Inspire Me

Inspirations

Last week was gratefully horrible. Horrible because I had a very, very hectic week. Stress overloaded. Challenges were there. Though I’m grateful cause I passed another stage what hard work is.

I have to admit that lately I had luck of inspiration. I need inspirations. Either in photography or in food. Right now, my eyes is lurking at Finn Beales, Emily Blincoe, and Julie’s Kitchen. Well, I can’t get rid my eyes off from Alice Gao (as always, iPhone pic above is inspired by her).

Gonna make salad for my breakfast since I have a looong way to 4 pm when I’ll resume work today (wish I could resume like that everyday!).

Breakfast Scenes Last Week

Jumping to this day from my last post is such a very, very bad thing. But I couldn’t blame myself ignoring this blog for a long due to my weeks was so so terribly hectic (for almost three weeks?damn!). Is there any other word instead of hectic if you had to work from Monday to Sunday, two weeks?. And I’ll have another crazy days this week. So, I better post this before I won’t have time just to share simply breakfast scenes like these (first time I tasted kiwi berries last week :)).

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And I hope I can do my best for all my projects this week. I believe I can do it.

Slowly Sunday

I always try to enjoy my off day, I mean, the real off day when I can wake up late and laze a whole day. When I knew that this Sunday I had no event outside, I decided to stay at home doing nothing. Woke up by 10 am after I spent Saturday night watching Jupiter Ascending (sadly, I missed Fifty Shades of Grey!), and for sure, enjoying early lunch with these on my table (I just realised that I didn’t bring some fruits yesterday, uh).

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Since I lost my Fossil (plus $100 plus my memory card inside, careless!), I hinge on my iPhone 6 more and more to take picture than on my mirrorless (I haven’t bought new memory card but I have for another Fossil, oops).

Here are some scenes I had last week, from ‘breakfast for the champion’, an afternoon with apple crumble and custard plus tea (best thing was on Monday noon when I had a half day), until juice party in the office (I snapped my ‘strawberry-blackberry-mango’ juice when my office was quite). All iPhone only.

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Sunday is almost over here, lemme laze and laze in my chill room cause tomorrow, my plate is full again with some deadlines. Oh, I wanna share some songs that stick in my head recently, they are just beyond brilliant!

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I Deserved

I’ll take you into these, and please imagine for me.

First.

You are chilling inside your room on Sunday noon. Crossing your legs on top of your bed, trying to relax a bit after you spent two hours cooking your lunch and cleaning your whole kitchen. Your mind is having ideas to enjoy the rest of your Sunday after you had a quite busy last week. Watching a movie in your MacBook, laying on your bed with hazelnut chocolate in your hand. Or, open your blog and try to write something before you meet with another deadlines the day after. Then, one hour later, your phone is ringing from your colleague. You are trying to not to worry that the calling is about, yep! about work. Until you realise that there is no choice but you have to rush for a meeting with a client.

You take your Zara tee, black jeans, and add a casual jacket in 10 seconds, trying to look smart yet not too formal. Then, your boss is calling your phone and tell you that you have to be in the meeting room for less that 45 minutes. The distance from where you are living to the hotel where you’ll meet with a bunch of politicians, it’s not near. It means you’ll be in a medium-high speed of vehicle for, let say 30 minutes. You realise that you do not have a personal driver that day to take you there. Instead, your boss send her driver for you so you can be there on time. Forget about your colleague, at least, there is somebody as a representative. Please take note, that you are a kind of person who hate lateness.

Arriving in the hotel and you realise that those politicians are not ready for the meeting. You try to call one of the top, I mean, the leader in that group, to let him know that you are there. You are waiting until you look at your wrist watch. 35 minutes past 5 pm, finally, your colleague whose house is so far, is there with you. Then, both of you are trying to cool down with those politicians after you meet them inside the meeting room. They say to you that you can wait outside. They want to do their intern meeting. Both of you are waiting until,……..three hours!. I hope you are not forget that this is Sunday. You are thanking to your instagram, twitter and pinterest cause they spend the time with you. You look at your colleague, she sleeps on the chair after trying to put powder and light make up on her face. She said that she hasn’t bathed because Sunday is the time when her body is going to be so so slow. One hour later, they ask you to come and discuss what they want for only….15 minutes!. Then you are going home in the evening with a thought that your Sunday will be over soon. Days later, you have some meetings with those politicians like always, they will make you wait for them. The worse part of those is the meeting will be held in the evening plus you will have waiting moment in every meeting. And the worst part of it is the fact that you’ll go home late with a fuckin’ crazy traffic until you reach home by 10 pm. Like six times. In the end, you work the event out, so you should thanking to yourself.

Second.

Another day, you spent your whole day from nine to six in the office. Some of your deadlines finally done. In the night you have to work for another event, it’s not really big but quite exhausting. After you spent twenty hours in the venue with some crazy challenges, eating only once, then you can smile that you’ve done another project. You can go home, take a bath, and sleep. You come back being a normal man just for twelve hours. You have an idea to go to see another event that your colleague has done it last night. It seems like you can go home but you can’t, oh did I mention this one is on the weekend?. Your boss call you on the phone that you have to come back to look at her church decor. It’s a small decor but you suddenly realise that you will spend a night when you see four tents, four hundred chairs, and forty tables by 8 pm. You don’t have a choice but you have to finish it. Until you look at your wrist watch, the longer clockwise stay at number 2. In the morning. You feel so sleepy and hungry. You left the church.

You come back home and find that you just have cold milk and chocolate in the fridge. There is small left over goodies you can cook but damn it’s 2 am. You choose to lay your body on the bed, put your headsets in your ears, setting up three different times for alarm in your iPhone. You think that you’re not gonna be late to wake up again by 5 am. You know it’s Sunday, by 5 am you wake up, take a toothbrush and toothpaste with zombie sleepy eyes. You try to gather your spirit again to wake up, your brain feel a bit dizzy, very cold morning, cold milk and chocolate from three hours ago couldn’t help you from starving. Thank God you have a driver that is ready on time to drive you to the venue so you do not need to worry for being late. You spend for six hours to transform a little space inside the mansion that owned by one of the richest African man in the world (he’s #5 on this list). You come back home with a smile that the client is happy. You are happy as well cause you still have a half of your Sunday.

***

Those two stories had happened on me last month, and some ‘sunday-i-still-work’ lately. If you are a reader of this blog, you’ll easily guess and predict that I’ll give myself a reward. If you do, you are so true, and the gift for me is…..an iPhone 6! :) *dancing-hula-hula*.

OopsIDidItAgainI took decision to change my iPhone 5 after a year (remember this post? :P) with an iPhone 6. Why it’s not 6+? Big no no for bigger iPhone, I still love handy phone (ssst, I know Alice Gao is using 6+, though :P). I ordered the white one since I had two iPhones in black before but sadly, when the iPhone arrived in the office, I had two choices, black or gold. Gold? definitely out of the question. I was a bit dissapointed cause I have black again but that’s fine. Maybe, I just can’t stay away from dark color :).

Oh dear, I’m not realise that I’m writing a novel for this blog :P. I hope you don’t mind if I share these (my fav) images from my former iPhone 5 (even some of you have seen them in my instagram).

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A sharper camera on iPhone 6 will make me busier in front of my food either if I have an eat-out time or a fancy breakfast at home :). Sure.

P.S. ‘hello Six!) above is taken with iPhone 6+, nope, I don’t have two, I asked my flatmate to take the scene. For sure, I directed him how he should find the angle by standing on top of our dining table with his iPhone :)).

Full & Thankful

Even I did these iPhone shots in hurry (unfortunately, most of the images are blurred, sigh!), I was pleased with the fact that I had full breakfast this morning. I cooked noodles with chicken, mushroom and shrimps in light soup, and for sure, chinese cabbage. Fruit salad with fresh lemon juice and raw honey anyone? :)

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Happy Friday!

Just wanted to share these pretties here to brighten up Friday. I’m in the middle of some deadline yet couldn’t resist to cheat for seconds to upload these ranunculus. And now, I have to come back again to work some hanging concepts out. Well, just got an info that I’ll have a meeting this Sunday. Sunday? sigh.

Let me enjoy the result of this impromptu iPhone shot right now. Happy Friday!

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Shadow Play

I looked at my January posts and realised it was not a good start for this blog. I jumped, and jumped then stopped at the fourth post. Terrible.

Right now I’m looking at ‘me time’ after a ‘hellish’ past week, even though I’m in the middle of hectic week. Watching new movies at cinema (even I always fall sleep, always), grabbing new cups (or maybe stainless salad spoons), cooking prawns with some Japanese mushrooms, or being sluggish this Sunday, those are my options.

Or getting a sharper iPhone camera, so that every time I find beautiful light falls on beautiful objects and create beautiful shadows, my photos are more ‘blog-worthy’. Hmm, how about iPhone 6? :).

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All taken by iPhone 5.

Tiga Hari Itu (bagian II)

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{Bagian I}

Bahkan hingga detik ini, saya masih bisa merasakan damainya Sabtu itu. Pagi, dan mentari sedang hangat-hangatnya.

***

Saya sengaja memperlambat laju motor agar bisa menikmati setiap momen sepanjang jalan pulang. Meskipun rindu pada Ayos, Winda dan Ruli belum tuntas penuh, tapi saya harus bangun pada kenyataan bahwa menghabiskan semalam dengan mereka itu berkah luar biasa.

Sepanjang perjalanan pulang dari rumah Ayos dan Winda, saya tak henti melirik jarum jam di pergelangan tangan untuk memastikan saya on-time. Saya harus cepat-cepat sampai di rumah untuk kemudian istirahat sejenak. Kakak saya menghidangkan sebungkus nasi campur untuk sarapan. Nasi buatan orang Arab yang dulu sering kami beli untuk sekedar memanjakan lidah di akhir pekan. Nampaknya, ia selalu ingin menghidangkan makanan-makanan enak selagi adiknya di Indonesia.

Saya tidak punya banyak waktu untuk sekedar istirahat. Satu jam lagi janji untuk bertemu dengan sahabat baik yang sudah saya anggap seperti kakak saya sendiri, mbak Ika, harus ditepati. Sempat saya ragu pertemuan dengannya tidak akan terjadi. Sejak ia pindah dari Surabaya ke kota yang lebih kecil dan tenang, apalagi ia seorang Ibu yang sedang menikmati masa tumbuh kedua anaknya, menjadi alasan keraguan saya. Sabtu itu menjadi hari terakhir saya di Surabaya yang artinya, it was our final day to meet or not at all. Bertemu dengan orang-orang penting yang acap kali saya rindukan pada hari-hari terakhir di Indonesia sungguh sebuah kebodohan besar. Kebodohan yang selalu terulang tiap tahun. Namun saya tak mau menyesalinya karena memang tahun ini saya banyak menghabiskan hari-hari di sana untuk sesuatu (let me keep it for a secret now, I promise I’ll share it on the right time here. Sometimes, someday).

Saya kembali mengendari motor ke salah satu town square di mana kami akan bertemu. Sungguh, Sabtu pagi yang sejuk membuat saya lagi-lagi menyesal kenapa tidak menikmati momen sesederhana itu dari awal. Tinggal ambil motor, kendarai pelan-pelan, nikmati sinar mentari pagi yang hangat dan angin yang sejuk, di akhir pekan (Zis, jangan terus berandai-andai, it was passed :|). Sesampainya di sana, saya mendapati mbak Ika dan suaminya, mas Dw, di kedai es krim legendaris. Mereka duduk berdua dengan jaket kulit yang entah disengaja atau tidak, nampak serasi dan manis. Saya masih seantusias dulu setiap kali bertemu dengan mereka berdua, terutama mbak Ika. Salah satu orang baik yang selalu mendukung saya meraih mimpi-mimpi apapun. Rindu pada mereka saya tumpahkan melalui pelukan dan rasa syukur karena akhirnya, pertemuan hari itu menggenapkan pertemuan yang selalu kita rayakan setiap tahun.

I couldn’t ask more saat berkesempatan menghabiskan siang yang damai dengan orang-orang baik. Siang itu kami bertiga akhirnya memiliki kesempatan semeja dengan mas Andhi. Tak perlu waktu lama untuk mbak Ika bisa akrab dengan mas Andhi. Begitupun dengan mas Dwi. Kami menghabiskan dua jam penuh keakraban sebelum akhirnya kedatangan orang baik lagi. Mbak Susan, Joan plus pak Tono, experienced florist yang bekerja di sini bersama saya. Kebetulan, saat itu beliau sedang cuti sebulan. Saya sungguh bersyukur karena hari itu bisa bertemu dengan mbak Susan lagi, sahabat mas Andhi yang berjasa membuka jalan saya pindah ke Afrika. Saya ingat, saat kepulangan kedua, saya hanya bisa mengantarkan oleh-oleh berupa baju ala Afrika untuk mbak Susan ke rumah orang tuanya. Rasanya seperti mimpi bisa duduk satu meja dengan mbak Ika, mas Dwi, mas Andhi dan mbak Susan di Indonesia.

Pertemuan dengan Joan pun membuat saya bahagia. Meskipun tidak seseru tahun-tahun sebelumnya saat saya dan Joan bisa bercanda semeja dengan Yuriko, Edwin, Rifda, Tomo, pun mbak Ika, tapi saya bersyukur. Kenapa? Sederhana saja. Saya sangat menghargai bagaimana Joan rela datang saat ia tahu, siang itu adalah satu-satunya kesempatan untuk bertemu saya dan mbak Ika sebelum ia menikah.

Setelah semua berkumpul, kami memutuskan untuk makan siang bersama. Meskipun makan siang kami cukup singkat, namun sungguh, it was a bless for me. Saya selalu menganggap setiap pertemuan yang tercipta setelah masing-masing dari kami terpisah waktu dan kesibukan pribadi adalah berkah yang luar biasa. Meski kadang, bukan jarak dan waktu yang membuat pertemuan nampak sulit. Justru kesibukan-kesibukan yang bisa disela yang membuat momen merayakan persahabatan nampak seperti ilmu kalkulus, no?. So, if you have an opportunity to see your best friends, spend your time with them cause you know, it shows that you are a person who understand that spending a moment with them is a bless :).

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Saya sungguh suka foto di atas ini :).

***

Setelah menghabiskan siang dengan mbak Ika, mas Dwi, mas Andhi, mbak Susan dan Joan dengan cerita dan tawa, akhirnya saya harus kembali ke rumah. Berat rasanya mengakhiri momen siang itu namun saya tak memiliki pilihan lain untuk merelakan rindu-rindu yang masih tersisa untuk mereka dengan salam dan pelukan perpisahan. I really wish I had more time, I really did.

Saya pun pulang untuk menciptakan momen berharga lainnya. Kali ini dengan orang-orang terpenting, keluarga. Saya memiliki niatan untuk makan malam sekeluarga sejak kepulangan pertama tiga tahun lalu, tapi baru terjadi tahun lalu. I know it sounds ridiculous cause I had spent so many events with my best friends but once with my family. Tapi lagi-lagi, saya tidak perlu menghardik diri sendiri karena itu. Saya hanya pantas bersyukur karena akhirnya, saya berkesempatan mewujudkan momen penting dan bermakna sesederhana makan malam.

Keluarga saya bukan tipe keluarga yang sering keluar rumah hanya untuk makan malam. We are very, very conservative. Mungkin itu salah satu sebab makan malam bersama was such a big deal. Sedari siang, saat saya bercengkrama dengan mbak Ika dan mas Dwi, saya memesan meja di salah satu restoran yang paling nyaman untuk keluarga. Memiliki menu beragam dengan lokasi yang tidak terlalu jauh dari rumah agar kami memiliki waktu yang cukup untuk menikmati makanan plus ambiance-nya.

Saat tiba di rumah, saya mendapati momen yang sedikit membuat saya sedih. There was a little quarrel antara ibu dan bapak. Well, memang tak jarang ibu dan bapak bertengkar hanya karena masalah sepele, tapi kenapa harus sore itu, sigh. Ibu saya berwatak keras, jika beliau sudah bilang tidak, ya tidak. Bahkan iming-iming macam “Ini malam terakhir saya di rumah lo, Bu” tidak cukup mempan. Bahkan kakak-kakak saya yang ikut membujuk ibu untuk mengganti pakaiannya untuk kemudian bersiap-siap tidak juga berhasil. Sedih? jelas. Malam terakhir yang seharusnya bisa saya nikmati secara lengkap satu keluarga, malah minus ibu. Tapi mau tak mau saya harus menghormati keputusan beliau. Kadang saya berusaha menganggap kejadian-kejadian seperti itu bagai bumbu-bumbu romantis antara suami dan istri yang biasa terjadi dalam sebuah keluarga. Well, maybe. Pada akhirnya, kami semua tetap berangkat, d’ show must go on. Dengan dandanan sederhana tapi rapi, saya mulai mendapati wajah-wajah bahagia yang mampu mengikis sedikit demi sedikit perasaan sedih lantaran esok sore, saya tidak akan melihat mereka lagi. But then, I had to remember that God blessed me with a very beautiful family, and I have to thank for it.

Tiba di restoran, kami langsung menuju meja dan duduk di kursi masing-masing. Tak lama, kami mulai memesan makanan yang ingin kami santap. Macam-macam. Momen malam itu sungguh lekat di ingatan saya hingga kini, bagaimana lucunya bapak menahan rasa pedas dari nasi goreng kambing yang beliau pilih. Keponakan yang gembira dengan steak panas berlumur butter dan saus, kakak terakhir yang duduk di samping saya yang terus-menerus meledek bapak dengan nasi goreng pedasnya, pun Sohib yang nampak tidak cukup menguasai standart dining manner, lol :P. Oh ya, malam itu Sohib hadir di acara makan malam kami. Ia tidak hanya hadir sebagai sahabat saya sedari kecil, tapi sudah seperti keluarga sendiri. Tadinya saya berandai jika saja Sohib bisa hadir dengan umiknya, paling tidak ibu saya tidak terlalu kikuk jika ada teman seumurannya. It was what I hoped before. Keceriaan, kehangatan, kebersamaan yang tercipta dari acara makan malam itu menyadarkan saya satu hal. Mungkin anda sering mendapati saya menyebut kutipan Ronan Keating di blog ini, tapi lirik ini benar adanya. Hindarilah keadaan saat anda tidak memiliki kesempatan kedua untuk menunjukkan perasaan pada orang-orang tersayang. So tell that someone that you love, just what you’re thinking of, if tomorrow never comes :).

Malam itu saya sungguh bersyukur akan kesempatan menciptakan momen sederhana yang bisa jadi, salah satu malam paling berharga tahun lalu.

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Satu lagi, abadikanlah setiap momen yang berharga dengan foto, cause “What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce”, Karl Lagerfeld.

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Lagos, 10 : 29 pm.

Chillin’

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I always try to make my life balanced from this hectic life. Spending today with cooking simple food from left-over ingredients, arranging my outfits (and now they’re tidier arranged), napping like a cat (and took bath after nap made me feel I’m a normal human if only I could do that everyday), having hot chocolate time in the afternoon with sweet strawberries (well, couldn’t resist to document the scene with an iPhone), and now, trying to keep this blog on.

I know tomorrow I’ll have so many deadlines plus obstacles plus stresses. There is no choices but I have to be ready. I’ll try to do best and hoping I can pass this week with a smile in the end. Hopefully. Now, let me chill myself inside this chill room. WIll grab frozen chocolates and maybe, watching ‘Frozen’ on my bed.

An Ode To Beauty

Two things bothering me right now are mouth ulcer (plus something wrong with this throat, sigh) and massive laziness for this blog. The last one is more dangerous I know.

I’ve been trying to continue writing some personal posts yet always and always fail. I do not have an idea why. Instead, just want to share these images I took long time ago. At least, looking at them make me feel better for second from some stress because of deadlines and upcoming events. Just hoping that everything will be okay.

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