Baiklah, Mulai Sekarang Aku akan Mengingatkamu....

Kalau temanku melakukan sesuatu yang kurang tepat menurutku, jarang sekali aku mengingatkan.

Bukan karena aku senang melihat temanku melakukan kejelekan, bukan! Apalagi karena ingin temanku jadi lebih jelek dari aku, tentu bukan. Aku tidak sejahat itu! Percayalah.

Aku tidak tahu pasti kenapa aku tidak suka mengingatkan orang, tapi kuduga sebabnya adalah karena aku merasa diriku sendiri belum beres dan aku sendiri tidak suka diingatkan. Apalagi oleh orang yang…ya, yang pernah kudapati melakukan ‘kesalahan yang perlu diingatkan’ yang kulakukan. Look at yourself first!

Yeah, tapi diingatkan itu perlu. Karena tidak mungkin kita tidak pernah melakukan kesalahan, kecerobohan, kekeliruan, dsb. Pada akhirnya aku biasanya berterima kasih pada mereka yang mengingatkanku, walaupun aku sering grudak-gruduk kesusu campur sok tahu, tapi mereka BERANI mengingatkan dengan JUJUR, TIDAK JAHAT karena membiarkanku melakukan kesalahan terus menerus, dan bukankah itu artinya mereka SAYANG TEMAN?

Jadi, mulai dari saat itu, kuputuskan untuk langsung mengingatkan sesuatu dari temanku yang kukira kurang pas. Bukan artinya aku jadi sok merasa benar, sudah pintar, merasa orang yang kuingatkan lebih rendah dari aku, dsb. Tapi aku akan mencoba mengingatkan dengan jujur, karena aku tidak ingin temanku terlihat konyol…

p.s:

Jadi teringat nasihat seseorang: Be your BEST self!

Terjemahan bebas: kita boleh introvert, enggak hobi ngomong, enggak suka masak, enggak bisa anteng, tapi terus kembangkan apapun yang bisa kita kembangkan dari diri kita. Sehingga walaupun introvert dan pendiam, tapi hidup kita sama suksesnya, bahagianya dan berartinya dengan mereka yang extrovert. Walaupun kita enggak suka masak tapi paling tidak kita bisa menjamin keselamatan orang-orang yang makan masakan kita (alias masakan kita layak makan dan orang-orang enggak jadi mabuk/keracunan setelah makan masakan kita, LOL). Walaupun kita enggak bisa anteng, tapi hidup kita tetap bebas dari masalah dan barang-barang yang kita sentuh enggak langsung jadi rusak, seperti layaknya orang-orang yang bisa duduk diam selama lebih dari 30 menit.

Robustness is Number One (Talking about Gadgets...)

I think I will never understand why someone sold his kidney to buy the latest Apple series (yea it’s really happened, you can search that story in the internet). I think it’s a real form of ‘jual diri’, sell everything you can sell to buy something. I don’t understand, what’s so important about the gadget that he decided that his health is less important than those gadgets? All right maybe the gadgets are fancy, have many features of advanced technology, will make his life easier etc etc, but sell a kidney? How if the organ donor procedure makes him sick someday, catch a complication or something? I am afraid that my brother will do the same thing. I will make him promise not to do that because he has a tendency to upgrade his mobile phone every time.

I am not a kind of person who spends the majority of her money to buy a latest gadget. If I decide to buy one, it must be something that I need. I don’t like to splurge my money on gadgets. Until this time I just own the same mobile phone that I’ve used since I was in the end of my high school (I bought it from my brother’s friend), a used net book that my father brought me from my brother’s friend too, a cheap AAA-batteries powered mp3 player that my brother gave me as a replacement gift because he lost my flash disk (the play button is broken so I have to pass my little finger to that tiny hole to play a song), and a digital camera that I bought almost 2 years ago (which is showing a sign of damage now T.T).

I don’t have a desire to upgrade my cell phone nor my net book. They fit me in many ways. My cell phone, for instance, have features that I need: 2 mega pixels camera and video recording, mp3 and 3gp player, internet browsing, Bluetooth, computer synchronization-able, reminder, alarm, and a few cute features I like: 12 emoticon templates for texting, front camera to be used as a secret mirror (actually that camera is intended to video calls, but I don’t activate 3G in my phone), and voice recording. I don’t think I need more features…they are enough for me. And my phone’s battery is enough to power my phone for two days (if I don’t spend four hours on my phone to chat every day…) so I don’t have to bring the charger everywhere. I’ve gotten so used with my phone that I can type a message and activate a few features without looking on the screen.

I had this phone since I was in high school. I remember that time, before graduation I thought that I would be free from the rule not to bring a camera phone to school! So I read some technology magazine (my brother’s own) to find the type I need. I found one, Sony Ericsson K610i. I thought it has features I wanted and the camera’s resolution is kind of advanced at that time (2 megapixels). I tried to find that type in my city with my brother but I didn’t find one. Apparently that type had been discontinued (the distributor didn’t sell that type again). I was still longing for that type and didn’t try to find another one because I really want that type so bad, hehe. Fortunately my brother told me that his friend had that phone and (maybe) wanted to sell that phone to buy a fancier one. So I asked my brother to persuade his friend to sell that phone. Finally his friend agreed and I bought that phone with my old phone and some fresh money from my savings.

The time his friend took that phone from his pocket, I was happy and surprised to know the phone’s color: it’s red! I thought the color would be average black or ordinary silver or something. The red is the kind of red I like! Accurately, the box said that the phone color is evening red. Whoa, and the model was even better than I imagined. My brother’s friend gave me some instruction on how to charge the battery, play MP3, etc. I didn’t pay too much attention at him honestly, because I was so glad to have a new phone I wanted, haha. As he left my house, I immediately test my phone: took a picture and video, transferred some MP3s and played it all over and over again, sent a message with emoticons, surfed the internet, etc.

As time goes by my phone accompanied my day faithfully, haha. I’ve had it since I was in high school, and now I am almost in my final year of my bachelor study. If it were a living thing, I would pay it so it will keep all of my secrets. Yeah it recorded my life and people communicating with me, who is intense and who isn’t. Who is intense in only a defined period of time and who is still communicating with me and maintaining a good silaturahmi with me. I’ve been laughing and crying with this phone. This phone has been a messenger who tells me good and bad news from people of my life. Until 29 June 2011, 3.00pm it has been sent 33384 text messages, received almost 69 hours of incoming calls, and used to make a 21.5 hours outgoing calls (I thought I seldom talking in the phone nowadays). And since some months ago, my phone has become a little bit busier; it sends about 1667 messages per month (I know that because I use SMS voucher almost every time and always buy that voucher every month now).

And the thing I love about my phone is, it’s so durable! Really, without an additional protection, it doesn’t damage even though I drop it to the floor so many times. I swear I never try to, but maybe I’m not a very careful person and my phone usually be the victim of my carelessness. Sometimes after it fallen to the floor or hit a hard thing, it would be turned off. But it will function normally soon after I turn it on. Sometimes it turn off by itself, errors when I access the contact information, and it can’t synchronize with my net book like usual so I can’t transfer my files to my net book, but I accept it with an understanding that this phone has been going through so much danger, like being dropped from above, fallen to the wet bathroom floor, used to call or browse the internet for hours until the battery is really, really hot like an iron, hit a hard objects unintentionally, etc.

A few times my brother tries to persuade me to buy a new one, fancier and a more advanced one. Sure there are some interesting features of other phones that my phone doesn’t have like Wi-Fi, camera with larger resolution, television, cuter emoticons for texting, a nice-looking messenger that keeps all of your texting histories (make it looks like you’re chatting instead of texting, like in iPhone or Android series), some of them even can read a PDF or office files…the list goes on because it’s impossible to fulfill all of my needs, but I think I don’t really need a new one. And I don’t really sure if those advanced phones are as robust as my phone. Its shiny touch screen, I can’t use it quickly and I might tear the crystal out from the screen at the first time I drop it to the floor. Its big and thin body maybe won’t fit in my jeans pocket. So, I want to keep this phone until its last breath! And if someday I have to buy a new phone, I will try to find a robust one like my current phone J

Essentials Fashion Items

Being girl, I think I have broader options of style to choose. Sporty with a jacket, feminine with a flowery blouse, glamorous with a gypsy-looking skirt, neat with a skirt and trousers, I can wear it all. But it’s our choice that defines our style, right?

When it comes to choose an outfit, the first thing I look for is comfort. I don’t like an outfit that is too tight/too loose from head to toe, has too much accent on it…well, I just don’t like it. So does a pair of outfit with colors that don’t go well each other. Usually I prefer one item to be pointed out, and the other things are supposed to be ‘inert’ or neutral items. For example, I like it when I see a girl wearing a bright, patterned skirt with a plain T-shirt (without any prints or motifs at all). The T-shirt is the neutral items, so the skirt will be flaunted well rather than suppressed by the shirt.

There are some items that I think, very essential for me. No, of course I won’t be dead or in a serious danger if I don’t have them, haha…but yeah, dressing have become a lot easier since I had them. Here are them:

1. Black cardigan
   Yeah yeah yeah, I like black cardigan so much. I even keep one in both of my closet (one in my home, one in my boarding room). It is so versatile; I can wear a dress, a shirt, T-shirt, sleeveless shirt (basically, any tops and dress) with black jilbab and black cardigan, and I am ready to go. If you are a jilbaber, a black cardigan with a medium length that falls comfortably in your body will be very useful. Heading out for dinner? Pull on a long skirt or jeans, black jilbab and cardigan. In a hurry to go to campus? Just wear a nice top inside (but not a T-shirt or tattered top so you won’t look like you’re heading out for dinner in warteg, haha). The top you’re wearing under cardigan will decide your looks: casual, semi formal, even formal. One of my friends even commented that I looked so ‘dress-up and formal’ in a day when I was wearing a flowery long dress, white jilbab and the same black cardigan (that I used to wear with my old T-shirt for buying dinner). That’s why I call it versatile items. Apparently white cardigan is not as versatile. And until this time I haven’t found a white cardigan that is thick enough and can cover my skin appropriately. White cardigans sold out there are kind of transparent I think.
   
   
2. Black jilbab
   For me, this item is the true match of black cardigan. And this color goes well with almost all color. So, if I am confused what color of jilbab will match with a certain top, I wear a black jilbab and it will be fine. Maybe not as matching, but it won’t look so unmatched too! As we all know black is a neutral color, beside white of course. But I don’t know why I prefer black jilbab than white ones. I used to think because black is my hair color so it would look natural on me (okay now I think that thought was weird, haha). Black absorbs almost 100% heat, while white absorbs almost 0%, so actually based on physics it will be more comfortable to wear white jilbab in a hot sunny day, but I still prefer black than white.
   
   
3. White/cream flats
   Who doesn’t like flats? They are so comfortable! And a pair of comfortable shoes is so important to me because I walk a lot. And to me, a comfortable shoe doesn’t always mean sneakers. I prefer comfortable flats than sneakers because flats are easier to take off and more suitable to my feminine style, hehe. Why white/cream colored? Because I think those colors are going well with any colors. I can wear it with jeans and T-shirt, skirt and shirt, also with dress, of any color. And like my other essentials fashion items, flats are versatile too. I can wear it to go to campus, to hang out, even in a formal occasion like a wedding ceremony. I think it’s more appropriate to wear a wedge heels (or a high heels!) in a wedding ceremony to show that you’re dressing up and honored because you’re invited by the host, but if you don’t have a chance to take that lovely pair from your shoes rack, wearing a flat shoes will be fine. Not great, but fine.

Yea, actually there are still many items that I can call essentials too, like a pair of jeans, long jeans skirt, wedge heels, skin-colored socks….the list goes on. But those three items are most essentials items, because of their versatility :)

This is mine, so...what are yours?

Appearance matters? It Does Matter

I think it’s acceptable for everyone, man and woman, to dress like they want. Sure there are some awkward moment when I see a man in magazines or internet wearing some…let’s say, feminine stuffs like glamorous bracelet, super bright colored top, etc, etc, but then I talk to myself that maybe that’s just his style. Sometimes I see a woman wearing a top that doesn’t go well with her skirt and think, why doesn’t she wear those colors instead of these colors? But then I think, how if she was in a hurry that she didn’t have enough time to dress nicely? If they are comfortable with what they’re wearing, then why I have to bother?

I, honestly, am a kind of person who takes my appearances seriously. Actually, it’s not unusual for me to think ‘what clothes will I wear tomorrow?’ before going to bed in the night. I don’t like to waste my time in front of my closet in the morning to think about what clothes will I wear today, so I always stuck to my plan: I always wear the clothes that I’ve planned the night before. And before leave my room, I make time to check myself in the mirror if I am ready to go (sounds silly, but...yea).

All right, they say that it’s personality that matters. But what I am sure is, if I can’t dress appropriately, then how will they sure that I am a person that is dependable and can take care of everything well? What I believe is, the way someone dress and take care of themselves, sometimes, can tell something about their personality, their view of themselves, and their integrity! That’s why a job seeker wears a professional-looking outfit, like blazer, ties, high pumps…you name it. That’s why bank tellers always dress nicely when they’re at work and meet their customers; wear their uniform neatly, do their hair/jilbab, wears appropriate make up, then wear a stocking and a matching shoes. I believe it’s a companies’ way to tell the customers that customers are important for them and they are ready to welcome them and give the best service!

I don’t think we have to spend hours in front of the mirror before heading out from our house every day, but wearing a comfortable, matching clothes will make us confident during the day without the need to pull our shirts (because it feels too short or something) or check our tops in front of the mirror. We don’t have to put on a lot of make-up, but a fresh looking face (with a smile!) and crack-free lips will be nice. We don’t have to smell like a mint leaves extract all day long, but I think it’s important not to smell bad :p So does a hand with clean, well-cut nails; it gives an impression that the owner is a clean, well-maintained person (take a good care of his/her health) and is able to take care things.

Well, that was just my opinion…keep being ourselves :)