Carpe Diem

Removed Writing

Sun, 18 Nov 2007 05:02:49 GMT

The previous writing is now published by jakartabeat.com

Dancer Upstair

Mon, 15 May 2006 00:33:37 GMT

The Dancer Upstairs, you may search it on google, and got two version of it: film and novel. Both are based on the story of Sendero Luminoso, the iluminating path, a Peruvian Maoist guerillas leading by Abimael Guzman, at the early 1980ies. By that time, it has all the reasons for going toward the revolution: racism against the Ayacucho, agrarian reform, lack of education, and another song with the same rhyme.

Nicholas Shakespeare, the author, was living at Peru when all this things happened. He flew back home, impressed, and felt unable to transforms any facts to papers. Later, instead of writing a long journal about it, he made a novel and reached the best seller. That�s how John Malkovich gets connected. Proposals made, sent, and got rejection from everywhere. �What�s the f***ing point of making this film?� �Who cares about terrorism?" "It's about European Mexicans." "It's not political." But they made it. The film shot at 2000, and released 2002. Since the first time the idea engage in their mind, it took seven years to be realized. It�s worth, it really is. Among the nationalities represented in the cast and crew were Spanish, Portuguese, Ecuadorian, Italian, British, German, Belgian, Mexican and American.

I really like using the terms layer cake as a metaphor to how the process going. Both Shakespeare and Malkovich, along with their creative teams, walk through the path illuminated by the spirit of making something as what they exactly want it to be. Javier Bardem, ironically by the delays, becomes the perfect nominations for the cast viewed by every side of interest. His bankable name after winning the Oscar for Before Night Falls empowered the producer�s confidence to funding this film; his English speaking ability develops better, both for his carrier, and also for playing Rejas. Malkovich�s idea about �characters speak in a language and with an accent that is not theirs, in a country which isn't theirs� comes true.

After all, what it is so important with this story? In my opinion, neither everyone nor every condition could be act or threat as �revolutionary� as Sendero Luminoso or Weather Underground, for example. Though I really miss those times. In a term to be revolt, one can choose any type of medium and style. Seno Gumira Ajidarma and Nicholas Shakespeare, they both are �manipulating� the same old trick: literature.... Anybody can shut the journalistic up, but �none� can be done with literature.

Eritis si�ut dei, sewon, desember 2005

Five Inspiring Poem to Flirt With a Fair Lady

Mon, 15 May 2006 00:33:37 GMT

Every one, I believe, has gone through what so called a crush. Boys and girls, men and women, grandma and grandpa, they are all got their first experience with love. Love, is the sole thing that seized all creatures. Even a flower, who cannot speak, can show their need of attention by having a colorful blossom. They need to love and be loved also (Sounds familiar? I got it after watching the color purple. Celie need to be loved). By the way, what I am to discuss here to ye all ladies and gentlemen, are love of a man; a man who certainly has the deepest love ever sown.

If a man has to express his feeling of love, at least to himself, I bet a poem is one of the first stuff they will dig in. A poem may somehow affect a lover so deep and also reflect his feeling. That's why the most remembered poem is a love poem. And the most in number poems which fill a poetry site is also love poem. Love poem is eternal and omnipresent just like God himself�I'm kidding, certainly. Out from that bunch of thousands love poems in this sad sick little world, I give you this five most "cool poems" that you have to look out. I call it five inspiring poems to flirt a fair lady.

The first is from Shakespeare's Twelft Night. I will just quote it:

O mistress mine, where are you roaming?
O, stay and hear; your true love's coming
That can sing both high and low:
Trip no further, pretty sweeting,
Journeys end in lovers meeting,
Every wise man's son doth know

It's pretty nice to keep it for making a move huh? Imagine when you read it in front of a girl and she got a flush of excitement, what a romantic scene. This following one is also cool, but it has been a clich�:

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate

I saw a guy remarked it in Dead Poet Society, so I think it must be frequently remarked. However, it still works I think. The guy impressed his girl with that Shakespeare's Sonnet XVIII. She loves it the most.

The second comes from William Blake, and this poem literally titled love:

What is it men in women do require?
A lineament of gratified desire
What is it women in men do require?
A lineament of gratified desire

I think this poem is telling us about the happiness that is reflected after a man and a woman make love. You know, after making love they sleep together; the women hug their mate with a sweet smile of "gratified desire" and so does the man. Hmm�quite make sense. What if you tell your girl that stuff after you both having sex?

The third comes from Langston Hughes and it has a title breath of a rose:

Love is like perfume
In the heart of a rose
The flower withers,
The perfume goes�
Love is no more
Than the breath of a rose,
No more
Than the breath of a rose.

We all agree, I supposed, that he wants to say love is not eternal. It may disappear as "dew on lilacs at dawn, comes the swift sun and the dew is gone." So if you just being dumped, it's better for you to pray what he said is true. Read it a thousand times and hoping your previous feeling to her, who dumped you, will disappear somewhere in the firmament. You also can read it before her, and showing that you are tough enough.

The fourth comes from our beloved Sapardi Djoko Damono: guess which poem I've picked up? You're right, that one; aku ingin:

Aku ingin mencintaimu dengan sederhana:
Dengan kata yang tak sempat diucapkan
Kayu kepada api yang menjadikannya abu
Aku ingin mencintaimu dengan sederhana:
Dengan isyarat yang tak sempat disampaikan
Awan kepada hujan yang menjadikannya tiada

I will not put a lot of comments on it. It's just simply romantic. But again, it has been a clich�. You know, I have seen that one printed on a card, and maybe there are still cards out there with "aku ingin" attached on it. However, I guess this one will work to a girl that doesn't read much. Because it's so familiar, everyone at least has heard about a piece of it.

The last poem comes from no poet. But it is also beautiful and really flirting:

A girl sweeter than sugar
Whose love is that on thy lips?
My I taste it
Or
Have it a little bit?

Why I think it is beautiful? Simply, it is work of my own. Someone's own poem will do better than others. The thing that makes it different is the feeling he pours into his work. Thus, when you want her to know your feeling, it's better to create your own poem. No matter how lacking of aesthetic taste it was, the point is it comes deep from your heart. Every one will appreciate an original work instead of claiming those poems above as yours. There will no fascist or philistine that read your works right? Believe me, a fascist or philistine no nothing about art since they don't know that art is seen through different eyes. A communication between the eyes and the object of art is the factor that determines the aesthetic value. Every eye has different standard and also different judgment. So, start right now. Make a poem and flirt a fair lady! Move you bastards!!!

:::Soedra:::

A Bit About Feminism

Mon, 15 May 2006 00:33:37 GMT

It is hard to talk about feminism without involving the gender concepts. Refers to Kamla Bhasin in his book Understanding Gender (2000), gender as the main issue in feminism is defined as �socio-cultural definition of man and women, the way societies distinguish men and women and assign them social roles�. It is clear that a society is the very entity which defines the characteristics of men and women. Unfortunately, within a patriarchal society women are given minor roles and also less important characteristic. Major roles take place on the side of men who pervade many fields including politics, economics, social life and so forth. Women are put aside, segregated, and strict at the small locus of domestic world while men are dominating the public. As an expression of struggle, feminism comes up with the idea of liberating women and gives them their full rights as human being.

The essence of feminism is simply to grab back women�s rights and insist on redefining gender characteristic. The barrier which imposed upon women to enhance their selves and the segregation set off by domestic-public dichotomy is asked to be deconstructed. Carol Hanisch words of �personal is political� described perfectly women resistance to being caged in domestic locus. Equality may be the condition which is desired the most by feminism. As a response to its demand, the patriarchal societies are getting used to admit the new alteration. Due to the wave of world transformation is unavoidable; feminism of no wonder has taken place on the avant-garde position as an agent of transformation in women�s role.

:::Soedra

Cheat Code

Mon, 15 May 2006 00:33:37 GMT

As students of Letters Faculty, we will encounter so many tasks dealing with books, essays, and so forth. We are all dying to get fine grades and therefore we try to work hard in every task given. Certainly it needs hard work and it seems like it is just that that we need. But nonetheless, it is not that simple. Usually there are so many things that keep us from doing the task well. That is what we find in reality. We do hope, we have dreams, but often the condition does not give us plenty chance to make it real. The common problem is that �as active students or rather, it looks like so�we do not have time to do all of those tasks. That situation often stresses us. But really, we do not have to worry about that at all. Thanks to those people in CERN (or NASA?) for the �world wide web� because internet will come to us as a savior in this rush hour. What we have to do is nothing but take off our ass to an internet center nearby and all troubles could be much more easily and quickly done.

Nowadays, there are a lot of websites about literature. And there are also some of them that you should know if you are really a student whose major is literature. Some of you perhaps have a lot experience in this. However, for those who don�t�I mean knowing what site to open yet�here are some recommended sites.

If you need any information about a book, internet provides us with gradesaver.com, sparknotes.com, novelguide.com, litencyc.com. And if the subject you want is about poem, you can open poemhunter.com. Those sites above are trustable and of course free. Moreover, they are quite comprehensive as well for it imparts anything to you, from analysis to criticism, from summary to metaphors. Maybe, later you will be more pleased with your task done this way because sometimes the ideas and analysis found in the sites are so brilliant, at least compared to what you have.

This method is practical, but do not forget that it also has a weak point. Since it is a common emergency step, our lectures must be very familiar with it too. Truly, It may cause problem for us and of course will affect our grade. The worst is it may be our tragic flaw. Our lecturer wouldn�t hesitate to even give no grade we deserve to. So there are three things you can do to prevent yourself from committing plagiarism. First, you can paraphrase it. Thus, it will seem like your own idea in a natural student style of writing and not to forget to attach the source. Second, do not just cut and glue, take them only as comparison. Third, take nothing but its proper ideas for you. Never take ideas that seem so high, lest, you will be easily acknowledged of somehow stealing other people�s ideas because your teacher will think that your thought is impossible that brilliant. Sorry for underestimate you all, but are we really that bright? I mean, if you are, you don�t have to read this article so far. Do those tips and you will feel so much helped. My last suggestion, keep it in mind, apply this method only in pressing time. Still, it is better for you to do your task yourself. Plagiarism certainly humiliates your own intellectual capability. Rezza

Tragic Flaw. This is a corner for those who need an absolute shortcut. Here we can see an elaborate detail of cheap but sometimes very clever tricks to pursue our certain goal. However, it is also very potential to be our tragic flaw. The writer angle may be ambivalent since the attack of conscience is regularly struck him. Well, anyway those tricks are real. Better to know than not to know at all.

Rezza

Cool Slang

Mon, 15 May 2006 00:33:37 GMT

hang loose vb American

to stay relaxed, keep cool, chill out. A vogue term from the late 1950s and early 1960s when it characterized the nonchalant state of detachment aspired to by beatniks, jazz musicians, etc. the phrase (still heard occasionally) is often an exhortation to a friend on parting. It probably originates in the use of �loose� to describe a free, unstructured style or mood (although some have interpreted it as referring to the male genitals in an unencumbered position).

red sails in the sunset adj

menstruating. A phrase, taken from the title of a popular song, which has been used (almost invariably by men) since the 1960s.

�Look as if she�s red sails in the sunset.�

Source: The Dictionary of Contemporary Slang by Tony Thorne

Gallery Poetry

Mon, 15 May 2006 00:33:37 GMT

Sonnet: a wait

Two changes of the wat�ry-star hath been
Two shepherd note, dear, since we have parted
And life to me hath been too cruel and mean
That I nearly give in this for-nought-wait
For thou art the day, I the lonely night:
Mine and thine eyen never meet each to each
A second to be an eternity
It seemeth, yet verily shall I wait for thee
For the sake of my vow, thou beseech�d
As thou art the sunny day, I the nyght
And my devotion,�tis never o�er
To the nth of degree; by thy love �tis fed
Therefore I vow: I shall love thee ever

:::Coli

I shall never

Was it close to me, I shall never know
Love appeared like a morning sun
--and while I was not quite awake�
It disappeared like red sunset
To where it went, I shall never know
Love stole my breath just a while
But my heart is stolen forever
Where it might be hidden
I shall never see
Love came without eternity
But it traces trodden eternally
--in my memory,
Where the first impression of you
Remains in everlasting beauty
When it could be forgotten, oh no,
I dare not to try,
And I shall never

:::Akbar

At 3.00 in The Morning
While Expanding my Consciousness

Sometimes i just want to love you not,
My cuckoo sweet boo
Cuz u�re the only

Come and be with me again
Now at three in the morn
I will swing with u till the night drop on to a dot
And wish we were never born

(There was Baudelaire in my head
Be drunk, he said
Yes, I have it already; a piece of poetry and a swig of brandy)

This night has no tomorrow, I guess
No dawn nor sun could invite it for a rest

Sometimes i just want to love you not,
My cuckoo sweet boo
Cuz u�re the only

Who say somethin� like u�ve got to be strong now
honestly, I bet you never dig the sorrow
of Neruda�s saddest lines
when no dew fall on the grass

O, the god of acid and weed
or everyhell could stop me bleed
Shatter my solitude as you wish
And show me what�s left far inside my eyes
A moment, the lineaments�
Of no gratified desire...

:::Soedra

essays

Sun, 14 May 2006 08:31:00 GMT

Ngidam: The Craving
Dalih Sembiring

Whereas it is normal for a pregnant woman to be craving for special kind of food during the early stage of her pregnancy, it can be quite distressing should the craving not be fulfilled. To some Indonesians, it is even considered bad luck to turn down an expecting mom�s yearning under the circumstance of ngidam.

In Indonesia, it has been commonly acknowledged that amongst various kinds of foodstuff a craving mom may be requesting for, unripe mango has the potential of being on top of the list. That does not seem to matter since anyone can go to the local fruit market and pick mangoes which are not yet ripened. But it would not be as easy if the conceiving mom asks not for mangoes from the shop, but ones which are still dangling on their tree. It would be even more problematical if she wants them literally stolen for her. And yes, it happens.

Ngidam can apparently become peculiar as well as ludicrous. There was a story about a pregnant mom who wanted to have a bite of a tamarind fruit so badly, she insisted her husband to pluck one straight from its branch. However, she did not ask for any tamarind there was hanging, she wanted the one which was at the utmost tip of the tree. Awkwardly striving to accomplish the task, the husband finally made it to the top and returned with the fruit in hand. But when he offered it to his wife, she surprisingly refused it by saying that she did not feel like eating tamarind anymore.

The story probably implies that the woman simply needs her husband to manifest his reliability. Perhaps that is mere test to ensure how much he is devoted to her and their baby. Never reject whatever a craving woman exacts, the elderly might warn. And the forewarning does not only go toward the craving for food, but also the craving for clothes, new set of cosmetics, pets, or maybe a modest request of a tour around the town. A generally accepted belief says that not granting what an expecting woman longs for will generate an unpleasant effect on the baby. That is later after the baby is born, it will grow up salivating constantly. As much as it sounds silly, the belief has its own reason. It is supposed when an expecting mother is longing for a certain thing; it is not necessarily desired by her alone, but also the baby. And salivating is the form of karma that befalls the baby for the refusal of fulfilling what it wishes for in its prenatal phase.

In case the baby really turns out to be dribbling and the parents are extremely anxious on how they could get its condition to normal, not to worry because the belief remarks they could. It seems that the mother ought to try to recall the thing she used to want during pregnancy that did not come true and both the parents together with the tot will have to realize it. If she happened to long for a visit to her hometown, the family should therefore depart as soon as the kid is apt enough to have its first long trip.

Is the belief surrounding the phenomenon of ngidam really true, though? To those who are strongly bound by conservative ideas, the ugly thought of having a drooling child should be enough threat so as not to dispose of the rest of the baloney. As for the cynics, ngidam may just well be conceived as another way of saying: To every husband out there �if you hardly ever listen to your wife, then listen to her at least when she is heavy with your child.