vanilla ice cream floats

I finally have a sister!

2012-01-31T16:50:00.001+07:00

Our family has just had my older brother's wedding party last Sunday, it's a great pleasure to finally see him has someone as pretty as my sister-in-law to be beside him. :)
I only have some pictures, cause I don't have enough chances to pick photos :p

one of a kind

2012-01-26T14:51:00.004+07:00

Dear my friend,

You're one of the people with good personalities I've known, you should be aware of it so that you know that you always have a base to stand up from, live your life in giving much more to the others, because it's there.. where the truest happiness are found.

I have seen lots of girls out there losing their identity; not knowing what the most profound purposes of human being's creation are, but that's not you, I believe. Islam has the most balanced way of life, so when we feel unreliably anxious about unessential worldly things in our state of mind, there's must be something unstable.. Thereby let's make Quran as our best friend to guide.

Everyone has their own vision and mission in life, don't be left behind, you could always be able to go chasing the life you always want to live.

Thank you for the warmest kindliness. Thanks God I always have you around. :)

through the force

2012-01-25T23:41:00.015+07:00

We are all intimidating,

Even when we're acting cute, aren't we? :D

in-tim-i-date

verb (used with object), -dat·ed, -dat·ing.

1.to make timid; fill with fear.
2.to overawe or cow, as through the force of personality or by superior display of wealth, talent, etc.
3.to force into or deter from some action by inducing fear: to intimidate a voter into staying away from the polls.

source

PS: Miss the reckless craziness of youth with these great ladies so much. :p
PS+: The pictures above were not taken by me, some were shots of them. Grabbed it from my photo tag album. It's either hers, hers, or hers. Thank you :)

note to myself

2012-01-15T01:30:00.000+07:00

"The year is like a tree, months are its branches, days are the branch sticks, hours are its leaves, and the breaths are its fruits. Therefore, if one's breaths are in obedience (To Allah dan His Messenger), the fruits of his tree are good. If the are in disobeience, his fruites are bitter. The harvest in on the Appointed Day, when one's fruits are found out to be either good or bitter."

Ibnu Qayyim Al-Jauziyyah

Burned it all down

2012-01-14T23:00:00.004+07:00

The final tests for this semester are finally done! :) Alhamdulillah everything went well. After the last final presentation, my classmates and I had a very late lunch (because we didn't have time to have one before the presentation's done) or we could say this was a little celebration or farewell, party cause we'll be starting to see each other three weeks away when the second semester begins. Can't wait to see you again guys! Have a nice holiday...

Please mind the blurry low-quality pictures, these were taken from my Blackberry. It's getting lamer I know :p Anyone care to buy me an Android? :p

a farewell to arms

2012-01-11T01:52:00.014+07:00

"Anyhow I always knew it would turn out right in the end, and you would realize it was the best way, as I'm positive you must believe.."

Agnes Von Kurowsky to Ernest Hemingway

I became very curious to read about Hemingway's biography after a glance seeing Sandra Bullock's In Love and War movie on telly last weekend. It's interesting to learn more about World War I from the point of view of someone else's life story.

source

ten days go by

2012-01-10T09:57:00.000+07:00

image source

twelve.

2012-01-05T18:38:00.000+07:00

So here comes the famous 2012 already yes?

Alhamdulillah for everything happened in 2011, I have lots of things learned. I met good people at school. Speaking of my new friends from our graduate class, I am now still in the middle of final exam, We've done two final presentations and an accounting test, alhamdulillah all went well. We still have another two days to be done before holiday begins, a written test for Project Time Management, and a final project for Project Cost Management and Construction Method.

Bismillah! I have also learned that, no matter how I feel bad and ugly in front of Him so that it makes me too shy to ask, just don't surrender in hoping.. Allah is always there, giving the best out of what I've been praying for..

There are three ways of Allah in answering our prayers, Allah says YES and gives you what you want, Allah says no and gives you better, or Allah says WAIT and gives you the best, eventually...

And hmmm, now I need to pay a little more attention to my office project! I've performed so bad last month, because I dedicated my time doing school's final projects, so later on I think I should focus again with the office, so these two things will be running well at once.

Have a nice day, everyone! Salam :)

Kaleidoscope @2011

2011-12-21T18:12:00.004+07:00

As I promised in the last post, here's the Kaleidoscope of 2011. According to what I wrote in the last year's Kaleidoscope, so it's been 3 years and more now I am with my blog and you, my friends from all over the world. :')

2011. Year of momentum. Time of change. When the decisions were made. And some actions were taken. It's still the same life I'm living in, yet with sooooo many new lesson learned.

Jan.

I joined Sha's 30 photo challenge early this year, and it was such a pleasure and fun being one of the participants, cause I could share photos of my own to see by others and then found these nice persons on the blogging world as friends. Hello sisters! :) And too, my girls and I had a road tripping to Bayah, it's my world record, I drove almost 9 hours non-stop, passing by 3 provinces, from DKI Jakarta, West Java, and Banten (where Bayah is located)!

Feb.

I planned to propose my resignation from my work, but my manager at the office prohibited to do so since we had some projects to be commissioned soon while they didn't have anyone available at that time. I was so fed up so to heal I took a leave before the project begun. Sooo then there was I went to Kudus, Central Java province, to see my cousin sister and her boys.

Mar.

The project where I involved in took us to Balikpapan (East Kalimantan), it was the first time I visited Borneo! I Believe, March was where the work at office getting hectic to the fullest.

Apr.

I went to Bali again with the colleagues from office, we had a research meeting there, it was fun actually, but still felt so different from the one I did with another team on May 2011. I know, because in Bali trip 2011, I was assigned as the event coordinator team, so it somehow had successfully made me almost crazy, coordinating a group of adults, while.. uhmm I am not adult enough at that time. Whaaat does this meaan? Haha, my colleagues would bully me for writing this statement, I guess! :P

May.

Quarter life crisis syndrome? Passion, career, love life. They were all coming to me and brought significances I learned a lot! Thank you my dear friend, for finally willing to tell me how to face it all.. It was so much easier when I knew I never walk alone...

Jun.

How does it feel to have friends that are still willing to stay with you, no matter how imperfect you are, giving you the warmest encouragement in heart to support you to be a better person? to whom you could always back to, every time you want, every time you need. Blessed. Alhamdulillah :) (I copied June 2010's lines, btw. Cause it still feels the way it did last year.) Anyhow, Jun is where the project was finally done, mission accomplished. Yet my manager still asked me to keep joining the team. Sooo?

Jul.

I decided to go back to school. Took the test on early week of July and alhamdulillah three weeks later, the university said that I passed on the test and I could begin my graduate study in the next semester. My dear friend's daddy was not in so good condition, here I learned a lot about the meaning of a family, about sacrifice, about significance shared. I am relieved that finally he was not too late to get good medication. I've learned many things from a life of a person.

Aug.

Nothing much I can say, as long as I remember, I was busy preparing myself for school. And oh ya, August was when I converted my health insurance and bank accounts to islamic banking type (Syar'i). I am so proud to have a friend who has advance knowledge about islamic finance, so I can learn a lot by then. :D

Sep.

The school started! I was sooo much occupied by all these things to adapt. One of my best friend held her wedding and I attended it with my best friend and the dearest too. Too bad, cause I don't really like my night gown, it made me feel so grand! Hehehe

Oct.

I am still in the same company I joined once I graduated from university, so it's officially three years I have been working here, it's an honor and a pleasure for me to be able to stay with both the amusing senior co-workers and the newcomers. They give me a place that I can call my second home, thank you guys, for supporting me to carry on with my carrier here with you all together with my errands for postgraduate study. And the most of all, thank you for giving a very ever-helpful and being soo enthusiastic about my love life. Hahaha. You and especially you, I owe you so much for the patience to hear all of the pieces of my story multiple times. Hihi

Nov.

I am turning 25! Alhamdulillah ya Allah, you've given me a blessed life. I am happy, I have my family completely happy, my besties around, my fantastic dearest friend I have never dreamed of before, to be here beside me. Thank you all, for the encouragement, support and friendship. Thank you Allah for sending them to fulfill my life. :)

Dec.

My family finally decided to move, we think it's now the time to find another smaller house than the one we have been dwelling for these more than five years, because my older brother will move in to his soon-to-be-wife's house at the other municipal, soo then it will just be the three of us living together (me, my mother and my younger brother). 2012 will be much more interesting, I think? What about you? :)

Get & Go

2011-12-13T10:48:00.000+07:00

It's almost end of the year, friends!

Actually, no need to wait till it ends to contemplate and rethink all that happened and passed by in life or to only list down new wish list for the next year. To me, refreshing our spirit, being ready to enter another milestones, getting previous things done and having another challenges to be beaten down, those that matter.

Gonna make 2011 nice kaleidoscope, soon! :)

the story of a root

2011-12-08T20:52:00.001+07:00

Be the root that keeps on seeking the water, breaks through solid soil only for the sake of a tree. When the tree is growing leafy, flowering beautifully and producing fruits... showing its beauty to the world, the root wont be jealous. He will remain in hiding far down the earth. That is the truest meaning of a sincerity; let us straighten our intention for God.

There will be somebody who struggles to be a strong root for every single of you, angel :)

Strategic Management in the Design and Construction Value Chain

2011-12-07T23:32:00.008+07:00

A review on Strategic Management in the Design and Construction Value Chain, a course taught by John D. Macomber at Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

In this course we learned about the initial idea and key concepts in strategic management in the construction, real estate and architecture industries. Market segmentation, vertical integration, competitive advantage, and industry transformation were several topics that also included here. It gave more understanding about business dynamics of real estate and construction, and practices the core planning tools as well.

In the very first place, we need to take notice and learn about strategy itself. Why strategy? It is because in the market world today, strategy is all about how businesses compete and how to earn above average returns. Besides, we would also expand our understanding about the selection of industries, selection of segments, choice of tactics and how to implement the strategies. As a graduate student, we are suggested to have the knowledge about strategy since the value and implementation will be needed in the professional environment we may involve. In business activity, strategic planning is a crucial activity in a concept phase of a business or a project. Some points that should be decided to do are what kind of markets, what services will be provided, where to dedicate our time, what kind of people needed, etc. Some of tools that will be needed in strategy planning are linear conversation, lots of information, organizing thinking, lay-outing assumptions, and planning action to be carried on.

The key concepts in strategic planning are the steps in planning, market segmentation, attractiveness which includes five important forces, generic strategies, and the firm value chain. Starting from the steps of planning there are eight critical steps to be taken, they are formulate the mission, external scan, internal scrutiny strategic analysis, estimating budget, doing it!, measurement, and the last revise and re-iterate. The question that must be answered firstly in the strategic level is what problems are we trying to solve? In the real estate and construction industry, we define the characteristics of this industry and the traditional implications of the business. There are some issues in real estate, design, and construction that must be determined as well, such as fragmentation, low barriers to entry, low economies of scale, single projects, hard to find the incentives to adopt new technologies that rely on many companies sharing information.

Two central questions underlie the choice of competitive strategy are the attractiveness of industries (and segments) for long term profitability and the determinants of relative competitive position. So then we can move on to select a segment in which to compete, based on how profitable the structure should be in the long term. We can also plan the strategy about how to compete, based on industry structure and the resources we have, and then we can shape our business so that we can execute on this strategy with deliberation and efficiency. Competitive advantage is widely known as the strategic advantage one business entity has over its competitor entities within its competitive industry. Achieving competitive advantage strengthens and positions a business better within the business environment. In this strategy, there is a matrix that can be arranged in so many ways that after the trial and error, the reduced final matrix is hopefully useful in helping us to think and explain about the industry and market planning. When mapping the segments, they may have varied attractiveness and in some way should be based on a combination of size, growth rate, competition, and the situation. Another points we should aware in taking this competitive advantage strategy are to consider buyer and seller channels in setting up the segmentation matrix and indicating competitor positions, growth rates, or changes in firm positioning on the matrix. Attractiveness of an industry or of a segment is a function of five forces model by M.Porter, and it can be the indicators of segment profitability as well.

The collective strength of the five competitive forces determines the ability of firms in an industry to earn high rates of return on their invested capital. The strength of the five forces varies from industry to industry, and can change over time. The five forces model can be applied to an entire industry, or to segments of an industry. The five forces determine the industry profitability because they influence the prices, costs, and required investment of firms in an industry – the elements of return on investment.

The value chain, is a concept from business management that was first described and popularized by Michael Porter in his 1985 best-seller,Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. It is a chain of activities for a firm operating in a specific industry. The business unit is the appropriate level for construction of a value chain, not the divisional level or corporate level. Products pass through all activities of the chain in order, and at each activity the product gains some value. The chain of activities gives the products more added value than the sum of the independent activity's value. It is important not to mix the concept of the value chain with the costs occurring throughout the activities. With the firm value chain (within the firm), there are some actions we can do such as identifying key elements in the firm value chain for our situation, selecting which elements we should focus on as we concentrate our efforts. In using this tool, the resource allocation among cells is the key, and in particular over time based on the market strategy we want to pursue. We can use this tool to illustrate the changes in what we do internally.

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ps.1: Look, how lovely management when it is engaged with construction industry. :)
ps.2: No, I am not an MIT student btw, but my lecturers said that knowledge should be stolen and grabbed! Don't waste time waiting till somebody else told you first.

lecture note's source

Epic

2011-12-05T07:16:00.001+07:00

Have mentioned about this friend hundred times here, but seems like it's never enough. The story of you will remain as life passes me through day by day. And until now, I can't stop thanking Allah for lying across the most beautiful sunny day of you and me in a simultaneous time and space. In a morning of our early age where He sent me a friend coming with truest heart, willing to save me. From the first time we met.

In the meantime, along with all the laughter, every single tear drop, and lessons learned, we grew up together. Even though there were these times I thought I am not though enough to fight everything with you, it was always you who convinced me back that things will be just going better as long as we're focus working on it together. I don't know how you did it almost only by nothing yet it makes me cry at the consideration of how Generous Allah to me is, for entrusting me a friend who is patient. Alhamdulillah :')

You said our life is a rare one; a single emergence among other unlimited outwards of human being, so that you don't want to be just another human coming in and going out of this world, traceless. You said too I should stick cause I'll complete that dream. So I stay, not after your asking or for making those dreams come true, but I can feel that there's nothing best but this place I should lean to, a place of beauty I could only had once.

25

2011-12-02T00:49:00.000+07:00

Alhamdulillah, now I am officially 25 :)
So happy that I could hang around people I love and laugh a lot together, still. Like we're only 18. Hehe

And look what they had for me!.. a Chinese food recipe book and a pink headphone! Unpredictable yet lovely :) thank you! You, you, you and the rest of you my girls! :p

:)

2011-11-26T07:05:00.002+07:00

The most precious blessing after blessings of faith and Islam is to have a friend who is pious.

~Umar Bin Khattab

Good night and have a nice dream..

2011-11-25T22:04:00.000+07:00

I fall in love with Allison Dubois's three daughters from Medium, slightly in the first sight. They are so cute and smart! I also addicted with all the supernatural things this TV series is all about. Here, let me introduce to Ariel, Bridgette and baby Marie. Aren't they the cutest? :D

Both Mommy and Dad in this family are smart persons, an attorney and an engineer.

Sorry I don't talk much about the series itself, because the idea beyond posting about this is that several days ago, I dreamed about being with three little girls of my own :) It was such a beautiful dream, indeed!. :)

source: here, and here

the journey: a glimpse

2011-11-23T20:03:00.001+07:00

Will upload some pictures I collect from my friends (and my mobile phone too) we took during last week's trip. So this was actually a visit to our senior colleague's wedding party in Yogyakarta, so the office funded some of us to attend as representative. Besides, my manager suddenly planned a research meeting with fellow researchers from Surabaya and Denpasar office. Since we have an agenda to also visit Ulen Sentalu Museum in Kaliurang, then it's not only a business trip, but also a little vacation. :)

Here's the bus, we headed from Jakarta at 8pm on Thursday and arrived the next day at 9am. For some friends, the seats are not comfortable, but for me it suits well already, I have my best nap so that on Friday I have enough stamina. :D

The girls in front handicraft shop of at Ulen Sentalu Culture Museum

After visiting Ulen Sentalu, we went to have lunch, and the toughest part is, our manager insisted of having a formal meeting, completed with hand-outs, charts and analysis. Haha

In the afternoon once the meeting was done, we finally headed to Hotel, imagine that we all haven't showered yet since yesterday. Haha (again). In the night, we had a walk to Malioboro. So happy to be in Yogyakarta again! yet I miss Jakarta somehow hehe :p

The next day was my birthday! Ya Allah I am now 25!:) And surprisingly in the morning, my best friend who lived in this city texted me and said she was already in the hotel lobby and brought me 3 cute little cupcakes! Thank you my little dear, I am happy seeing you with your hijab now..

So it was actually the d-day, here's us again ladies at the wedding party. Oh yes now it's obvious here that I am getting bigger significantly! School makes me eat more. :p

The party was the last thing we have in the agenda, the trip coordinator canceled the go to the south beach" thing, because it was raining all the day, so we only got stuck in the bus parking in front of Vredenburgh Museum waiting for some colleagues bought bakpia before we went back to Jakarta again.

I am surprised too that my manager and my research coworkers were so nice to remember my birthday, they even prepared a birthday cake. The nicest part was they didn't put any number there and replaced it a question mark "?", They though age will be a sensitive number for a woman. Although somehow, I am still the youngest among them. Heehe :p

I am still waiting for all the pictures from the office's camera and all of my friends'! Conclusion, it's Yogyakarta that I always love. :)

the never ending is to be continued!

2011-11-17T19:07:00.002+07:00

My office mates and I will be heading to Yogyakarta again tonight! :) The last time I went there was more than a year ago with my lovely colleagues, and now we're going there again to attend the editor's wedding party and to hold a so-called coordination research meeting there. Waaa, I am so excited! This is my first journey out of town since I started college since my last business trip was..ehmm April 2011 back then.

I grabbed the picture above from my dearest friend's photo album, it's his hometown in Yogyakarta. :) Can't hardly wait to see nature and beaches again. Yet I am sure I will be definitely missing you all. Salam.

randomly rambling

2011-11-16T23:49:00.003+07:00

I dont think it's quite appropriate to write down a very personal experience of mine regarding to meeting an 'arranged suitor' my aunties had set for me wordlessly. I don't like this idea actually, since they didn't give me any prior clue about myself being arranged to a son of a relative I barely know. How does this sound to you girls? All I can say before was just okay! because the intention behind it all is to help me. We never could know who is the rightest match if we never try to find them, the saying goes. But after what I have experienced lately, I hope I won't be trapped in any kind of arrangement in the nearest time for a while. Until I am sure I can deal with what I have to deal with.

I am not gonna tell the world again that I am busy right now. I wrote it all the times, didn't I? yet I know we are all busy, everyone's busy, not only me. But, I can't deny that everything which was supposed to only just begun, felt down because I was so selfish by only thinking about my projects at work and my school assignments. Fyi, this guy and I have once slightly met in a family gathering, and it is quite enough for a beginning, isn't it? As a new acquaintance, I think this guy should try to learn about me , if he wanted, starting from my daily activities first and stuffs I do on a regular basis ,as a FRIEND. What makes him so intent knowing me more and think that I already accept this arrangement and will move on to something really serious like.. marriage? Oh no man, this will not be going any further if my instinct doesn't sense good about this thing.

So, what do you think this guy should do in the first place, when I, the other part, don't feel right yet about what our mothers have been discussed together? He should be patient, shouldn't he?! A girl is not a thing you can opt and pick and bring home like you're buying something in a supermarket. For sure, I won't let myself be akin.

And then, as this guy has made me felt like an option chosen by him and should finally be his, I let myself became busier than ever so that I could test how good he will take care of his intention towards me. That is all. I was not giving difficulties to any parties since I don't even have the time to do things that can make matters worse, I just try to show him the real me, the meanest and most ignorant girl he could ever see. Face me, I want to see how firm his consistency is. That's all the first thing we should match before this deserves a step further.

And you know what?? He was getting brutal and very inpatient. He really wanted us to have a meet up again so we can talk about our vision and mission. Soon! No matter how dizzy and hectic I was at that time concerning my Project Cost Management's remedial midtest! From that time on, I know he's not serious with me as I am, he cared only with his pretension about finally getting married. I wouldn't talk about how rude he eventually became. I know my rejections to his will about going outside and dating has made him mad, very mad. Mad enough to make him a good teaser. Impatience has brought him who seemed nice at first became a scary monster. I never imagined before that disappointment could change someone to be so different. Or perhaps that's the real him. I considered that it's true, he's inpatient and arrogant. So by here, I quit. No need to take any process.

I am thinking about telling my aunties that they actually don't need to find me a suitor or alike, for I somehow have found a good mate since a long time ago; a person who is simultaneously sympathetic and respectful to me that he never brings me seriously down in any way and is fully supportive with all efforts I do to reach my goals, but better wait though, we still could give a little more time when everything between us has getting more..likely, dearest?:) I don't know yet. Wallahualam.

PS. For the son of my aunt's relative, I am really sorry. But this can't work because it just came in a very unsuitable time. I do hope that he'll find the right person at the right time. Amiiiiin :)

To The Fullest

2011-11-05T21:48:00.001+07:00

Haloooo November...
I brought some good news here! the first one is that I finally have passed through my mid-semester test this whole week and another thing is one of my best friends invited us to a sushi dinner in a dimsum restaurant to celebrate her ** th birthday party last week, just the night before the mid-semester test started. :D

Here's the picture of us, We almost never did this way of posing since hmmm these last three years, perhaps? ;p

Anyway, I need to confess that I really miss blogging soooooo much, but I just can't find the right time to do so, oh and I even do not have any idea what to write. Engineering has taken all my energy all every single day, and I still need an adaptation too to my work performance at the office. So that's how then I am totally occupied by these two things. Continuing postgrad study at the university which I earned my bachelor degree feels not so much more different with the architecture school era even though now I am majoring project management. Still with the heaps of assignments and stay up in the nights and have an online discussion with curious classmates. Hehe. I think that's all, folks.

Happy Idul Adha, my friends! :)

Any other good news around here, November? Hmm.. I smell another birthday bash!

Good Three

2011-10-22T23:49:00.000+07:00

"Be strong when you're weak. Be brave when you're scared. Be humble when you're victorious."

~Stunning Hijab

Good night, you all ;)

Howdy, watcha doin!

2011-10-21T21:11:00.002+07:00

Assalamualaikum :)

Ah glad to see this interface again, some of my friends asked me why I didn't blogging for a while? Oh any of you miss me too? hihi.

I haven't see spiderwebs hanging around here yet, so it's still OK and not that late for me to be back, yes? :P

So spare me some time and I will get a time to post something here soon! InsyaAllah.. Now I am going to see what I have missed from my dear fellow bloggers..See ya!

I Love Thee!

2011-10-04T08:52:00.000+07:00

The news is: my younger brother is now living with us (again), after having a couple of month summer course in Turkey followed by a full year living as student in Notthingham, now all of his postgrad missions have been accomplished. I should admit the title I wrote above because he's so kind and very compliant in giving all his weapons during his study to me, once he touched down our motherland. :D

Besides the Dolce&Gabbana's Light Blue and a little music machine (I can't say it is a 'cute little music box,' since it absolutely manifested the "industrial age" in its appearance, and what's the point giving a grumpy sister a music box which sings Love Story? haha) he brought back a technology innovation I barely see here in Indonesia and lately I know it's a Kindle! Since actually he has two notebooks, I took the newest one and labeled it mine! Haha. Alhamdulillah Ya Allah, You gave me this kind of supports through my brother's used things. It really helps me though, both in my work and study activities. Here, my new bestfriends :)

In class, I learn that technology innovation is made in order to improve the quality of human life. And it's not only a theory written in a book, it's true we can't agree more, right?

image source: here and here

September Ends

2011-10-03T09:00:00.009+07:00

Assalamualaikum friends! Tell me it's real that October comes already, don't you realize September ends that fazt? For me, September was so tiring yet thrilling. :) Anyway, there were several good events happened in September that I haven't blog it all. :p

Firstly, my older brother's engagement day, his wedding is 3 months away by now then! Argh, we should let he goes to his wife soon-to-be's house :D. Second, my best friend finally held her luxurious dream wedding (but none of us the bride-maids brought cameras and took some pictures from the event), hope she will have a happy life with his partner of life forever. :) The third is, I started my master degree's first semester and everything is going well, I love the course, the lecturers, and the classmates. :) Fourth, my younger brother has now back for good all the way from UK after he got his M.A, but the saddest part of his comeback is he sleeps in my bedroom! So now I am officially moving to my mother's. And just another good news, my dearest friend and I could somehow find a way to intersect our tight schedule and have some quality time together talking and discussing about everything, we even plan to have a motorcycle training for me soon. Hehe. Thank you dear for filling my heart with gladness and taking away my sadness, you ease my troubles. Okey now it sounds like Rob Steward's lyrics. :D

Since the responsibility and new role that I play in my life currently are added, time seems to be so tiny that I should get hurry here, there and everywhere. I need to adapt with the mobility and loads of task to do, that is why I barely meet the right time to write here, hehe. And.. since the domestic worker to clean the house is still meee, I begin to realize that our house is way too big! I need at least an hour to sweep and mop all corners of the house. My loveliest mother, could we move to a cute little house like this, please? :)

"Yeah, you go buy it yourself!". My mother said. :))

image source

Bid for Statehood

2011-09-24T23:49:00.001+07:00

Palestinian asked for a legal statehood and UN membership yesterday, and pardon my lack of knowledge, what was happened that day? Well, from what I just read on some website like here and here and here, it was a rough day and they still have a long way of struggling for Palestine to gain freedom that they should deserve.

The question has been prolongedly immersed in my mind, should we negotiate with a group of burglars coming to our house and giving them half or even more part of our land to occupy? Living in peace and let them take our property? What do you think?

PS. I know this topic is not compatible to be discussed here as I don't know much about what's actually happening out there, yet I keep praying that someday, my brother and sister still hold on to the hope and have faith that we will eventually get back what we once fully owned. After those years of sufferings, it's understandable that there should be "enough" word. Insya Allah.

October Green Forum

2011-09-10T11:04:00.003+07:00

Going back to the office after a week Eid holiday in the beginning of September is going fine so far, but I think we will be busier than our usual day because we're going to have a big event in less then a month! And as a researcher in the building and construction industry's media company, I think it's kind of my basic instinct to spread the words about this international conference.

Well, anyone in the design process and interested in sustainability and green architecture is highly suggested to check the message below.

Green building and sustainability are sometimes regarded as fashionable, but are becoming more and more crucial in today's built environment. One of the main challenges of this trend has been to lift it from a niche to a broad application in architectural planning. Besides cost issues, what are the reasons for this? What are crucial factors for good performance? Which are examples of best practice?

The FuturArc Forum 2011 will answer all of these questions. With international experts and local examples, the principles of sustainable architecture will undergo an in depth analysis. Moving beyond the usual “why” and “what” questions circulating in the green building arena, the FuturArc Forum 2011 leaps ahead and tackles the challenging questions of “how it is implemented” and “how to sustain it”. In a series of seven events, in seven countries, attendees will have the chance to learn about green building and sustainable design first hand from leading architects, engineers and academics.

The event will be accompanied by an exhibition acknowledging the innovations and achievements in green technologies.

When and Where?

Date	:	04 October 2011 - 04 October 2011
Venue	:	9:00am - 6:00pm Mutiara Ballroom, Gran Melia Jakarta Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. X-0, Kuningan Jakarta 12950

What?

It's when the “Who is Who” of the sustainable architecture and green building design scene in Southeast Asia and beyond presents their projects
	INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER for the MASTER CLASS SESSION	Prof. Dr. Deo Prasad Program Director: Sustainable Development - University of New South Wales, Australia
	FUTURARC 1^ST PRIZE WINNER 2010	Ramandhoni Dwi Payana Principal Architect in Simon & Dhoni Studio Indonesia
	FUTURARC 3^rd PRIZE WINNER 2010	Yu Sing Lim Principal Architect Genesis Architecture Studio Indonesia
	FuturArc Green Leadership Award Winner 2011	Ridwan Kamil Principal of Urbane Indonesia Architect PT Indonesia
	FuturArc Green Leadership Award Winner 2011	William C.W. Wong Director of Building Services - Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong
Supported by with the Indonesian Green Building Council and the Indonesian Institute of Architects

Under the patronage of FuturArc Prize Sponsors and the Green Leadership Sponsor

Organised by		Funded by

How?
Please kindly contact our office

Manggala Wanabakti Building 8th Floor, Wing A Suite 805
Jl. Jend. GatotSubroto Jakarta Pusat 10270;
(+62) 21 5790 2930

or check the website.

See ya there! :D

thanks to you

2011-09-04T18:15:00.005+07:00

Dear you.. I want to thank you again and again, because saying it once or twice more still couldn't pay back the kindliness you've ever given me. You, who was ever be someone I always depend on to, someone with whom I felt safe and sound, someone with whom I could still remember how the way happiness of a little girl happened to me although it was already more that ten years ago.. But when Allah took you back with Him and left us all in this perishable life, I learned something precious, that I can't depend on people to make me happy. Only Allah in His immeasurable compassionate can do that. So I learn to put my trust only in Him.

~
Thank you for teaching me how to love
Showing me what the world means
What I've been dreamin' of
And now I know, there is nothing that I could not do
Thanks to You

For teaching me how to feel
Showing me my emotions
Letting me know what's real
From what is not
What I've got is more that I'd ever hoped for
And a lot of what I hope for is
Thanks to you

No mountain, no valley
No time, no space
No heartache, no heartbreak
No fall from grace
Can't stop me from believing
That my love will pull me through
Thanks to You

There's no mountain, no valley
No time, no space
No heartache, no heartbreak
No fall from grace
Can't stop me from believing
That my love will see me through
Thanks to You
Thanks to You

For teaching me how to live
Putting things in perspective
Teaching me how to give
And how to take
No mistake
We were put here together
And if I breakdown
Forgive me but it's true
That I'm aching with the love I feel inside
Thanks to You
Thanks to you

~

I've just randomly stumbled across the lyrics of Tyler Collins's Thanks to You, and it is something that can be pretty much related to what I write now.

Few days ago, where we all celebrated the festivity of eid day, did visits to gather with big family members and forgave all the mistakes that have ever happened among us with all the kith and kin.. on August 31 for exact, I still imagined what if my beloved daddy was still here with us? We could have celebrated his birthday as well now.. But I swallowed those questions back, because I know, he is now already in the best place where he should be, resting in peace. And I also learn to believe that the things happened to us human are all under Allah's will.

...happy birthday Papa, you know I always remember you and pray for you from down here :)

Sent from my BlackBerry®

Eid Mubarak 1432 H

2011-09-03T08:13:00.000+07:00

Though it's a little bit late, I hope the gates of sincerity and forgiveness from every single of you are still widely opened for me and my family. Happy hari raya idul fitri, friends! Hopefully in this Syawal we can be the same old person but with a new better spirit. Salam :)

"Don't fast unless you sight the crescent, and don't break your fast till you sight the (following) crescent" (Al-Bukhari, Vol3:130)

*image source

ifthar with colleagues

2011-08-26T09:54:00.000+07:00

Beside running on my targeted ramadhan schedule, I also still keep chasing my monthly deadline at the office. That's why somehow I find it very difficult to write down things here. Yet now, it's the last day of work and alhamdulillah I have done with my personal deadline, so here I am, posting some blurry pictures from the break-fasting with my office colleagues here.

I didn't really love the food here, but it still tasted good anyway. But if I may ask, I would love to go here again. It's the best restaurant near our office I have ever visited. :D

The office now has some new and young probies, it really makes me feel sooooo senior (I don't think "old" really suites what I mean ;p) because most of them call me with Mbak (a term to call an older sister in Javanese language).

In Ramadhan this year, I don't really keen on going to breakfasting events with people even though I have some invitations from friends, but because Jakarta's traffic is now getting crazier (I can't say with words anymore how it could drive you crazy) so instead of wasting hours trapped in the traffic I think it's best to save it by just having ifthar at home with my beloved mother. Save time, save money, save energy.

I actually have another breakfasting event with from-college-to-life best friends but I haven't shared it because I can't find the chance to edit the pictures these days, (sorry girls! later yaa!) and one left invitation to go with my dearest friend once he's done with his things. :)

And... we still have 4 more days to go! let's make these last few days to fullest before it goes away...

Wealth vs Poor

2011-08-19T10:04:00.003+07:00

there's no wealth like knowledge,

no poverty like ignorance.

~Ali bin Abu Thalib

one fine day

2011-08-13T19:05:00.000+07:00

This break-fasting event with best friends back in 2009 was one of the days I miss. Hey ladies, it was almost two years ago! Would we make another wonderful eating-out together in this year's Ramadhan? Well, this will sound cheesy.. yet obvious, hmm.. I think I miss you guys, haha.

do i really grow up?

2011-08-08T20:04:00.004+07:00

I still remember the joyful old days when studying and going to school could be so interesting and full of spirit like those back in elementary and junior high. It was the time when my parents always bought me stationery as rewards for my good scores at school. I always remember how intriguing school was, being in the classroom, sitting in my chair, surrounded by a colorful pencil box with a set of minimum 12 color pens on my desk. Those were my glorious moments, a time when doing homework in my rainbow-colored notebook was my very first thing when I came back after school. Hehe. Seriously, how could I not? Who could be bored when you have this Kiki and Lala, Kerokerokeroppi, My Melody , and the famous Hello Kitty characters in your pencil box, notebook and all of your stationery stuffs? I definitely can't.

Somehow until today, I still stuff myself around with these cute characters from my childhood years. Some friends even asked me why I put cartoon as my profile picture in facebook, blackberry messenger, or even wallpapers in every gadget of mine? Hmm.. I just think it's too cute. :D

Anyway, though I can't say that I am either a smart person or a fast learner, I am always sure that I love to learn very much, so I hope that the next milestone I am going to jump up to will be as delighting and enchanting like the old school days.

PS. A friend once asked, how could you be a grown-up with all these things around? Haha. I also question myself, have I ever really grown-up?

*all pictures are the courtesy of Sanrio Co., Ltd

Morning Deal

2011-08-04T09:10:00.007+07:00

I am on my seat at the office ready to start working as when I sign in the instant messenger I stumble across a status of a colleague, it is more or less like this,

"When you have decided to be with someone, there are only two options; either to love them or to love them more."

Good morning everyone, let's be productive today! :)

The Orange Girl

2011-08-02T15:55:00.002+07:00

This is one of my favorite books I've read some times ago. Jostein Gaarder is the author whose thought provoking fairy-tale romance writing style with philosophical and life-questioning themes. The Orange Girl is one of his masterpiece. I didn't really remember the details of the story, yet I am not even good at writing book reviews, so here I am not going to make one but look! Here are some awesome and wondrous covers of it printed in almost 40 languages around the world. Double awesome. :D

source

PS. What's your all-time favorite book? :)

Surprises

2011-08-01T13:00:00.007+07:00

Hei! It's another fortnight and it's August already! :) My best friend said this morning about how amazing that in a year there were so many things happened and in some extent -surprisingly changed. Well I answered her with "sometimes life surprises you", it was the sentence said by officer Ziva David to her father on a scene from my current favorite TV series, NCIS. Yes, indeed. As for me when time passed by, everything was never the same again (Oh okey, I am working as a project researcher in the same office since I graduated from my architectural school, still), but guess what, I finally made up my mind on several things, one of them is I decided to embrace my future with continuing my study in my (previous) university! That's just average, another important things are one of my best girls has engaged with her almost 9-years boyfriend and is still preparing for their wedding day next month, and not so long before their big day, my older brother will propose his potential girl for finally tying the knot in the year ahead. And oh yeah, my younger brother who has finally earn his Politics and International Relations master degree will be coming back for good soon after he celebrates Eid Fitri in UK! Ah, I will surely be stressful again when he's back home since he tends to make messiness all around the house. :))

In the first day of Ramadhan I would like to greet everyone Happy Fasting! InshaAllah we can do good deeds as much as we can, even much more that last year's ramadhan sincerely only for Him. And I really feel so blessed to be surrounded by my supportive lovelies in this Ramadhan. What's your target anyway? My dearest friend and I compete each other in a qur'an competition, let's see which one of us can read the most Qu'ran during the month. :)

People, things and events are just like playful lamps spinning above our heads, just enjoy the richness of those colors they bring for that makes our life merry, more than just a boring unwritten white board.

the university of life

2011-07-15T16:14:00.006+07:00

Hello my vanilla ice cream, howwwwwdy? Been fortnight already since the last post but that was just like yesterday, life in meantime might seem flatly working well though, yet fortunately I have learned so many valuable things from the bad and hurtfulness and it's just relieving to ever be in it all. Through the life of a friend that I have known for so long, Allah has taught me the truest meaning of the terms being strong to face the worst strikes in life and being vulnerable to face the next hits by keep standing up after every falling. Subhanallah.

This friend keeps sincerely smiling regardless to the fact that there's a lot of real problems that must be faced everyday and should get it all solved, here they literally mean real things like family members, money, health, and even the surrealist one like the future life. As for this friend, tests of life will only make us stronger and understand the art of living life to the fullest. I see with my own how this friend has got used to endure all those prolonged sufferings only with patience. Fate is never cruel.. it will be nice to you if you want to just deal with it. These times, I only wonder how could that kind of prosperity in one person's heart might ever exist in today's cruelest world. I feel so relieved that I can be a little part of this person's life as I can learn a lot about human and life. But somehow it's also disappointing that I can't help much. Almost nothing. :(

Hello Hustlers

2011-07-01T05:24:00.002+07:00

Wow, it's July already, aka the first month in the second part of 2011! :) Some good news upon me now are #1; I am handling a new position starting today (still in the same office though, but I've asserted my manager to make everything easy for me during my last tenure for the next respective months) and I hope everything will be just fine like I've already planned as #2; I am so keen on pursuing new knowledge, and #3; I am waiting for the coming of my long lost friend for that we have set a meet-up after all our own things duly worked out. Bismillahirahmanirrahim for everything. Have a happy friday, everyone! Keep struggling hard as the quote says:

"Things may come to those who wait…but only the things left by those who hustle.”

~ Abraham Lincoln

image source

Barakallah!

2011-06-30T05:52:00.003+07:00

... is the word that often spread out in the air lately as I've been invited to my friends' wedding ceremonies around these days. Everybody around my age (yes, us! the mid-twenties) seems ready in tying the knot and settling down with their loved other half. Many had asked me, when is your turn? Hehe, I just successfully managed myself to answer it all with, "secret!" Not that I already plan something big and keep it discreet merely to make it sound surprising but yes it indeed is Allah's secret. :)

And one of the happy wedding days is my best friend's! This happy girl (the one in the right side) whom I always feel happy to be around has finally found the one with whom she will spend her life to reach His bless. You are right dear, it is just a matter of time.

This happy couple will build their happy life together as husband and wife in a house that I designed back in 2009. We're sooooooooo happy for you, mbauput!

The Guest House

2011-06-29T19:55:00.000+07:00

Another beautiful and thoughtful words from Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, he's always been my favorite.

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whomever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

(from the The Essential Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks)

Another Moment in Time

2011-06-27T00:50:00.000+07:00

There is this person I like to talk about whose life like a wave with thousand spin-drifts which successfully made me want to dive in its far down; an ocean-like, a very vast one. I tried hard to save myself from being attached to anyone by building high castle walls around my fragility, because somehow it's true when some people said that attachments lead to expectations and expectations lead to.. disappointments. But, with those honorific respect and impressive sympathy this friend had showered me with, how can I not? Throughout all of these tough times I refused any summons and intricately still stood solitaire, one thing I aware is that I was unexplainably determined with the spin-drifts this friend has been through with. It's surprising as I have spent these 8 years and 8 months growing up with all that only complying from the outside. Yet regardless to what's the intention of this friend's concealment to bridge our inner world, I feel so blessed that I could still open my eyes wide until today and see ya around without any less of anything. Alhamdulillah.

My best friend.. happy birthday again! :)

I ask Allah that He would like to bless you with humble gratifications you've always wished. I am happy seeing you happy. I know you will be.

And keep wishing our friendship to last forever wont be too much now, right? The company to bring the wind of change in my life along with its supernal determination, the one who always reminds me to plant and spread the seed of goodness. There's a lot of people coming in and going out through my door, nevertheless I hope you would like to stay around and give me more only everything. Like always, my dearest..

image source

Give Me a Break!

2011-06-23T00:15:00.014+07:00

Hi I come again, today's post will be full enough with a series of photo from the street life of Saigon city I've visited back in the end of 2009. It's already been many times I said that I desperately need a vacation or any kind of escapism to get a break from the hectic routine living under pressure with heavy load of work, because seeing and experiencing new things from different places is always a good way of rejuvenation for me.

Anyway, I took the photos above using my pocket camera, but have it done with Polaroid effect using this application. Go download it for free! :) It's fun!

Fostered Flowers

2011-06-22T00:02:00.064+07:00

Everyone can be busy with their own stuffs for a long time of period, but may I say that I'm actually missing my city farmer friend now, after the tight schedule of mine reaching yesterday's deadline, I have just realized that no matter what, I actually still need this other one to share things with although that somehow I've successfully done it alone my way. Dont take this as a statement or an act of demanding much attention from whom I consider as the most treasured one. I just hope we could have some free time very soon and escape a little from the hustle and bustle of this speeding life, walk down the street by the lake, in a place where we used to spend our transition time from teenage to young adulthood separately together, talk about everything, plan we've made, people we've met, things we've done, and any kind of memories during the times we haven't been with each other. That's what we call caring friendship. :)

It's quite weird to feel that we've grown together meanwhile we're just too worldly apart. Whatsoever the disparities might be, I want to watch the flowers grow; coloring spaces between us and harmonizing the discrepancies we probably still have in mind...

These pictures were taken at Petaling Street during last year's business trip to KL.
PS. I desperately need some kind of holiday!

Moving Forward

2011-06-21T16:12:00.022+07:00

Earliest this morning, my cousin sister sent me a message, which pretty much helps in boosting my mood and firming my conviction about the decision I am going to take from this point forward. If there's anything I would like to say in the first place is to give a sincerest apology to my manager at the office as for me being hard to handle and stubborn lately. I should really thank him for the opportunity for me to lead a big project. Since the project has FINALLY DONE now, I can have enough free time for blogging from the office. :D

Anyway, these are some verses from the morning message which I said self-convincing. I know that sometimes, there's always this kind of days coming in between the anxiousness and senseless when I feel empty and just don't know what I really want in life, have not considered yet what I want to do, or even to imagine what I want to be in the future. But nevertheless, I hope it wont happen again, to me or any of us, because it's such a waste of time, you know. Don't you think that the phrases below will be useful for the times when those flustering question marks taking place all over your brain, do ya? Worry not, because we actually already have the answers from our holy Al-Qur'an. :)

Why are we tested?
answered in Al-Ankabut: 2-3

Do people think that they will be left alone because they said "we believe!", and will not be tested? And we indeed tested those who were before them, and Allah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and Allah will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allah knows that before putting them to the test).

Why don't I get what I want?
answered in Al-Baqarah: 216

But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not.

Why were we tested this hard?
answered in Al-Baqarah : 286

Allah does not charge a soul except (with that within) its capacity. It will have (the consequence of) what (good) it has gained, and it will bear (the consequence of) what (evil) it has earned.

Why should feel so stressed?
answered in Al-Imran : 139

So do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are (true) believers.

Why should we face it?
answered in Al-Baqarah : 45

And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive (to Allah).

What do I get?
answered in At-Taubah : 111

Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties (in exchange) for that they will have Paradise.

To whom I should rely on?
answered in At-Taubah: 129

But if they turn away, (O Muhammad), say, "Sufficient for me is Allah ; there is no deity except Him. On Him I have relied, and He is the Lord of the Great Throne.

I can't cope with these all any longer!
answered in Yusuf: 87

Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people.

Hmm, I think it will best to re-read these verses again later at home. Ahhh, can I go home now, Boss?I am sleepyyyyyy :D Just out of my curiosity, is the anyone here had ever read Sayyid Qutb's Fi Zhilalil Quran? I'm planning to start reading it as I found it interesting when I saw in my mother's library last night.

the in between

2011-06-15T00:49:00.009+07:00

To a dearest friend of mine,

Tears no more as those all had gone to the shore
whereas the candle-lights lit to ignite the night
To cause our thing just feels so unearthly

In the outline of two little spaces
that create resonance in silence
Rushing each solitude to the outstretched
as if they were tweezed
Fondling the second where the word here and there
loop in a series of chain
Knowing that now and then are
only for The Highest of all kinds

It is like hand in hand
standing in a good ground of intention
that meets without sights
wherein sizzling without hissing
For only reverently echoed beautiful ways of thought
that could tight the in between of us closely to the rest

You are distinguishably distinct for all the sacrifices
as good as of the angels without wings
Who lifts me up when I am about to give up
Blows me with the most high spirited breathing one could have
that heals all the bitter in taste.

Salam everyone! Yes, I am still alive, Alhamdulillah :)

I know that it's weird coming back here again and begin with an ugly poem, but it's quite nice for a try, right? As the update is that life has been filled with so many blessings I even couldn't ever count.
Thank you Allah, You're the One..

And just like what my dear friend once told me, we don't have to feel scared of the future, as the only destination of all is to be in His way. We have to struggle and embrace the best in achieving our future life, yes. But the life after this future life of the world is a bigger fighting we should also win.

Why Are We Here?

2011-06-03T11:42:00.002+07:00

image source

Please ignore Hobbes' We're Here to Devour Each Other Alive answer. I just, over and over again, start thinking about what's the purpose of our creation in this life after seeing so many things happened around us today. What's the point on working so hard? To look after your family? To pursue the life of your dreams? To contribute in making a better world to be dwelled? Heard too shallow for me now. Maaan, could they just stop the news on the corruption things arise these days? This, this, this and many more cases are dreadfully nauseating. Don't we think that this world and all the things live on it are only for temporary and won't last forever, do we?

Sailorman's Love

2011-05-30T00:13:00.018+07:00

image source

I've been favoring them along with another cute animated couples like Aladdin-Princess Jasmine and Mickey-Minnie Mouse. Again, who doesn't? :D And guess what?!! A co-worker from our branch office sent me a multifunction designed lady bag with this Miss Fickle-Being on it! Aww thank you.. she's soo kind by giving me this as a farewell gift. :)

Isn't it lovely?:)

Undeniably Craved

2011-05-29T11:10:00.003+07:00

image source

Two things in once that I really need now are a chance to relaxingly lay down in (an English styled, may I?) library like this one and a good time reading books from my 'unread' section of the bookshelves at home. Been ages since the last time I satisfyingly finished something very good.

Which are seemingly hard to do these days.

But surely be back later soon cause now I should work on the latest research project! My manager will check it out tonight, I think. :))

what makes a good company?

2011-05-19T20:49:00.006+07:00

Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) was once asked "Which of our companions are best?"

And he replied:

"Your best friend is the one whose appearance reminds you of Allah, whose speech increases you in knowledge, and whose actions remind you of the Hereafter."

(Al-Muhasibi)

I think I already have one like described in the hadith, but never really realized as I just take it for granted all this time..

Have you ever met this kind of people? :")

Our Favorite Verses

2011-05-16T00:02:00.011+07:00

PS. Background picture was taken during Cambodia trip.

The Chosen One

2011-05-15T00:01:00.006+07:00

I didn't really recognize him until I read in some posts in Colours of My Life. And I even just realized what kind of music he brought after I listened to his songs which were played in some TV shows here throughout the week when Indonesia had him coming in back in the beginning of May. Frankly speaking, I didn't adore him as a person (that I am not a teenager anymore), but just exactly like what the news said here and there on the web that this Lebanese guy's aim in singing his meaningful songs is to inspire people and to send a message of peace and hope to the world, his lyrics which is spreading message of Islam has made huge impact in so many people's lives, like said.

As a songwriter and singer, he has full respect for the thoughts of people who believe that music is prohibited, so he didn't judge those opinions. One of the wishful thinking I just noted that our scholars have different opinions regarding this matter and I somehow agree that music is allowed as long as it is used for a good cause and within the limits of Islam. (source)

And this is my favorite; The Chosen One. it's a blessing that on the days like these, where the world we life today becomes crazier and crazier.. there are still lots of people who practice and follow the Messenger's way of life. SubhanAllah..

Anyway... I am so happy that my dearest sisters, Blue Pearl and Rialive, gave me this butterfly award. Oh I cant imagine that I am really that cool, dear! But million thanks for considering me as one :) For me, you both are the coolest as well!

The "tell something about myself" part will be: I never know about what's going to happen in my future. But at this time, I am relieved to know that there's someone out there who keeps praying for me, unconditionally, for years. Knowing that somehow there's a will to strive our best together has made me feel strong to embrace tomorrow with the most beautiful thing I thank Allah for at the utmost now. That this imperfect life I perceive is so wonderful. :)

And finally, this butterfly will be passed with honor to these sisters of mine.. You and you (again!), Sweet Serenity, Spill beans, My Lips are Sealed, Colours of My Life, Rose Water, and Dear Little Auntie. Cool blogs! :)

After the Office Hours

2011-05-14T11:34:00.009+07:00

Last night, my friends from research division and I went to a Javanese ambienced restaurant located in Setiabudi area, Jakarta, to celebrate one of our colleague's winning as the best researcher of the year 2011, an internal competition held regionally by the company in its all country's offices. Or we could call him, Research's Mr universe. It's only the six of us, though. But it was fabulous! Oh what a word, haha.

This is the A blood type girl #1 who sit behind my back at the office, she actually has a blog which can't be easily found only by typing her name in google, because she still managed to keep it private, I think I am the only one who knows the blog address, probably. Haha! :))

And here's the A blood type girl #2 with her new sunglasses. Oh what's with this blood type thing, ha? Yes, she had successfully spread out among us the theory of blood type to analyse a person's personality. May I give her link? Oh, click this. :P

Meeee. The B blood type girl. Nothing much to tell. Or just read the whole postings of this blog. Hehe.

And.. the O-B-O blood type guys! Young and talented project researchers our Big Boss could ever had! Oh not to forget,congrats to the B blood type man sitting in the center. Our one thousand dollar man! :D

Oh I know this one was blurry, but I cant stop myself from uploading it here. :P I really love the old ontel bicycles hanging on the wall.

The funniest thing happened was when I drove all the way to the restaurant, some of them complimented how smooth I was when slipping in between the cars and the traffic jams (as for them I usually drove in high speed and harsh), not long after being flattered by the compliments, I wrongly headed into the empty busway corridor #6. I was so panic then I added my speed even more and more, and that made everyone became panic as well. But as the B blood type person, I ended up still making fun of it and laugh my stupidity loud, and cheerfully congratulating myself for not being caught by the police. Can you imagine how depressed these A blood type girls at that time? :)

More about the blood type personalities here.

From the Stage

2011-05-13T23:50:00.008+07:00

As promised before, these are some shoots from the event held by the office back in two weeks ago.

Some of the plaques for the award recipients whom we should call to come to the stage.

I was so happy because there I wore costume as exactly as what I want to look like, though the make up was too bright in my face, but overally people could say that the nose-shading was well done.. while some others thought that the eye-shadowing was average.. lol

I really should be careful with the stairs of the stage since my purple caftan gown was dangerously too long.

The after-party photo-shoot session with the eMCees. Here's us with the managers! :)

Good job, team! Hope everyone's exhaustedly happy that night! Look, I spotted myself right in the left side of the owner of the company. :p

I trust that next year's award ceremony will be bigger and merrier! Looking forward to seeing cheerful people like you all, guys. :) Awesome!

PS. the photographs above are the courtesy of the company's event & publishing division.

Holding On & Letting Go

2011-05-06T23:02:00.026+07:00

Not only until yesterday, but for now I still have a firm viewpoint about these words by Rumi:

"Life is a Balance of Holding On and Letting Go"

Have a nice weekend, all! Please keep balanced. :)

Push Yourself a Little Bit

2011-05-04T14:01:00.008+07:00

The event has been done successfully last night. Now I am feeling pretty sleepy. Our CEO gave a goodbye speech this morning before he flew back to the next event in one of his regional branch offices. There were many interesting points he has told us on the speech, one of them was that we should just PUSH ourselves a little bit, so our hard work could bring us to the energy zone (according to him, it's a zone where we could work spiritedly with challenge and trigger) and leave the comfort zone. Let's be a particular self, guys! Aaahh I urgently need a really-good sleep tonight! :p

Will post another complete series of pictures from the event later! :)

The Third Party

2011-05-01T23:35:00.007+07:00

No.. no dear, I am not going to talk about politics as the title would be ambiguously considered as this. lol. This post will be quick as I have to go back to my work (hello, working on Sunday again? I promise to myself tonight will be the last Sunday night I work on!) and actually I think I might be suffering from what people usually called 'writer's block', oh perhaps not.. because I am not even a real writer. :p

Wellllll.. before I totally run out of words, let's get straight: Today is the first of May and my blog is now turning 3! Still young to be called mature though, but I just can't believe I can keep continuously writing in a regular basis so far!

The fact that some of my friends like her who just said goodbye and her who (temporarily) close her blog somehow has made me sad, as for me their postings are so good and very inspirational. So I hope you guys could make a come back very soon, would ya?

I also want to say a few words specially for my friend who had encouraged me in the first place to make a blog post, right after she created hers. Thank you dear sweet and salt! How are you today?

And lastly, to all my lovely regular readers (ehm!), I would like to give you my sincerest appreciation for still being there to read and giving feed backs though I know that my writings are not that worth-reading and un-importantly cheesy. Bunch of loves! I hope I could still continue writing so I can practice and improve my English, and also to keep reading all of your inspirational blogs, dearests! I have learned a lot from y'all. :)

Salam.

***

PS. This May will be a very important month for me where there will be some major changes in my life. I don't know how to deal with it yet but all I have now is hope and faith because life itself has already been filled with so many choices to be chosen (thanks to you for telling me this), so in this crossroads of life I push myself to be brave to grab the one I have never been in to before. Please wish me luck.. Wish us all luck!

The photo above was taken along the way in East Java area, it was where I had my first out-of-town trip with colleagues from the office.

Early Electrification

2011-04-24T08:00:00.004+07:00

When I wake up this morning, I could feel the peace of Fajr with its tranquility and beautiful harmony of nature.. It's Sunday, yeaay! But all of sudden, when I realize that Monday will be coming very soon, I feel electrify when remember that I have loads of files to be done. and then finally ended up opening my laptop to start working again. Oh, working on Sunday morning? So pathetic, you can say! Hehe. But I just can't imagine how hectic next week would be, because it's the last week of the month where all deadlines should be done in time, and also where the intensive rehearsal for office's 2011 award ceremony would take place during the whole week. Anyway this is the annual event held by the office, I am assigned again as the Master of Ceremony still with the same partner of last year's event. :)

As I've told to some friends, I want to make this my best performance because it will be my last chance to present my dedication for the company. :D

Even though this is my third-time experience playing the MC role, I am still nervous yet so exhilarated!

PS. it's two years ago since my first debut! Oh nooo.. why do I grow older this fast? LOL

Oh okay, let's just start working! Don't forget to always pour up our hearts with cheerful spirit and high hope, everyone! Have a happy day today. :)

To Whom We Should Turn To

2011-04-23T23:07:00.009+07:00

A blog can't exactly describe who is the owner of it, so when a blogger only writes good and happy things, it doesn't immediately mean that her/his life is just as beautiful as what s/he only writes, and I believe we are all agree with this.

I might be not the happiest person too, since I myself often rant here that I still have to work overtime every night at home after the exhausting day at the office.. Even in the public holiday, my co-worker and I still have to go to some places for a work-related duty, well I then take it as a way to be responsible for the good opportunity of learning we are given.

But the difficulty to manage a proper balanced time in life is exactly not the main reason why I finally think of leaving. If some people think that way, they are definitely wrong. I consciously know that there are lots of people who fight so hard to be in my shoes, because what else would I want? good working environment, well rewarded, nice colleagues that I will miss so much later, and some important development I can easily obtain. Such a place where everything is safe and sound, isn't it? But the most important thing for me now is how to be brave in taking the first step of a stair to go reaching a place where I actually want to be. A real stair that I even can't figure out yet.

But still, I feel so blessed for the comprehension that has been given by people around me, that wherever you go, the situation of the professional world would be more or less the same, the hardship we face is not about the contents of the problem itself, but it is all about to whom it is given to. It's you, it's us ourselves the reason behind the hard thing we had. It won't be given to you, if you are not a person who can afford it. It is given to you because The Creator of All the Things absolutely knows that you, the one He chooses, would be able to carry it on your shoulders. So why live in despair? Why should complain? Keep smiling and be happy as long as we can remember how well God has written our life story, colored by both the good and the bad.

A while ago, I saw a quote in a person's facebook profile which is very much inspiring, it is said that.. "good day is happiness, bad day is experience.. Both are essential for this life". So why should loose hope? Bad things are also good for us, you know.

It is a long but unclear thing that I could say about the reason for a big decision I had just done lately. InsyaAllah, we'll find our way. I am under a big feeling of afraid but I keep convincing myself that Allah won't ever leave me, that He would always be there to be the guide, before further I loose my way, I know to Whom I should turn to.

This is just another Saturday night rambling. Thought this post might be a little bit unnecessary.. but hopefully this last sentence would make this worth reading; Every lock was made together with the key. And so did a problem, it was assigned to you along with the solution.

Anyway, this is me with my happy mother at her birthday dinner last week :)

Behind the Lens

2011-04-21T18:34:00.007+07:00

Hi everyone, salam! :)

Here's a set of my pictures from the office's outing event back in the first week of April. They were taken by a photographer rookie-colleague.

While I was busy taking photos with my camera, my friend asked me a question

Girl #1: Mussa, you've been busy taking photos the whole day. It seems like you are really into photography, aren't you?
I : Photography? Oh not really. I prefer to be someone in front of the camera rather than being the person behind the lens.
Girl #2 : Oh good answer, I was just thinking Mus, if you gave her a "yes", I would loudly say: LIE! :))

Hahaha.. Despite the fact that this friend #2 had already known me so well.. isn't it obvious? Since I'd like to post bundles of my own pictures more than the photos of another person. I also have stated it once here, see fact (14).

These are the girls I mentioned in the conversation above, captured when they were on the Spinning coaster in Fun zone at Bali Safari and Marine Park.

PS. In this photo told about how it was so hard for me to arrange people in a good spot for a photo session. so I think I'm not talented enough to be a good photographer :p

The Eternal Sunshine of Our World

2011-04-17T01:04:00.002+07:00

There was a day around eleven years ago when the worst day happened in her life, when a best man, the one she put trust her life and her three children on to, was gone back to where he firstly belongs.. That when her husband was taken by his Creator didn't weakened her, either way it made her even stronger than everyone could imagine. See how she then proved it to her family that she made it. For me, she has shone the best sun every morning I wake up. She has become the lightest moonlight that accompany me every night I go to sleep. She has provided me with the most wonderful brothers I could ever have. My mother becomes the meaning of my entire world.

Some people said that we live with so much fortune after those first hardest days, looking to the fact that we have never been faced to hardships in the things each of us did. Late daddy left us with enough money and good property business to make a living for the future. But no one said that raising three children alone is easy, so did my mother. But she had passed it through anyway, for God had given her with a very light-hearted son (my older brother), an intelligent boy (my younger brother), and a brave-yet rebellious daughter like me. (:P)

God did give hardships as life trials to us, but my mother always said that we should be brave to fight against those difficulties, because after every hardship there is easiness. That's how she lived her life, always feel blessed for every circumstances she was placed in, always thanking God for every thing we've had and have been given. Don't ask too much, but think of being more grateful by sharing our happiness with others. Very simple, isn't it? My mother is always that sincerely modest woman, and it makes her tough. Alhamdulillah :)

Now you are one year older, Mama. I can't believe I write this post again this soon, because the post for your last year's birthday was just like yesterday. I'm sorry that I still can't be a best daughter for an excellent mother like you. Dear Allah, please always take care of my mother and shower her with more blessings today and the days ahead. Make her happy, ease her in every thing she does, and surround her with much more barokah. Amiin..

of inspiration and my favourites

2011-04-12T00:12:00.010+07:00

Assalaamualaikum!

Firstly I would like to thank my dearest Blue Pearl who bestowed me another distinguish award, this time as she wrote in her post, she enjoyed my simple and fun ways of writing. She already knows that I also adore her blog to the bones! :)

And I also would like say thanks to Rose Water for tagging me in her My Favourite Things post. For your information, I love doing this :D

Food – I love hot and spicy dishes! :) Actually, no wonder to this, as the West Sumatran descendant, padang food has already been in my blood even before I knew what is the meaning of ABC.
Color – Bright colours like pink, red, and turquoise :)
Animal – I always feel amazed by the indisputable power of tiger (Panthera tigris), they are so adorable!
Sports Team – Not kind of person who really into sport, so if you ask me what's my favourite sports team, my answer is.. time-to-time Indonesia national badminton team (the only I could remember for now). My friends and I once watched live Uber Cup match several years ago.
Dessert –Vanilla ice cream, obviously!
Pair of Shoes – Wedges and heels are my most favourite pairs. They did somehow like magic by making me feel taller and taller and taller. lol
Outfit – It's not difficult to determine my initiate style, I always love wearing clothes with bright colours made by fabric with lively motives. And it's been a while since I realize that I fall in love with abaya and long dresses. I now also prefer to wear loose skirts than blue jeans. Somehow it confuses people of how can boyish girl like me wear girly stuffs like this. Ask why? :)
Brand – Guess, Kickers, and Elle.
Perfume – My long-lasting relationship is Love in Motion by Jennifer L.
Accessory – Bracelets and hijab pins.
City – The most hatred yet miss-able Jakarta, Indonesia.
Hobby – Reading books and travelling to see places are two of my favourite hobbies.
Beauty Product – Eyeliner pencil.
Snack – Orange fruits and Yoghurt.
Holiday – Saturdays and Sundays!
Movie – A Beautiful Mind, The Butterfly Effect, Life is Beautiful.
Song – Show Me the Way Back to Your Heart by Brian McKnight.
Guilty Pleasure –Triple Chocolate Donut ! I always feel super-grand every time after I eat it!

I know that I am not supposed to do blogging at this moment because of piles of works are still waiting to be done, but writing and reading your inspirational blogs always make me happy, however. So it can't be counted as a waste of time. It's my happiness. :)

Anyway, I would also like to bestow the award to some blogging sisters that have inspired me in their postings. Here they are:

Diary of a Muslim Girl

The Strangers Diary

The Splendid Sky

Bubblez Island

Ramblings of a Muslim Wife

Salam!

Pinky and the Black

2011-04-09T23:57:00.006+07:00

Getting along with the cousin sisters

Escorted by these two fabulous siblings of yours

Altogether nephews and nieces;

And the rest extended family members.

You just had a happy wedding day, Cousin brother! :)

Between the Sea and the Hill

2011-04-07T00:30:00.008+07:00

My officemates and I were at Bali island for the last four days, we've been arranged to hold the 2011 annual national meeting, fortunately since last year the company has opened a branch office here, so the management could consider to also let us have an outing here. :)

We were already crazily yearning for sand-walking or sun-bathing once we arrived there but the first day was fully occupied by the continuous meeting at the branch office near the famous Kuta beach. The second day, we were scheduled to visit beaches, but unfortunately.. the weather wasn't friendly at all because it was raining the whole day! The twenty of us were divided into two boats and this was one of them. We sailed to Turtle Island approximately in 20 minutes from Tanjung Benoa beach.

Done with the turtles and some other animals here, we headed to Padang-Padang beach in the south. Nothing so special with the beach if there's no sunny sunrays. :(

The third day we went to Bali Safari and Marine Park! It gave me so many new information about the animals and the variety of fish species. Conclusion: I love it here, while other colleagues thought that it was so boring. Say HI to my reflection at the aquarium glass of Doctor Fish (Garra rufa).

And I saw camels! :)

It also has community center to perform cultural shows such as traditional dance performances, etc.

The first half of our last day was spent enjoying the fresh air of Ubud village before we headed down to souvenir shops near Kuta area. After that we then arrived at the Discovery Mall to enjoy the sunset, but again unfortunately, the cloudy sky was the only thing we could see. And, this was the senior researchers from the office, they have been my supportive mentors and funny friends for the almost two and half years. Someday when I finally lift my legs away from this company, I would definitely miss our silly conversation and daily craziness.

One of them said: "Guys, act cool! We will be featured in her blog soon we arrived in Jakarta!" lol

Spring Blossoms

2011-04-06T19:57:00.005+07:00

Another good time with good friends in the first day of April! This boy invited us to join his advance birthday party slash moving back for good to his hometown's celebration. He has been one of the best persons I have in my hustle and bustle of college time to witness and accompany in every ups and downs of 20-something life that we've passed together. You must be very proud of that, because it was all tough and rough, man! :D

Everything was at its best that night! I personally felt so excited that one by one my dearest friends are stepping to another milestones of their life. It actually makes me a lil bit nervous though, but surely will also move my feet, soon! Bismillahirrahmanirrahim :)

ps. This was my first time Dim Sum experience and it tasted good!

Back in His Hands

2011-03-25T00:05:00.152+07:00

As I've posted in the some previous postings before, my colleagues and I are enjoying our office hours listening to music while working because each of us was provided a new headphone by the IT team (for skype calls activity). So that's how then I started to add my playlist with new good songs such as this and this and many more, they're such good songs I must confess.

Then I think I was wrong when I accidentally stumbled across a stricking article we all can reflect to. The article tells about a story of a young man who died in a motorcycle accident. He instantly died just after his body touched down the road, his belongings were scattered around him; bag, books, and mobile phone attributed with the earphone that still clinging to his ears. People took him directly to the nearest emergency unit but it was too late, he can't be helped. Later at the hospital, people found that his mother didn't mourn at this dead man at all, she even smiled instead.. You want to know why? That was because she listened first to the earphone after she took her son's mobile phone. Before turning it off, she relievedly said.. alhamdulillah. then she stared proudly to her son, believing that he has gone in peace.. this boy was dead in the companion of his God's words. He listened to a surah recitation in the last moment of his life. Beautiful moment.

"Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him], And enter among My [righteous] servants. And enter My Paradise."

~Al Fajr 27-30

And what about me? Or us? Would we want to die in a car accident, where we are listening to cheesy love songs from the radio while driving? Would we want to die in a second without holding on to any grounds that remind us to God?

Astagfirullah, now I know why it is so hard lately for me to memorize some ayat. It must be because I spell the lyrics of those songs more often than the surah I'm learning. So for now, I think it's better start cleaning my MP3 playlist from even those so-called good music and everlasting songs. Oh could I? :(

Calling All Muslimah Bloggers

2011-03-24T20:40:00.011+07:00

Assalamualaikum dear muslimah blogger sisters,

Do you wanna be one of the inspiring blogs written by lovely sisters throughout the world? If yes, please kindly join sister Rabia's blogger directory here. I appreciate her much for initiating this cool idea. And I would really love to see you submitting your blog too, so we can have a place where blogging sisters could find each other and make good friends. :)

Randomly ranting, the end of the month always sounds creepy at work because it means deadline here and everywhere, all projects need to be done quickly before the time is up. I am so tiredly sucked up for being working owl then I think it's such a good idea to have another vacation, no? A real one I mean, not working related or visiting relatives. Any idea where to go now? What about India? Turkey, anyone? Or UK will sound fun, don't you think? hahaha, yes in my wildest dream, I suppose.

Aaah, I super envy this lucky boy for having the chance to study there and ever visited this place. It's Stonehenge! Famous thing usually pictured in wall calendars.

My younger brother would immediately kill me when he finds out his picture was uploaded here.

Across the Universe

2011-03-20T15:53:00.007+07:00

So what's been happening now in my dear country? After the fear of subsequent coming of earthquake and tsunami following the one happened in Japan (I send a sincerest pray for the sadness of the victims insyaAllah everyone will be stand strong still there) we are faced to the bombing incident at the place of Liberal Islamic Network community.

Ulil Abshar Abdala, the star of this community once wrote in his social media account that it's ridiculous and amusingly stirred now when people try telling the others to confess their sins and do taubat (an act of asking mercy to God). Okay, I am kind of agree with this thought, because someone's faith to God can not be forced by others, it is only God whose the right to give so. But wait, making wrong understanding about Islam and spreading it out were too way more ridiculous. Yeah now I seem like the holiest person to judge others as the sinner. Sorry, my bad. I've ever written about this a while ago here, and till now it keeps me wondering what were they thinking? if using our intelligence to make reasoning in comprehending the idea of God and the meaning of our creation in this universe, why then the conjugation is so much different with the one firstly narrated by the Messenger? Don't we think that the knowledge we have is just like a little dust in the wind, even almost like nothing compared to Him. Oh dear God please give us all the truest enlightenment of this faith and tie us to it until the day we meet You.

Well, back to my question in the first paragraph, what's the next trending issue now? Book bomb; that has been sent to some other places after the first one. Hmm, I think we should reconsider bringing thick book to public places otherwise people would over suspect us. :)) Anyway, I wouldn't state my opinion about the bombing's aim itself while some friends I know said that this community deserves this as a counter-attack for the hatred that people hold for them. I politely seal my lips about this.

لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ

(QS. 109:6)

Now I'm currently reading The End of Future, a very tendentious book written by my younger brother. It mostly speaks about environmental problems. Here, he persuades us to rethink about the global warming, deforestation, overfishing, etc that can stimulate environmental conflicts (read: war with weapons), like the ones happened on Afghanistan in 2001, ethnic conflict on Middle East, Eufrat-Tigris water dispute, social and environmental destruction caused by repressive mining exploitation in Papua, Indonesia, etc.

Would we remain silent and just do nothing? Such a good question, bro.

Crochet Ice

2011-03-19T23:57:00.003+07:00

My favorite from aab: Mulberry, Crochet Ice, and Forget-me-knot

Back in August last year, I was a bit surprised when my brother went home from Turkey, he brought me three pieces of Turkish women clothing. But now, hopefully he would love to buy me these abayas, and bring it when he comes back for good to Indonesia later because these UK-based shops have the most beautiful designs I really want :D Hope that he'll read this post! lol

imaan collections

I miss my dear cousins at this moment, even the last time I met one of them is on her wedding day months ago. Being grown-up has made us have our own priorities in life, so it seems like there's no time for having some fun together again just like in our dashing teenage years. Hmm.

PS: Above are another pictures from last year's Idul Fitri family gathering.

A Light Bulb

2011-03-18T09:26:00.001+07:00

"A friendship between two people is like a house. When a light bulb burns out, you don't go & buy a new house. You FIX the light bulb."

~Islamic Thinking

Hellooow all dear loveliest, what's your plan for the upcoming weekend tomorrow?:) Mine will be seeing my best friend, and I'm so thrilled! =)

Morning Glory

2011-03-16T09:11:00.001+07:00

It's GMT+7 time zone in Jakarta, so.. Good morning everyone! :)

Here's a list of some good points about YES that I copied from Stay Blessed facebook fanpage, go follow them and get inspired everyday!

1. when you say yes to something you don't enjoy, you're saying no to things that you love
2. when you say yes to a job you don't love, you're saying no to your dreams
3. when you say yes to someone you don't like, you're saying no to a fulfilling relationship
4. when you say yes to working overtime, you're saying no to your social life
5. when you say yes to unimportant tasks, you're saying no to your high value activities

I know, blogging early morning in the office is not so right.. but it's okay, isn't it?:D Let's do sincerely best everything we should do today!

Salam,
Mustika

Stop and Stare

2011-03-14T00:25:00.003+07:00

Frankly speaking, I always felt more secure to write personal things over here in my blog rather than expressing it in facebook, you may ask why? because there are some professional colleagues I connected with, there are my boss, clients, some acquaintances I don't really know in real life, even though later now I already have a specified friend list to put these professional world people into it so that they couldn't be able to see my post walls, status updates, and limited access to my personal photo albums. But then it becomes unsafe now that some people who intentionally want to know more could easily bing or google my name and then finally stumble upon here, and.. end up misjudging. Who am I to complaint? I should have known the risks of having a blog and writing personal things online, but do I care? I consciously dare to take the risks so far, since writing a blog has been my very best way to pour my feelings out in either joyful or oppressed time, also this is the place where I could post freely about everything to then feel free afterward.

I think I should stop thinking over this unstated dazing thing.

I've been considering about making my blog private, but in the end I decide to not doing so. People are pleased to think their own way, and there's no need to explain things from my side. Although it actually made me sad in some extents, I won't state anything. I might seen as a brainless, money thrower pragmatic Picky girl trying so hard to look highly-maintained and devoutly-pious, but I always appeal myself as genuine as I am here.. I know I am never a high-maintained girl and even not yet to be thoroughly religious. That I still have the chances to get new good and nice inspiring people world-widely throughout this page, I feel happy and relieved. :)

This Jakarta's twilight photo above was originally taken on our latest dinner meeting by a campus friend who turned out to work every weekday in the next cubicle. :D

Take the burden.. girl, inhale a deep breath and exhale slowly. Let's go back to work! Oh no, it's almost 1 o'clock in the morning at home, and I said "work"!

Hardly Ever Heard

2011-03-13T07:49:00.009+07:00

If you search for tenderness
it isn't hard to find.
You can have the love you need to live.
But if you look for truthfulness
You might just as well be blind.
It always seems to be so hard to give.

Honesty is such a lonely word.
Everyone is so untrue.
Honesty is hardly ever heard.
And mostly what I need from you.

I can always find someone
to say they sympathize.
If I wear my heart out on my sleeve.
But I don't want some pretty face
to tell me pretty lies.
All I want is someone to believe.

Honesty is such a lonely word.
Everyone is so untrue.
Honesty is hardly ever heard.
And mostly what I need from you.
.....

Another stress reliever shared by a colleague at office, re-performed Honesty by Beyonce Knowles, an everlasting good song which was firstly popularized by Billy Joel in 1979.

A song, in which.. I can really relate to now, just realized it after some couples of playbacks.

Now buddy, tell me where are you heading to, then I'll disclose my destination overtly as explicit as it can be. Otherwise, the time to take it all back is here, because things will not go anywhere, if there's no will to work hard in it together, if you keep moving on that conveyor belt platform. I am not a treadmill machine, mind you.

Haa, a very random post this must be for my fellow bloggers, I know, but it happened to be the same randomness for me too. So please bear with me in this grey-ish circumstance of mine. But Beyonce's cover version is quite nice, no?:D Take your time while I prepare myself to attend a high school girl's wedding party! Happy sunday, all! :)

original image source.

Shrewdly Screwed

2011-03-09T20:54:00.028+07:00

Can you imagine how cool is that I got huge amount of very new knowledge about macro economy, monetary crisis, non performing loan, subprime mortgage, regional recession, fiscal stimulus package, private investment, etc, etc, just within a couple of days by working on the report for a research market survey? And now my brain was like.. BOMB! exploded. Haha, this sounds hiperbolic, I know. But I could say that I am totally got trapped here, really, in this big down dark hole.

I can't wait for this weekend, I hope it will be coming very soon insyaAllah, because I am planning to get myself paper-free for that two precious days and forget about those whole work things. Hmm what about window shopping? having me-time at home reading book? Going to cinema with the friends? or attending Islamic Book Fair at Senayan? Let's see then. But I just want to have fuuuuuun! :)

Don't you think the costumes wore by the girls above are so lovely and beautifully gorgeous? I have felt in love with abayas for a while and the feeling is getting bigger now, adding the fact that I am no longer really feel comfy being with my jeans. Haha. So it becomes acceptable for me to have big desire concerning abaya dresses. Well needless to say, now I think I am in the urge of going window shopping soon! :))

PS. images are the courtesy of Hijab House & Haya. Oh they indeed have so many stunning collections, would somebody get me one of them, please? Hehe.

She Owns the Night

2011-03-08T02:11:00.008+07:00

I was a bit shocked knowing that some colleagues still read my blog. It's more shocking when they said that lately my writings are lot more serious and weight than usual. Hoho. Okay, people who know me in person will find it hard to believe that I am the person behind these words, because hmm.. well maybe I am too cheesy to think of and talk about those so called deep thoughts. Lol. Anyway, after office hour today my colleagues from research division at Jakarta office just had a dinner meeting to celebrate our winnings in the last regional research competition. See, we grabbed 3 ranks of 8 available defeating our research co-workers from fellow countries.

Firstly, I'd also like to congratulate all the winners from Philippines,Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia offices:

Oh I know, this will be cheesy, but after more than 2 years working experience here, this is my FIRST lifetime experience to ever win a regional competition (sixth rank is also a remarkable achievement, yes? haha)

Please meet my (hungry) research colleagues!:D

Ah.. and that's my tired face.. since I only have three to four hours for sleeping these days, but I am happy! I got the Dollars! :D

Anyway... let's just talking about minor and light things.. and set aside the serious topic for a while. :D To prevent continuous stress in facing abundant loads of works, my colleagues suggest me to listen what they usually listen in hectic time, and then I end up liking most of the songs from their playlist. Such as this one: She Owns the Night by Far East Movement Ft. Mohambi.

Oh, could anybody recommend another let's-go-to-the-floor music? LOL.

PS. The latest market research project in which I am involved in requires a lot of economical analysis here and there, and you know what.. now my boss asks me, the project manager, to learn more about extrapolation/interpolation theories which will be used as a method in this project. Oh okay, now I am an engineering graduate dealing with Econometrics. This is wrong. very wrong. :D

Happy Faces

2011-03-05T23:39:00.003+07:00

Salam everyone! This is weekend's coming again! The days on previous weekday were running out of my control, that's why I suddenly felt out of the blue :P So when these high school besties asked me to have a lunch together, I can't let myself resist it. I know, being with these funny friends will be fun and entertaining, like always. One special thing I could learn from today's meeting with these people is more or less like this:

If you are expecting the one with whom you will spend your life to reach His bless; please be beautifully patient, s/he won't just come because of her/his attractiveness, wealth, and intelligence. Yet Allah who moves her/his heart. Don't express your inner feeling in haste before Allah has permitted, we don't know if this one we really fall with is the best for us, do we? Who knows us better than Allah does? So keep with you all of any expression forms of feeling you might want to tell because, in the right time, Allah will answer your pray more beautifully. This is just a matter of time.

I am with a big relief now knowing that I am not the only great believer here in this kind of thing. Thank you so much buddies, for the happy and relaxing day! It's such a nice spiritual insight being with you in the sidelines of my crazy works. :)

PS: I would also send many many thanks to the sisters who gave me spirit to keep strong in faith. Salaam mabrook for all of you. Have a happy weekend with lovely people, ladies! :)

On Getting Back

2011-03-03T22:10:00.014+07:00

My life has been very nice, very very nice.. Alhamdulillah .. even some struggles I did to push myself to the limits in every aspects have gave me pretty much valuable experiences in figuring out more and more about the life itself, hence there's slightly no single reason for not being grateful. So far, I have been surrounded by a bunch of good people; my family, my friends, my colleagues, and those people I just know. They can not be considered as too much in number though, but more than enough to be counted. These people have helped me finding the best version of myself, helped me pointing out where I should lead my life to, and helped me realizing that future can be so wonderfully challenging if I want to fight for it.

I don't know what's the point I am talking about, I just feel really scared that I am not good enough, to you, to people around me, and to others. And for any kinds of mistakes I've made I hope Allah would forgive. amiin. I also hope I could be better every day, better as a person.

"Ya Allah, verily I ask Your guidance, devotion, self preservation and heart that always feel enough." HR Muslim, no 2721.

These are the weirdest sentences I wrote as an opening for a photo post for my previous week's work trip. Hmm, I might be just physically and emotionally intruded by my monthly symptoms. I don't know. So let's just forget it. :(

Anywayyy, I went back home yesterday, and works at the office are waiting like crazy. But I am happy that I somehow could still do something that can give benefit to others by what I am doing, despite the fact that this work has sucked up almost all of my energy..

The first two pictures above I took when we were looking around Kebun Sayur Market, the third picture is one of project construction my partner and I visited, a working place of tourism in picture number four and the last one is a picture toward local people housings located exactly in front of our hotel window.

Ah, help! I feel really bad now! :(

Touching Down

2011-03-01T03:28:00.034+07:00

Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) said:
If you never felt pain or experienced problems, how would you know I’m the Healer?
If you never made a mistake, how would you know I’m the Forgiver?
If you were never hurt, how would you know I am the Comforter?
If your life was perfect, then why would you need Me?

~Hadith Qudsi

Life teaches us about the meaning of gratitude in every end of the dawn, about how to work hard during the day, about to smile with relief when twilight comes, also to feel content after which we fall asleep at night. Yet not to forget to wake up at the third part of the night as the sign of faithfulness, touching down our forehead on the floor, asking forgiveness and blessings.

It's March already, people! Means that we have reached the last month in the first quarter of 2011. The phrase "time flies so fast" has been so common today, right? So have we made the most of our time pursuing best things to really happen in our life? :)

Floating Clouds

2011-02-27T21:38:00.000+07:00

I can't wait until I come back to Jakarta to post this picture:

Assalamualaikum everyone! :) I am now on a work trip to Balikpapan, a city in Borneo island with a timber/mining town at its heart. Look and compare this picture above with the picture of Jakarta here. So depressing Jakarta, yes? My partner and I are so happy with the town, because of its fresh air, good public transportation, and (un-intimidating) nice local people. I personally fall in love with the seafood and the skyline of the city. Very soft and fresh. :D

Gotta go back to work again tomorrow, oh now I feel that these piles of work will never end (sigh). Even in the hotel, I still take most of the times working in front of my laptop. Well, stop complaining here, maybe this work trip will be the last before I move on to another milestone, gaining another new experience, perspective and understanding. Okay, will post more pictures after I come back home, InsyaAllah.

It's been raining pretty often here in Indonesia, hopefully it can be one of Allah's blessing to all of us here, alhamdulillah :)

Lucky Luck

2011-02-25T09:18:00.003+07:00

Have you ever wondered that in this world there are people who always look decent and lucky to have everything they want in their life, and on the other side, there are many more people who are always be the less fortunate one? I have been around this question after realizing that I often say "Good luck!" to everyone who had told me about something they are going to do. So what's luck anyway? Does it only apply to certain kind of people? And what about effort?

So they said that if there's a will.. there's a way, even it is written in the Alquran that :

"..Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides Him any patron." (Ar-Rad 11),

so when one was born poor, s/he can change his/her life by making efforts.

I have seen lots of poor people in my country who struggle hard to keep themselves stand strong still, to save their children from hunger, to make a better living for the family, by doing everything they could every single day. But after all the efforts why they are still unfortunate and ill-fated? Has anything wrong there with it?

This is just a random thought and I won't blame or curse any parts here. I believe that rizq has been written for every one of us and won't be exchanged, it won't be given to any other person even if you don't pick it up. Consider this as the conclusion statement I end up with.. that never surrender in embracing Allah's blessings is the ultimate key to my previous questions. Do sincere pray, make best effort, and then consign the rest to the Almighty. He knows what's the best for us.

"But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not."(Al Baqarah: 216)

and He never gives any trials more than we can only afford.

"Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned." (Al Baqarah: 286).

I remember that a friend once said that no matter how hard this life might be for you, don't despair, stop complaining, and be grateful for any circumstances you are standing at now. Luck is just the game of the world, get out of it.. Because the biggest matter to be worried about is the Life in the hereafter. Forget our ambition to be the winner in this perishable life, think of more about our preparation to win the only place where there's no more earthy problem you have to deal with.

We are actually just having a rest under a shady tree now, so we will not be forever here, will we? Make sure that we already provide ourself with good provision to arrive safe at the only final destination.. Jannah.

Though I'm still faaaaar away from being well-prepared, let's keep on learning how to be so. Good luck, everyone! :D happy friday!

The Stylish Blogger Award

2011-02-20T01:20:00.006+07:00

Dear Zarina of Muslim Women Exposed and Jnana of Spill beans gave me the Stylish blogger Award! aaah actually I have seen this award was sent by a blogger to another recently, but I didn't really expect to receive one because I thought my blog is not stylish enough. :D Thank you so much lovely ladies :)

There are some rules connected with these Blogger-awards and they are here:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award
2. Share seven things about myself
3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers
4. Contact these bloggers to tell them of their award

I already have some posts relating to things about myself here, here and here, but somehow three posts couldn't reveal all the things about one's self, yes? :)

1. My current favorite color is turquoise as you can see the color of my blog's template and the header image.

2. I bring home office's laptop and even still work on it on weekends.

3. I work as a researcher, but never think of me as a person who wears white long jacket and do science.

4. A research skill that I actually don't have, a big blank brain to the ability to use sources effectively, to gather and organize information, to analyze text, data and theory.

5. The good thing is, my workplace has sent me to visit new places I've never visited before.

6. From all the places within the country, I really want to visit West Papua, the east-most island of Indonesia! It is so naturally beautiful!

7. InsyaAllah the end of this month the office will send me to out of town again. Means that I need to work on the papers this weekend and hopefully have everything done here in Jakarta office before I go flight again next week.

And not to forget, I would like to bestow this award to these nice sisters: A Tale of MushuThaLohari, Blueberry Girl, Blue Pearl, Colours of My Life, Diary of a Muslim Girl, Fashion by Fatima, 3F's, Kattona Taivas, Love Always, Aisha, My Lips are Sealed, Laila, Oldie Goldie and the Young Ones, Sparking Smileys, Sweet Serenity, Rose Water. :)

Lively Little Loves

2011-02-19T14:06:00.004+07:00

Remember when I wrote that I am going to go out of town in the first week of February? Yes this post is about those lovely days! Actually my cousin and I went to Central Java province to visit an older cousin of us who recently moves and lives there with her little family, so it was very pleasing since we always love being with her and her children. Aaah, if only I had much time to be there again, I would slightly jump there soon. Here are some of our pictures. :)

Day 1 : Jepara

Visiting ikat textile home industry

Day 2: Kudus

Window shopping at local fashion outlet

The fashion outlet has swimming pool in its backyard

This is my almost four year old nephew, often acts so cool but can be so sweet at times hehe

The little family invited us to join a birthday dinner party at pizza

High five, boy! You are now five! Happy birthday from auntieee! :)

Day 3: Kampoeng Banaran, Ungaran

in front of Coca cola factory, along the way to Banaran

Day 4: Semarang
I've once visited this city back in 2010, but it was a work trip and alone, oh uncool! That's why this time it feels so different, we went to some places such as Sam Poo Kong Temple, Lawang Sewu Museum, and Paragon Mall (such a huge mall for this town!) :p All pictures taken this day are still left in my sister's camera. This blurry one was taken using my blackberry. It's Central Java's Great Mosque. Subhanallah.

I want more! I want more! More!

It is very relieving that I finally could quietly sit down updating my blog again after the continuing 30 photo challenge postings. Yeah, though work things are still widely open at another windows of my browser. I am actually feeling sad that this morning today I made my car hit a truck from its backside, but fortunately in slow speed, so I am okay Alhamdulillah (the car should get some body repair still though). I learn a lesson that everything should be prepared well, so next time before going, I should prepare enough money in the dashboard for parking coin, toll expense, etc. And oh texting, don't ever do that!

#30 i miss you daddy

2011-02-14T13:07:00.002+07:00

Another day of remembering him is happening like every other new day's coming. I always long for his presence every morning I wake up, every night I go to sleep. Can I explain with words how I miss him? No apparently. And nothing in this world could bring him back to me. Praying is the only remedy I could do so he would be peacefully rest right beside You, God. Dear Papa, though I grew up without you, never even once I forget our moments in the time when I still could bound to you.

Sorry for the poor quality, this is a very quick snapshot of a photograph taped on the fridge door.

#29 this picture always makes me smile :)

2011-02-13T22:08:00.004+07:00

To be honest, grooming in this kebaya dress and the thick cosmetics on my face for an office's event made me feel like a celebrity for the first day of my life. Haha.

#28 what i'm afraid of

2011-02-12T05:39:00.001+07:00

Me; captured by my friend.

Some might say that I am a person whose exceeded stock of bravery (hmm, could we say.. reckless, instead?) I feel OK to drive on the bending roads on the hill, but not added with unstoppable heavy rain, please? This is my first experience driving a car to climb the so-called highest point in the island of Bali. Despite all those breath-taking facts happened during the drive, Alhamdulillah everything went well. Except one thing; I don't want to drive climbing roads again if it's raining! I am consciously afraid that my blind recklessness behavior would bring bad thing to come. Better to prevent than cure, right?

#27 My Cousin and I

2011-02-11T14:56:00.000+07:00

Oh okey, I know it's unfair to play favorite when it comes to family members. Since I have so many cousins and they are all nice! :) I just pick one whom I shared my latest updates with! Say hi to my lovely sister, ladies! She was our consultant about everything related to growing up and stuff when we were still teenagers, well somehow she still is.. our motivator, our teacher, our role model. :) I miss playing with her boys so much!!

this is a picture when I went backpacking last week to visit her town ;)

#26 my blog means a lot me

2011-02-09T04:12:00.003+07:00

Because I have shared so many things here. It is a consolation in time of distress, it is an unspoken wall that witnesses how I have grown up, and I hope it will be the loyal caretaker of my unleashed memories.

I feel so thankful for it has brought me wonderful people from around the world who now turn out to be my good friends, including you. :)

#25 Summer Cocktails Day

2011-02-08T05:11:00.038+07:00

a picture of my friends in my favorite day.

It was a day in mid 2008 where we celebrated a friend's birthday in her housetop. Looking back at the pictures made me feel so young. I want to feel that young again. Forget about the worlds outside and just have fun together making pancakes. Fearless. Load-less. Restless. It's kind of frightening to know that we eventually wouldn't ever have any days like this anymore, since our life has changed thus nothing stands the same.

#24 If I Could Change that Old Feeling

2011-02-07T05:08:00.073+07:00

image source

When I was a little, my late father insisted that I have a talent in music, just like him. So he sent me to musical school and invited piano teacher coming to our house to teach me intensively every after school. At that time, deep inside my heart I can feel that this is not my thing, I can't do music.. but for those years I kept learning music so hard just to please my father, but actually I never understood and got the feeling (though I can read black notes), therefore I ended up only memorizing many sheets of songs in my brain without feeling it with my heart. In other word, it tortured me. :(

But what kind of daughter could disobey her own father who would give everything to his little girl for good? Of course, I couldn't. And later, after he passed away, I just stopped playing. There was only a reason why I discontinued learning music, because pressing those keys reminded me a lot to my late father, which is heartrending.

Now, I really wish I could remove that woe feeling, so I could still keep continue playing piano, not to be a master, but at least just as my father have ever wished.

#23 Humaira : Mother of the Believers

2011-02-06T04:06:00.004+07:00

My favorite book ever!

Mother of the Believers: A Novel of the Birth of Islam. This novel tells the story of the rise of Islam through the eyes of Aisha, the Prophet Muhammad's youngest wife and one of the most influential women in Islamic history. As Mother of the Believers shows, Aisha is more than the controversy around her age; she was a teacher, political leader, a warrior, and, with her incredible memory, an invaluable source of information on all aspects of the Prophet Muhammad's life.

Deep in the desert of seventh century Arabia, a new prophet named Muhammad has arisen. After he beholds a beautiful woman in a vision and resolves to marry her, the girl's father quickly arranges the wedding. Aisha becomes the youngest of Muhammad's twelve wives and her feisty nature and fierce intelligence establishes her as his favorite. But when Aisha is accused of adultery by her rivals, she loses the Prophet's favor—and must fight to prove her innocence.

Pardoned by her husband after a divine revelation clears her name, Aisha earns the reluctant respect of Muslim men when their settlement in Medina is attacked and she becomes a pivotal player on the battlefield. Muhammad's religious movement sweeps through Arabia and unifies the warring tribes, transforming him from prophet to statesman. But soon after the height of her husband's triumph—the conquest of the holy city of Mecca—Muhammad falls ill and dies in Aisha's arms.

A widow at age nineteen, Aisha fights to create a role for herself in the new Muslim empire—becoming an advisor to the Caliph of Islam, a legislator advocating for the rights of women and minorities, a teacher, and ultimately a warrior and military commander. She soon becomes one of the most powerful women in the Middle East, but her passionate nature leads to tragedy when her opposition to the Caliph plunges the Islamic world into civil war. The women of Islam view her as a hero, but Aisha is filled with uncertainty and regret whenever she considers her legacy.

Written in beautiful prose and meticulously researched, Mother of the Believers is a compelling work of historical fiction that portrays an empowered Muslim woman who helped usher Islam into the world.

image and texts source here.

#22 Dance, Dance Revolution

2011-02-05T05:05:00.019+07:00

I wish I were good in dancing! So I could preserve the traditional heritage of my culture. What do you think? There are lots of traditional dance we have in Indonesia, one of them is Balinese dance.

#21 if only i could forget

2011-02-04T04:03:00.002+07:00

Despite all the bad memories and pains we've incited to each others' hearts, I really hope that we could forget all the unpleasantness that ever happened during those hard times and left only the good reminiscences if there's any. I wish I could forget that I've ever been so rude and abrupt. I wish I could erase those bad memories. I wish I could rerun my college time with them all once again, and be good. If only I could.

This is a picture of an event where there were those sincere laughter and happiness shared I still can recall.

p.s: It feels no good to reveal the truth that you have a poor quality relationship with your college friends.

#20 Wakatobi is Where I'd Love to Travel to

2011-02-03T05:01:00.028+07:00

Wakatobi is an acronym for Wangi-Wangi, Kaledupa, Tomia and Binongko which are the names of the four major islands in the Wakatobi National Park, Indonesia. It must be very great to dive here and see the heaven underneath.

image source

#19 Letter for a Friend

2011-02-02T05:00:00.044+07:00

image source

To a friend of mine,
thank you for ushering me to the door of goodness. You've accompanied me so far finding the right way to define the meaning of happiness in my own term. Now I feel so grateful that God has opened my eyes to witness all His Kindness and Greatness, through you.

And when the time to move on has come, it is also you who drag me to the mouth of another new door to embrace the best in achieving my future life. You push me to pass through that door in order to be going in my own way, even though it actually makes our distance spread out wider. But still, if there's one thing I could keep with me on my mind about my past that there was a time when God had us stumbled across in the life of each other and brought us to be what we are today.

The picture above tells much about the decision I have been thinking lately. We should have known better before, that it's better to start leaving what has already behind us and focus on catching up the next good thing, soon. Another drive to begin, you said.

Adios my friend!

From now on, I believe that I could bravely face the winds by myself. Wheresoever we will be in our own way later, praying and supporting you are the first things I would always do, be success in all of your errands making a better world and preparation to win the afterlife, my dear. Thank you for being such a protecting shelter that calm my fears during my journey, and please remember that nothing will rip our friendship apart.

Anyway, tonight I will go backpacking again for several couple of days. So I would be rarely commenting on your blog,but don't worry, some next posts for the photo challenge are already scheduled to be published. See ya again soon, insyaAllah! :)

#18 BIGGEST Insecurity of Mine

2011-02-01T05:31:00.001+07:00

my picture above was taken in front of Kuan Ti Temple, Kuala Lumpur

I will definitely feel insecure if there is no place to go back to when the world rejects me, when there is no one to accept me in the worst circumstances I might fall in. I try to be independent as strong as I could, but never I can bear the emptiness of having nothing and living this life.. alone.

#17 recent huge impact in my life

2011-01-31T14:01:00.002+07:00

Messaging technology within these gadgets has made a huge impact in my life recently. Needless to say, it's actually peculiar to realize how easy I can be reconnected to the long lost friend from the past, how all the wise words this friend sent to me could give me new spirit and encouragement, and how I unexpectedly found that sincerity does still exist in so many extents. :)

Dear God,
Please strengthen me to perceive my weaknesses
Make me brave to face my own self when I'm dither,
tough in defeat and still humble in victory

Dear God,
Give me comprehension that understanding myself,
the essence of my creation and existence in this perishable world are the basis of all truest conceptions.
Lead me in the waves of challenges in life so I could stand upright in the middle of hurricane assault.
Guide me to be a grateful person who shares virtue with others.
And that's the incredible success of the world.

#16 Father of Soil

2011-01-30T04:55:00.027+07:00

Shrine of Ali bin Abi Thalib

Saiyidina Ali AS was not only a sahaba loved so much by Rasullullah (PBUH) but also an extraordinaty human being whose knowledge like the ocean, fluency of his tounge was matchless as an expert in literature and speech, in addition to a hero that no one can deny his reliability among the lines of spelled heroes. The first male believer in Islam, the Prophet’s standard-bearer in battle, the Door of the City of Knowledge, the most judicious of the Companions, and the "Possessor of a wise heart and inquiring tongue.

As a loved-most friend who is brave, Saiyidina Ali was never behind in any war both large and small made by the Prophet Muhammad. He had an important role in the famous battle of Badr, at that time he was a strong and handsome young man who was still in the 20s. In that battle, the Prophet has been handed the banner of war to Saiyidina Ali for the first time.where he was performing his duties in the war with distinction at all. After the war was over, the companions of the Prophet did not found him among them, when they wondered, suddenly he appeared with Ali, then the Prophet said, "actually I was behind you for treating wounds in Ali's stomach". From this incident, it can be seen just how great love of the Prophet to Ali and the enormity of the sacrifice of Ali in upholding the glory of religion Islam.

This is one of Ali's sayings narrated by Abu Nu'aym with his chains:

From `Abd Khayr: "Goodness does not consist in having much property and children, but in doing many good deeds, increasing your gentle character, and adorning yourself before people with the worship of your Lord. Then, if you do well, glorify Allah; if you do ill, ask forgiveness of Him. There is no good in the world except for two types of people: someone who sins and then follows up with repentence, and someone who races to do good deeds. What is done in Godwariness is never little, and how can something be little if accepted by Allah?"

I am currently reading some books about him. So as for me, he is very inspiring.

* further references here, here, here and here.

#15 what I want to do before I die

2011-01-29T06:46:00.003+07:00

Visiting Makkah to do Hajj pilgrimage. Insya Allah. Amin. :)

image source

#14 i could never imagine my life without you, mom!

2011-01-28T06:20:00.001+07:00

#13 The Legend of The Beatles

2011-01-27T06:34:00.001+07:00

My lifetime favourite band that I always love!

This is a box of cassette collections we had in my house which was collected by my brothers.

And what about you? :)

#12 Favorite Memory

2011-01-26T00:05:00.003+07:00

Dear friends, today I post a picture of my favourite memory and please take a look at the picture of me and my brothers. :) It was taken at about 15 years ago in front of a stupa, in Borobudur temple, Magelang, Central Java.

And just in case you want to know why I consider this as a favourite memory of mine, it is because for me, the red dress I wore was the best dress I've ever had. I feel so pretty in it! :D Yet another reason is that Borobudur always reminds me back to my childhood's holiday atmosphere when our late father took us to every new place during our school break. I hope I will be able to visit it again soon :)

#11 I Hate Jakarta's Traffic Jam

2011-01-25T14:24:00.000+07:00

This is the first thing popped up in my mind when talking about something I hate.

Still can't believe that us, its citizens are patient and tough enough to face this (at least) twice a day.

Every. Single. Day!

*image source