lagi kedinginan?

POWERPUFF
Anak2 ini jadi ketagihan nonton TV di bed, seperti model di kamar hotel gitu. Makanya, kalau sedang nggak pergi2, mereka manteng terus di depan TV. Saben pergi2 pun, mereka maunya ‘pulang aja ke hotel’ supaya bisa nonton TV di ruang sejuk ber-AC. Lindri selalu pake alasan, “Sakit perut, Ibu.. Lindri mau ke bed”. Yea, right…
Gara2 porsi asupan nonton macam ini, mereka jadi apal beberapa film kartun, terutama yg belum pernah mereka tonton sebelumya. Lindri jadi kecanduan PowerPuff Girls!
Jadi ketika kita nunggu pesawat ke Jakarta yg delay-nya sampai 3 jam, di boarding room itu Lindri dan Dhanu kejar2an. Dhanu dianggap Lindri sebagai MojoJojo, sedangkan dia sendiri ButterCup, anggota PowerPuff yg paling galak. Ceritanya sama, diulang2… Dhanu lari menjauh, Lindri ngejar, muter2 sebentar di deretan bangku2, terus Dhanu menghempaskan diri ke salah satu bangku. Lindri segera datang nomprok Dhanu dengan posisi tangan terkepal, sambil berseru, “MojoJojo, awas! Aku Powerpuff!” Terus dua2nya terpingkal2 sampe terguling2 merosot dari bangku ke lantai, lalu mengulangi adegan yg sama.

Bayangin aja kalo 3 jam diisi hal yg sama, yg tentu saja diselingi kecelakaan2 kecil seperti jatuh kepeleset atau kesandung, kepentok kursi, kebentur kaca, dan sejenisnya.  ‘Untung’ boarding room-nya makin penuh (karena banyaknya pesawat yg terpaksa delayed gara2 cuaca buruk), jadi ruang gerak mereka makin terbatas. Sehingga huru-haranya tidak berlangsung terlalu lama.

SEJAK KAPAN…?
Sabtu malam, ada acara serah-serahan di rumah Ayu. Nggak terlalu formal sih, jadi asik aja saya sama Tiyas ngerubutin Ayu yg duduk di depan kipas angin (sebenernya sih nebeng kipas anginnya juga), tentunya sambil gunjing sana-sini.. heheh.. Setelah upacara2 berakhir, tiba waktunya makan, tapi kami menunggu dengan sabar sampai sebagian besar tamu2 ngantri di buffet. Setelah agak kosong, baru deh saya dan Tiyas maju ikutan ngantri.
Ketika sedang nunggu dapet giliran ngambil piring, tau2 ada orang nanya ke saya, “Mbak, sejak kapan ya Mbak ini jadi gemuk begini?”. Begitu ditengok (ibu2 gitu deh), cepat2 si penanya melanjutkan, “Saya nanya juga karena saya jadi gemuk begini, nggak turun-turun”. Padahal menurut standar ibu2 seumurnya, ibu ini sebenernya nggak gemuk2 amat kok. Saya kesel sih enggak, lha emang kenyataannya gemuk. Tapi masa nanya begitu ke orang yang nggak dikenal sama sekali?! Emangnya semua orang gemuk sesabar saya?
Sambil menyunggingkan senyum tidak sempurna, saya jawab kurang lebih gini, “Sejak kecil saya memang nggak pernah kurus, dan sejak lahiran anak kedua memang belum berhasil kembali ke berat semula”. Terus dia ngomong lagi, tapi nggak penting dan sangat standar jadi nggak usah dibahas.
Belakangan, pas cerita ke Ayu dan nanya siapa sebenernya ibu itu, ternyata dia adalah ketua panitia acara nikahannya Ayu, masih kerabat dari bapaknya Ayu. Eyalah.. makanya dia merasa langsung bisa SKSD kali ya..
 
Kejadian lain2 nggak terlalu spesial, seperti rame2 ngedorong mobil di parkiran tackshop-nya temen di pinggiran Salatiga, jalan kaki sampe nyasar2 abis di Semarang, dan sebuah penemuan bahwa kepopuleran Toko Oen sudah merosot tajam (orang Semarang di jalan nggak ada yg tau!)… Nggak usah diceritain ya? Hehe…
 
Now, back to work!

Foto: Lindri dan Dhanu di Havana Tackshop, Salatiga (ini Sabtu pagi, kaos kaki Tigger masih lengkap).

Weekend Shebang

SATURDAY

09.00 Parents' meeting at Cendekia. News from the foundation: the kids' school will move to Dago Resort area, effective as of February 2008. Lindri's class theme for this semester is Friendship, where a.o. they should each buy gifts for less-fortunate children of their age with their allowance money (they gained the money in the previous semester for performing household works). Dhanu's class theme is Clothing, and as a final project he and his classmates will have to arrange a fashion show at the end of the term.

10.00 School meeting's out, I was on my way to SPACE59 to see PHB exhibition - and to meet Anin! Yaay!

10.30 The PHB exhibition is great! They arrange performances, too - see their schedule for details. Mas Wied said my name is at today's KOMPAS. Gotta buy one. (Later in the afternoon I did, and here's the article: Lihatlah Perempuan Perupa Bandung).
Finally, seeing Anin again! She went around the gallery then we went to the shop where she could buy a Curhat Tita package. We left the premise to go to.. WaLe!

11.00 Setting foot at WaLe again after.. let's see.. about 6 years? (Dhanu was barely 1 year old then). It has changed a lot! We took a table at the far end of the back terrace of the 'old' house (not the extension accross the house), looking at the valleys. Lunch was: baso goreng (fried meatballs), yamin manis spesial (meatballs, tofu-siomay and siomay with the soup), yamin asin spesial, pangsit goreng, cheese cake and srikaya-pandan pudding. Great taste, nice portion; just enough. Pity about the cheese cake for using a mini styrofoam bowl.

12.00 Homewards from WaLe. Thanks, Anin, especially for the hagelslag and AntaFlu! See you soon!

15.30 LiTa, Tine and Reggie (LiTa's son) dropped by home to pick me and Lindri up. We went to Selasar for 'coffee'. The Metissage exhibition was still there. We had a nice chat over glasses of Selasar Sparkle (lemon squash), soda tea, Japanese green tea, strawberry milkshake, bitterballen and cheese and fries with bacon bits and cheese.

17.30 Leaving Selasar to pick up Reggie's grandma at church. The rain started to fall heavily; we could hardly see more than 200m ahead from inside the car. We headed off to Rose Flower, an old Chinese restaurant at Ahmad Yani street for dinner. Lindri fell deep asleep in the car.

18.30 Lindri was forced to wake up when we were entering the restaurant in the midst of rain. Dinner was: kangkung - beef hot plate, udang goreng telur asin, frog's legs in butter sauce, crab in oyster sauce, fu yung hai (omelette in tomato sauce), ginger chicken and babi hong (pork in sweetish sauce). LiTa had to call her brother and her brother's wife, for them to come over and help finishing the food. 

20.00 Reggie left with his uncle and aunt, since he wanted to have a ride on a motorbike. Lucky him the rain has stopped so he got permission from his mother. The rest of us proceeded to Sudirman street, nearby Andir Marketplace intersection. Yup, you got it right: our aim was the highly-acclaimed martabak Nikmat - or, known to us as Martabak Andir.

21.30 A seemingly peak hour at Nikmat; the martabak brothers didn't stop mixing, pouring, lifting and cutting the orders. Lindri was awake, "Yummy pancakes", she said while pointing at the stoves full of bubbling martabak dough. To eat on spot: green thick martabak with cheese, banana, chocolate and peanut pieces. To bring home: crispy-thin martabak with parmesan cheese (mine), thick martabak with sweet corn and cheese and the same green thick variation (LiTa's).

22.00 Off we went, homewards. Thanks, LiTa and family! It's really nice to be a part of your nice bunch!

SUNDAY

07.00 Lindri was a bit feverish and was therefore in no condition to go to church. I had to go nonetheless because I was to be introduced to the segregation as a new member of the church (so I was told yesterday). I took Dhanu while Syb stayed home to take care of Lindri.

08.30 I and Dhanu sat at the very front bench. It was a Family Week and the church was unusually decked: sunday school children attended the adult service, and a huge puppet show box was set on stage. The service was very children-friendly with lots of shows and plays.
So, no introducing me, at all (not that I mind).

10.00 Bought two portions of nasi hainam at the church yard after the service, then went to get fries for Lindri.

13.00 Took Dhanu to Sabuga, where I was appointed to be a judge for a couple of competitions among high schools in Bandung. The whole process was finally completed at around 16.00.

16.00 Dropped by McD for some ice cream, which is a sort of reward for Dhanu for walking quite far that day.

16.30 Home, to find Lindri fast asleep on the couch in front of TV (just had a bath, her father said). Dhanu got in bath as well not long afterwards, then had a rest in the living room.

18.00 Dinner time, and perhaps a movie session before bed time. We'll see.

So that was our weekend. How's yours?

[klipping] Komik Kelar 24 Jam

An article at today's Pikiran Rakyat about the 24 Hour Comics Day in Bandung. My name is mentioned, but (as usual) is followed by inaccurate information.

http://www.pikiran-rakyat.com/cetak/2007/102007/25/kampus/lain01.htm

Komik Kelar 24 Jam 

SABTU (20/10), pukul 10.00 WIB, tanpa bunyi lonceng, dentuman meriam atau tembakan pistol, sekitar 30-an orang mulai mengeluarkan pensil, laptop, cat air, sampai makanan kecil. Mereka siap-siap mengerjakan komik 24 halaman dalam waktu 24 jam yang berlokasi di Space 59 Bandung.

Tapi, tidak semua peserta saat bertemu kertas gambar bisa langsung menuangkan idenya. Masih ada yang perlu melamun mencari inspirasi; ada yang duduk sambil menundukkan kepala, jalan-jalan, membaca buku, membuat kopi, dan mengisap rokok dalam-dalam.

Alam Muanmar, alumni Fakultas Seni Rupa dan Desain Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) tahun 2002 lalu, perlu waktu 5 jam untuk mencari inspirasi cerita dalam komiknya. Padahal, ia menargetkan dalam 1 jam sudah bisa mengerjakan 3 halaman.

”Masih ada masalah dengan mood dan semangat, makanya molor dari target,” ujar kawan yang tahun lalu komiknya masuk dalam antologi 24 hours Comics Day dunia. Komiknya saat itu berjudul Ciuman Pangeran Bukan Untuk Permaisuri.

Tita Larasati, mampu mengerjakan tiga halaman dalam waktu satu jam. Kawan yang sudah bergelar doktor dalam bidang teknik sipil, arsitektur, dan desain interior ini sepertinya sudah bisa menyelaraskan antara ide kreatif, semangat, stamina dan mood.

Dia juga salah satu peserta yang komiknya masuk dalam antologi dunia tahun lalu . Saat itu, ia mengikuti acara ini di toko buku Lambiek, Belanda. Komiknya tahun lalu berjudul Transition.

Antologi 24 Hours Comics Days sebenarnya sebuah antitesa. Antitesa dari fenomena yang baku tentang waktu pembuatan sebuah komik. Adalah Scott McCloud (penulis buku Understanding Comics) dan Nat Gertler (penulis About Comics) menantang masyarakat komikus dunia untuk uji kemampuan dalam membuat komik komplit sebanyak 24 halaman dalam 24 jam.

Dalam kontes ini, penyelenggara tidak membatasi gaya yang digunakan. Ide cerita juga bebas, asalkan bisa mewakili suasana negeri masing-masing.

Pada 2004, tantangan ini pertama kali dimulai dengan peserta lebih dari 500 kartunis yang bekerja di 57 tempat, seperti, Amerika Serikat, Kanada, Korea Selatan, dan peserta individualis dari beberapa Negara lainnya.

Tahun ini, Indonesia untuk kedua kalinya ikut serta dalam kompetisi yang berlangsung di 93 lokasi dari 18 negara dan 31 negara bagian Amerika Serikat. Tahun lalu penyelengaraan acara berlangsung di Jakarta, Bandung, dan Surabaya. Tahun ini Surabaya diganti Semarang.

”Sudah saatnya Indonesia berpartisipasi dalam gerakan komik global, dan acara ini sangat tepat sebagai ajang unjuk diri Indonesia,” tulis panitia penyelenggara yang terdiri dari Pusat Studi Kajian Komik Desain Komunikasi Visual (DKV) ITB dan milis pengajian komik DKV (Bandung) yang tergabung dalam Masyarakat Komik Indonesia (MKI).

Kebiasaan dari acara ini sebenarnya pembuatan antologi komik dunia yang berasal dari karya-karya terbaik peserta di seluruh dunia. Tahun lalu, nama Alam masuk mewakili Indonesia dalam antologi tersebut. Namun, model seperti itu tidak dibuat pada tahun ini .

Menurut Alvanov Zpalanzani, dari Pusat Kajian Komik DKV-ITB, tahun ini ada rencana komik terbaik akan dibuat di dalam negeri sendiri. Ia yakin sudah ada penerbit yang tertarik dengan rencana ini.

Meski ada rencana dibuat dalam bentuk antologi lokal, 47 peserta dari Bandung tidak menampakkan wajah kecewa. Hal itu terbukti dari perjuangan mereka yang membela tidak tidur untuk menyelesaikan komik. Hanya ada 4 orang yang gagal menyelesaikan tepat waktu pada pukul 10.00 di hari Minggu (21/10). ***

agus rakasiwi
kampus_pr@yahoo.com

Salute to Azisa!

Yesterday, a post at Komik Indonesia mailing list relayed the news about Azisa Noor's involvement in the 2nd Asia-Europe Comics Project (endorsed by Asia-Europe Foundation or ASEF), which is held in London, UK. Great news! Azisa's works mostly contain surrealistic ambience and dreamy creatures. I find her drawings, details and (especially) colors awesome - not to mention her work ethics, intelligence and personality. She certainly deserves this experience. Congratulations, Azisa, a.k.a Johnny for the DU21 crowd. Do share some stories of your current activities! 

Information about Asia-Europe Comics Project can be accessed at http://comix.asef.org/
Alfi, who posted the news about Azisa, was the first Indonesian delegation for last year's project. Here is his profile at ASEF site: http://comix.asef.org/team.html#Al_fitri_Muhammed_Zachky

Azisa's profile and drawing samples can be viewed at http://scarlet-dragonchild.deviantart.com/
Her current drawings are uploaded together with the rest of the ASEF team's at LINGUA COMICA blog: http://linguacomica.wordpress.com/ (I recommend you to go there for more than a visual treat: their comics arts are quite stimulating)

Image: Bond by Azisa, taken from her deviantart site

[24HCD] Yang Tercecer dan Yang Berikutnya

Acara global 24 Hour Comics Day baru berlalu, sebagian besar karya sudah dapat dinikmati melalui Internet, baik pada situs tempat berlangsungnya acara maupun situs masing2 peserta. Beberapa komentar menyatakan kurangnya publikasi dari acara ini. Ada benarnya, bila mereka memang tidak memantau berita2 baru dari milis-milis komik yang ada, misalkan milis Komik Indonesia atau Komik Alternatif - atau langsung dari situs 24HCD pusat http://24hourcomics.com/ - yang sudah berbulan2 sebelumnya mengumumkan tanggal berlangsungnya acara ini. 

Bagaimana pelaksanaannya tahun depan? Menurut Nat Gertler (dari About Comics, headquarter-nya 24HCD, pemrakarsa dan editor 24HCD Highlights), ia berharap untuk tidak lagi mengorganisir 24HCD global seperti yg dilakukannya dalam 4 tahun belakangan ini, sebab dia sebenernya kepingin ikutan juga.. hehe.. Penyelenggaraan 24HCD akan ia oper ke orang lain, tapi tidak ke sembarang orang. Ia akan menyeleksi orang2 yg bersedia dan dapat menjamin keaslian ide dan semangat 24HCD ini.
Tanggal 24HCD utk tahun 2008 belum ditentukan, tapi diusahakan agar tidak bentrok dengan acara2 komik akbar lain, hari2 besar, liburan sekolah, dll. Selengkapnya, bisa dibaca di post Nat ttg ini, berjudul Next Year's 24 Hour Comics Day.

Di blog yang sama, disebutkan juga tentang pelaksanaan tahun 2006 lalu yang kebetulan jatuh pada bulan Ramadan, tapi tidak menghalangi para peserta di Indonesia - yang sedang berpuasa - untuk menghasilkan karya2 cemerlang! Cuplikannya: I had indeed scheduled it during Ramadan — which did not prevent the first 24HCD involvement of a predominantly Muslim nation, and some very lovely comics came out of Indonesia on that day. Posting ini adalah untuk meluruskan informasi yang melenceng di situs  http://blog.comicslifestyle.com/2007/10/no-sleep-no-food.html. Selengkapnya bisa dibaca di posting Nat yang berjudul Correcting Misinformation.

Satu lagi dari blog 24HCD. Ketika kami sedang seru2nya mulai menggambar dan meng-upload hasilnya pada tgl 20 Oktober kemaren, ternyata Nat sempat mampir ke situs SPACE59, begini catatnya pada posting-nya yang berjudul The US is trickling on board:
It’s good to see pages from various sites coming online. I was just looking at the Space59 (Indonesia) pages, some lovely stuff, and was happy to find a batch of pages from Tita Larasati in there (she had a great story in the 2006 Highlights book.)
He he.

Oke, selamat bersiap-siap untuk tahun depan!

Komik DHANUdanPIDI

Dhanu came to the 24HCD venue in Bandung, at SPACE59 and spent some minutes drawing along with everybody who aimed to finish 24 pages within 24 hours (the finish line was the next day, at 10am). He gave his drawings to Pidi, who indeed requested the drawings.
Pidi came back to the location at around 08.30 in the morning, picked up Dhanu's drawings while saying that he, too, would answer the challenge with Dhanu's drawings - for he still had time, a couple of hours until the deadline. He said he had been thinking about the script the whole night before and he knew what to do for the comics. He cut up the drawings into pieces and stuck them to new pages, making a story.. about an unwanted superhero. Enjoy.

Another 24 pages within 24 hours

Saturday, 20 October 2007

06:00 Waking up after an uncomfortable sleep (Lindri moved into our bed at about 04:00am, followed by Dhanu not long afterwards; leaving me balancing myself at a small edge of the bed until I really woke up)

07:00 Had breakfast

08:00 Preparing to go: checking books, papers, pens, cables and MacBook - all in my black Nomad backpack

08:15 Leaving for SPACE59. Thoriq called on the way, saying he's participating, too. Great! I won't be the oldest one in the room :)

08:45 Arrived at SPACE59, preparing some stuff. The place was fully prepared: desks and seats, carpets, a couple of computers - each with a scanner, Wi Fi facility, water dispenser, plastic cups and tea and coffee.

09:30 People started to trickle in.

10:00 Start the 24 Hour Comics challenge! I knew I worked slower compared to last year, for now I have lots of peers to chat with. Not that I mind, hehe..

11:00 Iput came and was tempted to join, too - and she did. That made 38 people in total from all of us. She sat on the same carpet with me and Thoriq. Snacks were already available. Extra tables and folding chairs were arranged outside for smokers.

12:30 I was at page 6, drawing food all over out of hunger. I scavenged for heavier snacks (thanks to Thoriq for the bacang!). Drawing and chatting proceeded simultaneously.

17:00 Iput prepared to go home and continued working at home until morning. Sybrand, Dhanu and Lindri came to visit and to pick me up. Dhanu ended up drawing insects for Pidi; Lindri drew while sitting on my back (I was laying on my tummy), Sybrand went around to take pictures.

18:00 We went home to have dinner. Dhanu likes his fish very much, but Lindri shook her head after a few bites and left to the living room. She fell asleep not long afterwards, in front of the television. Dhanu resumed playing with his LEGO helicopter until bed time.

19:00 I've got time to draw and upload one page before leaving for SPACE59 again.

20:30 Out of the house, this time also bringing a sleeping bag and two 'pillows' (they look more like dolls)

21:00 Arrived at SPACE59 again. Continued drawing and chatting and being sleepy.

23:00 Seemed like Pidi has gone home (he said he was just going out for food).

Sunday, 21 October 2007

00:30 The spot lights at the ceiling blew off - they couldn't stand their own heat.

04:22 Finished the last page. Sent a message for the blog. Waited for a free scanner, then tried to scan and upload (succeeded, after some trials).

05:00 Tried blogging this minutiae while teasing Thoriq who still had 500 more pages to ink.

The sun has come out again. I'm glad I could finish 24 pages within 24 hours but I'm not to confident with the result - perhaps the wrapping of the story is a bit weak, or I've lost my spontanity at some points. I was distracted a lot too, not only by chatting and snacking, but also by the Internet (this is not a complaint). 

All in all, it was quite pleasant. Especially because I had the chance to see how it went in Bandung (as opposed to in Amsterdam), how these young people behaved (rather sweet, actually) and what came out (mostly brilliant drawings!).

I wonder how our colleagues in Jakarta and Semarang are doing (there was only one update from Jakarta at the 24HCD blog). Look here http://space59bandung.multiply.com/ for the drawings and photos of participants at SPACE59, here http://esduren.multiply.com/photos/album/91 for my drawings and some photos, and please click the tag 24hcd (underneath this post) if you'd like to see the result from last year as well.

Another 24HCD for Tita

Here's where I'll upload my drawings in the next 24 hours, for another 24 Hour Comics Day. This time, in Bandung :D Here are my drawings from last year, done at Lambiek, Amsterdam: http://esduren.multiply.com/photos/album/45/24_Hour_Comics_Day_2006





Here's where I'll upload my drawings in the next 24 hours, for another 24 Hour Comics Day. This time, in Bandung :D Here are my drawings from last year, done at Lambiek, Amsterdam: http://esduren.multiply.com/photos/album/45/24_Hour_Comics_Day_2006

Four

Lindri was born on October 19th, 2003, at about 22:00. Her birth went well; three pushes within 15 minutes and she's out. A couple of fragments from the day that I'll remember for the rest of my life are:
1) Dhanu, who almost turned three, tried to feed me apple pieces to ease my contraction pains during labor.
2) When I asked the midwife who handed me a bundle of baby right after its birth, "Is it a boy or a girl?", she replied, "Go ahead and see for yourself".
And here's 'the baby' now, all bold and grown, celebrating her birthday in Indonesia for the first time.

This morning we did the family birthday ritual: singing happy birthday, having four candles on a cake, blowing candles, and opening presents. Afterwards, she right away played with her new set of blocks and sticker books. Her adventure will continue this afternoon, when we go out for a treat. Thanks for all the birthday wishes we received through email and SMS and see you later, with more updates!
===================

So, we've just returned from Istana Plaza, a place we've never been to before but recommended by a friend as might be fun for kids (thanks for the tip!). We left at lunch time, so everybody was quite hungry by the time we got there and we went straight to the food court. Dhanu and Lindri both opted for hot dog and fries from Beef Eaters Burger, Syb had kangkung and beef from Mie Hot Plate Singapore and I Singaporean hotplate from the same place, plus some drinks from Mm Juice. After lunch, we explored all toy shops at all floors. They indeed have so many variations that we ended up going up and down the floors at least thrice. After purchasing toys on behalf of Lindri's oma, and a small one for Dhanu, we stopped by for ice cream at Baskins & Robbins before going home.

That was quite a full day; Lindri fell asleep in angkot but was lively again as soon as we got home, finding a birthday package from Jakarta. She occupied herself with all her presents: singing to the mic and playing the musical instruments (from Jakarta), arranging the interior of a mini wooden house (from oma) and composing colorful plastic pieces to match the available patterns (also from oma). Dhanu, of course, 'helped' once in a while, resulting in screaming, laughing and crying (they fight and collaborate, interchangeably).

Many thanks again to you all for the wishes!

Photos of today can be viewed here http://dhanulindri.multiply.com/photos/album/44/October_2007_-_Lindris_Birthday

24 Hour Comics Day 2007

Start:	Oct 20, '07 10:00a
End:	Oct 21, '07 10:00a
Location:	SPACE59 Bandung

I'm going to participate again in the 24 Hour Comics Day, at SPACE59 Bandung. Those who are interested to join are welcome. Please visit and contact http://space59bandung.multiply.com for more info. See you there!

I wish I could draw like..

..this Israeli artist whose work I recently came across again after all these years: Rutu Modan. I have met her in 2002 during Stripdagen Haarlem, one of the biggest comics events in The Netherlands, where her comics group Actus Tragicus participated as well. I and my friends, organizers of Madjoe! Indonesian Comics Exhibition, met them at the opening night of their exhibition at the Fietsznfabriek. The next day we all gathered for drinks at a café somewhere in the center of Haarlem, but I bet she wouldn't remember how I look - nor do I remember how she looked back then (I can't identify her in the photo).

Photo by a journalist who documented the encounter
between Indonesian and Israeli comics artists
during the opening of Actus Tragicus exhibition in Haarlem  

She apparently has moved on much further since that day. Her book Exit Wounds was just published (May 2007) by Drawn & Quarterly, and her column at The New York Times has just come to its last edition. It's the latter work that put me into an awe. The stories are personal yet almost anyone can relate to them; they flow smoothly and are riddled with humor, without compromising their deeper meanings. The drawings contain single lines, human gestures are depicted naturally and objects appear not less lively. The timing between text and graphics is perfect. The soft, warm colors grace the whole compositions, adding charms to the ambience. The entire stories expose a simplicity that indicates intelligence. I sure hope to see much more of her works and be immersed in them again!

An extract from one of her NYT columns   

A little bit..

During one of my random browsing sessions, I came across an interesting article by Desmond Morris. I've long ago read his books Naked Ape, Human Zoo and The Naked Eye, all of which discuss a zoologist's viewpoints upon human animal (= us!). The first two books explain, among others, why women wear make up, why men are commonly the bread-winner of the family, how hooligans resemble tribe warriors, and so on. The latest discuss more deeply about comparison of cultures, difference in gestures and such. In short, still a captivating study about human animal.

I've become very fond of his writings and therefore was amusingly surprised when I bumped into the article I mentioned about, since it contains the following factors: a) It's written by Desmond Morris, b) It's about food and eating habit (= among my favorite subjects). The article, A little bit of what you fancy, in short points out that "the human species evolved as an omnivore. Eating the widest possible variety of foodstuffs was what gave us our special advantage over our animal rivals. And this is about the only rule that one need apply when sitting down to a meal."
The discussion goes on around the concept and causes of diet, obesity, food taboo and other relevant issues, starting and ending pleasantly with the memory of the arbitrary eating habit of his late mother, who died at the age of 99. Moral of the story? Enjoy life by not being a finicky eater! :)   

Another excerpt: "I expected (purely on statistical grounds) to die ten years ago ... Something has gone wrong with my prediction because I am still here, and I have a feeling that part of the reason could be that I have managed to maintain a deep disrespect for all the health police, the faddist gurus and diet fascists who plague our bookstalls, radio stations and newsagents."

Image source: www.cartoonbank.com  

Lebaran Gatherings

After about five years of absence for Lebaran Day in Indonesia, we finally made it this year to join our big family for the celebration! (Here is a short post from last year about our family tradition, in Indonesian). On Saturday, Oct 13th, my mother and an aunt left early in the morning (right after sunrise) to my other aunt's house - where the event took place - to help preparing food, room, etc. The rest of us started to come at about 09.30; kids went playing rightaway, women got busy in the kitchen and dining room, men talked among each other and/or listened to my grandma, who seemed to be in a jolly mood despite her decreasing ability to identify her own children, grand children and great grand children.

The dishes we had were clearly predictable but nonetheless are very much anticipated each year the moment comes. Ketupat, or 'squared rice', is a classic, accompanied by sambel goreng ati (spicy liver), opor ayam (chicken in coconut milk) and rendang (spicy beef). This year, my cousin Chica cooked sambel goreng udang (spicy prawn), repeating last year's success. It was a superb dish! Even I took more and more of it, despite my common reluctance to eat sambal or anything hot.
There was also sayur godog (soupy boiled veggies) and all sorts of condiments, not to mention desserts (mixed fruit salad, cakes, fresh fruits and more) and refreshments (the classic family fruit punch is always available!). Accompanied by the best of laugh with family and friends, Lebaran food can never taste better!

That day was also a milestone for our kids: it's their first time to do sungkem, or kneeling before the elderlies to ask for forgiveness and to receive prayers. Dhanu was hesitant, but his turn came much later (my mother was the second youngest of her siblings) so he could first watch and learn from the others who did their turns. I had to nail him down to his seat to watch the procession (which was fun, since almost everyone in the room were shouting advices as if coming from my grandma during one's turn) and went with him to face my grandma for his turn. Lindri was more easy for this; she was taken to my grandma by her father without needing too much encouragement, for she has seen everyone did the same. After the sungkem ritual was over, the kids' most-awaited moment came: 'envelope' distribution! I remember the days when it was our turn to receive them, the excitement and delight - and now it's our turn (those who are already parents) to give them away to nieces and nephews.            

Not long afterwards, we had to leave the house to go to my father's brother who also celebrates Idul Fitri, where my father's siblings and their families usually gather on Lebaran Day. Our program here usually includes more eating (for those with rubber stomach), more chatting and more laughing. Dhanu and Lindri got to meet and play with more aunts and uncles and distant cousins. All in all, it was a busy and tiring day, but we all had our fun.       

Happy Idul Fitri to all of you dear friends
May the new days bring us peace and happiness

Photos taken from Chica's Lebaran 2007 album (for her network only) - thanks, sepupu!

I 'ate the dog!

..said Groundskeeper Willie, "I 'ate his guts! I 'ate everything about him!" when Bart asked him if he's seen Santa's Little Helper in The Canine Mutiny episode. That line is among The Simpsons' quotations that has become one of our household's catchphrases, which we always use in appropriate situations. Or whenever we hear something that might associate with the line. Such was what I automatically thought of, when four Multiply contacts of mine nudged me to list 8 random things about me. See? 8, eight, ate! Ha!

Bookshop has delivered a bright idea of adding three into our five items that we submitted previously; an idea that I apply here as well. My five random things can be viewed here (that entry apparently contains other stuff, too - so there's an extra for you guys :P), and here are three more: 

6. Same as my distant cousin Yikk, I hardly ever had any make up on my face. Occasional events were only during traditional (Balinese) dance performance (when I was veerrrry young) and traditional wedding ceremonies.

7. I got a notion to be a 'comic books snob'. Meaning, I do buy comic books only based on reviews from people I trust, or on my personal taste (which proves to be, um, expensive). I buy comic books which I can appreciate highly both the graphics and the stories. And I don't buy comics due to mere patriotic or solidarity reasons, for I am not that kind of collector. Wanna check my comics library? Please do.

8. I always have the questions of, "Why would you be my contact? What do you expect of me? Who are you and how did you get this address?" everytime random people post their requests to be my contact. Then I reject them without thinking twice, especially those with empty profiles. Multiply's offer to maintain a "meaningful relationship" really fits my principle in this social networking activity.

Let's see.. any free soul who isn't tagged yet? Very few, I suppose. Let's try Ave (a good distraction between works, toch? :D), Anin (open up, Bud, I know where you are!), Cindih (can't wait for your expressive writing!), LiTa (can't believe nobody's tagged you!) and Tiyas (find a warnet, quick!). Ack! There should be eight! Alright, three more people: Peter (you're not shy are you), Nunu (surprise us), Ayie (what more can I say.. you're it!)

Here's the obligatory part:

Tagging rules:

1. each blogger must post these rules.

2. each blogger starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.

3. bloggers that are tagged need to write in their own blogs about their 8 things and post this rule. At the end of your blog you need to choose 8 people to get tagged and list their names.

4. do not forget to leave them a comment telling them they have been tagged to read your blog.

[2004] Stripmuseum Groningen, 70 yr Donald in Amstelveen, StripdagenHaarlem

A collection of three comics-related events in 2004:

A visit to the (then) newly-opened Stripmuseum (Comics Museum) in Groningen, with my brother. It was a really quick visit, we went from and to Amsterdam in one day (I had to go back in time to pick up the kids from their daycare).

A visit to a temporary exhibition at Cobra Museum of Modern Art in Amstelveen: Donald Duck, 70 years young. Each visitor received a lucky coin!

A visit to Stripdagen Haarlem (Comics Days in Haarlem), one of the biggest comics festivals in The Netherlands that is held once every two years.