Puppy Love

First loves are funny. They weren't meant to be so serious, were they? And yet, you will always remember them dearly, as if they left this special mark on your heart because they stepped on it with such might that it will always be there, no matter what the future may hold. 

Here's the story. Yesterday I met someone, who I have to say, was certainly I never expected to see again since the last I saw him. He was the first person that I've ever been romantically attracted to. Was it puppy love? I don't know, maybe. Maybe something less serious than that. But I remember being 5 years old and he was 6, and we were always in a certain competition to be the smartest in class for the next 6 years. He used to be this cute little boy who's smart and good in sports, and, during the last few years of elementary school, was every girl's secret crush.

Basically, I just think that it was the moment that we'd like to call serendipity. A fortunate incident. Why, well, because the last time I actually talked to him was... back in elementary school days. And we've been in somewhat the same college for three years now, never having bumped into each other, not even once. But then that very day, my very last day of the sixth term, our stars were crossed, and... "IS THAT YOU?!" moment happened. Nothing has been funnier than this so far. I mean, what are the chances, huh?

So, first loves are funny. Of course we've moved on, sure. That was a very long time ago. But they left a mark. I don't know whether you'd like the mark they left on you, but they did, and not so many people in your childhood can do that. It kind of makes me proud knowing that he's the person he is today, I mean, the 5 year old me would've been proud of what he's able to do today. And why am I writing this? Well... I don't know. Because a serendipity deserves a post, just as much as it deserves one great romantic movie starring Kate Beckinsale and John Cusack. And also, because it was so funny and totally take me back in time... in a good way :)

If it's a broken heart then face it

How often can you sit down and look out of the window and started thinking, even without trying, and suddenly you realized that, you've been in this position before. You've been in the same day, the same situation, but that was a year ago. Or perhaps even two, maybe three. Maybe it's the first day of the new class, and you still remember how that very event felt like last year, or two years ago. You remember how hard it was, and how stupid you used to be, how innocent, how scared of life and people you were. And then next feeling that got into you was that you're old. Maybe just older, but old. Moments have passed and you think to yourself, "Am I still the same person? Did I grow up from there to here? Am I still dealing with the same shit over and over again?" We all know our cells change every once in a while, but do we?

The Far East

When someone tells you that life is a book, and those who did not travel never learn anything, perhaps it's true. Because as it turns out, there really is extraordinary things out there, things they don't write in the book, or the newspaper, or even the internet. There are things that you have to find out for yourself. Of course as a normal person you can't go to every places they recommended you, just like you can't read all the best books, or ride the fancies cars, or maybe date all the beautiful boys. But one day when I'm awfully rich, I would use all of my savings to travel anywhere possible; anywhere without any exception, along with the people I love. I'm not really the kind of traveler that you'd think about whenever that word comes to your mind, but I know about a thing or two about traveling and it's this: never say no.

Always, always have some kind of cruise in your itinerary

Say yes to anything. To go to the countries where people don't speak English (even when that's the only foreign language you can actually use) or to eat all the bizarre foods and feeling like you're the new Andrew Zimmern. Say yes to do the things you will never do when you're home, and say yes to wearing clothes that flatter or don't flatter your shape. Say yes to buy the things, whether you'll find useful or not, that you will not find back at home, but make sure that they would remind you of the beauty you'd seen while on the journey. Say yes to spend your money on overpriced tourist-y souvenirs, and say yes to having to sit on the plane between people who don't speak your language and go through hours of flying not talking at all. Say yes to... oh, everything, really.

But for now let me make some points of the story that I'm trying to tell you here. And here it goes.

A much too warm Osaka weather

1. In Korea and Japan, I learned something special about mankind: We may not speak the same language, but we can always try to understand each other, even by signal languages. There's not standards as to how you'd use it to people, because like in Japan, it's like there's a million people there who can't even speak a single word in English. It's so easy to be Scarlett Johansson there. It's so, very easy to be lost in translation in Japan, even when you think you're already in a much visited tourist attraction in Tokyo. It seems to me that the Koreans are still more willing to try to speak English to you than the Japanese. Basically if you don't speak Japanese, you're lost in Japan. Because the minute you landed, you'd start to think of yourself as somewhat illiterate. And by God I swear that even in the Narita airport, you can be lost in reading their signs. It's so hard understand their directions. We can be lost. Just... lost.

2. The thing with both countries is, when you're Asian, and you like Japanese food, or even Chinese food, you can live there. The culinary is awesome. And when you're Asian, you'll be fine with the sizes of the hotel bathtub and beds. It's even better if you get yourself used to eat fermented vegetables or any kinds of pickles, really. Just one single thing about you that's not really Asian, even as simple as shoe size, you're doomed. 

Nami Island!

3. Naminara Island should just be named Winter Sonata Island. No, seriously. It's easier for visitors to get a clue of what's ahead of them. So many young couples visit this island and do the sweet things I thought only exists in Korean dramas. But anyway, it's a beautiful island, and imagine it in winter..... Must be a winter wonderland.

4. Japan is so damn clean. Mungkin pertanyaannya, "Sebersih itukah, Rien?" Dan jawaban gue, "Iya, sebersih itu." It seems to me that the Japanese is a little obsessed with cleanliness, because even in the place where you'd expect it to be messy, there are various kinds of trash bins, so in a way, you would have to think before you throw something away. This is not a lie.

Too casual for dinner, eh?

5. If you're a Kpop fan in Seoul, you may lose your voice from screaming too much because people literally put pictures of them everywhere. But if you're not, you'll be just fine. If you're a Kpop fan, you can spend your money on so many Kpop stuffs, but if you're not, buy cosmetics instead. Actually, either you're a Kpop fan or not: When in Seoul, buy cosmetics. Full stop.

6. It's not a myth that Japan is an expensive country. But here's a little story about my relationship with Japan. I knew that I always wanted to go to Japan; in fact it's the only country in the whole of Asia besides India that I really wanted to visit in my life. But I wasn't sure what I want out of it because I don't speak Japanese (one of the things I regretted in life is that I didn't pay enough attention to my Japanese sensei in twelfth grade) and I'm not really into the music, or the fashion, or the manga, or the so-called mysterious culture... And then one of my best friends go to college there and it was hard for me at first to see what's so interesting about Japan. But then I came up there and I saw it for myself and now I understand what all the fuss is all about. I still don't have the way to explain it to you what it is, but now I understand. It's... really cool. So all that expensiveness we were talking about? They can do that. They're cool.

In Asakusa Temple, eating what seems to be Doraemon and Nobita's favorite Shanghai Ice

7. Every place, or things, you hear in Japan, would sound like it's a name written on the menu in your favorite sushi restaurant. When Karl Lagerfeld said that Italy and Japan have the best kitchen in the world, he wasn't kidding. The food is mostly great. On the other hand in Korea, you have to get yourself used to eating Kimchi. They literally serve kimchi in every meal they serve, everyday. And some food would make you lose your appetite, especially the ones with ginseng in it, so be prepared to just stuff your stomach with kimchi and rice. Mark my words, fellas.

8. I think I know why some Kpop stars are so outrageously dressed up, some even dyed his hair blue and every other impossible shades for hair. Because to be fashionable is so common in big cities like Seoul. You have to see it for yourself, because the boys are so pretty with really smooth and silky white skin and they wear the coolest trends I only see in fashion blogs. Amazing. Meanwhile the street style in Japan is pretty much what you see in the media. Not a surprise there. One surprise is probably this: You know when American movies stereotyped Japanese office workers as wearing white collared shirts and black pants? It's true. Almost 90% of the employees in Tokyo that I had a chance to look at was wearing that.

9. Doraemon is still kind of big in Japan. Years and years since he was adorable, it seems like the robot cat is still an icon. And if you wanna learn things about Japan, the easiest way is probably to read comics like Detective Conan, because Doraemon isn't such a good references (Thanks to those who always remind me not to use Doraemon as a reference ^^)

Every tourists must do shameless self photographs, tourists' way :) 

10. After all is said and done, keep this in mind when you're visiting both countries: Generally, they are very friendly and hospitable people, and they have a good relationship with Indonesia too so basically when they know that you're from here, they'd smile. But they can't show it to you because they don't speak your language and not even English, so, always use smile. It's a universal language, everyone understands.

One Short (holi)Day

All work and no play makes Arien a very dull girl. I really needed a proper holiday, and any short holiday will do. As a very student-y college student on a budget, I decided to go to Singapore, the closest, easiest, and most affordable place to be called my holiday nirvana. I had five of my best girls coming with me to the shopping mecca; Cantika, Claudia, Natasya, Tika and Winandya. It was a really short trip. I've been to Singapore several times with my family, and three or four days was boring enough, but with these girls, I think I could handle a two weeks trip in the land of mixed cultures. It was probably one of the best trips I've ever taken, and really, I think it was marvelous. The trips to Singapore with my mum was always all about the shopping; she's been there several times for work and she'd seen a lot of places so she never took me but with these girls, everything was just so new and memorable. The four days trip got me some of my own highlights of the day, and I'm gonna tell you a bit of the highlights.

We welcome ourselves to Singapore by observing the night life

Day 1: Clarke Quay

What's the best cure for traveling with a delayed flight? Traveling with your best friends! Since I'm not really a night person, I don't know if Clarke Quay is the centre of Singapore night life or something of that sort, anyway we don't really sit there and hang out; we took pictures instead, and since we just landed that very night, the pictures might be lousy, and you can't see a lot of people there but I'm telling you, walking through that particular bridge gave me the creeps as if I just came into the wrong party where only white, crazy and drinking people were invited. I looked like I was going to school that night. Sigh.

So much for a hillbilly pose after a long, money-draining shopping spree

Day 2: Wicked The Musical

Cantika, Winandya and I decided to take a stroll and spend some shopping spree at the malls in Orchard, while the three other girls were hitting the Universal Studios Singapore. I tried to find a proper dress to catch Wicked at the Marina Bay Sands Grand Theatre later that night, but I failed. I went crazy at the stores that haven't opened in Indonesia, and the rest is, well, history. I felt like my wallet had some kind of demon that eats plastic because my money was drained in no time! That's what happens when you're a girl who gets so easily distracted with new things. You'd forget what you came up there for, was it for the holiday or the shopping?

Ozians

Anyway, after a long, tiring and money-draining shopping, we got back to the hotel to clean up and try to look as pretty as girls in budget holiday could be. At the end of the day, no one wants to look like a fucking beggar watching a musical in Marina Bay Sands, right? We took the train to Marina Bay, and with all the power of our smart-ass-ness we got to the theater on foot. That's something you can't do in Jakarta, though; you can't survive a ten minutes walk in a dress, without getting some really annoying shout out from the street workers. Well, not knowing is a gift. None of us had ever been to the Marina Bay, and we just kind of use our smart-ass-ness to find the Grand Theatre by walking through the gigantic, posh shopping mall and casino completed with sophisticated bars everywhere, and there we were! The three of us was astounded by the place we came to, like it was just simply impossible that we were ever there! What are we, a bunch of teenagers on a budgeted short holiday, doing at The Grand Theatre?! I have never seen a musical before; never been to Marina Bay Sands; and never, ever, seen such a beautiful place that costs me quiet some fortune for sitting at the top tier and the very last row. Anyway, it was worth it though. We couldn't see the facial expressions of the actors, but we'd see pretty much everything that was necessary. I didn't know a lot about Wicked, and after the two and a half hours show, I was obsessed with it. Elphaba and Fiyero would be my new romantic icons. I can't get over the fact that I wanna re-watch The Wizards of Oz now, since it's been some time. At the beginning of this blog, I wrote about how that movie was played on repeat so many times in my childhood, and I loved the young Judy Garland with the red, sparkling shoes. After the show, we decided that we didn't have the energy to walk ten minutes to the train station back to our inn, so we'd take the taxi and without knowing where exactly to find a cab, we power-walked to the taxi stands and the queue was... rad. The taxi, as we'd all know it, was pretty pricey, but who cares? We'd just seen Wicked! Live! And it was not even the original cast!! I promised myself that someday, when I'm awfully rich, I would sit front row to see one of these shows live. I just had to promise myself that. Please remind me that again 20-30 years from now?

Day 3: All The New Places

We didn't look as though we just hit the USS or Wicked last night, eh?

"You're gonna need a bigger boat!" -Jaws

From my previous Eurotrip I have learned something: I love cruising on a boat. And that's just exactly what we did, and I really liked it. That's a very touristy thing to do, and even though it was Singapore, not necessarily Seine or Thames, it was really cool. All the six of us went to see the Merlion right across the Marina Bay Sands, where we took off the train from Clarke Quay and walk along the Riverwalk all the way through the Merlion Park. There are closer stations, but I'm actually glad we didn't take them because the Riverwalk was such a pretty sight, and besides, it feels a little like walking along the Rive Gauche, or at least that's the closest that I can feel as though I was in River Gauche. The Merlion Park, like every other landmarks in the world, was full of tourists with cameras and cute poses, and I have to say that it was fun, because finally, a place where acting like tourist is not so lame because so was every other people in that place is. From there, we walked through all the skyscrapers to take another train to Chinatown, where we're supposed to have lunch. None of us was familiar with the place, so we tried to find something to eat at the most obvious place the station can lead us to: The Hong Lim Food Centre. The site was under so much construction that we had to ask a stranger, a somewhat very nice Chinese man, that showed us the way to food centre. He was going the same way, though. But still it was nice to know that people in Asian countries are still really nice and friendly. As it turns out, The Hong Lim Food Centre was paradise... for people who eats pork. For those who don't, like the majority of me and my friends, it was a bit of a dull place. There was only one kiosk by a Malaysian couple that cooks halal food, and judging from the queue, I think there's a lot of people who didn't know how rare halal food in Hong Lim Food Centre is. Anyway, after Chinatown, we moved along to Farrer Park, where we paid a visit of one of the craziest store I know, Mustafa Centre. From the site that's full of Chinese people selling traditional medicines made of bats and special herbs, there we arrived at the place so over-populated with Indian and Pakistani men and women with their peculiar culture and food and colors... and odors. Unlike mothers, we didn't buy too much from the Mustafa Centre, but then we got back to put our shopping bags down at the inn and rest our tired feet and later that night, we went separate ways again.

The only thing missing, is someone staring at the same painting for me to fall in love with

The Wicked girls went to see the Singapore's Arts Museum, while the other three was catching up with the two other museums in the other side of town (or country...) The art museum was my very first experience too. I only came there because of the free admission every Friday nights, actually... Well, the fact that we love to see some arts helps, too. The minute I saw the building, I was amazed. But as soon as I stepped foot inside, I was, again, astounded by it. There was a collector's exhibition of some sort, and the guests looked extremely rich and cool, like the kind of people you see in a high society magazine. The art was so cool... Some are haunting, some are jaw-dropping, others are like eye candies... But my favorite would have to go to the one called Chapel by an artist named Li Hui (just in case you wanna Google him). His art was one dark room with red lasers from one side of the ceiling reflected by a mirror at the centre of the room to the other side of the ceiling, completed with crosses hanging around the walls. The second we stepped in, we felt like in a Cathedral. This is the place where I think we met the artist. No, seriously. And I really liked his art, had I known any better if it was really him, I'd probably shake his hands and take a picture with him or something. He saw Winandya took a photo under the red laser, and then he gestured for us to move under the red rays in some certain position, and he directed how we're supposed to pose, but then he walked away somewhere. I have to say, his direction gave us a better quality picture, and if he was really the artist, it's no wonder. Of course he'd know the best way how to enjoy his art, eh?

The ray of red lights in the "Chapel" by Li Hui

From there, all the six of us gathered together at Chijmes. It's another eatery for the rich and the richer, I guess, because I couldn't afford the menu, but the place looks really quirky, though. And from there, we decided to have some ethnic dinner back at Farrer Park, and treat ourselves some really spicy Biryani rice with chicken and lamb. Because where else would you eat so many rice with so many spices, all served up in a tray?!

I don't care if we look like K-Pop fans. He looks and smells hot

Day 4: Abercrombie & Fitch & I'm such a spendthrift

Our last day in Singapore, the room where we've been staying was a hot mess from excessive shopping and disarranged stuffs. After a very tiring packing, where I just realized that I have lost my incredible packing skills (sigh) together we went on a very last minute stroll around Orchard Road to use up the money we had left... or at least that was me. The first place we went to was, of course, the hottest new store in Southeast Asia: Abercrombie & Fitch! The store smells like a really sexy guy just sprayed his entire body with a really sexy cologne after a long day at the gym. No, seriously. The guy standing at the front door says it all. And the shirtless male model whose job was to take pictures with the ladies (like us) and kiasu passerby wanting to have their picture taken with some hot, unknown guy? He says everything we can tell from the store. Just like the one in London, everything in there was not fashionable and overpriced. It's like, only the Jersey Shore cast would actually spend their money in that kind of store. Really, their male t-shirts are only for the guys with muscles and to be honest with you, I don't know if it's the Alessandro from summer 2008 effect, but Abercrombie always smells and looks so... Italian. Alessandro could totally make a good addition to the Jersey Shore ensemble. Or Andrea. Anyway, nobody bought anything there. We're not the Asian version of Snooki and we don't like the Mike Sorrentino kinda guy. So we moved along to buy some cute shoes for low prices, and after that, The three Wicked Girls, also known as the biggest spendthrift in the entire holiday, were off to do what they did best: shopping. Uniqlo kills, I'm telling you. Or actually, the demon inside my wallet was named Uniqlo. Or H&M. Or Sephora. Anyways. Thank God for Singapore's new regulations about the 7% tax refund for foreigners, which was simple and easy, unlike the tax refund policy in European countries. I can't tell you... just like I can't bear the feeling to remember how much we spent for shopping, or how unhealthy strolling around the Orchard road can be, but honestly, even if without the intense retail therapy, this would still be the best holiday I had with the friends I love. And it's really something I've never done before.

P.S. I only put here my favorite (and available) pictures. Anyone not pictured or not looked so good in them is merely about natural coincidences.

A Piece of This Generation

I went to Singapore this weekend for two reasons: shopping and Harry Potter. Okay well, I need to be honest in my own blog. Honestly there's only one reason, which is the reason #1 but the second one stands because I planned to go to the cinema once I'm there and I chose that one. I have to tell you this: I'm not a Harry Potter reader and not a fan either. But even then, I have to say that the movie was fantastic! It's probably not Oscar-worthy or something like that, but it's fantastic in a way that it's the last part of such a huge saga, and truth be told that the Harry Potter series is our generation's heritage (I need to say more, because I don't really wanna inherit the Twilight saga). I can see myself someday buying my kids the Harry Potter series if they love fantasy books (or books in general), or playing those 8 movies in marathon at home with my family, and even better, I can see Harry Potter as a classic literature, like maybe new and extended version of Tolkien's Lord of The Rings. I know I'm not a fan, so I'm not gonna say a lot about the movie compared to the books or something like that. But as a dummy in all things Harry Potter, I shed some tears at the end of the movie, because like the director said, "...so practically, when you come to the movies to see this movie, it's like saying goodbye to the people you've been so well for the past 10 years..." It is undeniable that we grew up with Harry Potter. I grew up with it too, even though I never really enjoyed it before. When the movie ended, I can think of some fanatics that would feel like, "Okay, my life is complete now. I could die happy." And after 10 years of watching people around me getting crazed over some witch kid in Lennon-esque glasses, I finally see the glory in it. One great thing about Harry Potter is that it teaches us about bravery. Just like good looks, you cannot teach courage; it is something you learn by doing, and we might don't have the kind of courage Potter had, but we'd seen him (and read, for that matter) so that someday we will be ready to fight some Voldemorts out there. Cheers to JK Rowling and her amazing characters. She is practically one of the most admirable writers of our time.

What happens while the candle is sixteen

This will be my last post in 2009. Thanks for sticking with me through thick and thin. Happy new year everyone.

The hardest part is taking part...

Friends moving out overseas. Three most notable members of the family funerals, one amazing friend died. Well, they say the brightest star burns the fastest....

Burying my Grandma. Sad, sad face. February 20, 2009

Airport, August 20, 2009

Good news is, life isn't that bitter...

 A surprise from XI IPA F (went watching Watchmen), Senayan City, April 23, 2009

XI IPA F won 3rd winner BBM (Bazaar Budaya something), April 6, 2009

This picture is here because.... it's the first time I ever step my feet on Bekasi! LOL. Nadia's post-birthday surprise (HAHA LAME), January 18, 2009

We are refugees. Our school is flooded! January 19, 2009

Coldplay Viva La Vida tour Live in Hong Kong, March 25, 2009

Hong Kong Disneyland, July 7, 2009

That's pretty much everything. Not literally, but, yeah, the highlights. This year is mostly about being a sophomore (all play and party, no study). Well, thanks everybody. See you in 2010, cuz we'll have more fun....

Pictures of You

It was Dela's birthday dinner on Saturday, which, to me, feels more like a good reunion with my best mates from junior high.

Birthday girl in the middle!

I really wanna make this post like a long, sentimental essay about them but I would bore you to death. But you know what? I don't care. I'm still gonna write it the way I want it to appear. If you look at the picture, you see that I don't look as if I'm in a party nor a private dinner. I didn't even put on make ups. I'm sorry hahaha that's just moi

Wulan, Nabilla, moi, Nesha

Me, Nabilla, Nesha, Wulan and Dela were best mates in 9th grade. We were all in the same class and we kind of hung out together a lot either at school or somewhat, outside. We had so much fun back then, ups and downs..... until then graduation came and we kind of grew apart. Nabilla goes to the same school as Dela and Wulan (and Pungky, but she's not pictured here since she couldn't make it to the dinner) but me and Nesha took another way. The way I see it, it's ironic. Nesha and I played Peyton and Brooke as in One Tree Hill (we're maniacs, I told you). Brooke and Peyton had always found a way to keep solid, and life as best friends is so easy since they live in a fictional small town. Tons of sad songs in your life wiped away just by stopping by Peyton's place, a short but smart talk and a big hug. But you see, the last time I met her was more than a year ago. We live in the same town but it's not small. Life isn't the same as on TV.

Brooke Davis and Peyton Sawyer! Hahahahaha

What surprises me the most is the fact that I kind of feel like I was facing a mirror when I met Nesha! (hahaha no, not physically, you might don't even wanna physically look like me hahahahahahaha) Not only because we REALLY love One Tree Hill and Sophia Bush but also because WE LOVE MILEY CYRUS and WE HATE SELENA GOMEZ. I should probably ask her more if she hates Twilight and Robsten too hahahahaha. We write blogs, yeah. Go check hers out! It's so charming, and it's just what she is. These 4 girls are very true to themselves, not every girls can be. Some girls wanna act like saints, but they're just what they are. They keep it real and true. The whole night we talked about One Tree Hill, our purses (which was the prototype of my dream Chanel purse. She said we're taking baby steps and price-wise, I'm in the first of 40 steps. Hahahahahahahaha), college, junior high moments..... you know, it's fascinating how she still remembers some of the talks we had. I never seen someone like that before. She wrote that in her diary. I mean, I write diaries too but I didn't take it that as far as writing conversations (yeah, once. with my crush). Oh, and about this guy who was dating her friend. This guy was....... the same guy who worth my tears :"((((((( well not anymore though. Anyway, she reminds me of something that really draw my feeling today:

The truth is, I don't really like to think about college. Cause that means high school's over. 
After graduation, everyone will probably go play basketball. Or sing or start record labels, -and I'll have to start all over. Alone. I'm sure I'll be fine. But like I said, I don't like to think about it.

Brooke Davis

Pretty girls. Hahahahahahahaha

Nabilla came kind of really late and that frustrates me at first because she wasn't on time. When I called her she was busy looking for a bakery just to buy herself some bread. Duh. I tried to dress up quiet nice because she wanted to introduce me to her (soon to be) boyfriend, too bad he couldn't make it that night.

If there's one thing I can learn from that night, it's that you CAN'T tell if someone's your best friend before you've been through enough. Like, how long have you known each other? You can't call someone who's just become your close friend for two months as your BFF. Remember that the last F stands for FOREVER and the term of forever is huge. It's complicated, sometimes scary. Or, how long have you lost contact with them and when you meet again you still feel the same chemistry as before? I suck in keeping old friends, and I'm just such a lucky bastard for having them. I just hope I could learn my "keeping old friends" skill as I'm graduating high school really soon. Oh, and also very important, have you gone to different schools? Have you gone through some limits, like, you can only go to some certain places which they can't go? I'm not saying we are the BFF but I just want y'all to know, you can't be best friends with just about anyone who came into your life without knowing what they will do to you in the long run.

B. Davis, P. Sawyer

wait, so who are these? hahahaha

All of a sudden I miss everyone...........................

Somewhere Only We Know Has a Name

I have posted the place in this picture once before. Now I know the name.

GORDON SQUARE GARDEN

Just in front of Virginia Woolf's house (later on also occupied by John Maynard Keynes). I didn't notice that. 

picture stolen from Wikipedia

All of a sudden I miss this place

Harrow on the Hill. It's not necessarily a beautiful place nor that it's located on the hill, but at least it's not at world's end hahahahahaha. I suddenly remembered about it when googling about Dev Patel (yes, the coolest British-Indian)

My housemate Martina once tried to go to this health centre when she had a cottonbud stuck in her ear lol.

wowwwwyyyyy

I can never forget this subground walk, so full of suburban arts!

I told you it's not beautiful

Dear Diary

Someone once said; "It's the good girls who keep diaries. The bad girls never have the time." Me? I just wanna live a life I'm gonna remember, even if I don't write it down. --Brooke Davis

Let me be brutally honest to you. It's hard to admit it but then, it's important.

I used to keep a diary. Yeah, yes I did. I never started it with something like, "Dear Diary" or giving my diary a name or anything. It sounds cheesy now but let me tell you, dear people, diary is so important. You don't get why? Oh poor you.

We all know Anne Frank. She was a very young girl, wasn't she? She's really famous and even my great-great-grandchildren will still read about her because of what? Yes, writing a diary. I remember outside her house (which now is a museum) Ratih bilang, "Dia cuma beruntung aja karena dia nulis diary, jadi dia bisa terkenal"

For me, it's great to read again what's written in a diary. in fact, it's annoying when I just wrote, 'today is amazing' or something like that because I can't remember what actually happened! and if I wrote all the details, every single moments, even the happiest or the most bitter one, will appear again and therefore life is, well, a complete puzzle.

The best thing is, I could say, "Oh, so it's been a year, then?" or "Well I really was, stupid."

Question is, do I still write a diary? Well, no, not really. It's only a planner, but actually it was published by Cambridge so every pages of it reminds me of them.

If there's one thing I could conclude from this diary that last time I wrote was June 23, 2008 (which means, a day before I left for London), is, I loved quotes, and One Tree Hill, especially Brooke Davis. Or, how fun it was pergi BTA tiap hari Senin dan Rabu sambil ketemu K. (if you're reading this Cantika, you can name it hehehe)

Well, here it goes.

and once you lose your way, you have two choices: Find the person you used to be or lose that person completely.

God only knows what a heart can survive. So many tears from the pain of our lives. And where else could we go after all we've been through... I hope that you can love me when the pain is gone... If you want to be free I'll never stand in your way --it's actually a song, but I can't recall the name

Cause I can't make you love me if you don't. You can't make your heart feel something it won't --another song that I can't recall

You could be big part of someone else's life, and not even know it.

Love triangle is so high school.

Brooke: Rachel, what happened to you?
Rachel: Life, I guess.

Every separation hurts just the same

At the end of the day, you are who you are, and it's probably who you've always been