Is blog still a thing now?

 Is blog still a thing now? 

I miss writing. I just post my writing on Instagram and it's quite something already. 

I miss writing on blogs. 

It's Been 2 Years!

 Hello everyone, 

I can't believe that it's been 2 years for me not to write or post anything on this blog. To be honest, this blog means something to me. By seeing my old writing, I can see how myself has grown and my writing skill has been growing. 

I just want to upload and check in (at least I write something lol) because I have put it on my schedule for today and I don't want to procrastinate on it. Hopefully, I can still write something on my blog more regularly. 

Cheers!

What my body tells me about my daydreaming

 I know I daydream a lot. Imagination is not bad though. Some quotes say that imagination is better than knowledge which I completely agree with. The knowledge that we get from our surroundings and the advancements of technology sometimes starts from our imagination first, airplanes and computers are examples.  But what if we imagine too much? to the point where it's slowing down our productivity?  

Just today, it comes to my mind this reflective question what's going on with me? Why do I daydream too much? What happens to my reality? Then I realized, this is actually a coping mechanism to get away from the reality that I don't like. Perhaps, I have been listening to others too much and my imagination is telling me that this is not a reality that I really want to live. Perhaps, my body is telling me that I don't like what I am doing right now. 

Lucky me, I have this belief that "in order to change or to go somewhere we want to go, we have to make peace with where we are now". Aah, it's been a while not breathing the fresh air. I honestly have never had a chance to express how much I hated my first 2 years of college, it was not the life that I was dreaming of. I don't like the idea of suck it up and just do it (whatever things that don't spark joy in me). 

This is the price that I had to pay for being too scared not to living my best life. At this point, change is a must! My body keeps telling me to give my dream a shot and make it a reality, would you like to give your dream a shot too? 

5 Years Recovering From Reverse Culture Shock

    It's not unfamiliar for exchange student alumni to hear the term "reverse culture shock". According to Investopedia, reverse culture shock is the emotional and psychological distress suffered by some people when they return home after a number of years overseas. As an Indonesian-born who went to the United States for one school year, I for sure have experienced this. But what happens if I tell you that it can take a longer time for some others at recovering from culture shock? What if I tell you that it took me around 5 years to finally make peace with myself and accept that everything that's happening around me right now should be embraced wholeheartedly? 

Here are some things that I experienced that prolong my sufferings: 

Dear younger fellow exchange student alumni, read this carefully so you won't experience the long-suffering I had been through

1. Being critical towards my environment

    For exchange students, it took a lot of dedication to get used to things in the host community. But when we finally succeed and finally blend in a new environment, we have to go back to a place where you once called home and that might be the place where we were raised for many years. we might feel excited when we return home to finally meet our family and old friends. But "shoot, why don't everyone here say "thank you" as much as people in Illinois? Why aren't many people here bothered by this amount of pollution? Why is this city so full of people who are just too hesitant to take public transportation? Oh come on, we have too many vehicles in this city!" That's what I felt after two months living in Medan, Indonesia and two months after departing from the United States for my exchange study program. The honeymoon phase was all ended and I stopped feeling excited. 

I know it's good to express distress as a teenager for emotional relief but does not mean we have to be dramatic and complaining all the time. All of the things that we dislike about our hometown comes from an improved way of thinking after we have travelled enough to learn about all the good stuff that's happening in our host community. With this new way of thinking, our presence would be very beneficial to our environment because we can spot the problem that people in our community didn't think existed. Practising critical thinking is good only if we have systemic thinking in finding solutions. There's always something wrong when we have an eye for something wrong. Why don't we take a rest and let the stress go? A lot of things in our environment are just something that we can't control or maybe it can only if we take revolutionary actions, which complaining is just not one of them. 

2. Being critical towards the people around me

    At some point, we all want to be understood. I, myself want to be understood too. Something that I didn't quite understand is while I was travelling the world, meet new people, and learning a new culture, my family and my old friends still live in the same city and doing similar activities. I didn't realize how my experience was shaping me into somebody who now has different values and beliefs about the world. It was really frustrating to witness how these people treating me in a way that they think I like it which I actually don't. It feels so isolating and lonely that people who were once very close to me aren't interested in a new topic that I like to discuss. It felt like I was losing some friends. But now I realized that it's not their job to understand me. I was seventeen when I experienced this for the first time. People come and go and it took some time to realize it's actually good. Your vibe will attract your tribe anyway, the more you showcase the new you, the more likely your new friends are coming. 

    

    Now that it's been more than 5 years since departing from the U.S., I have to accept that I still miss my exchange student life. It's the greatest achievement that I have ever done in my life. But the world keeps moving, and I should not feel stuck. It's time shift my focus towards what's happening and appreciate it instead of focusing on what's missing. Just because I wasn't talking about my exchange life that often, doesn't mean I already found closure in the past. The purpose of this writing is to solidify the feeling of closure that has been rising for a couple of days and for those who can relate to my story, and also for anybody willing to understand my story with an open heart. 

I will forever miss America

Powerful Duo

Me and my mom is such a powerful duo. She always wonders "what can we do to improve things?" and I always give an answer about how are things can be improved. 

Several days ago, my mom came to my brother's room (but it's kinda my room too since my brother let me sleep in his room). I forgot the exact details but there was one moment where my mom said something like... "Look at your room, how is it? Isn't the bed good here?" then I said something like "Oh yes! Totally! But also, how if we put a nice wallpaper on these walls?", then my mom agreed on that.

This is just a small thing but after the wallpaper are all set, the room looks better than ever. The room is just more aesthetically pleasing than before. Now, I just feel the good vibe and knowing that my mood is being elevated just because I am in this room. I express gratitude seeing that some parts of my parents' house become more beautiful. 

This is not my room but this is the exact wallpaper that I am talking about
Source: Tokopedia

Then what's going on with such term of a powerful duo?

Later on that night I watched the video from Mindvalley Channel on YouTube. The first time I found this video is around 4 to 5 years ago (this video was uploaded in 2011). I have watched this video several times and will keep coming back to watch this one because the content is excellent!

The name of the speaker is Christie Marie Sheldon and she is such an excellent speaker! 

There is some part on that video that says something like "By you just becoming more you, you can affect your surrounding", I was like oh daaang! Look at my surrounding now, it has changed! Haha. 

I mean, imagine if my mom didn't wonder about what can we do to improve the room?

Imagine if I didn't focus myself on making things more beautiful?

Imagine if I didn't think about what should we do to make things more beautiful?

Daang! Maybe everything would be different.

This is a very small thing but actually this kind of thing can be applied to anything else. 

Now that the room is more beautiful, I express gratitude more. The more I express gratitude, the more joy I have. The more joy I have, the more good things are coming. The beautiful thing that I witness now was started from myself. It was just an idea, it was just a human being's thought about how are things become more beautiful. Now that my parents' house is more beautiful than ever, I have never been more grateful that I live here for a while. When my mom is in alignment with herself, and me is in alignment with myself, when we meet together, boom! The house's vibe is changing! What a powerful duo haha. 

My Ego Is Gone Now

My ego is gone now
I am ready to understand you better

I know it,

You were waiting for someone from the past

You got beautiful memories from the past

Till I came to your life and changed something

But honestly,

I am okay here

I’m truly happy to see you happy

It’s okay to leave me here

Cause I already have a beautiful story

It’s nice knowing you

It's nice to love each other

But now I wanna go

And please let me go

Just like me letting you go happily

We are not properties to be owned

We are humans that want to flourish

My ego is gone now

I hope yours too

On Being Hesitant To Express Something

Have you ever been so hesitant to express something?
In my case, I am a little hesitant to write this because I could see the point where people might not get this message right. It felt like there is no point of writing this at all.

Of course, the past event is the cause of all of this. Some people take our opinion in a wrong way. The memory of those who took my affection for granted is holding me back to express tenderness. And for sure, the memory of those "friends" who accused me for doing something that I have never meant to do made me think twice, do they even deserve my attention?

We all have our own story why we get here, but one thing that we should always remember is
"Their problem is theirs, not yours. Your problem is yours, not theirs"

It's their problem to take you in a wrong way, but it's your problem to over think.
It's their problem to take you for granted, maybe they don't understand sincerity. But it's totally your problem if you stop being kind.
It's their problem to start the fire, but it's totally your problem if you got the ill feeling about it.
And so on...and so on...

What we can do is to fix our own problems. Our main problem is we are hesitant, that we over think, that we are afraid. Acknowledge it first, accept it, and let it go.

When I become hesitant I shift my focus and be grateful to feel hesitant. Why the heck we should be grateful for being hesitant? I see it as an opportunity for growth. I withdraw for a while not because I want to escape, but I want to shift my energy to be more positive. If I wasn't hesitant maybe I would just act aggressively to anything. When I withdraw I start to think those who matter more in my life. Why we should think about those who did us wrong while we could just focus our energy to those people we love?

So yeah, just keep being kind. As you forgive, you release anything that have held you back. Do your own part and leave the rest to the universe!

Truth

Truth might hurt you for days
But it won't be holding you back for years

I am fine

Just please tell me that I am insignificant
I am fine
I know I am significant, but not in your life.

Just please tell me that I am nothing
I am fine
I know I am everything for someone, but not for you.

Just please tell me that you are fine without me
I am fine
I know I will be fine without you too, but not today.

Just please tell me that you do not need me
I am fine
I know I need you today, but I will never need you anymore. 

4 PM

It was 4 PM, 

you were sitting by the lake

It was 4 PM,

You thought about those...

Those you have dated

Those you have kissed

Those you have slept with

It was 4 PM,

You wondered why were there not so many meaningful memories?

You wondered why were you still looking for me in someone else’s body?

You wondered why do not both of us settle down? Together?

It was almost 5 PM,

I told you that this is impossible

Cause I am already you

Honesty

You deserve honesty
When you are always honest with yourself

You deserve honesty
When you are honest with your true feeling

You deserve honesty
When you always speak honestly

You deserve honesty
When you are the true honesty

Six

It’s number six,
You’ve been living there for more than six months

It takes more than six,
Countless people had taken me somewhere

It’s less than six,
It’s been more than four years since the last time

It’s more than six,
It’s ten fingers of yours that I want to touch

It’s not six,
You’re number one here...right now

Congratulations

I have been telling myself that this is nothing

This is something that we should have never fight

I let you get it

I let myself stay in here

You would say that I should have taken the chance

Only when I don’t take the chance

And let you take the chance

Don’t you know that a lot of people can be happy together?

Don’t you know that there are more than two  choices, not just friends and enemies?

You would say that I am wrong

Only when I don’t let myself to be a victim

And let you be the victim

Who wants to be a victim anyway?

Who wants to be in the silly game?

Who wants to be in someone’s trauma bond?

Congratulations for getting everything that you desire,

Congratulations for reassuring yourself that you didn’t sacrifice some meaningful things,

Congratulations for telling yourself that you did this not because of your ego

Congratulations for me that I am finally free!

Innocent

Here comes this innocent guy

He does what he does

He thinks what he thinks

Yet, some people are poisoned

Here comes this innocent guy

He’s feeling the feel

He’s loving the love

Yet, some people are too delicate

Here comes this innocent guy

He is strong

He is resilient

Yet, some people are offended

This guy is aware 

This guy can sense

Whatever happens to this guy

Whatever things can bring down this guy

Whatever blame that he was expected to take

He knows the truth,

He is innocent.

Complete

You know I could fall for you
You know I will always ready for you to come here

You know I was needing you
You know I will always listen to you whenever you come

But I am safe here,
I know who I really am

I know you are beautiful
I know you are wonderful
I know you are irresistible
But I know my life is better without you

I know I could fall for you
I know I could love you
I know I was missing you
But I know I am so complete without you

I am feeling complete
I am feeling complete
Now I know I could love you,
When you are already whole and complete. 

iPhone 11

      Salah satu produsen smartphone terbesar di dunia yaitu di Apple baru saja meluncurkan iPhone 11 pekan lalu. Dibandingkan dengan seri sebelumnya, banyak peningkatan yang dibawa Apple dari seri sebelumnya, termasuk di sektor kamera.  Terbaru ialah kamera baru yang disematkan, yakni multi-camera recording alias perekaman multi kamera. Sesuai namanya, pengguna akan bisa melakukan perekaman video dengan kamera depan dan kamera belakang yang terdiri dari beberapa mode, yakni wide, ultra wide, dan tele. Fitur ini juga di prediksi juga akan hadir di seri iPhone 2018, yakni iPhone XS, XS Max, dan XR bersamaan dengan pembaruan iOS 13 yang rencananya akan bergulir 19 September. Tetapi dalam kemampuannya di trio iPhone 2018 akan terbatas dengan hanya menggunakan dua jenis kamera secara bersamaan. Misalnya, antara kamera tele dan wide di belakang, atau tele dan kamera selfie, atau kombinasi lainnya.

      Bersamaan dengan datangnya iPhone 11 dan  iOS 13, tapi fitur ini bukan bawaan dari aplikasi kamera standar iOS, melainkan dengan dukungan aplikasi pihak ketiga, yakni Filmic Pro. Pihak Apple juga telah memperingatkan pengembang bahwa apa yang akan mereka tanamkan di fitur ini, seperti menambahkan filter atau augmented reality (AR), akan bergantung pada prosesor. Karena fitur ini membutuhkan perangkat yang lebih yang lebih mumpuni. Apple juga membatasi video yang direkam hanya yang bresolusi rendah, bukan 4K.

     Nantinya akan ada pembatasan bagi seri sebelumnya sedangkan untuk iPhone 11 kemungkinan iPhone 11 bisa memgombinasikan tiga jenis kamera secara bersamaan dengan perekaman beresolusi tinggi. Sebab, secara hardware, iPhone 11 tetap lebih tinggi ketimbang iPhone 2018. Maka dari berbagai keunggulan yang ditawarkan oleh iPhone 11, smartphone ini bisa menjadi salah satu pilihan yang bisa dipertimbangkan sebagai pengganti smartphone lama anda.

     iPhone baru itu sudah dijual pada 20 September di beberapa negara. Namun konsumen di kawasan Asia Pasifik akan menghadapi harga yang sangat berbeda. Ternyata konsumen di India harus merogoh kocek dua kali lipat dibandingkan konsumen di Jepang. Tak tanggung-tanggung, perbandingannya mencapai dua kali lipat ($ 906 vs $ 451). Sedangkan untuk di Indonesia sendiri harganya berada di kisaran Rp 11juta  hingga Rp 14 juta:

·         iPhone 11 64 GB harganya SGD 1.149 atau Rp 11,7 juta

·         iPhone 11 128 GB harganya SGD 1.219 atau Rp 12,4 juta

·         iPhone 11 256 GB harganya SGD 1.389 atau Rp 14,1 juta

Source: businessinsider.com

     iPhone11 hadir dalam enam pilihan warna, yakni White, Black, Green, Yellow, Purple dan Red. Dimana warma-warna tersebut tentunya bisa menjadi pilihan yang tepat bagi masyarakat yang memang menginginkan mengganti smartphone mereka dengan smartphone yang benar-benar up to date. Bagi yang berminat bisa mempertimbangkan untuk membeli di berbagai situs e-commerce yang ada di Indonesia salah satunya di situs Blibli.com Selamat menikmati kemajuan teknologi smartphone yang ada.

Untuk yang ingin tahu lebih lanjut mengenai spesifikasi iPhone 11 ini bisa klik disini dan disini.  

Ditulis oleh: Nabila Ammara Diliana

Diedit oleh: Dzikra Handika

Let The Universe

Ssh!...
Be quiet
Let the universe works for you
Let them receive the message whenever they are ready

At one point,
It could be today, tomorrow, or even next year
They will understand,
The way you share, care, and love.
Just let the universe works for you.

No,
I do not love you
I fall in love with my imagination about you

No One

I miss no one
I just miss myself that used to hold someone's hand
I miss no one
I just miss myself that used to touch someone gently

I miss no one
I just miss myself that used to love someone
I miss no one
I just miss myself that used to miss someone's presence

I miss no one
I just miss myself who acted gently

Kulit

Kulitnya bagaikan candu,
Ketika panik datang, ku ingin dia ada disini.
Kegilaannya bagaikan racun,
Ketika sedihku datang, ku ingin dia pergi.

Kulitnya buat aku terdiam
Tapi perangainya buat aku bersedih.
Kuliatnya ingin aku sentuh
Tapi kegilaannya ingin aku hindari.

Wujudnya buat aku terpana
Aksi hebatnya buat aku lupa akan kesedihanku.
Tapi tabiatnya menyedihkanku
Tabiatnya jugalah yang membangkitkan amarah padaku.

Aku selalu berharap hari ini hari terakhirku
Aku sudah sakit menghadapi amarahnya
Aku sudah letih mencoba keluar dari permainannya
Aku selalu berharap untuk punya candu yang baru.