a Passionate Affair

Note : I do not know what is wrong with me... excuse me for such a bad bad english ahead.  I have lower band for IELTS writings score this time!

Front interior 1/15 Coffee Gandaria

The relationship between Jakarta and I is like a person trying to fit into a pair of new shoes.  I really try to ignore the expression of "Jakarta itu keras" or simply translated as "Living in Jakarta is hard." Because, I think hardship is relative.  I refuse to call Jakarta as a 'difficult' city.  But it can be very annoying.

Sitting on my make up / working desk, I have just left a hot shower after a mild rain afterwork.  I could not find any cab because the road was packed, and I hardly believe that any cab will pick a passenger during those hours.  

Today, I was having a bad day.  I am getting my time of the month, hence I had a resting bitch face and I seemed so vulnerable of anything.  All I wanted is to go home.  It was 15 minutes to 7pm... which is still a bright hour in an advertising agency. When I thought I did not have anything left to do, so I decided to go home, til shit happened (see paragraph 2)

These inconveniences start to get into my nerves and overwhelm me.  I begin to lose mood for things, except binge-eating.  This month, I join NanoWrimo but I do not think I will complete the challenge. I  cannot find the right story and the right time to write and I blame or put an excuse on my workload. I must say that this could be my least productive month.  I do not even post much this November.  

I need to revive and recharge.  I think by visiting idea-sparking and creative events would help. These are some passionate people with passionate activities that they contribute to life.  I was there in a hope, that, please let me catch up soon...

PUISI LEGONG

at Galeri Kaya, Grand Indonesia

Bengkel Tari Ayu Bulan with Ibu Bulan in the middle, as Saraswati the Goddess of Intellegence

I met my dear friend, and as I mentioned over and over, my idol, Putri Minangsari in Twitter back in 2012.  This was when social media still served a purpose of connecting people.  I find her wordsmith so beautiful.  I started to show her my poems via tweet and she replied once, twice, thrice... then we met in TEDxUBUD2013 I was glad to be finally able to meet her in person and be acquainted.  Not any less difference from the bubbly, artsy personality she shows in Twitter, Mbak Putri is also humble. The same year, we met again in UWRF when I was volunteering.  We still keep in touch.  I was glad to finally be able to watch her show in Galeri Kaya.  It was something that I look forward to.  By her generous help, she let me enter with her family pass (her son could not make it) to the show.  I had spent 2 hours in a gym, arrived with a burden of exhaustion (of getting lost in my 2nd attempt to find blitzmegaplex / Galeri Kaya) and my heavy-loaded, unfashionable gym backpack, so I could not express my gratitude of her gesture, let alone she let me in under her family pass.  Such a warm gesture.  I end the day by having late lunch / early dinner / brunch (?), with Uti and Katy.  Uti is Mbak Putri's daughter who plans on continuing study to Japan.  I meet her during my volunteer time in UWRF this year.  Their family is so warm and welcoming, I am glad to spend a day with them.  I learn that her older sister was also a dancer in the show.

The founder and the pupil for a short interview, looking radiant

More the show

Ibu Bulantrisna Djelantik had attempted to quit dancing time to time, but failed to do so.  It must be because of her undying passsion.  She will keep dancing, as she said to us.  The 80-year-old beauty had performed in front of the president in her younger years. As a descent of royal Balinese family, she danced in Tapaksiring temple.  During her time as a medical student and when finally she became a practicing doctor, she still manage to be able to dance.  Hence, she introduced a Legong-dance community called Bengkel Tari Ayu Bulan.  Her pupils have been with her for 20 years.  One of her pupil told us the movement that Ibu Bulan teach is different from other dance mentor.  These are the very vintage yet authentic Legong movements.  I, myself, performed traditional dance when I was young, for the sake of fun and early talents.  But I have just found out that there are so many names of movements / dance in Legong.  It is like science!

I was excited to wear "Penikmat Seni" tag in my wrist again.  (although, it sounds very pretentious)

The performance was one-of-the kind.  I have never seen traditional dance performance that is very engaging.  I grew up the generation Y.  We get bored immediately and our amusement is human-made technology.  So, I really am happy to be finally around the audience.  My favorite part was Taruna Jaya.  A dance solo by Mbak Putri which told a story about a young man who is entering the adulthood.  

SENYAP

The Look of Silence Screening

at TMII

Senyap Screening at TMII

I am looking forward to this.  So I excused myself from the office and took 30ribu ojek ride to TMII. Battered by strong wind and anxiety if my boss / team were going to call me any minute.

Joshua Oppenheimer had made a sensational documentary about massacre in Indonesia.  It translated first in "Jagal" or "The Act of Killing", which told a story about the executioners life after the massacre and how they handle the crime they had committed.  The second film, "Senyap" or The Look of Silence, is about Adi, whose brother was brutally tortured and  murdered.  Adi an oculist, travelled around his kampung, where he still lived with the murderers themselves.  He choose to confront, rather diplomatically, asking what was going on in that day to the people who carried the act.  It was such a heartbreaking story to know.  That people were living in the difficult times and none had spoken about it.

At the end of the screening, I was sent to chill when Adi was invited to the stage.  The screening was intended to be in a single session, however because of the demand, the extend another premier the next hour.

LIFE AFTER COFFEE

A coffee workshop with Doddy Samsura

at 1/15 Coffee Gandaria

Doddy in Demo

If there is a person in this worldwide world who is passionate about what they are doing, it must be Doddy Samsura.  He is a champion barista and a business owner, also our mentor for the evening.  I joined the workshop out of curiosity and I hoped that I did not catch any fire and burn some beans. Doddy wouldn't just stop talking about coffee.  There was a spark in his eyes when he talked.  Hence, why many lady friends think that he has a charm there!

Amenities for the attendants

After I finish this workshop, I had realized how many crimes I had committed in making coffee. There are different flavors extracted by different ground texture of coffee.  The more grainy it is the bitter, the smoother grain will extract acid flavors.  Same goes to the temperature, heat can really affect the taste of coffee.  I am a bad student because I did not remember the science very well.  But I know that 1 : 15 ratio make a perfect cup of coffee.  1 : 15 ratio means 1 gram of coffee and 15 grams of water.