Five Years

 

Sometimes I don't know where I'm going.

I just know with all my heart, that I'm going somewhere. 

I'm supposed to blog about this last Friday but I actually just got back from Singapore last night! And yup I went on the 25th, thus I can't blog hah. Anyway yes, Friday was the 25th of May - it marked the 5th year that I'm back from Singapore. And what a great way to celebrate this day by going back to Singapore haha. Anyway I was back in Singapore to catch up with Neal who's back in Singapore for a littler while. So while he's in town, I went back there to meet up with the rest :)

Alright before I blog about that short trip, let me blog about my thoughts about the 25th of May.

I'm not gonna lie but the past 5 years have been probably the most confusing 5 years of my life. And I truly hope that the next 5 won't be as confusing as this. I felt like it's been such a long five years that felt like ten. A long, arduous, emotionally draining years. But nevertheless, it's been also a triumphant 5 years, where I learned a lot. And most importantly, I've grown a lot. 

As a person, a young man, an adult and ultimately a human being.

I've let myself be exposed to a myriad of experiences, thoughts and lessons. So much, that I learned so many thing from. So much, that they shaped my view on the world and kind of gave me a better understanding of how this world works. I've let my heart be exposed to a myriad of emotions. I let my heart feel everything life has made me feel. The joy, sadness, grief, relief and triumph. I've let myself plunge into the dark abyss which at times comfort me, in a dark way.

I've also tryed to fly to the heavens, the sky and its eternal bliss. The sea of emptiness that lets me float to bring me to places I should be in. And also lets me float away from places that I shouldn't be in.

I've let the universe guide mt ot the path that it's giving me signals to walk on. I'm still wishing that it would continue to conspire with me to guide me on the path that I want to walk on to. I learn to put my seeds of the future in the universe. And let it sprout to a fruition. 

It's been a challenging five years. Yet life has been guiding me. But like I always believe:

In the most amazing way, life will always find a way.

Five years gone, more years to go.

Medals

 "So help me see through why, they only focus on medals.

I don't want golden medals, I don't want golden medals"

Medals by Favela

This is an appreciation post I would call it? An appreciation post to Favela who just released his debut album yesterday, called Community! It's such a beautiful beautiful album and definitely worth the wait. The two singles he released in the past month were really promising. And his English Letters EP last year as definitely my favourite EP of 2017. And 2 of its songs, are the most played songs of my 2017!

It's Nevermore My Temples Leave and English Letters by the way.

Anyway, I discovered Favela back in 2015. And it was purely such a serendipitous moment stumbling upon him. I remembered I was listening to a song on Soundcloud back then, and when I pressed next, it was his song "Easy Yoke". I fell in love with this song right away and searched YouTube for it. I chanced upon the song which was posted on Majestic Casual channel. 

I really love Easy Yoke, it's such a melodious and melancholic song. I also love the lyrics and the beat! It was definitely one of my most played songs of 2015. Back then there was no other songs from Favela but I was really excited for more new music from him! Then he released the Future Visions EP and I fell in love with Gong and Future Vision! And then it was hiatus.

He would post some photos here and there on his Instagram. I was really excited for more new music from him because Easy Yoke is such a great song. And then in 2017 I saw him change the profile and cover photo of his Facebook page and he posted new music coming soon. I was over the moon! He then released Nevermore My Temples Leave last year and it's ooh so good. Worth the 2 year wait!

And then he posted that there's more coming. But it wasn't until early 2018 I think that he posted teasers to his new album. And yup, time moves on and here we are! Community is out, and it's such a fantastic record. Definitely the best album of 2018 for me thus far. My favourite song is Medals. Slowly, Armour, Featherlight and Fierce Lion are my favourites too. And also thank you for releasing Easy Yoke! I've been recommending that song to my friends but they have to buy the whole Majestic Casual album for it haha. Well thankfully there's Spotify. But now the world can get it! :)

Alright that's all for this appreciation post. Congratulations once again Favela for your album release. It's such an incredible album and I truly hope that I can see you live one day. Also I'm always looking forward to more of your new music. You're one of my favourite producers and singer-songwriters! :)

Time Goes By

It's another Friday. I swear May flies by really quickly, I have no idea why. Although to be honest ever since I got back here, weeks seem to fly quickly and quickly. It's another Friday, another Monday, another June, another December and so on. And now: It's another Ramadhan!

Yes Ramadhan started yesterday and the call for Sahur is here again! I don't know why I always feel excited whenever I hear them, even though I'm not fasting haha. Although Ramdhan is always another time of the year that reminds me how fast time is flying. Also it's crunch time for me, lots of things to be done before the end of the holy month. Thus, I'm sharing this month with fellow Muslims around the world to be train myself to be more patient haha.

Anyway wishing all Muslims around the world a blissful month of Ramadhan ahead! :)

This week has been a pretty confusing week for me... Mentally. Just that with the recent terror attacks in Surabaya, in 4 churches and a police station, and a recent one in Pekanbaru, I am just so confused with the world and humanity. It's a very weird feeling, whenever I came across the news on my timeline and so on, I can't help to think but why? Why do these people do this?

I always tell myself that we shouldn't let them conquer us with fear. Because it is when we lose our faith in ourselves and humanity, that they win. So with a brave front I just convince myself that there's still good in this world, even though things are looking bleak these days.

Always choose love and compassion. It's what keeps us going further and further.

Why?

Suatu hari nanti, Tuhan akan bertanya kepada kita "Kenapa?". Dan sampai ujung waktu, kita tidak akan bisa menjawab pertanyaan itu // One day God will ask us "Why?". And until the end of time, we will never be able to answer that question. What a heart-wrenching Sunday for Indonesia.

Unfathomable

Today there were three bomb explosions in Surabaya. And another one in Sidoarjo. A city near Surabaya. My timeline was filled with the news. People condemning, people sharing sad stories of the deceased, and so on and so forth. News was filled with the coverage of the incidents. It was quite a heart-wrenching day for me to process all of this. Because.... I'm just so confused.

I will never get why people kill one another, for no reason. Or for absurd reasons.

Sigh, rest in peace to all the victims of this incident. May their family and friends be given strength and peace in this troubled times. To everyone else, take care wherever you are. Choose. Love.

Here Comes The Sun

I have no freaking idea why, but whenever May arrives, I started getting insomnia. And no, like I said in a post once, this has been happening for the past 7 years actually. Even when I was in Singapore! I'm not sure if it's placebo (in Indonesian we have a term called sugesti, which is like placebo, a term used when something happened because you think/feel such a way), but yes. It's annoying.

Like I would go to bed as usual at 5 AM. But my eyes will stay wide open until about 7. This week has been horrible because for example, I slept at 9 AM on Wednesday "night". That is ridiculous. I'm going to start drinking chamomile tea again, hoping it will help. Once again, I don't think it's the tea, becaue I'm okay in the past 2-3 months ish, drinking black tea before I sleep!

Anyway May has been a pretty happening month once again. I don't know why but I feel that I'm just being pre-occupied with lots of things every day. And same goes for my mind too. The hustle is going to begin once June arrives, because Ramadhan is here next week and it's always crunch time for me! But well, I think I'm prepared better this year hehe. I hope so. Oops. No, I can do this!

Today was a pretty chill Saturday. I went to get a haircut cause it's been more than one month since I had one. I can't stand long hair, don't know why. Wanted to go to the farm but my dad decided not to. So I spend the evening doing the weekly room clean up and also my plan was to nua, but nope, I decided to do work and now I'm pretty done with the list of things I need to do teehee.

Alright I'm stopping here for now. Just a disclaimer I might not blog often in the next coming weeks but will try to. Funny how I have a bunch of things to talk about, just doesn't have the time. See ya!

Infinity

Today I had the wonderful chance to go to Bogor to catch The Avengers: Infinity War! Mwahaha. Believe it or not, today was the first time in 3 years that I went to a cinema to catch a movie. Yes, three years. The last movie I watched was Insurgent back in 2015 during RSD. It was also a super impromptu decision. I went to a mall to have lunch before going back home, but found that there's a cinema in the mall and just bought a ticket right away haha. Whew.

This is the perks of not having a cinema in your hometown I guess.

Anyway I went to Bogor with my sis, her husband and my cousin. We went via train! Killed off some time as we reached super early in Bogor. Had lunch at Marugame Udon. Which I just realised halfway that the udon soup uses Dashi! Which means it's not veggie friendly heh. Oh well, I really forgot this, I thought it was shoyu based. Lesson learned I guess. After that we went to watch.

I would say the movie was really awesome! Despite the fact that the last Avengers movie I watched was The Avengers, thus I don't really know half of the characters in the movie haha. Well I'm not exactly a Marvel fan either. And also like I said above, I rarely have the chance to watch movies. Nevertheless thankfully they did explain bits and pieces about the infinity stones, and the history of some of the characters. So I can follow the plot of the movie.

I can't wait for part 2 which airs next year I guess! I hope my hometown will have a cinema by then.

After that we just went back home after buying some stuff back. It was a short but fulfilling day I guess! I seriously wish that we have a cinema here so that I can catch some movies without having the need to go to a neighbouring town. It's such a hassle haha. Ah well no worries.

Alright that's all for now. Sorry no photos because I'm too lazy to upload them onto my computer. I might share some of them here on a separate post. Had some nice ones from the train ride! I'll see you soon. Hope May has been treating you well, and may it be a Marvelous May for you :)