HANZKY

Azzura Malika, born on November 10 2011 :). This picture was taken about 12 hours after her arrival to this world. Such a beautiful baby, isn't she? I could just sit next to her all day and stare at her :).





I'm proud of my sister too for her uneventful pregnancy. Quite surprised that she went through everything effortlessly, from the sudden water broke when she was in Ancol to the painful induction process without epidural. I cannot believe my baby sister is now a mom!

Oh wow..a little more than a month into the new year. Where did the time go?

So many things happened during these last two months. Be it in business, family or personal issue. It's been one emotional ride. At times it was exciting, encouraging, the next day it was frustrating, time consuming and energy draining. So many party involved, so many meetings and emails being exchanged, so many documents need to be verified.

Last week was quite a turning point. I experienced 24 hours of hell!! But hey, I always believe that nothing is coincidence. Things always happen for a reason and that relates to a bigger scheme of things. So yes, I tried to see it as an expensive lesson because sometimes we just have to learn the hard way. I used the moment as a tool to reevaluate everything, to examine why things happen the way they did, to have a moment to reflect which eventually lead to self development and improvement.

It was definitely a reality check, made me even more realize with what I have been blessed to have and experience. It really is unfair if I don't give it my all and strive to like like it's my last day. I've always thought I'm one grateful individual. Turned out, I too have moment where I lose my balance. At least it's humbling to know that I'm only human after all, need to stay alert and make sure my guard is always on.

Cannot be even more thankful now. Let's go back to basic and move on!

I dreamt about you last night. It was probably the third time you appeared in my dream since you've been gone. I remember I was ordering a cup of coffee at Monolog when you just magically popped up. I screamed in delight, couldn't believe what I saw before my eyes. I think I hugged you and immediately thought of the questions I had been meaning to ask. I took a seat and waited for you ordering your coffee and then you dissapeared :'(.

HighScope Futsal Cup 2011. First Round. Sekolah Cikal vs Sekolah Pilar

Jibran has school break for a week starting today. Since Oki and I can't leave work so we cannot take him anywhere out of Jakarta nor anywhere around the city during weekdays (although I think I'll take Wednesday off so I can take him somewhere).

This morning during breakfast, I asked him to write down the list of things he can do whenever he feels bored, in anticipation of him calling me every 15 minutes to ask me what time I'll be home. So he comes up with this list...



I know, his handwriting is very impressive. Hey, maybe he is destined to be a doctor :D. I'm not proud with the fact that the first two list consists of electronic, but it's not everyday he gets to do those things. He added number 9 in the back, that is to play soccer.

Well it's only the first day of school break today and turned out, my sister took him and Jehan to watch Smurf, so he spent most of the afternoon at Pejaten Village.

"You need to learn how to select your thoughts just the same way you select your clothes every day. This is a power you can cultivate. If you want to control things in your life so bad, work on the mind. That's the only thing you should be trying to control".

There are a few list of things that we always do everyday such as eating, breathing, taking a shower and all other everyday routine. In my case, another thing that I effortlessly and subconsciously do every single day is daydreaming and imagining about visiting other countries and new places. Not a day gone by without me vividly picturing the family taking a trip somewhere new. I think this rubs on to Jibran too, as he always talk about going or living in other country like every other day.

The other day, I found a booklet in my sister's car. I guess she went to a travel exhibition with my mom and took home a few flyers. I cannot help but wandering around and wishing I'm on my way to the airport to see...


..the canals in Amsterdam, the historical Brussels, the magnificent of Mt Titles in Switzerland, the ancient Rome and the romantic Florence, breathtaking ocean view of Nice and Monte Carlo, peaceful Provence, quirky Berlin, remote Finland, amazing Prague, architectural Budapest, superlatives Moscow and St Petersburg, Stockholm, Sweden to Copenhagen. Madrid, Portugal and surreal Santorini.

Of course there's more, what about Capetown? and everything in South America, Buenos Aires and Patagonia glaciers, Rio de Janiero. And then there's Egypt, the whole Middle East, Morocco, Montreal Canada, Melbourne, Sydney, Christchurch, Auckland, the great wall, Taj mahal and Jaipur

*sigh*..there's so many I want to see!

Like taking me to Anomali Kemang so I could get my favorite latte even though he hates the parking lot there. And then, in turn, I accompanied him to eat at Ah Mei so he can get a piece of Roti Prata that he claimed the best he ever tasted even though there's no food I like at Ah Mei.

Just like what we did yesterday :)

I didn't know that a three year old can become a coffee addict!. There has been a few times that you asked me to stop by to a coffee shop on the way to our destination. 'Mommy, nanti sebelum ke rumah temen mommy kita beli kopi dulu yah' :). That's exactly what you said when I asked you to come with me to my friend's baby akekahan. You have even started to ask for your own cup at Starbucks. And I'm trying to hold it for as long as I can to buy you your very own latte :D.

This morning was no exception. Right before breakfast, you specifically asked you wanted a cup of coffee. I usually just share you some of mine but now that I rarely drink coffee in the morning, I didn't make one for myself. And of course, I didn't want to make a cup just for yourself because that would be too much. So I made you a cup of hot Milo instead. And you, being a coffee lover that you are, can tasted that it's not a real coffee. 'Bukan yang rasanya kaya gini, Mommy...'. Then you went to the kitchen, opened up the cabinet and took Bunda's Indocafe Coffeemix and said 'Yang ini lhoo yang Jehan mau'...:o). So I made you half a cup and then we sit at the back porch and eat our breakfast. Such a simple moment that make life worth living :)

*taken on September 13. Written today because I miss her so much since she is on a weekend trip to Bandung with her grandma :')

On the left is a picture of an empty cup of Starbucks Double Shot Ice Shaken Espresso. It's mine. Drank at 7 at night on a Saturday night so I could stay awake until the witching hour to do some power point presentation work, while everyone has comfortably tucked inside their blankets, or laying low catching up with the latest movies on their DVD. Cause the single shot just doesn't do it anymore. Cause the regular work hour on weekdays is not enough anymore to do all the work. Cause I don't have the heart to leave the kids any more than I have left them for the sake of completing all the works.

This reminds me of what Shaherose, founder of Women 2.0 said at StartupLokal meet up: "Being an entrepreneur is a lonely journey".

It is indeed can be a long and lonely journey. One that doesn't come with a set destination. One that doesn't come with a manual. One that you just can't share the burdens to everyone. What it takes is perseverance for no one can survive without it.

....and keep your feet on the ground. Try to do this on a day-to-day basis, and in a very normal way. You don't need to be aggressive towards others. The secret is to believe in a dream and follow it - day by day, hour by hour.

Don't forget that the most important thing in life is not be the number one or the biggest, but to do what you like to do. The most important thing is to have a very strong balance in life and in relationships. Don't ever push people to meet your dream. That will destroy your character. This is a society that prefers winners, but whether you're a winner or not, you win in life when you do as you like.- Diego Della Valle, founder & CEO of Tod's Group. Taken from an interview in Prestige magazine.