Not trying to justify the splurge :p, but I've been a happy snapper for as long as I remember. My first digital camera was when I still a senior in college, somewhere in 2002. I remember I dropped that inside a bus in Washington DC when my dad wanted to hand me the camera, then he gave me money to get a new one :D. I also remember a camera we lost somewhere in Santa Monica Beach, we went to Target that night to get another one since we couldn't imagine going on a vacation without a camera.
Since I first got a digital camera, I don't think I have ever left house without it. Really, I never care how heavy it makes my bag. I'd rather lug it around than having to miss moments I wanted to capture dearly. I don't remember how many pocket cameras I've owned since my first encounter with one. I also don't remember the model names at all. I think I've gone pretty much all makers :D. Last camera I bought was a Lumix LX3 and the first rather serious camera was a canon G3. I, together with Oki even had a photo blog and we went photo hunting all the time and bought fun filters to create different effects. Ohh and we also own a Lomo that we still keep until now. Not sure if it's still working or not.
I'm not good at photography but I know I want to be good at it. When we bought a digital SLR for the office, a Canon 500D, I fell in love with it. There were times when I could take it home and played around with it but with the events that we're invited nowadays, it's rare that the camera is available in the office.
When we went to New York City in 2005, Oki spotted some street vendors selling Broadway poster frames and brought home quite a few of them. I think they were priced at $5 each. In our St. Louis home, they were neatly hang in our study room. Now, we don't have many space to hang wall decors so Oki hang them in the kids bathroom. Not a perfect place to hang these pieces, no matter how awesome they are. Sometimes, I feel they are kind of creepy.
So sometimes during the lebaran holiday when Oki wasn't home, I got an idea to change the picture into something more bathroom friendly. I bought some scrapbook paper at Heritage factory outlet in Pejaten Village, choose the ones that match with the bathroom theme, cut the paper and replaced the poster.
Last week on November 26 the Muslims celebrated Islamic New Year, a month in advance of the Gregorian calendar. Enough to give me a double take on my 2011 resolution and realize just how far behind I am :D.
I heard it's good to pray before the year closed down and the new one rolls up, well anytime is always a good time to pray, but the moment seemed to be perfect to turn a new chapter. Too bad I was having my period so I didn't do the five times and pray. Well, come to think of it, I rarely take my time to pray after sholat. It's almost always Assalamualaikum and up I went to fold my mukena. But I do pray everyday, everywhere, anytime of the day. Could be when I send my kids and husband to work, on the road, when I kiss my loved ones, when I take a shower, when I'm about to sleep and I could only hear my own breathing, anywhere. I found that most of my deepest, intense & sincerest prayer happened when I'm in the car. I like to look at the sky when I do that, it's like looking for the superpower up there. When I say pray, I don't always ask, mostly just saying thank you wholeheartedly for everything he has given me.
Anyway, I read one quote from Surah Ar-Rahman that hit me and sent me all shivering that day, "Maka nikmat Tuhan yang manakah yang kamu dustakan?" :((. Whoaa! I was immediately seeking for forgiveness after that. This quote shall be my guide in life from now on.
Happy Islamic New Year, may we build a firmer roots of Iman in our hearts :')
I heard it's good to pray before the year closed down and the new one rolls up, well anytime is always a good time to pray, but the moment seemed to be perfect to turn a new chapter. Too bad I was having my period so I didn't do the five times and pray. Well, come to think of it, I rarely take my time to pray after sholat. It's almost always Assalamualaikum and up I went to fold my mukena. But I do pray everyday, everywhere, anytime of the day. Could be when I send my kids and husband to work, on the road, when I kiss my loved ones, when I take a shower, when I'm about to sleep and I could only hear my own breathing, anywhere. I found that most of my deepest, intense & sincerest prayer happened when I'm in the car. I like to look at the sky when I do that, it's like looking for the superpower up there. When I say pray, I don't always ask, mostly just saying thank you wholeheartedly for everything he has given me.
Anyway, I read one quote from Surah Ar-Rahman that hit me and sent me all shivering that day, "Maka nikmat Tuhan yang manakah yang kamu dustakan?" :((. Whoaa! I was immediately seeking for forgiveness after that. This quote shall be my guide in life from now on.
Happy Islamic New Year, may we build a firmer roots of Iman in our hearts :')
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!
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!
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.
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!
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!