Hazed

Hello it's been a while since I blog here once again. As usual, been pretty busy and so on. Life's been alright I guess. I'm getting the hang of things here.

My social media has been flooded with news, comments, rants, posts etc about the recent haze in Singapore. I regard Singapore as my second home. Studied there for 11 years, I really treat her as my second home. Of course every year my awesome homeland would send some haze over to Singapore like. However this year, condition gets really serious that the PSI shot up to 400. The highest I've experienced was 140+ back in 2006. Still remember, end of year period.

Of course, it is not only a nuisance but a health hazard. I perfectly understand that. I am not there in Singapore to experience it. But looking at the photos and posts made by my friends, I can sense how horrible the situation is there, and also the frustration of the people there. Like it's so horrible to not being able to see MBS and the flyer. Really scary even. And worst is people with asthma and the elders are in risk of being sick too.

I'm just one tiny Indonesian, among the other 240 millions. On behalf of a few people who burn those palm plantations, I would like to apologise for the horrible haze conditions. We, Indonesians (except for a special few) DO NOT want Singapore to get the haze. We, Indonesians (once again except for that special few) DO NOT like to burn trees. We, Indonesians (except for one) do not think Singaporeans as childish individuals.

How can Singaporeans not complain when the PSI hits 400? If the PSI is let say 80 for 3 days, and you guys complain, sure that is deemed as childish. But in a hazardous level, we have to do actions right? I mean if right now, my hometown is covered in haze and that the PSI hits 400, I would make noise too.

But at the same time, I feel hurt too. Because some people make remarks by putting the whole country into shame. By pointing their finger to Indonesia. Saying Indonesia is stupid this and that, and that we have nothing better to do but to burn trees and so on and forth. You can blame me, mock me, blame my country, mock my country. But just to remind you, there are 240 million people in Indonesia. And only probably like 10 - 50 people burn these plantations.

But well what can we do, it's easier to blame the country right.

From what I understand, they burn the plantations as it is a cheap method to fertilise the land. Instead of buying fertilisers. It is easier too, because they don't have cutting edge machinaries to do it in the "right way". It is the tradition here (reminder we are 3rd world country) to do this. We can't just "hey you stop doing it" and expect them to stop doing it. Tradition holds a strong bond among the people here. So that's why I suppose.

Then come the super unnecessary remarks made my some ministers which... I'm speechless. The condition is blatantly obvious, why does he have to make such remarks. I mean solve the problem first. But oh well. Hey welcome to my country!

When you come to my country, you'll be amazed both in a good and bad way. Indonesia is a huge country. We're still developing, we are not as organised as Singapore. It is really difficult to handle situations. I always wish Indonesia to be as nice as Singapore but then I realised we are an archipelago made out of about 17000 islands. It is not easy.

This whole haze issue revolves around many things. Tradition, money, politics and so on. Singapore is just a victim of it, and she has nothing to do to contribute to the haze (unless it is true that some of the plantations belong to some Singapore companies). It is very difficult to solve. Especially when money is involved (in my country) because money is the root of all evil nyehehe.

I saw one of my friend's tweets saying that the haze brings the best and worst in people.

I perfectly agree to that.

I'm happy that some of my friends, supported my thought that the whole country shouldn't bear the responsibility of the act of a few people. Some few, consistently mock my country. I'm fine with it of course. Once or twice is fine. But to see my country being blamed for over 3 days in my social media, I feel really hurt because no one loves their country to be blamed for the action of only A FEW people. But when situations got ugly, I understand how emotions run faster than logic. And the mouth (or fingers) move faster than the mind).

I'm a positive person. I always believe in Confucius saying.

Life is simple. But we insist of making it complicated.

I understand that the condition is bad. But to continuously mock my country won't bring the haze away. It just adds unnecessary unhappiness to you. So just do what you're supposed to do to protect yourself. Stay at home, wear a mask, drink lots of water and so on.

And also appreciate the little things in life. I've always told myself this.

When was the last time you stopped whatever you're doing, look up on the sky and tell yourself what a wonderful world we live in? Or even what a wonderful day it is?

It is always weird when people know that I love taking photos of skies and sunsets. Even if I take them constantly on the same spot. Well I do this because... I love skies haha. But mostly because I treasure all this little things in life. To make me happy in times of difficult situation and not to take things for granted. I have learned too however that it is a difficult thing to do - to be grateful and count your blessings. But I always try to do that.

I really do hope that the burning of the plantation can be controlled. And that the haze will go away really really soon. Though the news say the condition can last for months, ehh I don't believe that. Or more like I really hope not! So yep.

If I have in any way offended you in the above post, I'm sorry. I just want to put the message that we Indonesians do not want this to happen. Neither do our country do this on purpose. And also, that we hope the condition in Singapore will improve ASAP, especially since schools are starting.

Much love from Indonesia.  

Music words and photographs

 My holy trinity

Music, words and photographs combined

Music credits to Sigur Ros on their new album, Kveikur

I must say the three words above are the holy trinity of the joys of my life. The three words are what I want to do, when I'm free and yeah, they revolve around my daily life a lot. I keep a diary, I blog, I take photos, and of course I listen to music. In fact everyday, I did all these. Not blogging and writing but I think of words in my head like a story. And I often take photos using my phone. Be it instagram or not (yes I know I can spam photos at times).

Well Sigur Ros' new album is going to be released this MONDAY! Can't wait for it cause I already pre-ordered it in iTunes. I really can't wait to get my hands on the CD. I wanted to pre-order but I realised I'm left with like uhh $3? On my POSB card and being a grown up now I am going away from asking my relatives to use their credit card. So I will patiently wait for August when I can get my hands on them in Singapore. Or maybe in Jakarta.

They have been really kind and nice for giving us a free streaming of the new album on their website. Thanks to this I really can't wait to get my hands on the album because the songs sounded REALLY GOOD! I had to argue with myself to whether I can say it's their best album. After 3 days of listening (now 5) I really agree that this is their best album so far. Hoppipolla will always be my favourite, but Stormur may take its place haha.

And their songs are really nice. As I listen to their song every night, usually in the late nights like 2 AM or so, images start to pop in my mind of the songs. Images that I have seen before, and some that I have not. I feel the music, I see and I hear the music. So I begin to write and for the first time, I actually express my thought of songs through photos. It feels rather therapeutic and nice to do this. Expressing your thoughts freely and expressively.

I really love the new album. It's definitely an anti-valtari like what Georg said in the interview. I love Valtari's ethereal-ness and also Kveikur's strength and darkness. To be honest when I listen to the album it feels like I'm in this huge cliff overlooking the sea. And somehow everything is in black and white haha. Dark and powerful, electrifying and soft, cold and warm. It's a mix of feelings. Stormur seems like a happy song but I feel sad listening to it.

Oh well, my holy trinity. It's my escape from reality.

Update

Hello, I guess... It's finally time for me to update this blog! Oh gosh I've been neglecting you for quite some time. Well it's rather depressing and sad to realise that the number of blog posts are decreasing across the years (look to your right). It's the 161st day of the year and there are only THIRTY SIX blog posts. So among all these days I only wrote like 1/5 of the year. How sad. Well, alright I'm just trying my best to keep this alive.

At least it's better than some blogs which are left un-updated for like three months. That won't happen.

How's life you ask? Umm good, I'm (still) trying to adapt my new life here. Not say new but well it's a new routine after all. I'm no longer back here for a holiday from a long and tiring semester. I'm back to work and yeah, adjusting to this new environment is rather interesting and tough? I don't know haha. Well as I once said in life you need time to readjust to turn at a new chapter. You can't just flip to a new one like you flip a new chapter in the book.

And well unlike my days in Singapore, I find it harder to blog about my daily life here because there's nothing much to blog about I guess. Perhaps the time isn't right yet, once it is maybe I will begin doing so. I'll mostly blog about my daily thoughts about life.

Well the reason why I didn't update for quite long is because... Well I try to find myself like a specific and good time to blog. When my feelings are right and that my mood is the right one too. When all of these elements are combined, I can blog like... Forever. But it's rather hard to find such moments really. Most of the time when I blog, I lost my mood to blog.

You may think that I'm a choosy person but well life is about doing things at the right time (thanks to ladyironchef tweet!). So I guess there's really no point to blog when you don't feel like blogging. Now I have the mood to blog haha so here I am.

I'm taking things here slowly I guess. Trying to adapt myself and constantly telling myself to live in the present. It's rather sad to always know that I'm no longer going back to Singapore to study. Felt rather surreal and weird but well there's nothing to feel weird about. It's done, I'm finished. And yeah, well 11 years sure is a long period of time.

Hmm alright, I will update my blog more often, hopefully. Till then, see you.

PS: Currently hooked to Lana Del Rey's Young and Beautiful, Great Gatsby OST!