Launch

Friday, March 28th, 2008

14.00 Leaving Bandung with Rony and the Curhat Anak Bangsa (CAB) team.

16.00 Arriving in Jakarta, entering Fatmawati area from Cipulir Highway.

18.00 Finally entering Kemang area; arriving at ak.’sa.ra bookstore. We walked deep into the shop, to where talk shows are usually held. It turned out that a new location was being prepared: right at the front entrance, a square space walled by glasses on its three sides – covered with white curtains – the fourth side directly faces the shop. Passersby can surely peek what’s going on inside this semi-transparent cube, as well as people who destine both the bookstore and Casa Café upstairs, whose staircase is adjacent to the cube.
The shop personnel were still working on some details of the cube: lighting, curtains, space lay out and all. The CAB team proceeded with its task: folding up 'goodie bags', filling them each with four postcards, a T-shirt, a book and a pin, and arranging posters and merchandise on tables. After making sure that my MacBook and the provided projector work, I and Rony went up to Casa to check our reserved space.

18.45 Lulu and her mother came, along with Akademi Samali team. They, too, just found out about this new space. Olin – our moderator for the night – and her son Amor arrived. Things started to get in shape: a screen on its place, seats in place, merchandise table at the ‘entrance’. Stocks and stuff were stored underneath the red tablecloth, guest lists spread, posters stuck on columns and walls.

19.00 The room started to fill in. A cousin, her parents and her daughters came, what joy! Met Sheila again, this time in her first-trimester pregnancy state. Got interviewed by a reporter who turned out to be a fellow FSRD alumnus. Met more people during the talk, then got cut by Rony who asked me to go upstairs for more interviews.

19.30-ish The cube was getting full of people, the program was about to start. We took our seat at the front part of the cube: a side that might as well be a part of the sidewalk at the other side of the glass wall.
Olin introduced me and Motulz to the audience. Afterwards, things seemed to go so fast for me. Let’s run things down:
-    I presented a slide show about my motivations and reasons to draw daily stories
-    I sat down again, and it was Motulz’ turn to talk about what he knows about me and my drawings
-    A session for questions and answers
-    I presented another slide show, about ‘graphic diary’ done by other people, that are also published, abroad. Only a few among similar innumerable graphic diaries that exist in this world, I’m sure.
-    Another Q&A session
-    Closing of the book launch and starting of signing session

(losing my track of time)
My father was there, also my sister, my brother and his wife. Lots of friends come. People I know were visible from afar and near. All of whom I would love to approach and have a chat with.

(maybe) 21.30?
The line started to subside and it diminished at a point. I was asked to immediately go upstairs again for more interviews. Back to our reserved sofas, I began to realize that I haven’t had the chance to drink at all, while talking too much.
A waiter brought a glass of lemon squash to our table so I told him I want one of that, too. “Oh, this is for you”, he said. Miracle happens, after all.

22.00 (again, it might be well after 22.00)
All task done for the night, I thought. I moved from the CAB table to another: one that was still occupied by my sister, her best buddies, and a cousin who took pictures of the whole evening. (Photos of this entry are her shots). We proceeded with our chat, gossip, laugh and many other things until it was time to leave.

(approaching) 24.00 Dropped off home, entered the house, washed up a bit and didn’t remember too many things afterwards.

All in all, that was an extraordinary evening – at least for me. I can never cease feeling grateful to everyone who has been involved in the event, and more! Thank you, all! 


Links to photo albums of that event:
http://chicaluna.multiply.com/photos/album/359/Launching_Curhat_Tita
http://mayahadi.multiply.com/photos/album/111/Launching_Curhat_Tita.._Mar_28_2008
http://akademisamali.multiply.com/photos/album/43/Klabkomik_Curhat_Tita
http://dezig.multiply.com/photos/album/362/Launching_Curhat_Tita