I am a Craft Addict

That's the tagline of 15th Inacraft, the biggest handicraft exhibition, which is held on April 24-28, 2013 at JCC. Inacraft is my guilty pleasure. I regularly visit it every year until I am so familiar with the products sold there but still there are always things to buy. Perhaps the uniqueness and the good quality of the stuff, and  also sometimes I still can bargain and get a very reasonable price that make my heart so weak against the urge to purchase several products there *excuse*.

I visited Inacraft on the first day in order to have a bit relaxed atmosphere in exploring those interesting handicraft booths. I end up buying several nice products such as: boxes from Cayenne (hey...they give 30% discount on all products), cute mini magnets to be put on the fridge in the form of famous products e.g Oreo, Silver Queen, Sari Roti, etc (unfortunately I forgot the name of that super creative seller), alphabet ceramic necklaces for Najla and Zea from Keramiku, a red painted hijab from Zania (isn't it beautiful?) and an elegance blouse from Unique (can't wait to wear it). I guess Inacraft will always be one of the best exhibition I heart of and moreover every time I am there and see lots of enthusiastic expatriates attend and purchase the products really make me so proud to be Indonesian.    

Working Woman

Author: Ita Sembiring

Publisher: Shuhuf Media Insani

Publication date: November 2012

Pages: 276

What would you do if you happen to visit Holland? Most people will think about visiting interesting places or just relaxing while enjoying a nice atmosphere. But not for Ita Sembiring, although she graduated from FISIF UI and has various kinds of working experiences such as a designer in a bag company, a public relation and even she had her own event organizer, but since she was a foreigner and couldn't speak any Dutch at all, therefore she finally ended up working as a labor  in a factory. Since she found many 'unbelievable' moments there in the factory, Ita and her friend decided to write a diary based on their everyday experiences. According to Ita, working there it's like watching a performance of 1001 different characters of people.

Ita transformed her diary into a novel, in this book we will meet two main characters, Cinder Sisada from Indonesia and Eleanor Luccini from Italy who work in a stationery factory. They become best friends and decide to have a diary and names it Buku Cabul (Catatan Harian Buruh Lepas). Cinder and Eleanor will tell us in details about almost all workers who work in the factory including the boss. If Indonesian labors are associated with poverty, intimidation, low income, etc  not in Holland, the labors here enjoying a high income, comfortable atmosphere and some of them also not work for money, but just want to kill time or ashamed of being jobless and do nothing. No wonder if the labors there come to the factory in luxurious cars, wearing expensive clothes or bags, etc.

The labors come from all over the world, such as Vietnam, America, Italy and also from local people.  Sometimes there are some arguments or fights among the labors, the unique thing is even after having a serious fight, the local people usually forget the fight after five minutes. They will act normally like nothing happens, this is totally different with other countries labors who keep the hatred for a long time. There are still many funny yet interesting things told in the book. Worth to read.

Sisters

Sister. She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink. Some days, she's the reason you wish you were an only child.

--Barbara Alpert via Goodreads.com/quotes

The Marriage Plot

Title: The Marriage Plot

Author: Jeffrey Eugenides

Picador Edition: May 2012

513 pages

Having been amazed by Jeffrey Eugenides Middlesex (2002) which also won the Pulitzer Prize, I am so excited to read his latest work, The Marriage Plot. Although the title said about marriage but the content of the book is far beyond it, there are lots of interesting stuff here, i.e. literature, religion, psychology and philosophy. But don't worry, it's not some kind of serious book that will make you headache, in fact the author comes out with an engaging yet beautiful constructed story.

The story concerns about three college friends from Brown University --Madeleine Hanna, Leonard Bankhead and Mitchell Grammaticus--beginning in their senior year 1982 and following them during their first year of post graduation.

Madeleine is an English major student who is interested in Victorian literature. She is preparing a thesis about the way marriage plots are used in literature, mostly classic. Mitchell is a religious studies major student while Leonard  is a brilliant student pursuing dual major in philosophy and biology. His intellect, wit and good look make him popular among campus people, no one realizes that he has a mental illness--manic depression caused by his unhappy childhood.

Mitchell loves Madeleine with a firm conviction that they are destined to be together. Madeleine adores Leonard. Leonard is devoted to Madeleine because he has some serious issues dealt with his medication and appointment with psychiatrists.

This interesting love triangle will color the book with their unrequited love,  long-term relationship and finally the day when they graduate. What will happen to them on the first year out? Is there a happy ending waiting for them? 

A book about college days will always amaze me. There are so many things to laugh about without thinking hard. Going to campus, hanging out with mates, eating out, movie time, just relax. You don't have to think about job. Just enjoy the day. The Marriage Plot also succeeds in bringing those days to me. Worth to read.   

Happy Anniversary

Grow old with me!

The best is yet to be.

--Robert Browning

1 hati...
1 jiwa...
2 raga...
11 tahun sudah...
Terima kasih untuk hari-hari yang menakjubkan.

Madre the Movie

Madre (Mizan Production, 2013)

Director/Screen Writer: Benni Setiawan

Casts: Vino G. Bastian, Laura Basuki, Didi Petet

 

As a huge fan of Dewi 'Dee' Lestari's works, I am so happy that since last year three of her books have been adapted into screen. I watched all of them (Perahu Kertas, Recto Verso and Madre). They are fun. Light movies yet enjoyable.

Apart from the books, from those three movies, I heart Madre. Why? Perhaps since I am addicted to bread, haha...Of course there are more reasons, such as: many elements in the movie spoil my eyes and heart. I love the setting which is the classic area of Braga, Bandung, Bali, an old bakery, a romantic bench and  a violinist, fresh bread and sweet love story between Tansen (Vino G. Bastian) and Mei (Laura Basuki).

I found various beautiful scenes in the movie. As I said before, I love not only the bread itself but  also I enjoy seeing the process of making it. Even it seems that I can feel the warm relationship among Tansen, Pak Hadi (Didi Petet) and other bakery crews.

Didi Petet as Pak Hadi is at his best. He performs very natural. Funny yet entertaining. Vino and Laura are also excellent, they have chemistry as lovers wannabe.

The story is about a guy, Tansen, a surfer and a blogger who suddenly inherited an old bakery plus a madre (a jar of bread dough) from his late grandpa. Having no interest in managing a bakery, at first Tansen intends to sell the madre but several things happen that make him need to consider about his decision. He must do something that will cause a big change to his life.   

When I finished watching the movie and ready to leave the movie theater, I just realized that it's raining heavily outside. While waiting for the rain to stop, suddenly I missed those great-taste of classic breads, if only I could pair them with a cup of hot tea, I was sure it would become a perfect wet evening.    

1001buku

The books: Ready to deliver

The books: Still in the sorting process

Looking at scattering books all around the home, remembering the size of our small home and  realizing the urge to buy new books every time we enter a bookstore, I conclude that I have to do something about it. First, I bought some old-but-still-okay boxes from the box seller who I met along the road, second I started sorting my books collection, then I came out with three boxes full of children books, teenagers books and novels, finally I browsed in the internet to find the new place for my books.  

I found 1001buku, it's a volunteered-based-community, they have lots of different activities related to books, such as making libraries for children and sending books all over Indonesia. I contacted Tari, one of the volunteers and asked whether they could fetch my books at home or I have to take the books myself to their office. Luckily Tari said she would come to my home and took all the books. Wow...nice service.

Last Friday I had an appointment with Tari. She arrived at my home early in the morning, moved all the books to her car and took some pictures for her documentation. There it goes, the books are ready to take their journey, farewell. I really hope that people who get the books will experience the same joy that I feel. Lastly for 1001buku, thank you for helping me in delivering my books to those who need. Keep up the good works, guys.