Tuesday, January 31, 2006

1.00 AM

Well, it's a few minutes short but what the hell.
Anyway, I met some friends from Sunderland tonight. It was quite fun, even though only a few of us that could make it. There's actually something funny about them. These people that I met, I actually only knows them only for a few weeks. That's because when they start enrolling in Sunderland University, I was already finished my course and ready to go back home.

The funny thing? Well, I actually feel more comfortable with them than the people that I actually start the term with. See, when I come to Sunderland, I came alone and I didn't know anybody. The people who start the term at the same time as I did, was either came with a friend, or they get to know each other before I arrive. And since I prefer to live with other international student, I didn't exactly get much chance of knowing them too well.

There are about 2 or 3 circles of friends in my time there, and I'm not in either of them. That's not saying that I don't know them at all or we never hang out together, but lets just say that I'm not exactly the first person they ask to do things with them, since they tend to do things within their own circle of friend.

It's completely different with the new guys.
One thing that strikes well with me is, that they really make an effort to get to know everybody. In my last 2-3 weeks, I have more get together dinner in their place than I had for a year with the other indonesians. It's nice, and I'm more than happy to participate. I felt that I'm really a part of something. I use to think that maybe, being the odd man out with the 'old guys', I'm the one that should make more effort. But I wonder if that's really the case.

Maybe it's just the case that these new people are more compatible with me, than the other indonesians. Maybe it's a combination of all the things above. Well it doesn't matter anyway. It's not that I have any problem with the 'old' Sunderland citizens. They were nice people, and sometimes, that's all you could ask for, and I'm grateful for that.

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Music

Since exercise pill that can give you six packs without doing any real exercise is still haven't been invented, I think the best invention mankind have ever produce is music. I don't really know how music start, probably some lazy ass caveman who have nothing to do, thinks his voice sounds good and decided to sing. Well, fuck knows. But thankfully, over the years, it has evolved to somehow nicer to hear sounds.

I actually not to fond of music at first to be honest, although my sisters would play songs that somehow etched in my memory for years to come. Not until I reached highschool that I really got into it. It's really by accident, I was in Jogjakarta, and was hours before getting into the train that took me back to Jakarta. I was waiting for my family, who were getting some stuff, in a record shop. Since it was a long journey, I think it would be nice to have some music on my walkman. I randomly picked some tape, which turns out to be The Police Greatest Hits



It hooked right from the start.

The moment Sting told Roxanne to not to put on the red light, up until he tells a story about three sisters who have tea in sahara, I was hooked.

I searched for other The Police albums, and love them. It was quite strange, being a Police fan in 1994. They were already disbanded for more than 10 years. But good music are still good music. Since the have no more albums, and I've become a fan of Sting's songwriting style, I started looking for Sting solo albums. I like them too, especially Nothing Like The Sun...

which is a superb combination of jazz, rock, reggae, all in Sting style.

Normally, I try to listened to some other stuff, and later I found out I have a really soft spot for the sound of acoustic guitar, or anything acoustic to a lesser degree. I can only play guitar a bit, but I like the sound of it. So later on, artist like John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, and Teitur is the names on my playlist. Not coincidentally, all three artists have openly mentioned that Sting one of their major influence.

Now, I think Sting obsession of playing 'World Music' as I called it, have pushed him away from the things that I use to like about his music. He said in some interviews that he sees his music as an organic thing, something which will grow into new things. Sadly, I found 'this new thing' isn't to my taste anymore. But I will never forget that moment where I found that I fell in love with music. And for that Messr Sumner, Messr Copeland, Messr Summer, I salute you.

Saturday, January 07, 2006

30 Facts

This is very good

30 Facts about Mr. T, Chuck Norris, Vin Diesel

my favorites:

Vin Diesel is the reason why Waldo is hiding.

There is no theory of evolution, just a list of creatures Vin Diesel allows to live.

Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.

When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.

Chuck Norris doesn't read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.

Chuck Norris ordered a Big Mac at Burger King, and got one.

Before Mr.T was born there were only 25 letters in the alphabet.

The last man who made eye contact with Mr. T was Ray Charles

Mr. T was almost involved in a second car crash. To avoid the crash, he folded his arms and slowly shook his head. The car decided it was safer to avoid Mr. T.

Google won't search for Mr. T because it knows you don't find Mr. T, he finds you.

Pure gold!

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Welcome 2006

Yay! my first post after 2 month hiatus!
First, let me say, happy new year for all of you out there. I've been really busy with work and all, and didn't have the time to update this blog.
Which is too bad, because I come up with some fantastic ideas back then. Here is the example how even the hardest work couldn't contain a creative mind. *puke at the back*

Anyway, in the 2 months, I have:
- Watch these movies:
* Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
* Monty Python: The Life of Brian
* King Kong
* Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
* Crash
- Working for 20 hours non-stop (fucking stupid deadline)
- Get 4 nice days off work (albeit it supposed to be 5, fucking stupid client)
- Got my iPod stolen from my backpack
- Re-read Harry Potter, from Prisoner of Azkaban to The Half-blood Prince
- Hope vainlessly that Chelsea would somehow fuck off and lost another game
- Try to reclaim my mp3s collection which were lost along with the stolen iPod.
- Come to at least 4 weddings and forgot another 4.
- Join a Winning Eleven League, and now at the bottom of the table
- Found out that a lady in my french class is actually my friend's wife and was mates with my junior high friend (small world eh?).
- Found out that no matter how smart you think you are, French is a language for anyone who doesn't have anything else in their mind.
- There are more, but I'm not going to list them all.

I've got to admit that's not enough drama there for even a 30 minutes show, but it's a boring life anyway.

I've read Stania's blog from time to time, and as she's an excellent writer, her blog is quite entertaining. The post about another person named Stania intrigued me as well.
I've done a search in google, and to my surprise, there are actually another person who I share a first name. I always thought that my first name is unique. I can always use my first name for e-mail accounts, forum's user name etc. But there's actually another Mr Chafid, or in full Mr Chafid Fandeli, a lecturer in University of Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta. But I'm not going to contact him and tell him that we share the same first name though.

I also realized that spammers are infested my blog, I'm not sure how to handle this now tbh, as I like letting people putting comments on my blog. Perhaps I could use another comment service, which have anti-spam utility, but I can't be bothered to registered and all that.

If you see my list up there, you can see that there are 2 Harry Potter related issues. Well, I love Harry Potter books, I really do. Here are books that eventhough was labeled as 'children books' has enough layer and depth to attract older audience.

When I read a book, I usually read quite fast because I really wanted to know what happen next. The thing with this kind of reading, although you know what happened straight away, you rarely notice the little things that enrich the characters, or subtle hints that would be beneficial for the whole plot, especially with a series like Harry Potter. So, after watching the movie, I read the books again. And this time, since I already know what's going on, I read at slower pace, and picked up things that I don't get at the first time. And I found myself fall in love with the series again.

Here, the so-called children books managed to keep my usually short attention for weeks.

I found that Sirius Black is actually is a very flawed personality, a kid that never grew up as he always compare Harry with his deceased father, which was his best mate.

I found that even though I found Harry's tantrum in the Order of the Phoenix book testing my nerve, it's really a very natural reaction of being 15 years old and had your head on the chopping block for 5 year.

I found that Order of The Phoenix book is actually an excellently written story eventhough it doesn't have the 'mystery-whodunnit' storyline, which was my first main attraction to Harry Potter books.

I found that whilst Gilderoy Lockhart character from Chamber of Secret book is a critique on those 'fake' celebrities who put style over substance and crave for public attention, he's actually a hillarious and fun character to read.

I found that the trio in Harry Potter very much resemble Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia dynamics.

I found that one of the best moral lessons that I picked from Harry Potter books is that is your choice that defines who you are.

I found alot of things that can't be put all into writing.

That's probably all for now
Take care.