The Life of Socrates

Tersisih Diantara Dedaunan

2008-09-29T14:48:00.000+07:00

The Black Wagon - Retouch

2008-09-29T14:32:00.002+07:00

Dozer, Mud and Barge - Retouch

2008-09-29T14:18:00.001+07:00

Pasang dan Pepohonan

2008-09-29T13:43:00.003+07:00

Sang Penunggu

2008-08-15T06:13:00.003+07:00

Dongdang River, 2 hours from Samarinda, East Kalimantan

Sungai Lilin - South Sumatra

2008-07-05T15:50:00.004+07:00

On my trip to check a coal concession in Musi Banyu Asin, South Sumatra. It just nearby Cargil's plantation.
Nikon D80, f13, ISO 800, 1/640s

Senja di Danau Singkarak II

2008-07-05T15:33:00.003+07:00

Nikon D80, f4.2, ISO 200, 1/2500s

Senja di Danau Singkarak

2008-07-05T15:23:00.003+07:00

One afternoon on the way back to Padang, West Sumatra.
Nikon D80, f4.2, ISO 200, 1/2500s

When I Need An Excuse.....

2008-02-23T23:49:00.005+07:00

I was not able to blog for the last couple months. I was busy with my project, report and got no energy to sit and write something in this blog. So, that's my excuse for being off from this blog. From now, I will blog regularly at least until end of March 2008. After that? I don't know... wakaranai... haven't decided it yet... mada kimetenai...

I went back to Jakarta last Christmas, spent couple days in Bandung with my family. It was great and a lot of fun. Great food, shopping freak times and I gained few kilos...
Back to Tokyo on 1st January was the stupid thing that I'd ever done - no fun, wrong time and alone.

I wrote few articles about global crash in equity market, not here, in my other blog when the internet filled with the story of crisis, recession and market crash in US last days of January. Some of my friends told me to send it to newspaper in Jakarta so more people can read it and I did sent it to some newspapers but no response. Hmm, maybe it is not a good article or I sent it to wrong email address...

So, here I am, let's write something.... Cheers....

The Statue of Liberty - Tokyo, Japan

2008-01-14T23:55:00.001+07:00

Year End Party 2007 - Updated

2007-11-25T09:27:00.000+07:00

Finally, I have chance to write this posting.
Yes, our party went well and we really had a great time.
I posted all photos in my multiply, you can click this to access the pictures.

This party was sponsored by Robert Half.jp and also sponsored by two Indonesian friends. Robert Half International is the world's largest specialized financial recruitment firm and is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: RHI) and is a member of the S&P 500 Index.

L to R: Rudy, Batara, Frans and Rio
L to R: Welly, Kevin and Rudy

Click for Album 1 of ICT - Year End Party 2007
Click for Album 2 of ICT - Year End Party 2007
Click for Album 3 of ICT - Year End Party 2007
Click for Album 4 of ICT - Year End Party 2007
Click for Album 5 of ICT - Year End Party 2007

Year End Party - Tokyo 2007

2007-11-15T20:28:00.000+07:00

See you there....
I'll update it after the party...

Look At The Birds...

2007-11-05T10:03:00.000+07:00

Matthew 6:25-34

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I Thank you, Lord that Your Word will stand forever because You, Lord are the Living Word who always was and forever will be.

Autumn 2007.

Tokyo Bay At Night

2007-10-23T00:33:00.000+07:00

A view of Tokyo Bay - Odaiba area at night. Taken from Shibaura Island - Grove Tower.

Midnight Thought - The Perfect Label

2007-09-26T00:55:00.000+07:00

Inspired by the words of Amartya Sen in his book Identity and Violence: The Illusion of Destiny, he described himself as an Asian, an Indian citizen, a Bengali with Bangladeshi ancestry, an American or British resident, an economist, a dabbler in philosophy, an author, a Sanskritist, a strong believer in secularism and democracy, a man, a feminist, a heterosexual, a defender of gay and lesbian rights, a Hindu with a nonreligious lifestyle, a non-Brahmin, and a nonbeliever in an afterlife. Sen (73) is a Nobel Prize winner in economics. He is a global man and his works has inspired many people in this world.

There are million people who get trapped in a small corner of their potential life, and live their life without doing something really meaningful even for their personal life. How far can we go with our life? What is the limit? Where is the border line?

When I reach 60 or 70, what would be the perfect labels to describe me? At this point of time, I only have few labels that I know for sure will remain the same until I die: an Asian, an Indonesian citizen, an Indonesian with Batak ancestry, a Jesus follower, a Christian, a man, a heterosexual.

Globally Local - Locally Global

2007-09-21T02:40:00.000+07:00

A few weeks ago, I wrote a comment in one of Indonesian blog about posting article in English and Bahasa. He wrote that writing in Bahasa is much easier but he wants to reach more readers for particular stories. So I commented to try writing in both languages. Bahasa for something that simple, merely Indonesian and too local. At the end I said be globally local and locally global. GLLG is a common term in internet and portal world. This four words actually represent a global vision, bringing something global to local people and bringing something local to global people.

Think about McDonald and Kentucky Fried Chicken, is it a GL or LG? In my case, GLLG!
When I am in Jakarta, it is GL and it is LG when I am in Tokyo. I guess I am hungry! Anyone wants to eat?

Midnight Thought - Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish

2007-09-20T23:17:00.000+07:00

It's past midnight already. Here I am facing my notebook and dancing with my imagination. Again, it is all about great accomplishment and great achievement. I guess, these words what bring me to Tokyo for the second time after three years back home in working life.

It was a great working life, dealing with strategic things, setting up companies, executing successful acquisition projects. It was fun and unforgettable!. But the thing is it wasn't the ultimate goal that I set when I got scholarship in 1999. It was just part of the qualifying game, just another one step before I really start the real journey - a journey that according to God's plan. The only key to start it is to finish this project. Only few months to go and I will get it.

God uses unlikely people for His purpose.
How is God pushing you to use your talents for Him? Will you do it?

God often uses difficult circumstances to accomplish His will.
What difficult circumstances do you face? Will you trust God to fulfill His purpose through these circumstances?

Good Bye Pavarotti....

2007-09-06T12:59:00.001+07:00

You are a true legend
You are one of my hero
Goodbye....
May you rest in peace....

It's A Man's Man's Man's World

Life is not a Black & White Adventure

2007-09-04T20:56:00.000+07:00

Thinking Mode is On

Samba Festival in Asakusa, Tokyo

2007-08-28T23:00:00.000+07:00

A great hot summer day of having fun and photo hunting at Samba Festival in Asakusa, Tokyo.

A1GP 07/08 Calendar - Indonesia Bersatu

2007-08-28T18:20:00.000+07:00

Barusan gue mampir ke website A1GP, sekedar update mengenai official test session yang diadakan di Silverstone, Inggris. Tampaknya hanya Satria Hermanto yang bakalan berpartisipasi di seri 07/08 dan indikasi mengenai digunakannya Sentul dalam seri 07/08 juga belum ada titik terang. Sangat ironis sekali.

Tanggal 14 Agustus yang lalu, CEO A1 Grand Prix (A1GP) kawasan Asia Pasifik, David Clare telah berusaha untuk meyakinkan pihak pengelola Sentul dalam rangka penggunaan sirkuit tersebut tapi kelihatannya tidak membuahkan hasil. Sangat ironis sekali.

Gue juga membaca bahwa usaha yang dilakukan oleh Bagoes Hermanto selaku executive director dari tim A1 Indonesia untuk mendapatkan restu dari pemerintah dalam hal ini Menpora Adhyaksa Dault juga masih mentah. Sangat ironis sekali.

Dari seputaran gossip baik yang bener dan yang menjelang bener, keberatan pihak Sentul karena mereka ingin mendapatkan opsi kontrak yang lebih baik dari A1GP. Mereka merasa gede kepala (padahal udah pada kegedean kepala!) karena ada rencana GP2 Asia dan Speedcar akan menggunakan Sentul dalam seri mereka. Ini merupakan kombinasi antara kebodohan, egoisme dan tidak tahu diuntung.

Biar bagaimanapun jasa A1GP sudah sangat luar biasa buat Sentul selama 2 tahun terakhir dan pamor A1GP jauh diatas seri2 balapan kelas Asia. Tidak pantas rasanya pengelola Sentul berkeras hati hanya sekedar untuk menyenangkan kepala batu mereka. Bagaimana dengan nasib pecinta balap di Indonesia yang haus dengan suguhan kelas dunia?

Ada lagi Menpora yang harusnya sangat aktif mendukung pelaksanaan A1GP, loh ini malah tidak memberikan response kepada tim A1 Indonesia. Harusnya, jauh2 hari si Menpora yang duluan menanyakan secara aktif mengenai partisipasi tim Indonesia (kalau si Menpora bisa mikir kesitu!)

Runtut punya runtut, sebenarnya kecium juga bau selisih paham, iri dan dengki yang ujung-ujungnya cuma egoisme kepentingan "gue" lebih penting dari pada kepentingan "nasional" apalagi dibanding kepentingan "elu". Masa, satu tim A1 Indonesia, satu pengelola Sentul dan satu Menpora, hanya untuk mencari kata sepakat menggunakan Sentul sebagai bagian dari seri A1GP 07/08 terlepas siapapun pembalapnya, susahnya minta ampun!
Kadang gue merasa bener2 muak ngeliat kelakuan beberapa pihak di Indonesia yang sudah buta akan kepentingan nasional. Pokoknya yang dipikir cuma "GUE"nya aja! Cuih!

Susah amat sih menciptakan Indonesia bersatu?

Fireworks at Odaiba, Tokyo

2007-08-14T23:34:00.000+07:00

I tried some Digital Photography of Fireworks using my Nikon D80, it was definitely a great night for fireworks photo. A good opportunity to learn how to take pictures of fireworks. These are some of my favorite shots.

I used a zoom lens just to make sure I get in tight and capture just the fireworks themselves. Well, I missed the best place for shooting as we arrived a bit late. These photos taken by using full manual mode, aperture f/11, bulb mode, and of course, on a tripod. Enjoy it.

Please give your review, comment, critic and opinion......

Akihabara - Sunday Afternoon

2007-08-05T19:03:00.000+07:00

Two shots from Otaku dream land.

A1GP 07/08 Calendar - Sentul?

2007-08-03T18:33:00.000+07:00

Gue abis check dari official website A1GP mengenai jadwal race untuk 07/08 dan cukup terkejut juga melihat Sentul tidak lagi berpartisipasi untuk jadi host di 07/08 walaupun mungkin saja yang dimaksud A1GP Asia bisa di Sentul tapi bisa juga di Singapore yang memang sudah niat menyelenggarakan hal yang sama bahkan untuk F1 saja, sudah setuju kemungkinan night street race di Singapore bulan September 2008.

Kenapa Indonesia tidak lagi berpartisipasi? Aneh bin ajaib, mengingat momentum internasional seperti ini susah untuk didapatkan. Seinget gue, hanya 2 kali Sentul luber dengan pengunjung dan benar2 menjadi perhatian internasional dan keduanya adalah A1GP. Kenapa tidak ada penjelasan dari pihak yang berkepentingan? Kenapa media massa diam saja?

Kalau Indonesia berhenti berpartisipasi maka yang paling bergembira adalah negara tetangga yang menyelenggarakan event ini, pastinya mereka akan kebanjiran orang Indonesia yang ingin melihat secara langsung dan ini artinya Indonesia ikut menyumbang devisa buat negara tersebut. Atau memang dibuat seperti itu?

Dengan jumlah penduduk yang sangat banyak, penyelenggaraan A1GP harusnya tidak mungkin rugi apalagi kita memiliki pembalap yang turut tampil (Ananda Mikola, Moreno Soeprapto dan yang berikut Satrio Hermanto) - kalau hanya gara2 penampilan tim Indonesia yang sangat jelek di putaran kedua, itu alasan yang benar-benar tidak masuk akal bagi Indonesia untuk berhenti jadi penyelenggara. Seat holder tim Indonesia yang notabene bukan orang Indonesia aja masih nekad membiayai, lah kok kitanya berhenti memberikan dukungan??

2007/08 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport Schedule

1) A1GP Zandvoort, The Netherlands - 30 September 2007
2) A1GP Brno, Czech Republic - 14 October 2007
3) A1GP Asia – venue to be confirmed - 4 November 2007
4) A1GP Sepang, Malaysia - 25 November 2007
5) A1GP Zhuhai, China - 16 December 2007
6) A1GP Taupo, New Zealand - 20 January 2008
7) A1GP Sydney, Australia - 3 February 2008
8) A1GP Durban, South Africa - 24 February 2008
9) A1GP Mexico City, Mexico - 16 March 2008
10) A1GP Shanghai, China - 6 April 2008
11) A1GP Brands Hatch, Great Britain - 4 May 2008

Photo taken from http://www.a1-teamindonesia.com/a1/compiled/p98.htm#

Bandung

2007-07-31T23:19:00.000+07:00

Bandung (IPA pron.: /bʌndʊŋ/) is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's fourth largest city. Located 768 m (2,520 ft) above sea level, you may also check Bandung from Wikitravel, or info about Bandung in Dutch language.

Bandung is a shoppers paradise for Indonesians and expatriates in Indonesia. If you come to Bandung on weekends, you will see a crowd of Jakarta shoppers in most of factory outlets. They come not only for shopping but also for tasting and enjoying the Sundanese foods and delicious light meals. I found two sites that giving a review on this particular. First one is “Reviews and photos of Bandung restaurants posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Bandung dining” and the second one is Bandung Food (in Bahasa). Both are informative and up to date.

Bandung people also give their times and attention to their football team which called Persib Bandung. It was founded on 1933 with the name BIVB. Though its 74 years old history, Persib Bandung remains as a local club with few national championships. Regional championship? Still a dream. Check this web, a fan site of Persib Bandung.

Several links to various information about Bandung
List of Hospital in Bandung, A comprehensive travel guide, Bandung Society for Heritage Conservation, Study in Bandung, Expat living in Bandung, A short story about Bandung, Bandung Giri Gahana Golf and Resort, Bandung International School, Bandung Photoblog, Catholic Church in Bandung, Church of Gereja Kristen Pasundan, Bandung Hash House Harriers, Bandung Expat

If you have a story or article about Bandung, please link here. Message me or leave your comment and I will add your link.

Bareng2 Increasing Your Traffic :))

2007-07-31T20:02:00.000+07:00

Chain Link ini sudah banyak ditulis dalam bahasa Inggris, jadi untuk postingan gue, ditulis dalam bahasa Indonesia. Ini salah satu cara untuk meningkatkan traffic dari blog temen2 semua dan untuk increase page rank di search engine seperti Google. Silahkan ikutan buat yang gregetan pengen naikkin trafficnya tapi ga berhasil mulu alias jongkok mulu (kayak gue dah tuh) - chain link ini baru sih belum banyak tapi seru juga kalo pada ikutan. Caranya copy paste dulu tulisan dari ** Start Copy Here** ke MsWord atau WordPad supaya ga kehilangan linknya (kalo di copy langsung biasanya hilang) trus copy dan paste ke postingan anda, tambahin link anda, click blognya si Enkay. Beres deh

** Start Copy Here **

We all know how important getting link backs is and with this chain, you can get the ball rolling! You don’t have to be an established blogger to take part in this chain.Here are the rules:
1. Copy this post from the point where it says “Start Copy Here” to the point where it says “End Copy Here”
2. Add yourself and 5 of your favorite bloggers to the end of the list.
3. Post this on your blog

**End Copy Here**

Pathros and Hafid

2007-07-26T23:08:00.000+07:00

By October this year, my long journey will be reaching the toughest stage. This is my last chance and I don't want to repeat the same mistake again like I did in winter 2003. I must win this. Period.

"Victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats" Taken from The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino. A great story for everyone, a story about wisdom, knowledge and success. This book is a good reminder that we all have to work every day and fail every day to reach our ultimate goal and that is the only way and there is no other way.

Are You The One Who Has It?

2007-07-26T22:42:00.001+07:00

Dua Kaleng Rombeng

2007-07-25T22:51:00.000+07:00

Dua kaleng rombeng berdiri tegak, tua dan lusuh di pinggir dermaga kecil. Entah telah berapa tahun, keduanya menjadi penghuni dermaga, diam tak bergerak. Tak seorangpun tergerak untuk menggeser kedudukan mereka, enyah dari dermaga atau sekedar bergerak berpindah tempat.

Dua kaleng rombeng berdiri tegak, tua dan lusuh di pinggir dermaga kecil. Kala hujan datang, dengan lapang dada mereka menerima kedatangan air, kala panas datang, kehangatan sinar matahari teresap di dalam tubuh mereka yang rombeng.

Dua kaleng rombeng berdiri tegak, tua dan lusuh di pinggir dermaga kecil. Entah sampai kapan.

Tsukareta!

2007-07-25T01:31:00.000+07:00

Jam menunjukkan setengah empat pagi waktu Tokyo.
Gue mulai ngantuk, capek dan kebanyakan ngerokok.
Gue udah baca puluhan artikel dalam selusin jam terakhir.
Capek...

The Rising Sun

2007-07-24T22:01:00.001+07:00

You are The Sun

Happiness, Content, Joy.

The meanings for the Sun are fairly simple and consistent.

Young, healthy, new, fresh. The brain is working, things that were muddled come clear, everything falls into place, and everything seems to go your way.

The Sun is ruled by the Sun, of course. This is the light that comes after the long dark night, Apollo to the Moon's Diana. A positive card, it promises you your day in the sun. Glory, gain, triumph, pleasure, truth, success. As the moon symbolized inspiration from the unconscious, from dreams, this card symbolizes discoveries made fully consciousness and wide awake. You have an understanding and enjoyment of science and math, beautifully constructed music, carefully reasoned philosophy. It is a card of intellect, clarity of mind, and feelings of youthful energy.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Promoting Your Blog - Traffic (F)or Money

2007-07-24T14:07:00.000+07:00

Iseng2 abis blogwalking kesana dan kesini, gue jadi sedikit merasa kasihan melihat banyak temen2 blogger dari Indonesia yang habis-habisan ngerubah blognya jadi tempat iklan melalui adsense, agloco, alexa dan segala macam advertising tools baik yg direct maupun indirect link.

Gimana engga, udah abis-abisan dirubah blognya, promosi barang orang yang ga jelas juntrungannya, bukannya dapat income yang bisa dibanggain malah akan bikin frustasi si empunya blog. Memang kalo baca iklan mereka sungguh luar biasa seperti Click for Paid, Express Paid tapi itu semua bisa dibilang 90% bohong belaka. Intinya, mereka akan bayar komisi yang notabene kecil banget apabila dan hanya apabila dari click yang masuk ada yang membeli produk mereka. Very simple, no free lunch in this world!

Gue pernah masuk satu blog Indonesia yang isi blognya cukup berkualitas dengan gaya cerita yang bagus dan photo2 yang menarik. Gue liat juga traffic dia cukup bagus, tapi dengan iklan dimana2 itu sudah cukup membuat blogger ataupun internet surfer utk pergi dari blog dia. So, ngapain cape2 buat artikel bagus kalo ga dibaca orang? Kalo cuma sekedar mau cari uang kecil, ga usah tulis artikel ini dan itu, cukup jadi news feeder saja feed dan copy berita dari segala macam nara sumber.

Ada lagi satu blogger, yang dengan bangga memamerkan financial statement dia bahwa dia dapat sekian belas US dollar dalam satu kurun waktu, kalau tidak salah sekitar 2 minggu. Dia begitu bahagia dan senang sekali, sampai dia bandingkan dengan level gaji para pekerja di Indonesia (yang menurut gue ga akurat pula) - bahwa apa yang dia dapat cukup memuaskan. OMG, kenapa sampai bisa bangga dengan achievement seperti itu? Kalau intinya cari duit lewat iklan di blog, minimal ratusan USD per minggu baru bisa dibilang setidak2nya "inspiring" karena bisa dijadikan alternatif buat orang yang bosan dengan pekerjaan rutinnya.

Anyway, buat blogger2 yang memang mendedikasikan waktu dan pikiran untuk menulis sesuatu yang bagus, berkualitas dan bermutu, tentu saja sah-sah banget kalo ingin blog mereka mendapatkan traffic yang tinggi. Ini summary dari Blogger.com (untuk mendapatkan traffic yang tinggi) yang pastinya semua sudah pernah baca tapi sering terlewatkan.

Taken from Google Help > Blogger Help > Beyond Blogging > How To Promoting Your Blog

Blogger Application Settings
Set your blog to ping weblogs.com.
Activate Your Navbar.
Install Email This Post.
Turn on Post Pages.
Turn on your site feed.
Add your blog to Blogger's listings.

Blogging Technique Suggestions
Write quality content and do it well.
Publish regular updates.
Think of your audience.
Keep search engines in mind.
Keep your posts and paragraphs short.

Marketing Action Items
Put your blog URL in your email signature.
Sumbit your address to blog search sites and directories.
Participate in meme games.
Advertise.
Link to other blogs.
Install a blogroll.
Be an active commenter.
Pitch your posts via email to other bloggers.
Print your blog URL on cards, stickers, etc.

Shibaura, Water and Midnight

2007-07-24T11:34:00.000+07:00

Last night, I tried to write something about an interesting issue in private equity but I just had no appetite to start writing it. It was almost midnight and I sat watching things around the room till I looked at my camera bag at one corner. So, I grabbed my camera and without thinking I just went down to the river side, took few photo shots. It isn't bad at all compare to my shots in cloudy trip to Odaiba - no way to post it here!

Well, I am still a beginner and I really want to improve my works on photography, so I keep try to shoot, read technical books and visit some photography blogs. You should check these blogs, their works really inspired me. Beth Ellen Nagle, Aestheticemotions, Abaniko, Ambar, and few other bloggers.

Running Track at Shibaura Island

2007-07-17T19:45:00.000+07:00

I am in love with Shibaura island, a new town in one small and tiny 6ha island. I just moved here two weeks ago and everyday I just can say Thanks God for this beautiful place.

Running track along the river and surrounding the island, a nice resto called Bagus Bar (taken from Bahasa Indonesia which means Good) at one corner and smiling people walk around in the afternoon. It does not really matter for me whether it is raining or not, whenever I want to run, I just go out. I just want to experience the world of raining, the world of shining and the world of enjoying the nature in a peaceful place.

Well, I do not know what to say more about this place. I will update this posting later.

Lapor! Laporan Selesai!

2007-07-05T13:27:00.000+07:00

Today, I woke up late, waking up like the old bear, bit sore head, opened my notebook, read my daily bread, checked emails and started my day.

Last night, I spend few hours watched news about freed BBC reporter on TV and read similar news on some webs and this is what I really like from his statements, he was totally in fear due to the unpredictability of the captors.

"I spent three years covering Gaza as a correspondent and I spent four months in solitary confinement there, and I feel — enough already with Gaza. You know, maybe I'll go back when it's a member of the EU"

Well, even the most experienced reporter like him wants to run away and leave his working field. Anyway, I think he should be back to Gaza within next few years to finish what he had started before: Life and Almost Die in Gaza. I don’t know what the next is, do you know? :)

So, back to my story… you see the picture? I smoked a lot last night. I drank few cans of coffee, a glass of JD, a glass of sake, ate pizza and wrote nothing! Meanwhile, some of my buddies in Jakarta were having fun birthday party at HRC. Pheww….. whatta life

Blogger kok Ikutan Setuju Sekali, Benar Sekali, Sekali Sekali

2007-07-01T08:04:00.000+07:00

Arrghhh, gue sebel banget kalo masuk kebanyakan discussion forum Indonesia di dunia maya, jarang ada yang bermutu walaupun pakai moderator, walaupun comments yang di publish udah di filter dulu...
Memang akhirnya, kualitas bukan saja datang dari system tetapi juga dari orang-orang yang mengatur system dan terlibat di dalam system itu.

Satu hal yang paling buat gue sebel adalah melihat komentar atau tanggapan yang ditulis untuk sekedar menyenangkan hati penulis. "Saya setuju dengan pendapat Bapak", "Setuju sekali, pak" "Wah, saya sependapat dengan Bapak"
Ok kalo sependapat ya sudah diem aja, ga usah di posting kecuali anda mau menambahkan sesuatu atas pendapat yang sama tersebut. Cuma dari ratusan posting yang mirip dengan perkataan di atas, paling hanya segelintir yang memang memberikan tambahan pendapat. Sisanya numpang nebeng naruh nama, numpang keren dan numpang posting. Brengsek...

Kalo gue bilang brengsek, mungkin gue keterlaluan juga, kali kali mereka memang ga tau kalo short comment spt itu cuma merefleksikan kegagalan pendidikan di Indonesia yang dimulai dari Orde Baru dan diteruskan dengan penuh semangat oleh Orde2 Sekarang ini alias yang baru baru...

Tapi kalo mereka memang tau dan memang punya niatan seperti itu, entah kecil atau besar.... selama di posting... hmmm.. what can I say...? dasar brengsek nyebelin hehehehe...

Lain halnya kalo kita masuk ke personal blog kemudian kita memberikan personal opinion tentang blog tersebut, dalam hal ini semua juga bebas berkomentar dan bebas mengutarakan pendapat. Mau yang nyebelin, nyenengin sampe komentar yg memang minta di delete. Terserah.... selama yang punya blog merelakan untuk di posting, ga boleh ada yg protes....

Buat gue intinya cuma satu, di dunia maya setiap orang punya kebebasan dalam hampir segala aspek. Kalo memang pengen dihormati, pengen dihargai dan pengen dipuja, hanya satu yang harus dilakukan yaitu USAHA! Kalo tidak mau usaha yah tidak apa apa but you have to live with it - dimana setiap orang membaca nama dan komentar anda, anda pun tahu bahwa anda cuma bagian dari 'Brengsek'

Ato anda suka dan mau ikutan posting dengan nama samaran atau anonim? Persis dengan tingkah laku koruptor dan manipulator yang selalu menyamarkan diri.....

Sekali lagi, setuju sekali pak...........

Fortune, Dream and Takarakuji

2007-06-24T19:46:00.000+07:00

Each time I passed the lottery stall, I thought of buying a takarakuji ticket and winning it. Can you imagine winning the lottery worth hundred millions yen? What you are going to do with that money? How you are going to spend the money?

Sometimes, it is so hard to understand why some people in Japan spend ludicrous sum of money on takarakuji just to improve their odds. It is all about fortune. If you are fortunate enough then you just need to buy one ticket to win it.

I once read about the Law of Attraction, it states that you get what you think about and your thoughts determine your destiny or you manifest your own reality. This law doesn’t fit for lottery fans – millions people buying the ticket and there is only one ultimate winner. So no matter how hard you think about winning the lottery, only the most fortunate person who will win it.

I think the reason those people spend much money on takarakuji is just to improve their dreaming quality. Once you buy a lottery ticket then you have a valid reason to dream about spending hundred millions yen! Yes, everyday until they announce the real winner. Well, I guess it is not a bad idea to have a nice fantasy, imagination and dream
as very fortunate and rich person especially when we are having a bad time.

Buy one ticket! Who knows you can buy this car?? You never know....

My Recent Visitors - Thanks for Coming

2007-06-22T10:19:00.001+07:00

Special thanks for Statcounter and Google... :))

Singapore - Future Sin City

2007-06-21T22:37:00.002+07:00

As reported by the Agence France-Presse: "Genting International gained full control of a US$3.4 billion (RM13.26 billion) casino project here after shareholders yesterday approved plans to buy a 25 per cent stake of sister firm Star Cruises.

"...Genting has said it will pay S$255 million (RM566 million) for the Star Cruises stake, which will give it full control of the integrated casino development called Resorts World at Sentosa.

"The resort will include a Universal Studios theme park and the world's largest oceanarium, as well as gaming facilities, and is set to open in 2010.

"Genting and Star Cruises, both part of conglomerate Genting Bhd, in December won a bid to build Singapore's second casino to be located on Sentosa island, off the city-state's mainland..."

JD with coke? JD with beer? JD langsung tenggak?

2007-06-21T21:54:00.000+07:00

Gue lagi menikmati bergelas2 JD campur beer... campurnya di perut... ga ngerti? Yo wis emang gue pikirin

Bosen neh... ga tau mo ngapain...
Dapet job offering kok malah di Singapore... ga kebayang kalo kudu stay over there for few months or year...

Pas pulang ke Tokyo minggu lalu, gue sempet 12 jam di Singapore, iseng2 gue ikut city tour... alias naek bus for couple hours keliling Singapore... pas itu gue sempet mikir, jangan2 this is part of God's plan kalo bentar lagi gue kudu tinggal di kota sumpek Singapore.

Anyway, ini jebrettttaannn gue pas di bus, jebretttannn atawa jepretan? terserah elu..

A Precious Present From YISH - Tsurumi

2007-06-14T17:51:00.000+07:00

A short story about me on the YISH bulletin news... kado indah to remind me couple years living at YISH Tsurumi. My special thanks for Fujii-san.

Golden Week Part 1 - Playing Golf at Chiba

2007-05-09T07:44:00.000+07:00

Last week is a golden week in Japan, one week long vacation for most people in Japan.It's been a busy week for me in number of ways, so I haven't had time to do much work on my blog. One of a good decision I made is to join my friends spending the last day of Golden Week playing golf at Itopia Chiba, a nice golf course (and sure expensive!) and it takes almost two hours from Tokyo by car.`

I haven’t played for more than a year so my score was pretty bad – perfect 100!!. What I remember is I only got few pars, no birdies and dozen of triple putt. Not bad? Too bad?
Here is the list to blame :)
1. It was my first time play there
2. It was raining for the last 12 holes!
3. I didn’t know there are so many bunkers at the fairway.
4. I thought it was my ball
5. I guess it was my new glove doesn’t really fit on my hands
6. I didn’t have enough breakfast
7. The guys in front of us played like a turtle – we waited too long!

Do me a favor, add this list please! Onegaishimasu……:)) :)).

I will survive. I will.

2007-04-26T21:22:00.000+07:00

I feel so tired with my damn project.. slow progress, got to read and read more articles, papers, journals and people's speech. Today, I am really having hard times to improve one part of it. Sometimes, I just want to give up and leave this project away for good.

Global economy, currency mismatch, bond market, secondary mortgage market, capital control, liquidity problem, capital market, regional initiatives, moral hazard, mortgage backed securities, rating agency... whatever you called it. I can't take it anymore for tonight. Hope tomorrow would be better.

Anyway, I think I had done one or two things today for this project - it might be a small thing but I am moving forward slowly but very sure.

One Macbook Please!!

2007-04-25T23:52:00.001+07:00

I need to buy a new notebook and I am thinking to buy Macbook. I don’t know whether it will match with my expectation and budget or not. Last Sunday, I went to one of the best Mac store in the world at Yurakucho. Four storey shop building with a training center at third floor and it is for free. Imagine if you want to buy something and you are at the point of “after buy cost” or cost to master the thing you bought.
Actually, there is nothing wrong with my notebook, it is a good one, Toshiba with 15” screen, I got it last year so it just one year old. The problem, it’s belong to my ex company and like it or not I got to return it. Oh….
Well, anyway what I saw in Mac store was a very nice one, small sized, looks nice and powerful with affordable option (that’s what I thought so). I love Windows since the very beginning of it, but somehow I feel something wrong is going on with Windows future. I don’t feel that they go to the right direction. Vista might be a success story, but if someone could get Mac OSx and Windows XP – I bet you know what would be their choices.

What I feel is Apple really serious to get more and more users. Sometimes we got to compromise to one or two things in the world, if we really want to be the best and that’s what Apple has been doing to beat all odds and to win the market. Well, I don’t know for sure, what do you think?

God Alone Gives Wisdom, Knowledge and Happiness

2007-04-22T19:14:00.000+07:00

"A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God"

人には、食べたり飲んだりし、自分の労若に満足を見いだすよりほかに、何もよいことがない。これもまた、神の御手によることがわかった。実に神から離れて、だれが食べ、だれが楽しむことができようか。なぜなら、神は、みこころにかなう人には、知恵と知識と喜ぶを与え、罪人には、神のみこころにかなう者に渡すために、集め、たくわえる仕事を与えられる。これもまた、むなしく、風を追うようなものだ。

Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 (In Bahasa: Pengkotbah)

Once again, through several occasions God reminds me to remember that Money, Power and Knowledge would not give me a meaningful life nor a true victory – it would be a chasing after wind.

Everything I undertake should involve God. All my plans should include Him. For only when God is the reason for my behavior; only when God is the purpose of my victory and only when I do what God wants me to do – my life would be meaningful.

Without His wisdom, all of my best efforts and pursuits can be a snare in life.
Without His wisdom, what would I do with my knowledge and would it lead me and my family to the true happiness?

Only God alone gives us wisdom, knowledge and happiness.

Win Your Health

2007-04-22T10:28:00.001+07:00

After dropped off for more than two months as I was very busy and the weather was freaking cold (it’s supposed to be warm spring days), I went jogging today while the sun came out. Well, it isn’t a bad jogging course, running along a small river, flat area and less people. I guess my condition is fairy good today. The thing is I need to quit smoking soonest before it is too late.

Maybe if I have a good chance, I will go to Imperial Palace area, the residence of the Emperor of Japan. This palace is at the center of Japan since the establishment of the shogunate government of Edo in 1604. It is a famous jogging area, a 5 km course starts near Sakuradamon and continues around the inner moat of the Palace.
Passing by the Imperial Palace Public Square, Takebashi and the cherry blossom-famed Chidorigafuchi, then the British Embassy, the National Theater, the National Diet Building, and back again to Sakuradamon. I will take a picture and post it in here next time I go there.

This course attracts many joggers not only on weekends and holidays, in particular during lunch time break, many businessmen running in their overalls or shorts along the moats of the palace.

Let's start running for health, fitness and enjoyment.Good health is the precious gift of God and the precious gift that you can give to your loved ones.

Real or Unreal - Both!

2007-04-18T21:04:00.000+07:00

One month ago just one week before I go to Japan, I went to Lampung for business trip and also for holiday... I went there with my wife and kids...
So, the morning day before we back to Jakarta, we went to a kind of semi private beach owned by my friend. It is a lovely shallow beach with few kerapu (grouper) breeders scattered near the seaside.

At that time, I was so damned fall in love with that place and try to forget my trip to Japan - as I know it is gonna be totally different kind of life scenes from I enjoyed here. We really had a good time, swimming, having barbeque and playing at the sea shore. I felt that there was a distinctive split, with only easy living on one side and "must do" on the other.

My "must do" is just nearby a place what people called an unreal market, where people buy and sell a PAPER and to some extent they just buy and sell few bytes of data telling a value of one thing.

Tonite just several minutes to midnight, listening to some gospel songs from Joe Pace, I am feeling so empty with my flashy Ph.D. program in bond market, stock daytrading and all those finance structuring models - gee,.. I feel like I am being trapped into something unreal.

So it's difficult for me to tell if my disappointment in it is justified or not. Somehow, I got to go this way first before I could enjoy those "real life" and somehow, we got to choose both or nothing at all. That's life!! Who said we only have one choice at one time?!! At least, it is not me!

God bless you

BMW K1200 GT - My Dream Bike

2007-04-15T16:38:00.000+07:00

If I had the money, that would be the EXACT bike that I would purchase.
I saw it in the luxury BMW show room this afternoon near TamaikeSanno. The more I look at it, the more I love it.

Total cost would be around 2,7 million yen... yes it is very expensive compare to its competitors Honda Pan European ABS and Yamaha FJR 1300 A. Well, there is no other way to afford it, I got to work smart so I could buy it in near future. Nothing is impossible in this world, right?.

In here, I could ride it on weekends and spend some hours,kicking around city, cruising the country side or riding it to other cities during holiday. Anyway, it still a dream and like The Alchemist said if you desire a thing strongly, the universe will conspire to make your wishes come true.

Bottom Line

2007-04-10T22:50:00.001+07:00

I've been working on my top priority project for the past 3 months and most of that time was spent developing the idea and trying to get all necessary documents done, managing resources and getting approval from authorities. Somehow, I feel that I am really under pressure and to some extent I think to give up. I guess there are two most important things to remember before you start something big or important or something that needs full attention,

It’s better to talk about your idea, plan or project to closest friends and colleagues rather than hide it from everyone. You get so much more value from people's feedback than you get risk from people stealing your idea. Bottom line is about sharing meaning that we need someone in our life to be our sharing partner!

It may take a lot longer than you think it will. Before I landed in this crowded city, I thought I could finish my project in August 2007. When I met with my professor, he said that dead line would be in late October 2007 so even I can finish it earlier it would not make any differences. At last, I was shocked and need to readjust my schedule, resources and of course Money!. Certainly, it is not a good situation for me but at whatsoever I have to achieve my goal. Bottom line is we have to spare some times just in case if thing does not go as we expect.

Nongkrong @ Excelsior Caffe

2007-04-10T22:19:00.000+07:00

Today is my fourth day in Tokyo and thanks God I really enjoy my days here in Tokyo (27 March 2007). It’s been 3 years since I left Japan in 2004.
I am sitting on the excelsior café, enjoying cigarettes and coffee while reading few bond related articles
It’s not easy to get back at the same level of knowledge as my job was far away from this field.

Well, I don’t want to talk about bond for this time, what I wanna talk is this place, a modern coffee shop with slow latin music, nice atmosphere and nice people
I came here 3 days ago with my bro, I said to him a place like this is a result of small and uncomfortable apartment in Tokyo.

People needs some place and privacy, if people go outside just to escape from their small box then I guess when they go to coffee shop – they do expect some privacy
So when half of the visitors expect the same thing – then u will find a comfortable atmosphere inside the coffee shop – nobody cares about nobody
They give a space to public for having their privacy so they also can get their privacy

To do what I love to do

2006-10-26T02:34:00.001+07:00

If there is any difference between you and me it may simply be that I get up every day and have a chance to do what I love to do, every day. If you learn anything from me, this is the best advice I can give you. Warren Buffett

I guess this long holiday has given me a small chance and time to do what I love to do and being allowed to read or reread several books that I really wanted to enjoy it. The last two books that I read were China CEO and The Millionaire Code. China CEO is full of insight and practical advice about doing business in China. Though, I got no interest to do business in China, still this book offers some thoughts to start and finish a business war. In short, I think it is about networking, getting it, maintaining the network and get benefit from it.

The Millionaire Code is about personality theory and investing styles in order to create meaningful wealth. For me, it is about finding or selecting the right (and perhaps the best) role in taking part of business war, business development and investment.

I don’t see something really special inside the books but somehow I feel that there is something I need to fix my style and vision up to make my job gives me a double impact, best result and the joy of living my life.

I think, some of us get into the trap of just doing our jobs because of money, comfort and security that we don’t get to do what we really love to do. Well, I do feel that to some extent this sort of thing happened to me.

Feel the same?

Buddies and Guanxi

2006-07-15T22:42:00.000+07:00

One of the most important words in the Chinese business lexicon is guanxi. It means relationships(guan means "gate" and xi means "links") and the significance of it is that to succeed in business it is necessary to build up the right relationships with the right people.

This has remind me of what I have with my old buddies. Who are they anyway? well, for sure all of them are executives of big cos, people called them banker, consultant, expert or whatever...
First time I met them it was in Jogja long long time ago, and..... it would be a ten pages story if I tell you the stories of our madness...
So, here we are being a guanxi to each other... I hope it last forever :)

If life begin at forty then we just being a member of this life ( not all actually, couple of them had started it earlier :))
Twenty years..... hmmm... f**king twenty years...
Let's take another picture next twenty years... see whether you still there... :))

Half baked apology

2006-05-09T13:31:00.000+07:00

You know what!? Sometimes it takes one hour and a half to drive home after office hour. I hate traffic. Can't stand it. But if there's gonna be traffic... I mean serious traffic. I'm talking bumper to bumper, stop and go, never getting the speedometer past 3 mph kind of traffic... At least let it be for a good cause! (Cause I live in damned crowded city called Jakarta..... wehehehe)

Anyway, traffic is a good reason for getting late on long boring meeting, homing late and for "mampir sono sini....." hmm......

Undeliverable Pizza!!

2006-01-02T11:30:00.000+07:00

What to do when you don't know what to do?
Take your car key and find "the don't know what to do cafe!!"
Don't know where it is? It is everywhere... just park yourcar at the mall and walk inside. When you find a coffee shop or cafe or whatever people may call it, order a cup of coffee! take a seat and start looking around.... yeah.... now you see....!! They got nothing to do just like you and somehow they found a way to do like what you do!

But what happen if we don't know what to do during office hours? Arrggghhh,.... you got to know the fact of my friends in Japanese companies!! They keep staring their note book, pasokon or even printer without moving their bodies for hours!!

They exactly know that during office hours they must have something to do! Staring their electronic devices and regularly say.... "Sou kaaaaaaa................" (whenever they found lunch time is coming, whenever they realized how smart they are in spending working times and whenever they think it is necessary to break the ice!)

Just joking... dont take it seriously, my friends :))

Summer Christmas 2005

2006-01-02T11:28:00.000+07:00

Just two days before Christmas, here I am, thinking about my achievement and Christmas joy. Bit disappointing that I can't get all of my to achieve list that I wrote end of last year, I wish I could go few months back and fix everything up.

Even I know from my own experience that achievement doesn't yield lasting joy. True that sometimes great achievement during the year would make you feel better at Christmas in the earth's value. Anyway, I feel that I have done the best and for that I should say thanks God for this great year!!!

I think, Joy simply comes because God intervenes. Joy is something that is profoundly much deeper than simply breathing-in fresh air. Joy comes because God has done something spectacular in the world.

(Working) Life can be very dark and painful and when it comes, I will remember God's past actions of restoration. I will retell those good stories and I will remember and rejoice because I know that His joy will come to me again.

When life is difficult. When I am in trouble, misfortune, hurting and struggling; losing ground, surrounded by evil. What I have to do is pray and pray and pray.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2006. May God bless us forever.

Icon or I con?

2006-01-02T11:22:00.001+07:00

I was in Singapore for business when I bought iCon, an unathorized biography about Steve Jobs. I guess it was end of summer 2005. Quite inspiring book for me, well at least to see how the Second Act can be happened (to someone?) in a tough high-tech business life.
In a positive way, I admire this smart guy as an icon, though history also showed his "I con" has brought him down from the empire of Apple.
Well, anyway I quoted his speech during The Commencement at Stanford Univ last June 2005. It's such a beautiful thought and knocking poet for me to achieve something better than anyone in this region wak wak wak....
Enjoy it....

CONNECTING THE DOTS
Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life
LOVE and LOSS
Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.
DEATH!
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.