We've Made it to the Top 3!

This adrenaline-pumping days were finally came to us again. Me and my partner Risya decided to give it another shot to beat the challenge of Daun Muda Award 2010. I must say, the brief was as wide as an Olympic size swimming pool... it's huuuuge but it's wiiii-iii-iiidely confusing :D. We've been facing a lot of doubts in solving this brief and the burden from last year's competition was still haunting us night and day... yet time is still ticking. So we thought that it's best for us to just enjoy the process and let it flow. And yep, once again we got ourselves in to the Top 10 Final! :D. This time, we decided to give focus on presentation, knowing that last year... we suck at that :P.

So when the judging night came... of course my hands were shaking like mad. But thank God I think it went pretty well, because we left the judging room with a smile on our faces.

The next day, when they announced the Top 3 finalists in the seminar, our names were also being shouted by the announcer. Yes, we're one of the Top 3 finalists! And we got to present our project, not only in front of the judges, but also an opened forum.

We didn't win the battle in the end. But it was a necessary fight. :)

The Temper Trap Covers Bruce Springsteen

I never really pay attention to Bruce Springsteen except his occasional appearances in The Simpsons. But this video got my attention. Maybe I should listen more of Bruce! :P

The Temper Trap Live in Jakarta

It was not until Day -2, I've finally bought the Temper Trap tickets along with my other friends. I heard that James Yuill will also perform there and we happened to get a cheaper deal for the tickets. Well I'm a discount-slut, so...  ;P

We got there pretty early. There's just a few people around the gate. But unfortunately my husband got hung up at the office. So we decided to go in anyway. The first performance was by a local band called Efek Rumah Kaca, which happen to be one of my favorite band in Indonesia. Too bad after they sung their first song, I have to go outside to pick my husband and his friends at the gate. So when I got back in, Efek Rumah Kaca's performance was over. And so we have to wait another dragging hours to watch the next performance.



James Yuill appeared on the stage bringing my favorite songs like This Sweet Love, On Our Own, Crying For Hollywood and the rest of his recent album. Although he didn't sound as good as his records, to me he's still one sick genius geek who was brave enough to come to the stage alone to sing, play guitar and DJ set all at one time.

But I think it's a big mistake for him to be at the same stage with Temper Trap. They have a different crowd and an absolutely different genres. People got easily bored and they just can't appreciate Yuill there. Maybe if he chose a more dancey-event, the crowd will go dancing like mad. I'm just hoping that he's not considering his 1st visit to Indonesia as his last one too. :P

The Temper Trap finally hit the stage at 10ish pm, opening their act with quite a breathtaking intro. The moment I saw that, I know that it was going to be one hell of a show. I don't know if this is a good thing or not, but I've never really peeked their live performance on the internet. So I came to the venue with no high expectation whatsoever.

Turned out everything they're giving us on stage feels like a whole new adventure to me. Dougy's golden voice and how he also translated the song with his gestures, the beat of the drum, the animated moves from the guitarist, and others... all compiled up to form a mind-blowing performance in my very own eye. They are too good I even closed my eyes in the middle of the song to absorb it all at once. This is beyond my expectation. That night feels a bit surreal.



It gave me more goosebumps when I heard Dougy spoke in Bahasa Indonesia throughout the night. If one of you ever notice, there's not much of Indonesian born, made it to the international jungle with such a great success. Okay we have Anggun, Sandhy Sandhoro... But no one really got to lead an Australian band to go international, having Jim Abbiss as producer, going on to the US & UK tour throughout the year, got to be in one of the 2009's most edgy movie soundtrack, scoring commercials and games in several countries, played in God-level festivals like Coachella, Glastonbury, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Summer Sonic... sigh.

Not one Indonesian has done it but Dougy Mandagi. Hands down to you my man. Maybe Indonesia is nothing compared to the other thousands of crowds that are wooing your falsetto from all around the world. But yet you still came back and give a breathtaking performance to us. Thank you!


It's been more than a week, but I still can't get the euphoria out of my head. Definitely the best performance I've ever watched so far.


And now I'm quite obsessed with the Temper Trap, so help me God :9

About Me and The Temper Trap

Like many other people in this universe in mid 2009, I was also quite obsessed with the upcoming movie where Zooey Deschanel takes part in. One google search led to another, the original soundtrack were finally made it to my iPod. And it takes only a moment for me, to be a fan of this sweet-engaging tune that later I recall as Sweet Disposition.

Yes, Sweet Disposition has officially robbed my ears for months. Practically everywhere I go... tvs, radios, stores, bars, cars, even some stranger sitting next to me... were all playing this tune. Things got a bit more interesting when I found out from a friend, that apparently the lead singer of Temper Trap is Indonesian. Yes, he's the one and only Dougy Mandagi. From what I heard... he's Manadonese, born and grew up in Indonesia, once lived in Hawaii, back to Bali and finally decided to move to Melbourne up until now. The rest of the band is Australian, and they succeed in the US, which made me really proud because he's practically soaring Indonesia flag everywhere he goes.

But that's just as far as I know about the band.
I honestly wasn't trying to get to know more of the band because I think I need to take a rest from it, before I throw up for having too much exposure from the song.

When their 'Conditions' Album were out, I wasn't as excited as the first time I heard Sweet Disposition. I noticed all the goodness in the album, but I just got easily distracted from it. Maybe I was still fed up with Sweet Disposition? I didn't really know :P

It was in fact my husband who continue listening to them faithfully.
And it was him who encouraged me to watch their performance, as soon as we found out that they're going to perform here in Jakarta.
I was like "Yeah why not". I always love live performances anyway. It's the money that I've been concerning about. It's actually not that expensive, but when you have other priorities and stuff, concerts always has a slight chance to win.

So then I talked to myself
"If we are meant to watch this concert, we'll be there to watch it".

Property of Vaskha
Home, Eid 1430 h

a Thought of a Dragon Slayer

Driven by Hollywood and fairytale books, I've always thought that prince charming is real. A specific handsome man with shining armor in his left hand and somewhat sword (or light saber) in his right hand, ready to rescue you from a silly ant or a rebellious dragon. But hell, I learn in times that I'm also not a princess. So I guess the theory just failed me there.

The one thing that connects me to the fairytale love, lies only in one keyword: everlasting.
Yep. In my case, love is an everlasting hard work.
You can't risk yourself waiting to be rescued and ended up crying to death because no one really showed up for you. You need to have your own shining armor and your deadly sword. Might even better if you have a black belt or something. And if you got them all, then you're settled to have your dreams come true.

For example:
If you happen to find a dragon in the forest, your prince won't immediately hide you behind a tree and fight the dragon with all of the blood he had left. Instead, he'll asked you to help him slay the dragon together and share the same horror he's having and yells at you every once in a while when you got panicked. And if one day a dragon hurts you, he would certainly blame you for not fighting too hard, or worse... blame you for even crossing path with a dragon.

But then again, this is the era of Mr. & Mrs. Smith. I can't complain. The definition of love is no longer measured by the saying of "You jump, I jump" on the Titanic movie. Now it's more like "it's okay if you wanna jump, but jump at your own risk and don't involve me in when things got messy, okay". And then you'll just have to weep hard convincing him to jump with you, or you can just simply eat your heart out and pretend as if nothing's ever happened.

You see, this is the women emancipation talking. Women fight hard on this case for centuries. And here we are now, wanting to be wooed and treated as if we are still that special creatures who deserve special privileges.

Well I guess, women will always be women eventually.
And I hope men don't forget that
Hhhh...

Fear

Fear is the path to the dark side
Fear leads to anger
Anger leads to hate
Hate leads to suffering

~ Yoda

a little understanding about me and my husband

1. A #Libra crave comfort in the sense that they want no confrontation, no pressure, no argument.
2. To be truly happy, a #Libra need peace within friendships.
3. A #Libra is a very diplomatic individual, capable of quelling the storms in others.
4. A #Libra worst fault is indecision.

1. If an #Aries need to achieve something is thwarted, they could become physically sick.
2. When an #Aries is at their best, they are extremely passionate, assertive, forthright, bold.
3. When an #Aries is at their worst, they are selfish, quick-tempered, foolhardy and arrogant.
4. Although an #Aries thinks with their head, and not with their heart, rarely do they learn anything the easy way.

Find more of the zodiac facts here and here.
I bet you'll have a good time shouting 'damn it's true' once you get there :)

Leaving for Good :)

Terminal 3 Soekarno Hatta, December 18 2009

Dark kisses

Pinang Mas, August 2008

....

Stay, stay the same
'Cause everything else will change
And I've always been to blame
So please just stay the same

....


Seaweed Song - Passion Pit

Dad on His Throne

Graha Hijau 2, September 22 2009

From Every Point of View

Talavera Office Park - Jakarta, January 28 2010

How Far Will You Go For Me?

Ngurah Rai - Bali, December 22 2009

My favorites from these little cupcakes :)

more of their talents here
well done Mr. B :)

Kata Ade, luka dalam itu gak ada obatnya.

Obat-obat yang dikasih dokter itu,
cuma buat ngilangin rasa sakit dan mencegah infeksi.

Luka di dalam tubuh itu akan sembuh secara alami,
tergantung dari daya tahan tubuh masing-masing orang.


Sayangnya,
ternyata luka dalam saya itu bukan berada di rahim saya,
tetapi di hati saya.


Sekarang saya mengerti,
kenapa dokter memberi saya waktu istirahat yang panjang
...

When The Beginning Meets The End

Never thought I would come to this kind of feeling
a feeling that is so hard to comprehend

I'm not sad, nor happy
Just something mixed up in between
Maybe it takes time to understand
I'm fine with that

But this is not a hit and run show
The only way out is to deal with it

one pace at a time

And so I think I deserve another page,
a new chapter of me, in a different kind of version

I'm just trying to sort things out here
Following the rhythm of my life
and make the best out of it

After all, this is not the end of the world :)

So...

Gone Too Soon

Like A Comet
Blazing ‘Cross The Evening Sky
Gone Too Soon

Like A Rainbow
Fading In The Twinkling Of An Eye
Gone Too Soon

Shiny And Sparkly
And Splendidly Bright
Here One Day
Gone One Night

Like The Loss Of Sunlight
On A Cloudy Afternoon
Gone Too Soon

Like A Castle
Built Upon A Sandy Beach
Gone Too Soon

Like A Perfect Flower
That Is Just Beyond Your Reach
Gone Too Soon

Born To Amuse, To Inspire, To Delight
Here One Day
Gone One Night

Like A Sunset
Dying With The Rising Of The Moon
Gone Too Soon


-Babyface & Stevie Wonder-

Hello there :)

You see the little dot that the arrow pointed at?

Yup, that's you, baby :)


I've been waiting for you for quite some time
But this feeling I have from the moment I realize your existence...
is somehow indescribable :)

God wants me to take care of you
So I'll try to do my best, baby

Let's become the dynamic duo
Together we'll conquer the world

Okay?

Now hold on tight, baby
We've got a lot of bumpy road in Jakarta ;)

Once Upon a Boring Day at the Office

Pinang Mas, mid 2008

the wedding crasher

what we would do to find the perfect wedding caterer :P

Gedung Patra Jasa - Gatot Subroto
mid 2008

the root and the branches

Crowne Plaza, March 21 2010

Are you there, Peter Pan?

Why give up your inner child?
Why become so dull and adult?
Is an adult a guaranteed wise?
Is an adult a guaranteed allies?

Hey Peter, why don't you give me some advise...

Kudeta - Bali, Dec 22 2010

Carine Brancowitz:

Yes, Carine Brancowitz is the person who is responsible behind all of these beautiful lines.

And oh, she happens to be the wife of Laurent Brancowitz, the guitarist of French band - Phoenix. If you look closer, you’ll see there's a lot of Laurent in her illustrations.

Oh what a cute couple! They’re like my favorite latte. Coffee and milk mixed perfectly in one hot cup. :)

www.carinebrancowitz.com ~ for more details :)

Meet My Other Half

Long Post No See! :D

Hello!

I haven't got the time (yet the bloody mood) to drop a few lines here. So YES, it's a rewind to the past few months, then.

***

On November 2009, me and my art director helloicha were selected to be one of the ten finalists of Daun Muda Award of Citra Pariwara; a competition for young creatives in advertising industry. Well we didn't actually won the competition :P, but yeah, it was one hell of a competition. But I must say, I learned a lot from that energy-sucking moment of my life :).

If there's a proverb that says "there's always a first time for everything", well this is definitely my first time doing a presentation in front of not one or two, but MANY legendary ECDs around Asia (I even forgot to count them).

*speechless* ___ *literally*

we're that tiny no.9 :)

***

Oh and during that moment, I managed some time to do this little project called:
The 'Stress Me Not' Dispenser
Well it's actually a form of Origami. You know, the one with the long and colorful rectangle paper...
You simply fold it over and over until it becomes a pentagon. And then you just poke the sides a bit and voila! You've made a star!
Well that little devil can be very addictive! Once you've decided to make one, you'll crave to make another one... and another one... and another one... until one day you realized that you have a giant pile of stars in front of your face.
Effortless, distracting, entertaining.
Very recommended for stressed and burdened people ;)

The 'Stress Me Not' Dispenser

***

On my early December, I went to Singapore with my in laws. There's nothing much to see in Singapore when you have a thin wallet. But I always enjoy the walking. I've finally got the chance to go to Haji Lane, the 'Bandung version' of Singapore. Lots of cool and super cool stuff there, but again, money talks :). Oh and since we came in December, the Orchard was covered in a seriously massive christmas lights. I know it's global warming and all, but my eyes just couldn't resist a highly imaginative sights like that. :P

the charming Haji Lane

the christmas lights

***

2009 outing destination: BALI.
The last time I went to Bali, it was like over than 15 years ago with my family. So yeah, everytime people get back from Bali and share some wild stories, I could only smile and wonder. YES! I'M THAT PATHETIC! Haha!
So I said to myself "One day I will go there! Don't know how, don't know when. But I will!" And thank GOD, I still have the chance to say hello to that island again.
I can't find the perfect words to describe what I felt when I was there. Mind-blowing, breath-taking, heart-breaking, you name it. It's just some journey that I know I won't regret having and won't mind having it repeated.
It was a sentimental journey for me.

photos are from random celsians :)

***

For now, my life is just as flat as a pair of shoes. Not that I'm not thankful, but that's just the way it is. My resolution for 2010? It's either getting pregnant, or getting thinner :P. I want more friends and more cherished moments. And yadada yadada... it will go on scrolling down the floor if continued. Hehe.

Recent DVD: Julie & Julia - Just before I decided to write this post.
Recent Playlist: We Are - The Album Leaf
Recent Movie: Avatar 3D
Recent Dinner: Pecel Ayam


Toodeloo :*