Just A Year Old

It's been a year for me being a Mrs. instead of a Ms. How's the marriage life so far?
I think it's been the same.. Nothing really change between us, only being stronger all the time. We know that lots of marriage among us is crumbling down. Many people look for another person to fill their heart. Like the old phrase that I always heard "the empty room that needs to be filled" and may I say, "what room?".. There is only our Master Bedroom and baby room (still in progress) the guest room is outside this house maybe for families..not for another person. It's fully booked. Even I try to stay away from our family to harmonize everything... Relatives, parents, friends are fine but usually we will meet outside this house.

You  must say that I'm a cruel person, actually I'm trying to explain that I hate cheaters. they always makes me down. I will make my boundaries.

Yet in the real life, people will say that me and Mr. is an easy going couple. Living apart for months now and yet we still be happy with what we have. And we're very truthful to our relationship.

Some people ask, "is it okay?" Yes we're okay with what kind of life we choose, we already make those decisions so it's our risk, but if you ask "is it hard?" We also will say YES... It's hard but somehow that will make us cherish every moments and live with it and try to have the trust.

It's not easy to trust people in distance. We can't see them, we can't feel them all we got is an internet connection and skype and sometimes the picture could lie. However the "touch" won't feel the same with monitor. When the internet down then your feeling also down.

It's just a year old marriage. Though we already feel that's it's been a long time that we knew each habit of our spouse. We never get bored of each other in the other hand we will make it through time.. and be together again at last..

Now, we're welcoming the new time, the other year to walk on, to make our journey more meaningful, to celebrate every moment. And pray, that God will be on our side, so we will find those - what we're looking for.

Enjoy!

Friend?

Arnold Glasow once was said, "A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down."

Today I'm going deep down and somehow the one that I called true friend even make a leap and dance upon my misery and I just stumble, don't say a bit, just watch another drama glimpse in front of my eyes then I keep on watching till I'm stoned and really realize that she's just that!

In the other hand, a person that I always shove and push to stand away from my side, is being there and stay as a true friend. Weird!

I think this world is being mad, or it's just natural for everybody to take the most advantage you can get from the others.. Is it the rule from the past centuries or it's just there, just now?

I feel disappoint (of course) but in the other hand it's a revelation. My eyes wide shut and it's  just open to the real world... A person just knock my door and offer me the dictionary of truth then some part of myself just said it's my karma. However I tried my best to survive to this lunatic being, a sarcastic person and cynical acts of people. I have to survive.. I have to.


So my point is (beside talking bullshit about my feelings right now) You really really can't judge the book by it's cover, don't try to explain "what is friendship?" and describe it in life and only with words. Sometimes you cannot see the beauty within, sometimes we also blur about the rubbish behind the beautiful things, don't trust your eyes, don't trust your judgment, just seize the day and be creative about your problems, somehow you'll find out that you are your only friend and the time will make you wiser.

 Enjoy! (though it's hurt)

Walking In The Rain

I am totally busted today!

I woke up at noon, soo late that I could feel guilty to myself and if my husband never calls, maybe i never awoke.. The dream too damn good or the room to damn cozy.. Je ne sais pas.

So, i just got out at 4pm and its raining (again).. I am going to my husband's office in Chinatown. Like every woman in this world would ask, 'what (the hell) am I going to wear today?' and the great thing is it's raining so it will double the problem.

So i snook in my closet.. I also have another problem.. My period! I better choose something dark for my skirts or pants..Just to build my confidence. I have this short pants from yesterday, a grey tank and one long lace blazer.. Neat!

So what about the shoes? Actually i rather choose boots than high heels but i left my black boots in Bali.. I got no choice, so i wear my silver pump up high heels and walk with pride with it... In the middle of the rain...

The last thing to project is my Umbrella... I wish i bought the leopard prints umbrella back in the Marks and Spencer.. But I don't have those kind, so I have to bring my 2 dollars pastel pink umbrella with the silver lining in it.

Now you must be wonder why I choose short pants rather than longs pants although it's raining... Well, Ibr lived in tropical climate, so even though it's raining, the weather is hot.. Extremely hot and i always feel overwhelmed with the humidity. Sweating and oily skin is like a must.And you know when it's raining, most of the splash from the street will make stains on your pants and I don't like it...

So if it's hot you might also think why i bring my semi lace long blazer with me... Actually I don't know where we are going. If he brought me to shopping center or mall or to the movies, the air conditioner is extremely cold. It's almost feel freezing inside... Even when I go to supermarket, sometimes I feel chilled at the fish sections or milk sections... C o l d ...

So, what's your best outfit for rainy days? I think the best accessories is the rain itself.. Like the old song 'Just walking in the rain feeling soaking wet..' No need the umbrella.. Just embrace the weather!!!

Enjoy..

Wanna go back to the 80's

Stepping on day 2 in the City of Merlion ... The air was still hot, soo cloudy (just like yesterday) .. But I always enjoy the time here for my husband, and like always we could have our lunch together...
 
Menu for today is prawn noodle, we go to China Square and just beside the Spinelli coffee you will find a nice place that sell yummy prawn noodles and the best part is the crunchy pork floss for my topping (not for my husband of course).. And of course it's still drizzling but we sit in the porch outside and have our lovely lunch-conversation.


After that i was plan to go to the cinema but too bad, I was to late so I just have myself walking in the mall and did some window shopping, and somehow I remember my old days.. when I was just a little baby. 


It was at the 80's. Everything felt so innocent for me. Nothing too serious to think about, or may I say nothing in my mind that time.. Just being a little watcher.


As a good watcher I watch and heard many things that always there on my mind... Especially in fashion. I remember that my sister always stuffed her closet with so many accessories. Many earrings from hoop earrings, tassels, golds or silver or black silver, long earrings and ear stud, many ear studs, enormous clip earrings, another gold, many bangles, colorful bangles, neon colors and that's also time when pearls is so hot! 

Don't forget the sunglasses, they will wear huge sunglasses and wear it day and night.


When we say about bags, she will collect various size of clutch and of course with various colors. satchels and back pack!


The clothing is like Dynasty Dramas, shoulder patch, baggy trousers, skinny jeans, Big Prints for Mickey Mouse and friends (I love Goofy the most) and everything always double studded or decorated with beads and sequins. And have I told you the sweaters? Soo many sweaters that time I think we could have one big chest special for sweaters.


Our dresses made from silk, satin, chiffon silk, velvets and so many laces. That moment I think all the designer don't think about the cost of the fabric.. The more the better... Look at Princess Diana's wedding gown.. The veil is so looooooooooooooooong.. The shoulder puff is so huge.. And it's the Hits!


Don't forget about the hair do.. Remember the mullet? Or the 30cm tall hair do? Or the hits of Mohawk.. It's in the 80's and somehow It's a colorful and freedom era... 


Need some music? Every Vanilla is not so vanilla that time... Forget Eminem and just listen to Vanilla Ice or Bobby Brown and in that time he's not married yet to Whitney. And Milli Vanilli isn't famous for plagiarism. I also remember the cute baby face Rick Astley, Tommy Page and don't forget that MJ haven't change his face so drastically. Female artist? You must remember Paula Abdul and Janet Jackson with their rockin' body to dance. Madonna is sooo Marylin-steaming. Listen Debbie Gibson and bet you will have a twisted moods... You can listen to Techno to hip hops, pop to rock, you just name it!

Just enjoy your memories.. Like I re-memorize my sisters with all those outfits and imagine what my husband look like that time, with his hair (yes.. that time he still have his hair) and dancing disco and break-dance all night long. Whaat?

You want to go back? Somehow I do... So, do listen to Bowie and Sting and u2 when they're still young or Kool an the Gang and Roxette to boost your mind and please remember to disco with your  10 pieces of bangles, neon colors and Vivienne Westwood look a like..

 

Enjoy!!

The NEW "It"

I rushed to go to Bedugul Office, Maya already wait me there. Maya is le nouveau designer of Pithecanthropus.. She's so punctual because she did text me at 9am sharp! Leeyah came 20minutes after I arrived and so on, we travel to KETEWEL... To take a look at the new "It"!

Today we're going to Ketewel to our new gallery project in the East Coast of Bali. We're so excited and full of beans to see our new office-to be.

Our office is being built on one hectare of land. The design consist 3 complex building. The first complex is studio and gallery, the second one is house and villa, and the third one is our storeroom. The magnificent thing about those complex is that some of the buildings are brought from hundred miles away, from another island on this archipelago. 


Yes, we ship the wooden house from Sumatra island to build (exactly the same) in Bali. It's exotic and intriguing to be seen what will it become.. The wooden house from Sumatra usually called Rumah Panjang (long house). Why they called it Rumah Panjang? Just because the house literally Panjang (long). In Jambi they also called it Bangko Jambi or some people called it Kajang Lako or Rumah Lamo (old house). Rumah Lamos ridge have a shape similar as a boat house with upper ridge tip curved up. Lamo house typology shaped ward, rectangular with a length of 12 m and width of 9 m. The other house that also famous in Sumatera is Rumah Limas (Pyramid House). They called it like pyramid because of the shape of the center roof usually shaped like pyramid.


In Sumatera those buildings are usually built beside a big river or on the beach. Those old houses build very tall to prevent flood or high tide. 

Rumah Limas in Sumatera

After I came to the project, I'm sure that this will be a great place to work and also to hang out. The sea breeze is cooling and the view is enchanting. And I know that there will be a barbecue spot for us to stay and have a view chit chat (I snoop on the design :)).. So here we go, another step to our new place called office, in the other hand, another walk to a place that we will call "home".. 

Do you have a sense of curiosity like me?  I have a BIG one... Let's see a little sneak preview...

 the storeroom

 the studio and gallery-will be

the view from the balcony of our studio

Enjoy!

Human!

I woke up this morning...

Reading online newspaper...

Make breakfast (a very important meal of the day)

My phone rang.... once.. twice... I check the number.. No name.. Just the number.
And I'm the kind of person who don't like to answer anonymous calls.. But it's from Jakarta.. Important? Perhaps?
So I answer phone
"Hello..."
"Yes I'm looking for Mrs. Neli Gunawan..."
"I'm speaking..."
"It's about your insurance bill, we can't make transaction from July from your Visa Card..."


Ouch, that problem again.. So the story is, this bank send me a billing statement with two type of credit card, One Visa and the Other is MasterCard. I have the MasterCard but I never receive Visa and the billing card already have bills for insurance... I don't have the card and I have to pay for the bills.. How come?


So I have the option to get angry and never fix those problems with the bank, and keep receiving calls, letters, text from them. OR... I talk, with my blurry eyes because it's still early and I just enjoying my beautiful morning and ask the man who's in the phone "What should I do with it?"


Sometimes in life we always have two kinds of options. One that makes us angry (to a person that we don't know Who?) and the second is compromise, settle down and fix. We rarely choose the second options because we always think that we don't have enough time, we're too damn busy and we think it's their job to fix things, not ours..


You are right We're busy and it's not (really) our job to fix those kinds of problems... But at the same time, if we put our emotion on the top of it.. Are we really fixing the problem? Are we really settling down by getting angry to an unknown - person in the line of our phone?

Yesterday I have the same problem while I'm ordering food in one restaurant. The waiter never "hear" enough or may I say "understand" enough to fulfill my order, she never repeat the order and left me after she wrote FALSE ORDER.. Stupid enough.. And I realize that while there's two different menu came while I'm only ordering for one.. I have those options again that time, but I choose to bring one of the menu back home and zip my mouth. I can have it for lunch tomorrow and I don't have to think again "What should I eat?" If I get angry with a stupid waiter, what should I get? Only ANGRE-Me all the way home... She have to know that she made mistake, but there are no wasted food that night.

However, I know you will find it stupid, not to protest, being silence etc. But in my mind, I have enough trouble today, and I don't want to blame another person.. Let her at peace, and me, with my own peace. Let me think "great" for a while, being positive with every flaw.

So this morning I asked the man on the phone how to fix those problems, step by step, however, few minutes of his time, trying to make me a little bit smarter won't be so bad than I have to talk angry and cursed. Now I know how to fix those bills and he's happy enough that one of the customer isn't angry..

I know that I'm a human and he's human enough to explain...

Enjoy!

Starkings and Orion (bag)

When I make these bags and named it I remember one thing...

Starkings... The Hunter, my Orion...

Taa Daaa....   Starkings.... and...

Orion...

New Batik-Canvas Bags in Our Store...

Enjoy!