Showing posts with label birthday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label birthday. Show all posts

Saturday, April 29, 2017

Magical April in 2017 - #28GoingStrong

Tidak ada yang lebih membahagiakan daripada Berdamai dengan diri sendiri. Sebuah jiwa terguncang karena pikirannya sendiri, dengan berdamai dengan dirinya dan tidak menuntut lebih, jiwa itu akan merasa lega... Dan itulah yang terjadi saat ini.


Seperti biasa, bulan April selalu membawa sedikit keajaiban. I always say that April is Magical April. Segala hal menjadi lebih baik dengan caranya sendiri. Dari akhir tahun 2016, sampai awal tahun 2017, aku mengalami capek mental. Mungkin secara nggak sadar, ada banyak skenario-skenario yang aku ciptakan sendiri di kepala yang akibatnya membuat tubuhku tidak kuat. Bolak balik bed rest. Infeksi lambung, teperatur badan meningkat dengan alasan tidak jelas, sakit kepala berlebihan, dan ditutup dengan urat syaraf kejepit.

Ada beberapa perubahan di hidup aku yang membutuhkan perhatian ekstra. Membutuhkan effort lebih untuk nyaman lagi di situasi baru. Dari segi finansial, relationship, work, friendship, family, semuanya campur aduk jadi satu. Entah karena pergerakan planet-planet yang lagi retrograde, aku diajak untuk re-evaluate, re-invent, and re-construct. Intinya, aku disuruh berubah. Situasi yang berbeda memaksa aku untuk keluar dari zona nyaman, beradaptasi lagi, untuk berpacu dalam melodi ritme pergerakan dunia. Atau mungkin memang inilah titik hidupku, sebuah titik diberi angka 28, di mana aku diminta untuk naik tingkat dalam level kedewasaan.
Mengingat tahun lalu aku sempat menge-post soal Quiarter Life Crisis, walaupun aku sudah tidak mengalami crisis, tetapi tetap saja tahun ini diawali dengan berat. Ini adalah ujian yang sebenarnya. Setelah pergumulan berat, pusing-pusing sendiri. April tiba dengan membawakan kesejukan sendiri. Di awal April, aku terasa seperti dibangunin dari ketakutan-ketakutan sendiri gara-gara satu kejadian. Satu kejadian itu yang membuat aku bangun. Sadar. Dan rasanya itu menyenangkan sekali. Saat itu juga, aku bilang sama diri aku kalau aku nggak boleh terus-terusan begini karena aku tahu bahwa sebenarnya aku mampu untuk menghadapi apapun yang sekarang aku harus hadapi.
Memutuskan untuk ngerayain ulang tahun dan paskah di Makassar adalah keputusan terbaik.
Love from my family and friends really motivate and inspire me. Hanya gestur sederhana dari Euro dan Gassing yang cemburu-cemburuan gara-gara aku ngelus-ngelus Gassing saja. Papo yang senantiasa siap untuk memeluk anak perempuannya ini. Senyuman si Oma yang nggak pernah gagal bikin aku terenyuh. My crazy family and friends yang nggak pernah akan menilai seberapa bagusnya aku achieve bulan ini, seberapa nyampahnya aku ketika cerita, seberapa gendutnya aku, atau penilaian-penilaian lainnya. Sebuah support penuh. Mungkin itu yang aku butuhkan. Sedikit dukungan tanpa banyak bicara.




 Tahun ini aku membuat sebuah Hashtag - #28GoingStrong
Manusia jaman sekarang diukur dengan banyak hal. Kesuksesan bekerja, sudah menikah atau belum, sudah punya anak apa belum. Bagi diriku pribadi, aku mengukur kesuksesanku berdasarkan seberapa bisanya aku berubah mengikuti ritme hidup. Dan tetap menghargai apa yang aku punya, menghargai diriku terlebih dahulu.


Seseorang pernah bilang begini sama aku.
"Menurutku rasa takut itu gak melulu buruk. Takut, tanda seseorang masih hidup. Tidak pernah merasa takut untuk waktu yang lama adalah masalah menurutku. Rasa takut ada karena berarti kita sudah mencoba hal yang baru. Apa yang kamu alami dan rasakan "biasa" sekarang mungkin juga menakutkan buatmu dimasa lalu. Percaya bahwa kali ini juga pasti akan seperti itu. Cuma masalah waktu dan kebiasaan saja. Hidup tanpa persoalan bagai sekolah tanpa pelajaran."
Dia ingetin aku kalau rasa takut itu bisa dilawan dengan kebiasaan. Membuatnya menjadi hal biasa. Dan itu yang aku lakukan bulan ini. Segala ketakutanku kuubah dengan melakukan tindakan-tindakan, alih-alih memelihara ketakutan-ketakutan itu.
Aku bilang sama diriku,

Aku menolak untuk cemburu dengan orang yang nggak aku kenal hanya gara-gara aku merasa kurang mampu. Aku menolak untuk takut gagal. Maka dari itu... work it out Chen! 

Intinya, kita tidak bisa hanya bertahan di satu titik. Selalu bergerak. Dan diumur ke 28 ini aku berharap Chendani dengan #28GoingStrong akan menjadi lebih mantap lagu. Nggak takut dengan segala paradigma, asumsi, situasi negatif, dan yang terparah adalah ketakutan dari dalam diri sendiri.

Aku selalu bilang kalau aku jatuh cinta sama kehidupan, dan hal itu belum berubah. Aku masih jatuh cinta.

Aku menjadikan bulan April ini sebagai awal tahunku. Sebuah lembaran baru. April tanda musim semi dimulai, dan bukan sebuah kebetulan bahwa aku pun lahir dalam bulan April making it more Magical :)




PS: Terima kasih buat kalian semua yang udah ngucapin selamat, ngasih kado, nyanyi-nyanyi bareng. #everydayinAprilisMyBirthday... :)
Chen is still the loopy kinda girl all around regardless the number of her age
#28GoingStrong



Cheers...
CVB

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Being 27

Before I start, let me take this chance to express my gratitude to those who drop birthday wishes on social media, threw me a party, and sent me presents or lovely messages. All well received :) Thank you once again... :)

I just turned 27 about 10 days ago. I am not a type of person (or woman) who hesitates to say about age. Age for me is a measurement; how well I am doing, how much I have learned, how far I may go. For me, being 27 is another special turning point. I just realize one thing when I turned 27. 27 is an odd number, not young, not old. 27 is the first mark entering late twenty, don't you agree?Three more years, and I am entering the 30s-hood. Some say that life starts at 30. I can't picture it in my head just yet. Am I still here fighting all alone, be a daddy's girl at home, or... something else. Let the future be the unwritten page. Nevertheless, can I say that turning 27 is special?
What special about me turning 27 is, just three days before my birthday, I got to meet three different people who asked me similar questions. All leading to the future me. It is like preparing me to construct what my future could be.
First person that I met was my very boss. I got to do a presentation in front of him on that Friday. I could say that it was an evaluation. His saying about me was striking me right in the heart. He always has this punctuality about his staff. At least it always works on me. I could bear working at his company and reaching my current position was all because of him saying that I had to trust myself and should not be afraid of rejections. I could say he might not be perfect, but he has own gig about observing people, and I respected him for that. After the presentation, we had a small heart-to-heart conversation. Despite my headache, we conducted pretty casual conversation (not work-related topics) and there he was giving me questions; "what is your future plan?", "will you work on the company again?" Giving you a little background for those who haven't known, my papo owns a small firm in Makassar and people do expect me to go back to him and work with him. Of course, it is on my agenda and that's what I told my boss about my plan in the next two years. However, secretly wishing that it will be my last-last plan. Meaning, if I do not longer get any other great opportunity, or if I am not getting married (let's say) with people who are not from Makassar, I might go home by that time. I make my father turning 65 as my turning point as well. That's what I told him. He nodded acknowledge-ly since he knew my family, and what situations we have been through. He said that, it was OK for me to go back to my father, though, he would be happy if I still stay with him. I smiled contentedly. I was glad that he was the first one that wake me up. He said that I needed to have a goal. Humbly say to you that I have been living my life after moving to Malang kinda un-purposely. Not intentionally, but because I just don't know what I am going to do. He, on that day, activated my brain to have goal again, to dream again.
Just like story in novel or drama where you are going to meet people on the same day that has similar purpose, I met a second person who gave me more insights. It is like building a story up. The second person that I met was giving me another chance, another hope. She's a parent from a student that I once helped. She's been trying to keep in touch with me (reminds me of mambo), she gave me another perspective about going home and back to papo's company. There's a little concern on her voice that I rarely found from other people. Others might tell me to go back as soon as possible, she said the opposite. She told me that why don't I take another chance? Like working in the international corporation? Suddenly, it sounds promising. Suddenly, I don't want to go back just yet. I said to her that I am still open to opportunities, but to work at a company like the one I am working is mostly no. However, if there is another chance, I will take a look at it deliberately. She said that 27 is still a young age. She added that "it is good to have your own company, but you are still young, you can go anywhere you like, you can learn much more" and she's right.
Lastly, on the very same day, I finally got to meet my aunt who came from the Nederland. She's my papo's older sister. She took care of us, nieces and nephews, daringly. On the bed, she talked to me like a real family would converse. A traditional suggestion, at the same time a loving one :). She was worrying about me having my own family. I haven't shown any signs of in a relationship. Many guys I have brought home, but they only are friends. She's not the type of annoying tante who pushes me to get married. She only advised that I should pray sincerely and she's willing to be a match-maker haha. No, she's not the type of annoying tante-tante who just gives you meaningless advise or just wooshing around saying I should be married now. Nope. She did it sincerely. I was grateful about that. The short conversation that we had in the dark gave me a blissful feeling. In the end, what I want is to be secured, settling down, and how to get it? It will be a great adventure to follow.
Papo has said to me and to my boss when I first recruited in Surabaya. He said that he would be OK whether I continue on my own path or I choose to go back. He clearly said that I don't need to come back to his company if I wish to. He kept his own word. Many people have guessed that he want me to come back, but after I discussed this matter to him again, he said the same thing with what he had said before. I am OK to continue on my career.
I should take this seriously. I just consciously knew that I haven't taken my future seriously. I may say that I am too absorbed of current situations, but not in a good way. I can say that I am in my comfort zone and stays there waiting for the future calling me which is not how it works. I have to pursue the future. Setting what I really want to do.
But again, in the end of the day, what we set is not settled by our own will. There must be a conspiracy within the universe, and it will do if it sees through our efforts. Work on it Chen. I can only take a rosary and pray for our limitations as human. Life is a scenario and God is a director. It is always like that isn't it?
Ah, after three months of gloomy me, I can see where this year takes me. Everything does happen because of reasons. Meeting these people, all these thoughts, all the gloominess, all came together in the end, so thank you once again..

I had a blast. People wishes, birthday presents, little not-so-surprised party, elmo cupcakes, and a lovely lovely lovely  love-card from my 93 year old opaaaa... It is amazing that he can still writes, and can give me the best immunity for a 27 year old me.



He made me realize one thing that all this long I never been alone. People kept coming to assist me, to guide me, to let me take my own lead of my own game, and on top of that, yes I still have that BIG DIRECTOR up there... Ok PDnim (just like South Korean addresses director), give me roles. 


CVB


Sunday, January 25, 2015

Mambo Agogo

Mambo is a name came up out of nowhere. The inventor was my dad. The person that was called, no one other than my own mom. I remember clearly, one day back then, when we had lunch, my dad blurred out "where is mambo?" Indicated busy mom wooshing around before finally sat down. Onwards from that day, we called my mom Mambo! 




Ah mambo. January 24th is her second birthday to the eternal life. Thus, in regards of her living memory, let me tell you about mambo that I knew dearly.
Mambo was in love with cooking. Kitchen was her throne. She could consider cooking as a stress reliever or in contrary, it made her stressful. Yes, my mom could feel two emotions at the same time. A libra typical. Anyway, she loved to cook and would cook enormously  and all of her dishes would be delivered to her friends or business-partners. She noted who liked what, who could not eat what, and so on. Whenever she cooked was a hell for me. Haha believe me, we did not have a good term back then. We fought often whenever she cooked at house. For those who got my mom's dishes, don't worry, it was not your fault, it was just us. I did not hate when my mom cooked, but I should be extra patient and sometimes I could not. Haha. It was not a bad memory at all. Kitchen would be smelled with Pastel tutup or what my mom called "Kentang Bakar" - baked potato, Dutch style baked potato. It was like a casserole topped with creamy smashed potato. Some other time, she would make her family tradition recipe. She called it Yuping. I think it's a dish from Fuqian where my mom's ancestor came from. You could probably only find it in Taiwan nowadays. Countless of recipes. My favorite was Yuping
.
Besides cooking, she loves to go shopping! Nontheless, she's not a shopaholic unless the SALE sign was up. She bought pans to underwear with BIG sale on it. She would like to ask my dad's cousin in Jakarta to find me a ballet dress with a note "yang diskon ya Wi", discount.. discount... discount. Her destiny was with DISCOUNT. She could get many things on a big sale. It's like discount and her were calling each other. Not only because the sign Sale was up, but she had a very good networking. She could get discount from a textile shop, crab restaurant, jewellery shop, material shop, health laboratory, and her friends or relatives could literally say her name in a Japanese Restaurant and they would get a discount ;). She is indeed a Tante Diskon.
One thing that is related to her as well, was a calculator. She would have a normal-sized calculator in her purse. Hehehehehehehhee... it was taken out when she bought groceries, or met customers. Her closed friends were smiling brightly when saw me put her favorite calculator in her coffin. I know I was silly. Hehe
She was not the kindest mom on earth, but she was a perfect mom for me indeed. Reminisce her leave, I was like seeing my mom graduated proudly from university of life. She had accomplished so much. Her complex about discount was diminished a little so she was able to enjoy many things. She was a little bit hard on herself. However, influenced by my dad, she was able to spend peacefully on her happiness in her last years on earth. Such as going to a nice hotel to spend a chinese new year, ate good food without waiting to be discounted  bought me an expensive dress. She said, she did not care anymore, she wanted to enjoy. And thus, she was able to be grateful of everything she had.
Very fresh in my mind, 2 years a go in her funeral in the church, people were packed. It looked like an ordinary Sunday mass. It was an honour to have you all back then. Thank you for those who were in grief for my mom's lost. Thank you for those who smiled brightly when coming to see my mom for the last time. Most of my father's cousins and her own cousins whom she had been closed with, came to our house and smiled upon my mom's body. They told my mom... "it is done. You are free now"


This is her two years of leaving us, but let us celebrate it with joy. For she was not going in agony, but in joyful heart. She was a warrior, she still my guardian warrior. Counted as I took my first breath on earth until very now, and even until my last breath, her heart is still beating like a drum in my heart.



Copied from Phillip Phillips's song Gone Gone Gone,
She is my backbone
My cornerstone
My crutch when my legs aren't moving.
My head start
My rugged heart
Like a drum, mambo don't stop beating
Like a drum my heart never stops beating for you

and long after you're gone, gone, gone
I'll love you long after you're gone, gone, gone


Saturday, April 19, 2014

Blessings

First and foremost I want to say
"HAPPY EASTER!!!"

My 25th easter, and yes... I am going to tell you about my 25th birthday.
Turning 25 for me is Big. It feels like when I turned 10th - it's like a gate towards my teens.
When I turned 17th - it's an entrance to be young adult
When I turned 21st - a "legal" age
And then now, 25... people say it's an age for marriage haha. But, I am not getting married any sooner, and I am not feeling that I should. Actually, being 25 is no difference than when I turned 18 or 22 or 24. I am still childish and the same cheerful chen that everybody knows... (at least that's what I have heard for the past 25 years hehehe)

However, there's something special about 25th birthday.

No.1
I got my number 3 supporter from Makassar a.k.a. RETTY KHO. My nanny 911. She came here to Surabaya, volunteered to be my maid for two days. She cleaned every corner of my room!! and gave me supply of food for months!


No. 2
Birthday Discounts.
hail to memberships!
20% off  from BodyShop
25% off from GAUDI
50% off from Etude House



No. 3
It's Palm Sunday!
What I recall, my birthday could be one of days in holy week. It could be on Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter vigil, or Easter Sunday.
This year, I had a privilege to celebrate it on Palm Sunday.
It's an ordinary Palm Sunday in Indonesia. A grande entrance with palms on hands, a full re-cap of station of the cross, but it's like a reading from a scripture. And then the eucharist.
It's just like any other Palm Sunday mass, but for me, it's a special one. I felt it when I got the hostia in communion. Regularly, in catholic mass, the priest would have a big hostia for the ceremony of eucharist on altar. The small hostia has been placed in crowns. The big hostia only be used by the priest and after the eucharist, it would be broken into small pieces and mixed with the small hostia.

Usually, people in the front who would have a chance to get the broken piece. Or, for a special mass like a wedding or baptism, the one who wed or the one who baptized got the broken piece. But, what special about it is when I got the broken piece instead. I was not one of those who in line in the first row. I was quiet towards the end, but the priest took a couple time before giving me the hostia, and it was the broken piece. I just thought it was not ordinary, it was a 'sign'. Don't know what, you could tell me that I was over-reacted. However, getting the broken piece on your birthday when you were not in the front line could make you think that... HE also wanted to 'congratulate' you, or I preferred to say, it was His gift :)

No. 4
"Mbak, masih SMA ya?" could be translated "Miss, you are still in High School, right?" said the Gaudi girl. Retty was burst into laughter. I was doing the same. That was not the first time I heard that people mistook me as a high schooler. In the first time I came to Surabaya, many have guessed that I could be at least still a college student. LOL
There were two possibilities about this; number one, I got a baby face look. Number two, childishness. Considering, they said it mostly at our first meetings, so I think possibility number one wins (yeaaah). Although, I admitted both of them haha.
taken a month ago

taken on April 13th

But hey, I think baby face is running into my family. Once my cousin Eras who is 10 years older than me, was mistook as a college student. It was on my 21st birthday, he came to Minneapolis from Washington DC for seminar. He was of course invited to my 21st birthday party. Most of my Minnesotan friends asked him whether he was in senior year, hahaha... he was 31 at that time. Already done with master. LOL


he was 31!! 

My dad is also having the similar situation. People wont guess that he is in his sixties. Most people were surprised when they know that my dad is 61 years old. He looks like in his late 40s at least, ot 50s possibly
He is the on who wears Batik

No. 5
Got many blessings from all of you :)

Being 25 feels old?
I honestly say that I am not feeling old. But, perhaps after this, I might? I don't know.
Anyway, numbers are just numbers.
What most important is how to live this life, don't you agree?
I am still not perfect, perhaps I could not be perfect.
However, just like you, I am learning from mistakes and gain every wisdom I can, walking in faith, and share joy and love.

Reminiscing of how I was born, every birthday is a gift.
Life is indeed a gift.
I could die when I was born because amniotic water was on my throat since I was in mambo's womb for 10 months. I was a premature baby. Hence, I could grow as tall and as big I am now is a blessing.

There's no other word than Grateful...

I just can say...

thank you
for all of you... for all of things...

Throwback post: 22 tahun yang lalu


CVB

Sunday, April 15, 2012

13 going 23

I am surely I am not a 13 year old who suddenly becoming 30 on the day when she turns 13.First of all, I am definitely not a 13 year old girl. And I am pretty sure that I am not going to be 30 any soon. hahaha. Of course, I don't want to turn 30 immediately. 23 will do for me first.

Approaching 23rd year of my life; Nothing special. Still jomblo. Still a bit childish and spoiled. Want me to change that? Hm... perhaps I have to control them. Show and hide them whenever I need them.

Only if I can have a choice, let me have 13 projects to celebrate turning 23. I know turning 23 is not celebrated in a way when I turned 17 or 21. Nothing too special about turning 23. That's why let's make this ordinary birthday become a little bit extraordinary.



13. Go to salon, doing something with my hair - maybe a bang 
I went to the salon and got a creambath treatment first and then ... tadaaa a BANG
After
Before

12. Visitase *for an hour
It was actually more than an hour hahaha. It was on Holy Thursday. 
More about it in here

11. A short story
It is not exactly a short story, but kinda hahaha click here (the same as number 12)

10. Fashion tags
This is going to be postponed! due to times...

9. Happy pictures with papo and mambo




8. A date with retty
Done, ini ceritanya lucu sih., Jadi awalnya kita udah ga bisa ketemuan lagi soalnya dia harus ke Palu, but she missed the fliiigghhhtt LOL, malamnya langsung deh kita makan bakso hahahahahaha

7. Happy pictures and date with opa oma:




6.An article
Will be coming soon...

5. Inspirations project


4. Dreams project
About this one, I am just thinking that I am quiet a dream-less person nowadays. Start to build it up again. What to do next....
Next Month - be a member of local library! hehehehe


3. Make 2 people happy

2. Another visitase
It was a short time, but quiet nice

1. Finally me time ;) including taking a very good profile picture




Alrighty, it will start on March 31st. I try to do it in order
It was not done in order. I had a busy week. But, a birthday is NOT an ordinary thing :). Though this year is a bit sad birthday since my cousin's little daughter was passed away on April 12th :'(, but I had a blast. In total, I got 6 Cakes HAHAHA... and I got very cool Starbucks tumblr, 2 packages of Strawberry, and a Strawberry Cream puff and oh a pinkish au de toilette and lotion from my highschool buddiessss YEAAAH!! and LOVE from all of you...
Not to mention, my children kisses!! yeaaayyy

Thank youuuuuu :)
CVB

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