Remember The White Pebble

Hugh Macleod wrote about the white pebble over at Gapingvoid months ago. It doesnt matter if you are Christian or not, it is still a great advice.

Being Happy

When I put 'Happy:)' as my status yesterday, some of my guy friends asked if I already met the one. My gal friends asked what I did, or what I got that make me happy. Interesting reactions. I expected the other way around, or maybe it showed how well the gals know me.

Yesterday, I did mundane things and some of them didnt even go well, I didnt even have enough sleep the night before, but I felt as happy as when I was the US last year.

I feel I am more equanimous than I ever was in the last couple of years, and that's a very good sign. I am still scared about a lot of things, but there's positive vibes around that has been missing. Ok, not missing but I've been insensitive to it. And, no guys or things involved to get this happiness, which made it more genuine.

What make you happy?

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Years ago I wrote about where home is. I still dont know where it is. I think it was J who suggested getting a third option. I am still thinking about it. The thing is, I worried about mom & her health. Sure, she said she's ok about me away as long as :
1. I already got a job there, or/and
2. I got married and my hubby is over there.

I am not sure that she's really ok if I only fulfilled #1. Plus, most of the time I talked to someone about moving, they all talked about taking care of mom. But they are also the same people who keep saying that I dont need to listen to people, that I need to stop pleasing everyone. Is that mean I also dont need to listen to them?;)

How to Get the Price Down or If it's too Good to be True..

Our neighbor across the street just had been conned. A while back someone was interested in buying one of her houses, the one in Bekasi. When her daughter refused to sell that house before selling the one near Ciliwung river, that guy volunteered to buy both houses, and get this... he was willing to pay more than the asking price. Sweet.

I know you are all thinking, if it's too good to be true. But, hey, mrs H thought positive, people. After all, she had already won a car from a bank this year!

So, anyway, mrs. H. went to show both houses to this guy, who she said a Batak, that's the only thing I know about the guy. Then she heard nothing from him.

Fast forward a couple of weeks later, mrs H got a phone call from one of her neighbor in Bekasi who just got back from out of town asking if she already sold the house. "No", she said. "Oops", said the neighbor. Turns out, her house was already gone. It's literally gone with only the foundation left. She frantically went there to check things out.

According to some of the neighbors, this group of 6 Madurese people did the demolition in 5 days flat (no pun intended). When some of the neighbors asked them, one of them said he already bought the house. Since people saw mrs. H was showing the house, they thought nothing of it, and didnt bother asking her. Three trucks load later, the house was gone. They took practically all with them. When it was too much to load into the truck, they gave away some bricks to the neighbors, and did some land filling in the neighborhood with some of the rubble.

When mrs. H reported the whole thing to the police, one of the guys said that in 30 years he's been in the force he never heard something like this. As mrs H has no idea the real identity of that Batak guy she met, the chance is small getting him to pay for what he's done to her house. That property price, I should say the plot of land price is slashed by around the third by this.

However, the story didnt end there. When mrs H checked her other house, the neighbor said someone claimed he already paid the down payment for it. Later on the guy still came back trying to get to the locked house!

Mrs H. said she's been tested by gawd. I said easy come, easy go.. from what I understand the late mr. H was not very kosher in gathering his means.

Being There

I love technology. I dont always own the newest or bestest gadget, but I love technology. I thank gawd for internet becausef it I am still in close connection with my friends & family abroad. But technology also have its dark side. It can disconnect people too. I noticed it more in Indonesia than in NL.

When I hung out with my friends in lowland, we were really talking, laughing, having a good time. Sure, every now and then someone would check their mobile or answered a call. When I hung out with my friends in Indonesia, there's always moment where all of the sudden everyone is checking their mobile or blackberry, or both and becoming oblivious of their surrounding. Those with blackberries are the worse. If it is so important BBM-ing, why are you bother meeting me? We might as well chat online. I am very good at it, with years of experience behind my back. And I dont have to dress up, put on some make up and go out of my way to see you chatting with someone else.

Why cant people just be there where they are, fully present?