24 February 2008

Am I spoiling him?


Time flies... he grows up very quickly. I am afraid he will be bigger soon as a boy and he finds something else. I hold him, always hold him, because 5, 10, or 20 years in the future, he will be much bigger and perhaps I couldn't hold him as close as now. I love him.

My 14th Birthday Gift

When I was on junior high school age, I had several close girl friends. There were only two closest girls, though, that we still keen to meet and talk. Her name is iin (read: e-in) and susy (read: soe-see). We often celebrated birthday together. It was just a simple party, usually. We just went to canteen and had snack or lunch together. Sometimes, we shared birthday's present. This could be some things bought, like scrap book, pen, pencil case, pins, etc. Other students liked pour some water or powder onto birthday victims; this was fun but embarrassing…

On my 14th birthday, my girl friends gave me a blue diary book. It was very nice. Even though I am not sure where the book now is (there is other story behind), the memorable thing is how they give that diary. It was wrapped nicely and put under my table, early morning before I came. Oh dare… they came to school earlier than usual just to give me a surprise. Indeed, I was surprised. As I said, we were close friend and we almost be together at school. I didn't notice them making a plan for my birthday. So I thought there wouldn't be something, but I was fine. I was shy girl for being kind of special and so, prefer not to be seen. The more memorable is the card inside stating how they care of me. It's awesome.

Here is the story of the diary. I often heard stories of public figures who like writing diary. I imitated them, writing on my diary almost every day. It is me who liked to tell everything and put too much detail in it. I knew it is not an effective way of writing, but I enjoyed. A few years after, that diary book brought me a sad story. I got a jealous boy-friend, namely A, who found that diary in my bag. He was rude, reading that book without asking my permission. As I bet, we went to an inconvenient conversation of a story about a fan, namely F. I wrote many things, real and imagination, about F. He was my friend at junior high school and we were still on the same senior high school. A was my classmate at senior high school, we met there. So, three of us were classmates at senior high school.

A jealously suspected me still keep a feeling of fan to F. Well, F, surprisingly, cached my feeling and had the same feeling. The funny thing was, I knew this fact from A, because A jealously met F and confirmed his position of me. I was then faced by A and F together. A asked me to choose. Well…well…well… A, huh… A… I am not sure whether he did this because too much loved me or just wanted to show that he had power. It was over after I chose A, to avoid more bad things happened. Again, a year after, funny… I got a letter from F saying that he still waited for me, and what a sudden, I forgot to keep this letter in a secret place and A found it. As usual, he confirmed it jealously. I just smiled.

That diary left me memorable stories. Neither A or F, aren't they my husband. If I remember that period, I always smile. I think I have wasted much time taking care of A. What a silly. Silly and embarrassing. However, It was me. It was him. It was 'masa-masa muda'. Notwithstanding what things triggered by the diary, I miss my girl friends who presented it on my 14th birthday. I wonder where they are and what they do. I wish I could send them an email.

19 February 2008

Got Stuck Go Blog

Being consistent is not that easy, indeed. However, it is something that really I have to be at this moment, may be good if I can be like that consistently. Unfortunately I couldn't up to this stage. You know, I decided to take a break from this blog a few weeks ago but I did, did did again, write in here. Such suspension is important or required because my concentration is highly demanded for my short due thesis. I feel guilty that I couldn't be consistent just for being away from this blog.

Let's analyse why I always be back here. The first possible reason is that I got "stuck" in writing up. My brain might suddenly stop working. I was torpid (poetic word of lazy) compiling words and words, particularly in academic style. I thought, rather than just sitting in the front of my laptop, creating blog posts might induce my brain. Wasn't this a good excuse? The second one is that I found something interesting (more interesting than my own thesis) and wanted to keep (show) it. Such a selfish mode, as I am used to. Weks… One might say that I can show my thesis instead! But, I have to finish it before I publish it, right? I wish I could finish it or finishing it now. You know, it is something miracle or mission almost impossible. The third is the first reason I mention previously, hehe… so, in general… blogging at this scary write thesis up stage is due to stagnancy! Why stagnancy happens?

Theoretically speaking, working memory over load can cause your brain stop working (kind of bottleneck, stagnancy, not flowing) or work inefficiently. I heard that working memory is part of your brain that process information or knowledge you're perceiving, thinking or creating right now. More, it is severely limited, when you're dealing with unfamiliar – novel – complex problems. Working memory processes incoming information by calling prior knowledge from long term memory (your knowledge disposal) or borrowing required knowledge from other sources. So, what to do then if over load occurs? It is suggested that direct guidance (e.g. an example of expert's work) reduces working memory overload. Therefore, new researcher like me, will work more efficiently if facilitated with direct guidance. Why direct guidance? How come it reduce working memory over load? What kind of direct guidance? How to improve it? Where can I get it? Is that "direct"? Will it increase expertise? How? Why? The answers are in the literature review chapters in my thesis. Too much to be wrote in here. Embarrassing, part of my thesis talks about working memory over load but in reality, I got over load!

15 February 2008

Everything China

It is widely known that everything China is cheaper. Regardless the quality, sometimes purchasing a cheaper one is our best decision. Particularly if we need that in a big number or just a little thing for short term use.

In Sydney, I found everything China shops almost on every corner of Junctions. Usually, it's called Discount Shop. It sells almost everything, from kitchen utensils, electronics, clothes baby size to adults, groceries, etc. The prices are much much cheaper than the supermarket one, even though those in the supermarket are made in China as well.

I like to call these shops "two dollar shops", because things I most buy from these shops cost two dollars. Lets recall, around UNSW... in Kingsford, there are two discount shops near roundabout (but closed since three months ago), in Randwick, there are two: tik tek and in the front of James Cook statue (intersection of belmore rd, avoca st, high st), in Maroubra, there are one near Franklin and inside Pacific square, next to post office, in Eastgardent shopping centre: Reject shop, in Kensington... there must be one... but never been there, then... the biggest one in Sydney is Paddy's market. I just knew that this market is very well known since many students (tourists) from other cities or states, come to Sydney merely to visit this market and buy everything china. Some of them have label : designed in Australia. Can you catch what this label means? Australia poor thing...

6 PERTANYAAN

Dari email berantai, memuat mutiara iman... Simak!

Suatu hari Seorang Guru berkumpul dengan murid-muridnya. ..
Lalu beliau mengajukan enam pertanyaan.. .

Pertama...
"Apa yang paling dekat dengan diri kita di dunia ini...???"
Murid-muridnya ada yang menjawab...
"orang tua", "guru", "teman", dan "kerabatnya" ...
Sang Guru menjelaskan semua jawaban itu benar...
Tetapi yang paling dekat dengan kita adalah "kematian".. .
Sebab kematian adalah PASTI adanya.....

Lalu Sang Guru meneruskan pertanyaan kedua...

"Apa yang paling jauh dari diri kita di dunia ini...???"
Murid-muridnya ada yang menjawab...
"negara Cina", "bulan", "matahari", dan "bintang-bintang" ...

Lalu Sang Guru menjelaskan bahwa semua jawaban yang diberikan adalah benar...
Tapi yang paling benar adalah "masa lalu"...
Siapa pun kita... bagaimana pun kita...dan betapa kayanya kita... tetap kita TIDAK bisa kembali ke masa lalu... Sebab itu kita harus menjaga hari ini... dan hari-hari yang akan datang..

Sang Guru meneruskan dengan pertanyaan yang ketiga...
"Apa yang paling besar di dunia ini...???"
Murid-muridnya ada yang menjawab
"gunung", "bumi", dan "matahari".. .

Semua jawaban itu benar kata Sang Guru ...

Tapi yang paling besar dari yang ada di dunia ini adalah "nafsu"...
Banyak manusia menjadi celaka karena memperturutkan hawa nafsunya...
Segala cara dihalalkan demi mewujudkan impian nafsu...
Karena itu, kita harus hati-hati dengan hawa nafsu ini... jangan sampai nafsu membawa kita ke neraka (atau kesengsaraan dunia dan akhirat)...

Pertanyaan keempat adalah...
"Apa yang paling berat di dunia ini...???"
Di antara muridnya ada yang menjawab...
"baja", "besi", dan "gajah"...
"Semua jawaban hampir benar...", kata Sang Guru ..
tapi yang paling berat adalah "memegang amanah"...

Pertanyaan yang kelima adalah...
"Apa yang paling ringan di dunia ini...???"
Ada yang menjawab "kapas", "angin", "debu", dan "daun-daunan" ...
"Semua itu benar...", kata Sang Guru...

tapi yang paling ringan di dunia ini adalah "meninggalkan ibadah"...

Lalu pertanyaan keenam adalah...
"Apakah yang paling tajam di dunia ini...???"
Murid-muridnya menjawab dengan serentak... "PEDANG...!! !"
"(hampir) Benar...", kata Sang Guru
tetapi yang paling tajam adalah "lidah manusia"...
Karena melalui lidah, manusia dengan mudahnya menyakiti hati... dan melukai perasaan saudaranya sendiri...

Sudahkah kita menjadi insan yang selalu ingat akan KEMATIAN...

senantiasa belajar dari MASA LALU...

dan tidak memperturutkan NAFSU...???

Sudahkah kita mampu MENGEMBAN AMANAH sekecil apapun...

dengan tidak MENINGGALKAN IBADAH....

serta senantiasa MENJAGA LIDAH kita...???

14 February 2008

From friend to friend

Collecting friends? What a great idea. Please copy this post and post it to yours...

Anger is only one letter short of danger
If someone betrays you once, it is his fault;
If he betrays you twice, it is your fault.
Great minds discuss ideas;
Average minds discuss events;
Small minds discuss people.
He, who loses money, loses much;
He, who loses a friend, loses much more;
He, who loses faith, loses all.
Beautiful young people are accidents of nature,
But beautiful old people are works of art.
Learn from the mistakes of others
You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.
Friends, you and me…
You brought another friend…
And then there were 3…
We started our group…
Our circle of friends…
And like that circle…
There is no beginning or end…
Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is mystery.
Today is a gift.
So now, let’s see how many circle’s of friends we can make
by simply adding your link on this Friendship Meme!

1. Catsy Carpe Diem.
2. Catsy Download
3. Out of the Blue
4. A Day to Savor and Relish
5. A Piece of Idea.
6. Write Shy
7. Stupid Wise
8. Online Memorylane
9. See Me For What You Will
10. Michelle’s Small World
11. Chez Francine
12. Cronaca.
13. Le bric à bric de Cherie
14. Life
15. Hanna
16. Angriani
17. Farah
18. Anoushka
19. Noushy Syah
20. Eagle
21. Dasir.
22. Shirei.
23. Abibakar
24. Novee
25. Kopi Susu
26. IndahOke
27. Mygreatesthappiness
28. A Devoted Wife
29. I Love My Days
30. Add yourself here


END COPY HERE

Would like to pass this Friendship Meme link to BLOGGER :

1. Irfan
2. Aya
3. Pujiono
4. Andi
5. Nanang


"KEEP POSTING ... KEEP BLOGGING ... AND TAKE CARE .. !!!

07 February 2008

Mankind but Not Human

Tell me how to deal with mankind but not human? Is there any worse thing than what I've got now?

What a very hard time...

03 February 2008

Halalkah Vegetarian Food?

Secara teori, vegetarian food adalah jenis makanan berbasis tumbuh-tumbuhan, baik bahan utamanya maupun bumbu-bumbunya. Sejauh yang saya tahu (mohon dikoreksi) semua tumbuh-tumbuhan adalah halal. Jadi, mestinya vegetarian food adalah halal untuk dimakan. Untuk vegetarian shop atau restoran khusus vegetarian food, masalah keabsahan bahwa semua bahan makanan dan bumbunya adalah dari tanaman, saya kira, tidak perlu diragukan terlalu jauh.

Namun, apabila vegetarian food ini dijual di restoran yang tidak secara jelas menyatakan bahwa mereka menyediakan menu vegetarian ini secara khusus dan restoran tersebut juga menjual makanan yang tidak halal, misalnya pork atau daging tidak halal lainnya, maka saya merasa perlu berhati-hati. Alasannya adalah bisa jadi alat pengolahan makananya campur, misalnya satu oven, satu tempat penggorengan atau pisau untuk memotong pork dan daging buatan (vegetable based) adalah sama. Enggak tau kan kalo ada yang tercampur, sekecil sari-sarinya. Sebagai contoh, restoran Indonesia menjual gado-gado dan pork goreng. Bisa jadi kan, minyak untuk menggoreng tahu isian gado-gado dipakai juga untuk menggoreng pork. Untuk berhati-hati, dalam contoh ini misalnya, sebaiknya pesan gado-gado tanpa tahu goreng, daripada susah-susah nanya ke penjualnya apakah tahunya digoreng campur daging, misalnya, dan nanya kek gitu bisa menimbulkan persepsi buruk. Pokoknya berhati-hati saja dan pinter-pinternya ngakalin. Bukan berarti gak bisa makan apa-apa kok dengan aturan halal itu. Justru, aturan halal itu menjadikan kita orang yang berhati-hati (tidak rakus) dalam makan. Secara apa yang ada di darah kita dan disalurkan ke hati, otak dan tubuh lainnya adalah apa yang kita makan. Ingat juga: makanlah sebelum lapar dan berhentilah sebelum kenyang!

Kedengarannya gitu banget ya… hehe… emang gitu! Urusan makan adalah urusan harian hampir setiap manusia, tapi kayaknya gak mutu banget deh mendahulukan urusan makan daripada kebaikan ibadah.

02 February 2008

Makan Halal di UNSW

Dua hari ini aku mendapatkan pertanyaan yg sama dari teman-teman yang baru datang dari Indonesia, yaitu tentang tempat makan halal. Jadi pengen nulis, meskipun sedikit merasa bersalah karena meninggalkan thesis sejenak di saat Ahnaf tidur lelap.

Makan halal di negara yang mayoritas bukan muslim bukanlah hal yang dapat diperoleh di sembarang tempat. Australia tidaklah seperti Indonesia yang mudah mendapatkan warung halal. Mau makan halal di sini (Australia) harus punya perencanaan, penyelidikan dan keberanian. Berencana mau makan jam berapa dan di mana, menyelidiki apakah ada makanan halal yg bisa dibeli atau perlu bawa home-made-food dan berani bertanya ke restoran yg dituju jika memang harus beli. Paling aman sih, bawa makanan sendiri.

Sekedar informasi, ada beberapa restoran halal di sekitar UNSW yang aku tau. Di UNSW sendiri ada kantin di dekat library ada satu halal foodcourt yg jualan Kebab, Pide, Pizza, fish&chip, salad, dll. Di sebelahnya ada sih vegetarian food, kalo vegetarian bearti semua bahannya, termasuk persevative/emulsifier nya diturunkan dari tanaman kan? bearti masuk kategori aman. Ada Indian food, yg jualan bilang sih halal food, tp sayang ga punya sertifikat halal. Sampe segitu perlukah sertifikat halal? mungkin iya loh... karena halal itu gak cuma dagingnya diperoleh dengan tata cara halal, tp juga cara memasaknya menggunakan bumbu halal, benar kan?

Keluar dari UNSW, ke Kingsford dulu. Yang pasti halal cuma satu, restoran Nasi Goreng. Yang dijual ga cuma nasi goreng, macem-macem menu ada, es cendol juga ada... Di Kingsford ini, restoran Indonesia ada banyak, tapi catat ya... tidak semua orang Indonesia di sini yang muslim, dan kalo mau jeli memperhatikan, restoran tsb memasang tanda salib, patung budha atau tanda keagamaan lain selain islam, jelas kan bukan pengikut makanan halal. Mungkin bisa sih makan gado-gado atau empek-empek. Sekedar minum es teler atau es kelapa muda untuk menemani teman yang makan di restoran yg tidak berlabel halal kan juga sudah lumayan mengisi perut, menyegarkan pikiran dan tetap etis.


Di White Lotus atau Randwick Oriental Kingsford ada packed food yg halal, ditulis di atas kontenernya. Nanya sama koh White Lotus deh, pasti dikasih tau makanna mana yg dijual halal. Baik kohnya ini.

Ke Kensington, ada restoran Pondok Buyung. Tersedia makanan padang. Ada daun ketela dan sambel ijo lumayan mirip Padang asli. Di seberangnya ada TJ Muamalah Butcher, jualan daging (mentah) halal. Juga ada pies daging yg halal. Kalo naik bis dari UNSW ancer2nya turun depan kantor pos.

Ke Randwick Junction, ada restoran Thailand, Taste of Thai. Rasanya kalo menurutku ga terlalu authentic thailand sih, moderate lah... ga bikin mules, hehe... Halal dan cukup ramai. Dari UNSW naik bis 400/410 turun depan Commonwealth Bank, terus nyebrang. Seingatku di pojokan terusannya Commonwealth bank ini ada restoran India halal, temenku yg pernah nyoba ke sana sih... katanya rasanya neg. Aku blm pernah nyoba, takut perut mules, hehe...

Ke Maroubra Junction, ada Red Lea di dalam Pacific Square depan Coles. Dari UNSW naik 393/4/5/6/7/9 atau 400/410 Red Lea jual fresh chicken halal. Juga ada fast food nya yg halal. Red Lea di Eastgardens shopping centre juga halal. Utk ke Eastgardens dari UNSW bisa naik 391/2 atau 400/410.

Butcher halal selain di Kensington, juga ada India punya (lbh murah tp agak jorok tempat penyajiannya) di Eastlake shopping centre (naik 302/303 dari Day ave sebrangnya UNSW) dan di Bunnerong road depan lapangan setelah PCYC - 10minutes walking distance dari roundabout kingsford.

Di sekitar UNSW yang aku tau kayaknya cuma itu deh. Bahan makanan, roti, es krim, dll yg dikemas, bisa baca di kemasan ingredientnya. Kayaknya aku dah pernah nulis ttg kode2 yg harus dihindari deh. Coba cek di sini. Sebetulnya, yang paling aman dan sehat, di saat harus makan di luar rumah adalah makan buah. Ya kan... :D