A Lot Happened in a Couple of Months

Been a while.

I thought this time I could really update my blog frequently, but life happens. Several things that I think I should write down, because A LOT happened in the last couple of months.

1. I resigned from the company where I’ve worked for 1,5 years.

When I start working there, I thought I’d work there for at least 2-3 years. But apparently a girl just has to do what a girl has to do (I don’t know if it’s the right phrase, lol). I found some things that excite me more. I just knew that some bigger things are waiting for me outside and I just couldn’t miss them. I’m willing to take the risk, because I know I’ll regret it if I just let it pass me by.

We had 2 farewell parties; I received so many farewell gifts. I was really happy and sad at the same time, a common mixed feeling people usually have, I guess. It’s been an honor to work with them and I learned a lot. I met some amazing persons (and some not-so-amazing-person, to be honest).

Farewell gifts I received from my co-workers

Custom key-chain version me. Look how detail it is. I cried when I received it, haha (T,T)

The best thing is, I have a lot of friends from all over the world, literally. If I ever to visit China, Philippine, Dubai, Nigeria, Kenya, Mauritius, and some other countries, I can safely say ‘I have some colleagues there and I have their Skype contact’. It’s amazing how a professional relation can be personal. I’ve always thought of work life as people just talk business without making anything personal for the sake of business. Turns out I’m wrong. My Japanese colleagues are excited when I told them I was going to Japan to continue my study. This is when I know that I’ve made a right decision.

I have to say that all my colleagues have helped me to realize that I’ve always enjoyed being in an international community. I don’t care if people say I’m not a nationalist (seriously, there are STILL people who thinks that if you act like you love other country more than you love your own country, you’re not a nationalist and that’s a bad thing, apparently).

2. I lost my phone

I lost my phone right 1 day after the last day I worked. It was a shocking and unfortunate experience. My bag was torn by a knife in a train station and that bastard got my phone. I received some comments from my dear friends, like ‘meh, how long have you been in Jakarta?’ or ‘oh, just phone? You’re lucky’. Nope. Nooope. That’s not where decent people should live. This is JUST the right time to leave Jakarta.

I couldn’t stop thinking that this kind of thing would not ever happen in Japan. In fact, when I told my Japanese friends that I lost my phone, their first impression is that I lost it by accidently left it somewhere and forgot, or that my phone slipped off my pocket or my bag. This is where cultural differences theory applies. And to be honest, I don’t mind living in a country with a low crime rates where people don’t think that phone pickpocket is a thing. F*ck nationalism.

3. I received my Certificate of Eligibility

The document that I’ve been waiting for 3-4 months is finally in my hand. Actually the school send it by email at the last day I’m working (phew, what a timing!), and 2 weeks later the school’s rijichou came to Jakarta to see us and hand the documents by herself. I get to meet my classmates and I’m really excited!

After working for more than 2 years, I realize that it’s a lot more fun to study than to work. It’s like when you’re a little kid you always hate it when your parents tell you to go to sleep, but when you’re all grown up you just seem to never get enough sleep.

4. Came home before I’m off to Osaka

Just like any other lovely Minangnese girl, I came home to meet my Mom, to visit my Dad’s grave and of course, to stuff my belly with delicious lip-smacking traditional cuisine before my long journey to the land where people eat raw fish. I also went to my Dad’s sibling’s home which is in a different province and met my cousins there. Fun stuff.

I already bought my ticket to Osaka and just yesterday I received a text message from Air Asia that my flight will depart 3 hours faster than the schedule. I think that’s just how a budget airlines works. I don’t mind it, though, as long as it takes me and my friends to Osaka safely. Can’t wait to see the cherry blossom! Oh I also will attend the Osaka Youtube Hanami Party by Unrested. So excited!

The difference between being alone and being lonely

"Being alone is a fact, while being lonely is a state of mind."

-read somewhere in twitter

I’m a shitty introvert who actually like being alone but also needs to be in a crowded place sometimes. So, you’ll see me in a crowded place but looks … lonely (?). It gets me in a kind of ‘nowhere’ state when I was’ here’ but wishes to be’ there’, but when I actually get ‘there’ then I wish to be back to ‘here’. Haha, confusing, huh?

So it got me thinking, what’s the difference between being alone and being lonely? What kind of relation do these two words have?

You will know if someone is being alone when you see them sitting in a park without anyone sitting beside them and talk to them. That’s alone. You can actually SEE them being alone.

You see a person sitting in a bunch of people in a party, talking to each other, laughing, but secretly one of those people doesn’t feel quite the same happiness as others. Can you SEE it? No.

Being alone does not always mean that you’re sad because you don’t have a companion at the time. You CAN be happy even if you’re alone. Everybody needs a ‘me time’. So you have no right to judge a person when they go shopping alone or watch a movie alone. Especially when they look happy doing it. Even if they don’t show the happiness, I can still sense if someone’s enjoy shopping alone. Wow, introverts do stand with each other. #IntrovertsUnited

The other thing about being alone, for me, it’s more like an accomplishment after the ‘extrovert’ things I’ve been through all the weekdays. After 5 days in touch with the people in my office; from fun person who cheers me up to fucktards who makes my life turns to a sudden hell, I always need at least a day in 1-2 weeks of being alone. It’s like I’m charging my energy to mingle with people again. Trust me; dealing with people can be an energy-sucker

Being packed in a crowded laughing people does not always mean that you’re completely happy, either. Probably it is, for some of you. But for me, the shitty introvert, it’s not like that all the time. I like to be in the middle of a crowd; hell I even need it, sometimes. But when I run out of my extrovert energy, that’s when I feel I have to crawl back to my cave, just sit still in my short pants sipping ice tea while reading some books or watching sitcoms. And just laugh like Beavis and Butthead.

I can tell when loneliness attacks me. It’s when being alone doesn’t help anymore. It’s when being with another people, also, doesn’t help. 

So yes, I agree with the statement I saw when scrolling down my twitter timeline: “being lonely is a state of mind”. It doesn’t matter where you are, who you’re with, or what you do. When you FEEL lonely, you can’t help it.

Fortunately since loneliness is just a state of mind, you can turn around this situation by yourself. When you reach certain maturity, you WILL find something to prevent you to feel lonely. Most of the time people would just hit a party or meeting people, but in other case, being alone might help you. 

Funny how you can cure loneliness by being alone. 

My Old Blogspot Blog Disappeared

I was an active blogger since high school to early years of college. Probably around 2005 to 2008 if I’m not mistaken. This was huge at that time, for me, since not many people in my age really aware what blogging is. Note that at that time, we didn’t have facebook syndrome like now, so I could really focus in blogging.

Oh, I didn't have a full access to internet in my home PC (my Mom was very strict on the limitation of my internet usage), so I would go to an internet café to post my blog. Good times.

I used blogspot, just like now.

And then I got busy with college life. Moving out from home and live alone in a different city did take my time. I stopped writing in my blog. But, I never delete it. For the last 4 years I still visit my page sometimes. I didn’t sign in, though. It’s good to see my writings are still there. Embarrassing moments too, but that’s OK. I can live with it.

And just when I thought to start writing again, I tried to visit my old blog, and then…

It’s gone.

All my post.

All my pictures.

Blogspot deleted my old blog, just like that.

*lay down*

*cry like a baby*

HOW COULD YOU, BLOGSPOT??? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME???

I guess it’s a blogspot’s way to tell me to move on to the next blog. Really, I never want to post anything in that unstable-high-school-girl blog anymore. But is there any way I can get my post back?
Just out of curiosity. 

Resolutions: 3 Things I Need to Stop in 2015

Happy New Year guys!

Talk about resolution, I’m not the kind of person who would list all the things I want to be happen in the whole year. 1 year is a pretty much long time, I think, and unpredictable things happen all the time. So I’m not really into listing all the details.

However, generally, I believe we can be a better person each day. Let it be New Year’s Eves, birthdays, or any special occasions. This is more like introspective resolutions, not “Stop eating and lost 10 kg this year” or “Visit 10 new countries” kind of thing.

So, here are the 3 things I should stop in 2015 and on.

1. Stop Doing Things Only For Social Media Sake

You have asthma and can’t breathe with cigarettes smoke around you, but you still go to the club just to post the pictures in the social media. Trust me; this phenomenal really happens in Jakarta. You shouldn't be miserable just to be able to show people that you’re so hip, or something like that.

Just, stop it. It’s not healthy. You may have an “attention-whore-disorder” or “thirsty-of-people’s-approval syndrome”. Go see a psychiatric.

2. Stop Trying To Please Everybody

I can’t stress this enough, but THERE’S NO WAY TO PLEASE EVERYBODY IN YOUR LIFE. You don’t live for people’s happiness; you live for YOUR happiness.

I’ll be quitting my job and go to Japan this year. My family might not approve this 100% (though my Mom is acting very supportive, thank God). The managers in my office might not be happy. But if I have to please everybody, I’ll never make any decision for my life, ever. Something’s gotta give.

3. Stop Expecting People To Do Something You Think They Should Do

It’s the other side of the coin of the 2 first points. Just because a person is living in a metropolitan city, they don’t have to wear branded stuff all the time (and miserably eating instant noodles at the end of the month). Just because a person has a technical degree doesn’t mean he/she can’t open up a café and be a cook.

Stop pushing your opinion and be judgmental all the time. It’s none of your business. You do people a favor by stop shoving what you think ideal to their brains.

That’s my so-called-revolutions this year. Ganbare!