To My Deer in The Headlights,

Happy 26th birthday, Adam Randal Young. Thanks for being the biggest inspiration in my life. Keep shining brighter than a shooting star, will you? 

Em and Dex. Dex and Em.

I am always that type of person who blurt out saying "I read the book!" while being in the middle of a conversation about movie. I know it sounds annoying for some people and only Lord above knows what they think of me. Perhaps, it makes me sound like a cocky bookworm who's bragging anywhere about her reading habit and so on. But I am not being cocky, I swear. It's just I simply prefer reading to watching. Doesn't mean I don't do movies either. I watch a lot of movies, and I worship some. But if there are movie form and book form of a story, I'll prefer the book form. Why? Because following a story through hundreds pages of book surely involves more emotional feeling than a two hour movies. And I love being emotionally entwined to fictional characters.

But, there are times when I fall in love with a movie before the book. One of those rare cases is One Day. I fell in love with the movie at first sight. Frankly, the only reason why I watched the movie at first place was for the fact that Jim Sturgess stars it. I am a hardcore fans of him a long time back then since 21 and I don't want to miss a single movie of him for he doesn't involve in movies much. But then the reason why I love the movie go far beyond just for the sake of Jim Sturgess. Because this movie, isn't just another cliche friendzone love story. I root for the rapidly moving scenes; from 80s to 90s to 00s. I love the bitter-sweetness chemistry between Em and Dex; the fact that they grow together and complete each other.

All those fanciness then triggered me to buy the novel. They hadn't translated it into Bahasa at that time and even if they had I still would prefer the English version, because I was afraid that the translating process could deprive the wit of the novel. So I spent a month reading it. Compared to my usual reading time which is only days-count, it was a bloody long time. Nevertheless, it was once of my happiest reading experience. If the movie made me shed tears, the book made me howling a desperate silent "WHHHYYYY?" all the time. Why can't just tell her you love her, Dex?! Why don't just let your walls down, Em?! My whole emotions was smartly summarized by a comment of Jonathan Coe upon the novel. "You really do put the book down with the hallucinatory feeling that they've become as well known to you as your closest friends".

But then, I am afraid I should say that Jim Sturgess played Dexter Mayhew way better than Anne Hathaway did Emma Morley. And oh, there's a thing that the movie missed! The movie didn't state Dexter's birthday while the book did. His birthday is...... 1st of August, we share our birthday!!

“And then she frowned, and shook her head, then put her arms around him once more, pressing her face into his shoulder,

making a noise that sounded almost like rage.
'What's up?' he asked.
'Nothing. Oh, nothing. Just...' She looked up at him.

'I thought I'd finally got rid of you.'
'I don't think you can.' he said”

P.S: The book picture is mine, while others are courtesy of onedaymovie.co.uk

Happy Birthday, Adam (The Levine One)

Today is 18th of March 2012 and Adam Noah Levine just turned 33. I don't know if you notice, but I had a previous blog post with the almost same title. Happy Birthday Adam. But that went to Adam Randall Young of Owl City. These Adams are my favourite musicians in the whole world and funny how they share a same given name though apart from the namesake, they're completely distinct.

And if you notice, I also made an artwork for the previous birthday of Adam Young. Some people may consider this as an imbecile and exaggerated act of an insecure teenager. Made her favourite band front man a birthday card, drew a sketch, took picture, displayed it as her blackberry mesengger, spamming the birthday man with mentions on twitter. But for me, it is part of my gratitude. As in Adam Levine's case, I spend at least 15 minutes a day listening to his songs, and in some special occasions, it could expand to an hour or even two. His voice and the lyrics he sings has helped me to get through a lot of things. Accompanying me during boring flight hours, sleepy morning drives to school, sleepless insomniac nights. His who-can-deny good looks on my cell's wallpaper can really cheer me up on down moments. His funny personality on The Voice can makes me stupidly smile in front of my laptop. I love the way he writes his song lyrics, the way his voice sounds like no other's. I love his dimples and his boyish-half smile.

Alright, now I sound like a complete shallow girl. But what I am going to imply is that I feel like I know him in person though he surely doesn't know I exist. And I don't think it's exaggerated to simply wish someone who has meant a lot for us a birthday wish. Besides, it can trigger my lazy mind to work on creative side a bit.

So....happy 33rd birthday Mr. Adam Noah Levine! The world (well, at least mine) would definitely be plainer without you in it.

New York, Baby

If someone asks me where I wanted to go if I had a door to go to anywhere, I'd answer New York out loudly. Funny because I've never actually been there, nevertheless I feel something entwined with this city. This madness about everything New York related started along with my madness for Gossip Girl series five years ago. And ever since that moment, I will go mad about everything related to New York. For me, a movie set in New York will never be completely bad, no matter how trashy the plot is or how green the actors are. I still have the vivid New York view to see, and everything is gonna be alright.

I have been bewitched by the fast-paced lives of New Yorkers until I make a promise that I have to be there someday. Frankly, what fascinates me from New York isn't its glamour with the skyscrapers, but the lifestyle of New Yorkers. What I have in mind about being a part of New York is being a civilized human being, who walks in coat, drinks espresso, watches art movies, sits down in chic cafes talking about books and philosophies, visits art museum to commentate on surreal paintings. I know this stereotyping is not true and not all of New Yorkers living the kind of life I always dream of. And if I ever made it there someday, there are big chances that it won't be the kind of life I'll be living. But still....dreaming is legal, so I'll still keep dreaming about my flat in Manhattan with a view to Empire States building and my job in Wall Street. By the way, I think this will explain how much I love New York: every time I listen to Coldplay's Paradise, what I have in my mind is every "Paradise" words are replaced with "New York"....

"In the night, the stormy night, she closed her eyes.

In the night, the stormy night, away she'd fly.

And dreamed of NEW-NEW-NEW YORK."

P.S.: If you share the New York obsession, you should pay a visit to Hello New York.

Wordsmiths

I am now a happy-jolly geek. Because....I just attended a book launching yesterday for the first time in my life! It's"Cerita Sahabat" book launching, written by Alberthiene Endah and friends. Thanks to Alexander Thian(@aMrazing), one of the writers, whom I got the invitation (and free book!) from. I got the invitation because I shared (via twitter) my silly experience with my friend when I mistakenly returned to a wrong studio while watching Laskar Pelangi, and saw Nikita Willy on the screen instead. Turned out my story was chosen so I could get the invitation! So I joined the crowd yesterday, on the very first of March, in Kinokuniya Plasa Senayan.

A little intro the book, it is a compiled of short stories written by Alberthiene Endah and 11 of other writers. Most of these 11 writers are not professional writer, but they are famoustwitterians who have various backgrounds. From air-steward to TV series script writer to gossip writers . And It has been really inspiring for me, when these writers shared their stories about writing. I felt triggered to start writing too. Well, writing has been my passion since I don't know when. But all I know is when it all began with my addiction for Enid Blyton's books. And when they talked about the joy of seeing your name printed on books as the writer, I couldn't help thinking that it is my dream too. One of the writers, Tjhai Edwin said a very inspiring and motivating line when I asked him to autograph the book. "Mungkin sekarang kamu yang minta tanda tangan aku, tapi siapa tahu suatu saat nanti aku yang minta tanda tangan kamu waktu kamu udah nulis buku." It was very very very nice of him to say that line because there was something there that made me promise I'll make it come true.

Then finally....at the end of the event I was in line asking for all the writers' autographs, 10 of them (2 were unavailable). It is so nice to read the book knowing I have the signs of those writers in the very first page. Salute to all the wordsmiths. I will always adore writers and think they are soldiers, in the battlefield of papers and words!

P.S.: I'll share my thoughts about the book when I've finished it!

Alberthiene Endah, the lady behind the idea

My fully autographed book! :]

Winter Dreams: A Salutation

I have once read somewhere that great books just have ways to get into our life. And I've been a believer of this line for quite sometimes, and I was just getting more sure when I found Winter Dreams. I frankly just randomly picked up the book while doing my monthly book shopping. I was skimming through the book shelves when my gaze was fixed on this book: Winter Dreams. At that moment, I hadn't known a single thing about the (amazing) author, Maggie Tiojakin. But the synopsis and cover fascinated me. A life of Indonesian in US. Wow, I've always been that kind of girl who dreams one day can own a flat in Manhattan just with a window viewing Empire States. So I decided to buy the novel. And turns out it couldn't be a better decision in any either way.

On the early pages of the book, the story revolves around a not-so-happy life of an Indonesian young man, Nicky F. Rompa. And he was kind of "accidentally" moved to US. He stayed there with his aunt, uncle, and their daughter in Mass, Boston. A simple misunderstanding happened, and Nicky was kicked out of his aunt's house and in a blistering second he became a homeless and illegal immigrant. The story of Nicky followed with his up-side-down-life. His love story with a Russian girl, and later to a Mexican older woman. Nicky endeavored to be a writer, but on the other hand, he should work hard making money, as an illegal alien and being paid under hand. All people he met, every single little moment that happened, and through all the gravels, Nicky learnt his own purpose of life on a stranger land where he's not (legally) welcomed.

What I love the most from this story is the fact that the character, Nicky, is not that type of perfect guy. He made mistakes. He didn't always try to make it better. He disappointed people. He lied. He made bad decisions. But he had dreams. He believed in what he wanted to do. In the end, I found that Nicky is not a superficial character. He maybe seems a little "anti-hero" but he is honest in his imperfections. What were his fears and his insecurities could just portray our own, though we are not illegal aliens in US. The other thing that I love is the cultural richness that we can find in people that Nicky encountered. From Russian to Jews to Vietnamese to Pakistan, all those characters' existences in the book are so strongly supported with the cultural backgrounds. This really makes them becoming more real and "human".

When I finished the book, I just felt that the author, Maggie, teaches every reader of the book by not preaching, but simply by being a really good narrator of Nicky's adventure. I got a lot of lessons from this book, but I feel like gaining them, learning them just from Nicky's life, and not straightly written in the book. A rare (but extremely great) feeling I get after finishing a book I must say!

"Life has a strange sense of humor, and sometimes God makes up

for it by working in mysterious ways"

P.S.: It's on my five-stars-rated shelve on Goodreads.com. Side to side with To Kill A Mockingbird.

guilty confession and a welcome back

Wow. wow.

I haven't been updated this blog since like forever. I didn't even peek at it, because it caused me to feel guilty. Well, I actually wanted to come up with some excuses of my whyabouts (is that even a word?) for not posting here since the very early 2011. But then I decided to come clear. The only reason why I haven't been posting anything here is because I am such a lazy and unstable blogger. Ugh, shame's on me, I know. I was honestly about to give up on this blog and just deleted it right away. But, that was before I went to a #PopWriting Workshop with Alanda Kariza and (should be also with) Sitta Karina . But the latter was ill at the D-day so unfortunately she couldn't deliver the topic. The workshop was about writing fiction and writing non-fiction stuffs in....blog form. Geez, I felt a bit kind of embarrassment crawling up myself throughout the session. Why? Because the truth is, I even almost forgot that I run a blog so I simply never thought a single thought about how my blog looked like or if people loved it or if it was useful. So there I was, going home from the workshop with a little commitment in my heart to start blogging again. Actually, I am always the type of person that has too much to talk about. I have a kind of creepy hunger in sharing with people about what I do, what I like, what I believe in. So maybe blogging is the only thing that can quench that thirst. Hmm, then I guess you should be welcoming me back!

P.S.: I am thinking about serious make over for my blog.

me and Kak Alanda after the workshop