PJId, Menikmati Musik Semusik-musiknya

All right, this is the last day of submission for PJID Blog Competition. I have no intention of winning the award, especially with this kind of writing, tapi kalo iba sih, boleh lah bagi atu hadiahnya...hahaha...(mau-mau malu ceritanya)

Saya ga punya banyak hal untuk di share tentang Pearl Jam atau band-band Seattle Sound lainnya yang lebih dikenal dengan nama Grunge. Sebenarnya saya malah ga terlalu paham arti Grunge itu sendiri, selain trend yang pernah mendunia pada tahun 90-an, mulai dari warna musik sampai fashion.  

Kalau ada yang memang bener-bener pengen tau ya, gugling aja kali yaa..hare genee..:D

Saya cuma selalu bilang ke orang-orang, kalau ditanya tentang Pearl Jam, apa sih arti Pearl Jam buat kamu?

Lalu saya jawab, dengan tatapan menerawang dan mata berkaca-kaca: Pearl Jam is my spiritual journey. Tsaaahh…..

Kebanyakan penyuka Pearl Jam juga suka sama musik-musik sealirannya, seperti Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Nirvana, Silverchair dll dsb.

Ya, saya tau juga sih beberapa dari lagu-lagu para maestro tersebut di atas. Tapi yang bener2 saya suka dan tekuni sehari-hari (tekuni dengar di MP3, maksudnya) memang Cuma Pearl Jam aja.

Kenapa? Ga tau juga.

Oke, mari cerita dulu awal pertemuan saya dengan Pearl Jam. (bagi yang pernah baca Notes saya di FB pasti males deh baca lagi di sini..ahahahha)..

Jadi begini...

Pada jaman dahulu kala, kira-kira 20 tahun yang lalu..saat itu Indonesia tengah mengalami masa-masa kejayaannya (kejayaan KKN, maksudnya). Sementara saya saat itu lagi lucu-lucunya, lagi jerawatan-jerawatannya...kalo ga salah masih kelas 2 SMA gitu deh..

Saat itu saya masih jadi pendengar  radio Prambors, penggemar Glam Rock dan Metallica, kadang-kadang sok ngerti Thrash Metal juga (padahal engga).

Suatu saat saya mendengar sebuah lagu yang intronya mirip banget sama Little Wing, lagu kesukaan saya juga. Believe me deh, saat dengar lagu itu saya langsung menemukan ”momen” itu. Momen yang kalo kata orang namanya “jatuh cinta”. Cuma sepertinya sih lebih tepat “terbang cinta”, karena saking terbawa dengan suara penyanyinya, yang saat itu sama sekali tidak saya kenal.

Kalo ga salah saya sempat tanya ke teman-teman sekolah, dengan cara menyenandungkan nada-nada lagu tersebut. Yah, mungkin karena memang ngga bakat nyanyi, ngga ada satupun yang tau..hehe..

Mau tau ngga lagunya? Iya bener, Yellow Led Better.

Sampai beberapa minggu saya masih belum mendapat pencerahan dari siapapun soal lagu ini, sampai suatu hari, saya mendengar sayup-sayup dari kamar saya, ada suara yang saya kenal. Suara penyanyi Yellow Led Better!!

Langsung saja saya mencari asal suara itu, yang ternyata dari kamar kakak saya. Saya lupa dia sedang memutar lagu yang mana, yang jelas album Ten.

Dengan perasaan tak menentu, deg-degan saking excitednya (beneran ini, saya deg2an setengah mati saking girangnya), saya bertanya siapa yang nyanyi lagu ini. Kakak saya menjawab dengan cueknya, Pearl Jam.

Dan saat itulah, sodara-sodara, perjalanan spiritual saya dimulai.

Dari Yellow Led Better, yang semakin saya puja-puji setelah saya berhasil masuk UI dan memakai jaket kuning kebanggaan almamater itu, saya menggilai album pertama Pearl Jam, Ten.

Sejak awal, Pearl Jam dengan lagu-lagunya yang menyuarakan protes pada ketidak adilan, kesemena-menaan dan masalah-masalah sosial lainnya, mungkin, telah ikut memberikan pondasi bagi pandangan saya terhadap masalah-masalah sosial yang ada. Apalagi sekarang Pearl Jam juga ikut peduli dengan lingkungan, hmm..tambah sayang aja deh saya ama band satu ini..

Satu lagi, lagu Pearl Jam tidak ada yang cengeng lho!

Black? Tidak. Lagu Black meski menyuarakan kepedihan justru malah memberikan kekuatan bagi para The Brokenhearted untuk get up and move on.

Jadi sia-sia saja kalau ingin bermellow-mellow dengan lagu-lagu Pearl Jam, karena biasanya sih gagal.

Kemudian, album Binaural. Meski keluar pada tahun 2000, (di Indonesia mungkin baru ada tahun 2001), terus terang saja saya baru rutin mendengarkannya saat tahun 2007-2008. kenapa? Ya karena sejak selesai kuliah lalu menikah dan bekerja di tahun 2000-2001, praktis saya tidak pernah mendengarkan Pearl Jam lagi. Kesempatan itu datang pada akhir tahun 2004, saya mulai tune in lagi dengan Pearl Jam, itupun setelah diajak bergabung milis tenclub oleh sahabat saya, you know who, if you dont know then ask someone who. *alah

Binaural memiliki warna yang berbeda dari album lainnya, yang saya kurang bisa menjelaskan karena ceteknya pemahaman musik saya. Tapi album ini jelaslah berpengaruh pada spiritual journey saya. Terutama lagu Parting Ways, yang selalu saya senandungkan demi menguatkan mental spiritual saya di pertengahan th. 2007.

Bergabung di milis tenclub yang kemudian berganti nama menjadi Pearl Jam Indonesia adalah satu keberuntungan bagi saya. menemukan saudara-saudara sesama penyuka musik yang bukan mainstream tentu saja merupakan berkah tersendiri. Apalagi mendatangi acara-acaranya. Belum lagi kesempatan bertemu dan berteman dengan personil band-band hebat seperti Alien Sick, Respito, Besok Bubar, Bittertone, Perfect Ten, Cupumanik, Dialog DIni Hari, Navicula (yg dua tearkhir kurang akrab, jauh sih soalnya hahaha) dll, banyak deh pokonya, semuanya asik-asik :D

Saya ingat ketika pertama kali Pearl Jam Indonesia akan menyelenggarakan Pearl Jam Nite pertama. Rapat-rapat di  foodcourt Pasaraya, cari venue, dana, sampai sebar-sebar flyer di lobby kantor, patas Blok M-Tg. Priok, pagar rumah, dsb dsb ..:))

Dan yang paling menyakitkan adalah saya tidak bisa menonton acara tersebut karena besoknya adalah hari pertama masuk kantor dengan bos paling galak se Artha Graha..huhuhuhuhuuuhhu...:’((

Lalu Pearl Jam Nite pun menjadi acara rutin tahunan, dan itu, adalah pesta yang selalu ditunggu-tunggu oleh jamaah jamiliah, yang setiap event selalu bertambah jumlahnya. Alhamduu..lil..laaah *intonasi a la Ustad Maulana :D* 

Saya adalah salah seorang yang merasa terberkati dengan adanya Pearl Jam, untuk kemudian menemukan sahabat-sahabat penyuka Pearl Jam juga dan berbahagia bersama mereka, menikmati musik se-musik2nya, itulah yang saya suka dari Pearl Jam Indonesia.

Kira-kira 4 atau 5 tahun lalu seusai even yang diselenggarakan oleh Pearl Jam Indonesia, saya pernah berucap kepada sahabat saya yang menggeret saya ke komunitas ini, ”Rasanya nanti setelah umur 35th kita ngga akan bisa deh ikut acara-acara musik seperti ini..secara, emak-emak gitu loh..” yang secara ragu-ragu diiyakan olehnya.

Dan ternyata sodara-sodara, Selasa kemarin bersama ribuan jamaah jamiliah lainnya (mulai lebay), saya masih bersuka ria, joget-joget, teriak-teriak bernyanyi bersama di depan panggung Kafe Pisa menikmati Perfect Ten dkk.

Artinya, selama Pearl Jam dihati saya, age is just number. Sampai Pearl Jam datang ke Indonesia atau sampai Hasley ga kuat nyanyi Lukin dan Perfect Ten nanti jadi semacam Barata Band yang menyanyikan lagu-lagu kenangan The Beatles (ini kata Hasley sendiri loh hihihi) , saya akan selalu menyempatkan datang, menyanyi bersama-sama sekaligus merayakan persahabatan yang dijalin oleh kecintaan kepada salah satu band terhebat di dunia, Pearl Jam.

 

Yeaaahh....Rock ON!!!  Bring Pearl Jam To Indonesia!!!

Faith, Family and Friends

So many things happened in mylife that I sometimes couldn't believe how time has been rolling fast, and years pass by to add one more number to my age.

I don't mind being older, but it'll be very disappointing if I don't become wiser.

Sometimes, wisdom comes in the most unpleasant ways, like loosing your belongings, loosing your pride or reputation, or even worst, loosing someone you love.

However, even the darkest cloud has a silver lining, and despair itself can bring lessons to be learnt...

and there's nothing better than to have family and friends that would strengthen your faith, and stand by your side to face the trouble, even just to share the burden.

One said there's no party that has no end, no trouble that has no solution...

We just have to believe that everything will be ok, as long as we have faith, family and friends with us. 

Firework

...

'Cause baby you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colours burst
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh"

You're gonna leave 'em goin' "Oh, oh, oh"

(taken from Katy Perry's song Firework) 

To be honest, I don't know why this song is made to motivate people. 

Doesn't the composer know that firework only lasts for a minute?

What's the good of a light that only lasts for a minute?

I always remember a very old proverb from China: Always choose a candle, rather than a firework. Because a candle lights longer than a firework although it may not be as beautiful as a firework. 

The moral is, according to this proverb, stability is better than a glimpse of glamour. 

If you only had these two options, what do you prefer to hold in the dark, a candle or a firework?

:D

Angels

Yesterday I found a very funny notes on a piece of paper written by my son. He wrote some notes about his sister, which pointed at her unpleasant behavior according to him (off course).

I brought the paper to my office and showed it to my friends, and they all laughed too. Now they know "the battle" between my kids...hahaha..

My kids are so adorable. I think they are angels in the form of children. God sent them to me to cheer me up.
I remember when I was still in college, I couldnt find someone to talk, my house was empty all the time, my father worked in other town, my mother busy with her activities, my brothers and sisters, well, they all had their own business. I had friends, but they could only cheer me up when I was with them. Once I got back to my house, I felt so empty.
So I prayed to God. God, give me something to call my own. I want a child, if I had to, I would adopt one.

About a year after the prayer, I was proposed by my ex husband and 3 months later we got married, and about a year after, I got the answer of my prayer.

Muhammad Faza Al Izzan Ubaid. and
Kyara Raj'i Annadja Ubaid (1,5 year after)

My marriage was ruined, but I got my precious ones, two adorable kids that light up my life..I dont know what would I be without them. Theyre like the air for me. They are the purpose of why I live.

the word Love couldnt describe my feeling to them. Now my eyes starting to get wet...what a cry baby ...LOL

Popo The Bozo

Yesterday was very very annoying.

You know, last month I have recruited a friend to fill the.....................position in my office. Actually, based on his experience, I didnt think he's suitable for the position, but he kept on asking the opportunity and convinced me that he would be excellent to fill the position. So, I melted.
I recommended him to my boss and to my surprise she accepted him without any doubt. I thought this might be my friend's luck, maybe it's his destiny to work with us.

So this guy, lets call him Popo, finally worked with us, I prepared the contract, I explained to him that he's on probation for three months, the benefits, and some allowances that he got.
He agreed and signed the contract.

Three days after he joined, we sent him to Banjarmasin after I gave him some instructions and copy of documents that he might need to bring. Things seemed to run well, he kept on updating me his activities etc.
However he has the meal allowance issue, which is only 20K a day, that actually isnt enough for 3 meal times daily.
I thought we had a deal, right? He has signed the contract which define clearly about meal allowance. If he thinks it's not enough, he should take his salary to complete it, right?
that was 1st.
But anyway, I said to him to charge his meal to the office so he didnt have to worry about the price of the foods there, in exchange, he couldnt claim for his meal allowance. This seemed fair, since he could save up to 800K for a month, although I had a little argument with him about this, but then it resolved.

Later I found that he's not obedient too, especially to me. Maybe because he thinks I'm his friend, he forgets to consider me as Legal and HR. Several times he refused to follow my instructions, and I had to defend him in front of my Boss & my colleague; but as one said before, what stinks will be found out no matter how neat you have wrapped it, so my Boss and my colleagues found some unimpressed performance from him too.

First, we told him to come back to Jakarta on Tuesday, he supposed to arrive at 9 pm in Jakarta, and we expected him to come tomorrow morning to the office. But he didnt show up and sent me a bbm saying he's not feeling well and had to absent.
I dont know with him, but to me who happened to travel by plane to any remote areas in this country, this is unacceptable. Also my boss, she suddenly lost trust, knowing she also been told to go here and there and she never missed a single day at the office unless it was planned or she is very very sick that she couldnt get up from the bed.
not to mention, he is a new employee. He supposed to win our hearts and more carefully about his work performance.

Second, two days after, he came late because of flat tyre. Ok, it happens, although we had some doubts.
but the day after, he asked permission not be able to come to the office due to his daughter sickness. Ok, it is acceptable too, but I asked him to come late, half a day just to show my Boss that he is serious about his job.
He replied OK, but he didnt show up that day.
The next day he also didnt show up, although he told me that his wife has come from Timika to substitute him look after his daughter, so he had confirmed me he could come at night before, and I told my Boss who happened to ask about it also.

But, he lied and he didnt message me at all that day.

At the next morning he finally came to office with sad look and we all sympathized to him. I didnt give him much work but he needed to settle some financial things with my colleague and my colleague didnt quite satisfied with him, because he kinda lost focus. But, he browsed social networks websites a lot.
In the evening, before 5 pm, he bbm me asked whether he could go home early.
I said wait until 5.30, it's official time to go home. But he insisted, and kept on ping me, while I had so many works in my desk. I told him if he really wanted to go home, just said to our Boss, she would let him go. So instead of helping himself, he annoyed me with his pings.
So I bbm him to stop ping me because his pings drove me crazy.

You know what, after a minute, I think I've been unhelpful to him, and I tried to bbm to say again to urge him to ask permission to our boss, suddenly I couldnt find him in my bbm list.

HE REMOVED ME!! GODDAMMIT.

I got pissed off, but I kept my cool head and remembered my intention to help him get the permission. So I said to everyone in the room that he needed to go home early to see his daughter in hospital. Then he finally gathered his f*ckin guts and see my Boss and said bye to all of us.

What a bozo. A childish f**kin popo the bozo.

I really dont know where did I go wrong but I tried to retrospect myself. But I still mad of him and I didnt talk to him today unless some common things. I didnt even ask about his daughter's health.

Wanna play childish?

Let's.

Maid oh Maid

For information, one of the problems that really bugs me is a maid problem. Mylife is not easy, but it'll get worse when I dont have a maid.

you see, I need a maid for taking care my mother. I should pay a nurse, but I dont have enough money to provide a nurse, yet I still have to have someone to cook and clean the house. Therefore, I always look for a maid who can at least shower my mother every morning and accompany her, while she can also cook and clean the house.
I'm not a demanding person, I seldom instruct my maid to do this and that. I used to let them do the prime works, and when they have spare time, I told them to clean the window etc.

Even my kids never ask anything from the maid. They have their grandpa who always ready for them, so as for the kids, I need the maid just to look after them when theres no one at home. (e.g. my mom's routine Hemodialisis).

Before the era of continuously-changing-maid in the last two years, I have my cousin taking care my mother. Shes the best, maybe because shes still family, she loved my mom very much.
But somehow she has to get marry with a guy that her family chose. :(

After shes gone, I and my sisters started our new "venture", looking for a maid. We have hired not less than 3 maids from maid agencies. The cost for administration were ranging from Rp.750,000 - 900,000. And their salaries not less than Rp.800,000/month, no matter how skilled/unskilled they are.
its like buying cat in the bag, its only your luck when you find the good one, and its your bad luck when you get not only bad, but also a thief-maid.

yes, a thief in the form of maid. I lost my earrings, money, and God knows what else she'd taken.

because of this kind of maid, I kind of trauma of hiring a new one. So I try to take care everything as much as I could. It's been a mess, off course. Luckily I have another person to wash and iron the clothes. She also sweeps and mops the floor every morning after done with the laundry.

Sadly, sometimes I dont have time to cook in the morning, so the kids only got eggs, nuggets or noodle for their lunch box. Sometimes I dont even have time to shower my mom, if I need to go work earlier due to a morning meeting or something. Fortunately, my sister who lives nearby can help substitutes me.

However, it's been 7 months now, and things seem to be just fine. My mom seems to be happier and healthier, I dont know why.

And the kids, well, I think the kids are all right. Thx God.