Natural Disaster

At 1.20 am today I received a text message from my mate in KL.

My building is shaking. What's the damage on your end?

We are only recovering from the Dec 26 event, only to be tried again with another natural disaster. The current death toll stands at about 2000 people, but I'm sure the number will increase. Cherish the moments and live life knowing that anytime anything could happen. I want to be able to say that I have no regrets. How about you?

So far, I have none.

Friends

Tell me when will you be mine
Tell me quando, quando, quando
We can share a love divine
Please don't make me wait again..

-Quando, quando, quando
by Michael Buble


Recently I spent a week in Kuala Lumpur for business. I have many friends in KL, but there are 2 in particular that I was dying to see. One guy is a buddy of mine from Melbourne who's relocating himself to KL in search for better work and to be with his girlfriend. He seemed overworked but nonetheless happy and content. The other one is a local art director who was one of my first friends in the industry. He just ended a 2 year relationship with a girl.

I have nothing against my friends being in a relationship. I have even managed to understand that when they're supposedly 'serious' they tend to forget about their friends. But as I rejoice the lifelong relationship of my Melbourne mate, I cheered even more for the break up of my art director friend. I love him to death and I want him to be happy. I know he is happier now; back to his silly fucker-self and I just love it!! There's nothing better than a good friendship, and now I feel like for a brief moment I own them back. Until the next girl comes along...

With him and another friend, we hung out and just talked about anything and nothing. Cars, girls, guys, sex, and music, only to name a few. We spent sleepless nights smoking, listening to music, ripping CDs, stealing songs from each other's iPod. It felt like things were exactly the same as they were when we started hanging out 4 years ago. When we were just us.

When you can just be with each other; accept him/her for the person that he/she is,... that's when you know that you've got a friend. Nothing beats that.

I salute my dear friends, near or far...
You are always in my heart...

Rushing The Dead

Saturday morning traffic is normally a cerished experience because it's such a change from a normal drive weekdays drive to the office. However, this morning's drive was filled with rude curses and loud yells. As the car slowly moved closer, I found out what the problem was. In the intersection where I was supposed to turn right, a few motorcycles blocked the street and a few guys waving a yellow flag. A yellow flag in this town means death. Waving yellow flag in the street means that a funeral procession is coming through.

Jakarta streets are always busy. A hold up even for something like that can caused a jam miles away, especially when it is on a big intersection. That was exactly what happened. The funeral procession blocked the streets and caused a serious jam. The entourage can not be broken up by traffic lights. The motorcycles placed in strategic positions ensured that.

I wonder why...

When you're dead, nobody waits for you anymore. You don't have to make your appointments with God right on the dot. As your time in this earth ended, you simply stop being important. I mean this with no disrespect, but seriously I think other living human beings should have a higher priority. When one is dead, he/she should not cause more discomfort to others. After all, what are you rushing for?

What do you think??

Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind

Jim Carrey is my least favourite actor in the world.

It is largely because of this that I have been putting off watching Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, regardless of the raving reviews from the public. The night I did, I was totally blown away...

A relationship does not come easy. Never is. Never will be. It is a lifelong process; hence, commitment is imperative for any relationship to work. We often take things for granted; our health, our partner, our job, our family. When we are hurt, we selfishly just want to get rid of the pain, all the way to the core. Forgetting that by erasing the core of the pain means getting rid of those, who at different times bring us love.

ESTSM speaks to me because it reminds me on how deep and how intricate love is; how fragile and how much grooming it needs. When you really love, it is beyond comprehension. That's why when you do, you just do. No explanation is needed. No science required. You simply do, and let love live.

I'M SICK OF...

Working on a Saturday when the Friday is a public holiday. It is office policy that has been going on since the first year I joined my company and I took it lying down. Most days when I have things to do, I have no problem but when all I have is admin stuff and other nonsense.... I HATE WORKING ON A SATURDAY. Picture this, I walked out of the house only to find my housemate lying down getting a massage. And I'm going to work. Yep, at 10 am.

Sigh.

The Godfather of Soul

JJ_2
Originally uploaded by Spunkycynth.

"It's James Brown man! I have to see him before he dies..."

The 72 year old man who's more than famous to people of all ages, in all parts of the world, performed twice in the wonderful Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta last weekend.

He has his own MC, 3 back up singers, 2 dancers, and a 6-piece band. His venue is the largest in the whole festival and rightly so. The show opened with the whole shebangs and he came out wearing a glitzy green tux which screams BLING! BLING! You can't miss the man, even if you're far away from the stage.

Although it was an experience watching a legend like James Brown performing, the show itself wasn't fantastic. The man constantly wanting to do 'his thing', but hearing a 72 year old man singing Sex Machine and I Feel Good just didn't evoke me. He sang very little, hardly moved, and let his back up singers, dancers and fantastic musicians run the show for him. I think almost every song has got some sort of music solo in it.. After a while, you just go, "Oh, please... not again."

But I persisted. Because I was there for I Feel Good. I was there to see the Sex Machine, Living it in America!

I kept on thinking that he should retire, live according to his age, and just chill. That's what I called dignity. I thought I saw James Brown, but I didn't. I saw someone who tries too hard to live up to himself.

All that aside, I could say that I have seen The Godfather of Soul. And said it with pride, even if I didn't enjoy him that much. And I Feel Good.

3 DAYS OF MUSIC

JJ_1
Originally uploaded by Spunkycynth.