Gone and forgotten

I'm taking a moment of silence for the fallen blogs:

• Snapshot
• Never know
• The Cody Zone
• what are you eating? I don't know!
• it's MY life
• My Heart Your Home
• Read If You Dare
• Chantelle Fiddy's World of Whatever

Nice vs kind

Every once in a while, come along people who inspire you.

Some of them inspire you to be great because they're great. Some people inspire you to be a poet because they're the lowest scum on this earth.

And lately, I'm surrounded by the 2nd type of people. More precisely, the self-proclaimed "nice people".

I can't get over people who self-proclaim they're nice. I have so many bad news for them:

1. Perhaps you're too dumb to realise that YOU're the one who's been irritating the people around you. Irritating people with your stupidity and self-entitlement.
2. Your grammar and spelling are so bad, you're irritating ME.
3. I don't think you really understand what 'nice' means: 

Please don't be proud of being nice.
'Nice' is not a character, 'nice' is a mask you put on to make other people like you.
A lot of nice people are just fake-ass trying to please everyone around them. So don't be proud if people say you're nice. And be ashamed to call yourself nice.

If you want to be better, please be KIND. Being kind is something inherent (if you're too dumb to understand the word, please Google it. If you don't know how to Google it, please go jump into the sea), something that you are, with or without other people looking.

And even then, even when you've managed to be a kind person, please don't go around telling people what a kind person you are.

Because that's just looking for attention. 

Don't be a narcissist.

Because, Google, I'm not Malay and the language I've been using is Indonesian.
For a mega-corporation, you're quite stupid. Jesus.

Imperator Joe

Me: What should I dress up for Halloween.. Maybe something in Mad Max theme.
Bf: Expectation --Charlize Theron. Reality --Immortan Joe.

THANKS, BOYFRIEND.

Me: Do you think I should do a double-eyelid surgery?
Bf: Why?
Me: I look so sinister with single eyelid.. You know, resting bitch face.
Bf: That's not because of the eyelids.

THANKS, BOYFRIEND.

Colourful friendship

Look at what my cute colleagues brought me! I'm not big on celebrations, but who can resist this awesome cake brought in by a magical unicorn.

So last year I got 8-flavoured cheesecake, and this year I got 7-coloured rainbow cake! Awesome, awesome, awesome!

It's the most colourful cake I've ever seen in my life!

Fork? What fork?
Who needs fork?

April's Fool reality

Once upon a bright day in Ollieland...

I was having lunch with a colleague in our pantry. Being a travel-related company, our office pantry is decorated with a huge map on one wall.
My colleague (C) suddenly said, "Is this the real map?"
Me *confused*: What do you mean?

As this is April's Fool, I thought it's a prank question.

C: Is it how the real map is, or they just put the country randomly?
Me *still not sure about the question*: Uh, it's how it is. So yeah, it's the real map.
C: Huh? Then America is on the left?
Me *finally gets the question but now am speechless*: ...

Too bad it's not a prank.

C: ....
Me: Well, usually Asia is in the middle, cos we're in Asia, so they make the maps that way. But this is based on Europe map, so Europe is in the middle.

I look forward to more of such friendly conversations around the office!

The crime scene

011013

Land of Oz

Every once in a while, I come up with a crazy idea.
One that would make my friends sure I'm a crazy dreamer.

Maybe that's why I don't have many friends.. hmm.. *distracted, thinking about the past*
Well, it's ok, the friends that I still have don't really mind my crazy dreams.

Most of my dreams didn't come true, of course, as I just leave them as they are: a dream. But now I'm dreaming a new dream and I can't sleep at night cos I literally dream it in my sleep. And I just have to do it, no matter what. Especially since my last job interviewer went MIA.

My latest crazy dream is *drum rolls pls* move to Australia and work there.

The first common reaction I got was, "Why so sudden?"
Sudden for other people is because I announce it suddenly. But I've been thinking about it for months, and kept the idea at the back of my head for years.

Bukan hanya cantik yang subjektif. 'Kenapa' dan 'karena' juga.

The second common reaction I got was, "Why?"
That interrogative word again. To that question I always answer "Why not?" But of course that simple rebuttal is never enough to stop people from asking. One 'why' is enough to confuse philosophers. A why answered with a why is like poking a sleeping dragon. So to soothe the dragon back to sleep again, I chant the obvious facts: Australia has higher demand of human resource and offers higher salary (compared to Singapore and Indonesia).

But the real reason to that question, I only told one person so far. This blog is the second place I repeat it: To give my life a purpose.

Hidup itu harus ada yang mau dicapai...

We have to have a goal in life. Only by having something to achieve can we have an achievement.
By staying where I am right now, I can't achieve anything. I don't have a purpose. I've lost interest (and hope) in my previous dream. While just dreaming this new dream, I have the enthusiasm to wake up in the morning.

Now, I have to risk everything I have (which is not much anyway) to keep moving forward. So that even though this dream falls through, at least I tried.

Another day at work

4 pm in the office..

*ring ring*
Me: Halo?
Lady: May I know is RT still with you? (name is hidden to protect privacy)
Me: Oh, he's no longer with us.
Lady: May I know who replaces him?
Me: Sorry, may I know what this is regarding of?
Lady: I just want to know who replaces RT *being rude*
Me: I'm not sure what's RT position was, can you just let me know so I can refer you to the right person?
Lady: *in bossy tone* So here's the background ya, I'm from a PR company and I usually send press releases to RT to be published.
Me: Oh-
Lady: But now the emails I've been sending him keeps bouncing back.
Me: Actually-
Lady: So can I know who's replacing him?
Me: I am the one who's handling editorial now.
Lady: Ok, what's your name?
Me: Eva
Lady: How do you spell that?
Me: -_-" eee- veee-- ey
Lady: And your last name?
Me: *oh shit* Fransiskus. eeef--
Lady: What is that?
Me: Fransiskus. FRANSISKUS. ef-ar-ey-ant-es-aee-es-kei-you-es *quickly*
Lady: sorry, I didn't get that.
Me: *slowly now* eeeef... aaaarr.. eeeey..
Lady: I didn't get that.
Me: eeeeey... ef-ar-eeeey..
Lady: Ok.
Me: aaaant.. es-aee-es... keeeiiii...youuuu...essss..
Lady: What's your email address?
Me: That'd be eva...berlin..
Lady: How do you spell that?
Me: -_-" eva.. bee-- ee-- ar-
Lady: Eva..vee--ee--ar.
Me: No, no, bee, bee..
Lady: For Vietnam?
Me: For Bangkok.
Lady: Ok
Me: Eeel--
Lady: Huh? Can you repeat that from the beginning? *still bossy*
Me: ee-vee-ey-bee-ee-ar-el-ay-ant
Lady: ee-vee-ey-bee-ee-ar-el-ay-em
Me: No, ant, for Norway.
Lady: Ok, so evaberlin at?
Me: *say the company webmail*
Lady: And your position is?
Me: I'm the editor
Lady: Editorial--..?
Me: Editor
Lady: Editorial--..?
Me: I AM THE EDITOR
Lady: Oh, you're the editor--- *sweet voice* Oh, thank you Eva, I will be sending you the emails then. Thank you.
Me: Sure, bye.

Good luck with the job, lady.

Mac is a bimbo

Bro: Why do you suddenly do not want Mac laptop anymore?
Me: Cos I liked Mac only for the editing software, I don't like everything else.
Bro: This line of Mac is the last batch in which Steve Jobs is involved :'(

*after long talk of why-not-Mac*

Me: Mac is like a bimbo girl.
Bro: Hah??
Me: On the first sight it is indeed attractive, and it is indeed fashionable. But in the long run, high maintenance and more heartache than happines.
Bro: Is this your bf's theory? -_-"

A day at work

5.59 pm in the office..

Colleague 1: *scrubbing her keyboard with disinfectant*
Colleague 2: *arranging stationary and documents*
Colleague 3: *updating her documents for the day*
Boss: *still on the phone while replying emails* (he's a multitasker)

Me: *turned off computer, bag in one hand, sit with a stance (kuda2) ready to run*

Late-stayer in the office are either hardworking (read: person who cannot work smart) or a suck-up to boss.

And the world mourns...

 

Of all the mysteries in human life, death is still the most unbearable.

"Such a awful day... R.I.P Steve Job..." -Vicky Andhika. It is indeed.

I'll tell my children, in the next generation, that this is the greatest leader ever lived.. Well, after Alexander the Great, of course.

Message by Tim Cook in Apple website

Define 'large'

It's all began when my boyfriend started to picking up words used in advertisements around Singapore. Being a marketing graduate, he likes to point out what's wrong with an advertisement --and apparently he finds a lot of satisfaction in Singaporeans' advertisements.

Then he pointed out, why is it that the Fountain of Wealth in Suntec City quoted as "the World's Largest'? Heck, I've never taken into mind the little little words around Singapore's tourism campaign. He kept nagging about it, so it got into me as well. Yeah, why is it so? Let's look at the facts:

Fountain of Wealth is slightly less than 14 m high, 66 m in diameter and occupies about 1 km sq area.

The famous Bellagio Fountains in Las Vegas shoot up water up to 76 m and the 'lake' on which the fountain reside measured up to 36 km.

While the current biggest fountain in the world is the King Fahd's Fountain that is located on the red sea (300 km in width). The fountain is measured 312 m high, 32 m higher than the highest building in Singapore, and it can be seen by all the people in any spot in Jeddah.

So, what's so large about the Fountain of Wealth?
Is it the largest indoor fountain?
Well, perhaps, in 1998, it was the largest. Now, it has to move on. The Guiness Book needs to update its records.

A spring of love

It's Chinese New Year AND Valentine's Day together this year.

But nothing blissful or lovely about it. On this side of the world, at least.
Even the worst girl got a rose, but not me..
Went back to my  home and the first thing I was asked was "What are you doing home? Why did you come back?"
The second thing I heard was "Must be because she has no date with her boyfriend."

What's wrong with the world today?
Where is the love?
^

'The War' is here..

Much anticipated (for Echelon, at least) 30 Seconds to Mars' album is finally unveiled. As you might have heard, it's called 'This Is War'.It's quite a sensitive title, I'd say. With so many wars going on, people might get it all wrong.

So Jared tweeted (yes, he tweets and yes, I'm a follower) a review on it. Of course, it's a good review that he posted. But, let's face the truth: it's not their best album.
Well, they have only three albums so far, so they still have many chances.
You can have a peek of the songs here.

Their first single, Kings and Queens, is fine. But why am I always reminded of Iris everytime I hear it?
Long intro in Escape.. too Metallica. Even the title is from one of Metallica's songs. A tribute for the legendary metal band?
What's with 100 boys singing in 100 Suns? It might give a nice effect in The Kill, but sorry Jared, the magic wears off.
What's with the Westlife-y songs like Alibi (100 Suns too, actually)?
And what's with the album's cover, really?

Where's the soul of 30 Seconds to Mars that once lived in Fortification, Anarchy in Tokyo, Buddha for Mary, even From Yesterday?
It's beating only half-alive through Vox Populi and Stranger in A Strange Land. Their lyrics never fail, though. Love especially Stranger in A Strange Land.

"I'm a ghost, you're an angel."

Well, I'm not a musician, really, so can't really comment on their music. At least they don't start singing about love and broken-hearts. If they do, that'd be the last day I'm an Echelon.

Best birthday ever!

Aaaaargh..

Is IT next week already?
Can't believe it. Don't want to be. Just wanna stay this way.
I don't ask for sweet 17th always. Just this way. Can I?

One of the best things in my life has just over..

..ironically, i trade the chance to continue to have it with one thing that doesn't even want me to be a part of it.
What's behind the smoke and glass?
Painted faces, everybody wears a mask..
--'Welcome' by C.A

Ghost from the past

Has it ever happened to you before?

Your past caught up after you no matter how fast you try to run. It's what's happening to me now. Certain part of my past is like the undead zombis: I ran from it, hid from it, tried to kill it, tried to buried it, but it keeps running after me. And now it's grabbing me right on the shoulder. I'm trying to shake it off.. Oh, God, please make it let me go..

It found me in Facebook (sometimes I love that site, sometimes I hate it..), in the form of friend request. Yeah, it's a "FRIEND request" by my archenemy. I haven't accepted it. I will, but later. 

I don't understand myself why it bothers me, makes me tremble, freaks me out:

1. I haven't met/spoken to her for years.
2. Even if we're friends in FB, it doesn't mean anything (she can't possibly hurt me again through FB. Or can she?).
3. It's just FB friend request, for God's sake!

It just simply freaks me out *I couldn't breathe*. I don't think I hate her, I don't even consider myself disliking her. I just don't want her around me, I just don't want to hear anything about her anymore. She has taken so much from my life, things I love, persons I love, everything. It's like a trauma now. Feels like a simple 'accept' click would open the gate for her to come into my life again, and history will be repeated all over again.

Just a fleeting thought of her sends shivers down my spine. 

Just like a zombie. Such a lovely zombie..