Good Deeds: Should We Think Twice?

How many times you can get second chance to help others in one day?

Seriously, this is might be a silly question. But I started wondering about this matter few months ago.

One day, around 1 am at the airport in Jakarta, I was just get back from my trip, and there was this young lady, stewardess, she was looking for a transportation to get home or something. And I was waiting for a taxi as well, and she was a little bit nervous because she's expecting to get regular taxi, not the premium one. While I was there about to put my luggage to the taxi trunk. I asked her, "where you going?". And she said Bekasi (a place that is really far from the airport). I said to her I'm going to the city.

I was so stupid I didn't offer her any ride, well at least until I arrive to the city so we can split the bill and she will pay cheaper price then she would be able to continue her trip to home. I knew I could just say it to her, but I didn't! From the airport to her place probably could cost her around Rp 230.000 something. While from airport to the city could cost around Rp 100.000. She could just pay Rp 130.000! For the whole journey to home, I felt guilty and regret because I didn't offer her any help or whatsoever.

After that moment, I wouldn't think twice If someone else around me need help. When someone needs help you can't reconsidering few minutes, because sometimes the moment just passing by in a split second.

In London, people are walking so freaking fast and not really paying attention to what happen around them. But if we slow it down little bit, probably, there are senior citizens need your help to bring their luggage when they are using a normal stairs. If you think twice to give a hand and you will miss that chance to help them.

So, what I'm trying to say here, you will probably facing this kind of situations every day. Where your help is needed at that moment. Read the whole situation in one second, and don't think twice, the chance for you to give a little help probably wouldn't come twice as well. Do it before it's too late.

I don't need to explain why we need to do good things. It's not sunday class for kids. But pushing yourself to react spontaneously to help others is shaping your character. When you expected to give support, initiatives and help, you won't have to rethink it. It's in your blood. God use you to become useful for someone else. You are probably favour or blessing to others. Or superstar. Like the old lady on the Bond Street underground stairs said to me. I'm her superstar of the day. :p

Write Down Your Aspirations

Kalau flash back ke belakang lagi, semua yang di achieve saat ini adalah aspirasi dari masa lalu. Suatu sore gue pernah nemuin buku coret2an 5 tahun lalu gue yang isinya aspirasi karir, pendidikan, traveling, rumah dll. Dan pas dilihat lagi.. wow.. amazed aja. Ternyata semuanya kesampean. Walaupun keringet darah dan basah ketek untuk ngelwatinnya.

Ternyata punya aspirasi itu bisa ngebawa kita kemana-mana ya. Mungkin tanpa sadar pikiran kita ngebawa tingkah laku kita dan aiming ke aspirasi aspirasi tadi. Nah kenapa gak coba bikin aspirasi2 kita dalam sebuah catatan, tulis di blog, print gambar nya kalau perlu tempel di samping layar komputer.

Seperti yang gue lakuin sekarang ini; writing down my goals.

1. Car:

Walaupun memang khayalan tingkat tinggi, tapi sebenarnya mobil ini cukup affordable di UK. Tinggal dipilih aja warnanya yang mana.. :p

2. Home:

Apartment at The Grove

Dua minggu lalu ke show unit nya , damn... keren banget. Walaupun harganya mencekik leher, tapi spacious dan well designed banget. Ya namanya juga show unit. Tapi daripada punya rumah yang ngurusnya ribet, mungkin apartemen lebih simple.

Hmm.. ternyata so far itu doang aspirasi gue.

Walaupun terlihat sangat superficial, tapi memang perlu punya aspirasi. Nanti coba lihat lagi 5 tahun kedepan. Pas nyadar udah tercapai jadi bisa lebih bersukur.

A Place Called Home.

Few second after Etihad landed to Heathrow, I realised that I finally found my home. Yes. But it's not London. It's Jakarta. It's my 5th time stepping in this country for the past 12 months. The last time was mid September 2011 after my trip to Sweden, and I went out again around Europe on early November 2011 before finally arrived in Bangkok, stay there for 3 days, and moved to Jakarta. What a crazy life. I know. But the utmost life changing experience was actually between December to February 2012 in Jakarta. It's the moment where I found the value of life. Not just because I can finally contribute something to others, but the acceptance of the local society, how they appreciate talents, and also never ending possibilities in professional life.

The fact in how great is your own hometown make me realise that it takes thousand miles away to getting this kind of consciousness. If I live with my curiosity and not having a gut to get my Master degree in London, I probably wouldn't be able to understand this whole thing. You never know if you never try.

I think after this April, I'm just gonna focus on my career in Jakarta. It's the best job ever anyway. The dream job! Settle down, buy an apartment at the end of the year. Travel somewhere near, probably HongKong or Vietnam, or Samui. Maybe hire personal trainer to get more discipline in shaping out my flabby love handle. It's time to take off my adventure badge. But till April '12, I'm just going to enjoy London, submit my final research, wandering around Amsterdam and Paris and finally facing the real challenge and get down to the business.

It's a good life.

Where to Live

I've been wandering around Asia this last 4 years, I haven't found the right place that I would love to call home. Singapore it's too humid, while Bangkok can be very hot and I can't understand their nasal language, Hong Kong it's too crowded, and yes my city Jakarta, is packed with motorbike, and polluted air.

I should probably find other place beside Asia. Melbourne seems like a great option. While Sydney is too rough for me. And Auckland is too Korean. Seriously, get yourself to the city centre and you find yourself surrounded by countless Korean and Mainland Chinese with their tofu jacket. Even though Davenport is a very comforting to live.

However, finding a job to move to other cities outside Asia is not easy. One of the way is to get a Master degree in one of the big cities in the world and try to apply working Visa or post work study. Hmmm.. how about Europe?

Bad Day

Seberapa sering kita ingat akan kesialan kita dalam satu hari? Kehilangan dompet, cellphone, mobil ketabrak, kacamata keinjak, atau hal-hal kecil seperti kehilangan karcis parkir. Walaupun cuma bayar Rp.20.ooo cuma rasanya nggak rela aja kan? Sebarapa sering kita wondering kenapa hari ini sial? Apa cuma karena ceroboh? Dan seberepa sering juga kita mengumpat karena kejadian tadi? Pernah gak nyalahin diri sendiri atau menuding diri kita "mungkin karena kita jarang bersedekah..." Pasti pernah. Dan at the end of the day kita ngomong gini "Hari yang aneh.. jangan-jangan gue dikerjain Uya..."

Coba deh lihat kiri kanan jangan-jangan beneran ada kamera. Kalau nggak ada anggep aja besok mungkin mau menang lotre gila gilaan.

Life is Waiting

I'm waiting for my paycheque. Monthly paycheque. While waiting for it, I put myself in difficult situation, doing something that I don't like anymore. Oh yeah this job is so irritating. The initial brief from Account people is so exciting, but doing it, getting through thousand revisions and till finally you see your work (that is not 100% original anymore) at the news paper, next day, is so painful.

I'm sure there are another stories that wait for me outside this building. Story of one man who try to strive in big cities, chasing never ending possibilities, doing what he likes and finally settle down, or maybe not. Or maybe, at the end of the day, end up in this kind of situation. Again.

I don't know. But it's worth to try. Otherwise I would not know. But I know for sure, Life is Waiting out there. Cheers, I'm preparing my resignation letter now.