Going to a Wetar Cineplex

My day ended a little late today. I decided to watch my fellow co-workers play soccer in Lurang, the near by village (about a 30 minute slow drive). It’s a great reason to leave the office early and also well, Wetar doesn’t offer much entertainment so anything will do.

For more than 2 hours I stood on the sidelines, watching 2 soccer matches roll through on the dirt field. It was as entertaining as I expected. Wetar supporters are hilarious! They entertain me more than the players it self. They get mad… wait, let me rephrase that… they’re always furious when the player doesn’t play according to their likings. They make these weird cheering sound like birds fighting over a territory. And the best part is, the loud ones are usually women.There was nothing too special about the game except for the usual spectacular sunset closing the day. 

Once I got back to camp, I had dinner and head home to shower. I was a bit in a hurry. I wanted to watch the finals of the table tennis match, the company made to commemorate the upcoming Independence Day. 

After the shower and putting on some clothes, I applied my usual lotion. Just when I was almost done, I realized, I was in a hurry getting ready JUST to watch a tennis table match?! It felt like I was getting ready to hang out and catch a movie with friends in the city. It really did! Ok, maybe it was slightly different. I didn’t have my usual eyeliner and blush on (which I really like putting on) and I wasn’t wearing heels. Plus, I didn’t have the worry about getting a taxi either. But the sensation of getting ready under a limited amount of time simulated a night out.

As I rushed to the tennis table match that has not started, I’m more and more convinced that I wasn’t doing anything different than what I’m used to back in Jakarta and Bandung. So life can be the same as what we experience back home. It doesn’t have to be entirely the same but close enough. And it’s all a state of mind. All you have to do is embrace it, follow what it presents you and it will be as colorful as a clown suit. I could have just stayed in my room this afternoon and showered as I liked, had dinner, and watch the game. But, I chose to do things differently. I chose to live like back home.

It was really similar to going to the movies. For what I have found when I got to the crime scene, was a video projector blasting on a white wall, ready to show a soccer game. Now, for an island like Wetar, it can’t get any closer to a cinema than this.

 (I’ve just started this challenge and I’m already slacking off. Sheez! Says a lot about me and deadlines. Change of rule. The writing will be uploaded the day after the due date).

Number 2

No, not the bathroom thing, the challenge silly. It's here.

Beat Me, Why Don’t cha?

Although verbally I have moderately good English, I'm a lousy English writer. It's not that I don't make sense, which I would still do even though I would be able to write, it’s more of my grammar that reeks to the core. I've put ikansapi into too much pain already checking for mistakes in my writing. The amounts of revisions are shameful, shameful I tell you! *Face in hands.

After the recent assignment to write a feature in a magazine not long ago (*ehem smug), I realize I have to challenge myself to practice. So here goes. I challenge myself to upload a writing every 2 days for 2 months. Hmm... 30 writings… I’m intimidated :P. It’s predicable that I got this idea from ikansapi. She loves challenges! I also got this idea from a Brooke Schoenman , a travel writer that challenged herself to upload a writing EVERY SINGLE DAY ABOUT TRAVELING! Jes (the Latin ‘yes’, not a typo), there is much to be said about traveling. But writing about it, or about anything actually, takes in a lot of effort. Being that said, this task is nothing original (but what is besides Nescafe original 3 in 1 coffee that taste blegh!? I would still drink it though), but will still be hard for me that usually blogs once a month.  

So what’s the tizzle of this chizzle (target of this challenge)? Well, to improve my grammar of course! And to make myself familiar with English writing, terms, getting use to express my thoughts and points, and to be able to cook (which is totally out of topic but I’m just saying).

One of my tactics to ace this task of mine is to write slower. I wish I was a high paid executive secretary so I can type 3 gazillion words in 10 seconds, but I’m not, and my job doesn’t demand it. But apparently when I write, I imagine being one. I’m not sure why. I write really fast and I miss letters, words, and my favorite button is the ‘backspace’. Then it becomes more of a ramble than something worth reading. I don’t think being able to type fast is cool, but I just wanna be able to catch whatever is in my mind (wow, I just typed that sentence without any ‘backspace’, such an achievement! Trumpets, please!). I’m a scatter thinker and ideas are easily found as they easily disappear.  So, I have to catch those ideas while they’re in my head but it really doesn’t help the quality of what is actually being said. Am I already in circles?  

During and after the challenge I will evaluate the writings with my English teachers (including ikansapi if she is willing) and see the progress I have made. Writings will include blogs here (still in line with the idea of this blog), Indohoy writings, and other things that will probably be mentioned here … but not necessarily. I will, however, report if I fail to miss a writing schedule.

To whoever you are, you’re welcome to criticize and give advice. I’m all for it. Just don’t pick your bellybutton and then tell me about it. That’s just wrong. *Slap! (Ok.. Ok… I’m back on track) I hope the slogan practice makes perfects work here.

By the time you reach this sentence, consider yourself already involved in the challenge. You just read my first writing. What did you think 'Mister with mask and goggles on underwater'?

Olrighty then. See you Tuesday!

Another Birthday Blog! Yay!!!

Yaps I’m 31 today. And how is it being 31? Well to be honest, it’s no different than any other day J. It’s not a drastic change like turning from 20 something to 30 something. It’s just today. And I did pass the day as an ordinary day.

Or so I thought?!

After dinner, surprisingly, the guys prepared a little ‘fun’ for my B’day. They ambushed me with raw cake dough, flour, and cake icing. Then of course we had a little war, which ended with a few ‘casualties’, but it was all fun. I looked like a horrific witch after the war with my hair all curly and big.

I don’t know why the guys think that I don’t deserve a nice sweet birthday party, one with a cake, friends surrounding, candles, decorations, and PRESENTS!!! What kind of girl do they take me for? Ugh! Khihihihi… No seriously?!

Man, I had to wash my hair 6 or 7 times just to get the egg stench out of it. Blegh! And I’m still not convince that it’s all out. Some of my hair feels different. Is it suppose to feel like this? 

But I couldn’t stop smiling in the shower. It was an awesome 30 minutes, just the right closure for the night. And you know what, no one is too old for this. One can be to ‘serious’ but never too old. I’m glad everyone had fun; and a second shower!

So, I heard they’re making it in to abbreviation: HBD? Come on people! Really?! Make some effort to write ‘Happy Birthday!’