The Interesting Stranger

Quarter Life Crisis

By Brigida Alexandra - May 17, 2015

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Overheard Corner: What You Can Actually Learn from... Doraemon

By Brigida Alexandra - May 16, 2015

For those who lives in Asia or in some countries in South America, East and South Europe, they surely know this cat-like robot. It's blue, it's fat, and it has human skills. Funny yet imaginatively-breaking-boundaries Doraemon comics later firstly aired in TV show format in Japan, before it was developed into motion picture with deeper moral aspect in the Doraemon Adventure series.

The debut was around in 1970 and has lasted until today---becoming everyone's favorite childhood friend. Last year, another movie of Doraemon's life coming to the 21st century to help Nobita was released. Stand By Me. The film has brought the high-technology of Doraemon's gadgets from future world came to life in 3D.

Year by year, from comic to TV show to film, the late creator Fujiko F. Fujio had taught us so much more, rather than happy endings and winnings for heroes over villains. Here's what I learn (and things I notice), maybe you'll agree about these, too.

You got to admit, Doraemon is a good nanny.

There is no perfect parent. Including in the Nobi family. When Nobita's mom failed to wake him up, Doraemon does everything he could with his gadgets to make it happen. Well, the perks of having 4D magic pouch, then?

Even though Doraemon is a robot, he is more humane than most human.

It creates a big question to me. Doraemon is a robot, obviously. However, he shows real expression and sympathy in human connection. Oh yes, it was said that he is a 22nd-century-designed robot that is able to act, think and feel like human. Still, he's a robot, right? It is interesting to be reminded by a robot to be good, brave and passionate person, and of course, be true to your self. Something we, humans, have missed a lot in real life.

Doraemon brings us back the real value of friendship, family and the most basic---love.

Ok, Doraemon has a girlfriend whom he takes on a date on the house roof, Mi-chan---yes, simple date with full of smiles and it was only on the roof. He fell in love once in home in 22nd century with a dancer robot. The point is... he has love. He doesn't only show his love and care to Sewashi then to Nobita, but also to anyone related to them, like Nobita's friends and parents. In a way, he has more love to give. He treats Nobita's parents like his, and in return, they trust Doraemon so much in helping Nobita. Once, he even took out a gadget which brought Nobita back to his baby phase to understand his mother's love to him in an episode.

Doraemon and Nobita is indeed a dynamic duo. The good thing to know is... they don't act possessively. Let's say, they have healthy friendship. Nobita meets so many new characters in his life which takes him and Doraemon to new adventures and challenges, and also be friends with them. They enlarge the friendship circle later on in many adventure stories. Certainly, without any trouble comes up, we won't know. So, when things gets wrong, Doraemon is always ready to motivate Nobita to help their friends and never leave them alone.

It's just not about the practical and time savvy gadgets, it's about innovation (and using it wisely, according to the manual guide).

Just admit it! When you buy a new gadget, you won't read the manual book. Especially when it's cellphone or anything you've bought and frequently used. Oh well... you can find how many times Nobita got in trouble because he didn't follow the instructions. Even though Doraemon has warned him. Bad things happened to him and his friends who might have stolen the gadget and used it.

The thing we learn is.... it is not about how easy things would be with gadgets. Sometimes... you have to rely on yourself. Gadget have limits, I know that humans, too. The difference is just you know how to balance and when to push the limit of yourself. You can't with gadgets. Too much using gadget, like watching TV too much (SpongeBob says, 'why need television if you have imagination?'), using calculator just for simple math questions... won't make you a better person. You have to exercise what you have and rely on your skill. It lets you trust yourself more.

Anyway...in real life, when it comes to a problem on the way, manual book can help but you don't know where it is.

Wake-up call for better future.

If you read the comic, you develop imaginations about how it is going to be like in the future. When Stand by Me was released, it came more alive. Somehow, nowadays, we can see in real of touch screen cellphones, Google Earth and GPS which have been in Doraemon comic series, of course they were called in different names. For real!

What I sense about future whenever Doraemon tells stories about 22nd century to Nobita is a better life, better era. No war but stability, it seems. At least, it feels so. Doraemon brings optimism that future isn't just about technology that makes your life easier, but it will be a good place to live as long as you build it from now on, from today. In the end, you'll realize that it's not about the technology or gadget that makes everything nice and simple, but it's you. It's all coming back to you. It's you that let it all good things happening. It's you who is worth more than gagdets. It's you and your effort.

Doraemon series gives you hope! No matter how weak you are, you can always do something good.

Nobita might be a weak kid, but he has a good heart. Doraemon sort of helping him to grow his heart to be brave and sincere. You can see how much Nobita is willing to help Piisuke or Fuko. (Then, you'll just end up crying in their flashback of good moments spent together... then their touchy farewell.)

The two characters are not the only Nobita and Doraemon has helped. There are lots of them. They keep telling you that there's always a way to help people out and the joy of it.

Things could change in a good way.

If you're like me... growing up with fairy tales and all, you'd probably got sucked up with fairy godmother tells you all the shitty and irrational advice of doing good. But I can tell you, Doraemon is a better 'fairy godmother'! There's a part where Doraemon tells Nobita, 'your kindness is about to change the future'. It touches me more and makes more sense. Of course, with the high-technology proof he showed us...

But no! It's not all. When the story about 'Birth of Doraemon' released, you can see how poor Doraemon was as a robot. He made mistakes and lived very miserably. There was Sewashi who chose him in the audience and made him feel worthy. That is how things changed. Doraemon arrived with his confidence to help Nobita and the goodness keeps on going in the circle.

Would you agree with me now?

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Life Stories

Something about Postcards

By Brigida Alexandra - April 18, 2015

Got these lovely postcards from Yuli and Val while they' were enjoying their freelance job in Bali Spirit Fest, Ubud. Jealous, huh? What else? I got these two after I decided to cancel my plan to travel to Ubud for visiting them. Once again, due to work and parental permission... well, traveling solo got to wait.

Ndah is currently traveling around Europe, too. She sends me postcards every city she drops by, sent to my office. Today, I got another one. So happy! The message is beautifully written, though it's brief to share how the city looks like. That's why I love from postcards! Maybe...

Through these plenty of postcards I received lately, I felt like 'communicating more'. Recently, I decided to try maintaining my communications with some friends, especially abroad. Through any way I can. Skype, Instagram, Facebook (yes, now I checked it a little... very little often), Twitter, Path and What's App or Line. I feel like losing myself for staying in a bubble for so long. I kept cutting people off---which has become my expertise lately.

But you know what... I'm always mesmerized with the idea of having pen-pals. Never meet them, but keeping in touch so frequent. Going to post office, put on the best stamp and send off a bunch of wishes. Well, I do have them. I kept on writing them, only I haven't done it for a year or two. In Jakarta, it's just kind of difficult to get to the closest post office. Oh well, third world country problem. Oh no, it's Jakarta. Oh whoops, it's my laziness of not able to conquer the city.

As for my friends here in Jakarta, I try to reach them and meet anytime possible lately these days. Traffic jam is what separates us here, but you can always find the perfect time to beat the shit out of your hang out plan. I also contacted some friends I've been ignoring for some time. I think I can try to forgive, try to bury the hatchet, try to move on. Guess, stranger... it's what I am born to be. Back there again at that point.

At least, I try what I can do. Best way possible.

So now I know why postcards or snail mail works perfectly for me. When distance makes me unseen, letters or postcards can reach me and I feel like my existence real without being exist. Hmm... now things get complicated, I'm getting sound weirder.