Chasing Virtue

About two weeks ago, a thread  Padang-originated “touching’ story was spreading around the Blackberry and Facebook world. So touching, that the true story was added too much seasonings which made way too dramatic. Naturally, it brought tears to those who listen or read the thread; and brought some sinister to those who happened to know the actual characters and despise them.

For those who were touched by the story, their reactions are predictable: they have a thought… “oh, how I wish I could help the kid and the mother”. THOUGHT ONLY, NO ACTION DONE. Well, some think by shedding tears, broadcasting and adding more drama to story is a noble action. Pfffttt!!! :p

But there was one guy who made an effort to get extra information about the mother and child, and he was willing to actually help. Since he wanted to give the most suitable aid, he asked me to tell the condition of them. I know those characters in the story, but not so much in detail. So, I decided to investigate their condition.  I guess I would be unwise to disclose it here, in case it’ll spread through irresponsible-broadcasting. The result of my investigation is, they are coming from middle-low family, staying in a decent house for free, get free daily meals from where they work, and they do have salary (below the government rate, but with the meals, I call it even)
Don’t get me wrong, I report to the guy as it is, without any personal opinions added. Until I wrote this, the guy is still discussing with his friends on what’s best to donate for the mother and child.

What I am trying to say is… any story, fiction, or even real event can be so dramatic with the power of pen – or maybe in the current world, the POWER OF FINGERTIPS.

I know those who wrote and spreading the story having “GOOD’ intention, BUT THEY ARE JUST LAZY and unwilling to put more effort YET they wanted to be acknowledged as the HOLY and GENEROUS one.

What I loathe most is those IGNORANT, NAIVE and SENSELESS people who broadcast and begs others to donate (in a forcing tone). Flooding timeline with dreadful pictures.  Adding  God’s name, Jesus’ name, Buddha’s name or whatever religious terms to intimidate others (or maybe they thought it'll add more good-karma points). Yet, I bet she/he’ll never every donate, not even a single cent. Click, click, click… and hoping good-karma flooding their merits’ account.

Almost on daily basis, I got broadcast from my FB and BB about sick people, poor people, needy people whose lives on a thread without people’s donation.  Some people don’t even check whether the information is correct. These kinds of donation-broadcasts are prone to misuse, some using private bank account to collect – it could be fraud, how sure are we that they are honest about it? And the most important thing, do those people really need it? Well, I am sure everybody needs extra cash when they get into trouble; but this is LIFE: when we get into trouble, don’t just sit and wait for people to help, u need to put some effort and fork out some from your own pocket too. Not just becoming a parasite with angelic face showered with tears (I got a bad experience from this event).
Some devious people can just become INSTANT-CON-ARTIST when given a chance.

Happy Birthday, Ming

Today is my birthday. Happy Birthday to me!!!
Last night and early this morning, I received "Happy Bday" from my loved ones. They remember!!!
Really appreciate it, since I never put it on facebook. They remember 'cos they care.
Very sweet of you :)
Love you

Rhino Chopstick

Today I received a pair of chopstick from WWF Indonesia as a token of their appreciation for my support. So sweet of them, isn't it?
The chopstick is made of wood coming from the conservation areas at Ujung Kulon National Park.

But I dunno if the varnish they used for the chopstick is food-grade at all. Hum... maybe better to keep it as a souvenir. Thank you WWF :)

Sate Daril

One of the Padang food that I miss most when I am away is sate Padang - a kind of beef satay in thick spicy sauce.
Note that Sate Padang have many different types, mostly differ on their sauces.
Not only the colour, even the same coloured one can taste abit different depends on the vendor.

There is one particular one that I love so much, it's sate Daril (Da = Uda, means brother in Minang language; Ril = the owner's name). It tastes SO GOOD...!!!
I think I had my first sate at his stall. He used sell right in front of the gate of SD Agnes, my late elementry school. I remembered that I used to order some kerupuk/cracker with the sauce ('cos cracker was the cheapest thing he sells), or only 1 stick of satay + 1 ketupat (rice cake)... The good old days when my pocket money was limited. Hahahha.
I guess all the SD Agnes graduates love his sate.
Many of them hire Daril to cater for their weddings too (guess they are all in marrying age by now).
My brother did too...  ^.^ Yum...

The satay stall is still there, now they are accross the street in front of the school, well, SD Agnes is no longer there.
But Sate Daril still exists in different form. Instead of the wooden cart pushed by man-power, now he uses a pick-up car for the stall.
Daril doesn't sit there to attend the stall now, he hires his relatives. Daril stays at home to prepare his secret recipe. Apparently he has more than 1 stall now. I think it's a beautiful successful story of one's determination and persistence.

29 05 12

I don’t know how to explain this.
No particular feeling, in fact I didn’t feel anything the first time I saw you …
Yet I couldn’t even explain how I could share so much to one that I barely know
Or, could it be we have crossed path many times before
I wish I could find out what happened in the past
But then, pasts are pasts, fading memories are not to be remembered
You, one who is in the right track
You, to jump out of this rat-wheel
You, to leave me soon
You, the free one
Tell me, what should I do now?
Where should I go?

The New Passport

Was about to write about my passport few weeks ago when I was renewing it. I guess I was pretty occupied since last month, dunno where all my time has vaporised to (wink wink!) Anyway, what happened is that I finished all the pages on my old passport before its expiry date. Yippieee!!!

To prepare for my upcoming trip, I renewed my passport here. Usually, to make a passport, most people will hire the service of “calo” (middle-man). Calo is supposed to take care all the documents and shitty stuffs for you, and usually means speedy-service. But I am not using of any of those illegal service. So, I do it in accordance to the proper procedure.

1. Fill up the request form, along with the copy of KTP, copy of KK, birth cert, recommendation letter from your work place.  Submit it to the officer, he’ll check if those requirement are sufficient, and he’ll give you a receipt – telling you when to come for photo-taking and interview (usually take less than 5 working days) The form costs about IDR 10,000 (which includes: a folder of a form and a passport sleeve). 
2. Get your queue number, and submit the receipt that you got previously. Then they’ll ask you to pay for the passport-making fee, which is IDR 255,000. Wait for a while, and they’ll call you for interview (usually to check the copied documents against the original ones, so ensure you bring them along), and photo-taking.  Then you’ll be asked to sign some paper. And you’ll get another receipt stating when you can pick your new passport up (takes less than 5 days)
3. Submit your pick-up letter. In no time, they’ll just give the new passport to you.  If you ever need to get your old passport (for future reference), they’ll ask you to write a request form, and handed them a copy of your old passport, all of its pages.

My advice are:

• Do not use calo. Those blood-suckers are pretty much useless now. The immigration department are now equipped with queue number system, even the calo can’t skip the line anymore, nothing they can do about it. Plus, if you are using calo’s service, it’ll cost you min.IDR600,000. That’s super costly, since all they do is just get you the form, photocopied your documents, READING your queue numbers, and yet you still have to wait just like the rest of the people.  If your calo is one of the officers, you are allowed to “wait” at his/her office, breathing the full-smoke from their office, and stare at nothing. Btw, the waiting room at Padang immigration offers entertainments too. I watched Rango and Ip-Man during my queue (bits and pieces of it, of course I didn’t wait that long there)

• When you are taking the picture. PLEASE demand to see the picture RIGHT AFTER they took your picture. Anything later than that will be too late. I learned it in the hard way, here’s a transcript of my conversation during the interview:  

M: is my picture already printed in that passport? (pointing at new passport)
    H: not yet. Why?
M: Can I see my picture? I think it wasn’t very nice
    H: Here (moving his computer screen for me to see)
M: That’s awful. Can I take another picture? I don’t want that one. Please.
    H: Too late. You should have requested it when they took your pic. It’s too late now. All your data are in the system now. Bear with it for another 5 years.
M: That’s why I wanted to retake my pic. I have to use that passport for next 5 years. Pleaseeeeeee…
    H: You know, it all depends on the object. If the object is not nice, the picture won’t be nice too.  Right? (looking at me)
M: (of course I was speechless, how to argue with someone who said you don’t look nice…. Arrrghhhhhh)

more Lotus seeds

Just received a beautiful little gift from BS.
I didn't expect it to be packed so nicely.
And I couldn't believe that BS managed to keep them still intact in the shell.
Amazing :)
Thank you so much...
I'll try to sprout it a.s.a.p, but it'll take a year before we can see its 1st bloom :)
Be patient, k ^.^

Virginia is Blooming

The first water lilies that bloomed since I bought them :)
I guess the name is Virginia (Nymphaea virginia), a kind of hardy day-blooming waterlilies.
They are so pretty, aren't they? The flower will bloom in day time for 4 days, before the stem just go weak and it'll just rest. They started to bloom at around 6am in the morning, stays blooming until 3-4pm, and closes down during the night.

On the 1st day of blooming, the flower didn't fully open its petals, but it'll show the nectar cup right in the center of the flower (see pic, bottom right) 

I tasted it, it's quite fragrant with a subtle sweet taste. 

I heard a myth said, a sip of water-lilies nectar will rejuvenate for 7 years. I guess I'll have more sips when they bloom again. By then, I'll be immortal. Hahaha.