Hee, watch out, THUNDER is coming your way!!!

As you grow older, you'll find yourself get scared easily for no reason... Ever had this in your mind?? No?? Well, at least I do think this way. Duh (˘_˘٥).

The story happened just last night. It was raining hard then. I was sitting with my back leaning to the wall, peacefully and intensely watching the CSI series on tv. Outside, the rain poured down heavily, just so you know it was not alone… along with a bolt of lightning and thunder, as well. In short, there were thunderstorms, ladies and gentlemen.

Supposedly, as a big, grown-up lady, such a thing as the sound of the thunder, however BIG it was, it should not be a big deal, right? It's not like I stand in the middle of nowhere and worrying if I may or may not be hit by the lightning... I was just INSIDE of my house, sitting while eating my cassava chip snack while watching an intense CSI serial.

Then it came. The thunderstorm. Really B-I-G one. Trust me. The grrrh, I mean, the roaring sound of the thunder had successfully led to me getting a (mild) panic attack which made me feel like my heart almost jumped out of my chest for a second there *gulp*. It was so terrifying that I decided to switch off the tv and ran to my bedroom in a hurry. And then, my mom asked something which awakened my subconscious self, "Have you turned off the tv? It’s lightning outside" to which I quickly replied “Yeah...” Then my mom went again asking me, “So, what's with those chips in your hand? Why bringing it into the bedroom?" "Uh? Hehe…" I was just laughing foolishly when then my sis voluntarily answered the question on my behalf, "That's because she got scared, he-eh…”

Yeah, right, what a shame… turned out I was a scaredy-cat in a human form… why in the world I felt afraid that I unknowingly carried along the snack I was eating, just because of the thunderstorms. Great. Now I need to add one more thing to be afraid of, in this whole universe. What a fragile woman, what's the use of watching the CSI series then?? (wait, does it really have any connection?) ARRGHH...

Can't I get afraid whenever there are thunderstorms??? Tell me why not???

When I Detest It the Most...

Quite few days back, I had some serious discussion with a few friends of mine. Well, to be honest, it wasn't that serious,,, we were just making it look like the issue was so much crucial that it needed a thorough understanding and ultimate comprehension to arrive for the end of it. Hey, since the discussion involved me... as well as some of my friends who loved exaggerating things to the max, you people should have known by now that our discussion was not as important as climate change or, perhaps, world peace. Ack, this isn't what I want to talk about by the way... scattered mind as always. Oh, well... let's just begin.

Our talk was triggered by the reality of common issues we faced when signing into our facebook accounts, usually. You see, a group of people these days really like to show off their feelings out loud... whether happy or not, serious or not, important or not. 

Obviously, it seems to me that they try to make things look worse than they are supposed to be... and --this is the most important-- they purposely try to make our lives (as their listed facebook friends) become psychologically distorted... really, people, it's not like I am your psychiatrist, I have life to live as well, not to mention a great deal of life problems to face, too.  I just don't get it in the first place the reason why I was dragged into reading your complaining to life (and God, I believe you're not aware of this fact, eh??)... not that I could solve your problems either... in the end, I often found myself torn between wanting to smack my laptop (which, of course, can result in a loss on my side) and unfriend them from my facebook world (this alternative can really enlighten my dark side for sure, hehe).

I know that it was not that group of complaining people to blame. First and foremost, it was the doing of our great and creative facebook people who started all of this commotion.  We all understand that these people 'ask' us to share our thinking... or, as we all can read it clearly every time we open our facebook profile... the one that is shown at the top of our timeline... the question that I am, in particular, scared the most because I always have a problem to think what exactly I am thinking at that moment... it is the "What's on your mind?" stuff.

Yes, to tell you honestly, I'd like to put the blame to the facebook developers who lure out the desire of pathetic and fool people to post their sadness (so that your friends can be sad together with you, which is more pathetic), their hatred (so that your friends can also point their anger toward those you hate, too, which is more problematic), and their happiness (so that your friends can enjoy it together with you, which is a good point anyway, or be jealous at the same time, too, which is the worst of all) in their respective facebook profiles. Either one, it is just a matter of time that we, their connected friends, will read it and be greatly affected by it. Thank you very much.

In actuality, I myself had gone through the time when I liked posting what I'd done or would like to do quite frequently. But, later on I realized that even I felt sick of it... even I didn't want to read my own life updates. I was like 'hey, what the heck I wrote in here?'... to which I then decided to post only things that I thought others would not be bothered by or annoyed with my life updating status. It's me feeling the pain you people were feeling.

However, as much as I hated complains and sadness and other trivial matters (e.g., breaking up, etc. etc...) posted in my timeline, what I dislike the most is the frequency of those trivial issues coming into the timeline. As a friend of yours, I can understand that since it is so painful, you will end up writing it in your facebook, which in the end it reaches my timeline. Since it is the case, just let it out, so you won't keep it bottled up inside your heart. BUT. That does not justify that you people can again and again post the same thing (like breaking up or whatever hardship you've encountered in life) in a tremendous number of times... like every second of your life is dedicated to posting the heck of hardship you think was harsh enough for you,... like no body has ever faced similar issues in their life... only you, have it. For God's sake, get a life, you people...

And so, when my friends and I was talking about such things, I can't help myself saying that these kind of friends should be removed from our facebook friend's list. Actually, I did 'unfriend' some people for various reasons. Mostly because I have never met them in person, and they just added me for only God knew why... Even if I dislike some people for keeping updates with trivial issues, so long as I know them and they know me outside of facebook virtual world, I keep them in my list... it just, I hide their status updates since it often makes my heart and mind worn out after reading their daily complains. Yeah, call me bad, I don't really care. A friend is a friend, and I act like one, but, there is a necessity for me to keep my sanity.

But, there are also some people whom I've removed for good from my list because of their status. So bad that I decided to unfriend them after careful consideration. Yes, I can still hide their updates if I want to and keep them in my list to prevent them for misunderstanding me. Yet, I chose not to hide them. I preferred to remove their names. Let them misunderstood me. Like I really care.

And why did I do that to them? None other than because of their hatred. Their tendency toward racism, more specifically, they are chauvinists, I dare say.

One time, two times, three times, their words I didn't give a damn. I tried to understand that the influence of one particular ethnic in a government over the others might affect their feelings. They might feel they were wronged, in one or another way. Let's say it injustice. And I, could understand. I let them go.

Later, the words got worse and worse and worse. Whenever I read other people's status, their comments were biased and even more generalized than before. They talked bad of one ethnicity, and what I hated very much was when they made fun of less fortunate people, people who worked as street sellers... who, coincidentally, were also dominated by this particular ethnicity, they laughed at those poor workers... while they called themselves Muslims. I felt sadness beyond description, to think that I'm also a part of their  ethnicity. And they thought they were right for acting like that.

Getting a courage for myself, I removed them. 

No turning back. It was when I detested it the most...

Anak TPA dan Ceritanya

Lucu-lucu. Itu adalah deskripsi yang bisa kuberikan sewaktu mengajar anak-anak di TPA sederhana bentukan komunitas muslim Indonesia di Sydney ini. Beragam ceritanya, beragam polah-tingkahnya.

Mari kita mulai dengan latar belakang sejarahnya...

TPA ini diberi nama Khairu Ummah oleh pendiri awalnya. Konon, TPA ini didirikan agar anak-anak Indonesia yang lahir atau besar di Sydney ini masih dapat mengecap pendidikan Al Quran (baca: Iqra') berhubung keterbatasan dan jauhnya tempat mengaji dari lingkungan tempat tinggal mereka. 

Karena penggagasnya dulu juga mahasiswa Indonesia yang ada di sini, maka secara otomatis, para pengajar TPA ini juga kebanyakan mahasiswa. Yah, sebagai contohnya, aku ini... ehm.

Kegiatan TPA ini biasanya dilaksanakan setiap Sabtu mengambil lokasi di konjen RI cabang Sydney, dan TPA ini punya libur juga... sesuai libur di kalender Islam dan juga kalender sekolah anak-anak sini.

Nah, berhubung yang diajar itu anak-anak masih SD plus TK juga... yang udah merasakan pendidikan ala Barat, jadi... kami, sebagai pengajarnya juga sudah ekspektasi kalo mereka akan vokal-vokal dan berani mengutarakan pendapat... *ckckck, aku aja dulu waktu esde pemalu berat, konon lagi mo ngasih pendapat, yang enggak pengsan di tempat... (",)

So, tentang tingkah anak-anak didik kami ini... ada banyak sekali celetukan-celetukan mereka yang mengundang tawa kita. Aku pribadi aja enggak menyangka kalo mereka bisa bicara seperti itu, yah secara kalo di Indonesia mana berani begitu dengan ustadz-ustadzah di TPA sana... hehe.

Di kapan itu, seperti biasa di awal pertemuan kami akan bersama-sama membaca doa lalu surah-surah pendek, semacam al Ikhlas, dkk. Setelah itu, ada sesi tanya jawab dengan anak-anak itu. Waktu itu, mas Lutfhi yang masih disini (sekarang sudah selesai studinya) mengomando mereka untuk membaca doa dan surah-surah. Lalu, si mas Luthfi memulai bertanya...

si Mas: Do you know who is our Prophet?  

[ohya, karena anak-anak itu sebagian besar gak bisa bahasa Indonesia, maka proses belajar-mengajar dilakukan dalam bahasa Inggris]

the Kids: Yes... yes... [teriak kenceng-kenceng].. Muhammaaad, muhammaaad... 

ya, awal-awalnya masih bagus, karena udah pernah diajari, jadi rata-rata udah pada ngerti siapa rasul umat Islam... dan, si mas Luthfi pun lanjut bertanya tentang nabi-nabi yang lainnya... 

Nabi Ibrahim a.s

si Mas: Do you know other prophets?

the Kids: [berhubung gak tahu].. Noooo...

si Mas: Ibrahim, or Abraham in English, is also a prophet... 

[dan si mas Luthfi pun panjang lebar menerangkan]

Nabi Ishak dan Nabi Ismail

si Mas: Then, do you know who are prophet Ibrahim's children?

the Kids: Nooo... 

trus, tiba-tiba, ada yang nyeletuk: How would we know???

*gedubraks...  

Maksudnya mau nanyain nama anak nabi Ibrahim itu kan karena termasuk para nabi juga... yah, si the kids ada benernya... dikira kita ngapain nanya-nanya nama anak orang kalee, mana belum dikasih tahu pula, mhehe...

Memang harus lebih persiapan nih... (- -)''

the Kids sedang persiapan perform di TPA Competition se-Sydney

Happy Father(less)' Day

Hari ini adalah Father's Day di Australia, yang biasa dirayakan di hari minggu pertama bulan September.

Seperti umumnya perayaan-perayaan lain, ada saja kreatifitas produsen-produsen atau penjual-penjual barang untuk menarik minat pembeli. Salah satu contoh adalah diskon besar-besaran segala jenis/rupa/macam/bentuk barang di toko/swalayan/mall dll.

Personally, aku juga sering 'kalap' dan membeli barang-barang berlabel DISKON seperti itu, namun karena kebanyakan barang-barang tersebut juga diperuntukkan buat kaum ayah, sudah otomatis aku tidak tertarik membeli... meskipun ingin.

Lalu, pada suatu siang di kapan hari itu, ketika aku dan beberapa teman sedang belanja keperluan pangan dan segala tetek bengek lainnya, tiba-tiba di pojokan swalayan yang sedang kita jelajahi itu terlihatlah sederetan coklat-coklat berjudul TOBLERONE, coklat aduhai ukuran segitiga sama sisi yang cukup terkenal itu. Ya, coklat-coklat itu mendadak begitu aduhai dan menggoda iman siapa pun yang memandangnya. Bagaimana tidak, selain karena tulisan gede dengan terjemahan kurang lebih begini "DISKON SETENGAH HARGA" terpampang di sekeliling dudukan si Toblerone disertai harga sebelumnya dari 9,98 dolar yang disilang menjadi berkurang ke 4,99 dolar sahaja dan dengan fakta bahwa ukurannya sangat JUMBO yaitu 400g (dimana bisa dilihat dari perbandingannya dengan laptop 14 inchi ku di gambar di bawah ini), sang Toblerone sudah cukup menarik-narik hati ini.

Namun, walaupun Toblerone sudah memanggil-manggil untuk dibeli, aku sempat diliputi beberapa persangkaan. Satu. Itu coklat dibuat segede itu adalah pasti karena dalam rangka promosi menyambut hari Ayah di Australia (kecurigaanku ini amat berdasar karena... aku belum pernah menemukan ada coklat sebesar itu seumur hidupku ini, plus fakta kalau harganya didiskon 50 persen). Dua. Berhubung aku tidak lagi punya ayah, jadi aku bingung juga... abis dibeli, lantas mau dikasih ke siapa? Ke ibu ku dong, jadinya. Tiga. Yah, biar dikata itu Toblerone didesain untuk menyambut hari Ayah, dia masih terklasifikasi makanan. SO. Tidak apa kalau dibeli, nanti bisa ditunjukkan ke saudara-saudara kalau di dunia ini ternyata ADA Toblerone ukuran maksimal begini... Mungkin sebentar lagi akan muncul coklat-coklat serupa ukuran luar biasa yang pantas masuk Guinness Book of World Record.

Setelah melalui proses berpikir yang tidak begitu lama... berhubung kita juga mau belanja barang yang lain lagi, aku putuskan untuk membelinya. Cukup satu saja. Itu juga sudah gede banget. Dilihat saja sudah bikin kenyang. Apalagi dimakan.

Toblerone dalam berbagai sisi... amati dengan seksama ukurannya!!!

Teruntuk Ayahku,

"Ayah dengarlah betapa sesungguhnya ku mencintaimu...
Tuhan tolonglah sampaikan sejuta sayangku untuknya."

Yep, I'm officially... Back!

phew, now at last, i turn my face to my long-abandoned blog. kekeke. kasian banget, sudah entah berapa lama si blog ini kutelantarkan. yah, masih gara-gara cerita lama. aku terjangkit penyakit moodian, dilanjutkan dengan tugas-tugas yang menghadang bertubi-tubi, ditambah lagi sindrom males ngapa-ngapain, lalu diuji dengan kasus charger laptop hangus sehingga buntutnya aku jadi harus beli charger baru--yang kemudian hangus again-- dan memaksa aku buat beli laptop baru. 

yep, aku akhirnya punya laptop baru, toshiba, warna putih (lagi), buat menggantikan peran laptopku yang lama, yang udah berjuang bersama (ceilee) hampir lima taun lamanya, si vaio, yang warnanya putih (juga).

uhm, well. setelah sekian lama meninggalkan dunia blog dan akirnya balik lagi, it seems to me that skill nge-blogging ku tidak meningkat signifikan. yang ada malah, semakin tidak mutu. tidak jelas juntrungan, dengan kata lain.

ya, itu bisa disadari dari postingan yang ini. postingan yang seharusnya jadi 'debut' perdana blogku buat merayakan kembalinya aku ke dunia per-blog-an, justru malah menunjukkan kualitas tulisan yang menurun signifikan. settah, just what the heck am i rambling here...

so, eniwei, terima tidak terima, suka tidak suka... secara ini blog yang adminnya juga aku, mau protes juga tidak ada manfaatnya bagi kemaslahatan umat antar agama *lho?

all in all, i am officially back!!! yey, happy for me,yeeey...