Cafe Mother: It's Brewing ...

Kids Fashion Week

2011-11-28T07:54:00.000-08:00

I never thought that I would do a fashion show, last time I did it when I was at elementary school for graduation day. It's like around 25 years ago.

It began with an interview for Parenting November edition with @imeshimesh - the chief editor who featured me in 'Working Mom' section. She then offered the kids to join fashion show on Femina's annual event #JktKidsFashionShow, following the famous Jakarta Fashion Week. I thought it would be cancelled while it was not.

Vala definitely refused to do it as she'd prefer to perform hip hop and breakdance, stating that fashion show is 'too girly'. Halahhhh. Well, in order to earn her trust, I respect her decision, though. When I turned this offer to Varen, this 4 years old gentleman did not say anything, so I translated his clueless respond with "Yes mommy, let's do that".

On the d day, it's a beautiful coincidence that both Vala and Varen were on holiday due to teachers conference before mid term test. I brought them to Plaza Indonesia in the morning for rehearsal. It took place at Lamoda Cafe. The plan was set. Mommy and Varen will walk on the runaway, Vala to take pictures of our showtime.

The nightmare came into reality. All of sudden Varen refused to go to the stage. I must say, Varen has a strong personality, when he refused, that means he refused. Mommy got to think quick, so mommy shared the nightmare to .... the little innocent girl: Vala.

Having no time to convince 'dede' during rehearsal, then I hold Vala's hand to the stage, "Vala, come on, walk with me." While I smiled widely, Vala looked at me, "loh kok jadi aku mam?????".
I'm so lucky to have Vala who's showing her cooperative spirit. Plan changed. Mommy walking down the runaway with Vala, not Varen.

But the next question was, what to wear for Vala? The committee was only preparing clothes for mister V. Mister V was being persistence, until the rehearsal was over, he still refused to join.

I got down on my knees and hailed my mother for coming. Eyang Uti emang kagak ada matinye dah. I shared with her the problem, left her talking with Varen, and voila! "Ver, Varen udah mau tuh ikut fashion show. Aku janjiin beli kura-kura tiga.". Yiiipeeeeee!!!!! Yangti emang top markotop!!!

What relieved me was also Varen found a new friend, Arka, 5 years old, who shared the same high energy as his. Eventually the committee found a cloth for Vala. At least, if Varen changed his mind again, we had Vala on the show. Until..... "Bu Vera, you must decide who will walk with you on the runaway." I said, "Well, if not Varen, then Vala would".

She said, "Can not. Our multimedia team needs a confirmation. Can you guarantee that both of them will go with you? If yes, then you must guarantee that they will." O.. owwww..... Dengan PD nya gua bilang, "Guaranteed!". "Yakin bu?". "Yakin!".

The show was planned to start at 2pm. At 1.30PM all the kids must change their clothes. Here we go again the drama: Varen did not want to change the clothes, "I don't like the clothes.". Gubrak gubrak gubrak. All people surrounded him try to beg him, including Arka, "keren tau bajunya, ayo ganti!". Varen tetap geleng-geleng kepala. Eaaaaa .....

While he's acting up out there, Vala was hiding under the main table near the runaway, closing her eyes with both of her palm showing her dislike over something. I came over her, "ada apa sayang? kok sedih? Heyyy, you look beautiful with the clothes and hairdo!."

"I don't like the hairdo mommy!!!!". Aku ga suka dikuncir. Aku maunya dilepas. Aku ga suka pake rok, aku maunya kayak dede pake celana panjang. Aku kan mau jungkir balikkkkk." Aaahhh... chaos! hehehe..

With calm and confidence, I asked her to get out from under the table. Glad that the stylist would like to release her hair so I could bring back Vala's smile on her face.

The time was getting closer to the opening. Varen still did not want to wear the clothes. I was chewing my gum and here we go with a brilliant idea! I approached Varen and showing my chewing gum on my mouth. "Do you want this?". Varen looked at me with sparkling eyes, "Mauuuuu". "Ok, I'll give it to you after we walk together and after you change your clothes."

Yessss, it worked! The show went well. We walked holding hands and made some turns. In fact after the show, Varen did not want to change his trouser I almost bought it on spot. Varen got his chewing gum. They went home with eyang Ti and eyang Kung. I went back to the office.

I must thank @imeshimesh and mbak @tenikhartono for this rare occassion.

What an experience!

Get Up and Move!

2011-11-28T03:28:00.000-08:00

It was a nice Monday morning with close friends from PR world. At first I thought to skip this get together since my workload was amazing. However I managed to come to the office early and actually had finished some stuffs in the car around 6ish AM.

Around 10AM we met up at Anomali Senopati for a 'press conference' by @mayangschreiber @dian_noeh, and @Rezasetiawan. It's also lovely to see @unspun, @LitaPS, and @Evamuchtar. Ogilvy alumni united! :)

With all those stories both personal and professional, what I can say is I'm happy for Mayang and Dian, wishing them all the best in 2012. Also for Chacha, although I'm confident that he actually can build his own company (and be successful), but he decided to wait for the right time. Good for you, too.

It's always super excited to build a new firm or initiative. The challenge remains how to keep the excitement alive. I'm a marathon believer, not a sprint one. For that, I admired Ong and mbak Lita for owning Maverick, and how they keep this company sexy all the time.

IPPG is one thing that needs to be alive so I tried to keep everyone enthusiastic, without being down due to a minor glitch. Tetap semangat!

On the picture: (left to right) Eva, Mayang, me, Dian. Well, the picture hanging on the wall was meant to be included. It reflected our conversation, to always dig in and explore new possibilities. (Uhuy! - karangan gue doang aja sih, haha).

Growing Up

2011-11-28T03:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I just realized that Vala is getting bigger. She's so beautiful with her longer hair and slim body. At the moment I was thinking she's a teenager, and hope by that time we shared beautiful moment together.

Some people say that we must talk a lot with our daughter before it's too late. I do believe in that. A mother should be a person who can be trusted at home. Trust itself is earned over a period of time- can't be asked instantly.Vala loves to share so many things and stories. Although sometimes I'm a bit bored with her story about this little Erico, her classmate. And I almost fell when she hated upon her teacher saying, "Vala kamu pacarnya Erico ya?". What the **** .

A teacher shouldn't said that to an 8 years old students. And Vala should've not playing too often with the same guy everyday. Sigh!

After talking about how funny Erico in the class almost everyday, I relieved that at one dinner Vala did not mention about him at all. She finished her meal, and left me and daddy on the table. Yeay!

Usually when kids finished their meals and started doing other things, it's a moment for me and my husband to have an adult conversation: office, plan, etc. Until Vala was back, laughed, and you know what she told us, "Mama mama, tadi siang Erico lucu deh...". Eh gubrak! Kirain udah ga diomongin lagi tuh anak, ha³....I felt like I was going to say, " Valaaaa... ga ada temenmu yg lain ya yang bisa diceritain? Bosen mama, ceritanya Erico terus!".

But again, I would never say that, otherwise, rather than stop talking about him, she will surely stop talking about him to me, and start talking about him to others. No way hose! You know what, that would be a start of losing your daughter's trust.

Like any other days, I gave my curious exciting face, "really, really? Oooh, he's so funny Vala!"
I would say I was not faking it, but trying to feel what she feel, called "showing emphaty."
Finally during a field trip, I met this little boy Erico. Yes, he was funny. I saw the two of them were giggling together. I saw it in front of my face that they were clicked.

Hey little boy, I'm watching you :D

Dream Library

2011-11-13T17:35:00.000-08:00

Reaching Out

2011-11-03T04:50:00.000-07:00

LiniMasa pada Semangkuk Spaghetti #Galau

2011-08-08T20:50:00.000-07:00

(The name of Spaghetti #Galau was invented by @miafitri)

Breakfast club kali ini berganti shift menjadi berbuka puasa bersama, namun tetap mengambil lokasi di wilayah jajahan kita, Kuningan. Suasana @DecanterJakarta sungguh hangat dan jauh dari keriuhan orang berbuka. Pas banget untuk acara dinner bareng @petz09, @dian_noeh, @iimfahima, @TenikHartono, @inggita, @MiaFitri @astridYogini dan pengantin baru kita @nendennf.

Ada satu misi dalam pertemuan kita kali ini: menangkap si pengantin baru yang minggu depan sudah akan ‘kabur’ ke Athens, Ohio, US untuk mengambil beasiswa S2 Communication Development Studies. Perempuan supermanis ini harus cerita tentang beasiswanya dan BAGAIMANA secara tiba-tiba dirinya melepas masa lajang. SIAPAKAH pria yang berhasil meluluhkan hatinya? *dua kalimat terakhir ini, bacanya a la Fenny Rose ya temans. Penekanan pada kata yang digarisbawahi. Setajam silet, begitu*

Beberapa kali breakfast club bareng, baru kali ini @nendennf bercerita tentang kisah asmaranya yang ternyata wow wow to the bang bang!. Dibutuhkan konsentrasi tingkat tinggi dan kecerdasan di atas rata-rata untuk dapat memahami rajutan cinta kasih a la Nenden. Anda harus paham jargon-jargon seperti ‘mantan istrinya mantan pacar gue’ atau ‘yang mengawinkan kita di Yogya itu bapak angkat gue yang sebenarnya bapaknya mantan tunangan gue’.

Dalam keadaan sehabis puasa dan tanpa glossary, kami-kami ini dipaksa untuk memahami dengan cepat drama kehidupan Nenden yang selama ini tertuang rapi di linimasa twitternya. Iim terlihat lebih pintar dan cepat paham. Aah...curang... lha wong selama ini dia sudah curi start. Selama ini rajin kali bu Iim membaca drama seri @nendennf . Sementara saya yang duduk pas di sebelah Nenden, sudah tidak dapat dipungkiri lagi, sungguh terlihat amat bodoh, I’m lost in translation! Belum pernah saya mendengar kompleksitas cerita yang begitu dahsyat. Ruwet. Kusyut. At the same time, amazing! Butuh kebesaran hati untuk bersahabat dengan ‘mantan istrinya mantan pacar gue’ atau diadopsi sebagai anak ke-4 oleh ‘bapaknya mantan tunangan gue’.

Benar adanya bahwa dibutuhkan skill yang harus terus diasah agar dapat memahami jejaring drama percintaan seperti milik Nenden, “Elo aja yang denger mumet, gimana gue yang ngejalanin...” cerita Nenden dengan penuh gelak tawa. Malam itu, memang penuh keceriaan dan tawa. Perempuan-perempuan pintar, berprestasi, dan super cerdas ini ditantang untuk paham konten, layaknya ujian komprehensif. "Peer ku memecahkan misteri family tree :D" kata @petz09. @TenikHartono pun memilih lagu yang cocok untuk cerita Nenden, ‘Nothing Compares to You’ #np. Gak ada yang ngalahin kisah nyata lo deh Nden!

My life is sooo boring compared to her roller coaster. Mine is flat :D Jauh dari galaksi #Galau. Pun tidak terbiasa mendengar kompleksitas drama yang menurut @dian_noeh sudah melewati batas kompleksitas Six Degree Separation. @inggita berusaha menyatukan puzzle yang berceceran di twitter Nenden dengan berbagai hashtag: #tegel #kunci #tebet, ditambah #arem-arem dari @iimfahima dan #ubin dari @tenikhartono. Silakan merangkai cerita ....

Well, the good news is, sejak menikah, Nenden terlihat lebih ‘tertib’ di Twitter. Drama sudah jarang muncul di setiap 140 karakter nya. She’s a happy housewife now, in which I’m happy for her, too! Though it’s not really a good news for Iim who really enjoys reading her expressive timeline. Hahaha...( just kidding, hey, we are all happy for her.)

Enjoy your marriage life, enjoy your study ya neng geulis.... surely will miss you in our breakfast...

PS. Psssttt....#Galau babak pertama usai sudah. Akankah ada #Galau babak kedua? Tunggu sampai ia mendarat di ranah @BarackObama. Doa saya, semoga semua aman-aman saja... *dan biarkan Iim mencari perhelatan drama dari akun Twitter yang lain :p*

Have a great day, everyone!

*written by Vera Makki http://cafemother.blogspot.com/

HYPNOLANGSING

2010-10-17T10:03:00.000-07:00

Buat ibu-ibu beranak satu, dua, tiga, empat (silakan lanjutkan sendiri untuk yang lebih dari empat ya…), ada cara baru untuk menurunkan berat badan, tanpa suntik dan obat-obatan. Eh ini bukan iklan berjalan loh, tapi beneran ada satu metode yang terbilang baru di Indonesia dalam proses penurunan berat badan, namanya HYPNOLANGSING.

Awalnya adalah teman saya Vivi yang memperkenalkan saya dengan hypnolangsing. Suatu hari ia datang ke meja kerja saya dan mulailah kita ngobrol seputar topik yang selalu hangat: Berat Badan. Ia mulai sharing bahwa di Twitter ada akun seorang ahli hypnoterapi yang bisa membuat siapa pun turun berat badannya hanya dengan melaksanakan LIMA MAGIC RULES (5MR).

Metode ini tingkat keberhasilannya cukup tinggi karena yang dikuatkan adalah alam bawah sadar kita (sub-conscious), dengan demikian sifatnya lebih berjangka panjang (bye-bye yoyo diet!). Pernah mendengar hypnoterapi untuk berhenti merokok? Kurang lebih cara kerja nya seperti itu.

Jadi bagaimana cara kerjanya? Apakah kita selonjoran di sofa dan kemudian mata kita mengikuti gerakan bandul? Hahaha… tentu tidak seperti itu. Syarat utama hypnoterapi adalah kerelaan kita untuk berkomitmen melakukan sesuatu, dalam hal ini, untuk menurunkan berat badan menjadi langsing (bukan kurus). Seperti halnya komputer, program dalam otak dan pikiran kita diinstal ulang kembali, sehingga 5MR ditanamkan di pikiran bawah sadar kita.

Syarat kedua adalah mulai menjalankan 5MR yang harus dijalankan secara menyeluruh, tidak ada satu pun yang boleh diabaikan. Sikap proaktif membantu kita dalam melaksanakan 5MR di bawah ini:

1. Makan di saat lapar (fisik, bukan lapar emosi)
2. Makan apapun yang kita inginkan saat itu (sehingga tidak timbul rasa kekurangan/ketidakpuasan)
3. Makan secara sadar (perlahan, nikmati)
4. Berhenti makan di saat netral (jangan sampai terlalu kenyang)
5. Tingkatkan aktivitas (banyak bergerak, jangan malas)

Tiga prinsip dasar melangsing (pasti Anda suka!):

1. Jangan menghitung-hitung kalori.
2. Jangan digabung dengan diet apa pun, no diet (yiiipeee!)
3. Jangan membuat tubuh kelaparan

Tunggu apa lagi? Segera laksanakan hypnolangsing dari mas Juli Triharto dan mbak Nunny Hersiana. Ikuti twitter: @hypnolangsing, @julitriharto dan @nunnyhersianna untuk mendapatkan tips melangsing sehari-hari. Di Facebook juga ada kok… www.facebook.com/hypnolangsing dan www.facebook.com/hypnolangsingforyou Website: http://hypnolangsing.com

(*written by Vera Makki* - http://cafemother.blogspot.com)

Keep Telling Myself

2009-08-31T05:35:00.000-07:00

I keep telling to myself that life ain't difficult, I keep on telling to myself that there's always a light at the end of the tunnel. My pattern of life is kinda filled with surprises, despite of all the plans I make - well, it's a well damn plans we're talking about.

The beauty of life is that, not ALL of our plans go as we wish. Hah, now tell me about ma plans and how many of them came real.

I envied my friends who got a freelance prestigious job during our life in college (while I was actually enjoyed the most enjoyable part time job during those time for being a DJ at a radio station, No.1 radio station in town, cenah). I envied my friends who got the first jobs back there after graduation while I still had to go to the states studying (and actually I found my soulmate there plus got a scholarship!).

I terribly hated my job and very sad with the fact that I wasn't enjoying my work, but from there I connected with a dream company in which I work for until now.

How about these burdens that make me could not sleep at night, make me nervous when thinking about it, make my hair fall even more??.

No life without problems. Actually....problems arise to make people succeed. Beautiful people must thank ugly people, because without ugly people, we won't notice that there are beautiful people. Smart guy must be grateful with the existence of dumb ones, because how can people say that you are smart without creating a comparison to the 'less smart' ones?

I thank God Almighty for the plans that have not been going according to what I want, because it turns out to be something even greater! Well, just pray that for this one, the same or even better pattern will occurs...

I keep telling to myself that.... it will....

Failure to Launch

2009-06-26T11:38:00.001-07:00

On the second thought, it's not a failure but a protective decision. I looked at 'those items' for a very last time before they're effaced. A confidence is in my hand, if not my heart. Thank God for the way out...

Revival of L

2009-06-26T11:37:00.000-07:00

A burning passion out of 'nothing' leads to sudden paralysis. A burning passion on something 'illicit' according to law of love will indeed explode Having a burning passion for something illicit without wanting to be exploded... it create paralysis. The person will be paralyzed. I am now. A wonderful one.

Dangerous zone

2009-06-26T11:32:00.000-07:00

There are times that we don't know what's actually happening in our life, in a very particular moments, until someone or something tells us somehow.

I thank my colleague who sent an email blast (in which I usually deleted it without reading it first). The subject: I learn. So the email contained list of 'I learn', but one that stroke me most is: "I learned that it's not about the feeling comes to us that we can't control, but it's about what we're going to do about it " It's so true and logical, but it's much easier to say than done. Swearrrrr!!!!

I talked to my close friend about it. And finally we agreed on what we call "process concurrence".

If it's part of the process, then just let it flow. Because the more you deny it, the stronger the feeling will grow. Keep my finger crossed! (and enjoy this process...)

A Quiz Telling Who I Am

2009-06-26T11:29:00.000-07:00

http://www.quizbox.com/personality/test82.aspx

An interesting quiz was taken by one of my bestfriend, Gibot. Usually this is something that I never take into account. Always skip, skip, skip. But after reading the result of hers, wow... how come a single quiz can deeply tells about a person.

Even myself, I most of the time reluctant to tell about my self (and a bit disparaging of that question).

So, let this quiz leads the way. As usual, believe the good ones. Don't trust the 'not so good' ones :):):):)

Your view on yourself:
You are intelligent, honest and sweet. You are friendly to everybody and don't like conflict. Because you're so cheerful and fun people are naturally attracted to you and like to talk to you.

The type of girlfriend/boyfriend you are looking for:
You are not looking merely for a girl/boyfriend - you are looking for your life partner. Perhaps you should be more open-minded about who you spend time with. The person you are looking for might hide their charm under their exterior.

Your readiness to commit to a relationship:
You are ready to commit as soon as you meet the right person. And you believe you will pretty much know as soon as you might that person.

The seriousness of your love: You are very serious about relationships and aren't interested in wasting time with people you don't really like. If you meet the right person, you will fall deeply and beautifully in love.

Your views on education:
Education is very important in life. You want to study hard and learn as much as you can.

The right job for you:
You're a practical person and will choose a secure job with a steady income. Knowing what you like to do is important. Find a regular job doing just that and you'll be set for life.

How do you view success: You are confident that you will be successful in your chosen career and nothing will stop you from trying.

Who is your true self:
You are mature, reasonable, honest and give good advice. People ask for your comments on all sorts of different issues. Sometimes you might find yourself in a dilemma when trapped with a problem, which your heart rather than your head needs to solve.

Despite 'Nyontreng Day', it’s a one fine day...

2009-06-26T11:14:00.000-07:00

Written on April 8, 2009 --- Today is the national holiday for election, to choose the 'people' who will voice out our aspirations. I was putting a special energy to walk at 11am towards the election site, just to ensure my voice is counted (and close the opportunity for any political evil who might use my absenteeism).

They gave three wide papers from which we had to choose the party as well as the exact person as our reps. Surely I chose those two parties with female for each section. Although it was cloudy and the site is definitely within walking distance of only 10 minutes, I came home sweat! While taking a short chill, one of my best long buddy came. We went to our best friend's house for a luncheon.

It was extremely wonderful to catch up with my lovely dearest four girls. We've been close friends since we were in junior high - been 21 years of friendship! (Ngie, how come you calculated it 18 years? - never mind, we always miscalculate when it comes to numbers, even for our own birth date, aight?).

I fully understand with the fact that after 21 years, Wulan still think that my bday is May 23!. Lia also mispelled Ari's last name, in which it supposed to be Norisa's husband last name. My God!

Along the conversation, the issue remains the same. There is always a problem with the flow of communication. No story is shared completely, simply because no one listens. Everyone talks, interupts, I think because when we get together, the energy becomes so enourmous, we just could not control it (especially miss Lia 'on fire'!).

Since each of us don't have luxurious time to have this gathering often, this is surely a moment we're always waiting for. After senior high, I went to Bandung for college, followed by flying to Houston, Texas. Wulan traveled to Shanghai, Germany, Netherland and Liverpool, before got back to Jakarta just recently. Lia has been in Bali and soon move to Switzerland.

Our celeb friend is also busy with on-air schedules and off air jobs. Good thing is, she frequently comes back with new juicy gossip like True Hollywood Story -Jakarta version.

I think I agree on what Emerson said: 'It is one of the blessing of old friends that you can afford of being stupid with them.' Ours is even very stupid, very silly and no regret! But hey, at the same time, we have private moments to talk about our deepest feeling we've been dealing with ourselves because we don't really know to whom we're able to tell (trust issue, I believe).

Well, okay... I leaked one huge secret the other day about Noicha, but it turned out to be something better kan... (little blemish on my face right now, haha)

In short, and most importantly, I thank God for having very unique and special friends like them. And I pray to God for their most happiness in life, together with their loved ones. Love you much girls... always!

How can a company grow by giving back?

2005-11-18T02:57:00.000-08:00

Published on Sunday, September 04, 2005
http://www.thejakartapost.com/Archives/ArchivesDet2.asp?FileID=20050904.F04

Elvera N. Makki, Contributor, Jakarta

Ironically, this is still a question frequently asked not only by new emerging companies but also by big multinational ones, amid the era of what we call corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Nowadays people talk about it although some have no clue as to what it is and how to implement it properly, and how to make it in line with corporate business objectives.

In the United States, the CSR concept has been deeply rooted in the life of the people. According to the U.S-based Natural Marketing Institute, almost 90 percent of the American people believe in the importance of corporations paying attention to their impact on the environment and society rather than solely focusing on profit.

According to the survey made by the institute, 70 percent of consumers say they prefer to buy products produced by companies that pay serious attention to CSR activities, and nearly 50 percent stated that they would be more likely to buy stocks from such companies, rather than from those which do not really care much about the impact of their operations on the environment.

Larry Parnell, the principal of Canada-based Nomad Strategic Communications has said that most businesses, not just natural resources-based companies, need social license to operate and expand. The social license can be obtained only if the companies have a strong commitment to protecting the environment and the society from the impact of their business activities.

In Indonesia, the concept of CSR is considered new although it has actually been implemented here for a long time, such as through donating food from employees to an orphanage; fund-raising to donate consumer goods or clothes in the fasting month.

There are, however, weaknesses in those activities; first, the programs only gives momentarily support and there is almost no long-term benefit in it.

The type of help the company provides should be toward sustainability; that way, there will be strong engagement between the company and the community around it, thus, a company and its stakeholders.

One bad example of what corporations did was when they tried to take the advantage of the tsunami tragedy in order to boost their image.

Second, a good reputation cannot be achieved over night. It requires continuous commitment from the company's management and employees. Just giving food or clothing especially on a once-off basis will not enhance the company's image in the long term.

With that in mind, one of the key ingredients in formulating CSR programs is to firstly make it a business priority and make it a part of a comprehensive communication strategy. Public relations as the communicator should lead the way in doing and communicating the programs effectively.

Some corporations, both local and foreign, reluctantly communicate their social programs to the public and stakeholders, partially due to a belief that doing good expects no reward hence, no communication is needed. Of course such a perception is misleading.

This can be due to a lack of creativity in packaging the programs and the medium in sharing the information. CSR programs should be done seriously, innovatively and with full commitment over the long term so that they are strong enough to draw public attention.

Why is it so important to communicate CSR activities to others?

Dita Amarhoseya, Corporate Affairs Head of Citibank in Indonesia, has said that communication is a huge part of conducting CSR programs because the audience has the right to know what the company is doing for the community, especially if the company invites its customers to be involved in donating funds to, for example, communities affected by the tsunami.

She says that communicating CSR activities can create a snowball effect where people, including prospective employees or potential investors who read or hear about the programs may be encouraged to do the same and be part of the company.

The basic principle in CSR programs is to create long-term CSR activities in order to achieve the maximum impact for both the company and community.

She notes that it took approximately five years for Citibank to achieve recognition from the public and its stakeholders for its CSR activities under the umbrella of Citibank Peka (Peka is an acronym of peduli (care) and berkarya (to do good). The word peka itself means to be sensitive).

Initiated in February 1999, Citibank Peka (CP) focuses on education, communication development and natural disaster relief.

Another good example of a corporation that takes CSR seriously is PT Astra International (Astra). The setting up of Posko Banjir Astra (Astra Flood Post) in some key places during the massive floods in 2001 created an immediate and tremendous awareness among Jakartans.
Astra has developed comprehensive CSR programs ranging from community development, providing loans for SMEs, focusing on environmental, health and safety issues to giving scholarships and automotive entrepreneurship training.

One thing that needs to be improved is the provision of regular and current updates on its CSR programs to stakeholders, "That is what I see lacking in Astra and other major corporations," says a CSR consultant Eva Muchtar.

So how to measure the success of CSR programs?

Logically, the measurement will be how far the expectations agreed upon are executed and whether the programs were completed according to the plan or not.

Parnell has suggested corporations start developing comprehensive CSR programs by conducting a thorough audit of the needs facing their communities; making resource commitments consistent with their business skills and corporate strategy; to follow through and then communicate the results both within and outside the organization.

CSR will do absolutely no harm to a company's reputation (as long as it is done ethically), employee morale, product sales or market valuation to use CSR guidelines as a leading indicator of what investors, the government and the general public expect of corporation today.
In the long run, the corporations may well benefit as much as the people and communities their support.

Remember, actions do speak louder than words.

The writer is a full time member of Public Relations Society of America. She can be reached at blossomveras@yahoo.com

See How Cute They are and Look Below on Who Their Mothers are ...

2005-11-15T09:10:00.000-08:00

On the picture: Vala in pink (my little girl), Kakak Maura (Lia's) who held the crying Jema (Angie's), Jeremy sitting next to Jema (Angie's), Arza and Rana (Sita's)

2005-11-15T08:51:00.000-08:00

Love is In The Air

2005-11-15T08:48:00.000-08:00

Picture taken by Dodo. Location: Darwis Triadi Photography Studio, Raden Saleh *di Cikini yaaaa... bukan di daerah Blok M, coba deh!!!*

Memorable Reunion

2005-11-15T08:43:00.000-08:00

Minggu lalu kita reunian di rumah gue bareng temen2x deket, belahan jiwa, soulmates dari jaman SMP. Walaupun udah pada emak2x, tapi kelakukan masih belum ada yang berubah: bawel, cerewet, ceria, heboh, ribut dan tentunya, tetap cantik dan segarrrrr. Hwahahaha....

It's like we have never had enough time to catch up. Apalagi udah pada punya buntut. Lagi seru cerita, anak gue nangisin anaknya Sita. Lagi curhat, anaknya Lia pingin ikutan juga. Aduh... yang diceritain 17th ke atas darling.

Lia juga masih aja gemblung, kirain pinjem hair dryer buat apaan, ternyata buat ngeringin HP-nya dia yang ... kemasukan air. Makanya kalo mandi jangan sambil nelpun bu!!!.

Sita juga masih jadi ibu teladan... tak lupa dirinya membagi-bagikan hadiah untuk ponakan2xnya, aduh tante Sita... makacih yaaaa.

Maharis a.k.a Ari masih aja ketawanya kayak kuda, berikut kalo latah selalu sopan di depan anak2x kita.

Lia tetap semangat kalo ngomong dan besaaarrrr suaranya plus gayanya gak banyak berubah dari jaman SMP, jaman dimana do'i demen banget jadi komandan upacara.

Angie masih tetap rame kalo cerita, ibu KISS ini asik meng-update kita-kita dengan cerita seputar selebs yang gak penting, tapi tetap menarik untuk digosipin and digede2xin.

In short, I love them all. Sepertinya semakin susah mencari teman yang sincere seperti mereka, teman yang benar2x care and not having any intention to stab on our back. I feel so grateful that I have 'em all as my long close best friends. Wish you all the best! Lia, take care di Bali yaaaa...

2005-11-15T08:31:00.000-08:00

Angie, Sita, Maharis, Lia and Me! It's an endless friendship we have ... dari SMP udah bareng... the best groupies ever!

2005-11-10T00:37:00.000-08:00

This is absolutely my PlayGround!!!!!

Those Great Moment

2005-11-10T00:33:00.000-08:00

Mommy and Vala played "Peek a Boo" at Kidsports Pondok Indah - a place where she goes to school. It was so quiet inside the playground I could "mandi bola" with her and captured her cheerfulness and joy.

"Pssstttt, somebody is coming Vala, mommy gotta go outside this arena. I'm not supposed to enter this box :D:D:D:D"

Minal Aidin Wal Faidzin

2005-11-09T07:01:00.000-08:00

It's a festive day! It's a victory day! It's Lebaran day! It's Idhul Fitri!
We should celebrate the day after one month undergoing fast!
Fast: No food, no drink, no lust!
Fast: it's a period of time where our biggest enemy is our own desires we have to control and seize!

In three months (including on fasting month), I lost 8 kilos *of course with a good diet and a good exercise!*
In two days of Idhul Fitri, I gained 2 kilos *of course with no diet at all and with no exercise at all!*

Selamat Hari Raya Idhul Fitri 1 Syawal 1426 H
Mohon Maaf Lahir & Batin

From a lady who really enjoys her current weight,
Tante Vera ;P

Confusing Intakes

2005-10-31T14:45:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't want to be healthy? Pingin banget dongz! I believe that healthy living will give us a long term investment. Buat apa tajir kalo jadi pengunjung tetap rumah sakit? ya gak? ya gak?

With that in mind, I manage myself and my family to have a healthy living: exercise regularly, no alcohol, no smoking *really???*, no fattening food, no eating kambing *yeah, you wish!*, no gorengan, etc.

But it seems that I will never get enough to be healthy especially after reading terrifying articles on women magazines that talk about breast cancer, osteoporosis, kista, kanker leher rahim, asam urat, etc, etc.

Every morning I have confusing breakfasts where at one side, I have several items in front of me ready to be consumed: Calsium tablet (untuk tulang), Vitamin C (tablet), another Vitamin C (Redoxon), Low fat milk and Sangobion (to increase low blood pressure). At the other side, I don't feel I want to take them all because it could spoiled my kidney; otherwise I drink glasses of water which it can bloat my tummy *weleh weleh, serba salah deh ahh...*

Belum lagi jeung... anjuran makan sayur and buah2xan. An expert said that we have to take 6-8 portion of veggie+fruits everyday which one portion of veggie equals to one banana. Meaning, do I have to eat like 6-8 bananas everyday? Kagak sanggup mpok! *tapi gimana ya... kekurangan serat bisa menyebabkan kanker usus 'cenah'*. Aduhhhh.... pusing!

Apa kabar dengan makanan favorit gue dong??? Mie ayam, arem-arem, ice cream, kue lebaran, opor, lontong sayur, es teler, french fries with mayo.... *the long list goes*

I was thinking that at the end of the day, my life wouldn't be any healthier if my mind is always worried of such things. Happiness is also one of the key ingredients to be healthy *sehat jasmani rohani kata jaman Orba dulu*. So mendingan gue enjoy aja kan ... keep everything in portion and don't be too extreme. Ya kan? ya kan?

A perfect advise came somewhere around mid last year in one of the well-known Spa in South Jakarta. It was from my natural holistic healer who encouraged me to have a balance of mind, body and spirit. I buy it, bro!

Grandma Vera

2005-10-30T12:35:00.000-08:00

I was so proud that I could undergo the fasting month almost entirely. And this month, my period was only lasted 5 days (usually 8-9 days). Yippeee! But last night I forgot to tell my hubby that I would started fasting again today; as a result, aye kagak dibangunin pas sahur!!!

Claiming myself as a superwoman, I thought it's not a problem at all to do fasting without sahur. I just forgot that I have low blood pressure and it's always "kumat" every month after period. Furthermore, I just rememberd that today, early in the morning, my daughter's babysitter also went for holiday for 2 weeks. Can you imagine, I was chasing my daughter to finish her food, take a shower and begging her to get out of her bathtub as she's been there for almost an hour? What made her out was that when she screamed looking at her wrinkled fingers "Mama.... look, what happened with my fingers????". Kelamaan di air gitu lhoooo!

3 PM. Gue gengsi mau buka puasa padahal udah migraine beratz. Btw, do you know what happen when my migraine strikes?
- Masuk angin
- Kedinginan
- Tense shoulder and neck
- Paralized (kagak bisa ngapa2xin, liat cahaya aja pusing, denger suara kecil aja udah nggeliyeng)

Do you know what I will do then?
- Pake balsem banyak2x
- Wear syal/pashmina to cover my neck
- Wear socks
- Wear jacket/sweater
- Pony tail
- Sleeping
- Cover my body with warm blanket
- Finding a person who want to massage my back *the hardest part!*

Udah kayak nenek2x kan? However.... inspired by the strength of powerpuff girl ('paan seeeh), akhirnya gue berhasil untuk TIDAK BATAL PUASA!!!!

Girls just wanna HAVE FUN!

2005-08-29T05:22:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite friendship, this one was from college! We met again today after a quite long period of time espacially Haj Diah :D from Bogor and Ci' Pima from Palembang. Love 'em all !!!!! Missed one lil' gal, padahal dia nih biasanya yang paling gaol ;) Sapa yaaaa??? :P:P:P:P (On the picture left-right: Diah (married with one boy), me (you know!), Gibot (yes, still single and avail, no kidding!), Pima (married with one boy), Dian the pregnant lady (sutra lah no further info needed) and Chichs the career woman! (complicated status :P) )

Cobra vs Winnie the Pooh

2005-03-23T09:36:00.000-08:00

I still experience jetlag, even after 4 days arriving in Jakarta. My messed up sleeping hour includes sleep at 6pm and wake up at 11pm.

Usually during my owl time, I just read my book. But now, I was intrigued by a short news about a Cobra street-seller named Warung Zaini, located on Mangga Besar. It sells Cobra's product from fresh blood, Cobra soup to Abon Cobra ( I swear I'd rather starve than eat this).

The news showed pak Zaini cutting so-alive fresh black with yellow stripedCobra's head. Then he started to drip its blood to a glass. I have a big huge fear of snake, any snake, you name it. Even I'm so frightened with worm or eel. In addition, I'm so afraid of dripping blood. So it's a perfect combination of what I saw. Nothing compare to it, when we talk about scary scene.

I closed my face with my two palms. Only I heard the presenter telling us that the dripping blood or Cobra's products are so damn good for male erection. For example, you guys can only erect for 5 minutes, after drink it, you'll be able to erect for 10-15 minutes, or perhaps 20 minutes.

When I dared myself to look at the news again, all of sudden I opened my eyes and laughed. On a close-up scene, Pak Zaini dripped the blood to a Winnie the Pooh plastic glass. As a matter of fact, the Pooh huged Piglet. That glass is the same as my daughter's glass.

I saw the macho man wearing a leather black jacket drank the snake's blood. He looked strong and macho until I saw the glass he used to drink the so called bravery drink. Pooh!!!! And piglet!!!

I really want to go to Mangga Besar and donate couple of more appropriate glasses to Pak Zaini (and bring home his Pooh glasses for my daughter - not for her to drink from it, of course, at least for her to play with it).

Another obsession is, to teach Pak Zaini a little lesson about brand consistency.
Cobra = blood = man = strong = macho = leather jacket = black glass/white or red mug = OK!
Cobra= blood = man = strong = macho = ... = Pooh plastic glass = DISASTER!!!!!!!!!

Yoga oh Yoga...

2005-03-07T22:29:00.000-08:00

People talk about it
People are so crazy about it
People want to pay extra for it

Why don't I?

Perhaps I live in a fast mode
Fast fast fast
Hi speed
Upbeat
Kickboxing
Dancing
Aerobic
Swimming

The gap is too big for us
Either one can't compromise
I tried. Until this morning I gave myself a second chance to try
A second chance to like it
And wish to come back
And wish to make it routine

But instead, 30 minutes only and I left
A good progress, though
Last time I only stayed for less than 5 minutes
Boring...boring...boring...

The pace is too slow
The trainer said "Don't look at your friend, don't look at the mirror"
"You'll fall. Concentrate!"

He said that when I was already distracted and thinking:
Why is his beard so thick? Doesn't he feel itchy?

Yoga should be relaxing, right?
But why I heard bumpy sound here and there
A lady stood on the front right of me trying to lift her hips from the floor, using one feet as the foundation.
"Boom! Gedubrak!"
She fell and immediately repositioned herself before other noticed
I looked at her with my right hand shaking.
How come this small hand could lift 54 kilos body?
Uuurrrggghhhh....

Next position:
Stand up, take a breath
Release your breath with your hand down to the floor
Bend your knees
And hop! straight your leg
Lower your body
"Gubrak" (another lady fell) - please ignore
Roll your toes, move forward your body
Roll back your toes, move back your body
And hop!
(this time, all safe!)
Put your leg upfront, knees still bend
Slowly stand up and breath in
And... release your breath

They started it all over again
I could stand for five times in a row
Thought it will waste my time if we do it ten times or so
Don't wanna take a risk
Of get bored to death

So....

I left

Next week,
Go back to kickboxing class

A whisper went softly through my mind saying:
Honey ... Yoga is Not For You.

Wedding planners take the angst out of the big day

2005-02-23T17:02:00.000-08:00

Published on The Jakarta Post, Sun, 8/8/2005
Features News, Sunday, August 08, 2004

Elvera N. Makki, Contributor, Jakarta

As actress-singer Paramitha Rusady gingerly stepped through the crowd of paparazzi and well-wishers at her wedding reception earlier this year, few spied the discreet presence of a tall man in a dark suit nearby.

But with a nod to one of his staff or himself moving unobtrusively to clear her way or point her in the right direction, Emil Eriyanto made sure the event went off without a hitch.

It's not just celebrities who are calling on wedding planners (Emil prefers the term "organizer") these days. For young Indonesians, especially in urban centers like Jakarta, are forced by circumstance and also by choice to let wedding planners take care of everything.

If the question, "Would you let a wedding planner handle your big day?" was asked about 15 years ago, it would have been met by raised eyebrows and a terse, "Are you kidding?"

For most Indonesians, especially Javanese, believe that a marriage between two people means the auspicious joining of two families, and relatives do not want to miss out on a thing.

Family members are proud to be chosen to be on the wedding committee and involved in every step of the complicated traditional wedding rituals, culminating in the taking of vows and the reception.

The belief in "family first" is still true, but the old habits are dying just a bit with new pressures.
"In today's busy environment, people do not want to get frazzled by all the complicated details," said Emil, who became a wedding organizer seven years ago.

"Involving the family will make it much more complex, knowing they are also busy with their own activities."

Outside help is also a practical matter. For when the big day dawns, most members of the family are kept busy ensuring that they look the part, from the right traditional hairdo (it can take up to three hours, with touch-ups and changes after other relatives get to see it), getting dressed ("Where's the kris?" "My sandals are too tight!"), to making sure the food is being made to order.

A former model in his hometown of Malang, East Java, Emil began as an emcee in Jakarta, but founded Multi Kreasi Enterprise seven years ago when he saw the potential in the wedding business.

He studied up on the traditional ceremonies of different regions, from Javanese Surakarta (still the most popular wedding ceremony for his company), to Javanese Yogyakarta, Sundanese, Minangkerbau and also foreign nuptials, such as Indian.

"Our clients call on us for different specific needs. Some ask us to take care of the whole wedding from the scratch, while others only want us for the reception. Even if our client just wants us to be a timekeeper, we are ready."

Emil said it was essential to keep the customer satisfied, whatever their demands.
"First, we pay very close attention to detail. Secondly, we always care about a client's changing needs. Finally, we create a warm, familial atmosphere in interacting with the client."
Emil said his success in organizing weddings had to more job assignments, such as birthday parties, product launches and corporate gatherings.

Although he is considered one of the more expensive organizers, Emil said he charged a standard fee with no commission on goods from suppliers.

Emil's optimism that business will continue to grow is shared by Rina Gunawan, a TV presenter who owns event organizer 19HN Production, which is enjoying more orders for wedding events.
Rina said it was essential to have patience, teamwork and discipline in planning weddings, which she acknowledged often led to problems in the stress of the situation.

"It easily generates family arguments," she said. "That is what our clients are trying to avoid, by hiring a third party planner and organizer."

The potential for family discord was among the main reasons "Sinta" decided to hire a wedding planner for her recent nuptials.

"I knew that I wouldn't have the time to do it justice, especially during this election year," said the 30-something reporter for a foreign publication.

"But I also wanted to avoid the usual family hassles through not having our families involved, and so that we could decide on our own taste."

Rina and her staff of 15 have been entrusted to take care of the weddings of several high-profile individuals, and she said there was bound to be snafus and bruised egos with a client.

"A personal approach is my approach in dealing with a client. It has been my best tool, especially if miscommunication or a little friction occurs between us."

Future prospects for business growth look assured, with the cultural preference for bigger is better when it comes to starting married life not about to change.

"Who doesn't want to get married? Particularly in our culture and beliefs, marriage is one of the most honored institutions and we want to make the big day as special as possible. That is a given, positive fact for us," said Yustine Apriyanto, the owner of Yustine Griya Busana.

She started her business eight years ago, first as a pemaes, a Javanese traditional make-up woman who takes care of everything, such as providing the different kinds of offerings, ensuring the running the ceremonies during the event and outfitting the complete wedding dress, ornaments and equipment needed.

Together with her husband, Teguh Apriyanto, she would also build the pelaminan, the stage where the couple and parents stands during the ceremony.

"Right now, we offer an almost complete package required for wedding parties as a one-stop service, excluding catering."

She takes care of the wedding couple's make-up herself, and provides decorations and clothing for Javanese, Sundanese, Betawi (native Jakartan), Batak and Minang customs, the sound system and the necessary documentation.
She also has an international wedding package.

"I've also done several ethnic Chinese wedding parties. Surprisingly, some of them ask us to combine the theme with the traditional customs of the area they live in."

Yustine said she always kept abreast of trends, implementing necessary changes without altering the essence of traditional rituals.

"Nowadays, many Javanese weddings take place in the garden. We accommodate that particular need. If our clients come to our place, they can see our own garden displayed with several types of decorations so they can decide for themselves."

With a staff of 45, Yustine said many clients felt more secure because she and her husband took a full hands-on approach.

"We do it, we organize it, we have full control of the work," she said.

Hands on: CST a way to release what ails us

2005-02-23T11:14:00.000-08:00

Prolog: It's a treatment done by my old friend from junior high school - I can't believe he's an expert in doing this knowing he's an economic graduate. I have a priviledge to interview him when I was in Jakarta last year. Perhaps this is what you've been looking for.

Published on The Jakarta Post, 8/8/2004
Feature News, Sunday, August 08, 2004
Elvera N. Makki, Contributor, Jakarta

CranioSacral Therapy (CST) may be an unfamiliar term here, but it has been around in Western countries since the 1970s.

Although the International Association of Healthcare Practitioners lists 7,000 CST practitioners worldwide, only seven people from Indonesia have received the necessary training at Upledger Institute in the U.S.

"Nevertheless, as far as I know, the other six apply the knowledge merely for personal purposes, like helping their children or assisting themselves in healing a particular sickness," said Reza Gunawan, who is the founder of True Nature Holistic Healing.

CST puts its therapeutic emphasis on a gentle, hands-on method of evaluating and improving the functioning of the craniosacral system -- a physiological body system comprised of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord.
"The touch is soft like this," said Reza, placing his right palm on my arm.

Feeling about as soft as the weight of a small coin, it may be easy to underestimate or doubt its power. But CST advocates say the touch allows the release of impairments on the craniosacral system, thereby enhancing the functioning of the central nervous system.

"This is good for those who suffer medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction, ranging from migraine headaches, emotional difficulties, stress and tension-related problems, learning disabilities, neurovascular or immune disorders, to neck and back pain," Reza said.

The theory is that once the restrictions are released, optimal balance is restored, so the mind and body would work harmoniously, life energy and vitality would be strengthened and all physiological systems work more efficiently. The patient will be calmer, more aware and alert.
"True, but the task is not that simple," Reza said.

He explained that every person has a natural healing mechanism and medical history, with an evaluation based on the individual characteristics.

Although people may have similar complaints, each patient would receive a customized combination of natural healing methods over several therapy sessions.

"Generally, it's three to six sessions per person, but a person may only need two sessions, while others might need extra time."

He said healing techniques that were effective in holistic combinations included health meditation, acupuncture, energy healing and therapeutic touch, self-help energy work, massage therapy and clinical hypnotherapy.

Some might prefer to skip the latter treatment, fearing that it might take them to a deep, dark place, or even cause them to be compromised.

But Reza, fully certified by the International Center for Hypnosis Education and Research, said many patients wished to take clinical hypnotherapy.

So, how does it actually work?

First of all, becoming hypnotized is a very natural reaction, Reza said. The hypnotic state automatically happens anytime a person becomes deeply relaxed or highly focused.

For instance, hypnosis can take place when a person spaces out while driving, reading a good book or watching a movie. A professional hypnotherapist can prompt and regulate the hypnotic state in individuals and help facilitate desired changes through the use of properly worded hypnosis suggestions.

"I felt deeply relaxed, like I was flying," said Rio Arifin, 27, of his experience with hynotherapy to treat a past life trauma.

He had learned about hypnotherapy when he saw a TV program in the United States telling of success stories.

While hypnotized, the client generally hears and remembers much of what is being spoken, is not completely insensible during the session and can freely choose to disregard any suggestions the hypnotherapist makes.

Reza said hypnosis made a person more inclined to do things he wanted to do, but virtually never made a person behave against his own belief systems.

Generally speaking, the client hears and remembers 50-100 percent of what was said during the session and was very aware of his own body and breathing, as well as the temperature and sounds in the room.

Most people, around 90 percent, are actually more aware when hypnotized. Approximately 10 percent of the people go so deeply into hypnosis that they have no memory of the session.
Reza said that the most common uses of hypnosis in treatments ranged from stress reduction, bulimia, smoking cessation, sexual healing, childbirth, weight loss, traumas and phobias to creative art enhancement and fostering a positive mental attitude.
Reza, naturally, is a firm believer in its benefits.

"It is one of the most pleasant and natural therapies available. It puts you in charge of your own mind and your outcome."

Rio admitted that he was skeptical before trying the treatment.

"Frankly speaking, I did not believe in such natural healing, you know, the body-mind-spirit kind of thing. My father is a doctor, who always used conventional medicine like antibiotics to cure us, and never allowed us to find any other alternative ways," said Rio.
"He doesn't know I went to the hypnotherapist."

The rivalry between holistic natural healing and conventional goes on, with both struggling for trust.

In some professional journals, the medical establishment characterizes holistic practices as scientifically dubious, sounding alarm about the safety of treatments.
On the other hand, holistic physicians question whether drugs and invasive procedures can ever be the ultimate road to health.

Both even dispute which form of medicine can truly call itself traditional or conventional. Western medicine is merely centuries old, while ancient medicines, like Chinese and Ayurvedic, have been in use for thousands of years.

"Personally, as a holistic natural healing consultant and therapist, I'm not dead set against conventional medical treatment," Reza said.

"The two are good if we can utilize them respectfully," said Reza, who limits himself to a maximum of 60 90-minute treatments per month.

"Be educated consumers. Learn as much information as possible about the two sides: doctors, therapists, medicine, natural healing modalities, hospital services and other issues concerning your health.

"And a second opinion is always important."

In his clinic, he advises clients to consult their primary care physician or doctor prior to participating in any natural healing programs.

"Especially when you are pregnant or have a serious medical condition," he said. "It's also an option if the client wants us to work hand in hand with his doctor".

True Nature Holistic Healing Tel. 0811804150
www.truenaturehealing.net

Touch and go: Tuina handles an ailing body

2005-02-23T11:07:00.000-08:00

Published on The Jakarta Post, 9/26/2004
Feature News, Sunday, September 26, 2004
Elvera N. Makki, Contributor, Jakarta

At a glance, tuina might look similar to ordinary massage but it should never be taken as merely a fun rubdown. The Chinese consider it serious business for health, and it's now available in Jakarta.

You may be bemused by the term "hand-manipulation" the same way I was when I first heard of tuina, an ancient Chinese healing method developed about 2,000 years ago.
But, whatever you do, don't call it massage.

Generally, tuina -- from tui meaning pressing and grabbing and na for grasping -- can be defined as a series of pressing, tapping and kneading movements to remove blockages along the meridian system of the body. This stimulates the Qi (chi) energy flow and blood to promote healing of disorders related to the bone and nerve system, like osteo-arthritis, specific musculoskeletal disorders, insomnia, migraine, cervical vertebrae and orthopedics.

Tuina technique, which can be painful for some people, varies from light stroking to deep-tissue work. It often looks similar to ordinary massage but it should never be considered a fun, relaxing massage.

"That is why they (the practitioners) tend not to call it massage, especially in Indonesia where massage is mostly associated with the pamper yourself kind of thing," said Fenny, a Chinese-Indonesian woman whose father often travels to Beijing for tuina treatment.

He is one of many ethnic Chinese here who still travel to China for traditional Chinese medicine, including tuina, even though there are many shin-se (traditional Chinese health practitioners) in Jakarta.

"We sometimes question the quality of shin-se here although they claim, for example, to be certified acupuncture practitioners," Fenny said. "We also don't know the quality of the medicine, whether it comes directly from China or is artificially made in Jakarta."

In China, there are formal schools of traditional Chinese medicine where graduates are given the title OMD -- Oriental Medical Doctor, formally on par with MD.

Yet perhaps Fenny and her father can think again about going abroad, as Beijing Tong Ren Tang Indo (BTRTI), a franchise of China's Beijing Tong Ren Tang, established in 1669, opened here in June.

The Beijing Chinese medicine hall is well known for its unique traditional recipes to produce the best medicine using high quality materials and advanced technology, as well as exporting raw and processed materials.

When visiting the clinic, one is immediately struck by the strong Chinese atmosphere, including the aroma of herbs. The left side houses a spacious traditional pharmacy where there are approximately 500 types of natural medicines -- all imported from Beijing -- stored in hundreds of wooden-made drawers.

The pharmacists mix and dispense raw materials in a traditional way, based on prescriptions written in Mandarin from a medical practitioner.

"We do not sell the natural herbs without a prescription from a doctor or outside shin-se. We are very particular on that, it is not just an ordinary clinic but similar to Western clinics." said general manager Liem Sian Tie.

It's only been open a couple of months, but already a steady stream of patients has come for treatment, he added.

"At first I came here because I couldn't move my hand as I had fallen at home two years ago. I went to Singapore and other places with no result, but after three tuina treatments at this place, my hand is back to normal," said 64-year-old Wien, a frequent patient, adding that the treatment was painful but worked effectively.

Liem said the company hired Chinese medicine doctors, with more than 30 years of experience in the field, with Dr. Song Sheng Yuan as the tuina specialist.

Dr. Song has 35 years of experience in clinical treatment, combining Tiongkok and Western medication. He worked at prominent hospitals in Beijing before coming to Jakarta.
"Excellent!" said Wien of Dr. Song's treatment.

But since Dr. Song cannot speak English or Indonesian, France Chandra, a young Indonesian Chinese medicine graduate who is the clinic's operations manager, or Liem himself acts as translator.

Are there any side effects to the treatment?

"Treatment sessions lasting from 30 minutes to an hour have no (negative) side effect. Patients often return for additional treatments, usually for chronic conditions," Dr. Song explained
Just like most "energy-based" treatments, the patient usually feels either relaxed and tired, or surprisingly energized by the treatment and release of pain.

Before undertaking the treatment, it is wise to understand that tuina is not used for disorders involving compound fractures, open sores, external wounds or with infectious conditions like hepatitis.

Moreover, tuina should not be performed on the abdominal portion of a woman during her period or pregnancy, and it is not used to treat malignant tumors or tuberculosis.

Since the doctor concentrates on specific acupressure points, energy trigger points, muscles and joints surrounding the affected area, the patient should not eat at least an hour before the treatment.

Beijing Tong Ren Tang Indo Jl. Hos Cokroaminoto No. 73-75, Menteng Central Jakarta 10350 Tel. 021-3919088

Chicago's home for American art closing its doors

2005-02-23T10:44:00.000-08:00

(Published on the Jakarta Post)
Features News, Sunday, June 20, 2004
Elvera N. Makki, Contributor, Chicago, Illinois

Chicago is a paradise for both local and international glamorpusses. Along North Michigan Avenue, there are 14 blocks from Oak Street to Chicago River, with about 400 brands on both sides of the avenue showcasing their collections.

Yet in the midst of the avenue known as "The Magnificent Mile", there is a place that seems to get the brush-off from ardent shoppers.

"Hi, welcome to Terra Museum of American Art."

A woman in her mid-40s greeted me with a wise smile, as if she understood my bewilderment. How could they let people get pleasure from hundreds of pieces of artwork for free?

"Admission is always free. The museum started on the second floor to the fifth". She smiled again and pointed to a huge 5 x 5m wooden-made elevator.

While the first floor was small and only functioned as a gift shop, the second was more like a warehouse, mostly because of the minimalist concept design.

Here was an exhibition exploring modernism in American art, themed A Transatlantic Avant-Garde: American Artists in Paris, 1918-1939.

During that period between the world wars, American artists traveled to Paris for an artistic adventure rather than for academic training. Entering into a transatlantic dialog with the Parisian avant-garde, artists sought to express their own ideas of modernity.

In the approximately 150 paintings, sculpture and works on paper, the focus was on three successive aspects of the Parisian avant-garde: Cubism, Geometric Abstraction and Surrealism. I checked out a painting by Charles Demuth in 1921 titled Street of the Monkey who Fishes, which indicated his knowledge of avant garde and surrealist trends.

Patric Henry Bruce drew my attention as well with his unique technique of drawing -- oil on canvas with a pencil under-drawing, making his painting titled Still Life inventive.

It is obvious the museum tries to emphasize the idea of purism, a distinctly modern art in stride with the technological advances of the day.

Going up to the third floor, there was Carl Van Vechten's Portrait of Man Ray, with several other pictures of the artist with Spanish surrealist exponent Salvador Dali.
What made the portraits unique were the technique of picture-making that used gelatin silver print.

On the fourth floor, a giant painting of transatlantic cultural exchange from Samuel F.B Morse (1791-1872), Gallery of Louvre, evinces the vibrancy of the Paris museum more than 170 years ago.

On the fifth floor there was the exhibition A Narrative of American Art, led by Thomas Hart Benton with his series of paintings titled The American Historical Epic.

What struck me most about Benton's works was the exploration of economic exploitation through the brutalizing effects of slavery in America.

Yet there was something that hit me even more when the woman museum employee innocently announced to me in the elevator, "We're closing down this museum in October, forever".

The history of the museum is tied to Daniel J. Terra, who was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in 1911 and raised in Philadelphia. A son of Italian immigrants, he started a business in 1940, Lawter International, Inc., which grew to 22 branches in 12 countries.

Terra and his first wife, Adeline Richard Terra (1910-1982), acquired two studies by John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) for The Oyster Gatherers of Cancale (1878) at a 1971 auction -- the genesis of a 25-year mission to form a notable collection of American art.

Terra then sold all of his European art collection and acquired only American art. Why?

"As a first-generation American, Terra saw American art as an expression of patriotism and a means to promote the country's cultural heritage," explained the museum employee.
In 1977, Terra's American art collection was displayed publicly for the first time. Terra saw a terrific opportunity to share his collection in Chicago, which had become his hometown, when he realized that the city lacked a museum devoted to American art. Less than a year later, The Terra Foundation for the Arts was founded.

Terra felt a strong attachment to France, especially after he was honored in 1985 by the French government with the Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters. He opened The Muse‚ d'Art American Giverny in Paris in the summer of 1992, four years before his death.

So why is this museum closing?

"The foundation is refocusing its activities as the best solution to leveraging the long-term value of the endowments," the employee said. "It's been decided by the Board of Trustees to close it down, in order to expand foundation activities."

"Meanwhile, they will review the use of the museum's building here on North Michigan Avenue," she continued. "Nothing to worry about since the foundation's core mission is still the same: to promote a greater understanding and appreciation of American art".

She added that with resources of approximately US$200 million, the foundation was expected to continue as one of the leading foundations in the world dedicated to American art.

The Terra Museum will continue to present its scheduled exhibitions until Oct. 31.

After the museum closes, the foundation will place a revolving selection of up to 50 paintings, as well as 350 works on paper, on a renewable 15-year loan to the Art Institute of Chicago.

The Terra collection of more than 700 artwork will remain under the ownership and management of the foundation. The Muse‚ d'Art American Giverny will keep on exhibiting works from the collection.

"So how about you?" I asked her gently.
"I guess I have to find another job. Likewise, I need a secure place, too."

Indonesians in U.S. work together in relief effort

2005-02-23T10:35:00.000-08:00

(Published on The Jakarta Post, Fri, 2/18/2005)
Features News- February 18, 2005
Elvera N. Makki, Contributor/Houston, Texas

Moments after watching news of the tsunami in Banda Aceh and North Sumatra, Andrew Huang, 53, who has lived in Houston for 13 years, felt it was a call for him to do something immediately.

Acting as the head of the Indonesian Catholic Family in Houston, Andrew contacted without delay a handful of Indonesian organizations in town to meet and discuss ways to help the tsunami victims. His initiative was quickly acted upon.

"With only four meetings each week, we finally came up with something simple, yet effective to raise funds", said Andrew.

It was called the Tsunami Relief Charity Day, a half-day bazaar and auction held in the backyard of the Indonesian Consulate General.

The event was participated in by approximately 10 Indonesian non-profit organizations.

At the event, each organization opened booths and sold Indonesian food to visitors. The Houston chapter of the Society of Indonesian Petroleum Engineers added interest to the event by holding an auction of Indonesian art donated by society members.

All of the money from the food sales and auction was sent to the Indonesian Red Cross and Kompas Humanitarian Fund.

Equipment and facilities such as the stage, sound system, security and cleaning services were provided by the consulate. Publicity was mostly by word of mouth.

"We simply drafted a flyer in pdf format, emailed it to our Indonesian friends and let them forward it to their colleagues at work and their neighbors. We also posted it to several grocery stores," added Andrew.

During the event, a nonprofit dance company committed to community involvement and education through the arts presented several performances.

One was the story of a small family in Indonesia torn apart by the tsunami. The dance expressed the hope that, ultimately, despite the loss and tragedy, hope and unity would see the survivors through.

About 200 people, including Americans, Europeans and those of other nationalities, showed up for the event.

"We collected US$12,853, of which $8,000 came from food sales and the auction. The rest was cash and checks placed in donation boxes at the bazaar entrance," said Andrew.

For Andrew, what mattered most was not the total amount of money raised or how many people attended, but the success of the event.

"Seeing the passion and participation of the Indonesian community in working together to make the event a success, while far from home -- that was priceless."

"I hoped that, ideally, I could fly to Banda Aceh to help directly, and I bet this is what everyone here would have wished. Unfortunately, I have commitments that prevent me from doing that," said Andrew.

In the immediate aftermath of tsunami, Indonesians, not only from Houston but also from as far afield as New Orleans, Louisiana, went to the consulate and donated boxes of clothing.

For days, Indonesian women from the community worked in shifts at the consulate to sort through the clothes and other supplies.

According to the head of the business division of the Indonesian Consulate in Houston, Enda Iskandar Yusuf, 495 boxes of clothing and other supplies were shipped to the disaster relief handling depot in Medan, and should arrive there early in March.

The consulate has also received to date more than $50,000 in cash donations from many in the community.

Iwan Tantu, an expatriate Indonesian, spent two weeks raising funds at mosques in the city, making presentations on the disaster.

The funds collected were transferred to Imaam (a U.S. nonprofit, religious, charitable organization, largely serving Muslims from Indonesia in the Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland areas) and Pos Keadilan Peduli Umat (a Muslim group concerned with issues of welfare and justice).

On the pictures: 1. One of the visitor looked at the mural of Tsunami tragedy in Aceh.
2. Bismo, 9, begged his mother to voluntarily participate in the charity event. By selling cold beverage and giving all the money for the victims, he felt that he also took part in helping.
3&4. A busy day on selling home-made Indonesian cuisine during the bazaar.

Kopi Luwak, the Most Expensive Coffee from Indonesia

2005-02-23T10:28:00.000-08:00

(Published on The Jakarta Post, Fri, 2/18/05)
Featured News
Elvera N. Makki, Contributor/Houston, Texas

Are you a coffee aficionado?

If your answer is yes, then you must try kopi luwak. It's the most expensive coffee you can buy here.

Another thing is, it is also the rarest coffee ever. You cannot find this in major cafes, even in Indonesia itself.

So beware of fake kopi luwak. When I was on vacation in Jakarta a couple months ago, I was intrigued by a kopi luwak advertisement in a well-known women's magazine.

Surprisingly, during the phone conversation with the marketing officer, he honestly explained that it was not genuine kopi luwak that his company was selling: It contained no kopi luwak ingredients. The company simply used the brand name solely for commercial purposes.

Kopi is Indonesian for coffee. A luwak (civet) is a tree-dwelling animal that lives mainly in Sumatran jungles, climbs coffee trees and eats only the ripest, reddest coffee berries.

Also known as Paradoxurus hermaphroditus, this animal digests the coffee beans in such a way that they turn out to be fully wrapped, clean and fairly intact when excreted.

It is not yet known how local farmers got the idea at the start to gather luwak feces, which contained coffee beans. Perhaps one thing that they did not expect was that they had found something valuable, which was to become an Indonesian best-seller.

At kopi luwak wholesalers, the unroasted product costs about US$250 per kilo while roasted beans may cost about US$600 per kilo. Several coffee shops sell it at a premium price of US$5 per cup -- beating the price of any other coffee for the same quantity.

"Of course, the rarity of this coffee has made it exclusive and pricey," said Lenny Cooper, the owner of LJ Cooper Co., an established U.S. company that provides world-class specialty coffee beans from around the globe, including Sulawesi and Sumatra.

The fact that luwak are not held in captivity and the way the beans are processed has made them extremely scarce.

"Only 250 kilograms of the beans are produced annually. My portion is around 40 kilograms," added Cooper, whose company has become the largest kopi luwak supplier in the United States.
Cooper mentioned that it took years to find a reliable, stable supplier of kopi luwak beans, which, unfortunately, is not Indonesian-owned but rather Daarhnour from the Netherlands; they put him in touch with the plantation owner in Sumatra.

From there, he has distributed the coffee to dozens of buyers, mostly in the western and eastern parts of the U.S., with his biggest client, M.P Mountanos Inc., located in Los Angeles.

"We have experienced a shortage of kopi luwak since last year. There has been no shipping for a couple of months," complained Cooper. "If I could get 10 tonnes of the beans, I would guarantee I'd be able to sell it all easily."

Cooper, who orders two tonnes of the beans every year, believes that importing kopi luwak is a very lucrative business, although it only contributes about 1 percent of his total business revenue, so that uncertainties over coffee shipment arrivals will not unduly affect his overall business.

"But I am not talking about total revenue here; rather, it is more about how to provide the most exclusive coffee to a niche market." said Cooper.

"I have been asked to sell robusta kopi luwak, which is cheaper. I refused to sell it: It's not the real thing!"

Furthermore, discerning customers would notice the taste, which is known to be uniquely earthy, musty and almost syrupy.

"I tried kopi luwak two years ago at a small gathering at my friend's house," said Maria Lopez, a Houstonian who describes herself as a coffee addict. "Frankly speaking, it was a no-no for me to drink a beverage made from animal feces; I mean, come on," she chuckled.

After her friend had roasted the beans, she could not help but try it. "The aroma was so damn good, very exotic, rich and strong."

"From the moment I sipped it, I knew it was Sumatran coffee, but it had a different flavor -- something between caramel and chocolate. It was very smooth as well."

It was a different story for Rinto Muhammadsyah, who tried kopi luwak at a five-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

"I was just curious to try the most sought-after coffee in the world. At least I had the experience of drinking it."

Bahasa Indonesia VS English, Sama Aja!

2005-02-10T22:23:00.000-08:00

Finally I will write in Bahasa Indonesia. Now? ya, sekarang. Ceritanya begini, ada beberapa teman saya yang "ribut" setelah baca blog saya ini,

"Ver... gue mau kasih komentar, tapi kok bahasa Inggris sih"

"Ver, gue mau cerita juga, tapi mesti pake bahasa Inggris ya?"

"Ver... ganti aja pake bahasa Indonesia aja kenapa sih? Ribet gue mesti buka-buka kamus kalo pake bahasa Inggris, heran deh!" --- lho kok kamu marah sih jeung?

Saya sudah berkali-kali bilang, terserah komentar atau berbagi pengalamannya mau pake bahasa apa: bahasa Inggris, bahasa Indonesia, bahasa Jawa (kayak ibu saya), bahasa tarzan, bahasa Betawi (kayak nanny saya dulu), bahasa Jerman... terserah aja. Tapi tetep kok ya gak ada yang PD buat nulis cerita disini.

"Ver, lo nulis pake Bahasa Indonesia dulu deh, abis itu baru gue mau cerita-cerita juga. Buruan ya... udah pingin banget nih ngebahas tulisan lo".

Hwaaaa? Saya cuman bisa geleng-geleng kepala atau bengong. Saya suka heran sama orang yang terlalu ribet. Bikin pusing kepala. Tapi bagaimanapun juga, they are my dear friends. Temen-temen saya "annoying" kayak gitu, nothing but because they feel soooooo comfortable being themselves in front of me.

Hasilnya... voila! Ini tulisan pertama saya berbahasa Indonesia di blog ini. Terus terang, dari awal saya gak ada maksud mau bikin blog berbahasa Inggris. Kebetulan aja, tulisan-tulisan saya selama ini, lebih enak kalau diceritakan dengan bahasa tersebut.

Lalu saya berpikir, kenapa sih masalah bahasa aja diributin? Padahal mereka gak punya "language barrier" kok. Teman-teman saya yang heboh dan bingung pake bahasa ini atau itu malah bisa dibilang cenderung pintar. Dalam percakapan sehari-hari, mereka juga sering menyelipkan beberapa istilah bahasa Inggris yang bikin mereka semakin terlihat pintar. So why?

"Abis gue mesti make sure dulu darling, tulisan dan komentar yang gue buat nanti, gramatically correct gak ya? Males ah, kayak ujian aja".

Yaaaahhhh, kok mentalnya kayak gitu sih? Bukannya semakin kita sering nulis atau berbicara dengan suatu bahasa tertentu, kita jadi semakin fasih dengan bahasa tersebut? Justru mereka harus berterimakasih sama saya, ada wadah yang bisa dipakai untuk latihan menulis dengan bahasa lain.

Lagian, janganlah terlalu fokus dengan grammar, if that's the problem. Just loosen up yourself! Kebanyakan mikir grammar, kagak maju-maju entar, hehehe. Professor bahasa Inggris saya di University of Houston aja pernah bilang begitu di kelas. So, relax, dude!

Biar tambah rileks, ternyata banyak orang-orang di Amrik sini yang jago ngomong tapi giliran disuruh menulis dan mengeja , langsung gagap sesaat. Makanya disini aktif diadakan "spelling competition", supaya mereka ngerti "excellent" itu tulisannya bukan "exselent". FYI, banyak orang Amrik yang gak bisa nulis kata-kata seperti butterfly atau "harassment" (pertanyaannya sama dengan kamu, "Is it with two r or two s?")

Masih kurang rileks? Gini deh, presiden AS, George Bush, masih suka kebalik-balik kalo lagi ngomong bahkan juga kalo lagi speech, for God sake! Suka belibet gitu... padahal dia seorang presiden ni yee. Kalau ada press conference, yang ditunggu masyarakat Amrik terkadang bukan topik bahasannya, tapi... berapa kali dia ngomong belibet (?????!!!!). Keterlaluan, but it's true.

So, why are you soooo afraid to express yourself in English or other sophisticated languages?

Gue aja modal nekat.

Why Moms Barely Sleeping

2005-02-06T23:34:00.000-08:00

Now, it's 1.15 am. I'm still awake. I just cleaned dishes. I just finished putting my daughter's toys altogether in her toy box (after she unloaded them, I cleaned, she unloaded, I cleaned, she unloaded... I gave up). My hubby and her have finally been sleeping like 4 hours ago. And all of sudden I remember my lovely mom.

When I was 16, I began to notice that my mother was never actually sleeping. AND when I found her sleeping, she found me watching her sleeping. She would then say "Oh, it's you", then she went sleeping again but short-time.

I've ever investigated on how many hours she actually slept. Ok, she woke up at 1am, checking home for a while (key locks, ME, my sisters and brother, etc) and pray Tahajud (in Islam, there is an optional night pray to be able to get closer to GOD and Insya Allah, get his blessing and grant your wishes). After that she read Yasin (from Qur'an) for at least 7 times in a row and dzikir (praising God) - that approximately took up to 2 hours. Then she usually fell asleep in the prayer carpet. An hour later, 4 am, she woke up, checked on home again and started cleaning until Subuh time arrived (the first mandatory pray of the day).

Then, her eyes kept open until around 11 pm.

So, everyday, she slept for around 1-2 hours only. Can you imagine?

That was a one day trip at home with mom, which the next day I felt extremely tired and was sleeping for more than 12 hours (Kebo aja memang!)

Lesson learn: RESPECT your mother, please. It's a 24 hour job of taking care of her family, including you, for God sake. Don't be so arrogant when you get your first job or just got a promotion. Trust me, it's completely NOTHING compared to what your mom does.

Do I start like my mom who still wake up in the middle of the nite, sometimes until wee hours, until 4 o'clock in the morning? Is it some kind of "A Gift from God" for mommies to be able to stay awake that long? Perhaps.

But God please forgive me! Instead of praying, I dating my laptop and watching TV - checking on what's happening outside my 1,300 sq feet apartment :):):):)

Plus, finish my write up (does it make any good of me?)

Peace,

Feng Shui 101

2005-01-30T10:08:00.000-08:00

I just made a statement to my husband that I didn't buy Feng Shui rules. I remember in Indonesia, my friend hung a sun ornament above his front door because his "feng shui" friend from Hong Kong just informed him to put it there; otherwise, bad spirit will come and stay at his house. Come on!

In Indonesia, so many people do believe in Feng Shui; they even implement the rules for their business. The office where I used to work at, was set based on Feng Shui. The owner regularly brought Feng Shui expert from Hong Kong to read on where the "fortune" was; hence, re-arranged the furniture and interior setting accordingly.

I remember when, out of the blue, my big boss had to move his office space from the far back to the very front. The expert said, putting his office too far from the entrance might cause the company not getting profit as fast as it could be. I questioned, "so why did you recommend us to put his office at the far back at the beginning?"

"Last time, feng shui read it differently".

What!!!??? Why would you make your world so complicated like that?

I went to Barnes and Noble yesterday. I found a book where my point of view on Feng Shui changed ( a bit). The title of the book is "Chic living with Feng Shui: Stylish Designs for Harmonious Living" by Sharon Stasney. I like this book because, instead of ordering you to do this and that with your home, it gives you a basic knowledge about Feng Shui - how it relates with color, chi energy, ying and yang and chakras.

The book also understates that according to Feng Shui, your home might be best for you to stay but not for your neighbor - because you have a different personal chi assessment from others.

That make sense! That relieves me!

I don't against Feng Shui whatsoever; but I do against people who believe in Feng Shui BLUNTLY, without thinking the rational (and other people preference in designing their own home).

do you TRUST your babysitter?

2005-01-24T21:51:00.000-08:00

For mommies who work, do you trust or not trust your babysitter?
Even for stay-home mommies, do you trust or not trust your babysitter?
Share with me.

After talking with as much resources as possible, I pick one best solution:
Keep [trying] to trust your babysitter but at the same time, have your mother or mother in law or whoever from your family you can count on to supervise the sitter.

The babysitter is pretty much like us in the office. We will less diligent or at least feel having more freedom when our boss has a one-day meeting outside the office (be honest, please). Whether you notice it or not, you will start do things that are unfavorable for your boss (but so favorable and fun for you) such as chatting, friendster-ing, ringing up your friend or smoking on the emergency stairs.

Same here as your babysitter: when you or your family members are not around, she tends to be less careful, less diligent and "ASAL", sometimes she just does it unintentionally. Supervisor is somewhat very important in every level of our life.

But the thing is, we're talking about human baby here, "Titipan Tuhan", not a kitty nor business. If you make mistakes at the office, worse come to worse, they will kick you OUT. GOD will never fire you from being a MOM.

Family Matter, this one's so FUNNY

2005-01-24T13:55:00.000-08:00

I live in the apartment complex which they called has a "family environment". That was the reason why I and Vandy, my husband, decided to stay here since we were about to have a baby last two year.

True. There are kids playing around in the afternoon, kids who like to suddenly hop near our fence trying to find their lizards and kids who ride bicycles while his mom shouting from well, I don't know, "KIDSSSSS!!!!! GO HOMEEEEE!!!!!!NOWWWWWW!!!". Scary.

In the morning I routinely take Vala, my 10-month-old girl walk around the complex. No kids. Kids go to school. But there are moms who walk with their "other" kids that are so cute. We liked to have a quick chat. "How's Vala? Oh my God, she's growing fast" "Yes, as you can see. How about him?" I asked about the "other kid" she brought "Oh, Bryan was naughty last night. He didn't want to have a dinner with us. He kept playing. So I punished him. I put him in his room".

We separated.

There are about 5 families in this complex who have "other" kids. First I didn't notice it when we first met. At that time, we had this small gathering in the poolside. We started talking about our babies. They were talking about Bryan, Megan, Tanya, Farell, etc.

"Vala starts to crawl and grab things around her. She also starts mumbling"
"Yes, Megan also likes to scream, out of the blue. That makes Farell cries".

Later I knew that Megan was actually her chi-hua-hua, the "other" kid I talked about, ladies and gentlemen, while Farell was her "biological, human" daughter.

She always talked as if Megan was a human too, not a dog. Tanya is a little black puddle and Bryan is a big lambrador. Ou...owwwww....woof woof...

Sixth Sense

2005-01-24T13:53:00.000-08:00

My 20 month old baby likes to talk on the front hallway as if she communicates with "someone". At first, I did not worry at all. She might be just learning to talk the way her parents do. When I do household activity such as cooking in the kitchen, I sees her enjoying herself on that hallway, pretending that she has a friend to play with. She starts bubbling, yelling and laughing. Watching that, as a mom, I just laughing. She's so cute and imaginative.

BUT not today. I think she acts beyond being imaginative. When I cooked in the kitchen and noticed that my daughter did not come to me for quite a long time then I saw her talking... on the hallway. I observed her ... she was actually communicating with "her friend". It was so obvious. She talked, then stop as if she listened, then talk back, then nodding, then yelling, then watching a focal point, then laughing, then running before turning back to see whether her friend tried to catch her. My heart beat so fast. Who's her friend?

I slowly came closer to the hallway, wondering if I have the so-called sixth sense so I'll be able to see her friend. Zero result. Nothing was there. As my baby noticed I was there, she then went over to the living room. Her friend has left. Perhaps because I came?

My sister once told me that her 4 years old boy one day said, "Bye grandma...". He was waiving his hand to an empty chair in front of my sister's bedroom. My sister was scared to death, asking all of the two nannies and two servants to sleep in her room. Do kids actually see spirits we don't? Do they really play and make friends with them? Will they disappear as our children grow? Trying hard to be wise on this, I just hope that those unseen won't bother my family member.

I do believe that there are "the others" who live in our place. As long as they don't bother us, I won't bother them. And I just wish that my baby won't have that sixth sense every now and then. I just feel that it is safer to be "dissabled" on this particular matter. My job is to protect my children from anything, including from being insecure of seeing them.

I wish...

American Teenagers Going Crazzyyyy

2005-01-24T13:03:00.000-08:00

When I say they're going crazy, I trully mean it. It's crazzzzyyyyyy up to the next level. MTV has a new program named "I Want a Famous Face (IWFF)". Despite of being one of those reality shows, IWFF is 'lil bit different. Frightened. Horrible.

It's about American youngsters who desperately want to be exactly like their idol. How? Plastic Surgery. They undergo a one-day surgery for all needed to be done. Wider eyes, deeper eyes. bigger breast, up-tight breast, higher nose, smaller nose, sexier lips, thinner lips, tummy tucked, leaner hips, stronger jaw *like Brat Pitt :P*, whiter teeth. For all these, they probably praise silicon and lipposuction more than anything else *may I say... more than to God?*.

MTV taped each profiles including the surgery process. Horor. You see blood, needle, dripping blood *that's scarier* and the fact that their parts of body are being "diedel-edel" with the cold hands of fortunately, experienced MD, not dukun santet.

A girl dreadfully wanna be Britney Spears. A macho man who apparently transformed himself into a woman terribly wants a J-lo look. Twin boys forfeit their cute face for having Bratt Pitt face - after the extreme make over finished, they are cuter, but still far away from Brat Pitt genuinely handsome gaze. Sorry. It's been an issue here in the states on why MTV produces that kind of reality show.

As a trendsetter, MTV may trigger american teenagers to get their face repaired. This show may cause their mentality in danger. They may think that "diedel-edel" are cool, updated, stylish, modern. Watching the show, I just couldn't stop squeezing my husband's arm and said repeatedly "astaghfirlahualladzim!!!!!", while he's sleeping tight, contentedly ignoring me.

Hai Mommy Around the Globe

2005-01-24T11:59:00.000-08:00

They say being a full time housewife is BORING
They say being a mommy is RIBET a.k.a WORTHLESS
They say being a full time housewife and mommy is NOT COOL

They don't know being a full time housewife is REWARDING
They don't know being a mommy is THE MOST BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE EVER
They don't know being a full time housewife and mommy is GORGEOUS
They don't know being a full time housewife and mommy and career woman is POSSIBLE
Pity those close-minded people. Let them be. Meanwhile, let's focus on US!

Have an enjoyable reading! Your comment and say are most welcome, too!