index, middle and ring

Index finger

This is Thursday. I'm supposed to be whining complaining trashing dissing reviewing last night episode of DSDS. That thing comes in a word:

extremely dissappointingly excruciatingly painfully worthless!

That's not even a word. And I'm stretching out my right hand to show my index, middle and ring finger while I'm saying it, if you know what I mean. I didn't even know how worse things are gonna get. And I really can't think how the jury can sleep at night. Come on, you lot!! Get real!!

Bah!

Index and middle fingers

I should get something to eat or cook to eat. But the thing is, it's been snow-showering the whole day, and I'm at a friend's and I only have my keds with me. I don't wanna wet them and catch cold. So maybe I'll stay in and got starving.

Bah!

Index, middle, and ring fingers

Who is this gal? One word for you, babe: Drool!!

That's three.

personal sentiment (that word!)

I think these are three of the million reasons that I like National Board Review the most. We're just so clicked! Hmm.. clicking is not so last year, right?

post king-kong-watching rant

Current music in ear: Anything by Shayne Ward except his new single, LOL - watched movie: King Kong

Following up this occasion here, I write an entry in order to answer this entry made by Charlie. (Paling enak emang ngomentarin blognya Charlie. Topiknya selaluuu pas yang lagi ada di pikiran gue)

I quit the habit of sending out greetings cards like 10 years ago. Not because of lack the time, lack the budget, or lack the intention. But simply because lack of personal thingie.

I obsessively believe in bieourself. So greetings card from me must be: uniquely made by me, personally written by me, or selected properly for the person getting it. Each and every one of them. So it is clear how exhausting it is being me sending out greetings. In one of my close cirle's language: kecentilan.

The next burden is people keep complaining like, "Why did't I get one?", "Why are you sending that to her?" and so on, that made me say, "OK, you all won't get any. Ever. HUAHAHAHA.." I added the laugh just now. From that day on, except for my really close long friends, I never sends greetings anymore.

This year, I thought a bit about becoming a bit of a bit better person by maintaining personal relationships. Previously I couldn't care less about it. Sounds cruel, but it's the truth. So maybe sending out greetings can be a small step since there is this mass production thingie.

I started with knocking up a christmas electronic version card, which came out so girly so that I sent it only to people who's OK with getting it from me or for them. To almost all of them I said that it was mass-produced, and offer my apology for that.

One reply was read: Eventhough it was mass-produced, it is a good one, and how can it be mass produced if it got my name on it?

I replied, because I sent like 7 seven (yes, only seven, how pathetic) identical cards and only wrote the greetings.. He replied, it is NOT mass-produced. You wrote each and every single of them uniquely, right? I said, well, yes, because I felt soooo uncomfy of leaving it exactly the same. I even got so uncomfortable by having the same design for all of them.

We settled on the fact that it was not mass-produced. Because some part of it was not done in a three way that Charlie offered. Oh, as a bonus due to the difference in the greetings, of course I have to make the message one by one.

However, I disagree strongly by saying greetings in mailing lists is considered mass-produced. Sending it to mail-list is more like giving out an acceptance speech on Oscar night. It wasn't meant to be personally sent to someone. It is more like.. "Hi.. I'm wishing everyone here a merry christmas", unlike, "Hi.. I'm wishing you a very merry X-mas.." Get the idea?

If a message came to me and sounds like: "Hey, you! Merry X-mas and Happy New Year! Have a great one next year!" and I found out that it was sent by a send to all feature (which I mostly did), I seriously would not take it seriously, and never have the obligation to say thanks or reply.

That's why I rarely receive any congrats anyway. :)

my cousin vinnie (as if)

Current books read: something about photoshop that I can't name the title - expected TV program: DSDS, RTL, Mi. 21:15 - watched dvd: The Return of the King extended version

This is just so appropriate. I am a bit euphoric about something vintage nowadays. Sadly, my wardrobe is far far from anything vintage, so I only kept drooling at designs and reading materials.

The funny thing is, exactly when I started to consider vintage as a look, H&M, creating a so-called vintage line called Picked by H&M, is selling second-hand clothes and call that collection vintage. I took a look, some of them are vintage enough, but not cheap enough. Better hunting in a real flea market, methinks.

Anyway, today I spent the night chatting with one of my good friends, and surprise, unconsciously we were chatting about something so vintage. Santa Barbara soap opera. Oh. Dear. Lord. One topic of the soaps lead to another, and now I got some reading materials on hand.

But seriously.. Look at the hair, the outfit, the graphic, the plot of the story.. So eff-ing vintage!

Vintage (in the mean time) rules!

Enjoy the rest of the holiday..

Winter!

I swear to God, I will not use any winter dot com innuendos this year. OMG, what have I done??! Hehehe..

In a spirit of welcoming winter (that's yesterday, December 21st).

About two years ago, as I first arrived in Hamburg, and my first winter started, a friend of mine asked another friend a quite cute question: "How is the correct way to wear a scarf, actually?". The question is superbly cute, because for me, as a proud tropical person, having one scarf at home is just too many. And if having one is too many, how one supposed to know how to wear them?

I owned one, just because I had to buy one for my choir inauguration (and it was soon drenched to dirts, shit). But nevertheless, the european-style-wear is something that we want to wear at least once in a lifetime. That's why my choir insisted in wearing Mütze and scarf in the middle of rather cold summer, and I insisted to wear scarf as I and my high school buds visited a mountain in central Java whose name I'd forgotten.

Back to the question, to be honest, I came here with no clue either on how to wear a scarf. But it's just how fashion is. There is no correct and incorrect. I think, there's only fabulous and herrendous, after a trial and error process. That's what primping is for. Hello...? I don't know bout the real deal, though.

A recent campaign to support the national football team by T-Com (I really think it is a T-Com ad) took my full attention. Normally, the campaign is only showing peeps in line with the national team, while wearing the Trikot (team uniform), accompanied with words like, "Seien Sie dabei!" (Be there!) and so on.

This winter, they introduced an ad that kept me looking for minutes after I saw it the first time, simply because the people are wearing scarves! And they wear it in a 100 (hyperbolic) different ways! Oh, I hope I can show here how it is, but haven't been succeeding in finding the online version.

Until this moment though, I am still not sure whether it was campaign sponsored by T-Com or not, as there are LOTS of campaign like that here.

The funny thing is: This ad (the one that I saw) was put as a big large wide banner on a building nearby Hauptbahnhof. So you can imagine how I looked like looking at it and being captivated for some minutes. Gosh, what a dork!

So, a friend who was asking-the-question-but-I'm-sure-that-you-have-forgotten-already-that-you-asked-it, you can wear it differently. Try wearing one way each day. Go wintry!

now they're having "enough" exposure, and yet got booted off

Current books read: State of Fear, by Michael Crichton; Digital Photographer's Guide to Photoshop Elements - study reading: none, mate. It's holiday..

Honestly, my initial reaction was shocked. My second initial (if there is such a term) was "Damn drama!". My reaction now is "Am I being fooled?"

Actually, Didi was really in a danger tonight. After the publication shown in the capture. Remember Filip Trojovsky? Nope? OK. Plus, Didi performed not great. But seriously Daniel and Stephan performed so bad, that I even flipped the channel before they both finished their performance.

Sigh.. No one to root anymore from the boys.. Go Meri!!

Best performance: Hate to say it, but Nevio.
Worst performance: Daniel
Safest performance: Fabian
Best surprise: Didi chose difficult song "If You Don't Know Me by Now"

Dieter Bohlen quote of the week: ".. I think because I don't know the song.." to Daniel on his "Purest of Pain" spanglish version performance. More MTV, mate. And less NDR.
Drama queen of the week: Marco Schreyl when he said, "Tatsächlich!" Ja klar, Marco!
Wished he wasn't kicked off tonight: Fabian. Because he looked sooooo disappointed.

realitily really real

Current books read: State of Fear by Michael Crichton

I really really really realitily took a beating this past two weeks. And as I thought that I am the only one who's having it, I have to re-think those thoughts, as I read the welcome message in one of virtual communities out there: "Thank God! The Finale week is over!" If they were headlines that kept taking the air outta my lungs, they would sound more or less like this.

1. Cindy and the Car Curse. Survivor: Guatemala the Mayan Empire, finale minus one episode.

At final 5, Cindy is my second favorite to be the winner. I want Danni. But realitily, Danni and Cindy is so unlikely to be the final 2. Cindy won the car, she can get rid of it and the curse, and at the same time, she had the chance to give other 4 people a car. She didn't do it.

A heated debate on shoulda or shoulda not was sparked. Glad that Danni was still there.

2. Brenda Failed the Finals. The X Factor, semi final.

I thought Andy is a clear bootee in the semi final. However, Sharon was right. The four of them deserve to be in the final. They are all much better than other singing competition's final four I had ever witnessed. They are all talented, unique, style-wise polished, and just great. Brenda pulled out the lowest number of votes, and she somewhat blamed the teenage girls who (of course) voting for Shayne or Journey South.

3. Danni Wins Survivor 11. Survivor: Guatemala the Mayan Empire, finale.

Another favorite of mine wins their season edition of something. I am not bragging. I just like her. My least favorite person of the season was sitting in the final two. I simply thought that she was brought there to be easily defeated. And the result of the votes clearly showed it.

A heated (eventhough it was stupid) debate of whether she is a pawn (of course she is) was sparked.

4. Early Spoiler Proved Right Once Again. The Amazing Race: Family Edition, finale.

As I stated before, I will only watch some interesting episodes on this season of The Amazing Race. First because I was spoiled. Second because it was oh-so unbelievably boring. I should watch the finale though, because it will determine whether or not I will keep my promise to someone.

The spoiler was right. And the only right thing to do, is keeping my promise to someone. Sorry, ex-mate.

But I just realize that Wally Bransen is much more handsome that I remember. No wonder he got three really hot daughters..

5. Luca Kicked Out DSDS. Deutschland Sucht den Superstar, top 10 boys show.

Just read this entry.

6. Randal Rejects Rebecca. The Apprentice 4, finale.

Oh, nooo.. No no no.. After the nightmare of The Apprentice 2, any show that has Donald Trump actively participating is a big no no for me. But hearing that Randal is the best contestant the show ever had, and Rebecca is the most dedicated person there ever be, and The Apprentice is actually the reality show with the most brilliant concept there is, I gotta get some nostalgic moment when the finale was so scandalous.

Here's how it went. Donald Trump was clearly torn between hiring Randal or Rebecca. In the end, Randal came out as a winner judging from his previous performances, while Rebecca was proving everyone that she just deserved everything. What did the Donald do?

He hires Randal, and asked him, whether he should also hire Rebecca.

What??!

Come on, mate! I still clearly remember the night he fired Pamela (one of my favorites of second season) simply because the team lost $10 or something. In percentage, the team lost less than 1% of the income.

If the rules were clear for Pamela, why should it be different now for Rebecca? And furthermore, if he would have bent the rules, why should he ask Randal about it?

Controversy purpose? Simply can be..

7. Eight Messy Semi-finalists. DSDS, top 10 girls show.

Now I can remember why I was so hesitant about writing about the girls. It is simply because they are mediocre, even if being compared to the already mediocre guys. Except for Vanessa and Meri, they performed unpolished, amateurish, and completely utterly messy. I don't even care if that is not even a sentence. Because what they have given me, is totally not a performance.

Thank God, Meri was voted through. Her performance deserved a much better spot rather than cocky but ugly (performance, not the lass) Lena, shaky Carolina, average Anna-Maria, standard Sharyan, and corny Dascha.

Hrgh.

8. Shayne from Manchester Wins The X Factor. The X Factor, finale.

Hmm.. At least his first milestone got covered. Can't wait for his first album.

9. To Dieter Bohlen: What Did You Watch Before You Jury on DSDS?

Something like: "It can't get better than that.." Simon Cowell on Latoya London's week 1 performance on American Idol (AI) season 3 finals.

Something like: "Great way to start it off.." Randy Jackson on Vonzell Solomon's performance, on week 1 performance on AI 4 semi-finals.

Something like: "No-one can open the show better.." Dieter Bohlen on Nevio Passaro as he pulled his I-sound-like-Ronan-Keating act, as the first act of DSDS 3 semi-finals.

and ..

sorta: "I just can't believe that someone hasn't discovered you yet." Randy Jackson to Carrie Underwood after her week 1 AI 4 semi-finals performance.

sorta: "I'm confused that no-one had ever discovered you." Dieter Bohlen to Mike Leon Grosch after his week 1 DSDS 3 semi-finals performance.

and get this..

more or less: "In the second life, I wanna come back as your microphone." Simon Cowell to Amanda Avila after her week 1 AI 4 semi-finals performance.

more or less: "I wish I were your microphone." Dieter Bohlen to Meri Voskanian after her week 1 DSDS 3 semi-finals performance.

Four words, Dieter: It is getting old.

Phew.. Glad I got that all out of my chest. Now I can really chat about something real during christmas parties. Wait, I thought they were all called reality TV.. So they are real.. Hmm..

Go have an ass-kicking Christmas week, mate!

in my oh so very humble opinion, it's the combination of nervousity, technical problems, and lack of airtime

Current watched TV program: DSDS, of course

There are no secrets now that Gian-Luca (since yesterday he was only called Luca) was kicked out of last night's DSDS. Yes, he is my #1 favorite and got kicked out. :p

If I were voting and he were not my favorite, I also would have not been voting him to keep. He was terrible last night. TERRIBLE. And what can I say, he deserved it. He entered the stage with so many times touching his feed earphone, simply because he was nervous, or the feed was not working properly.

He started the song too early and was directly off-beat. And seeing the judges so far, they reacted more to off-beat than off-key. And I think, viewers would react the same way. Performance-wise, his voice still got the best tone and he was one of the few who sang on-key.

Too bad, he did the most fatal mistake.

Daniel Munoz, on the same case, also made a fatal mistake. Despite all of his uncomfortable moves and latino image, he chose a difficult rangy song How Deep is Your Love?. And he sucked in singing low notes. However, he was safe.

I wasn't surprised, though.
This brings to the fact that he, along with other safe contestants, has had enough airtime to secure himself in the hearts of viewers. The three bootees have actually the least airtime. Luca was shown singing once, Markus once, and Julian was never. Remember Melinda Lira, Aloha Mischeaux and Judd Harris? You got the point.. To his advantage, Daniel had been shown uncountably and even has a developing story with Carolina.

Overall, the show was ... dull. No-one really shone out, many of them were just imitations from the original version. Nevio (I really like bashing this lad) was a Ronan Keating wannabe. Stephan was Nick Carter (of BSB, if you're wondering. That's Backstreet Boys, if you're wondering) wannabe. Almost all of them played so so so very safe and preditable. And it's just getting boring after the 5th performance.

Except Tobias, no-one really had 100% control of their songs and performance. I think in average they only had 70% control. Everybody except Tobias and Didi was so nervous and uptight. None of them looked like having fun up there, and that made everything dull.

How to light up the show? By introducing a scandal of course. After being declared safe, the notary had to go up to the stage to correct Marco Schreyl that Markus was actually kicked out, and Stephan was actually (surprisingly to everyone including himself) safe. That's right. The host announced the result wrong. Boo!

Hahhh.. regardless...

Go Shayne!! Oops. He is in a different but alike show. :D

Best performance: Tobias
Worst performance: Gian-Luca
Safest performance: Nevio
Best surprise: Julian sounds great

Best of the bootee: Julian
Thank God he was kicked-off: Markus
Best possible drama queen title winner rather than Fabian: Stephan

a half an hour melancholy. huahahahah..

You know what? Sometimes when I have questions about life, I really don't know who to turn to to get answers. The sometimes in the beginning of the sentence relates to the having questions about life. Most of the times when it struck me, I will try to find the answers on my own, through any power that I have.

Sometimes the answers then fall directly on my lap. Sometimes it jumped out of a screen that I was watching. Sometimes it can be drawn from the characters that I was reading. Sometimes it blows through words uttered by a friend.

But regardless, it is only because that I am not that such a person. I mean questioning questions of life. Again, but, because I am a person, questions like that sooner or later will come out.

One of the biggest questions that I had (and it is answered, but altered most of the times) is "Is there any limitations of bieourself? I mean be yourself. :p" This questions bring some other chains of questions like "Is being yourself a selfish deed?". Or "How will you find someone who's trying to be someone that they're not?". Or "Is your life really only for you?".

At the moment, I always say that it is 100% times 100% (this kind of hyperbole gets you nowhere :D) OK to be yourself. I'm approaching it as a more take it or leave it attitude. But however, that is not exactly what I'm doing most of the time.

Hrrrhh..

This masquerade is getting older.

- Take a Bow, performed by Madonna.

top 10 boys

Current watched TV program: The X Factor

Since tomorrow they're performing, it's just about time that I at least doing what I can. Bitch about them. Hahaha.. So here they are, the top 10 boys of DSDS, in no particular order. I will try to keep it short, 5 sentences per contestant?

Fabian Behnisch



Got a good tone but weird runs and vibra. Always picked wrong songs. Singing messily. Not good enough. Drama queen. Bad.

Daniel Munoz



Eventhough he's through with a guitar, I'm glad that he was. Has a listenable pulled voice, must work on performance though. Not appealing enough both voice and person. Even so, I think he's the safest performer to go through. OK.

Didi Knoblauch



Great. Great. Great. Although image must be toned down a bit. My second favorite of the boys. Good.

Mike Leon Grosch



He's not as good as I thought he was. Even so, has great husky voice, great performance. Good.

Markus Derwall



Has good looks. Doesn't perform well. Screaming instead of singing (I'm not so sure though). Mediocre voice. Bad.

Gian-Luca Krykon



Best natural singer, I think. His voice reminds me a lot to Shane Westlife and/or Brian Backstreet Boys. But in a good way. And they both are the strongest singers in their bands. First favorite. Eventhough too rigid in performing. Good.

Nevio K Passaro



Got tired of this guy. The voice is too soft, and weak, and a lot of times got pitchy. almost crossing the line of being confident or cocky/fake. Very bad in singing a cappella. Oh, BTW, got through with a guitar. OK.

Julian Kasprzik



Hmm.. never shown on TV before. At least I haven't seen him. Dead curious though. N/A.

Tobias K Regner



I'm not a fan. He's different as he has rocker style. Good voice, but not good singing. Not clear what is he going to be. OK.

Stephan Darnstaedt



Hmm.. he's just weird.. He reminds me a lot of Daniel Küblbock. Horrible. But however lovable. Just like Mr. Küblbock. Bad.

Overall, no-one reeeaally special from this 10. There are some stronger singers, some stronger performers. But not one of them has the complete package. Rooting for Gian-Luca though. If only he could move a bit more. The mädchen will follow in the following days.

watch this face

He's gonna be big. At least I hope so.

... and then there were seventeen ...

Watched TV: Desperate Housewives, Season 2, Eps 9-10

You know, as I was a child, a teenager, and in my early twenties, I never had a favorite time-of-the-year.

I have a birthday in January, yes, but January hasn't been my favorite month. Indonesia has holidays somewhere in July-August. I had never been über-excited about those months.

But on TV, and from what I learned from other cultures, people kept pumping that December, or as they say holiday season, is actually the best time of the year. Because it may mean, Christmas is coming.

After I live in Europe for two years, I know exactly what my best time of the year is. It's the summer. It can be guaranteed that I can get the darker complexion that I always wanted, I can wear shorts, tees, shades, and thongs like all the time. The footwear, not the swimwear or the underwear. The swimwear or underwear.. well, maybe a couple of times. NOT!

But this year last week, summer got a real contender.

It began when as always I visited a friend to watch DSDS on TV and he said, "We have a present for you..." handing out my old paperbag that I got from an aromatheque (is that a word?) in Prague for buying his girlfriend a candle.

I always like presents so I just went.. "What's in there?" And then they said.. "DONT open it until tomorrow!"

In there, are (or were) 24 small gifts, wrapped, numbered from 1 to 24, meant to be opened from 1st to 24th December (Christmas Eve) a.k.a. Adventskalender. So far, the first seven are two decors, two snacks (I love snacks!), and three chocolate products (I love chocolate products even more).

I kept joking that they were supposed to be opened every hour, instead day. But I'll be a good boy and play by the rules. So I woke up every morning getting excited to the fact that I have to or will or may open another numbered package.

Until yesterday, as I woke up a bit later than I used to, one of my dorm-mate left me a message on my messenger. "Look to your shoes before you put them on." I was about to reply "Which ones?". And as I opened my walk-in wardrobe, there they were, another reason why people love December.

One thing only. I don't celebrate Christmas. But I still get to keep and enjoy the presents don't I?

Hands off fellas.. :)

post-midnight-post

Current books read: Shopaholic and Sister by Sophie Kinsella - expected TV program: DSDS; Recall 2 - watched dvd: Georges Bizet's Carmen

There was a time, when I was more or less like a parody of any TV show that I liked. Or a realization from lines from series, magazine articles, advertisements, radio show, movie, or something else. I talked to my monitor. TV monitor as I watched programs or computer monitor as I played games.

I've been out of that considered-as-bad habit for a year. A year and a half. It starts when I dont watch TV because I dont have one. And elevated while I watched movie more seldom and play less emotionally attached games. Starcraft for example. :)

But all the glory of screaming, talking, pouting, booing, "say what?"-ing to TVs are redecorating my life now. Thanks to DSDS and their I-still-cant-find-where-their-competence-lies jury.

Let's prove my point tomorrow. As it will show us how they picked the top 10 boys and gals.

PS: I am seriously having a problem. And this reeeeally creeps me out. I kept typing wrong. In chat or in anything. People don't notice it because as soon as it happened, I corrected them. What's wrongggggg??? As I writing this entry, I kept typing s as d. Weirrrdd...

Never too late. Even for AIDS to get you.

vier Quatschen

Current watched dvd: Taken eps 7 and 8. They're great!

1. Quatsch

Last night, I had the worst nightmare ever. EVER. Wanna know what it was? I dreamt that Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie made up, and their first performance together again was ...

Singing in EuroVision Song Contest 2006 in Greece. They represented France, and sang a song titled Paris is Partying. It was a surprise that wasn't sniffable by the media and all.

And that was my worst nightmare. EVER.

2. Quatsch

Talking about singing competition, I really think that this year Deutschland Sucht den Superstar (DSDS, German version of Pop Idol) is so very extremely completely super unbelievably UNFAIR. How come that some people got to bring a (or the) musical instrument to the audition, while some were still singing vocally naked?

One contestant even brought a SYNTHESIZER and performed accompanied by it AND GOT THROUGH. COME ON!!! It is not fair. Not fair. NOT FAIR. What I hate the most is that when they finished their performance, the judges will say.. "Ich bin total total berührt.." or "Es war super super super toll.." or "Ich fands ganz wirklich cool und du hast toll gemacht mit dem Gefühl.." Yuck. Really made me sick.


OK. I know that anyway in the end that they will be judged when they will perform accompanied anyway. But those comments were totally out of place. Did the judges understand that when there are no words can touch one's emotion, only music will be able to do the job? And that's what they (the contestant with music instrument) did.

What made me the sickest (that's not even a word..) is when they ended the performance with the strings of the guitar, and then the jury said, "Super super super gut gemacht." He?? Get outta town dear judges.

What I think is fair, is that if someone performed with an instrument, then the judges should ask them to sing once again a cappella. Then judge them now. Otherwise good luck in finding talented musician rather than a complete performer. Hmm.. more like Ebiet G. Ade. No offense to his fans.

Have nothing against the show. You know I really LOVE this idol thingie. So I'm still gonna watch it, and rooting for Mike from Köln who sang Love's Divine, Shary who sang Run to You, and some people that I don't remember their names.

Fabian who sang Can You Feel the Love Tonight? shouldn't have gotten through, the asian dancing teacher shouldn't have gotten through, the MC whose father was going to jail shouldn't have gotten through and a bunch of guitar strummer especially the one who's half italian and sang When You Say Nothing at All. He has a nice voice, but he shouldn't be allowed to audition in the first place.

BTW, I have only watched auditions to American Idol 3 and 4, and this DSDS audition. I have no other information if in other parts of the world accompanied performance is also allowed. A friend of mine spilled the beans that he thinks that it is not so in Indonesia.

3. Quatsch

Talking about American Idol, I think Carrie's moment of snooping into american's heart is on the third week semi final when she sang Because You Love Me. Not when she performed, but when Simon told her that she was looking a bit old-fashioned, and Carrie replied silently but heard, "I am.." and smiled. Aww Carrie.., everybody always loves charming old-fashioned gal who can sing.. But still, my favs to win were Vonzell and Anthony.

4. Quatsch

Talking about american idols, eventhough I don't like americans, I really really really look up to this person. He is on top of my list whose show I really want to watch and whom I wish to have a debate with. Only one problem. His show airs at 4 AM here in Germany. Gosh..

For me, he looks updatedly smart (kind of smartness that I am always looking for and want to be) and reading transcripts of his program, it was just.. a great show. And he has a tiny tie. Ah, you reality TV fans should know what I'm talking about.

I am determined I will at least see his program once, before 2005 ends.

That's the fourth. Welcome December..

hairy spot her (DONT rearrange the words)

Current music in ear: Into the Woods - watched movie: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Let's play my own version of fact or fiction. Feel free to play along.

1. Fact or Fiction: I prepared watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by completely forgetting how the story went.

2. Fact or Fiction: I was relieved that there are no boring and unsatisfying quidditch game(s) scenes.

3. Fact or Fiction: Harry Potter has a gay follower.

4. Fact or Fiction: I am 25.

5. Fact or Fiction: Even so, I got so iffy on Harry's sex scene in the bath tub.

6. Fact or Fiction: I think, 14-year-old Hermione Granger is hotter to be asked to prom than the 17-year-old french students, exactly like the film suggests.

7. Fact or Fiction: Ralph Fiennes, playing Lord Voldemort, is a lefty.

8. Fact or Fiction: Lord Voldemort, played by Ralph Fiennes, is a lefty.

9. Fact or Fiction: Statement 7 and 8 are true, or one has to be made up in order to achieve a good shot of Harry vs. Voldemort.

10. Fact or Fiction: I actually enjoyed the movie.

As of now, I haven't had the answers to all the questions above, but I will, and do you need more questions?

you are f*ing euphoric

Current books read: American Gods by Neil Gaiman - expected TV program: DSDS. RTL. Tonite!! - watched dvd: Taken

Yesterday, in a chat session of me and a friend, I said, "Sometimes it's funny that a simple daily word can mean a hell lot different in a circle of friends."

For example. As I was in high school the word contaminate could tear my circle of friends apart with laughter. The same thing happen with one of my friends if I said the words make fun. Or in other cases, endless chatting session have brought me and a friend to always use the word SUWE (being in bad luck) simply for fun.

And the word euphoria as well. This word was introduced by me (I know, I am responsible of some of the change of an uninteresting word to be interesting..) as we were talking about a (some) friend(s) who is (are) euphoric about anything.

For example. The Da Vinci Code boomed. One friend read it because everyone else read it. We call it: euphoric. There's a trend in competing in international choir festival. One choir took part because it's the trend now. Euphoric. A friend was saying an opinion because (get this) americans are having that opinion as well. Euphoric.

Euphoria has grown towards a negative sense because of the topics then. So as I last night did something euphoric, I wonder, what will my friends (that circle) think about me then.


The story: I logged in to my friends AOL around 22:53 Germany time. At that time, it was 7 minutes before Madonna performed Live in Koko Club in London, and AOL streamed it of course. So what can I do? Yep.. Watched it..

I'm not a fan of Madge, nor remember all of her songs, nor danced to her songs, nor going to clubs playing her songs, nor talk about her, being inspired by her etc. etc. I did buy her Something to Remember album, though.. So how come I was so excited in watching this Lively streamed concert? Only one word. Euphoria..

So, my dear friends.. I just did something totally blatantly shamelessly euphoric thing. But unlike playing Sudoku, almost going to Kim Cattrall signing session, watching Harry Potter 4 tomorrow, I'm watching Madge's concert 100% euphorically.

Argh. That's not even a word.

BTW, Madge is a gorgeous performer and character. No wonder many peeps adore her.

Have fun by watching DSDS tonight.

pouting weekend

Let's have a pouting weekend.. I really need the need to pout as I knew that..

Westlife is covering You Raise Me Up, originally performed by Josh Groban.

Gekotzt. Gekotzt. Gekotzt.

How could the flat screeching vocal of Shane Filan or screaming vocal of Bryan or thin vocal of Mark take on the full round soft vocal of Groban's? Arrggghh.. Let's have a pouting weekend.

Now I understand my friend's feeling when he knew that Boyzone was covering Father and Son from Cat Stevens..

Viva La Pouting Weekendo..

PS: Who was shamelessly their number one fan, raise your hand. Only me? Alright then, let me live it with shame now.. :)

Current books read: American Gods by Neil Gaiman - music in ear: Kevin Spacey singing the soundtrack of Beyond the Sea - watched dvd: Taken episode 1, 2, 3 - study reading: Environmental Economics

- The bad thing is: on the first day that I had the chance to weigh myself, I lost 4 kgs.

+ The good thing is: The next day, I gain back 1,5 kg, and constantly being hungry. Clearly stating that I am underweight and getting back on track.

- The bad thing is: Eventhough my weight is somewhat back, I am still somewhat out of shape due to lack of training.

+ The good thing is: Due to the fact that fasting month is over, I can go back in the game.

- The bad thing is: A mixture of laziness, busi-ness, and some other goals that I want to achieve by the end of this year, going to gym is put-off more often than ever.

+ The good thing is: I have a new schedule of swimming regularly.

- The bad thing is: Swimming is considered cardio that I am not recommended to do it more 15 (FIFTEEN!!) minutes per week (WEEK!!!)

+ The good thing is: I am still lousy at swimming and rarely used 100% of my time on the pool swimming.

- The bad thing is: Swimming can make things worse.

+ The good thing is: Winter doth come (why do I have to use this phrase every year and year and year)

- The bad thing is: It's winter

+ The good thing is: Out of shapes are hidden under pullover, thin or thick jacket and so on.

- The bad thing is: Do not have many of 'em, because they're useless in Indonesia, anyway. Will get bored easily and going out of the house more seldom.

+ The good thing is: I can stay at home, catching up with a lot of things: movies, books, cookings..

- The bad thing is: Read the first line of this entry.

bye bye the last Br----

Current expected TV program: Wetten, dass ...? Heute. 20:15. ZDF

It's just so... sad, to see Brandon voted off in the most current Survivor: Guatemala episode. Since episode one Brandon had presented himself as the most lovable mate in the pack. Now that he's not there, how can one enjoy Survivor?

Brandon is a typical guy that I like to hang out with. He's chatty without being curious and investigating, relaxed without being boring, crazy without making you ashamed, funny without being corny, comfortable without being easy, and doesn't hold back without being insulting. The way he said his words is unbelievably entertaining and can make people get starstruck.

Five episodes more without Brandon. Sigh.. He just had one of the best personality out there. Maybe aquarians are just like that ;). Aren't they NDC and Holli? (Du bist auch Wasserman, oder, Holli?)

YES!! Finally, baby!!

Current books read: American Gods by Neil Gaiman - music in ear: Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim - watched dvd: Grease

Update: Tuh, kan... :-((((

keeping the resolution tight

watched dvd: Der Untergang

Here is one of the scribbles that I had resoluted to do. I wrote it this morning as I waited for the call to the visa room.

Dear fellas in Indonesia,

We are now again six hours apart. Please take notice on that. It wont rackle our communication, right? It just means that I have to wake up earlier to catch you on your lunch break or waiting-for-the-traffic-to-be-better after hours.

Best!

fear factor friendster frikkin' fresh feature

Gasp! My biggest (exaggerated) fear came true today as Friendster introduced its new feature. Look closely in this snapshot.

[before anyone commenting anything.. yes.. I know that we can still "explore" anonimously..]

resolutions: eventhough it's not the time

Current books read: supposed to be Shopaholic and Sister by Sophie Kinsella, but I left it in my friend's. :(

New chapter resolution. Effective as Ramadhan ends..

• Study right.


• Eat right ummm better.


• Swim regularly. (but don't pursue the quality of Geegee's bf. His is way beyond your league. And you're way too hairy. Huahahhaa..)


• Go to the kitchen more often.

and this is the most important thing

• write something at least once a day. Don't always use the xda to take notes, don't always save some info in your handy, but use your hand to write at least once a day. Look what you've done to your handwriting.

Now.. this feels like a "real" journal. :p

Ouch

Current books read: Shopaholic and Sister by Sophie Kinsella

Ouch.. I just made a stupid, bad, irrational and destructive call. All I can say now is ouch, and let's see.. Gotta buck up, and put every part of what's left together.

False hope sucks.

Gosh.. it's only false alarm.. False hope sucks, false alarm sucks even more. :p

Oh, great.. They're drawing the lines now.. Are you in? Or are you out? If you're out... You're missing Al and Lynn and Alex and Uchenna and Joyce blogging, and Jon hosting the internet talk show. If you're in.. You're up to one of the most boring amazing race ever.

So, are you in, or are you out?? We don't have all day, here..

what the ... ?

... hell happened with ImageCave? Humm.. must upload the pics somewhere out there other than ImageCave, then. I can't even log in to the site??

Hmm, OK, meanwhile, enjoy my lovely blog fully decorated by ImageCave File Not Found. Consider it as Helloween deco. :p

Let's give 'em something to talk about

Current books read: Catch Me If You Can by Frank W. Abagnale. enjoying every letters, dots, comma, and other characters of it. - expected TV program: Desperate Housewives on torrent ... NOT

Hrrrrgggghhh... I really want to talk one particular subject now. I think it's the escalation of me watching The Opposite of Sex some weeks ago, which made me think somewhat seriously. Then I read one entry on Dan Renzi's blog eventhough it's under the pile there somewhere now. Then I encountered a quirky advertising campaign from H&M in Mönckebergstrasse. Then I found Tiara Lestari's blog. Then I read Hermawan Kertajaya's blog.

Now it's all culminating and making me want to talk about SEX. There is only one problem. I'm fasting now. And I think tonight I will already lose the mood to talk about it again. So just wait and see tonight.

And unfortunately, during a hot information exchange session in my break-fasting yesterday night, sex is one of the topic that was just not been brought up. Schade.

Survivor: Guatemala, first five weeks

Current watched DVD: Big Fish - Terrriffficccc!!!

Survivor: Guatemala opened with a surprise for me. The surprise was, out of the 16 contestants, 5 of their names are started with B. The first twist is the re-introduction of two former contestants, and one of them has a name that started with B. So now they have six, with four of them started with Br----.

I didn't really know whether it is a coincidence or not, but the 5th episode opened my eyes and gave me the logic between the B-parade thingie: so that the producers can get this shot of Danni.

Shortly after the show started, the first twist of the season. The return of Bobby Jon and Stephenie, both alumni from Survivor: Palau, exactly a season before. There are thousands of people that asked out of a group of former survivors, why were these two chosen to compete again? No one really knows until now.

For me, both of them are actually two of the brawniest players in Survivor. Are they the best player? Nope. Bobby Jon couldn't get a grip of what Survivor is all about in his first season. Stephenie, can be the strongest woman to ever play Survivor, but clearly she's not a good team player. My take is both of them survive until the merge, and booted off as soon as the other realized that they should get rid of those two.

Former Survivors are already saying that this Survivor is a bit spoiled version of the others, eventhough the show doctor (named Adrian, called Ado. Huahahahhaa.. Not so foreign, eh?) called it as the toughest one to date.

One of the reason why the contestants were spoiled is that they already had had a food reward challenge. And the most current reward is a pool, WITH AN UMBRELLA, margaritas, with a LOUNGE CHAIR!! Sounds like Big Brother, eh? And what are they talking when they took dip around it? As Brian said, "Blake, what is your absolute best drunk story?" Are you for real?

And still, 3 of the contestants have identical twin siblings. Will there be a twin twist? What?? You're kidding, right..

But despite all of the weirdness in the making, including Jeff Probst's haircut and funny looking hat, I'm gonna watch this season of Survivor.

Go Brandon! Eventhough he may be in the hot seat next week.

Current books read: Catch Me If You Can by Frank W. Abagnale - expected TV program: Wer wird Millionär? Friday

Previously on.. Wer wird Millionär?

To everyone's surprise, a mother and a son competed for a place on the hot seat.

They called, were being called back, and processed separately.

Still surprisingly, the son's Greek teacher, also one of the 10 wanting to sit on the hot seat.

The first round goes to the Greek teacher, when he went home with 125,000 Euro.

Knowing that the second round would be the last chance to sit on the hot seat, everyone gave their best when Wer wird Millionär visited the Oscars.

[I was secretly rooting for the son or the mom..]

The studio [and me] cheered loudly when the son got through!!

Tonight: Can the footsteps of the teacher be followed by the pupil?

and when it turns out that the quarter million euro question was invalid, the teacher will be called back to compete again fairly..

10 people ... uncountable days ... ONE! Millionär!

Sorry Jeff Probst, can't hold the temptation. :D

Current books read: Catch Me If You Can by Frank W. Abagnale LOVE IT!!! - watched dvd: The West Wing season 4 episode 1-3

A rewritten of one of my late conversation.

Me: Hey. So, it turns out that I've figured out what Dancing with the Stars is all about.

Not Me: You have?

M: Yep. Watched 2 Australian version and 1 american. And I just realized that Ballroom dance has many types. I thought it was just "Ballroom Dance". It turns out, there is Jive, Quicksteps, Waltz, ...

NM: ... Foxtrot, Salsa..

M: Yeah.. and my favorite: Rumba!

NM: Have you ever been to ballroom-dance school?

M: You know what? No, but surprisingly, I have performed dancing. I didn't know what urged me to say yes at that time. And I didn't know as well how klutzy I looked up there. Some said I was good, actually. Eventhough it may only be lip service. Hehehe..

NM: What dance? Traditional Indonesian?

M: Oh, no.. It was.. Umm.. I can't be sure actually. I did twist, turns, steps, guess it is a watered down version of Jive then. Well, it's complicated to explain. The numbers were choreographed late 90s to 2000s, but it was numbers from 20s to the 90s.

NM: My grandmother once urged me to take ballroom classes, because she really likes dancing, but never had a partner. I absolutely said no.

M: My friend's son (it's Mbak Sri's son, for those of you who knows Mbak Sri) took one as well. But seriously, I didn't know why I said yes to perform dancing. Not that I regret it, though. It was still, one of the best highlights of my life.

... conversation was continued to an irrelevant subject.

Some small points.

• I love the Australian version much more. The "stars" have much much better attitude than the US.
• Love Rumba so much. But I don't think that I have the hips.
• Eventhough Ballroom looks really nice, I think I'd still prefer the "dance to the music thingy". Like the Routine. Y'know? What it won't hurt to try, or?

Leeeett's get readyyy to Rumbaaaaaaa!!

Ah, look what I've rambled on.. Night night..

Update: You can see one of the dances performed in the show here. This is from season 2 (if I'm not mistaken). Showing the star Tom Williams, and the pro-dancer Kym Johnson.

Wahahahhaa.. I knew I misspell camaraderie or comradery some days ago, I just didn't know how to spell the correct one. Well, now I know.. But now I wonder whether it was the correct word for the sentence. Hmmm...

If you are Edie Britt, do you have your Susan Mayer? Do you know what am I talking about? Do you have someone in your life that you really want to like? But however hard you tried, they keep doing, saying, making things that bug you, or even sometimes offend you.

I think I have my Susan Mayer if I'm Edie Britt. I mean, I know that I am not a mean guy. I know I'm snappish and short-tempered like my dad, but basically I don't like not liking someone. But there is this one particular person that whatever I did, however nice I behave towards them, they just keep getting on your nerves..

Gosh.. Maybe I should count to ten twice take a deep breath twice and think of happy thoughts twice and do it all at the same time to get over them. But in the mean time, maybe I should just not talk to them. Heheheehh..

Have a great new week.

early look on the amazing race: family edition

Current books read: Catch Me if You Can by Frank W. Abagnale

Yes, I am aware that thanks to an ungrateful friend, I am possibly spoiled for this show. But I'd written the concept for this entry before that darn spoiling occasion happened.

"Carissa, we need wheels outta you, girl."
- Bill Gaghan

I looked at The Amazing Race: Family Edition (will be noted furthermore as "the race") with one eye closed, seeing a half-empty glass. Because a lot of reports said that the race is only done in northern america, traveling roughly half miles of the previous races. From the first episode, Phil Keoghan the host said that airfare and gasoline do not have to be paid by the contestants. I guess they will drive a lot. And seeing the contestants, I doubt that if the Linz family doesn't easily fly to finish line. Duh?

Race Elements

The producers will really need to create a detour and roadblock which will benefit some families that already have strength disadvantages. It is shown in the first episode. Detour Buggy Itwas definitely not meant to be done by strong and heavy team. It's the perfect choice for Gaghan and Black family. Gaghan did it, but Black did not. On the other side, most of the family did the right choice by doing Build It. Including the Weavers when they chose to change their detours.

However, on the second episode, the detour didn't created as good as the first episode. I think both of the detour would hurt families will small children. And the roadblock is simply weird.. I think they wanted to reenact old spying game. But it's just weird. It's not meant for the children because the area is too big, and it's too silly to be done by the adults. One bad point for race element.

Show Element and Issues

OK. The producers has the right to say that interaction between family members are one of the most interesting things to see on the show. And I agree to that. I never never get bored watching family dynamics. First of all, it's super interesting to see motivations for each families to be on this race. The Gaghan for example. I have a feeling that they enter the race with a side mission to teach the kids about competitiveness. The Paolos are in there to win, but probably chosen because they kept bickering. The Weavers needed something to hold them together as they lost their head of family. The Rogers tried to prove that southerners are not that slow. And so on.

On the first two episodes, dynamics of the families are really shown successfully. How Danny Rogers tried to lead the family all along (and hurt his son, on the run). How the Bransen daughters started to think, maybe it's time that we take care of Dad. How Bill Gaghan kept being motivator for their kids, saying things like the one I quoted up there, resulting to the one of the sweetest scene in reality TV: 9 year-old Carissa Gaghan outrun one adult and two teenagers to the pit stop.

Favorite racers

Yes, every family is unique and has reason to be the favorites. But I kept choosing early favorites based on smart racers. For me, they are the Weavers and then the Gaghans.

Weaver family did a great job of a responsibility distribution. Rebecca, the oldest daughter is the driver. Linda, the mother is the navigator and decision maker. Rolly, the youngest is the main physical and speed strength of the family. Rachel.. humm.. I still trying to figure out what Rachel is all about. But keep this distribution and did no mistake, I hope the Weavers can go all the way..

The Gaghans come into the race with a very competitive attitide and strategy. One of the most distinct strategy is how their backpack is packed. Carissa didn't carry one. Billy had a small and light one. Smart. Compare this to the Black family who had backpack on each member's back. However, seeing the navigation and choices in the detours, the Gaghans needed still to think about their advantage and disadvantages.

Another family needs to be reckoned is the Linz family. They are strong, smart, and solid. Most decisions are made correctly, and it has three alpha-male. They bicker brotherly, and that's why sometimes the sister seemed like outsider of the group. For me, they are good racers, but not special enough because they don't do something remarkable in the race. But one thing for sure. If this family wins the race, the editors have to work very hard to make everything looks interesting, if not, it's going to be the most boring amazing race since the first one.

Personal Likes and Dislikes

The family dynamics are really really interesting to watch. No, we may not watch another heart-wrenching testimonial from teary-eyed Lynn as he and his boyfriend Alex were eliminated at the last season. But look at the second elimination where Brock Rogers said a typical male last child. Go, Brock! Or how the Paolos kept communicating. That's family dynamics I'm talking about.

One other thing. The mothers of the family is really the mediator of them all. Char Schroeder profile is already stating that she's the mediator. Linda Weaver said, "But I'm not and we're fine.." after her girls were so afraid of being orphan after an accident with the buggy, in the first detour. Tammy Gaghan said, "She's trying, honey." when Billy accused Carissa of not doing anything in the super tyring second detour. "I'm the glue that'll hold us together.." said Renee Rogers after they were eliminated, and sensed that there are tense between the males of the family. That's why I am confused to see Marion Paolo handled things.

In the family full of characters of adventurous individuals like the Linzes or the Godlewskis, I read somewhat disappointment across their faces seeing that the first two legs of the race was only roaming around the east coast. You know the disappointment like, "Awww.. I thought we're going to see the world.." And seeing that in a racer, make me feel not watching the race.

Also, I don't like how the producers created the show. For me, it is way too american. And I got easily squishy seeing something too american. Because of this, I may not continue watching the show.

The Legendary Fall

Current books read: Catch Me If You Can by Frank W. Abagnale - watched dvd: The Good Girl, Finding Nemo - study reading: Environmental Economics. Pussinggg..

Prologue

Fall, as a season has definitely gotten into my soft side. Eventhough I don't like it. Somehow, every fall seems like a brand new start, or a milestone or just the time to say, "Yes, fall is coming! I'm a have a lotta fun!"

For a start. I came to Germany in fall. I joined my gamelan (traditional Indonesian music) group in fall. I started blogging in fall. One of my favorite movie is Legends of the Fall.

When it comes to something that I like to do, fall has a lot to offer as well. I used to remember, for 5 years when fall came (yes, Indonesia has no fall season, but I mean when fall comes to the northern hemisphere) I got so excited because it is time to watch good movie. By good I meant movies which will win primary and/or movie awards with the peak of the season in the annual Academy Awards, or Oscar. You know how americanized those things are.

Yes. Fall to me was so special. In the past years, fall meant the return of TV series that I like to watch. Friends, Survivor, The Amazing Race, The Apprentice, Sex and the City, and so on, and so on. This year, it's the return of Wer Wird Millionär, Wetten Dass...?, Dittsche, and so on, and so on. So it's clear that fall deserves a headliner post.

Part 1 - Yea! It's fall!

Fall always makes me blue. Because I love love love the sun. I am not afraid of getting dark or very dark unlike other Indonesians. In fall, the sun becomes a bit more shameful to show its face on earth. It just appear shorter, and I hate that.

In Hamburg, when fall comes, it means prepare yourself without streaming sunlight at all but only cloudy sky and rain, or light rain (what's it called?). The whole day. Or Week. It makes me cold, weak, and crappy, and really works as a reminder, that winter is coming.

Fall also means the end of the green pasture and healthy trees and blossoming flowers and cheap vegetables. Pastures will become soil colored soon enough. Trees will gradually changed into yellow, brown, or red. Yes, the view of them is breathtakingly awesome. But be quick and enjoy them while you can! Within a week all of them will be gone leaving us with leaveless tree. Sigh. Because the leaves are falling, no pun intended.

As I came to Germany in fall, the weather is cold enough for an Indonesian, but it turns out that it was not cold enough for my too-thick jacket. That time the sun went down "normally", the leaves were falling one by one as breeze came, and I was told to prepare to buy an umbrella to block the rain and wind.

Part 2 - Falling in with the Movies

I was a sucker for fall movies. When almost all people are watching almost all summer blockbusters, for me fall movies are the one to be hunted and kept alive. I mean come on, yes Titanic was a summer blockbuster, but do you realize what really happened in fall?

Awarding season kicks of with National Board Review. After that critics of three cities: Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago. Then come the guilds. Then come the globes. Then come the academies, british one, and then american one. With awards after awards if you really love movies, then it's hard to ignore or not want to watch those movies.

There is something exciting about trying to catch those movies. Especially when you're in Indonesia. And then talk about them for a coffee (there never was a coffee on my table, though), and just preparing having a head-to-head argument or disagreement about your or your friend's trump. Gosh. I miss those good old days. Again, I had to say, I quit it last year. Quit hunting it for two years, though. And definitely won't join the hunting season this year.

The exciting thing about catching fall movies in Indonesia, is that because Indonesian distributor can not risk their money for something not so mainstream. For example: I watched Shakespeare in Love in theatres after it won Best Picture in Oscar 1998, sometimes in February. There's nothing fall about February; movies like Far From Heaven did not made it to the movies; I watched the Hours before Oscar, but the theatre was less than 50% full. During Kinotag. So, Indonesians (or in this case my movie circle) are expected to be more creative in order to watch these movies before Oscar in order to be able to argue clearly why they think their trump's gonna win. Eventhough not every person tried that hard, and jumped right in into conversation even before they watched the movie.

For me, it is still interesting though to see who will win what just to catch up with ol' time favorites.

Part 3- Fall-tering to the Hooks of TV Series

I surrender easily to the hands of TV series. Nowadays, I like watching them even more than I like watching movies. It's the sense of exploration of new characters that will last weeks that always tempts me. See, I'm not really a strong person for not being able to hold that kind of temptation.

Anyways, out of the series that I liked to watch are most of the times series with competitions in it. In Indonesia, I like (eventhough I hate to admit it) to watch all TV-quizzes and competition.
From the highly praised

• Siapa Berani,
• Cerdas Cermat (elementary school children answering questions that are most likely to be asked at school),
• Kuis Keluarga Lifebuoy (family quiz, mixture of some games),
• Asia Bagus (singing competition between south east asian countries plus Japan),

to the deep down in a barrel like

• Asah Asih Asuh (quiz from homemakers when mostly they are being asked to answer or demonstrate homemaking 101),
• Gosip atau Fakta (quiz all about Indonesian celebrities' gossip or fact),
• Apa Ini Apa Itu (I don't even really know what this quiz it's all about),
• Tebak Gambar or what's-that-quiz-with-David-Chalik-as-host? (It's a super stupid quiz, and most of the time I like watching it to see how the host and contestants react of the stupidity of the question. Or the answer.)
• or Kuis Dangdut.

That is why, I really like watching competitive reality TV on any TV out there. Eventhough now I have to be more selective as I don't have 50 hours a day to watch competitve reality TV shows. So what's a better way to start fall rather than selecting the reality shows?

So far, I am only interested in three of them. The Amazing Race: Family Edition, Survivor: Guatemala, and The Apprentice: Martha Stewart, in the order of decreasing interest. The next post will be my early take on these series, and decision on whether I'll watch them or not.

Watched dvd: Love, Actually

The joy of watching your favorite comedy series can actually be elevated when you happened to watch the bloopers of the show. That's why I loved watching Super Bloopers and Practical Jokes, hosted by Ed Macmahon [sp?] and Dick Clark.

That's why I got so excited to see Will and Grace's LIVE 8th season premiere. Well, it's not live that I'm watching, but still it's LIVE-ly TiVo'd. And good Lord.. The laugh-a-thon which was delivered by both Debra Messing and Sean Hayes, as they were having their act, is enough of giving me stomach cramp.

Anyway, the commeradery of Will and Grace had a ton of bravery on their back for performing LIVE. However, I'm not so impressed, while Indonesian comedy group did it almost every week (LIVE-ly taped) and there is as well Schillerstrasse here in Sat1.

It's Sat1, right?

By the way, deepest condolences to all other victims of cowardly terror in Bali. Chin up, stay strong, my heart goes with you all. We can make it through it all.

sunday's confession

watched TV: Oliver's Twist- watched dvd: The Wire

I.. just can't get enough of Jamie Oliver's cooking show. I mean it's only shown once a week on TV, showing two episodes per program. Usually it shows three recipes, for the drink, main course, salad or dessert. I used to think that Jamie Oliver's cuisines were difficult and expensive. But I kept watching the show anyway, because I think that Oliver is such a personality. And it turns out, after I push myself go into the kitchen more, they're not that difficult or expensive. They're easy and quite affordable. And they're rich of useful tips in around the kitchen, delivered in a hip way.

But one thing is for sure: Jamie Oliver's cooking show is not for people who don't touch their food.

Watched dvd: The Wire

To organizers of Hamburg Filmfest.

I really don't know. Last year I made a pact that I will use my telephone so thrifty for a year so that I could afford my tickets to watch 8 of the movies which were on Hamburg Filmfest. I was that determined. And I was also determined to watch the next year, and if possible, buying the Dauerkarte.

Your advertisement trailer is amazing. I'm not exaggerating to say that is the best advertisement running in theatres I had ever seen. Not only best, it's also the smartest, most efficient, intriuging, appropriate, and just simply cool. But really, it is very very smart-hip-and-cool all at once. Good job, Ole Peters.

However, after I got your print publication, you know, the Hamburg Pur special edition thingie, I was only interested in watching 2 movies after quick zapping, and after a more serious reading, I was only interested in watching only 6 of them. Compare this number to 14 last year, when I finally watched 8 of them. Oh, I already said that. I also remember that placed the timetable behind my bedroom door so that I saw it everytime before I went to bed. It's full of circles and doodles. Regardless, I think I would settle on watching 3 of them this year.

I have no idea whether this had something to do with my decreasing interest in the movie world in general, or the movie and program that you're showing this year is not that interesting. Or the fact that despite I watched 8 last year, I left the theatres with one movie I didn't understand (the words. The story, I got it), one movie so strange that I insisted to ignore it and keep schtum, three ordinary movies, and three quite good movies. And one of the quite good ones is Michael Cunningham's work. Or maybe unlike last year my experimenting spirit is not that high anymore, at the same time my bank account balance is also not as high, so that decision was made.

This year, three movies I'm gonna watch are The King, because I'm a fan of Gael Garcia's works, Manderlay to get a feeling how Dogville was stylishly directed, and Adam's Apples, because at least I watched one non-english movie. Ow, great. Just cross checking the diaries, and it turns out that Manderlay will be on Tuesday night. Ok-kay.. I switch to Hooligans, since I am not available Tuesday nights.

So, we'll see what will happen on those nights. Great job with the festival, by the way. Keep up the good work. Always looking forward to meeting the filmmakers after the showing. So hopefully the three of 'em will be there.

price and prejudice

Current books read: Disclosure by Michael Crichton

Today, I went to a vegetable store in Wandsbek, near where a friend of mine lives. I neeeded onions to make Bratkartoffeln. So I started looking for it out of the store nearby the mushrooms, broccolis, Blumenkohl, but it's not there. So I went in the store. The owner was attending another customer, but she was leaving. So he said "Guten Tag." to me, and I answered back.

I was walking towards the onion, but the store owner asked me what did I need. I said "Mmm.. Zwiebeln." while pointing and moving to the stack. Normally in stores like this, you go yourself to the stack, put what you need in plastic bag, and bring them to the cashier to be weighed and pay the price. But instead he asked me, "Wieviel?". Since I didn't know, I said, "Umm.. Fünf Stücke?" Then he put the amount that I think is more than five pieces. Since I'm eating salad tomorrow, and I like red onions better in salads than the normal one, I asked, "Haben Sie auch rote Zwiebeln?" He looked to the case that looked empty, and asked "Eine reicht?". I said yes. He put everything in a paper bag and said, "Fünfzig cent." Really?

The price for the onions was 1.99 Euro per kilo. And I believe I just bought more than quarter kilo. And he added up the red onions. I said how generous..

But then he asked whether I needed tomatoes. I don't eat tomatoes, normally. Most of the time, I hate it. If it's on my plate I eat it, but if it's not, I don't want them anywhere near my plates. So to make the story short, I said no. He said one Euro for all of this, while he handcupped some. I insisted to say no. Then he said, "Fünfzig cent." Hmm..?

You know, vegetables are unfortunately expensive in Germany. Cheap vegetables can be acquired in Hamburg for example in Fischmarkt, but rarely that you can get 100% of them in 100% good condition. Sometimes 60% of them are 100% good, sometimes 70% of them are more than 90% good, sometimes.. you do the math this time. But it's surely cheap.

So I was thinking, did he do the Fischmarkt trading tactics here? And to make matters worse, the other vegetable store nearby (possibly they are in competition) closed recently.

I went home and started cooking my Bratkartoffeln. Two of the nine (nine!!) onions are 60% good, the rest, 100% good. The red onion, 100% good.

Is it just me, or prejudiced world has also gotten into me?

Have a nice weekend, lads.

tale of two ciries (it's not typo)

Current books read: Time of Your Life by Neil Gaiman; Disclosure by Michael Crichton - expected TV program: Wetten Dass...? 1.10. ZDF - study reading: this and that, here and there

Sit down. This will take a while. And you may find it boring. I'm a talk about two TV series that I've been watching for the past two weeks. Both are american series. The first, is ...

The West Wing

My first encounter with The West Wing was when this Emmy-Globes-SAG-awards-decorated series first aired in Indonesia. At that time, as my English was still below average, I spent most of the airing time not watching it, but reading the sub-titles. And I still didn't understand what were they talking about. I managed to stay awake late to watch it until the "Indonesia" episode. It was so big, even local newspaper picked the story up, as far as I can remember. After the "Indonesia" episode, I quit watching it. Just because I don't want reducing my sleeping hours reading things that I don't really understand.

It turns out, that The West Wing is so much better than I remembered. There are some reason for this judgment. First, my English that got better here and there. At least now I understand some of the things they are talking about. Second, characters, characters, characters are mostly the reasons why I like or dislike series. The characters in The West Wing, are just remarkable. My favorite is CJ, the press secretary which brings us to my favorite scenes: CJ in the press briefing room.

Third, the one that I watched is the third season. Fourth, it is just superbly written, and not pure entertainment.

I am not gonna talk about its inaccuracy here and there, because I don't know what's accurate or not, and I don't talk politics. :p But let's go back to the characters. The president's character, eventhough I believe is not the central character is also well-developed. He just had enough wit, bravery, charm, love, and sense of humor. A perfect Hollywood-style president.

Now, you may get tired of watching the series because most of them are nothing but lobbying. Seriously. Lobbying here, lobbying there, in this room, in that room, in this restaurant, during the day, early in the morning, on weekends, while flying, and so on, and so on. I will get tired as well, had it not had CJ's briefing scenes. And the non-issues issues.

Now the other series,

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

somehow brings recollections to my childhood. For me, CSI is Hawkeye and Amy twenty years after. My first encounter with CSI, is the super funny TV trailer CBS had some years ago. Super super funny. And that made me want to watch CSI.

After watching CSI, I made a dare to a friend of mine. I develop a story which goes like this.

There was a man born and mistakenly raised by the parents so that he got somewhat disturbed and tolerating violence.Sometimes during his adult life, he committed murder, for motives other than revenge. The police, had to solve this case and find the murderer. The police succeeded, the murderer went to trial. He lost, and served time in jail until the end of his life.

The dare, was to find an appropriate movie or series for every sentence. I forgot how he answered them all, but we both noted the same answer for the third sentence: CSI. And we agreed, not so many series or movies are specializing in only how murder weapon was found, what analysis needed in order to make a case, and so on and so on.

But I don't like CSI. It should be titled Crime Lab 101, or crime lab for dummies because it always comes with, for example: the murder was done at 1:00 pm, right? So that means at that time, this matter hadn't been oxidized with that matter, so that the pressure of this room, would not correspond to that temperature, and the corpse would have not showed this hours of decay. And then one of the crime lab super-member pulled out their super device out of their super case to get the evidence.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but it's just too scientifically sophisticated. Well, maybe their job is scientifically sophisticated. But not that what makes me don't like it. It's the 101 thingie that made me never lose the feeling of being told and taught. And I don't like the acting as well. Especially the guest stars. It reminds me a lot of court room dramas or even Lenßen und Partner. Another bonus: it's missing blue line plot that series made me want to watch them more.

However, it is thousands times better than Detektif Conan (don't know how it's called in English, German, or its original language Japanese :p) which after a while, tells us nothing but solving cases by redoing the "almost impossible" murder. Boring. But seeing almost all of CSI's season one, it's going that way, though.

OK. I'll cut 'em some slack because I watched the first season only. Come on, I don't remember that I was head over heels for FRIENDS as I watched its season one, weren't I? So, I need some rebuttals. One conclusive thing though, it costs a bloody lot of money to solve a murder. Wonder if Indonesian cops could afford it.

See, toldja it would be boring. Sleep tight, tonight.

unimportant

Current books read: - music in ear: - expected TV program: - watched dvd: - study reading:

What did I tell you? What did I tell you??! Hehehee..

Now I'd better get some sleep.

Hide the Park

Current books read: Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, 1996 - expected tv program: KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI, tomorrow!!

Right. I was spending last two weeks like a crazy bastard who's been working constantly twenty four seven. But actually I have not. So did I deserve it? Hmm.. Let's have a long meditation session to answer the question. But for me personally, it doesn't really matter whether I deserve it or not, but at that time, I wanted it.

One of the days of the two weeks is taking a visit to called Soltau that was reached by less than an hour drive, and dropping by Heide Park. The reason? Of course because I want to 'taste' the feeling of being dropped 60 degrees in the biggest wooden roller coaster of the world: Colossos, and the feeling of being dropped vertically from the highest tower drop of the world: Scream. The feeling was superb and to be honest, scary. Respectively.

Colossos

Colossos has a theme music. You know in order to build the mood of excitement/fear/anxiety at the same time. Too bad (or in this case, luckily) I can't enjoy that music for long, because there was no line at all as we were there. Waiting time as I arrived is 0 minutes, and waiting time as I rode it the second, third and fourth (fourth!!) one is 3 minutes. Before you enter the train you can see statistically how Colossos was built. Intimidation.

As I told you, the ride itself is superb. Combination of the drop, speed, turns, just make Colossos a very enjoyable ride. ENJOYABLE??? It's not scary, because you step on something. Well, it's not nauseating, since it doesn't have any loop, and considering that my nausea rate is very very low, I like it. And again, I got some trouble for not sitting down still on my seat, because the wind and the force tried to rip my head off off my body. :)

Scream

Now this is scary. I always make noises when I ride amusement park rides. You know, to make it more excited. But on Scream, I screamed. Involuntarily. Just to make things straight (no pun intended), it was not a high-pitched scream like Ross's. Hehehe.. I thought I knew when the drop will be. But still the drop was amazing. It was one of the scariest 5 seconds of my life.

Scream brought us up with enough velocity, that when in stops, no feeling of being weightless is achieved as we were on top. The voice on the ride suggests we waited 3 seconds, and you are dropped. And this is the amazing part. Your seat goes down with you with the same velocity and accelleration with your ass. I mean body. For around 5 seconds. Gosh.

I know, I'd only been in a drop tower for twice before, but still Scream, deserves to be one of the best ride I've been on. Eventhough I thought previously it will be boring.

The Park

The park itself offers a lot of different rides (well, of course). However, some of the rides are not much scarier that other rides that I had been on before. Heide Park has two Schaukelschiff. Both of them are smaller than Kora-Kora. Other than Colossos, the Park has four roller coasters. Twist is amazingly cool, Big Loop is nauseating, the Swiss sled thingie is interesting, and the mine roller coaster is scary because it's dark.

Still there are two Wildwasserbahn, both of them smaller but much wetter than Niagara-gara. One rafting ride, drier than Arung Jeram. A lot of slow water rides, that if they are all combined into one ride, will be bigger than Istana Boneka. Again, the park is bigger than Dufan, and of course, cleaner, more sophisticated, and more Europe-ish.

The other references were rides in an amusement park in Indonesia. Dunia Fantasi (= Fantasy World or is it World of Fantasy? Hmmm...)

There are still some interesting and cool rides, but still it's missing simulator theater. Ah well, you can't win 'em all can you?

M.I.A.? no! H.I.M.!! please figure out what they are

Current books read: Neverwhere. Neil Gaiman, 1996 - expected TV program: KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI, RTL II, 16. Sept 2005, 20:15 - watched dvd: Alice in Wonderland, Bambi, Dial M for Murder

I don't really know what to say. Two weeks of not posting and shutting myself out of the internet brings a whole lot stress when I got back in. Stress? Yes.. Hehehe...

Well, just being here to post the reason that I wasn't around. I was 'busy' looking at that view for 8 days from the balcony of the room that I woke up in. Click the thumbnail to see the whole image, though. In other words, I was in (I know the grammatically correct word for it in German is auf. But is it supposed to be on in English? I don't think so. Natives please..) Mallorca.

But even before Mallorca, there's a headline that I have to tell you. Let's find some minutes tomorrow.

Anyway, it's all over now, time to get back to the real world. If this world is real. Hehehee.. Alice in Wonderland slash The Matrix euphoria.

curiousity, curiousity

Expected TV program: KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI, 16. September, RTL II

curiousity #1

Well, I must say, that after last week of marathon, and some episodes of watching Desperate Housewives in Pro Sieben, I'd still say this thing. It's a stupid series consists of fifteen minutes of story, with hours and hours of spices, which I find them boring and pointless and old-tricky.

Maybe I'd taken the series in a wrong way. You see that one of the reason I finally watch the series after I got bored of it, is because I am dead curious why Mary Alice killed herself. After I know the reason, I said, "Why Mary Alice, what did you do?" Because shooting herself at that point, is just ... stupid. Gosh.. You know what you should do, Mary Alice? You should kill the blackmailer. At least you've done it before..

But what I hate more than the irrational Mary Alice, is the cliffhangers. Because they can make me give in and watch the new episodes on September 6th. I wish Mike Delfino got killed. Now that's a story. Let's hope so.

Love philosophical phrases thrown by Mary Alice at us each episode and Julie Mayer, though. Wait. Is her last name Mayer?

curiousity #2

After reading that Yahoo! is buying Konfabulator (what the hell is Konfabulator?), I got seriously curious of knowing what it is actually. And today, I read in a blog somewhere, that Konfabulator is similar to Firefox plugins, so I decided to give it a try. It turns out that...

Konfabulator is the answer to all my wishes some following weeks!! My favorite tool so far is Power XP. Finally I am one click away from turning off my lappers.

curiousity #3

Google Talk!Has a great e-mail notifier!!! But still I don't think that I can migrate 100% from Y!Messenger because all of my friends are there. Poor Google Talk, now it's only acting as my gmail notifier. Anyone tried it?

If the leaves aren't green, I'd say it's autumn

Current book read: Matilda by Roald Dahl - music in ear: Mama by Il Divo - watched dvd: *beep* and *beep*

Sorry, a short post without a pic. Pundung ceritanya, because of the dreaded and constantly changing weather this week. And guess what!! Leaves on Lauenburger Straße have started to fall. GOSH!

But still thank God that the sun shone on as we went canooing (sp?). Eventhough something unexpected happened. *wink*

I am not destined to be a photographer, even in the level of a blogger

Current music in ear: I Got You by Anthony Federov

Last weekend I was in Berlin. One of the best weekends that I got to spend visiting new places, meeting new people, and throw myself in a 100% German-speaking community (where're the guts come from?!). So after a blast of 3 full days of speaking and listening (seriously, because there's only Die Drei ??? Hörbücher in the mp3 player), I have to say that I regret it the most that I realized that I left my camera in the apartment on the second day I was there.

The second day, was the best out of the three of 'em. Goin out to a place named Strandbad Wannsee where you can take a dip to swim on the lake, or like some Europeans looking at my brown skin green-eyed-ly, lie down in the sun. The attraction of the lake is the slides located somewhere in the end of the swimming area. Only about 3 meters high, sliding down that thing brought a memory of how I love nature and longed of bathing in a lake.

Swimming back and forth to the slides also concluded something: I have to start swimming regularly. Again! Because I nearly drowned of the third time swimming back to the shallow area, eventhough it was only 50 m long! Gosh..

Anyway, this whole camera affair is still hanging around me, but I hope not for a longer time. Remember the whole Prague thingie? Or the time that I finally had a ride on top of Kohlbrandbrücke? Or the first time I went to the new Hamburger Dom? Or the day I finally had a chance to take an Alsterrundfahrt? Yep! That all went without a single picture because I left my camera somewhere.

Now it's added up to, "Remember Strandbad Wannsee?" Yup. That's the day when I left my camera. Again.

Conclusions, anyone?

Genius is in the House

Current music in ear: various - expected TV program: Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, some time in September!!! - watched dvd: none, but did Desperate Housewives marathon

Ve-heeerryyy genius. That's what I said right after I saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. You know, the story of Charlie Bucket's journey through a Chocolate Factory captured my heart as I grow up. And it is just such a pleasure to see its remake in 2005. And it was so amazing that a genius is working for it.

The genius that I am talking about is Danny Elfman. Eventhough he cut some of Dahl's evil words, Elfman did a very very very good job in composing all of the oompah loompah's song. For me, Danny Elfman, who started to be one of my movie composers to be remembered as he wrote music for Spider-man, has written a very... 2005-ishly appropriate. Hehehe..

And surprisingly, as I watched Desperate Housewives marathon this weekend, I met again with this genius. For me, things like this always happened. Like when I heard Tomorrow (from musical Annie) five times in only two days from three different medias, undeliberately. JO! in cidence.