Heavenly Indonesia

Stop complaining, Indonesian!

"Hujan emas dinegri orang, lebih baik hujan batu dinegri sendiri."

We have everything in our land.
We are the largest archipelagic state in the world.
We are the fourth biggest nation in the world.
We have the second beautiful island in the world, Bali.
We have Paris van Java, heaven for you to shop, with unique style from our peers, Bandung.
We have the most various cultures in the world.
We have "world-class" surfing waves in Nias.
We are the food paradise, 2 hours drive will bring us to place with different types of food to taste.
We have the richest and fertile land in the world.
We have mountain with eternal snow caps, Jaya wijaya mountain.
We have supply of 320,79 billions barrel of oil and natural gas , found in Aceh, more than the biggest source in Saudi Arabia.

We have every potential that other nations are longing for. With new rules, regulations and law enforcement, let's hope for the best. RYTHM (Raise Yourself To Help Mankind)

Corruption is strictly handled now, jail is going to full soon. We should now head to Indonesia Emas.

P.S. I myself just too surprise to found all these facts.

"Sunrise in Bali"

Today, I chatted with the humblest person that I ever met. He wore a very simple shirt, carried a black backpack and walk around KLCC with no one that might ever think him as a millionaire, or billionaire I will say, from Bali, Indonesia. He is Pak Sayoga. One thing for sure, he worships his hometown, Bali, the well-known Pulau Dewata.

Never missed a chance to interview him. I got to know that he has a hobby for plants, not a normal gardenning but breeding the scarcest plants from all over the world. If you have stamps collection, he has these plants collection. (Never ask me to name the plants, *White flag*)

I never thought there really will be this kind of collector, because they are really into it. How they really into this thing, let me share a sample case with you. In the middle of our conversation, another collector texted him, and do you know what the content is?

"This is xxx plant, 2cm height, around Rp. 20 million (US$. 2,000)"

I almost fainted. US$. 2,000 for a 2cm wood? not a 'real' plant yet. Piuh~ That's okay, I got to know from others that in his house in Bali, they'd ever seen a pot of 'leaves' that costs him US$. 100,000. *Speechless*

Then, I continue my interview, I had always heard about him, but I wanna know from his own now, as I'm given that chance anyhow. =D

I asked about how he learns all these things, and I manage to know that he reads and learns from other collectors. Then story continued to how he actually started to like to know about plants? "Last time, long long time ago, from high school in biology class," he said "but as we (his family) got financial problem, so have no chance to continue to university, so I started to work."

I'll keep the details with me, the summary is:
He started to work as a bell-boy in a Hotel in Bali. I saw his picture in his old house, pretty sad to imagine people stay in that kind of place, place that they call as home. Then, opportunity knocks his door. He is wise enough to grasp it and take the challanges. Tones of challenges. Until a few years back, he is the current Pak Sayoga who most of networkers know, Pak Sayoga from Bali.

Humble humble and humble that I can only say about him.

Compare him with some rich people, while they are Rich, Pak Sayoga is Wealthy.

P.S. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines "Wealth" as abundance of valuable material possessions or resources and abundant supply, while it defines "Riches" as things that make a person rich. --> 'abundant supply' although it might be in term of system that creates a lot of 'money', In this case, I will put a definition of my own, a humble heart of him. =D

For One More Day

Title : For one more day
Author : Mitch Albom

Review
This is a family 'ghost' story, where the author let the main character, Charley 'chick' Benetto, to narrate his own very story. Story starts from how his life ruined and his marriage collapsed and how he had became an outsider for his daughter. All started after her mother's death. Attempting to kill himself, with a gun and bottles of beer, he drove back to his hometown.

This was when he 'met' his mother again. This was when he spent one more day with his mom. This was when he got to know everything that he never got to know when his mother was alive. This was when he apologized for the wrong choice he made to be daddy's boy not mama's boy (as he took it for granted). This was when his mom told him that a child should never have to choose and this was when his mom again stood up for him and 'save' his life.

Opinion
Love it. This is another book from Mitch Albom that I cannot put it down. Finished it in four hours straight. Eternal power of mother's love is what the story tries to tell. Reminder for readers how incredible a mother is. In the book, there are lists that Chick wrote about how his mother had always stood up for him and I like one best, here it is:

I am nine years old. I am at the library. The woman behind the desk looks over her glasses. I have chosen 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. I like the drawings on the cover and I like the idea of people living under the ocean. I haven't looked at how big the words are, or how narrow the print. The librarian studies me. My shirt is untucked and one shoe is untied.

"This is too hard for you," she says.

I watch her put it on a shelf behind her. It might as well be locked in a vault. I go back to the children's section and choose a picture book about a monkey. I return to the desk. She stamps this one without comment.

When my mother drives up, I scramble into the front seat of her car. She sees the book I've choosen.

"Haven't you read that one already?" she asks.
"The lady wouldn't let me take the one I wanted."
"What lady?"
"The librarian lady."

She turns off the ignition.

"Why wouldn't she let you take it?"
"She said it was too hard."
"What was too hard?"
"The book"

My mother yanks me from the car. She marches me through the door and up to the desk.

"I'm Mrs. Benetto. This is my son, Charley. Did you tell him a book was too hard for him to read?"

The librarian stiffens. She is much older than my mother, and I am suprised at my mother's tone, given how she usually talks to old people.

"He wanted to take out 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne," she says, touching her glasses. "He is too young. Look at him."

I Lower my head. Look at me.

"Where's the book?" my mothers says.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Where's the book?"

The woman reaches the book behind her. She plops it on the counter as if to make a point by its heft.

My mother grabs the book and shoves it in my arms.

"Don't you ever tell a child something's too hard," she snaps. "And never - NEVER - this child."

Next thing I know I am being yanked out the door, hanging tightly to Jules Verne. I feel like we have just robbed a bank, my mother and me, and I wonder if we're going to get in trouble.