Category Archives: Misc

Goodbye 2014, Thank You…

Last year, I said I’m going to continue pursue my 2012’s resolution, that’s not working well during 2013, yet even more this year most of it scattered. And after two year, I started to think, is it the time to ditch those list?

Not because the list are bad, or I failed everything. It’s just because maybe, It’s quite okay if some of the thing succeed and some other failed. Not everything is supposed to be perfect anyway.

Anyway, readers, you might see that this post is the only post I wrote this year, but actually it was not. I wrote something early this year around the time of Chinese New Year, especially since this year is the year of the horse, my Chinese zodiac. But I lost that post when my friend Mr. A, the one who pay the domain and hosting, lost his credit card, and was unable to renew the hosting on time.

Luckily, I keep a backup of my blog, so most of the past post can be recovered. But unfortunately, the backup hasn’t included the last post, which is the one I wrote early this year.

After the lost, I decided to get a new hosting for my blog, restructuring stuff, and wishing to start writing again soon. However, It never happened.

It’s been a wonderful year.

Despite my inability to continue writing in this blog, I have to tell you that this year is a wonderful year indeed.

During the Chinese New Year, we have a big family reunion. Most of the descendants of my great grandfather from my mom’s side gather together at my mom’s hometown, Salatiga. I get to meet several uncles, aunts, and second cousins I had never met before, and also for the very first time in my life, I get more than 10 angpao1, where normally I only get 3 at max from my parents, my grandparents, and sometimes from my aunt2.

Then, at the end of February, My father got a heart attack, yet after 10 days of hospitalization, he’s now healthy and back to work again, and start getting more clients, and even more awesome prospective clients then before.

Mid this year, I invested my money on small modified printer so I can start selling custom printed T-shirt and pillowcase. Around the same time, my mom also open her first batik clothes shop at our garage. Both of us starting our own venture, it’s something I never expect, but yes, it happens.

We spend the rest of the year growing our business and learning more about it, while also witnessing how my father trying to make use of his ‘second life’ even better than before.

Even though there is ups and downs happen during this year, I am thankful for everything. I am glad to be able to experience one more, where a lot of unexpected things happen to my family, my friends, and I.

I hope for better year, next year.

Just like every other person in this world wishing for a better future, I do wished the same, although I never know how it will fulfilled, as I don’t have a solid ideals.

I wish I my scholarship application and other program applications get approve, and also my business keep growing so I could start hiring employees. I wish I could be a better person, more discipline, more well-organized.

Although I have all those wishes, I believe that God knows me the best, and knows when is the right time for certain things to happen to me. So I believe that my entire wish that need to be fulfilled will come true, and I’ll be fine when some of my wish won’t come true next year.

Other than wishes for myself, In the following year I also wish that all people who recently lost the loved one, Including but not limited to those remaining family and friends of the victim of recent Air Asia accident, could still be strong and have faith in their life.

Hmm, I think that’s all for this year. Thank you 2014. I’ll write again next year.

 

1the red envelope filled with money given by the elders to children or in some cases unmarried young adults

2Chinese related celebration was restricted until about 1999, when our president at the time decided that it’s time to let Chinese descendants to embrace their own culture publicly. Because of that, during my childhood or teenage years, I have very little experience with Chinese culture.

Happy 1 Year Anniversary!

To be honest, I’m not at the right mood to write this post. But since today is one year anniversary of my blog, I just don’t want to miss it. So even it will not be perfect, I’ll do it anyway.

As I probably repeat several times in this blog, this blog is a birthday present from my best friend, and I was hesitating for two months before finally write in this blog at the age 22 years + 2 months. I was hesitating a lot because at that time I want to sort of planned it out carefully. Choosing the template, tweaking the design, planning what kind of post I should write, even planning some tiny details about how should I hide people’s name by only writing their initials.

In the end, I started anyway, without being perfectly ready, I wrote post by post.. and thats how this blog today, and the same thing happen to the way I live most of my life today.

Today is around 1,5 years since my graduation, and I’m 23 + 2 months old. If i look back, it would be a lie if I said I have no regret. I do have things that I regret, probably a lot. Quitting my job few month before graduation, not looking for a new job slightly before and after graduation, not selling my design to a national company, not apply for a job in the capital, not yet having the courage to publish my own game design, not getting a full time paid job like my friends did, not finish writing my first book, doing fatal mistakes when designing, are only several thing that I regretted.

Having regretted lots of thing, I realized that in our life we’re going to regret something anyway. As humans, its our nature to ask : WHAT IF?

What if I do this instead of that, what if I didn’t do this but do that instead. The more I asked myself, the more I realize. That I don’t know what happen to me if i don’t live my life today as it is. I don’t know how my life today will feel like or look like if i don’t do things as I did in my past. My life can be better, can be worse. No other humans know. Maybe God know, but He aren’t going to tell us anyway. So no one ever know.

No one can be sure that I will be more successful than I am today. Unless if success have really specific criteria, which if we haven’t met that specific criteria, we are a complete failure. Unless success and failure was determined by some narrow standard, maybe by money only, by popularity only or by other common determinant.

But what I learn from my life in a year time. Success, and failure is unique in each person case. What in the beginning seems like a big failure, seems like a big mistake, or something that going to be failed. Can lead into something big, something powerful, something enlightening.

My decision to try start my own business, or work by my own, at my hometown, a medium sized town, instead of working in established company, somewhere in the big cities,  leave me in an almost (if not truly ) unemployed condition for more than 6 months, continued by another months of extremely underemployed condition, with only one or two freelance project, which I managed to finish only after prolonged time (but still make mistakes in the end). Until one day, I was getting a call in a random morning, simply to help dealing with an urgent design matter, which somehow lead to unexpectedly awesome experience designing signage, arranging space, organizing factory visit and mini museum for a local company, plus packaging project, and other design related project from the same company.

In a year full of stress, tears, than what I ever have in the past 21-almost-22 years of my life before, I experienced walking in the road less travelled. I ride in the bumpy road with a lot of uncertainties along the way. Instead of doing and getting things exactly as I planned. I experienced failure and pain along the way, but at the other side getting chances and privileges which mostly not common things for 23 year old, young Indonesian designer like me.

In a year time, I tried to trained myself, even though very slowly, changing my working style. From the strict idealist and perfectionist, who only willing to deliver a perfect design, which in the end delivered very late in the name of perfection, although most of the case acute procrastination strike and delay the completion of project. Transform slowly but sure,into someone who tries to start working even when not feeling ready yet, and polish it along the way. While keep trying to deliver a high quality design, my definition of perfect work do shifted a bit. While in the past I only care mostly about the design itself, during this year time experience, I learned that an awesome design is not only determined by the design itself, but also the time of delivering, compatibility with the implementation, and other aspect of the real world.

In a year time I meet more kinds of people I never met before, or maybe I’ve met before but never know their kind really exist. I met a 24 y.o. girl who leave her job in order to travel around Europe, despite never travelled abroad before. I met 20 y.o. boy who is afraid to make imperfect drawing, because his professor wont like it, even though he know 100% that the professor will never see that drawing. I met 24 y.o. boy recent graduate, yet already having years of experience in non profits, and now starting a social entrepreneurship project. I met another guy in his 50s, a fatherlike figure who initiated a youth organization, and agree to be a mentor for my project. I met many more kinds of people, and keep finding another.

At some of them I saw some traits that we share, but another factors in our life makes our life end up completely different. Sometimes I met someone seems completely different from me but turns out have something similar happens in life.

In a year time, I learned that things that I thought, I already prepared perfectly can go wrong. Despite through preparation in most case helpful, unexpected things might happen.

I also learned that, unexpected things sometimes (if not most times) are not a bad thing. Try to do something when we’re not in the most comfortable state, try working on a project we have no or less experience doing, suddenly decide to apply for a thing and get accepted, join competitions and eventually win some prizes.

Uncertainty and unexpected, is the keyword of this past year, and I believe still apply in my future.

Despite all the regret, failure, mistakes,and postponements, I am thankful for this year. For each small little chances who end up being unexpectedly big experience. For an awkward beginning who end up being close partnership and friendship. For small baby steps that sometimes will transform into small little jumps.

Thanks to the Lord that give me faith, strength, patience, passion, and determination. To stay alive and contribute better. To continue, despite any skepticism that occur.

Even though I haven’t or may not achieve things as I planned. I am thankful of my life as it is, because in a year time, I learned a lot!

You’ll Never Be Old and Wise If You Weren’t Young and Crazy – anonymous

 

Cheers,

Winnie Tjahjana

Quick Post : Random? What?

My friend Audrey Tangonan from Philipines have been asked me to update my blog since last month. She keep asking me to write something that she called “random motivation”.

I finally push myself to write as quick as possible my feeling and thoughts about the news I’ve just realized few minutes ago.

So here we are today…

Random things as random as it can be!

Sometime last week a random typhoon hit some islands in Philippines. Although the typhoon have a name and have a predicted path. I would say that it still a random disaster since we never know which individual will be affected.

if you want to know more about the disaster check this link

As for today, lots of people already lost their home and families. They currently don’t have enough food supply to survive.

However, the good news is … food supply and more volunteer is about to come. One of them is “not-so-random-person”, the only filipino I ever know personally, my  friend Audrey.

Random Messages!

So, my dear friend Audrey, here is the some messy thought that I left for you, your fellow volunteer, the survivors, (and readers).

 

For audrey and the volunteers, I am relieved that you are unharmed. But above that, I’m so proud of you because you care.

 

I feel sorry those who become victim and lose everything, but above that I am grateful that you guys still survive. I am so proud that you still alive and please keep alive

 

I wish someone remember to play with the kids, maybe showing some puppet show or do something fun . Since the kids need something to do while waiting for meals. This disaster may leave scar in this kids life, but I wish that something fun can shallow the depth.

 

In this kind of situation I don’t think that my kind of consolation word or whatever word is the most appropriate things to do. I know that it seems easy for me to say things when I’m somehow away. Not feeling the pain, and unable to contribute. I have to admit that at the moment, I’m not yet able to contribute concretely to help you guys, but I want you to know that my prayer will be with you. In the mean time I will keep finding out how could I help you

 

More Random Things!

My brain at the moment is currently as messy as this quick post. But in this messy moment, my messy brain keep remembering these sentences over and over again.

Your place or mine? The world is one.

Why these sentences? I’m not so sure… is it remind you of something?

malaikat copy

Thanks God, I’m Alive!

Its been a long time since the last time I write in this blog.

I should have been writing my second post about my Penang adventure, but I keep postponing it.

It’s my own fault. So whatever the reason behind it, whether its exam, jobs, competition or whatever it is I will not seek any justification.

But today, I finally brave myself to make a new post to say how thankful I am  for every single day that I’ve been through.

My live was colorful, exciting, and i’m feeling alive, because God gives me the greatest give of all. What is that? Its a thankful heart. A heart who knows how to enjoy life when life itself try to ping-pong-ed  me. A heart who know that God loves me, and he got an amazing plan for me, even though this life doesn’t works the way I wanted.

He, the God Almighty who owns my life, may let me suffer, let me have pains, let me feel some confusion in life. But He showed me that I should not give up. He show me a way to surrender. To accept His plan while keep working hard to achieve it.

He, My God, teach me that a fake peace is fake and temporary, and may bring chaos in the future. Sometimes the real truth may bring disruption, but then it leads to the real peace at heart. So I am thankful for Him to make my heart feel crumbled sometimes when I found the truth.

He, showed me that He’s the only source of love, He’s the only and ultimate source of love.But, if you wondering what method He use to show me His love, its not through the light who suddenly comes through the sky, like the one we normally saw in the movies. Its not that magical spectacular supra-natural. At least not in my case. Because, It doesn’t have to be like that, it doesn’t need to be like that.

Love is a simple thing, why should us make it complicated? Love is a smile from a stranger across the street, a wise word from a friend, a warning from your parents, a warm shake hand from a colleague. Love is not limited for romantic purposes only.

When people said that love its the most important thing in this world, I would say that is true. Its only that I have my own definition of love.. love that is not narrow-minded.

 

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. -1 Corinthians 13 : 4-7


This kind of love, keeps me alive, keep my heart warm at the coldest situation. Keep me humble, and keep me strong. The kind of love that God give to me…

Thanks God, I’m alive…because You always love me.

lovekiss copy

23

Who are you when you’re 23 years old?

Some people were still a student, some other just started theirs first job, some people already invented big enterprise, some people strive to get jobs, some people sustain injuries, some people were having their first kid, some might be happy, while some other depressed. There is thousand or million or trillion possibilities could happen to us when we’re 23. There is countless possibilities of what kind of person we will be.

Today, on March 23rd 2013, there is one particular person turn 23 years old. This person lives in the same town as me, yet I never know him personally nor I ever met him. All I know about him is only his online personality that I found at his twitter or some online news. So basically my opinion is based from distant perspective. However, even from afar, this person gives a positive vibe.

This guy is quite famous athlete in town, and possibly nationwide. Yet he seems to maintain low profiles personality and friendly to his fans. No wonder his amazing fans always proud of him. Despite all the hardship that disturbs his career, he shows a good example of how a human should be.

This guy has an opportunity to own a lavish and selfish life, yet he seems to do the opposite. He maintain a humbly and loyal personality. Despite his popularity he still personally writes for fans and friends, even help marketing his club jersey (and apologize for possible expensive price). Stay loyal to his current ‘almost bankrupt’ club despite the bad fortune he might encounter.

Moreover, taking foster kids and giving donation to students who needs is also on his list of achievement. Achievement of doing selfless and caring action, which is in my opinion, was quite a huge thing for person his age.

I wonder, what kind of person I’ll become when I’m 23 years old?

While I still have 6 month before turning 23, I am currently far behind. Even If I piled up all the good things I ever did in my life, I is not enough yet. I won’t wish my life to be like his nor I wanted to do the same as he did. But I sincerely wanted to find out my own way to do good thing. A good thing that came from a good heart.

ps: if I’m not mistaken, his (the person I mention on above post) name means “war leader”. Then if he really lives into that name, I believe he already leads us on war against ignorance, insensitivity, and selfishness. Thanks! and Happy Birthday!

Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can

― John Wesley

Remembering Valentine

Two days ago was 22nd valentine day in my life (23rd if you count the one when I’m still inside the womb). However, I have very few memories about them. Mostly, I can’t remember my early valentines because I was only a small kid at the time, plus its not considered as really important days in my home country. Some that I remember probably from recent years.

My most recent valentine was two days ago, February ,14th 2013. Our house-keeper wake me up in the morning and change my pillowcase*. After that, I give her a pack of chocolate that I bought the day before. Later that day, I spent the evening with my best friend Mr H, discussing about stuff that we should prepare for a competition that we’re going to enter as a team.

My Valentine Pillowcase

*this was a valentine presents from my parents. I cant remember the exact year but maybe y during High school year.

My 21st valentine was a year ago, February 14th 2012. I was in the middle of final semester, therefore I’m working on my final project together with my partner Miss E. Just like usual days, me and my classmate goes to our studio to do our work or for meeting our professors to discuss our final project’s progress. However, that day my friend Mr G ask us, all the singles, to do some unusual valentine celebration. We bought some beers and Korean ramyon and eat it together in our studio. Since I used to drink occasionally with my classmate and professor while staying in Korea the year before, I was able to drink a can of beer without being drunk or dizzy (my Korean friends tell me the tricks). But my friend Mr G, feeling dizzy after only a half can of beer. The bad news is, he’s the one who drive us home, and he still feeling a bit dizzy even in the evening. Therefore, since that day neither my friends nor I drink any alcoholic drinks for the rest of the year.  We concluded that it was unnecessary and quite dangerous for us in Indonesia.

My 20th Valentine was during my stay in Korea, February 14th 2011. It was winter. Although South Korea is a four season country, Busan normally have very mild winter. The wind were harsh, but the temperature is only few degrees below or slightly above. But that day, during valentine 2011, we got very heavy snowfall, and it was even piled up until around 70 cm. Although we cannot go anywhere that day because the road is too slippery, My friend Miss I and I do take a short walk to the sport field nearby. We decided to commemorate our first (and eventually the only) heavy snowy day in Busan by making snowman. However, since we came from tropical country, which never have any snow (except at the top of Jaya Wijaya Mountain in Papua Island which is very far from my place), we have no idea how to make those big snowballs for Mr Snowman’s body. Therefore after some trial and errors (plus peeping on some European students), we finally be able to finish Mr Snowman. Yaaaayyyy!

White Valentine @ Busan

Miss I and I with our Mr Snowman (we give chocolate to Mr Snowman, he need something to eat on this chilly day)

Other than those three occasion, I remember that I got pillowcase from my parents at some point during high school year, and buying my grandpa a set of chocolate, or probably saying “Happy Valentine” a few times in my life, but I cant remember any specific year or details about that day.

However, from those occasions that I can remember, I have each valentine really unique. I feel like I simply do normal things on valentine days, instead of lovey-dovey thingy that other people do. Maybe, that’s made me want to remember my valentine, to commemorate usual things on (what most people think as) unusual date.

What I Want to Do in 2013

Earlier this year my cousin A asked me what is my new year resolutions. But I can’t really answer that question. Of course as a normal human being, I want to have a better year compared to previous year. In fact I want an awesome year!

But, what kind of awesome year?

It took me almost a month to figure out some concrete things I want to achieve this year. Here’s the list.

 

I want and I have to:

  1. Read Bible everyday.
  2. Drive an hour a day, at least 4 days a week.
  3. Write in my blog at least once a week.
  4. Wake up and sleep early, and avoid naps during afternoon. Try my best to expand my ‘effective hours’.
  5. Enroll myself into international competitions (and hopefully win some).
  6. Publish my educational games
  7. Start going out to do adventure once again, at least around my hometown.
  8. Write and publish books. I hope I can publish 2 (or 3 or more) books this year.

 

Well, so far I’ve fulfilled 2 out of 8 things on above list. But still, I have to work really hard if I want to achieve all things by the end of this year. There are many things on that list that needs persistence and consistency. I can fail anytime if I get careless.

Other than that, this year I need to pay attention to my emotion, my attitude. My body is getting older, but my emotion is somewhat behind. Although I kind of sad when realizing that my emotional problem has become obstacle for me to achieve greater things in the past. I glad that realizing this problem now has giving me opportunity to catch up and improve myself into a better person.

Hopefully I can direct my thoughts into more positive ways and focus on achieving my goals, and finally have an awesome year!

 

Cheers,

Winnie Tjahjana

List of Events 2012

During the last few hours of 2012, I decided to write a quick list of events that happen in my life during this year.

January

  • Spent my first minutes in 2012 sitting at Kuta Beach, Bali Island while watching fireworks with my parents and Aunty U.

 February

  • Start my last semester as undergraduate student.
  • Continue working on my final project together with my partner miss E.
  • Spent valentine day together with all single friends, drinking a can of beer and a cup of korean ramyeon. This beer was the first and the last alcoholic drink that i have this year.

March

  • Early formation of LunchClub, our circle of friends that eats lunch together during the final project studio time.
  • Helping my friends shoot RunningNut our adaptation of popular korean variety show RunningMan

April

  • Helping my friends shoot some sitcom for their final project. We use my grandparent’s house as the shooting location. We all (6 person in total) stayed in my house for approximately 3 days 2 night.
  • One of my aunt got married at Solo, Central Java.
  • My father got retinal detachment on his right eye.

May 

  • My parents went to Singapore for the first time because my father need some eye surgery.
  • Final presentation of my final project. This is my last presentation as undergraduate student of Universitas Ciputra.

June  

  • Submitting the revised final report of my final project.
  • Went to Madura Island for the first time. We got there through Suramadu Bridge to eat fried duck at “Bebek Sinjay” and  visiting some beach.

July

  • Aunty U got some major surgery, and it went really well, she recover really well and even been able to back to work in less than a week.
  • Aunty D came from US. During her stay, I accompanied her to Madura Island, hence my second visit to the island.

August

  • Aunty D went back to US, while Aunty L visit us in Malang.
  • My first trip to Singapore in order to accompanied my dad on his second eye surgery.

September

  • My dad need another surgery on his eye so we have to lengthen our stay for around 3 weeks.
  • During my stay in Singapore, I visited Toys fair, Science Center, various museum and shopping street,  local libraries, and even got called for my first work interview ever, but at the end I didn’t pass.
  • My graduation ceremony finally took place at the end of this month. I wore orange kebaya under my robe.

October

  • I turn 22 y.o.
  • My friend Mr A gave me this web domain as my birthday presents, while my father also bought me another web domain for my other project, and my LunchClub friends gave me a handbag.
  • My cousin A came to Indonesia with her friend Miss R. They embark a month journey together, visiting some exotic places including Komodo Island, and then Miss R went back to Istanbul, while cousin A  stayed in Indonesia

November 

  • Aunty U,cousin A and me went to Toba Lake, North Sumatra. This was my first visit to Sumatra Island.
  • Me and cousin A held  our first Fish Funeral for Esmer Victoria Secret.

December

  • I found some lizzard’s remains that shown on my article FF : Fossil Findings
  • My parents, Aunty U, and cousin A went to Pasir Putih to cast off our grandpa’s ashes. We sunk his urn into the sea.
  • My parents, Aunty U, and cousin A spent our christmas together.
  • Aunty U and cousin A went to Thailand until new year, while Aunty L visit us again in Malang.

For me, this year was rather unique, I have so many first and last experience, and throughout the year our friends and families come and stayed with us for  a while.

I experiencing a lot more than what I can write in this post, and I believe it will help me grow and be prepared for the next year.

Although I have few regrets for much things that I can’t do during this year, I was thankful because this year I was able to start new things, including this blog.

Thanks for reading, see you next post!

a Gift for Myself

Normally, on their birthday people receive presents from others. They expect other to think about them, do or buy something for them, while they doing nothing but enjoy themselves. As a normal human being I also have those thoughts. Having my friends to buy me something for my birthday was an easy thing, since I’ve been doing it for the most of my life.

However, this year  I feel the urge to give myself a birthday presents. Something that really coming from myself, and others can’t do it for me. This year, I decide to start writing once again. I want to re-establish my writing habit that I’ve abandoned for around 4 years. I want to force myself to think and share regularly in order to practice self-discipline.

Yet, knowing that I need some space to do those things, one of my friend, “Mr. A” gives me an empty site as birthday presents. Ready to be filled with my everyday thoughts, my everyday artwork and my everyday journey.

Thanks to him, tonight, 2 months after my 22nd birthday, I’ve been able to delivering the first gift for myself. This messy post in the middle of the night will mark my initial attempt on constantly embrace all good things that happen in my life.

Through this post I sincerely welcome you to enjoy the gifts with me. Wish me luck and strength to deliver more gifts in the future .

 

Cheers,

Winnie Tjahjana