A Blast from the Past :)

‘I love climbing

because it feels so good when I stop …’

(Karl “we’re all nuts” Baba)

Yes, I was a climber :)

In the Eyes of a Journalist

Last night I read Joe Sacco’s Palestine which I borrowed from my brother. This graphic novel told about a nationalism of the forgotten country. Well, there are hundreds authors wrote about Palestine so far but, in my opinion, Sacco did it better. By combining techniques of eye witness reportage with the medium of comics storytelling, Sacco deeply explored the complex, emotionally weighted situation of Palestine. He had spent two months (winter 1991-1992) in Israel and the occupied territories, traveling from one refugee camp to others and taking notes.

            Joe Sacco (right side in the pic) is a cartoonist and journalist. Everything he had worked on Palestine was simply everything what he had heard and witnessed during his Mid-Eastern jaunt. His Palestine then set new standards for the use of comic as a documentary medium. Through his eyes I could see the brutal torturing and pure cruelty happened in Palestine. However, in working on his project, Sacco viewed the object from two different sides: Palestinian and Israeli. He kept himself to be always in the rule of journalism.

            Being journalist is something serious. It needs not only most of your time and energy but also a heart full of sincerity. Your brilliant brain won’t help too much if you don’t have sharp eyes to observe and two ears which are ready to listen. For me, a journalist is more than a professional status people give to someone who reports news. It means prestige and adventure.

            At the age 25 (twelve years ago), I really didn’t have any good reason why I decided to be a journalist. I just sent my application and CV to the local leading newspaper. A week later, I took series of test together with other nine applicants. I was the only female there. And surprisingly, after three days waiting, I was accepted as a journalist.

            Actually, I liked the way a journalist worked. Though I was the only female, my five senior journalists were good friends to share ideas and experiences. I enjoyed the times of we were news-hunting and having fun while I was sitting in front of the compy to prepare my reports. But still, being a journalist was too hard for me.

            I am not truly a late person. Less of sleep made me easily get sick and weak. I wasn’t that tough. In my fifth month working, I gave up although my five seniors did the best to pursue me to stay. Amazingly, they didn’t do it just because what I’ve done, but it was mainly because we were team.

            Last night while I was reading Joe Sacco’s Palestine, I remembered my five seniors. How I learned so much from them. They gave me such an unforgettable experience during the five months I was there. I will always remember those sleepless nights we spent together with cups of coffee (no cigarettes please :p).

            I found Joe Sacco’s soul inside them. Thanks for had been there when I needed support and comfort. I wish you more than luck pals!

           

(Truly dedicated to my five Joe Saccos: Mr. Moenir, Brother Ajid, Brother Rudy, Brother Ono and Faisal)

Photo courtesy http://www.virginmedia.com/images/eyes430x300.jpg

Untitled

Some times ago I felt bored of my ordinary life. It was not fun. Everywhere I went people would ask the same question, “When will you get married?”

            Well of course they had different way in asking this question, like these:

Ø  “What’s up? Ready to get married?” (this was my college friends)

Ø  “Have you found your Superman dear?” (this was sister Hanim, my trip-to-Singapore-soul mate)

Ø  “So when …?” (this was brother Hasan Firdaus. I don’t even need the next words to make sure :p)

Ø  “You’ll remember inviting us for the D-day, right?” (this was my graduate students. You know, they blinked one eye while they were saying those words!)

Ø   “Please, it’s impossible for you to marry that Spencer Reid!” (hahaha, this was sister Mei, one of my BFFs)

Ø  “Sis, my friend’s seeking for woman to be his wife. Wanna try?” (gee, this one was sister Emil)

Ø  And so on, and so on!

Gosh! They made those simple questions so hard to answer. Wanna know what my answers were? I answered like this (based on the list of question above):

Ø  “Sure I am ready. When do you think it’s good? Next year? Next week?”

Ø  “Sorry, my Superman’s still busy helping people all around the world. Do I have choice?”

Ø  “When the time is right for me exactly. Am I right?”

Ø  “Will you be there on the D-day if I invite you guys?”

Ø  “Come on, how can you be so sure that MGG won’t marry me?”

Ø  “Try? Do you think just try is a good idea?”

Ø  And so on, and so on.

I always ended each answer with another question for them. I don’t know whether it’s a kind of creativity or it’s just the way I escape myself from those question. Well I don’t want to spend my days thinking only about the answer of those questions. Life is too short. If they really want to know the answers, all they have to do is waiting for the right time, like I do now. 

Or …, when I and my friends sit together, I show them the pics of Dr. Spencer Reid I saved on mobile phone and seriously say, ”Look, this is my darling pic.”

It may sound silly but, believe it or not, I enjoy looking at the frown on my friends’ face when they find that cute handsome guy on my mobile phone. Hahaha.

I have learned that happiness truly comes from the heart. You’ll be happy when you think you are happy. It doesn’t matter if you are single or married. But still I do believe if we have someone special to share this life, we’ll find the complete happiness in this life. So, there’s no reason for me to be unhappy. The next thing to do is to complete my happiness by thinking positive. Allah will never leave me, though for a while. Bless me always …

Looking to the World

Every one of us has two eyes to see all visible things around us. But, this world won’t seem the same in one’s eyes to others'. It’s like viewing a diamond from many different angles and so its facet will show us different color shines. It could be silvery white, glamorous red or just shade of purple.

            For me the world is like an open dictionary where I can find millions words to write. I love ‘reading’ every moment happen to my life then translating them into words on my daily journal. Those words enable me to share a piece of my life and ideas to others. Those words, in fact, often come instinctively to me anytime anywhere. All the things I put in my journal is exactly the world I see through my two eyes.

            Anyway, the way I see the world must be different from a photographer. Scott is the example. This friendly Californian guy really makes this world an artistic object of his work. Through his eyes, this old world looks more colorful as captured in his pictures. Once I visited his site I found that he worked hard to get those beautiful moments of his world. He doesn’t need words to describe but his pictures can ‘speak’ deeper than the millions words I write. It’s such a wonderful job.

            As an outdoor photographer, (I think) Scott spends most of his times hunting   spectacular sunsets and sunrises somewhere. Sometimes he should struggle with the inclement weather outside just to get a chance for a dramatic photograph. Well, I love outdoor activities too. I had many times hiking under the rain. I struggled for survival in the heart of Mount Argopuro and injured my left ankle on my last climbing session. Even though I had seen sunrise for hundred times I haven’t been able to tell it gracefully on my words. It needs more than words since people all over the world speak in different languages. Pictures are universal.

Scott is lucky having that graceful photography skill. And I am lucky to know him. I just surprised finding his comment on one of my blog entry just one day after I visited his site. Not only that, he also quoted my words and put a link to my blog. I personally want him to know how it was a privilege for me, indeed. For all the nice and bad weather he had been in during his work I want to say that he’s a kind of person who always see the world through his very eyes. Well done!