the flood, day 2: no way out

Photos from many sources - a big thanks to my sister.

I'm sure if you are (were) a Blackberry Messenger user, you must have received at least one or two broadcast messages. I must say they can be terribly annoying. So on the night before, I received a BM saying that a bigger flood headed to Pluit due to the inability of the Pluit barrier to hold the water and as usual, I deleted them immediately with a big smirk. Friday morning, I thought maybe everything's getting better by now and maybe I could peacefully go to work. Oh boy, didn't I just get it all wrong?!

The two main exits from Pluit was flooded and literally I was (we were all) trapped. Hundreds of people waiting alongside big trucks, ambulance, fire department trucks exactly on the bridge separated Pluit from Muara Karang. Some of them were waiting for their family (in Pluit) to be rescued, some of them were just there sightseeing and I'm sure some of them were like me, thinking, "how am I going to get out of here?"

As I stood there looking a bit lost, not having any clue how to resolve the problem, random thoughts flashed by and they are: 

1. My boss' face the last time I saw her - she was asking this rhetoric question of that I shall be at work this morning. Oh no!
2. I might not be able to watch Les Miserables in the cinema. Oh double no!
3. Why is nobody freaking out? The flood's going to take forever to dry out.

Then I snapped back to reality. I decided to go back home. Although it's very unfortunate, but the truest truth is I'm truly very blessed. There are some parts of Pluit that suffered thousands times worse than me and to think I just moved to Muara Karang (read: the dry land) like just 6 months ago gave me chills.

And these kind heart people who have been helping people to evacuate, I applaud you. I guess if we're looking for today's super heroes, you guys must be it.

It rains again as I'm about to publish this post. God helps us all.

deux mille treize

2012 just ended. Despite the fears of Armageddon, it's actually a great year. By the end of year, Facebook has this apps, which (I think) its purposed is to help you review what has actually happened for that one year period. Considered it as a scoring chart, I must admit that I didn't do well. HAHAHA. So here are a few highlights from my 2012 Year in Review according to our beloved Facebook:

1. I added 41 new friends this year. For your information, in 2011, I added 106 new friends, so that's a sign how anti-social I was last year.
2. I liked 39 new pages. Again, it shows how desperate I need to hang out and start drinking beer or something.
3. The rest of the Year in Review page shows the peak of events that I recorded (with photos, or comments). Most of them are farewells. 2012, despite its greatness, is also the year of parting with so many great friends at work.
4. I must not forget the insane trip I decided to take last June to Hong Kong - Malaysia and Singapore with Billy, my nephew. It was so rewarding. In a way, the trip has made me learn being a better person.
5. And weddings, which I didn't attend. BUT .. I noted that so many of my friends' lives changed significantly (of course, without my presence, I'm a douchebag, I know).
6. I know how to swim and drive!!! Isn't it great??

And for the new year, 2013, like Madonna's movie career, it's a mystery, but I have hope (for the year, not her career .. KIDDING!). I have not shared many personal things with others, but sometimes I wonder, what if I do. I mean, most of the time, I forgot what my resolutions are. Maybe it's best that I put it out there, so I can have this tiny reminder which will bite my ass any time soon. So here they are:

1. This might be a bit vague, but my first resolution should be having more compassion towards life, mine and others and be more responsible with my actions and my words. 
2. There is something about time that has troubled me for quite sometime and for a person who lives in Jakarta, time is always an issue. I mean, we spend like at least 3-4 hours a day being caught in traffic. Not pretty. So I learn, I should be more wise regarding time-spending. If I have to be caught in traffic for hours, I should have learned how to spend those hours wisely. In short, be wise with my time.
3. Friends, I always say how much I appreciate good friendship, but I also notice that I haven't participated much in some of my friends' lives, so I decided to invest more time in my friends' lives.
4. See the world, well, maybe a part of the world. I haven't had any trips planned yet for next year, but I have a few places that I really want to visit.
5. Also self-actualization should be part of my resolutions, I have some interests to learn a few things, which I will share with you here.
6. I was going for number 6, but then I heard this thunder sound outside my window. I assume it's a sign that 5 is enough.

So well, I'm super-excited like fireworks that we are in 2013. Do you know that it's also my 6th year blogging? I'm terribly touched knowing it has come so far. I can't thank you enough for a very wonderful friendship. Ready for another round? Buckle up, Toto! Here we go.

conjunctivitis and loneliness

I should have posted this blog like a month ago. So 3 weeks ago, I was suffering from conjunctivitis. Not a bit deal, I just took 3 days off from work and since I was all alone at home, it felt a bit lonely. Actually it's not really a big deal. I just feel that at the end of 2012, at least I could say that I was suffering from something memorable other than some cold. So there you go, I had conjunctivitis.

In case you're wondering what conjunctivitis is. It's an eye infection. Mostly caused by virus, but in some cases, it could be bacterial. It wasn't really anything that one should worry, too much anyway. The symptoms of the disease are usually: 

1. Your eyes are red, it could be one eye or just both
2. There will be extremely dark circles around your eyes. It probably looks like the after-effect of one-week crying. Not that I had the experience, but I assume.
3. Sometimes itchy.
4. There will be excessive amount of eye crust, especially in the morning. Not pretty.

Anyway, usually it took 4 to 5 days for the disease to be completely gone. But unfortunately in my case, it stayed a bit too long due to my lack of knowledge of the disease. Here are a few tips from one survivor, me!

1. Don't panic! I know it sounds like a stupid suggestion, but really, don't panic. There are doctors, eye-specialist doctors that you can go to. I've waited for 4 days before visiting one. I'm a dumb-dumb.
2. Never put a wet warm cloth on your eyes although it might feel like you're getting better, but actually you're not. The wet cloth actually is actually like a bar for germs. So just don't.
3. Wash your hands every time you apply your medicine to your eyes or for no reason touching your eyes. This is what I call compassion, so other won't be infected. Be responsible.
4. Avoid sharing anything. Even if you're not sick, unless it's some B-movies DVDs, you shouldn't share anything with anyone .. Just saying.

they found love in a hopeless place

DE ROUILLE ET D'OS (RUST AND BONE)

Director: Jacques Audiard

Stars: Matthias Schoenaerts, Marion Cotillard

Year released: 2012

Rust and Bone tells a tale of a struggling single father who somehow involves with an killer-whale trainer who lost her both legs. Ali left Belgium with his son, Sam. Being broke, Ali had to collect leftovers for their supper. Arrived in France, they stayed with Ali's sister as he started his job as a bouncer in a club where he met Stéphanie, a killer-whale trainer, who seemed to be unhappy with her life. I might be a bit subjective, but in case you didn't know what a good actress Cotillard is. She could make her character look depressed without even trying too hard.

Somehow, they found comfort in each other. Unlike many love stories, this one squeeze out the romantic aspect and left it completely raw and bare. The relationship between Ali and Stéphanie grew after she had an accident that caused her both legs amputated. From a club bouncer, a mall security to boxing, Ali tried to make living. To all his illegal boxing matches, Stéphanie was never absent. Until she finally became his manager with all her disability.

Their relationship was going on a very rocky road as she dealt with her disability and he dealt with his own issues. After an accident that almost killed his son, Sam, everything started to fall into places. We all know it's love when Ali whispered through his phone to Stéphanie, "Je t'aime". I guess at that time I was jumping up and down and happy that they finally made it.

First time, I watched the trailer, I thought the movie will mostly talk about Cotillard's character, Stéphanie and how she dealt with her difficulties, but it was a love story between two people, whose world were falling apart and about finding that someone who you can be comfortable with.

Although I might not be the expert when it comes to films, I confidently say that this might be Cotillard's best performance since La vie en rose, which she won an Oscar for the best actress. As someone who struggles to go on living after a life-altered tragedy, Cotillard didn't have to go over the top, at times, simply one look can make you feel her pain. Do you know that Cotillard is so good at her craft, that Christopher Nolan agreed to postpone filming The Dark Knight Rises so the actress could actually join the cast?

With Cotillard as his co-star, Matthias Schoenaerts was not out-shined. Schoenaerts' performance is raw and very convincing. I believe they have successfully created a new kind of love story, the kind that was vulnerable, real and yet most-easy to believe.

De rouille et d'os has been released as DVD in Europe since last month and that's how I got so lucky to actually watch the movie. However, if you're really into this kind of movie, wait for the Europe on Screen Film Festival, this movie will be one of the selections.