"Oh kamu ballet? Wah kek Black Swan dong."

Aku: "Ya kali dah!"

Jujur rada capek pas orang-orang tau aku ikutan ballet, yang di kepala mereka taunya cuma Black Swan. Sementara, apa yang digambarkan di satu film itu (meski bagus atau nggak bagus) ya nggak terlalu menggambarkan dunia ballet banget. At least, di Indo. Bitchy-bitchy? Ya tergantung orangnya lah. Di semua komunitas atau industri, pasti ada aja.

Dan ballet itu nggak cuma Black Swan atau lengkapnya lagi, judul betulnya itu Swan Lake. Banyak cerita ballet lain pula 🤣

Jadi, aku kasih list tontonan yang bisa dicoba kalau tertarik ballet, dengan segala plus dan minusnya.

Mao's Last Dancer

Based on true story dari Li Cunxin, ballerino asal Cina, anak seorang petani, hidup di masa Mao Tse Tung. Dia salah satu anak yang dipilih untuk dididik pemerintah sebagai penari ballet, dalam agenda Mao untuk bisa bersaing dengan negara-negara ‘cultured’. Sampai kemudian, ia dikirim ke Amerika dan melihat kehidupan yang berbeda, bebas dan demokratis, mempertanyakan cara pemerintahan Cina bekerja. 

Buat aku yang belajar ballet, akhirnya paham bagaimana pola pengajaran ala Cina yang keras, meski kontroversial. Secara penggambaran, cukup jelas, nggak heboh diromantisasi, Sayangnya visual-nya kurang, padahal skill ballet aktornya bagus banget.

Tiny Pretty Things

Diangkat dari novel dari judul yang sama, ceritanya soal satu murid ballet yang akhirnya diterima di salah satu sekolah tersulit di Chicago. Kenapa dia diterima? Ternyata dia dipanggil karena untuk menggantikan spot salah satu anak yang berusaha bunuh diri, belum mati tapi ya koma dan kemungkinan tidak akan bangun lagi.

Tapi ketika dia mulai, banyak keanehan seputar kejadian anak tersebut yang mencoba bunuh diri. Apakah benar dia bunuh diri atau ada yang mendorongnya? Sementara kultur sekolah tersebut sangat uptight, dengan murid-murid yang arogan, guru-guru killer yang acuh, dan pihak management sekolah yang tertutup. 

Sebagai thriller story, kurang thrilling dan kebanyakan drama bocah. Yes, ballet is quite tricky for an inclusive culture, tapi enggak se-sinetron ini sih. Secara koreo ballet yang ditampilkan, lebih ke kontemporer dan maksa.

Navillera

Drama korea yang membuat aku mau mencoba pilih-pilih drakor untuk ditonton (karena selama ini nggak suka drakor).

Cerita awalnya dari Webtoon, tentang seorang ballerino muda yang berbakat, tapi latar belakang keluarga dan trauma menghambat Lee Chae-rok untuk menyadari kemampuannya dan terus maju. Sementara itu, dia ketemu dengan pensiunan tukang pos usia 80 tahunan yang ingin sekali belajar ballet.

Dengan cerita masa awal karir Shim Daek-chul yang dari keluarga susah, kemudian punya keluarga sendiri, dan anak-anaknya kini sudah dewasa dengan kesulitannya sendiri-sendiri, makin mempertajam pain points orang-orang yang belajar ballet dari usia dewasa, khususnya untuk lansia.

Dramanya masuk akal banget. Self-doubts, kemampuan tubuh dan otak yang semakin menua untuk belajar, plus arogansi orang-orang yang lebih muda melihat orang-orang yang mau belajar meski di usia tua. As an adult ballet beginner, Navillera berhasil capture the real struggle tanpa romantisasi menye-menye.

Center Stage

Mungkin in cult-classic ballet terbaik. Kalau nggak tau filmnya, mungkin anak kelahiran 80-90an inget soundtracknya, Mandy Moore - I Wanna Be with You.

Filmnya nggak terlalu terkenal, karena yang main rata-rata bukan aktor terkenal, melainkan penari balet profesional sungguhan. Tapi justru ini menjadikan film Center Stage the best cult classic movie yang breakthrough pada masanya. Mungkin yang kamu kenal di sini cuma... Zoe Saldana.

Ceritanya tentang beberapa murid baru, murid lama, guru-guru, dan profesional dancer di salah satu sekolah ballet ternama dengan segala dramanya. Mulai dari murid yang tekniknya berantakan, ada yang prodigy tapi terpaksa ballet karena paksaan orang tua, berbakat tapi insecure, dan sebagainya---karakter yang mungkin kita temui di sekolah ballet pada umumnya, jadi kita rasanya relate.

Koreonya bagus banget, btw!

Coming of age story for ballerinas, ya walau endingnya macam ketebak.

Nanti ditambahin lagi ya watchlist. Ada part 2!

If I could incorporate two things (personal objective and work agenda) that felt dear to my heart… is this project.

Starting from this deck =)

When I was searching for a way to familiarize young people (or the tech savvies) with the product and brand I’m currently working for, I started to think… maybe this could work. Not just introducing the how-to of the product itself, but serving the bigger picture—how to change your life financially… for beginners.

Where theory isn’t just a theory. A formula where it works for everybody. Leaving room for changes and singularity. Starting more opportunities with inclusivity.

I wanted the participants to feel like I felt the first time when I did KonMari, small steps done yet huge long-term impact.

One of the e-flyers my agency made.

There you go, I presented the idea to the management, and it came out as bluAcademy. The tagline I created is #AntiTanggalTua to resonate with the majority of the people. 

Opening the 101 Basic for people who had no idea about personal financial management; from college students, housewives, and freelancers to early-stage entrepreneurs; and deaf friends #TemanTuli 

I wanted this to work and foul proof. So, the curriculum was tried first among the employees of BCA Digital to ensure that before we change the lives of others, we ensure ours are already in the right way.

The curriculum should be easy to understand, relevant, and no stereotype. We consider that there is a lot of people who are stuck as Sandwich Generation, therefore, nope you won't hear anybody from us say, "Oh you're single, so you can save 50% from your saving. It's still easy for you, you should be able to do it."

As a learning needs process, the whole curriculum consists of 3 webinars (yes, it was all online so that we can cater to the whole nation) and 3 Whatsapp Classes to keep supporting any questions that arise during the progress. For each webinar, I got help from bluSpeakers (blu’s offline sales representatives) to present how they actually benefit blu’s features based on their personal cashflow management habit—this is where the brand and the product fit in and act as the tool buddy that could assist them.

The feedback I got from the participants

After 6 batches (1 batch lasting 1-2 months) running through 2022-2023, resulting in 2,700 participants (including +140 deaf participants), and catering to 204 cities in Indonesia, I have to say goodbye to this project.

Thank you to my partner FINANSIALKU (mba Yusi and mba Silfa). I am personally grateful that I run this project with you girls. And I’d also like to extend my gratitude to the bluSpeakers, Certified Financial Planners, and Sign Language interpreters. Thank you for all the late nights, juggling work hours, and weekend mornings sacrifice. All the fun and learning of ups and downs won't be the same without you all.

It was the travel I needed most. The tickets were booked months prior and I was surely impulsive when I decided to go. Bangkok, it is. 

My last visit to Bangkok was right before the pandemic. In December 2019, I was just onboard a new firm, headquartered in Bangkok. I went there for the summit, meeting everyone from (almost) across SEA region. I was happy. Everybody was nice. Yet, there was always something and someone that bothered you and spoiled the fun. But overall, I was super happy. The city and the people (including my colleagues in Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam) were very nice. They left such a good impression that I couldn't wait to go back to Bangkok again.

And the pandemic happened. 

And, here I was in February 2023. Bangkok! A short trip after such turbulence in life. I only wanted to have quality talks and other than that... I just wanted to be alone.

I remembered having a night stroll like any other trip I had, in the foreign streets of Bangkok back in 2019, hoping to get into any market, buy local spices to bring home, and take some street pictures. I didn't find much but it was a beautiful and adventurous stroll. Fearful but rewarding.

On my visit in February 2023, I managed to have an accidental stroll in the afternoon after a long day exploring the cities and searching for Michelin places and Erawan Museum. It was Books & Belongings that made me find the maze of calm Soi Sukhumvit 95.

But snort not, maybe you won't find anything to do, to eat or anything. It's just a complex of housing, with Books & Belongings in the middle of it. Well, yes, like I have shared in the previous post, you might find some home grocery shops, homemade snacks sold in front of the house, etc. Quite a random scene that made me think... it might be only locals who know this place and who actually are the customers of those home shops?

I really want to try their snacks and have a chat but sadly I didn't have much time left to be in the area as I had to move on to another schedule. Well, seeing those houses and shophouses with their serenity enlivened, opened up another side of the city to me. Yes, I felt like a local like I always want myself to feel. 

Nevertheless, the stare of the habitants when they spotted me, the stranger, the foreigner, reminded me that I am not one of them.

My soul and the energy I gathered while I was strolling in the middle of the area then become halved into another kind of self-awareness that kept my strong façade stayed bold and thick, yet its safe vibe signaled my trust to slow down and look deeper through what has been shown to me.

There's openness and boundaries set among these houses and the people inside---something I couldn't explain.

Thus, the calmness allows me to feel a massive amount of different feelings and room for my thoughts.

I have always been thinking and rethinking about my life choices. Being alone, traveling alone, going out alone, having lunch alone, shopping alone. And the loneliness set me in a free mode of expressing myself in the most convenient ways. Yet, I cannot lie anymore that sometimes I yearn for warmth from the people surrounding me. I want people to be with me, to flock around me with surprises and support.

Candid Looks of Soi Sukhumvit 95

The moment takes me to take a deep look at myself, on how I put myself on others. And how I want to change things forward. 

The deeper it takes me... it leads me into branching thoughts about the mystery of the universe and re-learning what is happening in my life, cracking the answer. I can't help but ask myself, why am I always at the intersection of inconvenient choices?

Bangkok is full of gems and hidden gems of everything! It's so lively and it's like there's a place for everybody and their interest. The city is packed and crowded but as an introvert, Bangkok would still give you room and space for your serenity in an exciting way. Especially, when it comes to... indie bookstores! On my short visit last February 2023, I went to two bookstores. One of them is Books & Belongings, located in the middle of the housing area in Sukhumvit.

Books & Belongings Store Front

When I saw the shop front, the simplicity of the exterior says it all. Minimalistic, quirky, and bold characters. The three elements I decode have shaped a subtle eclectic progressive lit culture. I know I would find so many good titles in this place! With a cup of Thai Ice tea I bought from the Erawan Museum in my hand, I entered the bookshop.

The bookshop was ... also calming. Only the shopkeeper was there. No other visitor, but me. 

Books and Belongings Inside

I was greeted with lots of titles facing my way from their own places on the bookshelves. The shop was small, with enough space to go back and forth the aisle. There's a main table placed in the center, and the shelves stand surrounding it alongside the walls. The cashier's desk is on the right and a small table with two chairs on my left when I entered this candy store.

All of a sudden, to my regret, I asked why my luggage was already full at this moment. I am sure these books would add up to some kgs but worth more than anything else. Well, I put my cup and my bag on the table so I can enjoy every side freely. I felt safe coz literally there was nobody else. 

There are fiction titles and non-fiction ones. Most titles are the ones I have never seen before! That made the best moment of truth of the day. But on the other hand, that also made the shopping decision would be much harder coz I couldn't just buy anything that caught my attention. I had to choose for the sake of financial sanity and my luggage safety. 

When I spent my time checking these titles and peeked inside, I realized why visiting a bookstore when you travel is a must. Cultural differences and backgrounds have given us diverse perceptions that lead us to be mesmerized by different things. A different taste. Even for any similarities found, I would still find the beauty of how we are somehow connected by the same thing. 

However, Books & Belongings has brought more soul by bringing out more variety of topics through their selected titles. You'd know when a bookstore owner(s) has put his/her/their dedication into curating the titles, not just purely selling books, but selling art and ideas. Totally a bookshop that makes you giddy anytime you just remember the memory of you experiencing every corner.

To my disappointment is that they don't accept Card Payments. I was stressed out coz I've always been a cashless person and I thought this hipster bookstore would be the kind that has many payment options. I was wrong. Luckily I had the exact amount needed to pay! Or else, it would be a great embarrassment for me. Ha!

I paid and left. Feeling like a champion. 

For finally making it to this bookstore, and getting myself these gems.

Books & Belongings

502 Soi Sukhumvit 95, Bang Chak, Phra Khanong, Bangkok 10260, Thailand

Opens: 11AM - 7.30PM

Note: Bring cash money. No card payments.

Since my life recently has been about checking off bucket list, so here you go: Me finally hiking for the first time. Target pertama adalah Gunung Batur di Bali. Karena ada temen yang sudah pernah dan ngajakin juga. Nah, karena sudah kesampaian, mau ceritain kayak apa dan tips-tips beli sepatu trail hiking pertama kali. Semoga bisa bermanfaat dan menyemangati buat kalian yang sesama beginner hiker.

Long story short, waktu itu random aja keingetan wishlist untuk naik gunung sekitar awal tahun 2023 ini. Cuma saat itu, awal tahun ya... makanya masih musim hujan. Jadi agak riskan kalau langsung impulsif pergi, karena hujan berarti tanjakannya bisa jadi sangat licin, dan mungkin nggak ada sunrise. Waktu itu aku nanya aja di IG story, siapa yang mau naik gunung dan bisa nge-guide, karena first time nih. Kalau sudah biasa pun, ada baiknya punya guide. Kenapanya nanti diceritain.

So, pas udah posting di IG Stories, ada temenku yang jawab dan ngajakin untuk naik Gunung Batur. Dia udah pernah, therefore she could be my guide. Anyway, intinya dia saran naiknya itu per bulan Juni deh, karena udah musim non-hujan.

Akhirnya bulan Juni lewat, dan pas banget ada business trip ke Bali. Lanjut extend 2 hari cuti.

Cerita Cari Sepatu Hiking

Yak, tentunya sepatu buat hiking itu nggak sembarangan. Secara berjam-jam kita akan berhadapan sama lintasan yang nggak nyaman. Sepatu biasa mungkin bisa aja dipaksain, cuma sayang aja, bisa cepet rusak, dan mungkin kitanya juga nggak nyaman.

Karena gue pernah kerja buat sport apparel brand, sekalian gue tanyalah ke temen gue (yang masih di sana) dan Product Trainer dan nanya ke temen yang ngajakin dan udah pernah ke Gunung Batur. 

Ada dua pilihan yang menurut gue ok untuk ukuran hiking Gunung Batur aja. Tapi ukurannya nggak dapet. So akhirnya beli ini: adidas Soulstride 

Bahkan bisa buat pose Arabesque

Klik aja buat liat bentuknya atau kalau mau sekalian beli. Karena offline stores udah nggak ada, cuma di online dan lebih murah karena udah release lama. Yang penting secara sol cukup nge-grip buat landasan yang model pasir, batu, dan tanah... khususnya dalam kondisi becek. 

Untuk orang yang suka ribet sama sepatu, adidas Soulstride ini untungnya comfy banget. Nggak sakit, inner sol empuk, megang, dan flexi banget kalau kita kudu nahan-nahan di permukaan yang kurang ok dan kalau kita butuh agak loncat-loncat, nggak ngurangin agility kita. Dan sepatu ini... enteng. Bulky tapi nggak makan tempat yang sampe heboh banget di koper.

Sempet dateng ke toko offline-nya, yang baru-baru itu rata-rata warna ungu dan ada orange-nya. Nggak suka banget. Lagipula, sepatu warna cerah gitu, kotor dikit hore banget bentuknya. Mana ini buat hiking, nggak mungkin nggak kotor, lah. Untung banget nemu adidas Soulstride ini... dan udah tinggal satu di store. Tapi ternyata di online masih banyak stoknya.

Pas udah turun, meski udah sempet kejedug beberapa kali, dan lain-lain, bentukan sepatu ini nggak ancur lah. Ya karena warnanya hitam hahaha.

Semoga bermanfaat. Blogpost berikutnya cerita naik gunungnya deh.

Paham banget semua orang heran kenapa gue ikutan kontes-kontes sosmed gini. Emang nggak ketebak gue banget. Tapi, gue ikutan karena awalnya kepengen bikin konten masak lagi di Instagram setelah gue hiatus lama banget, sekalian cari validasi apakah konten masak gue berarti apa nggak. Sekarang, jadi semangat lagi karena... aku menang lomba Instagram. Yak, bahagia sesederhana itu.

Gue sempet hiatus karena gue trauma sama konten masak, traumanya karena gue mendapatkan pelecehan ketika jadi hand talent di salah satu agency. Akhirnya gue jadi males banget bikin konten masak, or even untuk masak itself, masak sehari-hari aja nggak mood banget. Pas udah mulai regain my confidence untuk masak dan bikin konten lagi, gue mulai bisa re-grasping the peace and serenity ketika masak malam hari, tepatnya lagi pas midnight---ketika semua udah tidur, rasanya tenang, dan gue masak sambil bikin konten.

Sayangnya itu nggak lama.

Gue biasanya skip ga masak dan ga bikin konten ya karena sibuk atau lagi sakit. Tapi adalah komentar yang nggak enak dari seseorang dan itu nyelekit banget. Bahwa... gue itu masaknya benernya payah dan gue cuma mamer kuteks. I was like... ya gue emang nggak sejago nyokap gue, gue nggak sejago chef, or sejago content creator masak di luar sana. But I wasn't flexing my nails, hey! 

Yawes, pas temen gue ajakin ikutan... gue saat itu gue kepengen-tapi aduh malu-kepengen-tapi aduh malu- tapi kepengen sebenernya. Karena ya malu lah, I thought my skill was so-so aja. 

Cuma entah gimana, suddenly I was inspired. Plus saat itu, gue abis beli pan Takoyaki dan trend Wes Anderson ala ala lagi trending. Kemudian gue bikin konten bikin Takoyaki, mau flexing Takoyaki pan-nya benernya (bukan kuteks). Lalu abis dari situ, keinget, ada kontes ini. Ya udah mari kita berpikir, resep apa yang enak pake susu.

Dan dari situ, gue mikir, USP alias Unique Selling Point dari konten gue ini apa. 

Gue randomly mikir.... Opor tapi kilat buat yang kepepet. Saat itu kan pas Lebaran, ya. Sapa tau ada yang kurang masak atau kelupaan atau baru sempet pas udah mepet-mepet. Maka jadilah Emergency Opor Ayam Recipe with Milk. Resepnya bisa dibaca di sini. Atau nonton videonya di sini.

Anyway, setelah beberapa minggu, pengumuman keluar dan, yay, I won guys. OMG! Ha!

Dennis and my prize =D

My stuffed dog is super happy

With the recent interest in ChatGPT, I am intrigued as well. Unlike most enthusiasts who ask ChatGPT to ask about what the platform finds about themselves, I would use it for my own urgency, such as to help me list down a travel itinerary to Japan. My first attempt to have a simple travel itinerary with Ghibli theme. However, my travel plan is not going to be all Ghibli, as I would go for Doraemon, Super Mario, Hello Kitty, and other pop culture icons. Here's I use ChatGPT for travel itinerary:

I simply put:

Make a travel itinerary to Japan, personalized for ghibli fans

Here's the result ChatGPT gave me:

Day 1: Arrival in Tokyo

• Check-in at a hotel in Shinjuku or Shibuya, two vibrant and trendy neighborhoods in Tokyo
• Visit the Ghibli Museum in the afternoon, which showcases the work of Studio Ghibli and gives an insight into the creative process of these legendary animators.

Day 2: Explore Tokyo

• Spend the morning at the Tsukiji Fish Market and grab some sushi for breakfast.
• Head to Akihabara, known as the electronic capital of Japan, where you can find Ghibli merchandise and anime figurines.
• Take a stroll through the beautiful Ueno Park and visit the Tokyo National Museum to learn about Japanese history and culture.

Day 3: Travel to Nagoya

• Take a train to Nagoya, known for its castle and unique local cuisine.
• Visit Nagoya Castle and explore the surrounding gardens, and then head to the Toyota Museum of Industry and Technology, where you can learn about the history of cars and manufacturing in Japan.
• In the evening, visit the Noritake Garden and shop for unique porcelain souvenirs.

Day 4: Visit the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka

• Take a train back to Tokyo and visit the Ghibli Museum again, this time to see parts of the museum you missed on the first visit.
• Enjoy lunch in the museum's café, which serves a variety of delicious and creative dishes inspired by Ghibli characters.

Day 5: Day trip to Kamakura

• Take a train to Kamakura, a laid-back seaside town known for its temples and shrines.
• Visit Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine and the Great Buddha of Kamakura, two of the town's most famous landmarks.
• Head to Yuigahama Beach in the afternoon to relax and soak up the sun.

Day 6: Visit Mount Fuji and Lake Ashi

• Take a day trip to Mount Fuji and Lake Ashi, located in Hakone.
• Take a boat ride on Lake Ashi and enjoy the stunning views of Mount Fuji.
• In the afternoon, take the Hakone Ropeway and enjoy the overlooking view of Mt. Fuji.

Day 7: Relax in Tokyo

• Take a break from sightseeing and spend the day exploring Tokyo’s many shopping districts, such as Shinjuku, Shibuya or Harajuku.
• Take a stroll in fluorescent-lit streets and neon-covered buildings of Tokyo to soak up the vibrant and bustling atmosphere of the city.

Day 8: Departure

• Check out of the hotel and head to the airport for departure.