A Sunny Afternoon with Julia Gillard

DISCLAIMER: This blog post does not in any way endorse any political party nor does it reflect the author's political affiliations and opinions on Australian politics

All this time in Australia, I very rarely saw anyone famous other than tennis players during the Hopman Cup. In fact, up until last Wednesday (December 3, 2014) I could recall the only two occasions in which I saw celebrities of some sorts. The first one was when I went to see Michael Buble's concert, thanks to a friend of mine who got some extra tickets and asked me to go. The second one was when I saw Bill and Giuliana Rancic at Westfield Carousel (Western Australia's largest shopping centre), this time thanks to Anindya Intan who is a HUGE fan of the couple and their reality show on E! (after seeing them, I can understand why people admire those two!). Apart from that - well, until last Wednesday anyway - there was nothing else. Which should not be a surprise, seeing that Perth, bearing the pride of the most isolated capital city in the world, is tiny compared to those cities in the eastern states, e.g. Sydney and Melbourne.

Marking the Unremarkable: One Year On

I don't feel like blogging today. Really, I don't. But today is the first anniversary of my arrival in Perth, so...something has been telling me that I must write something about it. Anything. Even scribbles and scratches.

So...I don't even know how to start, for God's sake. Today I can only remember all things I held onto on September 28, 2013, all things I left, all things I looked forward to, all Australian hopes and dreams.

I remember getting my belongings inside the taxi as we left for the airport. Then my mother stopped by at a nearby convenience store to buy a few packs of biscuits.

I remember having breakfast at Oh La La Cafe. I ordered a piece of scone and a cup of coffee. I think Mother ordered a cup of hot chocolate. For the first time in years Father, Mother, and I were having breakfast together at the same table without any yelling or swearing involved. I remember feeling so giddy.

Li Na: A World She Makes Big

Walking away from the sport, effective immediately, is the right decision for me and my family.

That statement is an example of what no avid sports fan ever wants to see. Especially when it is released by one of the sport's most celebrated athletes, who always brings joy and amusement to spectators not only with their dangerous game but also with their impressive personality. Yet that one sentence is part of a letter published on Li Na's Facebook page today, announcing her retirement from tennis just before the Wuhan Open, a WTA Premier tournament held in her hometown, kicks off.

September 11, 2014

Imagine a day darker than this
When crying children become a common view
Sadly those children are none of the riches
So that such a common view is well beyond you

When crying children become a common view
If they are far from the lenses no one will cry over them so
So that such a common view is well beyond you
And their tears and screams may just pass and then be let go

Room 15.205

Edith Cowan University, Mt Lawley, Perth

September 15, 2014

Kenapa The Corrs?

Yeah, akhirnya gue nulis lagi setelah (sok) hiatus cukup lama. Well, 'hiatus' would be an exaggeration. Sebenernya cuma agak hilang motivasi untuk serius nulis sih, itu aja. Mungkin karena gue kebanyakan mikirin hal-hal yang sebenernya nggak perlu dipikirin dan kurang banyak mikirin hal-hal yang sebenernya perlu dipikirin (?). Anyway, di kursi perpustakaan kampus yang cukup nyaman ditemani sebotol gede kopi susu (iya, botolnya gede, serius deh) inilah jari gue gerak-gerak di atas badan Keith alias laptop gue cerita tentang...postingan blog ini semalem sebelumnya.

Some Reflection From the Couch

It was a cloudy day not so long ago
I loved it when it rained, but not that day
It was a cold day. The cold tiles made it even more so
And my eyelids were heavy, trying to drift me away

I heard a sound, calling out to me
A sound that was not foreign, but long I had forgotten
It said, "Are you in for a journey of rediscovery?"
I was startled, for I felt the fading of my loathed burden

Shopping + Spotting!

Selalu ada untungnya kalo dapet libur pas weekdays. Nah, alhamdulillah di trimester ini gue dapet libur di hari Jumat, sementara di trimester sebelumnya libur di hari Senin. Jadi setelah meras otak kuliah dari hari Senin sampai Kamis, Jumat emang pas banget buat refreshing. Karena hitungannya weekday, public transport kayak bus, kereta, sama feri jadwalnya masih rutin. At least ke rute-rute 'rame' kayak ke CBD (Central Business District) busnya banyak, kasarnya dateng di halte tiap 15 menit sekali. Weekend? Duh. Udah CBD pasti rame, jadwal public transport juga kena imbas--bus yang biasanya 15 menit sekali bisa jadi 30 menit sekali.

The Questions of God

So...yeah. Finally got something worth to write about. And let me tell you, this topic is...well, unusual. I have never written anything like this before, but now I just can't help it. I never imagined that I would be writing this, but here I am.

Yesterday I watched an episode of RTE TV show The Meaning of Life. It's an Irish television show (RTE stands for Raidio Teilifis Eireann, or Radio and Television of Ireland) hosted by prominent Irish presenter Gay Byrne, basically featuring public figures--politicians, musicians, actors, you name it--being asked about...well, about the meaning of life. More specifically, Uncle Gaybo--Byrne's nickname--invites those public figures to talk about God, their spiritualism, significant events in their lives, and so on. The episode I watched features Andrea Corr, the lead singer of my all-time favourite band and one of my girl crushes (yeah, I have girl crushes. Problem?).

2014 Hopman Cup: From a Fan's Point of View

OUI!

I was very fortunate to be one of the spectators at this year's Hopman Cup. Generally I love all tournaments (although there are ALWAYS special 'treatments' for the Grand Slams and the year-end championships, of course), but the Hopman Cup always holds a special place in my heart for a number of reasons. Firstly, it was the first tennis tournament I've ever been to. In 2010, I found out that my favourite player of all time was going to play in Perth. At that time I still had a valid Australian visa because I had gone to Perth in June. Also, I have relatives living in Perth (who have become my host family here) so I needed not to worry about accommodation. Although I had been worried at first about traveling alone, I made the trip anyway, and it turned out GREAT. My heart still pounds every time I remember each second of the matches I went to.