Ivanhoe, The Pursuit of Happiness

Reading this novel (errm....was forced to) happens to be not so interesting (not a fairy tales fan, but definitely can stand it, preferably in the form of Knight in the Shining Armour).
Not that I whine, it's just the language is old English, which means, without looking up the words, it feels like reading Double Dutch. Seriously.

Well, yeah, I've got to read some more interesting novels to read this semester. But apparently this novel is highly recommended for students studying Sensibility and Romanticism (the ERA, not the NOUN), so the lecturer has put it in the sylabus.

Tony Blair happened to like this book (was it when he was 10? God knows when!). And he said (the lecturer, not Tony Blair) this book was considered to be Harry Potter in that era. Which means everybody has read Ivanhoe, and so...and so...(unreliable description I know, since almost all the lecturers here seems to have a love-hate relationship with Harry Potter).

Anyway, if you happen to like a story of the Medieval era, this book is recommended. The writer was a Scottish, so you can imagine how great he was, considering having no cultural knowledge of English medieval, having written all this stuff, and come up very nicely with this novel.

Anyway, maybe people have to read a lot of novels from different eras. Isn't it what people will call being all-rounded? Well, I'm definitely all-rounded, but in all the wrong places (TT).

(Read:all-rounded=semua bulat)


Image courtesy of Wikipedia.

Season

Seasons

***
We can hear the spring

And all the melodies it'll bring

Water forever crinkling

Oh, even the trees are laughing!

Fly, fly summer

Could we be happier?

Skins, skins are darker

Smile, smile, we'll remember

Oh, Lady Autumn!

Juggling in the rhythm

Singing its sad anthem

No,no, we don't want a requiem

And then comes winter

We struggle to be sober

Dear, dear poor hunter

Can you please turn on the heater?

Chorus:

Seasons come seasons fly

Echoes rapturing in hazy day

Paler shades of butterfly

Burn, burn, said the air in reply

Happiness, just don't go away!

Back to ***

The Morning Song

The Morning Song

***

Early in the morning

Get a healthy dose of education

Discovery

Crunching numbers

Screeching those musical notes

Back in the night

When you don't see the sunlight

How can it work, alright

This isn't a battle, it's a fight

Maybe this is a peace

Something you can call a place

Make you feel at ease

No it's not all that geez

Chorus:

This is a morning song

For a grown-up girl

Her life just goes along

Hear the excitement, listen to the thrill

Listen to the thrill, listen to the thrill....

Back to ***

The Essence of Youth

The Essence of Youth

Oh, to be young again! :D Here are the pictures of my favorite wayang book. I own most of them (well, now I don't know where they are, but at least...it gives me thrill and happiness just looking at the pictures :D. Pictures courtesy of Anelinda. Kindly visit the webbie, they've got tons of good stuffs there ;).

Bharatayudha, my favourite! Sad, but full of lessons in life...War does much more harm than good apparently. Well, I'm definitely a Pacifist! :P. Don't forget the Bhawadgita, a lesson given to Arjuna when he feels sad and helpless. The ilustrations are great, and you'll get much more than a glimpse of what this 'Lesson of Life' is.

Parikesit, after Bharatayudha is over, it's time for the new generation. Don't like it very much, but it's worth reading :).

Definitely my fave! I love Srikandi, and love the cover as well. The image of a woman warrior is so cool! There is also a Javanese dance called Srikandi-Mustokoweni, telling a stories on how the two women fighting over the Jamus Kalimasadha.

I don't own these two comics, will soon add them to my wishlist. Been ordering by phone for the past two years, and venturing to any bookstore available. Btw, went to Plaza Semanggi during the recess week spent back home, and found a bookstore selling those comics! I was so ecstatic, but there were some books not for sale, since they were too rare. Huhu...hope someone would sell those books. *pray hard*

Happy Birthday Ayu :)

20th March 2007

Dearest Ayu,

Happy 21st birthday. A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun. Enjoy the trip, and keep being radiant and vivacious :).

PS: Thanks for being YOU. It's more than enough ;).

Best,

Adilla

A House is Not A Home

What is home?

What is home?“A roof to keep out the rain? Four walls to keep out the wind? Floors to keep

out the cold? Yes, but home is more than that. It is the laugh of a baby, the song of a mother,

the strength of a father, warmth of loving hearts, lights from happy eyes, kindness, loyalty,

comradeship. Home is first school for young ones, where they learn what is right, what is

good, and what is kind, where they go for comfort when they are hurt or sick; where joy is

shared and sorrow eased; where fathers and mothers are respected and loved, where

children are wanted; where the simplest food is good enough for kings because it is earned;

where money is not as important as loving-kindness; where even the tea kettle sings from

happiness. That is home. God bless it!”

-Anonymous


Kenangan sampai 19 tahun ini :).

1. Bantaeng, Makassar

Memories: Laut, parrot, rumah berpagar coklat-jingga, Coto Makassar, domino, sepeda roda empat

2. Tasikmalaya, Jawa Barat

Memories: TK, belajar baca, bakso Mang Widji, bahasa Sunda, Universitas Siliwangi, first bestfriend, lompat kodok keliling lapangan, pawai piala Adipura, kota 'Macan', majalah Bobo, sumur di dalam rumah, mobil Suzuki Carry warna merah, kos-kosan di sekitar rumah, sepeda, Yogya, Asia, Samudera Department Store, becak, Pengadilan Negeri Tasikmalaya, Pengadilan Negeri Ciamis, boneka, restoran Mina Tirta, kue bolu warna-warni, rumah di Cikalang, monopoli.

3. Bekasi, Jawa Barat

Memories: hapalan perkalian, lari-larian di sekolah, pramuka penggalang, penghapus papan tulis, makanan katering, becak, gado-gado, lembaran komik strip di Poskota, Poncol Jaya, pohon delima dan belimbing depan rumah, shalat Ied, masakan Lebaran Nini, pasar duta kranji, angkot.

4. Pasar Minggu, Jakarta Selatan

Memories: Kebun Binatang Ragunan, Kijang hijau, ekskul badminton+renang, SD Bhakar, batagor, koperasi sekolah, hari anak nasional di TMII, ujian praktek olahraga, SMP 41, kelas 3-1, UAN, perpisahan sekolah, perpisahan kelas di Puncak, perpus 41, SMA 8 Jakarta, Accellers 04, minta tandatangan, kemacetan di Manggarai,kereta api, dimsum di Snappy, Tebet, ritual pagi hari di kelas, perayaan ulang tahun, pulang cepet dari sekolah, her MAFIA, TeSIS, foto buku tahunan, Pentaru, Pensul, ujian praktek dance,buka puasa, ujian NTU+NUS, perpisahan sekolah.






5. Padang, Sumatera Barat
Memories: Bandara Tabing, Bukittinggi, kerajinan perak, bordiran, Gramedia, perjalanan dua jam ke Pariaman, gulai kepala ikan Pariaman, becak motor, Pengadilan Negeri Padang, Pengadilan Negeri Pariaman, Jam Gadang, keripik sanjay, bandara Ketaping.

6. Kembali ke no 4 beberapa bulan
Memories: ITC Cempaka Mas, reuni Accellers 04, sesi 'debat' sama Teh Ibah, Gramedia Matraman, tidur, cela-cela lagu :P, nonton bioskop Trans TV, temenin Ade belajar (sambil ngomelin), SMS/telepon temen-temen lama, UI, Bogor, Hanamasa, Bandung.

7. Malang, Jawa Timur
Memories: to be advised :D :D

Why Wayang Rocks!!!

Why Wayang Rawkz (ten reasons why wayang is COOL!)

1. You can learn how to shoot an arrow without having to get a real hands-on experience (and get shot while doing it)

2. The most romantic love stories are told in the most dramatic way possible, you can never know when you need a packetof Kleenex to shed your tears.

3. Memorizing the name of the characters doesn't turn out too bad....apparently.Provided you have been wishing to score well in your History exams (which is only half-true).

4. You will have many ideas for your future babies'names :P

5. If the idea of wearing kemben never crosses your mind, try to read some of the stories.Girls can still fight wearing the (in)famous kemben!

6. Poligamy is never a problem in wayang. Get as many as you wish. At your own risk.

7. Sometimes fighting over a rare wayang book with some people older than your grandmother is worth the time.

8. Persuading your father to accompany you watching the live show in Gedung Kesenian Jakarta turns out to be a good sport activity.

9. Same goes to calling Godforsaken publishing companies somewhere out there to find any Javanese books (that you can't even read) because they are not available in Jakarta.

10. It's the only situation where human, monkeys, giants, and whatnot can actually live together peacefully. (Even J.K. Rowling can't do this!!)

Dirty Father Thames

Given this poem in my Victorian Literature class.We were discussing Dickens, and I realised

that wow, he's GREAT!

Not that I didn't notice that he was great, but I just found his characters

were too gruesome, and the stories were too angsty for my own taste (Chicklit die-hard fans,

here, readers! :P).

This poem was published in Punch , a magazine of humour and satire. You

could check their site here if you'd like to know more :).


DIRTY FATHER THAMES


Filthy river, filthy river,


Foul from London to the Nore,


What art thou but one vast gutter,One tremendous common shore?


All beside thy sludgy waters,


All beside thy reeking ooze,


Christian folks inhale mephitis,


Which thy bubbly bosom brews.


All her foul abominations


Into thee the City throws;



These pollutions, ever churning,


To and fro thy current flows.


And from thee is brew'd our porter -


Thee, thou guilty, puddle, sink!


Thou, vile cesspool, art the liquour


Whence is made the beer we drink!


Thou, too, hast a Conservator,


He who fills the civic chair;


Well does he conserve thee, truly,


Does not, my good LORD MAYOR?


Punch, Jul.-Dec. 1848, The Victorian Dictionary, compiled by Lee Jackson

MBTI Jokes

MBTI type jokes


Taken from here.


I need a good laugh. Seriously :P.


Light Bulb Jokes


We asked...how many of your type does it take to change a light bulb?


The answers:

ISTJ

One worked in the past, so one will work now!

ISFJ

Only one, me, as long as it is OK with everyone else.



>

INFJ

Does the light bulb really want to be changed?

INTJ

Could you please define change? And what exactly do you mean by a light bulb?

ISTP

I

ISFP

O, the ISFP is happy just sitting there and experiencing the dark

INFP

2, one to change it and one for support

INTP

Hmm...light..., illuminate..., I=10.76LT(I/4f)(F/V)² Hcos40+If

ESTP

None, till I check the breaker.



ESFP

Who cares - the important thing is that it would be fun!






ENFP

Well let's see, there's one to notice the bulb is out, and one to make a new lampshade, and one to read a magazine article on alternative lighting means, and one to draw a picture of a candle, and...

ENTP

One, but only after tightening, wiggling, shaking, testing, etc. to make sure it's not something else

ESTJ

The cost/benefit ratio would dictate only one.

ESFJ

At least 2 - let me get on the phone and call someone to come over...

ENFJ

But that was my favorite light bulb!

ENTJ

YOU!!! CHANGE THAT DAMN BULB!!!

Top 20 Fictional Guys

My own...errr..bimbo-ish list. Add your own!! :D

Top 20 Fictional Guys

1. Draco Malfoy (Harry Potter)

2. Arjuna (Mahabharata)

3. Rhys Williams (Bloodline, Sidney Sheldon)

4. Harry Potter (Harry Potter)

5. Masumi Hayami (Garasu no Kamen)

6. Andre Grandier (Rose of Versailles)

7. Shinichi Kudo (Case Closed)

8. Saguru Hakuba (Case Closed)

9. Hercule Poirot (Hercule Poirot)

10. Mickey Mouse (Disney)

11. Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes)

12.James Sabine (Playing James)

13. Luke Brandon (Shopaholic Series)

14. Mark Darcy (Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding)

15. Cooper Cartwright (Size 12 Is Not Fat, Meg Cabot)

16. Michael Moscovitz (Princess Diaries)

17. Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen)

18. Jess Mariano (Gilmore Girls)

19. Archie Andrews (Betty and Veronica)

20. Kid the Phantom Thief (Case Closed)