Alright,
Yeah, it was early last month when the event was held, and this little essay is perhaps a bit way overdue, but I'll go on ahead anyways and start rambling about it.
I like the fact that they went through the pain of staging this thing called a website for their ticketing purposes, complete with a feature so commonly called 'payment by credit card'. In my mind's eye I was thinking printing ticket complete with barcodes a la singaporeair.com's online boarding pass printing feature. This little wishful thinking, however, got dashed by the simple fact that they didn't (immediately) send confirmation e-mail after ticket purchase. I actually had to wait for about 2 weeks until my confirmation e-mail was sent to my inbox. A friend even had to call 'em up for this to be done. Which completely nullified the whole purpose of creating a website.
So much for boarding pas... I mean ticket printing feature.
What they did provide was a page where you could type in your confirmation code (you got this after the ticket purchase, a good thing I noted it down before I closed down my browser) and print a semi-boardi-, I mean a ticket pick-up note. This, along with your ID, were to be used to pick up the tickets at the Sultan Hotel (previously known as the Hilton Hotel) a few days before the event.
Which was where I found myself queueing up in a line which length you could not possibly believe possible on one floor of a hotel building a few days after I printed the damn thing. It took me 2 and a half hours to finally get myself in front of the ticketing booth and another 15 minutes waiting for them to look for where-the-hell-are-his tickets. The upper torso of the well-behaved-under-the-circumstances-ticketing-officers were covered in t-shirts that greeted me with a slogan of "Go Green". At that point it was a miracle I did not puke.
First thing, the act of printing countless numbers of pick-up notes was already an act that goes against that slogan (I could literally hear trees falling in distant Sumatra and Kalimantan that day). Second thing, the act of THEM printing tickets...need I say more? (the sound of more trees falling...). What they could've done was to at least note down any ID numbers during the online ticket purchase. These ID numbers would serve as both confirmation AND ticket during the event. All the attendees need to do would be to present their ID (and for added security, the credit card used to buy the tickets) during the start of the event, and the admittance counter need only check whether the ID exists in their database. No need at all to print boardi-, I mean, pick-up notes or tickets. This would have also helped a lot of attendees who were coming from abroad who could not provide a legitimate authorization letter during ticket pick up (which was necessary if they asked someone else to pick the tickets up for them).
But who am I to say, eh? I was not the one who held the event...
At this point, let's take a slight detour in this essay while our minds are still fresh on the whole "Go Green" thing. As some of you may noticed, this "Go Green" slogan has been the fad these days, especially with corporations. I had a discussion with a good friend (Mike, in case you're wondering, yes I'm talking bout you) late yesterday night regarding the matter. This is basically what he said to me: On the surface, you might be thinking: why the change of heart? Big Corps never give a damn about Mother Earth before. So why now? You must know that "Go Green" is an alias for an old Big Corp holy words: cost cutting. You would probably be asking again, why now? I could only suspect that scientists (and a whole lot of other people who bother with statistics) have come up with enough statistical evidence showing that "Going Green" is beneficial to cutting cost, thus rasing the bottomline. People who were inclined to think that such gesture was due to altruism would probably be disappointed. But let's face it, given the current situation of Mother Earth, anything that environmentalists could get their squeeky clean hands on to be used as a weapon to fight for the sake of our planet are welcomed. Even if these are not of purely altruistic manner. But it would be silly if "Go Green" becomes a metric in Big Corps KPI.
(for those of you not in the know out there, KPI stands for key performance index... before you ask further what it really is, it all boils down to whether or not you get your salary raise/bonus at the end of the year... directly or indirectly...
Yeah, it's a load of BS alright, both KPI and my explanation of it).
End of detour.
Now, back to Java Jazz '09, the event (not the pain-in-the-@$$ ticketing process, or the lack of it). I watched with dread as I queued up in one of the long lines of miserable attendees on the first day of the event. No, this time it was not about how ridiculously long the queue was (I had given up hope on a quick, clean and efficient queueing process here in Jakarta long even before the ticket pick up event). This time, it was about the content of the event itself. I was (sigh) expecting that at least they put up accoustically-sound, enclosed spaces for the performers. I mean, it's jazz mon! I would imagine that I wanna get personal when listening to it. Instead, they put 'em up on stages in one big room, sharing the same airspace, duking it out on who's louder (between performers and, sadly, with attendees as well). It was like watching museum exhibits where people move about freely, making unnecessary noises that drowns the music, while the performers were put on displays like some antiques from God-knows-where. It was not Java Jazz, mon, it was chaos. Or perhaps this is what Java Jazz is all about, which means perhaps that this is not my crowd, mon.
At least Jason Mraz did not disappoint (eventhough the guy had to put up with some cultural differences when it comes to live performances).
To be fair, I did not come to the second and third day of the event. It was probably better by then. But the first day did not show any promises, so why bother anyways? No more Java Jazz for me in the coming years, methinks. At least, not until I see them boarding passes.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Obama's Inauguration Address
Like millions of people in the US and around the world, me and my brother was waiting for Obama's inauguration speech on January 20th 2009. The timing falls smack dab in the middle of the night between January 20th 2009 and January 21st 2009, Jakarta time. It's the first time in the history of the world that an African American is inaugurated as president of the United States, and both of us felt that it was way more than worth it to watch the whole proceeding on TV. It was historic.
I still remember one particular day in '07 when I was staying in the US for business purposes. I was at a local bookstore near my apartment and I saw Obama's book. It just came to my attention then that he was running for president. I could only smile, remembering that racial issues run deep in any country, and I thought to myself it would still be awhile until an African American can be a president of the United States (much more so for a Chinese to be president in Indonesia...fat chance). Then my friend pointed out that Obama's stepfather was Indonesian. Interesting piece of fact, I said to myself. I smiled, and just said to my friend that indeed it would be really interesting if he gets elected (the Indonesian connection, dude! It sure will get people back home talking). But, I added, that the probability of such thing seemed to be rather small.
The bastard proved me wrong.
Which was a good thing.
Forward again to the present. 3 hours before the ceremony we were already glued to the TV screen. We tuned in to CNN and they were showing how crowded it was outside of Capitol Hill building. Sea of people came to watch the inauguration ceremony, and many more tuned in from around the US and around the world (including the both of us). Many among these people who came to Capitol Hill were African American, and I could understand why. Their dream has suddenly come true.
I've heard how Obama delivers speech, and I would like to hear what he has to say on his inauguration. From what I've read in many news and magazines, it seemed that he has been bracing for tough times ahead. He hit the ground running, even before he was inaugurated, choosing people for his administration and prepping them for a tough 4 years and working from a humble transition office. He scheduled a 5-hour meeting one day after he got elected. The man definitely don't want to waste time. I would like to see what he has in store for his inauguration.
He surely was prepared, and in control of himself. It was only a little tid bit, but during the swearing in I thought he stumbled and forgot his lines. But after the address was over a CNN commentator stated that it was not his forgetting his lines but it was the other person's fault. He actually remembered and was waiting for the other guy to correct his own mistakes. He was calm and collected during the entire ceremony.
And now about the address.
The address immediately took a sober tone right at the beginning, listing all major crisis the Americans are facing and the mistakes that the country as a whole have made. He calls for Americans to start getting up and start doing some real actions of wasting time in political debates. It was like saying "Ask not what your country can do for you" but in a "get up off your lazy bum and start getting it real" kind of tone. He also stated that America is willing to mend relations but is not hesitant to take a hard stand should some choose to resort to violent means.
The address was quite multidimensional, citing not only political and economical matters, but called forth the American heritage and the old values that still hold true up until today (old values that applies to everyone, not only Americans). It also reminded how far the Americans have gone since the time of the slavery and the segregation, reminded them not because of trying to open up old wound but to show what people could achieve if they have the courage to put body and soul into it.
All in all, the inauguration address was quite a wake-up call for Americans. And in my opinion it should also be a wake-up call to everyone in the world as citizen of the Earth. Obama certainly had no reservations on delivering such a hard, sober speech. Even I was cringing many times during the address. Those were not easy words.
The address was delivered without flaw. In this regard I'd like to say that Obama is indeed a charismatic orator. For a script of the address, please go to this link and for the video of the address go to this link.
It was indeed a historic moment. America is not my country, but it's hard not to share the excitement over this historic moment. I grew up in Indonesia, but along the way I come to appreciate the values that they uphold, values that we in Indonesia said to uphold as well but in reality almost do not exist. Even these days, I thought that these values have gone from the face of the Earth, that perhaps they only exist in fairy tales, but now the Americans have proved me wrong.
The road ahead for them is still unclear. Obama still has to put his words into actions. We shall see that in the next 4 years. But his inauguration is indeed an important milestone in the history of the world.
On November 4th 2008 and January 20th 2009, every Americans have every rights to be proud.
I still remember one particular day in '07 when I was staying in the US for business purposes. I was at a local bookstore near my apartment and I saw Obama's book. It just came to my attention then that he was running for president. I could only smile, remembering that racial issues run deep in any country, and I thought to myself it would still be awhile until an African American can be a president of the United States (much more so for a Chinese to be president in Indonesia...fat chance). Then my friend pointed out that Obama's stepfather was Indonesian. Interesting piece of fact, I said to myself. I smiled, and just said to my friend that indeed it would be really interesting if he gets elected (the Indonesian connection, dude! It sure will get people back home talking). But, I added, that the probability of such thing seemed to be rather small.
The bastard proved me wrong.
Which was a good thing.
Forward again to the present. 3 hours before the ceremony we were already glued to the TV screen. We tuned in to CNN and they were showing how crowded it was outside of Capitol Hill building. Sea of people came to watch the inauguration ceremony, and many more tuned in from around the US and around the world (including the both of us). Many among these people who came to Capitol Hill were African American, and I could understand why. Their dream has suddenly come true.
I've heard how Obama delivers speech, and I would like to hear what he has to say on his inauguration. From what I've read in many news and magazines, it seemed that he has been bracing for tough times ahead. He hit the ground running, even before he was inaugurated, choosing people for his administration and prepping them for a tough 4 years and working from a humble transition office. He scheduled a 5-hour meeting one day after he got elected. The man definitely don't want to waste time. I would like to see what he has in store for his inauguration.
He surely was prepared, and in control of himself. It was only a little tid bit, but during the swearing in I thought he stumbled and forgot his lines. But after the address was over a CNN commentator stated that it was not his forgetting his lines but it was the other person's fault. He actually remembered and was waiting for the other guy to correct his own mistakes. He was calm and collected during the entire ceremony.
And now about the address.
The address immediately took a sober tone right at the beginning, listing all major crisis the Americans are facing and the mistakes that the country as a whole have made. He calls for Americans to start getting up and start doing some real actions of wasting time in political debates. It was like saying "Ask not what your country can do for you" but in a "get up off your lazy bum and start getting it real" kind of tone. He also stated that America is willing to mend relations but is not hesitant to take a hard stand should some choose to resort to violent means.
The address was quite multidimensional, citing not only political and economical matters, but called forth the American heritage and the old values that still hold true up until today (old values that applies to everyone, not only Americans). It also reminded how far the Americans have gone since the time of the slavery and the segregation, reminded them not because of trying to open up old wound but to show what people could achieve if they have the courage to put body and soul into it.
All in all, the inauguration address was quite a wake-up call for Americans. And in my opinion it should also be a wake-up call to everyone in the world as citizen of the Earth. Obama certainly had no reservations on delivering such a hard, sober speech. Even I was cringing many times during the address. Those were not easy words.
The address was delivered without flaw. In this regard I'd like to say that Obama is indeed a charismatic orator. For a script of the address, please go to this link and for the video of the address go to this link.
It was indeed a historic moment. America is not my country, but it's hard not to share the excitement over this historic moment. I grew up in Indonesia, but along the way I come to appreciate the values that they uphold, values that we in Indonesia said to uphold as well but in reality almost do not exist. Even these days, I thought that these values have gone from the face of the Earth, that perhaps they only exist in fairy tales, but now the Americans have proved me wrong.
The road ahead for them is still unclear. Obama still has to put his words into actions. We shall see that in the next 4 years. But his inauguration is indeed an important milestone in the history of the world.
On November 4th 2008 and January 20th 2009, every Americans have every rights to be proud.
The Millionaire Slumdog
Movie Review Slumdog Millionaire
Directed by: Danny Boyle
Co-directed by: Loveleen Tandan
There has been quite a lot of good words said about this movie. A friend who's a movie freak told me about it once, and the movie popped up in Time magazine just a tad later after hearing it from him. The movie then won the Golden Globe award for best picture, and it became a must-see in my list (actually, any movie mentioned by my movie-freak friend usually ends up in my must-see list).
After acquiring a copy of the movie (through a rather illegal yet generally acceptable means, if you catch my drift), I went straight ahead and saw it along with my brother in a crampy room we called home. The story is of a young Indian man who is arrested because he is under suspicion of cheating in a well-known TV game show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" (the Hindi version). As the interrogation comes along, he explains why he knows the answers to the questions asked during the show and revelations about his childhood unfolds. Ultimately, the true purpose of his participating in the show slowly unveils itself.
At first, the movie's cinematography, tone of colors, dark social themes, and acting reminded me of another great movie from a few years back. The movie in question was "City of God". For those have seen it will understand what I am referring to. The theme at first surrounds the harsh life of street children (albeit set in different places, times, and social settings) and gangster life. As the movie moves along, however, the story subtly transforms itself into a sort of gritty fairy tale love story. In this regard, the movie manages to beautifully blend the gritty aspects of life along with the sort of fairy tale-ness worthy of Hollywood fame.
There's a lot to love about the movie for everyone: excellent cinematography, great screenplay, wonderful acting (all of the cast are Hindis, many are unknown to me*), gritty-yet-beautiful backdrops and (there it is yet again) a great story. To sweeten the deal, the soundtrack accompanying the movie is also wonderful (it won the Golden Globe as well, apparently). They even threw in a bit of dancing at the end of the movie (during credit rolls) as a homage to Bollywood. This will definitely please fans of Hindi movies.
So, there you go. A movie that will be loved by men because of the (slightly) harsh theme but will also be loved by women for its fairy tale-ness. As always, do yourself a favor and watch this instant classic. It is destined to be one, afterall.
*note: most likely because I don't watch Hindi movies in general.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Good Bye, Manila.
It sort of sucks to realize that you really miss something after it's gone for 3 months.
It came unexpectedly. Was on a casual conversation with a colleague when he asked about my previous assignment. I started talking about how it was, and found myself uncomfortably silent after finishing my story. All the images of the places I've been to and the people I know rushed through my mind, and I felt a heavy weight over my heart.
For the next couple of days focusing on work was quite a feat. My mind would wander through the memories I have of the place I called home for 2 years. Tears came, and keeping them in check was not easy. I exchange messages to my driver in the Philippines, and pour my heart out to some close friends. I felt a sort of tugging in my chest and a bit of labored breathing, the kind that you feel when you're about to cry like a baby. But I could not let go. Not at work, at least.
What is it about the Philippines that I love? I remember having some reservations about the place the first time I got there. About how old and run-down the buildings looked, how empty and quiet the streets were on weekends. But over time, it grew on me. The deserted sidewalks (on weekends), the busy traffic (so unlike Jakarta's which lies on the extreme end of hectic), the malls just across the street from my apartment, the company of people I lived (and worked) with (amazing set of people), the sunny blue skies and the beautiful beaches (Batanes, oh Batanes...when will I see your rolling hills and your rocky seas again...).
I used to compare Manila to Jakarta and found that Jakarta's much more developed. The roads there were half the size of what you usually see here, the buildings were older than Jakarta's shiny new office buildings. But overtime I started appreciate the fact that even though the buildings were old they were well-maintained. The roads might have only half the size, but there were less cars which means less traffic jam and less stress. The drivers were not honkers, unlike Jakarta drivers who pretty much connect their honkers to the brake pedals.
And there were the blue skies and the white sandy beaches. I don't want to get started on these. Labored breathing and the tugging, I couldn't take it for the time being.
The place wouldn't mean much if not for the people there and the things that I learned and experienced. These people taught me a lot of things and played a big part in making my experience in the Philippines unforgettable. And if I didn't seem to elaborate more on this, it's just the fact that there's so much I could say that this one entry will become too long if I do so. These people were something (such an understatement...).
Last but not least, I had my own space, and people left me alone when I wanna be alone. A privilege I rarely acquired back in Jakarta.
As I was packing my stuff and getting ready to leave Singapore after staying there for an assignment for 2 weeks, a familiar feeling like a deep sadness came over me. The sight of an open luggage half-filled with clothes and toiletries reminded me of the sadness that usually came over me whenever it is time for me to leave a place that I've grown accustomed to. I felt it when I had to leave Manila for the US back in '07. I felt it again when I had to leave the US back to Manila. And I tried to suppress it (and still does up until now) when it was time for me to finally leave Manila for good (it had been 3 months since then...and yet it felt like yesterday). I will always dread the sight of that half-filled luggage for the rest of my life.
I guess I have been running away and trying to fool myself. Running away from saying good bye, and fooling myself by thinking that it's not over. Not yet.
Fortunately, I was not alone. Most of the people I knew who went to the Philippines during those time felt the same way. They missed the place, and would from time to time reminisce about our time there. The good ol' Manila days. At the very least I could take comfort from this and treasure the moments we shared together and the bond the we created during those time.
But, as a friend puts it, "It's never coming back. There will never be such time again. But boy was it good."
And so, it's over.
With a heavy heart, I must admit that it is time to say,
Good bye, Manila, and good bye Project Olympic.
You are one among my many memories that make me glad to be alive.
It came unexpectedly. Was on a casual conversation with a colleague when he asked about my previous assignment. I started talking about how it was, and found myself uncomfortably silent after finishing my story. All the images of the places I've been to and the people I know rushed through my mind, and I felt a heavy weight over my heart.
For the next couple of days focusing on work was quite a feat. My mind would wander through the memories I have of the place I called home for 2 years. Tears came, and keeping them in check was not easy. I exchange messages to my driver in the Philippines, and pour my heart out to some close friends. I felt a sort of tugging in my chest and a bit of labored breathing, the kind that you feel when you're about to cry like a baby. But I could not let go. Not at work, at least.
What is it about the Philippines that I love? I remember having some reservations about the place the first time I got there. About how old and run-down the buildings looked, how empty and quiet the streets were on weekends. But over time, it grew on me. The deserted sidewalks (on weekends), the busy traffic (so unlike Jakarta's which lies on the extreme end of hectic), the malls just across the street from my apartment, the company of people I lived (and worked) with (amazing set of people), the sunny blue skies and the beautiful beaches (Batanes, oh Batanes...when will I see your rolling hills and your rocky seas again...).
I used to compare Manila to Jakarta and found that Jakarta's much more developed. The roads there were half the size of what you usually see here, the buildings were older than Jakarta's shiny new office buildings. But overtime I started appreciate the fact that even though the buildings were old they were well-maintained. The roads might have only half the size, but there were less cars which means less traffic jam and less stress. The drivers were not honkers, unlike Jakarta drivers who pretty much connect their honkers to the brake pedals.
And there were the blue skies and the white sandy beaches. I don't want to get started on these. Labored breathing and the tugging, I couldn't take it for the time being.
The place wouldn't mean much if not for the people there and the things that I learned and experienced. These people taught me a lot of things and played a big part in making my experience in the Philippines unforgettable. And if I didn't seem to elaborate more on this, it's just the fact that there's so much I could say that this one entry will become too long if I do so. These people were something (such an understatement...).
Last but not least, I had my own space, and people left me alone when I wanna be alone. A privilege I rarely acquired back in Jakarta.
As I was packing my stuff and getting ready to leave Singapore after staying there for an assignment for 2 weeks, a familiar feeling like a deep sadness came over me. The sight of an open luggage half-filled with clothes and toiletries reminded me of the sadness that usually came over me whenever it is time for me to leave a place that I've grown accustomed to. I felt it when I had to leave Manila for the US back in '07. I felt it again when I had to leave the US back to Manila. And I tried to suppress it (and still does up until now) when it was time for me to finally leave Manila for good (it had been 3 months since then...and yet it felt like yesterday). I will always dread the sight of that half-filled luggage for the rest of my life.
I guess I have been running away and trying to fool myself. Running away from saying good bye, and fooling myself by thinking that it's not over. Not yet.
Fortunately, I was not alone. Most of the people I knew who went to the Philippines during those time felt the same way. They missed the place, and would from time to time reminisce about our time there. The good ol' Manila days. At the very least I could take comfort from this and treasure the moments we shared together and the bond the we created during those time.
But, as a friend puts it, "It's never coming back. There will never be such time again. But boy was it good."
And so, it's over.
With a heavy heart, I must admit that it is time to say,
Good bye, Manila, and good bye Project Olympic.
You are one among my many memories that make me glad to be alive.
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