Champaign-Chicago Movers

I always like Chicago, I think because it's close to Champaign. I always eager go to Chicago, just to feel briefly the air of a metropolis. Densely populated and crowded cities is one of my addiction.


*The One Who Moves-Have a nice time in Chicago sist'

Right after the Spring 2006 semester, people started to get restless. Some people were ready to move to their new work/intern places , other were preparing for the summer holiday, many of them went back to their home country, some of them were going to other places, few of the students are taking summer classes, and a very few of them like me just don't know what to do, huehehehhe. Anyhow, the last group were feeling standing stil. I think because of the others are moving, so I am relatively standing still. For your information, the last summer I went back to my country to meet my wife, not so lucky this summer eh.


*Hmmm, well you get the picture

Anyhow, we have to help our friends whose doing their activities. Most of the activities are movers activities, from packaging to delivery. Well, let's skip the details, and move to more interesting story. Well, first, I have to tell you one uninteresting sorry. I help Lia to move from Champaign to Chicago. We went with Driya, and Lia, Etta couldn't join us. Actually, Lia begged me at the last days. Although Etta already told me that Lia want to move at that certain day long before, but Lia never asked me, or even mentioned to me about needing any help from me. Maybe, somebody else already voluntered for that job. I never volunteered for moving things around too far. All of suddent, Lia asked me for help, of course, we can contemplate about this sudden change, but for now I will leave it hang (let's just say that many people are interested to Lia, huahahahaha). I think it was a man-woman relationship kind of things (ah young people they are soo, well, young). First, I was reluctant to help her, because I don't want to drive alone from or to Chicago, luckily (for Lia) Driya want to accompany me.


*At Midway: me, lia, driya and Diana (The One Who Has Summer Class in Boston, Have a nice time sist')

There are two task that we have to do. First we have to drop Diana at Midway, because she has summer school at HBS (cool huh, I hope I'm not wrong about her summer school place, hehheehe, I'm really forgetful these days). Then, we take all the boxes and others to Lia's new apartment. We started unpacking, nobody there to help except Driya and Lia. When I opened the door with one box in my hand, the first thing that I encountered was stairs (what the fuck?). I have to inform you I hate stairs, very annoying thing, stairs. Hate. I'm using the word "hate" here, about stairs. Hate ( I know it is so "As Good As It Gets", hhehheheh, it's one of my favorite movie). Anyhow, I tried to be calm, I look back to Lia, whom without any particular reason look a little bit apologetic, and I asked which floor is her place. The first word that came out from her mouth was "shit" (What!!! that was not the answer to my question). Well, I'm no clairvoyance, but at that time I started to say my "standard" swear words (you have to notice that I'm more politically correct now, because I reduce my "super" swear words usage).


*The Gals at Japonnais: Airin, Lia and Driya

Of course, I'm right, her place is in the top floor, on the third floor. The stairs are narrow (damn, okey enough swear words paksi), especially if you moving with big boxes and suitcases. Did I mention that the movers are only three person? Yeah I think so. Well, you have to know that Lia is a person that always uncomfortable with asking helping people or friends to help her. She got her reason for "nggak enakan", but for this she should feel bad about withhelding crucial information (hello Lia, if you read this and you still fell bad, that's good, you should, huehhehehe). If I know that information I would asked some of my friends at Chicago for help, or I just refused to help, hueheheh. (she had stayed at that place before, just to give the background that she's familiar with that place). Anyhow, I had to use my strenght more than I calculated before, and we finish our job, I know I shouldn't be bitching when helping others (I rarely do really), but third floor!!! C'mon that is an important information.


*Tired Movers's Faces, except the one who smiles, hueheheheheh

Then, we went to meet Airin at her house, and we went around the city, especially the place for Indonesian goods. We ate at Vietnam restaurant, Lia want to pay for the food (I'm sorry Li, it's not enough, huehehehehe, really). We ended up at Japonnais (I had to wear my sandals here, fucking pretentious place). We ate Sushi and drink some long drink. We got one free sushi plate, because some mishap on the register or something, which made we have to wait almost an hour for the sushi (I should throw the manager with my sandals, hueheheh). We were doing some chit chat, because that was the first time Airin and Driya & Lia met. We had one show, which made these two young gals curious or amaze, it was the show of Airin knotted cherry branch with her mouth, huehehehehe. Finally, we had to go back to Champaign, because somebody had to have dinner in Champaign (This is also good story, huahahahahha). So, we went back, and drop Driya at her places, because she had to have dinner with her friend (singular, singular third person), and I have to do one of my routine after Champaign Beyatches left, that is eating dinner alone...

Lha ilang tulisan gue, nyang pake pake bahasa inggris lagi, payah dah firefox, kutu kupret dah...
Cape aaahh...
Padahal ini tentang perjalanan ke Chicago yang... nanti ajah ahhh... *gosip mode*

Long (Not So) Hot Summer Nights

It has been a while since I posted my blog, which might be forgotten if my wife and my friends did not remind me about this blog. Well, I think this period of summer is just one of the low point in my life. I only have a few targets (for works and school) this summer, which I think I can manage (I hope, I hope, I hope...), but I have a feelling that I've been drained. Damn, I should go home. Well, let's stop here and let me update myself with my activities on the last couple of weeks.

After Ange left, I'm the only Champaign Beyatch left in this small area. Again, one of the most connected numbers was useless, following Yudis and Ardi. Then, the already pilled rollover minutes (around 1000 minutes after I lost my mobile 5-6 months ago) will pilled up again if I don't change my habit, huehehehe. Actually, most of my minutes are used to connect with my wife. I don't get it. Why almost all of my friends complain about the overage? They must have a lot of friends, or a lot of things to talk about, or both. It really pissed me off, if they don't accept my called because they have finished their minutes limit. By the way, I already forward my skype to my mobile phone. If I have credits and I don't pick up the called in skype, all the called made through skype will be forwarded to my mobile, cool huh. So, let's used skype, I'm a fanatic user now. My wife and I use skype religously, the best price and quality for internet telephone by far (This is a review from a long distance relationship expert, any dissapointment from believing this review is entirely not my responsibility).

Okay, where was I? hhmm. Well, the truth is we still have things to do for Ange, even after she left. We have to pick up her things at her apartment, and distribute it to the needy like me and other friends. One box have to be returned to her professor or fellow RA, and I still have one of her box to be sent. Therefore, we went an "errand" for her (I heard about this word a lot, but I think this is the first time I heard one of my friends use it, she's good huh, hueheheh). Of course the big journey was done a week before that, when we went to Chicago to drive Ardi to the airport and drop off Ange boxes. The complete story of the prapation before Ange left can be seen in her blog. The untold story will be revealed in other convinient time, huehehehhehe. Basically, we cleaned her apartment a few days after she left, with the help of Ika and Ayong. By we here, I mean Paksi and Etta. By the way, I think I lost her mobile telephone bill (hehehhehehe), the last time I remembered I put it in my back pocket, maybe Etta has it , but Ange already disconnected the phone. I hope she has a good (love) life in Jakarta, or any other places, huahahaha.

Other thing that I have to do is to guide Etta how to drive. I'm not a good mentor on this, because she always protested my method. She even complained that if she drive with me she misses the sign easily, but not with her friend (gosh, I must be a jinx there).

One night we almost ran in to the ditch at the highway entry. Sometimes, she drove according to herself. If she think it is right, she just go for it, unfortunately most of her thinking were wrong. Of course, like any people with this kind of behaviour, will protested about the traffic light that is not in the 'right' place, the road sign that is 'strange', the line on the road that can not be seen, the Paksi that brings mistakes, etc. Well, maybe she is right, I don't know, I'm not an expert in the traffic science, and I don't believe in jinx, but I know I will not run trough a traffic light, just because I think the traffic light is in the wrong place. Also, it's a waste of time to protest the traffic/road sign, because they simply wont reply. Actually, this kind of things remind me of one of my friend who just went back home, where she often thinks that everythings around her are wrong, huehehehehhe.

Phew, I'm too old for this, my heart is getting weaker nowadays. Well, I think Etta is a serious and clever women, and always takes everything seriously, including driving, huehehheheeh. As for me, driving is one of good relaxation activity, especially in Champaign (the only traffic is on the Green St. and in the traffic light, I wonder why they used traffic light here, it is a waste of electricity). But she finally get better and better everyday. Hopefully, she will take the driving test as soon as possible, before she forget, or before she think too much again, hueheheheh.

Okey, that's all for now, I have to go back to work, well, actually it is a lunch time, so I have to stop playing and start my lunch, huahahahaha. I hope after this post, Etta will still cook for me, hueheheheh. Because she always gives me a threat, like on one occasion, she warn me not to smoke ganja if I still want to taste her cook, huahahah. It was an easy choice. By the way, I have ganja now, hueheheheh.

Live Long and Prosper

On The Sunny Side of the Street (still about commencement)

This post is just another commencement pictures, especially from Lia's commencement (Ange's commencement pictures can be seen in her blog). Enjoy...


*Assembly Hall: Business and Accounting Commencement


*Looking Up


*kongkow-kongkow


*After the Commencement


*The Fans


*Inside the Follinger Hall


*The Outer Side of Assembly Hall


*Tika (if my memory served)

The Last Days of One of the Champaign Beyatches (Ange)


* Together at Cowboy Monkeys: Two Nights Before D Day

Again, the original Champaign Beyatches was losing its members (after Yudi), actually now there is only one original member left, that would be me.

First I have to congratulate Ajeng Angeline Galuh Nariswari, for her master degree in advertising. I hope you will find what(who) you want soon, hehehehe.

I went to her commencement, and it is a fun commencement, with funny speakers, and cool video presentation. About her commencement, you can read in her blog, where she posted story and pictures about her commencement.


*The Four Women at Cowboy Monkeys

This is a post about her last days in Champaign Urbana. Of course, the last days were filled with last farewell for many of her friends, in Champaign-Urbana and Chicago, and of course pack her things (or threw some). The pictures in Chicago are still in Heri, these picture are from the days after the Chicago day. All the pictures are protected by copyright.


*The Last Picture Together at Willart Airport

Without get into too much details (I'm almost sured, she doesn't want me to get in too much details, hueheheheh), The last sunday we (Paksi, Etta and Ange) went to Chicago, and Ange was the driver, cool huh. The first thing we did was going to the church, which I forget the name. Then, we went to Airin's place to meet Airin and Heri. We stayed there for awhile and we had our dim sum lunch in Phoenix, China Town. This was the place that the Champaign Beyatches enjoyed the first dim sum together. Of course, this time we didn't have the interpreter, but hey, we still survived, hehehhe.


*The Four Women at the bench

Before I continued, I have to tell you, that at that time in Chicago, the weather is very hot almost like Jakarta, which made me miss my wife evenmore, damned weather. But I like hot weather, I'm tropical person.


*Ange and I

There are two places that we planned to go in Chicago. First was the church, and second was the Boat. We wanted to travel together by boat in the river and in the lake. The boat was our primary target in Chicago (in addition, Ange had to buy Chicago's snow globe). After the dim sum, we went to buy the snow globe, and the ticket for the boat. I geared up with my towel, which made everybody embarassed, and Heri geared up with his camera, a very big bag. In the mean time before we board the boat, we managed to rest at the Nordstorm Mall, while Ange buy something for her sister. The gang was three of us, Heri and Airin. Most of them were suffering from the heat at that day, even one of our friend had migrain. Etta managed to buy wasabi peanuts (eeuuww) to entertain herself.


*The Four Women at the bench with smoke

Finally, we boarded the boat. We were a little bit late, so we can't get the sun deck, which make everybody, except me, not happy. Hey, I'm easy to entertain. So, we went down and sit, and enjoying the trip. I like water, expecially sea, and if I live in Illinois, the lake is the closest thing to the sea. Heri tried to find great spots to shoot his Nikon D-100 and Nikon FM something (maybe). Ange tried to stay in the sun=deck, but I think she missed our companion, so she joined us in to the lower deck. We're just talking, and enjoying the wind and the sound of the lake. It was a fun journey, it is athe first time for most of us in this Wandela Boat Tour, except Ange, because she had this ride before... hhmmm.


*The Four Women in the middle of the street

After dark, we went to have dinner in Triple Crown, in the last three trips to Chicago I always ate in this place. They do have a very delicious fried quail. We joined eric, who like always, already had his dinner, huehehe. We have to introduced Etta to Eric, because they didn't know each other before (no more comment for this introduction, huehehehe). Anyhow, we have a good day in Chicago, a lot of fun, and some farewell scene from Ange to Chicago. We returned to Champaign at that night.


*The Four Women Near the Street Lamp

The day after, we have more official farewell in Comunity Centre in Orchad Downs, because Ange will returned home and Mia's family will move to Alabama. So, we had lunch with Indonesian food, a very good one may I say. Friends from Champaign and Chicago came to attend this farewell. It was still a hot day, but better than the day before.


*The Cover (The Sun)

In the night, we managed to go Cowboy Monkey to hear some music and drink. There are Ange, Etta, Paksi and Driya. Later, Lia joined us after I picked her up, ckckckc. When I picked Lia, one of the guys in Cowboy Monkeys tried to talk to them, the three girls. While they didn't want to be disturbed, Driya bravely managed to stir the man away, with one effective phrases: "NO ENGLISH", hehehhehehe. Good girl. When I arrived there, the man already went away.


*The Message from the Four of Us (+Beby)

After the bar is closed, we went outside and took picture of ourselves. It was a quiet street (well, it was 2 in the morning). So, we, actually they, went crazy to have the best pose. It was a difficult target, but we had at least some good picture (I think). It was one of those crazy mornings in downtown Champaign.


*The Unified Message

In the D-1 before Ange leave, she did some errands, well a lot of errands actually. I felt a little bit dizzy so I stayed home, while Ange went to do her errands with Etta. We had quick bites at Bar Louie in afternoon, and we met again in the night at her apartment, when we accompanied her packing "UNTIL MORNING". Of course, I didn't expect that she will finished everything at night, but until the last minutes she was still busy with her packing. Well, it was fun to see her made her decision, how she was panic in the midst of packing. We just tried to help by shredding some paper, Etta with her unbelievible skill managed to fix the new shredder machine, while I transfer some of video to my laptop. Etta and I tried to help a bit, but we're tired to the point where we can only gave our strenght, and accepting Ange orders.


*The Words

Finally, we went to the Willard Airport, Lia went to Ange's place, which made her the official driver, fiuh, huahahahahha (Thank you Lia). Lack of sleep and food, we were driving Ange to the Willard, and we stayed there a bit before she entered the gate. Driya came to the airport to bid Ange farewell and delivered one of the best handmade card that I've ever seen. Thank you Driya, that was a very nice card, it was a surprise even for me.


*The Fun Picture

Then, we bid our farewell, our hugs and kisses, to Ange wish her everything, she entered the gate, we saw her fade from our sight, and we went back to see Lele apartment and had some breakfast. It was a very humid day.


*The Victims of Ange: Lack of Sleep and Food

The End

To Ange (the woman member of Champaign Beyatches: Have a great life ahead and thank you for everything...)

On the Sunny Side of the Street

Conratulation for Dewa, after completing his master level study in some place in Norwegia (I forget about the place, sorry)

I hope you can pursue another stage of your life succesfully. Of course, this happy conratulation also goes to his wife Rury, who had endured long distance relationship with her husband. I wish joy and luck for both of you.

Yours Truly
Paksi and Beby
in the Earliest of June 2006

My Two Troubling News from Indonesia

First News:
The first news is about earthquake in Yogyakarta and Central Java, my mother born in Yogyakarta, and the latest news from my wife, our extended family are fine. Thank God. It was big and destructive earthquake, the death toll is more than five thousands, and the injured people is more enormous, around 15.000 people. I hope Yogyakarta will regain its vitality.
God bless all the victims, and all the helper that will rebuild Yogyakarta and Central Java.

Second News:
This news happened before the Yogyakarta's earthquake, and I knew because I've read Dewa's Blog. It is about the demonstration and riot in Makassar, which became a racist demonstration. Well, it is not new in Indonesia, that kind of riots, but the more troubling news is the leaders of the racist demonstration are student. What the fuck... Maybe the stupid student just forget about the May tragedy 1998, or they don't read about that history. Well maybe they were still young to remember about the history (At that time (at least May 1998), they were still in junior high school, high school, or maybe elementary school). But still, it is one of the stupidest thing that I've ever heard about student movement, and believe me, students do a lot of stupid things throughout the history. I will give this link of the article from Ariel Heryanto and exact paste from the article like in the Dewa's Blog (hehehe, I love copy paste, I have to read news more often like Dewa). The quote is a good reminder for students all over Indonesia, so they are not become so fucking stupid.

Yang namanya mahasiswa telanjur dianggap cendekia. Keistimewaan mereka diduga berada pada kekuatan nalar dan kecerdasan intelektual. Sementara warga republik lain kembang kempis menanggung krisis ekonomi, mereka menikmati kemewahan bertahun-tahun mengolah ilmu di tempat terhormat yang tertutup bagi mayoritas warga negara seusia.

NB: I really think Indonesia has to make anti-discrimination law, maybe It will be rubber law like subversive law, but with diversity and rage like Indonesia maybe the law is the second best solution.

God Bless Indonesia