A Day in New York

Didn't go as well as I planned before, but we were able to eat good food from a Deli nearby. Ever heard the term 'happy tummy makes a happy kid' ? well, that's the situation for us.

This is our second night in Manhattan, NY. We arrived here last night and will leave tomorrow.
I don't know how to describe the weather here. It's windy rains all day, which is bad for a sight seeing, but I love rains because it feels good, but I don't really fond of the feels of wearing a long john on my skin. So, basically, it's complicated.

We went to Central Park today, and I had this idea on my mind to draw some sketch of the park, taking a look up close to Cleopatra's Needle, and visiting Gugenheim or Museum of Modern Art.
Too bad, none of them were suceeded.

First, my shoe broke. It was wet all over and the sole got off of its sides.  So we have to went to the nearest shop (named after a Goddess), the shoe was surprisingly cheaper then the same brand sold in Jakarta, but the socks price was crazy. at least 3 or 4 times more expensive.

but i get a new shoes. look at the bright side.
and on the way to the park, we bought two hot dogs and a falafel sandwich at a halal street food vendor.

New shoes, checked, food, checked, then into the park! It was as beautiful as it seems in movies. Most importantly, the rains add a doze of romance to it.
And 'romance' was the best thing we could get today, because the rains and wind prevent me from making any sketches. T_T
What's even worse than that ? Cleopatra's Needle was closed for renovation. We saw nothing but a huge obelisk trapped in set of scaffolding. A glimpse of hieroglyph was there to be seen, but nothing more.

It was sad. but we can't expect anything better since this trip was actually just a stop by before we leave for the Caribbean tomorrow. All in all, Central Park is a good example for a good urban planning that saved a city just in time before it became a total concrete jungle.
It surely brings happiness to many people (and to many squirrels too!). 

remembering your dreams

when I was ... er... 11 yo, somewhere in late 90's, I watched Vanessa Mae on tv. Playing her violin like a mad queen. That's when I wanted to be a violinist.
But the dream was only a story to be told, because  i knew that violin was an expensive instrument that we can't afford. 

But then........I received a violin when I was in junior high (around 13yo), ......from a distant relatives. The violin was once belong to my father's cousin's late father-in-law (see how distant it is ?, wasn't even count as 'relative' for sure). His wife (my father's cousin's mother-in-law, not my father's wife or my father's cousin's wife) gave it to my father because she heard that I was very fond of music and already sing and play guitar a lot since elementary, and have particular interest for classical music. AND, that I had a dream of becoming a violinist.
Her late husband was a musician and was once a member of a famous symphony orchestra in my country. And because her own grandchildren prefer football than piano, she then decided that there's nothing wrong in giving his violin to me. In attempt of keeping his heritage alive. 

It was awesome. Even at that time, I knew that not everyone has the chance to even touch a violin, much less playing it. But then I stumbled on bigger challenge, my parents don't have enough money to pay a violin tutor for me.

So, the violin should wait. and there he wait in his hard case, like Dracula.

After 5 years, we finally managed to have a teacher, a cheap one, living not far from home, and I start my first lessons.

..........but it lasted only for a month.

because then, I had to move to Central Java to finish my last year of high school.

And so, the violin once again being kept in the darkness.

3 years later, I was still in Central Java, entered a university, living a nearly bankrupt student live whose happiness depends on food and comic books.
I was also able to play in several bands, before in 2005 i got involved in a J-grunge band. and the next year I managed to find another violin tutor (a good looking lad, but then I realized he was good looking because he plays the violin). So then I take classes from him.

but then, after a few months of practices, I have to quit because I graduated from my uni, and have to go back to Jakarta and start living life as an adult ... (you know, looking for job, paying bills, etc).

so, if my memory was right, between 1997 - 2007, in total, I had less than a year of violin lesson.

Drac (i've decided to call him Drac , from Dracula) has to wait for another 4 years, before FINALLY, he could breathe the fresh air again when my father found a teacher for me.

the story of how Drac been kept in a dark hard case for years is now finally has its ends. Because until now, the glorious year of 2014, my lesson is still going on well.

Mae is still out of my reach, well that is for sure! But this thing, the feeling of being able to play beautiful composition on a beautiful instrument that is twice your age old, is worth all the waits,
all these years. 

Internet Banking

ok. seriously.

I'm currently working in a bank. As an analyst. More precisely, a credit analyst.

I don't have other than saving account.
which means, yes, I don't have any deposits, or obligations, or options, or even investing in gold.
I don't have any card other than debit.
which means, yes, I don't have credit card.
And although I work in one of the biggest bank in Indonesia, I still have not use their e banking facilities except the ATM - at least until last week.

many people asked me, why am i living in a cave lifestyle when it is something that involves banking activities ?

the only reason is that, I'm a splendor.

even with only a debit card, I would go crazy shopping.

you know those online sites where they sell used books and you can pay through transfer ?

and then those book bazaar where they'd occupy a whole sport stadium to put thousands books and they'd accept payment using debit card ? 

and then those used books sellers where they display books near the ATM ?

and those used stamps sellers who opens at every Sunday market in one of the biggest university park in West Java that also happens to have an ATM spot nearby ?

oooh I went crazy for all of those, and don't mind repeating it again.

you could imagine, what will happen if i have a credit card.

either that, or probably I just don't like being in debt.
-------------
now you really can see, eh ? Even with a debit card, i could go crazy. Although it means i have to look for the nearest ATM to do the transfer or withdraw (some, little, just enough) cash.

then, i heard they're going to put me in one of our overseas branch (far far away from Indonesia), while i'm still in charge of paying our home bills in Jakarta (electricity, internet, phone), so i have no other option, then to (drum rolls) open an Internet Banking account !

and yes, for the past week since i first opened it, I already got the feeling.

The feeling of being able to pay anything from my own room as long as the internet connection is doing well.

THAT feeling.

*such a caveman*

and now, ladies and gentlemen , all i have to do,  is just hold back my desire in those old books they put for sale (oooooooohhhhhhhh the Nur Sutan Iskandar's from the 80's!) and keep in mind. That internet banking is there to make transactions easy.

wait, isn't 'book shopping' is a "transaction" too ?

aaaaaaaarrrggggg

*someone, save that token machine from me!*

Divergent - movie review , spoiler alert

hey, i wrote lots of spoiler here. so beware. please. 

--------
really sorry, but i don't think i'll read the book soon. (that won't mean anything to a book that's already won awards and sold for millions copies).

imo, the movie is like.... er... clueless.

In short, I personally thinks that they really should get rid of the romance part (loving gestures between soon-about-to-be lovers such as cheek - hips - back touching, hand holding, sending sparkle through eye contact, and out of nowhere kiss) throughout the movie.

i don't really care about the weird stuffs such as :

1. the train that seems to be always empty and never stop - or probably they are always empty and never stop just to provide semi-private transportation for (as it is only used by)  the dauntless.
2. the erudite who seems to be crazy about power, they started to build mass destruction weapon in shape of serum-injected-mindless army of dauntless, yet the honest candor do nothing against it (although it is said that they only see and say the truth).
3. the aptitude test, that is kind of useless because in the end, their place is where they want to be, who they want to be. And i mean, of course, "to be who you want to" is kind of cool. but then why should the test ? what if someone is just so happy and really talented in farming, wants to be a judge ? then everyone is actually have something different inside from what they are showing outside. Which means, everyone is 'divergent'. And if that is so, then Tris is not really that special. 

but really, those weird stuff is actually just okay - as we're talking about a movie - if only those (again) romance acts is gone.

they're killing the whole package. Wasting time (the duration is kind of unbearable) and out of the context. I mean, if i want to watch die hard romance, i'll watch twilight saga. that would be enough.

Kudos for the cast. Everyone is great. If you have lots of time and don't mind watching a slow speed action/adventure movie, you should see this. 

ps:

1. don't get me wrong, i dig Barbara Cartland's novels and Harlequin, but the romance in this movie is just feels wrong. 
2. perhaps i still should read the novel - because you know what they say, don't judge a book by its movie adaptation - but just not now. maybe next year or else.

membuat SKCK untuk keperluan imigrasi

hai. 

beberapa waktu lalu saya mengurus SKCK untuk keperluan imigrasi. Dan berdasarkan pengalaman, data2 di internet yang saya cari, kok rasanya minim sekali dan agak simpang siur. 

jadi untuk lebih men simpang siur kan suasana (halah), saya mau sharing saja, bagaimana mengurus SKCK untuk keperluan imigrasi. semoga bermanfaat.


ke ketua RT

tujuan : meminta surat pengantar pembuatan SKCK untuk keperluan pembuatan visa ke ........... (negara tujuan)

persiapkan dokumen :

1. fotokopi KTP
2. fotokopi KK

output :

1. surat pengantar dengan ttd RT. (bagian ttd RW belum diisi)
2. fotokopi KTP (yang tadi diserahkan, dikembalikan lagi)
3. fotokopi KK (yang tadi diserahkan, dikembalikan lagi)

ke ketua RW

tujuan : meminta tandatangan ketua RW untuk surat pengantar pembuatan SKCK

persiapkan dokumen : semua yang kemarin diperoleh dari ketua RT

output :

1. surat pengantar RT RW yang sudah lengkap ditandatangani oleh ketua RT dan ketua RW
2. dokumen KTP dan KK yang diserahkan, dikembalikan lagi

surat pengantar RT RW sebaiknya difotokopi dulu untuk arsip pribadi

ke Kelurahan

tujuan : membuat surat pengantar kelurahan untuk keperluan pembuatan SKCK untuk keperluan visa ............ (negara tujuan)

persiapkan dokumen :

1. surat pengantar RT RW
2. fotokopi KTP
3. fotokopi KK

output :

1. 2 lembar (1 kertas putih, 1 kertas karbon merah salinan. keduanya saling melekat) surat pengantar kelurahan dengan tandatangan Lurah atau yang mewakili, ada spot untuk tandatangan kecamatan yang masih kosong. Pada bagian tujuan pengantar, tercantum tujuan pembuatan SKCK, periksa agar tidak ada kesalahan cetak (misal, nama negara tujuan, dsb).

ke Kecamatan 

tujuan : meminta (tandatangan) pengantar untuk pembuatan SKCK untuk keperluan imigrasi

persiapkan dokumen :

1. surat pengantar kelurahan (yang tadi ada 1 lembar asli dan 1 lembar salinan karbon merah dari kelurahan)
2. fotokopi KTP
3. fotokopi KK

output :

1. 1 lembar (asli, berwarna putih) surat pengantar kelurahan kecamatan, yang telah lengkap ditandatangani oleh lurah dan camat. 

ke Polda

tujuan : meminta rekomendasi SKCK untuk keperluan imigrasi 

persiapkan dokumen :

1. surat pengantar kecamatan
2. fotokopi KTP 
3. fotokopi Paspor
4. fotokopi KK
5. fotokopi akta kelahiran / ijazah terakhir
6. pas foto berwarna, ukuran 4x6 sebanyak 5 lembar

proses :

1. mengisi formulir (2 set) yang diberikan oleh petugas (form ini agar difoto kopi, untuk keperluan di Mabes Polri)
2. mengambil formulir sidik jari dan melakukan pengambilan sidik jari di tempat yang ditunjuk petugas
3. setelah selesai ambil sidik jari, menyerahkan kartu sidik jari ke petugas awal
4. menunggu untuk dipanggil saat petugas mengkonfirmasi tujuan pembuatan SKCK. Periksa tulisan petugas di layar komputer, apakah ejaan sudah benar atau belum. 
5. menunggu SKCK selesai di proses
6. membayar administrasi Rp 10.000,-

output :

1. 1 lembar kartu sidik jari (simpan kartu sidik jari anda dengan baik.)
2. 1 lembar asli SKCK polda (fotokopi untuk arsip anda)

catatan :
fotokopi SKCK polda dan kartu sidik jari agar dapat disimpan dengan baik untuk memperpanjang SKCK apabila diperlukan. Dengan dokumen tersebut, anda bisa langsung ke Polda tanpa perlu membuat surat pengantar kecamatan lagi. 

fotokopi form isian saat mengurus SKCK di Polda, dapat digunakan untuk mengurus SKCK di Polri.


ke Mabes Polri

tujuan : membuat SKCK untuk keperluan imigrasi

persiapkan dokumen :

1. pengantar Polda (SKCK yang diperoleh dari Polda)
2. fotokopi Paspor
3. fotokopi KTP
4. fotokopi KK
5. fotokopi Akta Kelahiran / Ijazah terakhir
6. pas foto berwarna dengan latar merah, ukuran 4x6 sebanyak 3 lembar

proses:

1. menyerahkan berkas yang sudah lengkap ke petugas di loket GIAT MAS (pelayanan skck) di ruang Pelayanan Masyarakat. 
2. mengisi formulir yang diserahkan petugas (apabila sudah ada foto kopi formulir isian dari Polda sebelumnya, bisa menyerahkan ini saja. )
3. menunggu dipanggil untuk menerima SKCK asli (apabila petugas penandatangan tidak ditempat, akan disuruh mengambil SKCK asli pada esok hari nya).
4. membayar administrasi Rp 10.000

output :

1. 1 lembar asli SKCK Mabes Polri 

end

catatan akhir :

1. Lembar SKCK agar di fotokopi untuk arsip pribadi. 
2. di internet, ada yang mengatakan bahwa lembar SKCK perlu di legalisir. berdasar informasi dari petugas di polda, skck yang dikeluarkan oleh Mabes Polri sudah dapat digunakan untuk keperluan imigrasi. tidak perlu legalisir lagi.
3. berhubung tulisan ini dibuat segera setelah saya selesai membuat skck, jadi data dan informasi dihitung update hingga 04 April 2014. 
4. saya membuat skck di Polda Metro Jaya, Jl. jend Gatot Subroto (gedung pelayanan masyarakat ada di seberang Masjid), sementara pengurusan SKCK polri, di Mabes Polri, Trunojoyo (gedung pelayanan masyarakat ada di seberang lab forensik).
5. usahakan datang pagi (pukul 08.00) untuk menghindari antrian dan agar dokumen bisa segera selesai di hari yang sama. 

oks. apabila ada kesalahan tulis atau tambahan informasi, monggo silahkan di tulis. 

mohon maaf tidak menerima pertanyaan terkait prosedur dan administrasi diluar yang sudah saya jelaskan disini - takutnya saya nanti malah salah menjawab. :)

living a luxurious life

I live in one of (maybe) the cheapest living cost city in the world.

I have no house (yet), but  a nice room in my parent's with solid roof that don't leak during rain, permanent walls that is smoothly painted, clean place and air con to keep off the heat at night.

I have no car, nor bike nor motorcycle, and have to run errands in public vehicles, but I can afford a ride in taxi at anytime I want.

I can afford to buy books. Whatever books I want to read.

I have nutritious meal every day. My stomach is always full and fells warm.

I work in a bank, and although sometimes it feels like a torture, and to some people it pays very little, but that's nonsense, because it is way better than what some people have to do to get even a 1/100 of what i get in a day.

I can afford the best clothes and shoes I want. Many out there can't even afford a decent sandals.

that is why, i'm living the luxurious life.


and that is the reason why, i should give thanks more.

*stop whining*

The Javanese wedding banquet

so, our first banquet's pictures are finally arrived (right before the second banquet begin) couple days ago.

It was Javanese ethnic bridal costume. Particularly from Yogyakarta. Entitled "Paes Ageng". Detailed information about the make up, hair and costume design, is available here. The headpiece was very heavy (although after the second (Minangnese) banquet, I'm not so sure about which is heavier between those two), shown in this pic.

that headpiece was not even a final form yet!
but you could see, there's a long and big braid made from chopped pandan leaves covered with jasmine, hanging from a fake bun made from the same material.
Negative side, they pull my hair so bad, I didn't think I would make it any longer than a  half day.
Positive side, the nice scent coming from Pandan leaves and Jasmine, create a pure and sacred air around me. and that is necessary to help me cope with the rest of the day.

That half-form headpiece and make up is used during marriage vow session. that's why you could see a hint of a white kebaya (embroidery designed by me, of course *cough*).

After the vow was read and papers signed, they put five heavy flower shaped hair pins, and add golden lines to my forehead. This is how the final form looks like from side :

I've just realized it now how big the bun looked like from behind! T_T oh my!

ergh. But no matter what, i need to keep my pride as a happy bride, eh ? the fact that i was super happy that day, helps me with the load. :D that's why i managed to keep my face look like this during every pictures.

oh, and did i mentioned that i design the wedding venue (interior) myself ? *cough cough* the party was held at home, so we need to do our best with it. We use our own furniture as some supporting element besides the rented main chair for the happy couple and parents.That table behind is the example.
Not bad eh ?

as usual, promise promise, i'll post pictures from the second banquet after the files are in my hand.
and that will be all.