Few weeks ago I was at one of the most prominent shopping center in Jakarta, known for its inexpensive but qualified products and a heaven for wholesalers. It is now as well a bliss for expatriates, for which I saw them gleefully bring two, three, four or more plastic bags and without complaining walked along narrow aisles, bumped other people’s body from one store to another, covered with sweat (yes sometimes the air conditioner doesn’t work), even if they were well-informed that the thing they have or they will purchase might not be the original one.

The shopping center is always packed with people. I think that’s why merchants always make an effort to maximize their presence, be it in quite sizable store or simply a small booth or yet a table at a counter. Owners typically put writings in way to make customers be alert for what they sell. What made me astounded, and constantly do, was some notes put at the edge of a table or on the wall:

Hair removal
Armpit whitener
Eyebrows grower
Teeth whitener
Bust firmer
Blemish removal

I hardly understand that they could provide numbers of instant solutions within a table. That’s the first one. Second, how many people are attracted and eventually come to buy one (or even all) of the products? Third, do they really work? (Let’s leave this question unanswered. I’m not keen to try, unless you have, then you may kindly tell me).

But what tickles more is, everybody will surely recognize that all of the products tend to be consumed by women. Are we that desperate to have all the listed problems solved? Me, for instance. Should I am offered to buy one, I would might be interested to pay for eyebrows grower (since they really do not have their identity there, clinging above my eyes). However I will think once, twice, third times and so forth, and we will be brought back the third question: do they REALLY work? What if they have more side effect than you have ever imagine, like your eyebrows be dismissed forever? Yes, women are demanded to look appropriate. But seems that you have not done enough just whitening your face (it’s recently common to think that white skin is perfectly beautiful, even though I disagree), your teeth, and today: your armpit as well. How many times will you raise your arm and display the armpit to the public just to have them say that it is indeed smooth and flawless?

Then again, for some ladies, hair is meant to grow only on top of your head, not at the other part of the body. I can recall on how women feel necessary to remove all the unwanted. Isn’t it hilarious to discover that, like me, some will make it grow in another place, while taking it away at the other area? Well, I don’t think that we will easily restructure what has been made by God.

Next time remind me to come to one of the counter to ask for the price, and where the products are formulated. I really want to find out.

Times for My Children

I am amazed on how people said they are timely managed, but somehow a vast percentage of their life is spent at their workplace …
These days, you may find people rushing towards their workplace on early dawn as normal. Then, they who stepped inside their house back from work at nearly midnight is also natural.
I don’t blame them should they be single. Don’t be offended, but I was too at the top of my less-worried time when I have not yet been married. The only thing that I must carefully cope with was my mom’s singing, worried that I did an incompatible work for a girl.
The deep concern goes to the family heads: father and mother. In the name of career, they sometimes unconsciously having too much time at their office, or on duty, and leaving their children at home with grandparents or even only nannies or maids. When the siblings did not make it at their early competence that they should be, or at school, simply blame them, or worse, the nannies. Should they know how the household workers treat their children, I’m sure they will reconsider many many times.
Don’t think that will work, I suppose. Somehow I myself had to deal with the very hard things when I decided not to continue sitting on my desk at my division, which means I had to wave my hands to steady income and welcoming the uncertainty for future, just to dedicate more love to both my son and daughter. I’ve been through profound contemplation, tears and smolders, not that I should not have another job with time flexibility, but the anxiousness of getting unstable financial gets my nerve. Not to mention, I am a person with energy which stiffs when there is nothing to do. At the office, I have directions for what to do, but at home, I could arrange any doings I want, and at the same time I could hardly think of what to do!
Now, some children I know are very happy to be piled with toys and gifts and speak joustly that their parents really need to go to work to keep them rewarded. How they brag about their wealth is truly remarkable. I also read some children’s comments on the media on how do they wish to possess the newest gadget and persuade their parents complete with their tears and cries, even if they are merely still wearing their red short uniform.
I just wish that life would be simpler. However, I do hope that I could recompense more to my children, aside from toys and leasures, but the time on which I could always be free to hug, cuddle, kiss, caress, put them on my lap, play planes and superman, not anytime I want, but anytime they want, and anytime they need. I don’t feel like losing their crucial growth as they don’t intend to call upon any other people for help when I can be there, lending a hand. Nobody could be the best parent, as none will assure that they have the perfect children raising method, but I at least would like to have the nearly best.

(Still) Farewell, Pak ...

Tepat hari ini, 27 Januari 2010, adalah persis seminggu berpulangnya salah satu orang besar di tempat kerja saya dulu. Dia adalah sang big boss yang menentukan jalannya sebuah konglomerasi besar di Indonesia ...

Nggak ada yang menyangka, lho. Beliau ini sakit hanya sekitar 5 hari, dan sempat dibawa ke salah satu rumah sakit besar di Singapura. Tapi apa mau dikata, Tuhan menentukan lain. Semua kaget. Semua menghela napas. Termasuk saya yang hanya berstatus mantan karyawan.

Saya mendapat runtut ceritanya yang cukup detil, mulai dari beliau merasa kurang enak badan, masuk rumah sakit, trombosit drop, unconscious, dibawa ke negeri singa, sampai pagi2 lewat blackberry message saya dapat kabar kalau beliau sudah nggak ada.

Cepet bener ya, pikir saya. Dan mau nggak mau saya ikut nangis. Padahal di kantor itu dulu jarak jabatan saya dengan beliau ini jauh. Bukannya nggak pernah ketemu atau berhubungan, tapi saya bukan yang tiap hari harus lapor kepada beliau. Cuma yang saya ingat, bulan2 ini adalah bulan2 dimana saya dan tim proyek anu harus mewawancara dan memotret beliau. Orang yang low profile, baik, dan perhatian dengan orang2 disekitarnya. Nangis? Iya lho. Saya sempat nangis, apalagi sambil baca runtutan cerita dari seorang teman baik yang ikut mengurus kepulangan jenazah dan persemayamannya. Jadi biarpun siapalah saya ini, saya putuskan untuk datang memberi penghormatan terakhir.

Waktu melayat, saya cukup mumet memikirkan bagaimana parkirnya di sekitar rumah duka dan pelayat sudah tentu tumplek blek disana. Bisa masuk nggak sih? Nanti salaman sama siapa? Jadi datangnya rada malam. Nyatanya masih banyak orang, mungkin karena besok paginya jenazah sudah akan dimakamkan. Jangan tanya karangan bunga, buanyak betul! Pelayat datang dan pergi, buku tamu mungkin sudah ganti berapa kali. Semuanya sama, nggak ada yang percaya. Semua bilang beliau pergi terlalu cepat. Nah, katanya 'kan orang baik memang seringkali 'dipanggil pulang' duluan. Jadi apa kita2 yang masih hidup ini nggak baik? Heh heh heh, nda tau ya ...

Makin sedih waktu saya lihat foto Bapak di atas jenazah. Foto itu diambil bulan Februari tahun lalu, dan saya sendiri yang masih in charge. Yaampun, si Bapak, kok sekarang tahu2 sudah nggak ada ... rasanya miris banget. Begitulah hidup ya, segala sesuatu ada waktunya.

Pagi hari besoknya, iklan dukacita seperti jor-joran mengisi halaman media massa. Lagi2 saya sedih, karena foto2nya sebagian diambil saat saya yang punya 'gawe' ...

Tapi lucunya, salah satu bekas rekanan kantor saya yang juga teman baik saya sempat dengan panik menelepon saya demi klarifikasi berita duka ini. "Yaampuuuuun si Bapak ... kita belum sempat interview lho buat bikin laporan!" katanya ... hahahaha ...

Sampai hari ini pun cerita2 tentang doa bersama mengenang Bapak, masih masuk di blackberry message saya. Menunjukkan betapa beliau begitu dicintai banyak orang dan kepergiannya bikin banyak orang kehilangan. Beliau bukan milik keluarganya saja, tapi juga milik komunitas besar disekitarnya ...

Farewell Pak, we will miss you ...

Ayo mulai ...

Akhirnya nge-blog juga!

Rasanya gue dah pengin nge-blog dari entah kapan ... tapi kenapa baru sekarang mulai jalan ya?

Silahkan salahkan si kemalasan :)

Hari ini baru hari Rabu ... kalau masih di jaman ngantor dulu, ini hari yang paling tanggung karna judulnya seperti 'yak, sebentar lagi weekend' tapi 'duh masih dua hari lagi' ... Sekarang sih karna udah selalu di rumah, setiap hari rasanya sama aja, kecuali Sabtu dan Minggu yang rasanya lebih cape karena lebih banyak agenda yang harus dijalanin dibanding hari biasa. Kalau anggota keluarga komplit (baca: suami libur) 'kan lebih seru kalau mau kemana-mana ...

Anyway, sekarang sedang ujan ... padahal sekitar empat jam yang lalu panasnya lumayan bikin gosong. Iklim kayanya dah berubah total ya. Orang Jakarta kalau ujan sedikit aja langsung pengin buru2 pulang kantor. Macetnya nggak ketulungan, kata mereka (I was part of them, lho, hehehe). Kok kesannya kayak takut air ... tapi sebetulnya sih takut genangan ... gimana enggak, sekali ujan bisa menghasilkan ketinggian air sekitar 20 - 40cm, dengan catatan nggak seberapa deras ... nah lho, kalau deras? Lumayan lah bikin mobil2 sekelas Jazz ngeri lewat ... Lucu kan jadinya, mustinya orang bersyukur dikasi ujan. Sekarang malah rencana2 bisa batal karna kemacetan (dan genangan) nggak bisa ditembus, semua ngedumel dan berharap supaya ujan nggak jadi dateng ... salahnya sapa coba ...

OK, this is just my thought. Postingan pertama yang singkat tapi masih ngalor ngidul. Nggak papa lah ya, namanya juga usaha ... daripada nggak mulai2 hehehe