Writing from My Desk

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 01:04:00 +0000

Sending my deepest sympathy to Japan and the Japanese people.
*earthquake and tsunami in Japan on Friday, March 11, 2011*

♥ Paper Wedding Anniversary ♥

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:11:00 +0000

Wow! 10 years of marriage! How time flies sooooo quickly. It seems like yesterday that we wed at Pondok Indah mosque, Jakarta. Alhamdulillah. God, please be with us always, along our journey together.

Happy Chinese New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:24:00 +0000

Approaching the Chinese New Year, you may find books about your fate in the coming Chinese year at bookstores near you. If astrology in the western world tells your luck based on your zodiac--determined from your date and month of birth--, the Chinese astrology tells your fortune based on your shio--determined from the year you were born.

Endra and I once sneaked a peek into such book, only to find that according to our respective shio, we were matching to each other. Yay! According to the book, dog (Endra's shio) and tiger (mine) are friends. Lucky us.

Whatever our shio are, may the new year bring us health and prosperity. Welcome to the year of the rat.

Soeharto, 2nd President of Indonesia, Dies At 86

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 09:14:00 +0000

Innaalillaahi wa innaa ilayhi rooji'uun. To Allah we belong, and to Him our return. Soeharto who ruled in Indonesia for 30 years (1968-1998) dies today at Pertamina Hospital, Jakarta at 13:10 WIB (western Indonesia time).

We thank Soeharto greatly for his merits to the country. His biggest merit was to sweeping away communism from Indonesia. He brought economic development to the country. He had great interest on agriculture. He developed roads, telecommunication, electricity and other infrastructure throughout Indonesia. He built schools, health centers and other public facilities for the people.

However, with his military background, during his repressive era, Soeharto didn't give his critics many chances to speak out. He paralysed the life of his opponents. And he let his children and cronies involved in all kinds of business that seemed he built 'Soeharto dynasty'. Remember "lengser keprabon" (javanese words for ending the reign), Soeharto's words in commenting about succession to the presidency?

Indonesian should forgive Soeharto's mistakes, considering all his merits. But, the generations to come shouldn't forget the mistakes in order not to repeat the same mistakes again. May his soul rest in peace.

What Language Should I Learn?

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 04:16:00 +0000

You Should Learn Japanese

You're cutting edge, and you are ready to delve into wacky Japanese culture.
From Engrish to eating contests, you're born to be a crazy gaijin. Saiko!

What Language Should You Learn?

Before New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 08:39:00 +0000

Happy New Year 2008 and Happy New (Moslem) Year 1429H! May this year be better than the previous years. May Allah The Almighty forgives us for our wrongdoings and sins. And May Allah loves us more.

Some occasions happened before New Year and New Islamic Year. A friend of mine, Boto Simatupang, got his doctoral degree from Faculty of Economy - University of Indonesia on late December 2007. Congratulation to Boto for the awesome achievement! I met Pras and Tommy when attending Boto's doctoral degree promotion. So, among us PL'80, there are 5 6 guys who hold doctoral degree: Heru, Rempu, Eko, Bobby, Hadi and Boto. Who will follow them?

And before New Islamic Year, there were two new born babies in the neighborhood. Congratulations to families of the new babies! My friends and I visited the mommies and babies at their respective house. Welcome to the neighorhood, cute babies. Enjoy life here!

Met Him @ The Airport

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 17:13:00 +0000

In the beginning, it was scheduled that my arrival in Jakarta would be on Tuesday. But, for one and other reason, the schedule was delayed until today :((. Meanwhile, Endra would depart to Bangkok today at 13:00! Can we meet before he leaves?

I flew to Jakarta via Balikpapan with Batavia Air. The timetable for Tarakan-Jakarta flight was:
⁃ Tarakan - Balikpapan : 07:50 wita - 08:50 wita
⁃ Balikpapan - Jakarta : 09:20 wita - 10:25 wib
wita: Central Indonesia Time
wib: Western Indonesia Time

Fortunately, we arrived at Soekarno-Hatta airport ontime :-D. From Terminal 1B (for passengers of Batavia Air and some other airlines) I went to Terminal 2D (for international flights) with help from Rizal. Thanks much 'Zal!

And there we were for about one and a half hour. Changing stories, sharing our lives while I'm gone. And then his turn to go. What an express date! (not really a date, actually..) Hope to see him again soon this Saturday..

Posting this from iPod Touch

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 11:57:00 +0000

Just wanna try writing these words from Endra's iPod.
Ready? Publish!

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 04:04:00 +0000

I've emailed my works last night. One project had already finished. Now, I can concentrate more on another project. Hopefully, I can finish the project sooner. With big help from my friends, of course.

Yesterday morning, I had a meeting somewhere in South Jakarta. Going home to Bintaro, from Ratu Plaza, I took the Trans-Bintaro--a feeder bus from Bintaro area to Sudirman area--.

When the bus passed Jl. ~~Kartika Utama~~ Metro Pondok Indah, I felt sad somehow for some trees and plants soon will be gone and be replaced with ugly, concrete way for mass transport project called "busway" (corridor 8, if I'm not mistaken). How the nice-looking environment of Pondok Indah area will be altered into something stiff and rough. Poor you, Jakarta!!! Such area with good visual quality is very rare to find in here and it will be diminished soon.

Another view also made me sad. A protest rally, blocking the Serpong-Jakarta toll-road, was held by some people, asking for their money from selling their father's land for what is now the toll-road. I saw police cars, a TV station car, micro buses of "Kopaja" parked at the side of the road. They had lost the land; they saw the road company received money from toll-road users, but they hadn't got anything in return. I read in today's paper that the toll-road company had entrusted the money to South Jakarta courthouse. A meeting will be held this Thursday morning to resolve the problem.

From Nunukan To Break Fasting Together

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 16:34:00 +0000

A week passed quickly. Last Sunday, I was in flight to Tarakan and stayed for a night, there. Monday and Tuesday in Nunukan, and Tuesday afternoon I've been to Tarakan again. Wednesday afternoon, I flew again to Jakarta.

Nunukan is changing. Coastal road is being built from Mambunut (in the east of Nunukan) to Tunon Taka port (in the north). Government office buildings are being built in some places, including library building near alun-alun (open space of city center). Fast changing place needs good development control.

Thursday evening, at Nelly (and Aryo)'s house, ITB'80 broke fasting together. There were 46 guys and gals who attended the event, that 14 were gals. It was the second biggest reunion after our big reunion 2 years ago when commemorating 25 years of ITB'80. It was nice to meet old (and new) friends from different faculties after all this time. Thanks to Nelly and Aryo for the amazing venue and menu. :)

What's Your Travel Profile?

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 11:38:00 +0000

Got the link from blog Things Left Unsaid, I tried to find my own profile. Classified as "Travel Yup", it happened that I "like exotic and adventurous travel in a comfortable way". Hmmm.. it's very me (maksudnya: gue banget..).

And the recommended destinations are:
• Venice, which is always my numero uno dream;
• Amsterdam, been there but I don't remember a thing :( and
• Beirut, which--according to Kahlil Gibran-- was the most beautiful city in the world.
What faraway destinations!

Books From Bapak

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 15:43:00 +0000

My parents plan to move to a smaller house in Cirendeu, Ciputat. Facing small rooms in his future house, my father decides not to carry all his books with him. So, he let his children have some of them.

I've got bundles of "National Geographic" year 1961-1962 and 1964-1966 and some old books, such as:
• Perdjoeangan Kita - Sutan Sjahrir (in Indonesian)
• Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
• War And Peace (2 volumes) - Leo Tolstoy
• Of Human Bondage - W. Somerset Maugham
• Bung Karno Penyambung Lidah Rakyat Indonesia - Cindy Adams
• Selamat Berpisah - J.C. Bijkerk (in Indonesian; Dad has the original Dutch version "Vaarwel Tot Betere Tijden", but I don't understand Dutch)
• Empat Kumpulan Sajak - WS. Rendra (in Indonesian)
• Perjalanan Marco Polo - Louise Andrews Kent (in Indonesian, translated from "He Went With Marco Polo")
• and some more.

Endra also brought some books, among others are:
• Sejarah Umat Islam (4 volumes) - Hamka (in Indonesian)
• Islam Dan Sosialisme - HOS Tjokroaminoto (in Indonesian)
• etcera.

I have read some of those books during my youth. For me, they are all invaluable books. They are all very precious. And they are from Bapak. Thank you very much, Pak, for letting me having these. I know they are all very precious for you, too.

Governor Election in Jakarta

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 01:05:00 +0000

For the first time ever, yesterday, Jakarta conducted a governor election. Adang Daradjatun - Dani Anwar vs. Fauzi Bowo - Prijanto.

It's the first time of Jakarta's governor election for me. And probably, for my big family, it's also the last time. My parents' moving plan to Bali View, Cirendeu-Ciputat, makes us soon no longer residents of Jakarta. Dad has to renew the family identity card (Kartu Keluarga) with card from Kabupaten Tangerang. That means, I have to renew my citizenship id card (Kartu Tanda Penduduk) as well.

De facto, I am a resident of Kabupaten Tangerang. De jure, I still hold Jakarta's citizenship identity card. And most of us who hold Jakarta's identity card but live in the surrounding areas, decline to give over the identity card.

And so, while I still have the right to participate in Jakarta's governor election, I choose to vote. As reported in news media, participation rate in this governor election was only about 65%. In Pejompongan, where my parents live now, participation rate was between 65% and 75%. Even my younger sisters did not use their rights to vote.

May the elected governor can bring Jakarta into a nice living city, better than ever.

Podcasts On The Go

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 13:32:00 +0000

What podcasts do you subscribe to? Do you listen to them as they arrive (be downloaded) to your Podcasts folder in iTunes?

I subscribe to several podcasts: ABC News Good Morning America, English as a Second Language Podcast, The French Pod Class, NEWSWEEK On Air and Planetizen - Podcast. Podcasts opens broader chances to listen to spoken foreign languages. We can even find lectures from prominent colleges and universities in Podcasts catalog.

However, it seems that short-time played podcast will be likely to listen to. Many episodes need minimum 15 minutes to play. Newsweek on Air episodes even need 40 to 50 minutes each. And so, blue dot marks grow on the list, showing episodes that haven't been played in the past two years.

If I could sit in front of iMac just listen to those podcasts.. But, I always do something else with the compie, don't I? Can't concentrate to what podcast says while doing something in the compie. It is not like driving or eating, that you can still listen to what other people say and even make conversation with them.

Inspired by one of Lifehacker 's tip, I make smart playlist of "neglected" podcasts with the following rules:
⁃ Podcast is true;
⁃ Play count is 0;
⁃ Kind is not PDF document (PDF files are always listed, whether or not you had opened the files);
⁃ Kind is not MPEG-4 video file (if you do not want video files); and
⁃ Kind is not QuickTime movie file (again, if you do not want video files in the list).
Tara... new smart playlist consists of episodes of (audio) podcasts that haven't been played. Once you play the episode from the playlist, the blue dot next to the episode will disappear and the number next to podcasts folder will decrease.

I intend to copy the files of this playlist to cellphone (iPhone? not yet), make it Podcasts On The Go. Hope I can listen to all episodes while crossing the town, not just in front of iMac. And maybe someday, there is nothing left in the podcasts playlist, there is no blue dot next to episode of Podcasts folder.

Family News Round-Up

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 13:27:00 +0000

Thursday, June 28, 2007:
Ita (my youngest sister) and her two sons, Tito and Titang, finally arrived in Jakarta. Nice to see you again sist and nephews! *big hug* Tito's voice had altered. Even, he is taller than me. And Titang: he speaks English with Californian accent! Cute nephews!

Saturday, July 7, 2007:
Asti (my niece) wed her highschool class-mate--Hendra. Congratulations to Asti and Hendra! May Allah helps you celebrate your journey together. Dik Dayat and his eldest son from Yogya and mbak Peni from Blitar came to the occasion. Thank you cousins.

Saturday, July 28. 2007:
Noki (my nephew) and Ema became new parents. Congratulations to the new parents. And welcome to the world, Pradipta. Allah be with you, always. Amen.

Nunukan, here I come back again!

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 05:41:00 +0000

Last week I've been to Nunukan for 5 days. Nunukan is an island in Kalimantan Timur Province. Meanwhile, Kabupaten Nunukan covers some areas of Kalimantan island, the whole Nunukan island and the southern part of Sebatik Island. The northern part of Sebatik Island belongs to Malaysia.

The first impression was the airport. A new and bigger passenger terminal was being built. Fence was built in the air side of the old terminal, preventing the well-wishers from the taxiway.

This time I have more time to go to some places in town than my visit here last year (Journey to Border Land). Nunukan is changing. New roads, new buildings are found around town.

However, Nunukan is not a tourism area; rather, it is a transit point to Sabah, Malaysia. We can find many Indonesian manpower agencies here in Nunukan.

I went to Nunukan with Mila, Eky and Rizal. Surprisingly, at Soekarno-Hatta airport in Jakarta, I met and old friend, Reflus. We happened to be in the same flight to Tarakan and then to Nunukan. Nice meeting you again, Reflus, after 2 or 3 years since our class reunion.

How Long Do You Spend Your Time With Your Significant Other On Typical Workdays?

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 06:40:00 +0000

For Endra and me being at home together for about 10 hours or less, we actually do something together for only 6½ to 8 hours each workday. Details are:
- sleeping 6 hours;
- praying 20 minutes (Isha and Shubuh);
- eating 10 minutes; and sometimes
- watching TV 1½ hours.

The rest 2 to 3½ hours is used for individual activities such as taking shower, reading books and newspaper or browsing internet and checking emails. Luckily, we can still talk to each other during internet time, sharing of what we hit in the net. Too little time to spend together and mostly in our worst of shape--tired and sleepy.

As long as we're still comfortable with each other presence, it's fine. Hope your days are better than ours.

5 Years Blogging

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 02:03:00 +0000

It began with me reading an article about blogging in Gadis magazine. My co-worker subscribed the magazine for her daughter. And as always, I sneak a peek the magazine before going home.

At home, the tech support--i.e. Endra, my husband-- helped me signed up to Blogger. That was 5 years ago.

I'll continue writing later. Now, I am going to go to Mangga Dua, looking for an external harddisk. Hopefully, I'll find a good one, with fire-wire cable.

Experiencing Google Spreadsheets

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 15:10:00 +0000

With Google Spreadsheets, you can work your worksheets from any computer in the globe as long as it is connected to the net. You can share the work with other co-workers or everybody else. And it's free!

However, since it saves the work automatically, you won't find quick responses for your instructions :( (or is it because of the slow internet connection here?). Either, you can't publish your worksheet directly to your blog :( Quite different from Google Docs. After all, Google Docs & Spreadsheets is a significant substitute to similar softwares available.

A Tribute To Chrisye

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 12:38:00 +0000

Everyone in Indonesia knows Chrisye (Chrismansyah Rahadi). He was a famous Indonesian male singer with unique voice and nice-to-listen songs. He also wrote songs. Chrisye, the unique singer, passed away yesterday early morning after suffering from lung cancer for about three years.

Like many Indonesians in their 40's or 50's, I grew up with Chrisye. His songs colored our high-school and university years and oh, our working years, too. From Lilin-Lilin Kecil (song and lyric by James F. Sundah), followed with Guruh-Gypsy album, Jurang Pemisah, Badai Pasti Berlalu, Sabda Alam, Percik Pesona and so on. Chrisye and friends offered a new taste of Indonesian pop music, back then in the end of the 70's. Chrisye was, is and will be everybody's favorite male singer of all time.

As for Endra and me, Chrisye's show in Solo back in 1994, brought special memories to us. We lived in Yogya then, and that night we drove from Yogya to Solo (about 60 km) vv only to watch Chrisye's performance there. I think many of Chrisye's fans in Yogya did the same thing that night. I didn't know much about Endra during those days, however I found out that he liked Chrisye and he was willing to drive to Solo for the event. Nice talk during the trip and Chrisye's performance was special. Hmm.. what sweet memories.

Chrisye, thank you for accompanying our days with your special voice and songs. Thank you for your dedication to Indonesian pop music. May your soul rest in peace.

Google Homepage: Now With Theme

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 13:49:00 +0000

Customized Google homepage, which reminds me of My Yahoo!, now come with selectable theme. There are 7 themes to choose for your Google homepage: classic, beach, bus stop, city scape, sweet dreams, tea house and seasonal scape, bringing your Google page a fresher look and more fun to wander around.Hmmm..., I am just wondering that maybe PC or Windows users have been enjoying the service for some time. And we, Mac users, just got it now, a bit late as usual... ;)

Testing SE k800i B-)

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 15:40:00 +0000

Starting today, browsing the net would be in landscape mode. feel like using iPhone? Nice try matrix..

π Day - Pi Day

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 15:25:00 +0000

Π Greek capital letter pi
π Greek small letter pi
ϖ Greek pi symbol
ℿ Double-struck capital pi
(Source: Character Palette of International Input Menu in MacOSX System Preferences)

March 14 is a day to celebrate pi (3.14) number. Result of searching pi day in Google could look like this.

Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879 in Germany. Endra and I wedded on March 14, 1998 in Jakarta. No connection, huh! Except our anniversaries fall on pi day! 9 years, alhamdulillaah.

View of A Local @ The Travel Cooler

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 04:59:00 +0000

It all began when Anni Poulsen leaving comments on this blog last October. Unfortunately, I had just noticed the messages last February after switching to the new version of Blogger. After we emailing each other for a while, finally I submited my answers to Anni, and taraaaa..... there's View of a Local from Jakarta/Java @ The Travel Cooler! (However, after reviewing the interview, I wish I could tell more and more about Jakarta, Java and Indonesia. Uh, I hadn't written about this, about that and that and that and.... )

Gong Xi Fa Cai

noreply@blogger.com (Ati) — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 18:12:00 +0000

Happy Imlek New Year 2558 to all of you who celebrate the day. May health and prosperity keep coming our way in the coming year.