First flower bouquet from Andrew
Christmas is finally here.
I like eating, as in: I enjoy the foods, I usually not picky, and like to try new foods. But when it comes to cooking.... that would be a different case. For sure, I don't enjoy it as much as I enjoy eating (*grin*). I'm not sure why, I did not find myself interested in cooking, baking, and anything related to kitchen and its utensils. Especially when I was in Jakarta. My mum was the queen of our kitchen, so was in charged in that area and cooked for the family everyday. I guessed I took it for granted sometimes. My sisters helped my mum sometimes, but not me. I was so lazy, kitchen just not my area, and I prefer to do something else... :)Woo... this is a surprise. Haha...
After learned American English at school for so long, I'm more Australian English now, hey?! This might be true, though. I live in Australia now, and I think my American English has been contaminated by Australian people and environment I've dealing with in the last 9 years, that's why! :D
But I still prefer to have rice than meat pie or vegemite! ;p
| You Belong in Australia |
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| Your Personality Cluster is Introverted Thinking |
 You are: Objective, honest, and credible Intellectually curious, with many diverse interests More inclined toward ideas than people Fiercely independent and unapologetically unconventional |
I'm soooo through today. Sooo angry. Sooo frustrated. Getting sick and tired with the trouble and unfairness that I (and some people I know) gets from doing the right thing. Someone said to me, by doing the right thing, and for being honest and helpful, people will only take advantage of you. They will think you are weak, easy to handle, will shut up and will make no trouble. In other words, it's not smart for being a good person. Instead, being sneaky bastards would make life easier and will bring you to the top of the world! . What the hell ??!!! What happened with people ??!! They are just so selfcentre, saving their own sake, don't care about anybody else. They will laugh and laugh on top of other unfortunate people misery. Ggggrrrr @#%*(!*!!
Belum lama ini saya dapet cerita tentang pembantu rumah tangga di rumah orang tua saya di Jakarta. Katakanlah namanya Kenong.
Following to the last posting..... Not long after, a thunder storm - heavy rain was pouring down. It only went for about 1/2 hour, but it was cloudy and dark..., looked like going to rain again, and the grass in the park must be damped. We were quite sure that they will cancel the Carols by Candlelight. As we have prepared everything, we were a bit dissapointed... But an hour later we saw the news on TV that the show will still go on. Yay! My friend still interested to come, and the sun was showing its rays a bit for sunset, so off we went to the park! Last year I went to the same event in Adelaide. But I just realised that Carols by Candlelight is only happen in Australia. It's actually an Australian Christmas tradition.
We are entering the end of month of the year. Another year will come very soon. But it also means Christmas is coming!
What's inside of my handbag todayIt's not too fancy nor expensive, but I love it. It's a right 'doraemon' size bag (read: can find almost everything in it). It has separations (read: easy to find things in it) and has neutral colour, so I don't have to worry to match it up with the colour of my clothes everyday. Make my life easier!
It's a must to have my normal 'money' wallet, small 'card' wallet, mobile phone, keys and 'puffer' (yes, i'm an asthmatic girl) with me, every time, everywhere... Besides that, I like to bring things that have a power to comfort me. So, even though it may not be useful or necessary, i would bring it anyway. It's a bit silly, but i guessed i followed old Indonesian people who often says "Sedia Payung Sebelum Hujan". .... :D - (get ready with your umbrella before it rains - simply means: Be prepared !) and so that's why I like big bag :)
As you can see, I had my cosmetic mini bag (it has panty liner and face compact powder inside), 'minus' glasses case (glasses inside) underneath it, ipod, a book I currently read, a lipstic, a lipgloss, an eyeliner, and a blush on (notes: I rarely add my blush on or eyeliner at work). I also had my work ID card, a pack of candies, perfume, body spray, a pack of tissue, camera case, and a trendy 70's model sunnies. What you can't see is I actually have a lot of receipts and shopping lists inside the bag :) What a girly-not too carrier woman bag, hey?!
November is such an important month for me and Andrew. It’s the busiest of the year... celebrating us getting older.... :)
After celebrating our birthdays few days ago, its time for another one,... Wedding Anniversary! Yes,…it’s been a year! I still remember all the tense, the stress, the sweet, and happy moments on the same day last year. Time has flies.. so quick! It also been a wonderful year with lot of love, fun and happiness, as well as a challenging year for us. Moving out, moving in, journey, trip, changes, etc. May I call this first as a time for us to settle in, to adjust to each other, to get to know each other better, to accept each other’s weaknesses, enjoyed each other companion and take pleasure in each other strength. Would be a lie if I said we never have our head bumped to each other. But I think we've made it good so far, hey?
Felt sooo bad to take all the decoration and icing. But I have to! I don't think the cake can wait any longer. It is a fruit cake, and has lot of rum, which could be a good preservative. Most cakes don't freeze well for long periods of time, but this one has been prepared with a freezer-safe layer that will last the year in the freezer. It might be still in a good condition, or might be not. Anyhoo, I finally managed to cut it. See the pic... By the look and smell of it, i think it's still eatable :) And we ate it. No tummy ache, and still Yum!. Who want some ??
Ouch, I'm getting 1 year older today! What's wrong with getting older? hmmm.... actually, it scared me a bit.
Happy birthday, babe!
Yep, today is Andrew's birthday. I only had small things and card for him. I handed them to him when he woke up. We agreed to have a lazy and (may be) shopping day today.
| You Are 50% Left Brained, 50% Right Brained |
 The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning.Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others. If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic. Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet. The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility. Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way. If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art. Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports. |
Bukan berat Beban yang membuat kita Stress,tetapi lamanya kita memikul beban tersebut. (By Stephen Covey)| You Are An ISTJ |
The Duty Fulfiller You are responsible, reliable, and hardworking - you get the job done. You prefer productive hobbies, like woodworking or knittings. Quiet and serious, you are well prepared for whatever life hands you. Conservative and down-to-earth, you hardly ever do anything crazy. You would make a great business executive, accountant, or lawyer. |
Anyway, I'm in to knitting now. A beginner, genuinely autodidact. Learned from books and internet. Seriously, very difficult to learn without anyone teach and show you how. It gets me maaad!! But after several times of trial and error, I (think) I am now can do Cast On, Knit Stitch, and Purl Stitch. :D. I think I held the needles in a wrong way, though because sometimes it slips or fell off. But I'm pretty happy with the result. I will be more happy if I can make something with it. I can't wait! I have some ideas of what I want to make... but I just dont know how!! So annoying... We'll see in a couple of months...... either I'll make progress, or I'll sick of it and give up. :D
It's been a while since the last posting. I know..., I've been very slack. Anyway, here is the update about the new job. It has been good so far. Got my own desk, computer, internet and e-mail access, just like the old days. Happy about that :) Work was good, simple, not tiring, not difficult, and not too physical. Colleagues were nice, the environment were peaceful, and they have the nice cappucino and ice coffee!
Changes,.....tell me about it. I've been through it so many times in the last 12 months. You name it. Change of marital status, change plans, change country, new environment, travel around, moving places, new home, new friends, new job, new colleagues, new place to shop, new places to look at, new this, new that.... To be honest, although it's exciting, it's also rather confusing and tiring. Especially for me who lived in static monotonous comfortable daily life for more than 30 years.
A year ago today, I was on a plane from Jakarta to Adelaide, planned to stay there only for 3 months.
The FourPlay, 
performance that combine theatre, dance, and circus using unique elevated medium, which is a 4 metre pole. The group delivers performance, bending and swaying in the air. 
a look of these pictures and story behind it. 
Lagi- lagi, komputer kami rusak sejak hari Senin kemarin. Dan lagi-lagi kerusakannya parah. Kali ini hard disk yang jadi sasaran. Akhir taun lalu kejadian juga, tapi entah karena apa. Kali ini gara-gara kena virus. Dan...lagi-lagi saya yang disalahkan,... karena virus tersebut kemungkinan besar masuk lewat program LimeWire, which is program yang saya instal tujuannya buat mendownload lagu-lagu kesukaan saya. Aaarrrgggh......! Sekitar sebulan yang lalu program Lime wire ini sudah membuat ulah. Gara-gara program itu ada orang yang bisa mentransfer uang di account kami lewat internet. Atau dengan kata lain ada orang mencuri uang kami di bank lewat internet. Tapi ini cerita lama... singkat cerita, setelah urus sana-sini, akhirnya uang kami bisa dikembalikan oleh pihak bank. pheuw!
Gak seperti biasanya, 2 minggu kedepan udah penuh dengan acara. Soalnya kota ini sedang aktif2nya ngadain berbagai macam acara. Masuk akal kalau bulan-bulan belakangan ini kota ini banyak acara-acara besar, terutama outdoor. Karena cuacanya sangat mendukung. Bulan May - September udara di Darwin enaaak tenan. Gak panas, gak dingin banget. Suhu sekitar 24-27 derajat. Nyaman! :)
For the 2nd time in my life, I went to stadium, to watch footy match! The first time was in Adelaide, watching Port Adelaide Vs Geelong. I didn't know anything about the game and its rules, and that was the first time I physically watch sport game in a stadium, with big crowd, so it was a bit weiiird. :) But last night was great! I really enjoyed the game, the crowd, and the atmosphere.
We didn't really supporting both teams, coz Andrew is a Swan's (Sydney) fans. He hope Port will win, just for the Swan's sake. So I decided to support Bulldogs.
The footy players are sort of like a star. They are celebrities. Everyone like them and treat them like a hero. *Gosh!*... The game last night was (of course) broadcasted live on Fox Sport. Our seat was quite close and in the middle of the ground. Good location. We could see the players and coaches clearly. Also can see how busy the Fox TV people broadcasting the game. All so exciting. I like the spirit of the supporter .. eventhough some of them could not watch their mouth.... I like the team's songs, and how they enter the ground at the start of the game. Kinda cool. :)
Anyway,... my team lost.... Ah well,... it was just a game..... :)
I can't remember when the last time I did the 'real' exercise was. I think the last time was at Clark Hatch fitness centre in Jakarta. It was like... ages ago!
Waktu itu sekitar awal bulan Desember 2005, di Adelaide, dimana Andrew dapet kabar bahwa ia mendapat promosi pekerjaan di Darwin. Dengan segala pertimbangan akhirnya kami memutuskan menerima posisi tersebut dan pindah ke kota yang notabene "baru" buat kami berdua. Karena baik saya maupun Andrew belum pernah mengunjungi ataupun tinggal disana. Dan artinya kami juga harus memboyong semua perabotan ke sana. Setelah repot mengurus ini itu mulai dari administrasi kepindahan, bayar tagihan2 tersisa, dan packing barang seisi rumah, etc etc... akhirnya pada hari Kamis, 12 Januari 2006, jam 16:00 berangkatlah kita ke kota yang katanya beriklim tropis itu. Naik.... mobil! Iya, Andrew memilih untuk nyetir sendiri, dari Adelaide ke Darwin. Dibutuhkan waktu 4 hari 3 malam. Tidak heran, karena kami harus menempuh jarak kurang lebih 3.033 km dari ujung selatan ke ujung utara benua Australia.
Hari kedua, Jumat, 13 January 2006, perubahan suhu udara mulai terasa. Pelan-pelan suhu semakin panas. Kami mampir di kota kecil yang namanya Coober Pedy untuk makan siang. Suhu saat itu sekitar 40 derajat! Tapi kota ini cukup unik. Penghasilan utama penduduknya adalah batu opal (penambang, pengolah, dan penjual). Uniknya, kebanyakan rumah disana adalah rumah dibawah tanah, atau tepatnya dibawah batu. Kayak Flinstone gituuu... Kami makan siang di Underground Restaurant. Memang ternyata dibawah tanah udara terasa dingin, tanpa AC. Cukup amazing bagaimana mereka bisa bikin lubang dibawah batu untuk tempat tinggal lengkap dengan aliran listrik dan air dibawah tanah atau batu seperti itu. 
Anyway, hari itu juga kami akhirnya mencapai perbatasan antara South Australia dan Northern Territory. Yay !! Malamnya kami berhasil mencapai Alice Springs, dan menginap di salah satu hotel di sana, yang ternyata jelek abis! huuu huuuu..... AC gak dingin, dan bed sheet nya bau! yucky! bete banget. Mana udah cape seharian di jalan :(
Keesokannya, Sabtu, 14 January 2006, perjalanan tidak semulus hari-hari sebelumnya. Kami sempat mampir di Devil Marble, tempat rekreasi turis untuk melihat batu-batu besar yang terbentuk secara alami di daerah tersebut. Tetapi kemudian cuaca mulai tidak menentu. Kami terhadang oleh badai pasir, yang rada-rada nakutin. Awalnya dari jauh kami melihat langit di kejauhan berwarna merah dan berkabut, lalu ketika kami mulai mendekati tempat tersebut, baru kami sadari bahwa itu adalah badai pasir. Kami berhasil melewatinya dengan selamat ketika kemudian hujan mulai turun. Hujan kemudian menemani sepanjang perjalanan kami hari itu. Menjelang sore, kami hampir saja menabrak kanguru yang dengan polosnya nyebrang tepat di depan mobil kami! Stupid kangoroo! Saat itu sudah gelap dan hujan. Untung aja Andrew cekatan :) Pemandangan sepanjang jalan hari itu juga mulai berbeda jauh dari South Australia. Gersang, coklat, rumput kering, atau rawa-rawa.... dan di sepanjang pinggir jalan, banyak sekali gundukan tanah yang tinggi-tinggi hingga merupai istana semut atau lebih mirip batu besar (belakangan baru saya tau kalo itu adalah Termite Mound). Akhirnya kami mencapai kota Katherine malam itu, dan menginap disana. Ketika sampai di Katherine kami mulai menyadari kalau perjalanan sudah cukup dekat ke kota tujuan. Aneh rasanya melihat pohon-pohon tropis di sekitar hotel tempat kami menginap. Pohon kelapa, palem, akasia, kamboja, dan ... kolam renang! Mirip hotel di Indonesia. Hmmm......
Hari ke-empat, Minggu, 15 Januari 2006, Akhirnyaa.... kami sampai di kota Darwin sekitar jam 2 siang. :D What a trip! Dan Andrew sudah harus mulai kerja keesokan harinya. Berada di kota ini, terasa sedikit aneh....dibandingkan kota-kota lain di Australia yang pernah saya datangi, kota ini sangat berbeda. Udara terasa panas dan lembab meskipun hujan turun rintik-rintik. Pohon kelapa dan palem serta pohon bunga kamboja (frangipani) memayoritasi pemandangan di kota ini. Rumah-rumah berpagar tinggi, dan bertingkat, dan kami melihat jalan di city yang mirip jalanan di Bali karena banyak turis dan bar di sepanjang jalan. Serasa berada di suatu kota di asia! Bukan itu saja, beberapa orang saya liat bertelanjang kaki alias gak pake alas kaki. Beberapa dengan santainya jalan di bawah hujan tanpa payung atau jas hujan, alias ujan-ujanan. Beberapa orang saya lihat berpakaian aneh... gak matching atau berpakaian ala hippie. Dan yang paling mencolok adalah banyak 'orang asli' berkeliaran... yang menurut saya cukup menyeramkan.
kota yang aneh.....
The End
I woke up at 10:25 am this morning..... hmm...what a sleep in :) Andrew had gone to walk when I got up. I made some coffee and toasts, put some clothes in the washing machine, and suddenly i felt like.... hair spa! It's been more than a month since my last hair spa. My hair screamed to have it again soon. So, I spent about 1 hour giving my hair and scalp (plus my body skin) a nice treat. 20 minutes to distribute all the cream evenly, and massage the scalp and hair. Then I leave it under warm towel for 15 minutes, while I used the waiting time to scrub my body with body scrub. Then spent another 15 minutes to rinse it thoroughly. My hair and skin felt smooth, soft, moisturised, and aromatic. Sooo nice. :)
Anyhow, while Andrew was watching his fav. series, The Shield on 'original' dvd, I cooked the traditional javanese tempe, which usually called tempe mendoan. This is of course, my first try. Think it's a bit to salty,... but Andrew said it's fine, and he liked it. He even dips it in sweet soy sauce (with chili). I have to admit it's really taste the same as my mum's! yummo!! :)
The chicken above was soo strange. I called it KLINGON CHICKY.... see, its head have something like Klingon people in Startrek. And look at those cute innocent faces of the big hamster! Little pink piggy was also sooo cute. I have the picture of it's mum. She is big and black! The other blurry picture is the picture of bunch of ducks wear dresses and just finished the race!. Sooo funny. So many more animals in this show, from snake, birds, cat, dogs, to horses and buffalo. I did not take a pic of all. But its so interesting and.... smelly too! :)
To satisy our shopping needs, there were also some commercial stalls selling showbags, clothing, and novelties. But the most interesting things to look are the rides. Sort of like little Dunia Fantasi. Here is some pictures of the rides...
I was quite amazed with some of the rides. I thought I will definitely sick if I took a ride on those things (getting old niiih)... So we didn't take any ride at the end. But I am happy to find fairy floss. It's been ages since I ate those kind of thing. And I ended up win something. Was soooo happy, like a little girl. This is what I got for a prize....
Yes, got the big stupid look blue doggie doll. Andrew said it was bigger than me. hahaha ... But it is sooo cute. I forgot when was the last time I have a doll. This dog is sitting at the corner of the spare room now, watching me typing.... :)
Got original carnaval hot dog and fairy floss for snacks... and rice with salt and pepper squid for dinner. yummy! Got few of fireworks photos and movie... but i'll share the best one. Wish I had professional camera and know how to use it to make better pic. In the mean time, this will do :)
