A poor image from my poor phone camera from last night’s event

fashion show

So I went to a fashion show event last night. It was the first time in my life to go on such event, considering that I am not a socialite, not that fashionable and not a princess.

How did I get the invitation as a nobody? Well, my designer mba Alma invited my mom and I to the event and she was one of 21 designers that joined the fashion show.

My comment, the fashion show was great, the big ballroom, the food, in general I had a lot of fun.

But after around dozen designers showed off their collections, I got bored and left after I watched mba Alma’s collection.

Besides the fashions show, I was very curious with the audience. I read Cosmopolitan and many fashion blogs, so I expected fashionable crowds and at the same time I was worried with my own outfit. (FYI, I wore a batik dress from Bringharjo market and my ankle boots).

It turned out that the crowds were not as fashionable as I thought. Well some people did dressed up, but many others wore simple batik dresses like my mom and I. I guess the ones that dressed up were either designers or Yogyakarta’s socialites.

Well it’s Jogja, so it’s obvious that the fashions show was somewhat a little humble, at least for me.

Other things that glimpsed my eyes were some people in casual attire of jeans and shirts with backpacks. Yup, they were the media.

Back when I was a reporter, every time I attended such glamorous events with formal dress code, I always looked for other reporters who usually wore casual clothes like I was. I guess it become a habit to automatically spot reporters on the field.

Not only that, I also felt the urged to pay huge attention to the show and the speeches, as a preparation to write, which was totally unnecessary because I was there as an audience.

It was not helping, when a friend of mine text me asking if I was there to cover the fashions show…

It was just getting more and more sad.

I hate to admit it, but I do miss being a reporter.

Finally, some alone time

After I became unemployed last week, I was looking for some time to be alone, without TV or comic books or even Popo. Just me, listening to music and probably writing my random thoughts.

And I finally have that time here at the airport, waiting for the plane for about 2 more hours.

Not what I’ve planned though. First I thought of enjoying my alone time at my apartment, after Popo went to work. But the TV or the comics got my attention, plus all the houseworks that I had to do.

Another perfect time was when I was on my way to Puncak, highlands near Jakarta. We passed this spot called Puncak Pass, where I could enjoy the view cities and hills from the top.

 I knew it would be super awesome if I could go there and enjoy the view alone while thinking what I need to do next. Sadly we were too exhausted and ended up sleeping.

Usually every time I face troubles or difficulties, I always call my close friends or families to talk about it. Next I will listen to music out loud and reading comic books just to get my mind out of it. 

Not this time. This time I just want to sit down and do nothing. Maybe I need some kind of meditation. Its funny how I used to despise meditation because I don’t see the point of doing it. And now I feel somewhat more relax after sitting and doing nothing for only 20 minutes.

Officially jobless

After one year and three months, I’m now officially jobless.

My feeling was mixed up, still is actually, about this.

I guess I’ve always known that I don’t belong in the office, so I kinda got the vibe that this thing would come. Even so, I’m still sad that I couldn’t stay longer in that place. 

It’s just that place had been my dream since I was in college. So to realize that I stopped working there after only a year was so hard.

It’s like I like this particular dress and dream about wearing it, but after saving up an buying it, the dress doesn’t fit. Even after I try to squeeze in so hard that it hurts, the dress still doesn’t fit. So I have to let it go. 

And it’s killing me because I really really want to wear that dress. 

But, despite how cliche this my sound, I believe Allah prepares better job and adventure for me.

I said goodbye to my friends, editors, and mentors last week. It was sad but I was pretty happy because they seemed to enjoy my presence in the past year. Too bad I couldn’t find the editor in chief in my last day of working.

Anywho, last year was amazing and unforgettable. The experiences, the lessons, even the nagging changed me into a new (and I hope) and better person.

As for the responses, my parents and Popo were happy that I didn’t have to come home at night again. Sipa is still being her with no comment in general. My girlfriends were as mixed up as I was. The good thing is that all of them support me to get through this.

Rainy rainy days...

It’s been raining in days here in Jakarta. Floods hit the city repeatedly, sun rarely comes out.

I actually like rain. It’s gloomy and the air is much cooler.

Just had one tiny problem.

I can’t dry my clothes…

So, it’s Saturday, and I can’t enjoy my one-day holiday because I have to stay home and watch my laundry in case it’s raining.

Sejak kapan mau jadi kucing?

Berasa lama banget enggak nge blog… 
Lagi asik jadi wartawan amatir nih.

Berhubung internet kantor lagi mati dan enggak bisa nulis berita, mending nulis uneg-uneg lah yah.

Ini sebenarnya pembicaraan lama sama salah satu sahabat saya, Mala.

Mala itu seangkatan sama saya, dan layaknya 20 something girls yang baru kelar kuliah, yang diomongin itu berkisar: pacar, agenda nikah, and…well… jobs. 

Mala, sama kayak saya,baru lulus jadi sarjana. Trus pas ngobrol ngalor ngidul di BBM, dari mulai kerja, PNS, kawin, ikut suami tau-tau sampai ke statement,

“Aku pengen jadi kucing wae Yak,” kata Mala.

Kenapa kucing? Karena kucing itu diurusin. Semacam Garfield yang bisa gulang guling seharian.

Masih sama kayak saya, Mala juga udah punya pacar yang serius. Dan Mala udah berniat jadi istri yang bakal ngikutin kemana suaminya kerja. 

Jadi sekarang dia nyantai gitu nyari kerja. Enggak kayak saya yang kesetanan, bolak balik Jakarta-Jogja, bahkan sampai Surabaya, yang akhirnya gagal juga.

Enak banget yah, saya juga mau jadi kucing. Diurusin suami, enggak usah ribet ikut tes, desek-desekan di job fair, wawancara sana sini. Tapi saya enggak bisa.

Obrolan selanjutnya beralih ke status saya yang anak pertama dan Mala yang anak ke 4 atau 5 gitu, dari 7 bersaudara.

Sebagai anak pertama, mau enggak mau saya jadi kedapetan kewajiban but membanggakan orang tua. Kalau Mala, orang tuanya juga jadi lebih santai kali yah, secara banyak kakak-kakaknya Mala yang udah jadi contoh.

Tapi tiba-tiba pas ngobrol sama Mama, kok Mama malah bilang,
“Kamu jadi PNS aja mbak, atau cari kerjaan di Jogja. Gaji 1 juta enggak apa-apa.”

Lha???

Campur-campur dong saya rasanya, tapi banyakan jengkel sih. Bayangin dong, orang udah capek-capek kuliah 2jurusan. Pas ujian lari-lari kesana kesini, karena ujiannya bareng. Sampe dibela-belain skripsi dua kali. Eh, sekarang suruh kawin, trus kerja seadanya.

Pernah pas bete memuncak, saya sampai ngomong ke mama,
“Kalo gitu dulu enggak usah susah-susah kuliah teknik kali Mah. Mending d3 aja yang administrasi.”

Maap ya Mah, esmosi.

Saya sih seneng-seneng aja jadi ‘kucing.’ Tapi kenapa sekarang??? 

Saya masih inget jaman SMP, saya dimasukin di SMP di Denpasar karena, padahal saya tinggal di Kuta, yang kira-kira 13an kilo lah. Tiap pagi saya berangkat jam 6, biar enggak kejebak macetnya jl Imam Bonjol.  Padahal di Kuta juga ada kok SMP. 

Waktu SMA, dibela-belain sekeluarga pindah ke Jogja dan Papa sendirian di Kalimantan. Biar nanti saya siap buat masuk UGM/ITB gitu.

Pas kuliah pun saya ikut bimbel super mahal yang pake garansi masuk kedokteran. Enggak masuk sih, nyasarnya di teknik. Ngerasa madesu di teknik karena IPK pas-pasan, saya genjot bahasa inggris saya di kampus sasing.

Trus sekarang…suruh jadi istri yang di rumah, atau istri yang bisa pulang sore????
And, sejak kapan sih orang tua saya yang tadinya setengah mati pengen anaknya sukses, tau-tau pengen anaknya jadi 'kucing’?

Anywhoo, Balik ke Mala, saya kagum sama dia, dan semua cewek yang memutuskan jadi ibu rumah tangga habis lulus kuliah. Menurut saya butuh pengorbanan besar buat bisa mengikhlaskan perjuangan 4-5 tahun di kampus itu.

Apalagi Mala juga bilang, ada kemungkinan dia mau nunggu si pacar lulus, trus nunggu dia kerja, trus baru deh Mala nyari kerja di kota yang sama kayak si pacar/probably husband at that time.

Berasa ditonjok deh saya. Hubungan saya sama Popo justru kebalikan. Popo akhirnya hijrah ke Jakarta hanya karena saya bilang, saya mau kerja di Jakarta. 

Baru-baru ini juga dia nolak promosi karena itu di luar Jakarta, demi deket sama saya doank.

Berasa pacar durhaka.

Saya bukannya nyepelein kerjaan ibu rumah tangga. My mom is a full time housewife and I couldn’t be more proud of her. 

Tapi ngelepasin gelar sarjana dan kesempatan buat mengaplikasikan ilmu-ilmu itu di bidangnya, itu enggak gampang, at least for me.

So here’s the crossroad, mau jadi kucing persia yang cantik dan stay di rumah, atau be a cub? 

Apapun yang saya pilih, pasti saya nyesel karena enggak milih yang satunya. The Road Not Taken banget deh.

Yang jelas, once again, salut sama sahabat saya yang satu itu, yang mau berkorban demi calon suaminya.

#idulfitri nasib jadi tetua di rumah. Food for all!!!