So I was wandering around, a lot of window shopping..hell, can’t buy but nothing can stop you from staring at it, right? From shirts to jackets, from socks to underwear, from stationaries to shoes….basically anything a mall can offer, I’ll take it! After I realized that I’m not such a good window shopper, I went to Wendys, resting my legs a bit. I ordered my usual meal and took a sit on my usual table near the window, and that’s when it started to rain. Not a heavy one, but enough to get your shirt soaked. So I gazed into the rain, thinking about nothing but chewing..yeah, when your mind stop processing, it doesn’t mean your mouth has to stop chewing, right?

A little bit, “oohh I wish you’re here right now” thought crossing my mind. Especially if you’re the only person sitting alone on a table in a place full of couples. Yeahh…you know how it feels, right? And suddenly it was 9 and the rain has stopped. Easy way to kill times, huh?!

So back to original story (sorry, took you guys on detour a bit), I walked my way home. I could took a bus, but I didn’t, coz sometimes…man needs his walks. I put on my earphone, set “How to Save  a Life” by The Fray on repeat-mode..and just walking. I love the smell after the rain, how you can still touch the water on a flower, feel the night breeze clinging at your neck, how you put your hands inside your pocket just keep them warm, it’s a simple perfect me time. And suddenly I realized that there’s this woman has been walking in front of me, alone. Nooo nooo…I’m not a stalker…not yet :p

She stopped. Just stood there for a while and…..it made me stopped too, wondering what’s stopping her so sudden. Then she has her phone ready, pointing at the sky…with a very bright beautiful full-moon hanging on it. And God, it was damn very beautiful, so damn beautiful. From the spot I stood, there’s this tree where its branches are quite wide with the not-so-much leafs around. And I can see how the moon light are going through them, how it paints the dark sky with its white lights. I was speechless, and I’m sure that woman too. I’d like to take a picture at the time, but I know my phone is not adequate enough to capture that moment.

So I run to home…instead of walking, I started running leaving the woman behind since I have a purpose to go home now, to grab my “real” camera and shoot the sky. It took about 7 mins of running and 10 mins of preparation to get me on the street again. My bladder really took its time. Then I tried to find a good spot…A bridge (got no idea why)

I set up my camera with its tripod. Ready, pointing at the sky. But as always…shit happens. It’s getting dark, the cloud was clouding the moon. It’s like, “Naahhh…I’m not gonna make it easy for you Riki. You had your chance before!!”. So I waited, took quite a lot of stupid ugly pictures for about 30 mins. And I can see a lot of “what the hell is this guy doing on a bridge, at night, with a camera” faces from people who passed me by. Especially this hot chick with sexy top with a mini skirt…haha…yeahh..I did make her scared. She tried to pull down her skirt to cover more, which at some point is useless, it’s not a rubber, Woman!! Get your mind right a bit, will ya!! Well, it got me thinking, maybe it’s something God offers me, instead of taking good night sky pictures, maybe it’s time for good legs pictures? Me gusta!! *smirk

But no…sadly speaking, I still have a bit of my conscious ruling my mind. So I keep waiting. Now…with doing nothing. Just sit there (on the stairs of a bridge) and wait. It’s funny, because it’s pretty much like fishing, but….instead of a flowing river, it was a road, with cars, buses and motorcycles flowing from one direction to another. Ahhhh…the art of doing nothing.

And suddenly I have this moment. The sky was clearer. So hit that button countlessly. Changing the aperture and shutter speed just to get it right. Trying to get the details right. But damn, it was difficult. Sometimes it’s blur, shaky, too bright, too dark…you know! For about 10 mins then I stopped. It’s not possible anymore to continue, it’s getting rain again. So I collected my things and rushed home.

Talked about it with my girlfriend. How I feel like loosing the edge…the sense…about photography. And she said, “You’ll do better”. Yeah…I’ll do better next time.

So this is the picture that made me blogging again after quite a while.

Happy 16 sweetheart

So this is it..hope you’ll find it “helpful”.. Enjoy

The Indian Secret to a Long Marriage!

At The Swami Narayan Temple in Neasden London, they have weekly husbands marriage seminars.

At the session last week, the priest asked Popatbhai, who said he was approaching his 50th wedding anniversary, to take a few minutes and share some insight into how he had managed to stay married to the same woman all these years.

Popatbhai replied to the assembled husbands, “Well, I’ve tried to treat her nice, spend money on her, but best of all is, I took her to Bombay for the 25th anniversary!”

The priest responded, “Popatbhai, you are an amazing inspiration to all the husbands here!
Please tell us what you are planning for your wife for your 50th anniversary?”

Popatbhai proudly replied, “I’m going back to Bombay to pick her up.”

Pikiranpun melayang ttg rencana-rencana kepulangan gue kali ini. Syukurnya sih sekarang udah eranya teknologi. Dengan bermodalkan internet & telepon, gue udah bisa cek sana-sini, cocoklah dengan kondisi gue yg terperangkap jauh dari peradaban sperti ini. But now, honestly, bisa dibilang semuanya berantakan. Persiapan-persiapan yg udah dilakukan pun berasa ga berarti. Angan-angan, asa, harapan atau apapun itu namanya, berasa kandas sebelum terbang. It really sucks!!

Kalau ditelaah, mungkin salahnya adalah berharap yg berlebihan. Belon juga hari-h, udah ngebayangin yg indah-indahnya, yg seru-serunya, yg manis-manisnya, yg enak-enaknya, yg bagus-bagusnya…tp lupa kalo bisa aja, itu semua jadi hanya tinggal rencana. Lupa kalo ga selamanya segala sesuatu berjalan sesuai rencana. Lupa kalo ga ada yg pasti di dunia ini.

Plan for the best, prepare for the worst…And I did plan it best, but I really didn’t prepare for the worst…in fact, I didn’t even prepare for the bad!!

And now, I really don’t know what to do…I try to build up my mood again…but man, it’s hard!!

She’s all laid up in bed with a broken heart
While I’m drinking Jack all alone in my local bar and we don’t know how
How we got into this mad situation, only doing things out of frustration
Trying to make it work, but man, these times are hard!

She needs me now but I can’t seem to find the time
I got a new job now on the unemployment line and we don’t know how
How we got into this mess, is it God’s test?
Someone help us ’cause we’re doing our best
Trying to make it work, but man, these times are hard!

But we’re gonna stop by drinking our cheap bottles of wine
Sit talking up all night, saying things we haven’t for a while, a while, yeah
We’re smiling but we’re close to tears, even after all these years
We just now got the feeling that we’re meeting for the first time

She’s in line at the dole with her head held high
While I just lost my job but didn’t lose my pride, and we both know how
How we’re going to make it work when it hurts, when you pick yourself up you get kicked to the dirt
Trying to make it work, but man, these times are hard!

But we’re gonna start by drinking our cheap bottles of wine
Sit talking up all night, doing things we haven’t for a while, a while, yeah
We’re smiling but we’re close to tears, even after all these years
We just now got the feeling that we’re meeting for the first time

Drinking our cheap bottles of wine
Sit talking up all night, saying things we haven’t for a while, a while, yeah
We’re smiling but we’re close to tears, even after all these years
We just now got the feeling that we’re meeting for the first time

For the first time
Oh, for the first time
Yeah, for the first time
We just now got the feeling that we’re meeting for the first time

Oh, these times are hard, yeah, they’re making us crazy
Don’t give up on me, baby
Oh, these times are hard, yeah, they’re making us crazy
Don’t give up on me, baby
Oh, these times are hard, yeah, they’re making us crazy
Don’t give up on me, baby
Oh, these times are hard, yeah, they’re making us crazy
Don’t give up on me, baby

“F*cking” is one of those f*cking words that can f*cking be put any f*cking where in a f*cking sentence and it f*cking still makes f*cking sense!

And then I ask, “So what does it mean?”

Then my colleague replied, “It is something about ‘asking’. The meaning is….well, I’ll just write it down.”

So I took another picture.

If, somehow, you can’t read it clearly, here is what it says:

There are many innovations in the world, all it started by asking.

If you are working very hard but don’t get what you want, it is because you never ask.

Smart people ask smart question, stupid people ask stupid question.

You can get what you want, as long as you ask.

So…ask!!

Just wanna say, “Happy 9 for us”..

just another random shoot

Malam itu tak tampak berbeda, hanya gue yg sedang duduk di depan meja komputer sambil ngerjain tugas sederhana. Duduk sambil membelakangi tempat tidur yg merapat ke dinding di sebelah sana, sesekali bergumam mengikuti alunan nada, mencoba synced walaupun hanya beberapa kata saja, sisanya, hanya na-na-na dan suara tombol keyboard yg mulai merana. Dari jendela, tak ada aktifitas yg terlihat di lorong kosan itu. Yeib, tak tampak berbeda, hanya gue yg biasanya, di dalam ruangan 3x4m yg biasanya.

“Rik…makan yok!!“, tiba-tiba Gilang memecah ritme malam itu.

Ni anak emang misterius, dengan wajah mulus, tingkat intelegensia yg bagus, sering ngomong serius, udah jadi sahabat gue sejak Agustus, dan sama-sama kuliah dgn gue di Binus, tp sayangnya ga kurus. Entah kapan dia buka pintu kamarnya, tau-tau dia udah nongolin kepalanya di pintu kamar gue. Separuh badan di luar, separuh badan di dalam.

“Ayoklah“, jawab gue….singkat.

Pun akhirnya malam itu diputuskan untuk makan Sate Ayam. Bukan yg mewah, tp versi pinggiran gang, yg mejanya ditata di atas selokan, yg jadi arena balap tikus-tikus malam selokan perkotaan. Entah siapa nama penjualnya, tp yg jelas kita emang sering makan di sana, nyaman dengan harga dan rasanya. Terlebih, kalo mesan sate, nasinya boleh minta dikasih kuah sup tanpa ada bayaran ekstra. Lumayan, nambahin rasa.

“Sate Ayam 2, Mas, 1 lg Sate Kambing“, pesan Eka, salah satu penghuni kosan yg sama.

Mungkin dari kita bertiga, dia yg paling fangkeh, ceria, demen maen bola, suka amat becanda, jago pula metik gitar. Ga jarang perilaku sederhananya dia bisa bikin gue ngakak sengakak ngakaknya. Gue ingat ketika waktu itu kita sedang jalan pulang sehabis kuliah. Di perjalanan siang bolong yg terik itu, terlihat seekor kucing sedang santai tertidur pulas di depan rumah tetangga..tanpa merasa berdosa, dia hampiri dan noyor kucingnya. Kemudian berlalu begitu aja…Sempat bertanya-tanya, “Apa sih salah si kucing nya?”

Ga lama, pesanan pun tiba. Sperti biasa, si Mas-nya nanya, “Minum apa?“. Berharap ada pesanan lain yg menambah rejekinya malam itu. Tp sayangnya salah orang. Kita bertiga hanya mahasiswa biasa yg mengerti betul arti Rp. 1.500,- untuk sekedar meredakan dahaga. “Air putih aja, Mas“, jawab kita kompak.

Lahap…itulah kata yg tepat untuk menggambarkan suasananya. Tak peduli apa bahan pembicaraannya, tp masing-masing dari kita sibuk mengunyah. Suapan demi suapan, kunyahan demi kunyahan. Rasa bumbu kacang bercampur kuah sup benar-benar menambah selera. Terlebih ketika melihat Gilang & Eka menarik putus daging yg menempel di tusuk sate dengan mulutnya, sungguh-sungguh menambah tingkat kepuasan terhadap makanan sederhana penuh karbon ini. Sebenarnya pengen ikutan berpartisipasi dalam adegan menarik sate pake mulut tadi, tp gue ga biasa tuh. Mungkin karna faktor gigi gue yg ga sekuat mereka, ato emang gue ga suka keliatan barbar…entahlah. Yg jelas, gue selalu narik putus dagingnya pake sendok, per tiap tusuknya.

“Ah…elu mah takut susuknya luntur yak?“, kali ini giliran Eka yg  memecah ritme malam itu.

Tak ada balasan yg terlontar dari mulut gue, hanya tawa. Karna kita semua juga tau, semua itu hanya candaan belaka. Terkadang posisi korban di sini memang dibutuhkan untuk menimbulkan tawa. Pun Mas-nya juga ikut terhibur melihatnya.

* * *

“Haaaattcchiiimm!!“, tiba-tiba hidung gue ikut berpartisipasi dalam agenda malam itu. Bukan direncanakan, purely spontanitas. Seharusnya gue udah bisa mengantisipasinya, karna gejalanya udah berasa sejak suapan ke-n yg berapa. Hidung & mata mulai berair, nafas pun sudah mulai susah….tipikal. Dan syukurnya ada gulungan tissue yg-seharusnya-bukan-buat-di-meja-makan tergeletak di sana. Gue ambil, sobek sebanyak 2 lipatan, dan mulai melap hidung & mata…dan sedikit cairan dari hidung td yg terlempar hingga ke lengan.

“Ka…tolong air donk!“, pinta gue ke Eka.

Gue tuang perlahan mengisi gelas yg udah kosong di hadapan. Walaupun rasa air-nya aneh, khas pinggiran jalan, tetep aja gue butuh minum. Sekedar menurunkan makanan yg rasanya begitu menyedak di tenggorokan gue. Setenggak dua tenggak, akhirnya makan pun dilanjutkan. Well, gue finish terakhir anyway…

Ya….gue ga pernah bisa makan cepat..

#2005

Njing…siang itu terik bgt. Seharusnya ga perlu mengumpat, seharusnya itu bukan hal yg aneh, seharusnya itu udah biasa. Ya mau gimana lagi, secara kamar gue di lantai 2, langsung kena sinar matahari, ga ada AC pula, cuma punya kipas angin yg muterin udara panas, ya pasti panaslah.

Standar anak kosan kalo hari libur ato ga ada kuliah, bangunnya pasti siang, tanpa beban, tanpa dosa. Terlebih kosan gue yg sekarang lebih homy. Karena di komplek perumahan, dan hanya ada 4 kamar, 2 di lantai bawah dan 2 di lantai atas, dan itupun bangunannya terpisah dari bangunan si empunya rumah…jadi yaaa…suka-suka aja.

Dipicu oleh perut yg mulai ribut, dan emang udah jam 3 pula, gue inisiatif turun buat ngajakin anak-anak yg lain makan siang, atau apapun itu namanya.

“Woi Lang, makan yok!“, giliran gue yg ngajakin Gilang buat makan.

“Gue kira udah ga butuh makan lagi lo!“, balas Gilang sekenanya.

Ga lupa gue ajak si Bro buat join makan siang, atau apapun itu namanya. Well, yg pasti namanya sih Enggal, tp kalo kenalin diri ke orang-orang, ngakunya Oki, tp justru sering dipanggil Bro ama kita-kita. Weird guy!

Dan kitapun jalan menembus terik hingga akhirnya sampai ke tujuan, Rumah Makan Padang ACC. Letaknya ga begitu jauh dari kosan, dan pas di pinggir jalan raya. Tampak depan sih biasa aja, tapi begitu masuk…..keliatan kurang dari biasa. Lantai yg gelap, dinding yg kusam, kipas angin yg seadanya, tampang pekerjanya yg gue yakin ga bakal pernah gue buat jadiin poster di kamar gue…yahh…standar lah. Entah kenapa gue ga bisa berpaling dari rumah makan ini. Mungkin aja karna ada keterikatan emosional, secara gue jg orang Minang, jd lebih prefer pedesnya rumah makan Padang dibanding manisnya warteg.

Biasanya sih kita pada mesen ayam..terus pake Kerupuk Jangek atau Kerupuk Kulit disiram kuah gulai..khas bgt. Ampe uda-uda-nya juga udah paham betul dgn perangai kita. Setelah ambil pesanan, kita pun duduk di meja. Langsung disampering ama uda yg lain, “Aa’ minumnyo?” (minumnya apa)

Berharap ada pesanan lain yg menambah rejekinya siang itu. Tp sayangnya salah orang. Kita bertiga hanya mahasiswa biasa yg mengerti betul arti Rp. 2.000,- untuk sekedar meredakan dahaga. “Es teh tawar aja, Da“, jawab kita kompak.

Lahap…itulah kata yg tepat untuk menggambarkan suasananya. Tak peduli apa bahan pembicaraannya, tp masing-masing dari kita sibuk mengunyah. Suapan demi suapan, kunyahan demi kunyahan. Rasa ayam bercampur kuah gulai dan sambal lado extra Kerupuk Jangek td benar-benar menambah selera. Terlebih ketika melihat Gilang & Bro ngasih kode ke uda-nya buat minta tambahan nasi, sungguh-sungguh menambah tingkat kepuasan terhadap makanan sederhana penuh kolesterol ini. Sebenarnya sih pengen ikutan berpartisipasi dalam adegan nambah tadi, tp ga bisa tuh. Mungkin karna emang faktor besar tubuh gue yg ga sebesar mereka, ato emang karna gue udah kelabakan buat ngabisin yg ada. Yg jelas, gue ga ikutan ngasih kode, ato sperti yg di iklan tipi, “Tambuah ciek, Da!”

* * *

“Kenapa lo, Rik?“, tanya Gilang yg  memecah ke-diam-an gue waktu itu.

Tak ada penjelasan yg terlontar dari mulut gue, hanya diam memaku. Karna kita semua juga tau, gue kenapa. Terkadang ke-diam-an gue di sini memang dibutuhkan untuk saat-saat seperti ini. Gue cuma diam, kedua tangan di atas meja sambil menahannya di mulut. Hidung & mata mulai berair, nafas pun sudah mulai susah….tipikal. Dan syukurnya ada tumpukan napkin tergeletak di sana. Gue ambil 1, dan mulai melap hidung & mata….

Gue minum es teh tawar yg ada di hadapan gue. Walaupun rasa teh-nya aneh, khas pinggiran jalan, tetep aja gue butuh minum. Sekedar menurunkan makanan yg rasanya begitu menyedak di tenggorokan gue. Semenit lima menit, akhirnya makan pun dilanjutkan. Well, gue finish terakhir anyway…

Ya….gue ga pernah bisa makan cepat..

#2006

Ada yg beda di malam itu, ada gue dan kedua orang tua, di rumah yg baru. Ternyata pas gue kuliah di Jakarta, orang tua gue sedang ngebangun rumah, yaaaa…secara yg lama udah di jual gitu! Masih berlokasi di Pekanbaru, dan memang rumahnya tak sebesar yg sebelumnya, halaman pun tak seluas  yg sebelumnya. Karna orang tua gue pikir, buat apa punya rumah besar-besar, toh anak-anak udah pada ga di rumah seperti dulu lg. Well, secara gue emang sedang liburan kuliah dan, malam itu kita ngobrol-ngobrol santai. Udah lama ga ngerasain makan malam dengan keluarga lagi.

Karna nyokap gue tau betul makanan favorit gue, antara Sardin atau Gule Santan Daging Burger, biasanya selalu ada menu itu tiap kali gue pulang. Dan kebetulan malam itu, ada Gule Santan Daging Burger.

Akrab…itulah kata yg tepat untuk menggambarkan suasananya. Tak peduli apa bahan pembicaraannya, tp masing-masing dari kita sibuk mengunyah. Suapan demi suapan, kunyahan demi kunyahan. Rasa daging bercampur kuah santan dan Kerupuk Rubik td benar-benar menambah selera. Terlebih ketika melihat bokap gue makan pake tangan langsung, sungguh-sungguh menambah tingkat kepuasan terhadap makanan sederhana penuh kolesterol ini. Sebenarnya sih pengen ikutan berpartisipasi dalam adegan makan pake tangan td, tp ga bisa tuh. Yaa..secara makanan gue berkuah parah gitu loh. Ampe bisa berenang..istilah tepatnya.

* * *

“Makanya, kalau mau makan berdoa dulu?“, tanya bokap yg  memecah ke-diam-an gue waktu itu.

Tak ada penjelasan yg terlontar dari mulut gue, hanya diam memaku. Karna cuma gue yg tau gue kenapa. Terkadang ke-diam-an gue di sini memang dibutuhkan untuk saat-saat seperti ini. Gue cuma diam, kedua tangan di atas meja sambil menahannya di mulut. Hidung & mata mulai berair, nafas pun sudah mulai susah….tipikal. Dan syukurnya ada kain lap tergeletak di sana. Gue ambil, dan mulai melap hidung & mata….

Gue minum es teh manis yg ada di hadapan gue. Terasa begitu nikmat, khas rumahan. Benar-benar berusaha untuk menurunkan paksa makanan yg rasanya begitu menyedak di tenggorokan gue. Semenit lima menit, akhirnya makan pun dilanjutkan. Well, gue finish terakhir anyway…

Ya….gue ga pernah bisa makan cepat..

gravity pulls and
we fall from the clouds
we prove to eachother
that we’re both human now
the time that we spent
trying to make sense of it all

now we walk together
knowing where we’ve been
knowing mistakes are being mistaken again
it’s in the past tense
there is no making sense of it now

in the still of your hands
anything can happen now
with every beat of my heart
love speaks in silence

in the still of your hands
anything is possible
with every beat of my heart

the time that we spent
trying to make sense, of it all

all that i’m asking for
is that you need nothing more
and nothing comes in between
our love and it’s fragile, see
all that i’m asking for
you’re all that i’m asking for

All That I’m Asking For – Lifehouse

Is it that hard to understand??