Overheard on the weekend

Just some quotes overheard lately which I hoped would make you laugh your ass off as well (well, not that much though).

Conversation between me and my dad over Skype:

Me: "How will I be able to see the pictures from yesterday's event?"
Dad: "Hold on for a second, I'm tagging you on them (on Facebook) now." *pauses* "Wait, what's your name again?"

(My dad's possibly having trouble looking for my full name in order to tag me on those pics)
OMG, my dad forgot his own daughter's name T_T

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Random conversation among me and 3 of my friends during playing a race game on PS.
2 of my friends are Indonesians, another one is a Malay.

Everyone: *hands on joysticks, eyes on the screen*
Friend #1 (She's Indonesian): innocently "Hey, you know what? Another Indonesian classmate introduced this Malay word to me in the class."
Friend #2 (He's Malay): "What is it?"
Friend #1: "Rumah Sakit Korban Lelaki." (literally means "Hospital for the Victims of Men", but it actually means "Maternity Hospital". Quite ironic, eh?)

*awkward pause, suddenly...*

Me and another Indonesian friend (Friend #3): HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA

Me: *to Friend #2* "Is it really how you say it in Malay?"
Friend #2: *slightly embarrassed, I can tell* "Yes, it's actually true, or Klinik Ibu dan Anak (Mother and Child Clinic). How do you say that in Indonesian?"
Me: "We call it 'Rumah Sakit Bersalin'."
Friend #1: "But the Malay word for it makes an impression as if the guys there (in Malaysia) are all bad."
Everyone else: .....

If you don't know about this "joke", that's because it actually isn't a joke. It's true that Maternity Hospital is called...that...in Malay (I just double-checked it to Friend #2, to make sure that the Malay word for it isn't merely something made up by Indonesian people). So it's more like British people have "rubbish" and Americans have "garbage".

It's just that the phrase actually sounds funny to Indonesians. Since especially Indonesian people grow resent towards Malay since Malay people are said to have adopted and claimed Indonesian culture as theirs), it has become a joke among Indonesian people.

But really, no offense on me bringing up about this "joke". The "joke" here actually lies on the fact that me and Friend #3 have certainly heard about this "joke" back in our home country as something we talk to our fellow Indonesians (local joke), but we never expected we would hear this "joke" brought up in the presence of a real Malay person.

I feel a bit bad to that guy though, but good thing his reaction is cool and okay towards it.

And no, despite the commotion between Indonesians and Malays these days (due to the cultural conflict), my Indonesian friends and I never develop this hatred feeling towards our Malay friend. We even act as if such a thing never exists!
So let there be peace between us!!! :)

Trying out some LOOKS

This weekend I've been experimenting a lot on various looks on Looklet. Let's see what we got here.

V-Day
I guess it's supposed to be V-J-day, the day when Americans won the World War II over Japan. Anyway, this picture is inspired mostly by 40s style and the background is based on New York.


Soo Young's Run Devil Run
I always adore Soo Young's look in Run Devil Run. Somehow her look stands out among other Girl's Generation, maybe because she manages to look more tomboyish than others, yet still chic! Her hairstyle rocks too!


Tell me your wish
A look inspired by Girl's Generation costume in "Genie/Tell me your wish". Maybe the look above is closer to Jessica's than other members, seeing the model dons blonde hair. Anyway, I'm loving the white blazer and especially the policeman's cap! Although in some versions of Genie promo pictures, the girls wear black shorts instead of white, oh well.


Belle Epoque
A tres chic look inspired by Edwardian era and also a minor character in the novel, The Nightlurker. I was thinking the look above to fit either the male character's older sister or past lover. One thing for sure, the vintage umbrella completes the flawlessness!


Don't talk to strangers!
I actually thought to design a look for my other in-progress novel's female protagonist, where she travels to Korea and goes on an up-and-down adventure. I've always imagined her being averagely stylish yet simple at the same time. At first, I thought it'd be a good idea to don her stylish, sophisticated winter outfit like the ones in Gossip Girl (cape, trench coat), but apparently those kinds of clothing just don't work for adventure stories' characters, so I chose simpler yet easy-to-move-around outfit. The highlight of the style is the UGG boots. Love'em to bits!


Scottish Moorland
This feminine look is inspired by the female protagonist on my novel, The Nightlurker. The character herself is not a girly person, but rather tomboyish at some points. The overall sweet and simple clothing was donned when her boyfriend took her out to a meadow for a date, and then she decided to impress him by wearing something that would capture his attention.

Black Widow
Has anyone seen Iron Man 2? I actually haven't seen it before but I really adore a character there called Black Widow, a Russian spy played by the gorgeous Scarlett Johansson. I believe the whole latex catsuit costume is also highly influenced by Catwoman too. I wish Looklet added extra props like grenades, guns, bombs to be placed in her hands, just to add more sense of her as a spy. :)

Be sure to stick around! I might post some more looks this weekend, or otherwise, I'll be definitely posting something even more exciting. Just stay tuned!

Thank you Harry Potter

It's so sad that the most acclaimed saga of the decade has finally come to its end this year.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Potter fans will finally be able to catch the last glimpse of the-boy-who-lived's adventure through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.

I got the chance to see the movie last week with Eileena, Bella, Jennifer, Bianca, and Hanson on Sunday, July 17, two days after the release day. At first, I was so nervous for not getting the tickets seeing the movie was highly anticipated by Potter fans, but we finally got them through pre-order process.

Anyway, let's just get on to the movie. You may want to watch out for spoilers if you haven't seen it yet.

The movie basically is a continuation of the previous one released on November 2010: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1. Basically, the movie is obviously based on the book. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in a whole tells about Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) going on an adventure to seek Lord Voldemort's (Ralph Fiennes) Horcruxes (sacred items where Voldemort keeps his souls). The goal is to destroy the Horcruxes one by one in order to put Voldemort's immortal life come to its end. But finding them isn't easy because aside Harry, Hermione, and Ron need to go to unexpected various places in the magic world, they are aware that Voldemort is watching over them and trying to fail their mission by sending his minions, the Death Eaters. Harry also aims to discover his faith and the truth about the past he has never known before.

I gotta say Part 1 was a little disappointing. Maybe that's because I'm not getting used to seeing movies that are cut off in the middle of the complication, thus we all have to wait for the latter portion of the movie several months ahead. I was a little nervous to see if the latter part of the movie will be as promising as most people say. Like everyone else, I wanted the final movie of the most intriguing saga of the decade to be brilliant. But in the end, all of my anxiety was answered positively.

Part 2 was absolutely, definitely intricate. I couldn't get more satisfied. All Potter fans are surely aware that Potter movies have got darker and darker each movie. As the final installment, you can guess that this movie is the darkest among the whole saga.

I read the novel, it's just that I forgot some parts of it because I only read it once and it was back the time when it was newly published. I'm pretty sure everything matches with the book, with some tiny parts that are cut off in the movie. The producers somehow try to fit all important details in the book to the movie that they want audience not to miss out (which leads to the movie being split up into two parts), and that's a good attempt. The several months of wait for the latter portion of the movie isn't wasteful.

*spoilers* Well, I gotta say the seventh movie is full of action and surprising scenes which won't fail to amuse the audience. One of my favorite scenes would be when Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis) bravely stepped forward to Voldemort's presence and brought up a heartfelt speech, saying no matter that Harry has died, "he still lives among us."

The Battle of Hogwarts was also one of the tensest moments during the movie. The sense of unity among the wizards is strongly felt during the time where Hogwarts staff and Order of the Phoenix collaborated their power to create a shield to protect Hogwarts castle from Death Eaters' attack.

The latter portion of the movie resembles a war/disaster movie than the previous Harry Potter movies I knew before, seeing wizards and witches who were dying and injured due to the battle, lay on the stretchers in a Great turn-to-barrack Hall. The scene where Fred Weasley died as he was surrounded by his family, wasn't depicted to the fullest. Fred is one of the most important and loved Potter character and I guess, the director needs to include the scene how he died to add more emotional effect on the audience. But anyway, I definitely love the part where Molly Weasley bravely duelled with Bellatrix Lestrange and eventually killed her by dissolving into pieces.

Not to mention, one of the most awaited scenes in the whole Part 2 movie is, of course, the 19 Years Later scene. Audience have surely anticipated whether Warner Bros decided to replace the current actors with older ones. However, much to our surprise, the 30-something-year-old Potter and friends are still portrayed by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Tom Felton, Bonnie Wright, and Rupert Grint!

You might wonder how could the teenage cast of Potter and friends portray the much older ones. Well, the make-up artists did all the job. They attempted to make Potter and friends as adult looking as possible.

Apparently, the make-up and appearance effect work out to all Daniel, Tom, Bonnie, and Rupert, except for Emma. Despite donning a mature trench coat, hand bag, and a hairstyle that hardly changes. No matter how they're trying to make Emma look out, it just doesn't work on her. She still looks slightly older than her age, and even everyone seems to agree that she acts more like a sister to "her" daughter, Rose.

Overall, the 19 Years Later scene is a scene where all Potter fans can reminisce back to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer Stone scene where Harry first boarded the train to Hogwarts. When I saw the scene, I felt dejavu and I felt like rewatching the Sorcerer Stone except the fact that it wasn't Harry who boarded the train, but his children instead.

This is where another favorite moment of the movie occurred. Little Albus Severus, Harry's son, doubted about the thought of getting selected to Slytherin, to which the adult Harry responded that his son name was named after the "two headmasters of Hogwarts." Actually when the audience are exposed to the adult Potter characters, I could hear a couple of giggles and gasps all over the cinema referring to the jaw-dropping make-up effects done on Potter casts, not to mention Daniel's wise, fatherly tone when he spoke to "his" son. Good thing he really pulled it off. *spoilers*

Wow that's long...
The most impressive aspect of this part 2 is, it features a lot of flashbacks from the previous movies, especially the movie makes a lot of references to the very first movie. We all remember Harry Potter and the Sorcerer Stone (the first installment) as heart-lightening without any dark elements. It's simply a movie for children and family.

But along the time, Harry Potter movies just got darker and more serious as the stories were altering and the characters were growing up. Watching Part 2 would be a great opportunity for Potter fans to reminisce to the very first movie. In Part 2 movie, we can all catch a few glimpses of elements featured in the first movie, such as the original Harry Potter theme song that gradually ceased in each movie, but in most of Part 2 movie, you'll get to hear lots of Harry Potter original theme song that most Potter fans have longed to hear since the early movies.

Visual Effects are no doubt anymore. Harry Potter series are popularly known for the amazing effects and gigantic set. The effect producers really pull it off in the last installment.

Overall, Part 2 is the most emotional Potter movie that successfully paralyzed me on my seat. It successfully captured all audience's emotion too, I believe. Thus, I give it rating:

10/10

Enough with the review and spoilers. Now, it's time for some random movie-off-topic time.
Shortly after the movie was done, Eileena, Jennifer, Bella, and I took some pictures in the...well...you know where girls these days like to take pictures while hanging out right? ^^

From left to right: Bella, Eileena, me, and Jennifer


We're not posing Glee's sign. But it's "7" instead, as in the Harry Potter 7.

Anyway, I'm so satisfied and sad at the same time. Satisfied because the final movie was beyond awesome, and sad because it concludes the whole chapters of Harry Potter movie series. I didn't go all emotional, sad, shedding tears after the movie finished, like some of people I heard. But you know the feeling when the saga you grow up with finally has to come to its end.

Oh well...

Thank you so much Harry Potter, for the wonderful 10 years.
Here's a bit of not-really-an-artwork collage of mine dedicated to Harry Potter saga.

“Whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.” - JK Rowling.

Return of the Superior

Got the news that Super Junior's 5 jib is coming out real soon on August with the theme: Return of the Superior.


Wow, it looks so colorful by the way.

I'm both happy and sad at the same time for some reasons. Some people say that this is going to be the last album of Super Junior, since Leeteuk and Heechul will be enlisted to military for 2 years. Also, some people relate this issue to the so-called 5 -year-curse (where idol groups call off their career/experience some serious issues with the agency after 5 years since their debut). It happened to DBSK a few years ago, Shinhwa, SS501, HOT, and some other idol groups.

Anyway, it's just a myth - hopefully. On the other hand, as an ELF, I'm very thrilled and excited to welcome them back, especially the concept of their album and how their MV turns out to be really brings chills to me. It also delivers me some memories from last year when they released 4-jib - Bonamana. The hysteria and euphoria were just unforgettable (haha, I remember the moment where my friends and I in different places refresh SM Youtube channel seconds before the MV was finally released there). Hopefully this year's 5 jib will bring the same atmosphere.

Kibum was informed to rejoin Super Junior activities, but apparently the news won't come true. This picture might explain why.

Kibum wasn't included in the formation.
Aw, I really remember those 3 jib (Sorry Sorry + Neorago) era where Super Junior was still in complete 13-member formation, it was before Kangin was enlisted to military, Hangeng left SM, and Kibum went MIA to pursue acting career.

Too bad that the preorder of 5 jib was closed everywhere. I'm still trying to look for access and possibilities where I can preorder it.

슈퍼주니어 화이팅!

Some goodies from Taiwan Guan Mo Tuan

Yesterday, as you might have noticed, I posted an entry about reunions that came after Taiwan events. It seems like I've posted too many text-heavy stories that this blog kinda lacks of pictures. Well then, this time, I promise I'm just going to post bunch of pictures with captions, more like a gallery-like post. Taiwan Guan Mo Tuan program, which was held exactly last year, left me and my friends with several items we brought home that wouldn't make us forget our moments spent in Taiwan.

These pictures are courtesy of Sonya, who's kindly given me a permission to post these pictures taken from her camera to my blog. Thank you so much Sonya!

Hope you enjoy it, readers!

Note: some pictures might have been posted before, just so you know.
Also, since most of our members put a lot of interest on cute stuff and accessories, there are some stuff bearing excessive cuteness below. You have been warned ;)

Holy crap, there's a lot!!

Item: Uniform Backpack
Place: Tamsui Street
Description: The picture above is a backpack belongs to Sonya. Mine's color is hot pink. All girls in Group 4 bought the same style of backpacks in the same shop at the same place, only in different colors. The idea of buying the backpack was first initiated with only a handful of girls, who apparently were in needs of backpacks (since their luggage seemed to have overloaded). We all promised to use the backpacks on our departure day to Jakarta.


Item: Doraemon bread
Place: Taipei Hero House
Description: This bread is included in our breakfast' package provided in Taipei Hero House! It's actually a plain bread, but it's terrifyingly delicious! :p


Item: Sushi sets for lunch
Place: Taipei 101
Description: On the first free Sunday we had, we all strolled to Taipei 101. It was raining heavily and we were kinda lost in a secluded area in Taipei 101 building (some sort of a basement of a building interconnected to the main Taipei 101 building). Since it was lunch time and there were no food courts seen nearby, we bumped into this sushi restaurant and had some!


Item: A glass of orange juice and a glass of...fried rice for breakfast
Place: Bus taking off from Taichung hotel
Description: People make mistakes, unexceptionally being late. It seems that the members of group 4 have developed high tolerance towards each other, that even we voluntarily shoved some orange juice and fried rice to these plastic glasses, spared them to those who woke up late (the later you woke up, the less food there would be). Pretty efficient, right?


Item: Rows of unique-packaged looking candies
Place: A candy shop at Taichung downtown
Description: Just some snacks and candies we happened to see in a cute-themed candy shop at Taichung downtown


Item: Group 4 Official Flag
Place: Taichung Hotel
Description: This flag was made on our first day in Taichung. Each group was expected to come up with a concept about the flag and spill it out on a large piece of cloth. The group flag had to be made as creative and unique as we could. Our group's artist - Marcella - immediately took her time to draw our fu dao yuans (group advisors): and Xiao Xin and Xi Bao. Xiao Xin was depicted as Shinchan (probably due to bearing striking resemblance) slipping on a piece of banana peel, with Xi Bao crying out to warn him.


Item: Fujifilm Choco Polaroid
Place: Camera District, Taipei
Description: Some people from our group, like Jeje and Janet duizhang, bought these lovely polaroid cameras!


Item: Cellphone pockets
Place: Xi Men Ding night market, Taipei
Description: All members of Group 4 were very tempted to buy these for souvenirs for friends at home, which we eventually did! (after a series of bargaining)


Item: Sophie Chocolate
Place: A candy shop at Taichung downtown
Description: THIS IS NOT A PAD. I thought it was a pad that happened to be misplaced in a candy shop, but then it was a yummy chocolate! LOL at that awkward moment when grabbing a piece of chocolate out of a pad package.


Item: Candy Sticks
Place: A candy shop at Taichung downtown
Description: I didn't consume this one, but it's pretty popular among our group members as these sticks were passed around for everyone to eat.


Item: OK Chocolate
Place: A candy shop at Taichung downtown
Description: THIS IS NOT A BANDAGE. Same case as the "pad" chocolate. Inside this package is not real bandages, but instead bandage-shaped milk chocolate!


Item: Geta (Japanese Wooden Sandals)
Place: Lu Gang Street, Kaohsiung
Description: Sonya and her sister, Janet duizhang, bought these lovely Geta! I wish I could've bought them too.


Item: Ice shaving
Place: Modern Toilet, Taipei
Description: We shared this ice shaving for night snack before returning to the hotel. If you spot a small ice cream at the corner of this toilet-shaped plate, it's shaped like a poop. What a "gross" delicacy, isn't it?


Item: Breakfast package
Place: Taipei Hero House
Description: Aside of the typical Doraemon bread you saw earlier, included in the breakfast package for each of us were another set of Doraemon bread, onigiri, and apple juice box


Item: Ay-chung Flour Noodle
Place: Xi Men Ding night market, Taipei
Description: Lao Shi recommended this so-called noodle for us to taste whilst in Taiwan. So that night, not just group 4 but bunch of other groups lined up in Ay-chung Flour Noodle stall. It was soooo packed with visitors aiming to try this legendary noodle that's passed through generations! I'm telling you it tastes so good!


Item: Fried Quail's Egg
Place: Lu Gang Street, Kaohsiung
Description: Sonya and her sister, Janet duizhang, bought these lovely Geta! I wish I could've bought them too.



Item: Caramel Pudding
Place: 7 Eleven
Description: Stumbled upon this pudding when we first arrived in Taipei! We were so hungry that night and went to 7 Eleven only to find these yummy puddings! Apparently this type of pudding is so famous in Taipei, so it's worth the promotion.


Item: Fujifilm White Polaroid
Place: Camera District, Taipei
Description: Some other people in our group, like Jane, Felicia, and Tasya, were drawn to buying this cute polaroid in a reasonable price!


Item: Colored Gel Pens
Place: Muji Department Store
Description: Sonya and Monika bought these pens at Muji Stationery Store


Item: Marshmallows
Place: Muji Department Store
Description: Sonya and some people in our group bought these marshmallows for Snack


Item: Eslite Paper Bag
Place: Eslite Bookstore in Chung Yo Mall, Taichung
Description: Eslite is the bookstore we visited in Chung Yo Mall, Taichung. It was friggin enormous and it consisted of two stories! Some ended up buying books that were written in Chinese (I didn't though), but still, the place was worth to remember.


Item: Muji Department Store Paper Bag
Place: Muji Department Store
Description: On our first free Sunday, we went to Muji Department Store at Camera District, Taipei. Muji sounds like a very renowned department store in the area that we even looked for it before we saw it. It turns out the items sold there were quite promising (please refers to the marshmallows and colorful gen pens above)


Item: Coffee candies
Place: Forgot ^^", but I guess we got these from a coffee factory on the way to Tainan
Description: I forgot where we got these. Taiwan is pretty known for producing its distinct sweets and snacks. So it it's not from the coffee factory we stopped by on the way to Tainan, we must have got these candies from a retailer store or simply...somewhere in Taiwan.


Item: Temporary Name Tag
Place: Hanging on my chest
Description: We were given out these temporary photo-less name tag with our ID number and group number written below. The name tag was only valid for the first three days before it was replaced with a new one, with a picture of me. Too bad I didn't get to take a picture of the new name tag. Aside of the group and ID number displayed on the name tag, you can see that there's my Chinese name there.

Photos are credit to: Sonya

A series of reunions

Just last night, I was surprised by my cousin, Monika's, Skype request. We talked a cousin-to-cousin talk yesterday. As a note to you guys, she's like my own sister and now she already left to pursue her dancing education and career in Singapore.



I really miss her so much. I'm quite saddened with the fact that I won't be able to meet her once I get back to Jakarta for vacay, unless my parents allow me to go to Singapore and pay her a visit.

Just tonight, I got another Skype call but this time, it's from Jeje and Didi!

It was short but it's nice to see them although we could only meet through computer screens. Hopefully one day Monika, Jeje, Didi, and I could meet up at a conversation call!
That'd be awesome!

Speaking of skyping with Monika, Jeje, and Didi, I'd like to mention a bit that they are participants of Taiwan Guan Mo Tuan, a study tour program to Taiwan where Monika and I were lucky to meet Jeje, Didi, and the rest of the gang in Group 4 (the group we were assigned in)!

...and guess what? It's been a year since Taiwan trip! Time flies so fast, and in another month, my first year in the US will be completed and I'll soon enter the second one.
Anyway, let's focus on the Taiwan trip first. The Taiwan Guan Mo Tuan program that I joined last year, kicked off on June 21 till July 11, 2010. So, two days before this entry was posted, officially marked the first anniversary since the day the tour ended.

The whole program itself was very much impressive! If you're wondering what I've been through in details, please refer to this. You'll most likely find everything related to the trip!
The aftermath events following the end of the program include of course, reunions. Reunion is a true fact that our bond created within the group has definitely strengthened. Even at the end of the program, we still felt like not splitting up. It was a tearful moment but anyway, we promised to reunite.

The first reunion was held approx. 3 days after we all arrived in Jakarta, which is around July 13/14 (today last year) in Pancious, Mal Kelapa Gading. The idea of the reunion had been initiated since we were exiting the arrival hall in Soekarno-Hatta International airport. Before we parted, we promised we'd have a reunion while we were still having a few days off left before school started (not for me though, I still had a month left before leaving to the US).

That reunion is probably the most joyous one, since it was attended by some members of Group 4 who come from Makassar. A chance of meeting them in the future is definitely very rare :(

During the briefing of Taiwan Guan Mo Tuan, held before the program kicked off, the organizer lady expected all the participants to make friends, stay in contact, and have a reunion after the program ended. She even mentioned and exaggerated. "Last year's group even had their first reunion just a week after the program ended!"

Well, ma'am, you should know that this year (last year)'s group had their first reunion 3 DAYS just after the program ended! See how close we really are?

Second reunion was held at the same time of Celine's birthday in Bandar Jakarta, Ancol. Remember Celine? She's the girl who we succeeded to surprise on the night of her birthday in Tainan.





Another reunion was quite short, and it was also to celebrate Karin's birthday. It was thrown in Chicken Story, Mal Kelapa Gading. It wouldn't have been originally short, if Monika and I hadn't got lost in that enormous mall and spent nearly an hour to look for the venue of the reunion.

The latest reunion only consisted of four people including me: Audrey, Didi, and Jeje. We had a simple dinner in Sushi Tei and that was when I came back from the US for Year End break. It was so nice to know that they actually dedicated this reunion for me. Aww...

I'm going back to Indonesia on August 6, 2011, in case you wonder. My Group 4 friends have been expecting for another reunion, but I'm afraid it won't be the same. Since some of them are going abroad for college, it will surely affect the amount of the attendees (Monika and Jeje are off to Singapore, Sonya is off to Michigan, US, Karin goes to Taiwan, and Audrey is off to Surabaya).

No matter where we would be,
Group 4 sticks until the end!