My Second Award

Several days ago, I received this nice award from an old friend now resides in USA. Actually, I'm quite ashamed for receiving it, since at that time I had been inactive in blogging. And then I read this note just below the award pict....

To receive this award your blog must be exceptional in design and content; presenting us with new knowledge, a sense of style, or at times just giving us a smile!

Hayahhhhhh....it made me wonder which one had made her gave me this award....hahaha...! Design? No way, her blog is much better looking than mine. I'm still looking a better way to improve the lay-out rather than the standard ones (sorry, Blogger Team...hehehe...!). The content in my blog is also standard, only my opinion about anything come through my mind at the moment. Although I've been trying to develop two blog with different, special subjects.

Presenting others with new knowledge? Maybe. Because the more you read my writing, maybe you'll get a glimpse of a real me inside, other than what I project everyday in public. That would be counted as knowledge, right? hahaha.... And the readers would certainly get a sense of my personal style in viewing this imperfect world for my content and happiness in life.

Finally, it would be my greatest hope that my writing is able to make others smile. In joy and gladness, I hope...hahaha...not in sinister way. No matter how sad my story is, in the end I would try to make a joke. It certainly would help myself raise from the ashes again and get ready to face a brand new day.

So, thank you, Mbak Fid for giving me such award. It has given me an incentive to keep on trying and writing. Hey, I want to monetize my blog someday! hahaha.....

The Time Lapse

It has been quite long since my last writing. The workload, the intensive choir rehearsals added to my Father's illness had drained my energy and writing mood. Sometimes the stress had bubbled an idea to be poured and shared. But it had become a blank mind no sooner than facing the computer screen. In fact, I just checked that there were several unfinished materials in my files, that I no longer had any idea how to finish it. I don't even know why I wrote it at the first place...hehehe...

Now, I'm determined to go back on the track and start to write again. But......how hard it is!!! My brain is frozen still, locked. Too much raw materials in it has made me blank, jumping from one idea to another and another. But I must take the first step now......and will take another tomorrow. Hehehe...must get some sleep now, or I'll be late tomorrow and having I-Hate-Monday Syndrome all day.....hahaha...and it won't do any good for everyone.

So, welcome me back in circulation!

A Friday Night Without Television

As a general rule, I'm not the one who spends most of the time watching television. I'd prefer listening to the radio, the activity that enable me to do something else altogether without ruining my concentration at all.

For quite a long time now, I am only depended on my MP-3 collections or television just to listen to some musics. My radio refused to make any voice at all. Pretty soon, I was bored listening to the MP-3, although it's all favourites. So, I turned to the television as my only savior in waiting for the sleepy come at night.

Last night, when I was reading my Twilight E-book in my laptop (again....hahaha...!) and trying to follow the story of Green Rose (a Korean drama) at a TV station altogether, suddenly the TV screen turned blue. Other colors was disappeared. Yep, my TV needs a repairman! And that couldn't be done in a sec!

So, this afternoon, home from the office, I faced a possibility of long night without any entertainment beside reading in silent. Very convenient time, when I was feeling so melancholic tonight! Or so I thought......

After dinner and a little chatting with Mom, I decided to read my Twilight E-book series (again.....hohoho...sorry, I still couldn't shake my addiction to it at all!) In waiting my rather ancient laptop to start its system, I thought how perfect it would if I could also listen to some oldies songs. So, in an attempt I turned on my radio. The cable power was loose, so I fastened it....need a little force, since I found it a little hard to attach the cable in place firmly. Suddenly the voice blasted on from its speakers. Yay, the radio is on! And I found a perfect station which played the needed songs....oldies and all about love!

So, I have found my little heaven today. The television could take the time as long as it's needed to get re-shape. I have my Twilight E-books, some other novels too just in case I would be tired sitting and reading on my laptop, and the radio singing the bunch of my favourite songs, more than my MP-3, with no time limits at all and without any rewind needed. Long live radio!!!!

Now, hush....one of my favourite songs is starting....... Smile for me...........

To vote or to abstain

Following the latest official advice from a certain religious organization here, and in anticipation of the upcoming national election for Indonesian House of Representative, there's a talk that the same organization would launch a new advice regarding the increasing tendency of abstention. One of my contact in another website has launched a pooling to see how people would react to the possibility.

I'm against the would-be-advice, but I also don't approve the abstention act.

I understand that one of the reasons why many people choose to be passive in an election is that none of the options available is in their favor. But then, we should choose any lesser of two devils, right? Like my motivation in registering as legal taxpayer, I think by voting we also gain some legal rights in criticizing the elected government. If one choose to abstain, the person shouldn't feel it's his right to also eat and enjoy some fruit of increasing prosperity. Nor it's his right to protest any of government's mismanagement causing him suffered. When one choose to abstain, the person also give up the right and responsibility in making sure the government run within his approval.

Then, why am I against any religious interference in this matter? Simple, because it is every one's right to vote or abstain. Even God give us each a free will to choose our own way, either go to Heaven or Hell or just follow any road in sight. The main thing is every option has its own consequences, and we each have to accept and deal with that.
For your information, none of my votes win any elections. Furthermore, lately I lacked information about who or what I should choose. But it doesn't lessen my enthusiasm in participating in the upcoming national election. Hmmm....I think I would give my vote to the same side as before. Curious? No way would you know.....it's strictly confidential...hahaha!

I'm legally a registered taxpayer!!!!

Okay, I should have shouted that days before now. Preferably at the beginning of this January. But due to my too deeply-immersed-reading the TWILIGHT SAGA, I put the idea to the dark corner of my mind. Oh well, it's not the only idea I neglected nowadays....

The SUNSET POLICY launched by the Government to double-up registered taxpayers last year had made me thinking and re-thinking every other day whether I should register or not. The tax value I should pay each year is definitely not much. And there's a possibility that I would be free from paying the annual tax next year, according to the new tax rules. What advantage or benefit would I gain from this small-yet-contains-a-risk step?

My motivation is quite simple. By taking this step, I would have a legal right to criticize the government, especially in its finance management. After all, it's our tax money they use for the operational. It's like saying, "Hey, you couldn't ignore my opinion! I have a legal proof that I had donated a part of my income for your convenience, no matter how little its value but I had had to work hard to earn it. You have received it, use it well within my approval!"

So, in the next two months I would be facing the complicated works of filling in the annual tax report. Not only for the company where I'm working, but also for myself. Hopefully, it would be quite as simple as I think.