2017 best nine

Following the footsteps of recent Instagram trend, I present you my 2017 best nine moments. All of these things that keep 2017 from getting cancelled. Things that save 2017. Things that made me said "hmm life wasn't that bitch after all".

-not on particular order-

Adopted these 2 little guys

After my last cat died (RIP Mocha), I always wanted to adopt another cat. I didn't make any effort to search tho, I just told my friends about it. Til late May, my friend said that his cat just gave birth to 3 kittens. He took one, his brother took another, and the last is offered to me.  Of course I said yes! 

meet Coco

Not long after, my ex-boss offered one of her cat to me as well. She had 20+(!!) cats in her house both in Bandung and Jakarta, and her family decided to give away some of them.

meet Snowy

These two cats are on the opposite side of the spectrum:

• I took Coco in Bintaro, while I took Snowy in Bekasi what an unimportant detail
• Coco is domestic longhair, Snowy is exotic shorthair
• Coco is haven't been neutered yet, Snowy is missing his balls.
• Coco eats fast, Snowy eats slowly.
• Coco will eat literally everything, from bug to veggie leaves. Snowy only eats Royal Canin urinary.
• Coco hunts so well that there are no more roaches or lizards in my home. Snowy just sniffs when he sees animal, then walks away
• Coco is extremely playful and curious, he react to everything while Snowy, well let's just say the he is not that excited
• Coco does not like to be touched, he will claw even when I just boop his nose. Snowy is very very very touchy. Heck he often climbs on my stomach, purring and making dough. 

The way I see them, Coco is like a typical rebellious teenager, while Snowy is like 30 something adult with old soul begrudgingly judging the teenager. They rarely play together, and when they do, it's just Coco teases Snowy over and over again til Snowy clapped and bite Coco's neck. Let's just say that they don't get along. But it's fine. I love them both. I love when I make Coco go crazy over his fishing toy. I love when I startle Snowy so he runs with his plump bottom. I love when suddenly Coco rests in my arm when I sleep in the couch. I love when Snowy rests in my body when I sleep in my room. They are the main reason I keep sane this year. How can I still be mad or sad when I pet them?

these goofballs

Self care is always simple

I see self care as hobbies, or things that I look forward to do within minutes to indulge myself. It's kinda sad to wake up everyday without at least one thing that will excite me today. So I've been thinking what habit that I can turn into fun me time? What did I like? I like reading but I don't see myself commit to read 5 page everyday. I like eating but I can't cook. I'd like to try baking but I can't stand the mess after. I like perfumes, but perfumes is expensive. Hey wait a minute, I like perfume because I like being smelled nice. What else can make me smells nice? Shower time it is!!

So I go to Bodyshop, grabbed bath lily and the nicest smelling soap I found. I bought facial cleansing brush. I moved the small chair to my bathroom so I can sit for long time. Voila! Fun me time with all those bubbles and fragrance! I bought Lush bath bombs to use whenever I stay at hotels so that I can soak myself in tub after a long dreadful meeting. I sit in hot watered tub, sometimes while listen to random playlist on Spotify, and let my mind set adrift. Only imagining that already makes my mind feels at ease.

Anyway from all bath/shower products I've tried, here are my favorites (not on particular order):

1. The Body Shop Argan Oil Bubble Bath. Lovely smell, not a in your face type of smell, and the foam is generous.
2. Lush Santa's Belly shower jelly. Yes I know shower jelly is difficult to handle, it will crumble in no time, but my God how it feels in your hand is just the most hilarious feeling ever. Plus they're fragrant to boot.
3. Lush Intergalactic bath bomb. Love the color blue and the smell.
4. OGX eucalyptus mint shampoo and conditioner. My scalp is happy and my hair just feels oh so luxurious.

Who knows pampering myself can be this simple :)

Gardening

I tried to find new hobby to keep me occupied at weekend. I always admire well groomed garden, preferably in English style. I like the idea of nurturing a plant from seeds to bloom. But other than bean sprout experiment during elementary school, I never tried gardening. Mainly because I feel my home in inadequate for gardening since my home doesn't have a lawn. Come think of it, that was not an excuse. I can plant in garden pots in rooftop. So on a whim I bought garden pots, vegetable and flower seeds, seed tray, soil, and fertilizers from online shopping. I even bought lemon trees from out of town.

Every weekend, I spare my time under morning sun to plant, remove seedlings from seed tray to pots, water, cut yellow and infested leaves, give fertilizer, you know usual gardening stuff. So far, I only had success in growing flowers and fruits. My tomato and chili seeds are growing but before they got big, they dead because of fungus. 

RIP Chili

My lemon tree though:

And look at my sunflowers! 

standing tall and beautiful

See, I don't think myself as good at gardening. I just love doing it. I love to distract myself from whatever bugs me on weekdays and  have some peaceful me time on weekend. I love watching my seed grows: from a mere grain, to a seedling, look first leaf arrive, and suddenly they had growth spurt. And they bloom before me. I am assured that if I put my time and effort in something, it will return.

The best support system

During hard times (notice plural for time), I relied on my support system: my closest friends. 

with Nohan, Zeckri, and mba Enggar during our trip at Tangkahan

with Septine, Tice, and Luthfia at Bali

with Yuni at office party

with Kriskrop who deserve his own blog post

Nuno. Heyy I haven't taken pic with him recently!

my birthday bash. it's dark i knooow!

the most uplifting text ever

It's comforting to know that I have some people whom you can turn to whenever I feel sad, tired, or merely in need of validation and support. Those who will not let me shed a tear and smack some sense into my head. I can't feel grateful enough for them.

Umroh

I am not exactly a pious person, but when the time is right I am very much would like to go to the Holy Land. The opportunity came last year when my colleague offered me to join umroh group organized by his family. It was THAT dodgy umroh agency that I'm sure everyone knows by now. At that time they seems reliable. Turned out that my group was the last group that able to depart. Given the circumstances, I was very lucky to be able to go Holy Land alhamdulillah, tho I am sad for those who was not as lucky as me. Hope they will get their money back...

Anyway when I first arrived at Prophet Mosque in Madinah, I feel overwhelmed. I was touched when I stepped my foot inside Raudah. I never feel so close to beloved Prophet given his tomb was really near me. I remember exactly the first time I saw Kabah. I literally cried when I had the chance to go inside Hijr Ismail. I stand in Safa and Marwa in awe, imagined how these two little hills has withstood the time being a witness to millions and millions of ummah that come praying there. I am humbled by this entire experience. I even asked myself what did I do to deserve umroh?

array of believers

beautiful Nabawi mosque

Before I depart for umroh, I wrote down specific prayer. I read the prayer everywhere and everytime during umroh. I had that peace of mind when I know God listened and granted my prayer. And now by the grace of God, I have everything I wish except one. It was something that obviously will not be granted to me, but in retrospect God already promised to give me even better thing. I'll just have to wait. Let's just say that God is really is great.

Sahara

Thanks to promotion by Turkish Airlines, I got a Singapore - Barcelona return ticket for only IDR 7.5 million! Unbelievable isn't it? Actually my main destination is not Barcelona but Morocco. It was cheaper to go to Morocco via Barcelona rather than direct from Jakarta. But don't get me wrong, Barcelona is a fantastic city, I'd love to go back there!

breathtaking Sagrada Familia

So how was Morocco? I love getting lost in Souks and alleyways in Fez and Marrakech. I really enjoyed my time in blue city Chefchaouen. But the highlight of my trip was 2 day Sahara desert trip. At the end of first day I was dropped in a hotel in Merzouga. I rode a camel into the camp, watched the sunset, had a lovely dinner, listened to lively Berber music, and literally slept under the stars. In the morning, I climbed sand dune to watch the sunrise.

Camel ride to camp

me, mba Wida, and Nohan

lively camp at night

in the sand dunes. look at the tiny camp below!

Seriously the pics can't give any justice to the Sahara. It was BEAUTIFUL whether on evening or morning, during sunset or sunrise, under the moon or under the sun. Among the vast sand, I feel so insignificant that it feels like all my troubles were gone. I recommend everyone to spend a night there!

Joining RUBI

In 2016, my ex-colleague often posts about RUBI in Path (anyone still use Path?), so often that I am intrigued. I googled it and I found that it was a nice movement. I care abut education in Indonesia, since I firmly believe that education is a basic right, it needs communal effort to develop education (not just government but also society), and good education will improve this nation and its people. By joining RUBI, I think I can actually participate in improving Indonesia even in a small scale.

Immediately I want to join, but alas, volunteer registration that year was already closed. Finally I can join on 2017. I was set to teach in Musi Rawas, a district near Lubuklinggau, South Sumatra. And let's say those 2 days teaching was really an eye opener.

I thought "struggle to go to school" thing only happens on the most remote area in Indonesia, but it happens also on province that is close to Jakarta. In South Sumatra, there is a village that takes 3 hours to reach using BOAT. And the amount of teachers in one certain school was appaling to say the least. Only 1 teacher and 1 principal! That's just so so sad. Students didn't come to school during harvest weeks to help their parents, therefore the school was empty. Those were what I learned while in there, and I am sure there are lot more problems.

Despite all those, the teachers who come to RUBI session were very enthusiastic. I can see that they were very sincere, they want the best for students, school, and for themselves. And I feel I was very privileged, sheltered kid. This experience gave me more incentives to contribute more. I had no idea what I will do, but certainly I will do something.

Anyway special shout out to kak Uti who helped me tremendously on my first RUBI experience!

with kak Uti

all the great teachers, volunteers, and committee!

New York state of mind

I finally visit New York!! My dream city since like ever!!! City that I always see in movies and TVs!! How lucky am I?? What a dream come true!!

Initially I didn't have a plan to visit this year. But due to sheer luck (Alhamdulillah!), I have a training there. It was so sudden it feels unreal when I stepped my foot in JFK airport last November: I'm finally here! I have 9 days here! OH SO EXCITED! ALHAMDULILLAH!! Oh and I officially already set foot to five continents: Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa,  and America. Woohoo!

So what did I do in the Big Apple? 

Trying many food in many restaurants. Strolling in Central Park. Enjoying the Met and AMNH. Crossing Brooklyn Bridge. Going around in downtown with free tour. Visiting 911 museum and memorial. Admiring Time Square at night. Seeing the cityscape from Top of the Rock. Shopping in Woodbury and many places in NYC. Your typical NYC first timer's itinerary.

I want to wake up in a city that doesn't sleep~

my fave pic of me in NY

And what do I think of New York? Whoo boy the city did not disappoint!!! It's imperfect but in a perfect way. It was crowded, so very crowded even more so than Jakarta, but still organized somehow. It was very cold, especially in downtown. But that's okay, this tropical girl come prepared. Well I admit I only visit downtown and midtown, plus Woodbury, and I can see why some people think the places are overrated, but I genuinely enjoy my trip. I feel like I am a part of a bigger and more diverse world. I feel like I can be everything. Strange feeling that I did not feel anywhere else...

The downside on visiting New York City is, well, I become broke HAHAHA.. HA.. ha.. Who knows eating and shopping will cost you so much? Yeah no shit Sherlock~ but hey, I'm happy so the amount I spent doesn't matter! At least I managed to restrain myself from crazier shopping spree (tho I kinda regret why didn't I buy that smart watch and pretty handbag just why oh why). Can I call that an achievement? Please?

New York trip will have its own blog post, I promise!

I am the cool girl that I aspired to be

I was walking in cinema after office hour, plan to watch a movie alone, when I realized "hey, I am ~that~ cool girl that I want to be when I grow up!". During elementary school, I have a specific image in my mind on what a grown woman is like. And there I was, fully embodied all those images:

Walked briskly, wore cool outfit, had a prestigious job and extra money to spare, got a small circle of friends, traveled here and there, enjoyed doing things alone (or in this case, eating and watching movie alone). And single. Don't know why in my 10 y.o. mind, single 20 something girl is a criteria of being cool. 

But  the most important thing is I know what I want and I know how to get shit done.

And this realization gave me massive confidence boost. If you can be what your childhood dreamed you to be, then you're all set in life. Look, my life in no way perfect. I am not perfect. I was angry, I was hurt, I was vengeful. But I carry on. I changed from a girl deep drown in tears to a girl that find it's rewarding to have a lot of me time. I feel stupid before, but now I feel he is more stupid than me literally and figuratively. I am still angry, but now I accept that anger. Life was a bitch, and is still a bitch, so I better make it MY bitch anyway.

That's me in a grand scheme of things. I come and I conquer.

So cheerio 2017.

And hello 2018. No I will not ask you to be good to me. Why because I'm gonna make you my year!