......buku ini adalah tentang Anda. Tentang kita. Tentang betapa indah dan berharganya menjadi manusia dalam waktu kita yang sangat terbatas di atas bumi ini.
Aku merayakan saat kita bersama sekarang, hidup adalah traveling terbesar.
Second book written by Marina S. Kusumawardhani after the first one Keliling Eropa 6 Bulan Hanya 1000 Dollar. This time Marina tells about her journey around India and Thailand. But, don't get it wrong, this is not an ordinary travel books that now scattering in almost all bookshops. As written down in the cover of the book, this is A Journey to India and Thailand in Searching a Heaven on Earth. Yes, Marina's journey has changed her life forever.
Marina is a special girl. Imagine, just to realize her dream of visiting India, she saved her money for 2 years and finally at the age of 18 with Rp 7 millions from her saving, she headed to India all alone.
And the journey to find the heaven on earth began from Himalaya, Kashmir, Gangga River and remote beaches in Thailand. She met many interesting people and asked them many questions about God, religion, life, etc. At the end she concluded that to find the heaven on earth, one must purify him/herself, asked ourselves, who am I. I know this is not a simple book. Despite info on alternative places to visit, we will also need to concentrate and 'enjoy' Marina's discussion with the people she met on the journey. So, where is it exactly the heaven on earth? Could Marina find it?
If you want to read a travel book with differrent 'tone', this is it. Published by PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama on June 2010.
Jingga
Oooopss...It's Getting Closer
Never realize that resign has a lot of meaning and most of them are positive. Since I left my job, I am now enjoying life more and more. I don't have to deal with working hour anymore. Oh....I am free. Free as a bird. It's me who will be in charge for everything. And I decide to do the things I like.
The idea actually came up 3 months a go when I was at Inacraft, one of my favorite craft events. While surrounded by tons of batik fabrics, suddenly tadaaaa....the urge to have my own products to sell just showed up. Since I love batik, I love batik wardrobe, at last I choose batik as my core business.
Finally, here I am, busy preparing for my on-line shop. Started with batik hunting, back and forth to the tailors scattered around Jakarta, taking pictures for the ready wardrobe, this and that. It turns out that so many things to prepare. It gave me headache sometimes. Still, the excitement is here. This is just too good to be true. I am very much grateful. Thank God.
I still need to perfect some matters before everything is on the right track. Hopefully, I'll be able to launch the on-line shop next month (it's 6 days to go actually). Wish me luck.
Ps: The above picture is my clothing label. Yes, I choose Najlazea as my brand.
Prisoner of Tehran
A memoir of Marina Nemat, a Russian girl, who grew up in Iran during Iranian Revolution in 1970s. Her story reminds me of Marjane Satrapi's memoir, Persepolis. But, if Marjane was sent out of Iran by her parents during the revolution, not for Marina, she stayed there and experienced horrible moments.
As a Christian girl, it's absolutely not easy for her to grow up during that moment. Later on, after complaining about her maths lessons being replaced by Islamic studies, Marina was arrested late one evening. She was taken to Evin, a notorious prison where interrogation and torture were part of daily routine. Marina was sentenced to death at the age of 16.
Her fate was changed when a prison guard saved her from bullet but on the other hand asked her a shocking request: to marry him and conversion to Islam. Finally, Marina left the prison and began her new life as a wife. But, once again, something happened and changed her world forever, her husband was killed by his rival factions. Marina once again returned to Evin. Lucky her, after more than 2 years at Evin, with her father-in-law hard effort finally she was released and went back to her family.
Reading Marina's experience put me into deep grief, I do feel sorry for her to lose her childhood and lead a normal life. However I admire her courage, her wisdom and her fight to save her integrity and family. It's really an extraordinary tale of faith and survival. I could not put the book down.
This memoir has been translated into 13 languages and soon will be adapted into a movie. While Marina now lives in Canada with her husband and their 2 sons.
Amazing Chats
Some short yet amazing chats with my little girls, Najla (5 yrs old) & Nayzea (3 yrs old):
Najla: Ma, tau temen aku yang namanya Anya?
Mama: Iya, kenapa kak?
Najla: Anya itu seperti anak laki-laki
Mama: Oh...ya?!
Najla: Pasti Anya itu tombol ya, ma?
Najla is crazy about maths lesson now. A simple maths lesson of course.
Najla: Ma, belajar kurang-kurangan yuk!
Mama: Oke, misalnya kakak punya 9 puding coklat, adik Zea minta 7 puding, sekarang puding kakak sisa berapa?
Najla: Ya.....kok adik Zea minta pudingnya banyak banget????
Nayzea's hair is getting longer, she asked for a hair cutting.
Zea: Ma, rambut aku udah panjang, ke salon yuk ma!
Mama: Zea, mau potong rambut?
Zea: Iya mama, rambut aku sudah gerondong
Oh...kids, you never stop amazing me. Love you full.
PS: Picture was taken on Najla's school farewell party last year.
Capitalism: A Love Story
The latest Michael Moore's documentary movie. Moore delivers his research on the root causes of the global financial crisis of 2007-2010. The mortgage, the derivative transaction, the politics, etc, all influences one another. Moore shows the documents and interviews many people in order to convey accurate facts about capitalism and how it could lead to a horrible ending. A very good movie, I learn a lot.
I watched this movie at Blitz GI and felt like a movie owner since there were only 2 (two) persons, my friend and I, who watched it:)
Lovely Moments
I experience a lot of great moments lately, such as:
- Welcoming a friend who visited Jakarta for a short time period. Since she missed oxtail soup a lot, so we took her to Oxtail Soup Ibu Samino in Senayan. Great food with reasonable price. Then watching Shrek Forever After, continued with taking pictures at Museum Nasional (Museum Gajah) *tourist mode on* and ending our journey at Starbucks WTC. A glass of green tea latte would be a perfect companion to end this tiring yet beautiful day.
- Visiting SMESCO Gallery and bought beautiful Batik fabrics.
- Having free lunch at Takigawa Sency with former colleagues and Soup at Plaza Indonesia with a friend who celebrated her new career at new office. Congrats Rina dear!
- Reading 100 Kata. Stories that written down in 100 words, not more. Creative. Love it.
- Watching Sex and the City 2. Funny.Crazy. Entertaining as usual.
A Special Birthday Package
I have some problems with my internet connection for the past one week, oh....I miss blogging a lot. Finally, today I can go on line *big smile*.
I want to tell about friendship. My 30-year-old-friendship. Imagine. You have a 30-year-old-friendship. On this special friend's birthday, you will get confused what to give as a birthday present since it seems for the past 30 years all possible presents have already been given, unless a house or a car *grin*.
It happens to me. Karin and I have been friends since 1980 back when we were still in elementary school *yes...we're old, haha*. Everytime her birthday comes (June 3), I am busy thinking about the birthday present. The easiest present is book since we're both book freaks. But, recently, at the moment we see a good book, we just buy it and give it as present even it's not birthday yet. So, books are not special present anymore.
2 years a go I ordered her birthday cupcakes . Last year, she had to undergo a serious surgery, thank God, it run well, I bought her a praying wear. This year, I blogged hop here and there and finally arrived at this great blog. I got so excited to see her products and at last ordered some cute items. I guess custom-made items are the best present for special friend. Thank you, Sawo Kecik. And happy birthday dear Karin, wishing you a great life ahead, sorry for the late posting, blame it on internet provider...:)
