8.29.2008

Own Business, Finally!!

Friday, 29 Aug 08, 10.42am at home

Hi diary..
Now is Friday again. It's so cloudy today. It's been cloudy and raining for the last few days. I hardly chose a bright day with strong sunshine to wash and dry my clothes! Finally yesterday I managed to dry my clothes.

Recently I've been busy with something. I'm so excited now! I'm working on my own now! It's been my dream to have own business and do something that I enjoy. You knew it, rite? But, I'm in overseas now, I kept thinking of what I could do from distance. And we found it! The important point here is: "do something that I enjoy like doing my hobby and make money". I wrote this down in Bulbo few weeks ago, remember? And now, my dream has finally come true! I have been working together with my two dearest sisters since 1.5 months ago, doing all the preparations, and now it's almost launched! I'm scared as well as excited to see the result. Will people like our products? Those are really our products, home-made products, hand-made products, products that we make from really scratch, products that we make from nothing! Honestly, I really proud of our teamwork, we have our own strengths and weaknesses and we complement each other. I proud of my sisters, and I proud of myself too! I can't believe it, from 'berandai-andai' becomes reality, from interest becomes job.

I wanna pray that we can do this business continuously.
I wanna pray that God will bless our product launch, in September.
I wanna pray that God will bless this business abundantly.
Diary, I'm so excited till I couldn't sleep last nite. :P

-Abbie-

8.18.2008

We're Lost, again...

Monday, 18 Aug 08, 8.52am at home

Hello again diary,
On Saturday night, something happened! Me and my hubby were lost in the middle of nowhere! I'm writing it here because I had never been lost for long time, well, at least for the last 6 months, and I hope that was my last 'lost in japan' experience.

As usual, on Saturday night, we were on the way going to our cellgroup in Shibuya. We know the place, we always know the place, we know the way to get there, and we always know the way to get there. Months ago, I initiated a shortcut and it turned out to be wrong path! Since then, my hubby never trusted me anymore in giving direction and I never dared to initiate a shortcut again. But, last Saturday was sooo hot and humid, my hubby always can't take it when the weather is too hot, so I initiated a shortcut again!! This time I felt so confident. I guess, my hubby already forgot what's happening months ago.
Me: "I'm sure this must be correct. You see that Lawson store, looks familiar, rite? We must turn right after that."
Hubby: "Yes but I don't know which junction we must turn right."
Me: "I know which one! Don't worry!"
Hubby: "Don't be wrong this time" [we were still happily walking while holding hands].
..............[we were at the junction in front of Lawson store. I never expected that there were 2 junctions! Which one??]
Hubby: "I think, this way.. I can see houses from here"
Me: "No, this way! It's still very far, there's no way we can see houses from here"
Hubby: "Are you sure?"
Me: "Yes!!"
..............[15 minutes passed by and we really didn't see houses]
Me: "Hmm.. that's weird" [I started to feel so afraid]
Hubby: "?????" [sweating a lot, panic face]
Me: "........" [O God, he's going to explode, he's going to explode soon!]
...............[we walked and walked and walked in silence for 30 more minutes and there was no familiar house at all!]
Hubby: [stopped and bought green tea from vending machine]
Me: "Sorriiiii... Ini pie no? Ini pie no?" [It means: 'Sorry, how is it now?' I felt like crying]
Hubby: [was standing near the vending machine and drinking the green tea in silence]
Me: "Sorriiii.." [I could feel some tears in my eyes. When he's in silence, it is soooo scary!!!]
Hubby: "I shouldn't trust you"
Me: "........." [was running to any direction I could see, there was only one thing in my mind: find the place ASAP by myself, no need to bother him, it's completely my fault!]
.............[without my notice, he's following me. He's afraid if I would faint somewhere because I was running too fast while carrying a big bag of banana muffins that I wanted to share with my cellgroup friends.]

Cut the story short, he found me. He led the way. And we found the place. I would never give any direction again, never! ever! My peta skill is very buta. Amazingly, he was not angry! I guess, it's because he started to understand me, he started to understand the situation, he started to understand his own life that he's having a clumsy wife for the rest of his life!

-Abbie-

Matsuri Festival

Monday, 18 Aug 08, 8.18am at home

Dear diary,
This morning is such a cold day, yesterday was too. I don't know why the temperature has dropped so much just over one night! Outside temperature is now 22C. Yesterday night was below 18C! Can you believe it? Two days ago, the temperature was still 34C!! Wow, this is Japan, the place where all the amazing and unexpected things may happen.

Yesterday afternoon, there was a Matsuri festival just in front of my apartment! It's a summer event in Japan. It started around 7am and it was still soooo happening when I left home for church at around 2pm. Lots of people were wearing the same Japanese traditional outfits walked around the neighbourhood by carrying statues (their Gods) on their shoulder. They kept shouting something like "Long life! Long life!" so loudly, some other people hit the drum and played other traditional music instruments, and some other people in their posts poured water from buckets onto those carriers! They carried around the statues to be released on the sea. Me? I woke up and got up from bed at around 10.30am and enjoyed the festival from my balcony.

Here are the pics:



Since then, the temperature dropped so much! Is it because of their praying? Or it's because the summer is over? I feel glad that I had chance to see this festival. Perhaps that was my last festival in Japan! That's why I took some pictures to remember this event forever..

-Abbie-

8.15.2008

Being a Submissive Wife

Friday, 15 Aug 08, 8.40am at home

Dear my diary,
For the last few weeks, I've been having not enough sleep. My mind is tired, my body has no strength, my heart is pounding hard, my eyes are so sleepy. Few days ago, on one good morning, I woke up very early and I prayed to God asking for His light.

Suddenly, there was a voice in my heart, which I believe it's God's voice, asking me "Are you ready to be a submissive wife if I show you the light?".

I was crying, I tried to bargain with God by saying "Yes I'm ready God, but.. but.. I have my own desire and You know it".

The voice was still in my heart "You are a wife. It's your duty to submit to your husband fully and to support him wherever he goes. He needs your support now!"

I was really crying, wanted to say "No, I have my own life and I should use it for my own benefit too!", after I struggled so hard in my heart, I prayed to Him "Please give me a peaceful heart, a heart that's only from God, to submit to my husband and to support him fully, whatever happens, wherever he goes, without complains!".

He already prepared my heart. I'm now prepared to face whatever happens in this near future.

-Abbie-

8.13.2008

Last Cooking Class

Wednesday, 13 Aug 08, 6.46pm at home

Diary, yesterday I just finished my cooking class and this is the last menu that I cooked. I put the picture here so that this prawn curry soup will be a sweet memorial forever. Now, no more cooking class. So, from now onward, I'll just use the menus that I've learned so far for the rest of my life?

How am I now? Yesterday, I was kind of happy and relieved that it's finally settled. Today, something just happened and it's unsure again. I'm really waiting for His confirmation.

-Abbie-

8.08.2008

08/08/08

Friday, 8 Aug 08, 1.42pm at home

Hullaa my diary,
Today is 08/08/08, what a good combination of number! Chinese likes number 8 so much since 8 in Chinese means being rich. 8 is also a symbol of never ending, it goes around and around and around with no ending.

Today is the day when Beijing Olympics starts. Today is the day when many Chinese couples in the world are queuing to get married. Today is the day when I feel so happy and excited! I really hope and pray that I'll lead a new life soon! That's what excites me lately! Will I get a good news today? As you know, my current mode is: waiting. Sometimes, waiting is something that's very boring since we never know when the waiting process will end. But, sometimes, waiting can be something that's very surprising since we never know what it will turn out, nobody can predict the future, rite? Me? I think I'm a kind of person who has long intestine. *what??!!* I mean, I'm very patient. In Javanese, having long intestine means very patient. Sometimes, I enjoy waiting while trying to guess what will happen, imagining what I should react if that happens, and thinking about what I should do if this happens. It's me, a dreaming girl!

I remember, whenever I received result of my school test, I felt like I didn't want to see the result straight away. I tended to wait for few seconds or few minutes or as long as I can wait to enjoy my excitement while I was trying to imagine what score I would get. What I should react if I get good mark; saying "Oh My God" for 3 times? clapping my hands? And what I should react if I get bad mark; laughing loudly and pretending that I get good mark? Then, I would slowly open the paper, and see the result, then the excitement would be gone as soon as I see my score, I would forget what I'd planned to react in this and that kind of situation. This is what I call waiting is something very surprising.

Anyway, since today is so special for most of the people in the world, will today be a special day for me too? *What makes you think so??* Because... because... after this... I'm going... to go... to... somewhere... 15 minutes away from home... to do... my weekly groceries shopping! Haizz... I guess today is just another day for me. But still, I'm so excited since my current mode is: waiting!

-Abbie-

8.06.2008

Bulbo

Wednesday, 6 Aug 08, 3.27pm at home

Hoii diary,
I opened my friendster and read thru the bulletin boards from my friends. I guess I'm too old fashioned to be involved in that kind of thing. I think it's a good tool to know the person better. So, I'm trying to answer some of the questions that I copied from one of the bulbo here so that you can know me better, diary.. ^_^

1. Pengen punya apa skrg?
~ Rumah, mobil, pekerjaan tetap yang aku suka dan menghasilkan uang, dan baby!

2. Sekarang juga siapa yang duduk deket sama lo?
~ ga ada

3. Kenapa habis seneng terus sedih?
~ karna kalo abis seneng trus seneng lagi itu gak bisa dibilang 'terus' karna senengnya masih 1 paket.

4. Apa yg bisa membuatmu lebih bahagia dari sekarang yang sudah kamu miliki ini?
~ if I can settle down somewhere, very soon.

5. Pernah digantungin seseorang?
~ heh?? apa bedanya 'digantung' sama 'digantungin' ya?

6. Lo percaya sama karma?
~ nggak.

7. Nama anak lo kelak adalah?
~ Ferrari! eh, itu nama mobil ding.

8. Kalo megang kamera pengennya foto apa?
~ foto yang di depanku.

9. Lo member deviantart?
~ apa tu? itu klub hobby art? atau klub bikin kue tart?

10. Kalo lagi bosen di mobil enaknya ngapain?
~ bobok, melamun, gigit kuku, ngupil, kukur2 kapal kaki.

11. Pernah menyelam ke dasar laut?
~ belum.

12. Artis siapa yang sekarang terlintas di pikiran?
~ Jet Li *masih kebayang2 karna kemarin abis liat Mummy - Tomb of the Dragon Emperor*

13. Suatu hari nanti lo pengen punya berapa rumah?
~ satu aja dulu.

14. Coba liat tv lo, ada apa disana?
~ orang Jepang aneh2.

15. Pengen ketemu siapa?
~ pengen ketemu Celine, Owen, dan induknya.

16. Apa perubahan yang terjadi di diri lo?
~ menua mukaku, menggendut perutku, menipis rambutku.

17. Shampoo yang dipake?
~ Shiseido.

18. Lo seorang kakak/adik?
~ ya kakak, ya adik.

19. Pernah dikasih lagu sama siapa?
~ sama orang yg kasih aku lagu.

20. Lagi suka banget sama apa?
~ sama baju, sama spatu, sama hiasan rumah, sama perlengkapan dapur, sama interior rumah, sama makanan, sama film, sama mobil, eh suruh nyebutin brapa?

21. Mendingan soal essay atau isian?
~ multiple choice atau B-S.

22. Rambut lo gimana skrg?
~ tipis, panjang sepunggung, lurus, nggak rata, hasil potongan sendiri.

23. Rambut gimana yang lo suka banget?
~ yang tebel dan ngga rontok pokoknya, bisa dimodel2 dan diwarna2 karna ngga takut bakal habis.

24. Berapa kali sehari buka fs?
~ nggak mesti

25. Pernah dimarahin gara-gara ngatain anak org?
~ belum.. eh nggak pernah.

26. Lo bakal jadi tipe orang tua yang memperhatikan anak atau malah menelantarkan?
~ merhatiin dong.. *jawaban klise*

27. Dulu pernah punya kenangan buruk?
~ pernah, tiap orang pasti punya kenangan buruk lah.

28. Lagu yang menenangkan hati?
~ God will make a way

29. Bisa main piano nggak?
~ bisa.. tapi suaranya nggak enak banget, piano nggak enak buat mainan, lebih suka mainan ular tangga ato halma.

30. Siapa yang kamu harapkan untuk memberimu nafkah kelak?
~ hubby and me Me ME too!

31. Terakhir pergi kemana? ngapain ?
~ ke Veil Nude, EPL my waki.

32. Sama siapa ?
~ sendiri.

33. Pernah cemburu tanpa alasan?
~ pernah..

34. Karna apa misalnya?
~ karna ada cewe kurus lewat, karna ada cewe berambut tebel lewat.. kalo ada cewe cakep lewat ga cemburu kok.

35. Hal apa yang bikin kamu sedih hari ini?
~ ada someone's kaypoh'ing me today!

36. Abis ini mau ngapain?
~ anter my hubby ke dr. gigi.

-Abbie-

8.04.2008

Hanabi Festival

Monday, 4 Aug 08, 2.34pm at home

Good afternoon, Ms. Diary..
Last weekend was very tiring for me. It was sooo hot and exhausting. Yeah, I managed to see hanabi on last Saturday! *_* << my eyes are full of fireworks.

Can you see the fireworks behind me? The small one is a hello-kitty-shape of fireworks! Can you see it? If you can't see it in the first 5 secs, you should keep looking at it at least for 30 secs while imagining the face of hello kitty. If you still can't see the hello kitty in 30 secs, then you must know that I'm bluffing you. Yes, it's not hello kitty, it's doraemon-type of fireworks! Hihihi.. So sorry. Please look at it again more carefully. Can you see the doraemon face now? If you can see the doraemon face, that means you have a great imagination! Honestly, there is no hello kitty, there is no doraemon, there is no Nobita, there is no Suneo, it's just errr... a firework! I hope you don't fall on my trick for the second time. Anyway, there were really some hello kitty, doraemon, mickey mouse shape of fireworks on Saturday. I just didn't get chance to take picture since it happened so fast. The technology of fireworks in Japan is just soooo amazing!! Really, I was so amazed to see it!

On Saturday, we reached there at 6pm. Our friends already arrived there few hours earlier to book the place. There were really thousandssss of people over there! Most of the girls there were wearing Yukata (Japanese summer dress). As you can see, I was not. I was wearing my Indonesian summer dress, which is shirt and shorts; red and white. I feel like celebrating national day since I was wearing red and white. I guess I was really born to be a true Indonesian. Now is month of August, and all of a sudden I really love to wear red and white. Blood is really thicker than water. Indonesia, Merdeka!! Anyway, do you see the lanterns? I was really glad to see those. You know what? I watched a Japanese drama "1 litter of tears", there was one setting taken during the Hanabi Festival where there were many lanterns along the street. I feel like Aya (the movie star in "1 litter of tears") for walking along the street with full of lanterns, being one of the thousands of crowd, carrying kipas all the way, passing by the food stalls that are selling Japanese traditional foods, buying some snacks and drinks, finding the spot to watch fireworks, sitting and watching the fireworks, taking pictures, and screaming "WaAAaa.. Kireiii..!" like the rest every time great fireworks came out. Everything was like in the movie except for one thing, I didn't collapse like Aya in the middle of the street.

Now I know what Hanabi Festival is. One more curiosity that I really want to find out before leaving japan, which is the 3-colors-leaves in autumn. Will I be able to see it?

-Abbie-

p.s I don't know why my eyes are so widely opened like popping out when I'm so excited. Haiz.. I shouldn't be too excited.

8.01.2008

Will I See Hanabi?

Friday, 1 Aug 08, 9.12am at home

Hi my lil diary,
Today is the first month of August. Time really flies. Time still goes by no matter we are prepared or not. Time still passes by no matter we're following or not. For now, I feel like, everything around me moves so fast, everyone around me goes on with life, and how about me? I'm also moving, you know! But, I'm moving in slow motion. I'm moving to where the wind blows me, I'm moving to where the crowd pushes me, I'm moving to where I should be dragged to, I'm moving to where there's an enough space for me to be in.

I have lots of things in my mind. I have dreams! I have desires! I have wishes! I have future plans! I have LIFE! I already took ages to brainstorm what's in my mind, I just need one opportunity to make it in action. Will my dream come true? Or should I just make it becoming a dream forever? Haizz.. I've been talking about this subject many many many times. I know you are bored reading this again and again, diary.. me too!! I'm also tired writing this again and again, should I just copy it from my previous posts and paste it here then?

*Change subject! Let's just talk about your current life.* Eh? My current life? eHemm.. errr... just now I was just telling you about my current life.. Should I continue? Ok, seriously, my life is still the same. It's just that "I'm waiting for something". I'll tell you when the time comes. *What are you waiting for?* Errr.. Hanabi! Yes! I'm expecting to see fireworks this weekend**(T&C apply, see below)! ^_^ This will be my first hanabi event in Japan although we've gone thru 2 summers in Japan. Now, next question is; should I buy Yukata, diary? Because I'll just have the chance to wear yukata this one time only, will it worth to buy? And the sandal jepit theklek kayu? For sandal jepit, perhaps I still can wear this waterproof-sandal-jepit in toilet next time. I regret that I didn't bring the sandal jepit WC "swallow" from Indo last time. Fyi, this is the Japanese tradition to wear Yukata plus sandal jepit when they go seeing fireworks in summer. Should I also buy the dompet kempitnya? And the kipas? And the hair accessories for my konde? And the belt? Of course I'll need the belt. And the accessories for the belt? The ribbons for the back side, and the flower for the front side? And the matching earrings? Haizz.. why do girls have so many things to buy? Now you know why my hubby seems reluctant to go to see fireworks, rite?

-Abbie-

Terms & Conditions
**If I can persuade my hubby to go.
**If the weather isn't too hot.
**If it's not raining.
**If we manage to buy Yukata.
**If we manage to buy sandal jepit kayu or find any shape of sandal jepit lainnya.