It is easy to count numbers or heads.
It is easy to say pity or condolences.
Cursing hates and acting strong.
But how can you measure sadness and loss? How do you count the suffering of loneliness?
For the innocence and the brave ones, you will surely be missed.
Tanggal 21 April kemarin, seperti biasanya, masyarakat Indonesia merayakan Hari Kartini. Waktu kecil dulu, saya terbiasa merayakan hari tersebut dengan memakai baju daerah, kemudian berubah menjadi kebaya atau rok semasa kuliah dan bekerja. Di tahun-tahun tersebut, saya merasa tidak memaknai Hari Kartini yang sesungguhnya karena saya pikir, hari tersebut hanya gimmick belaka. Sama seperti hari simbolis lainnya, hari tersebut dijadikan beberapa toko (termasuk toko saya) untuk meraup keuntungan lewat iming-iming diskon. Saya juga tidak pernah (dan belum tertarik) membaca buku Habis Gelap, Terbitlah Terang selama ini. Tapi, selalu ada yang menggelitik di setiap tahunnya. Hari Kartini tidak pernah luput dari perdebatan.
Kenapa Kartini?
Pertanyaan tersebut selalu ada setiap tahunnya. Selalu dibahas dengan cara yang berbeda, tapi intinya selalu sama: “Apa yang membuat Kartini mendapat hari tersendiri di kalender dengan segala privilege yang dimilikinya?“. Kartini tidak mengangkat senjata. Kartini lahir di keluarga berada. Kartini hanya menulis surat. Sementara itu, beberapa orang akan membela Kartini dan mengatakan bahwa di usianya yang sangat muda dan budaya Jawa yang sangat ketat, pemikiran Kartini sangat maju pada zamannya. Jika dilihat lebih dekat, tidak ada yang benar-benar salah.
I have other writings to finish and other priorities to-do, but I decided to sit down and write this.
My friends have sent me links since morning, about the Inter Korean Summit that is still happening today as I write this. The CNN reported that Kim Jong-Un has been the first leader of North Korea who crossed the demarcation line of North Korea and South Korean at the DMZ. As I watched the 5 minutes clips, I don’t know what triggered me, but I cried for a mere 10 minutes or so.
I have the privilege to visit the DMZ couple years ago. When I look back, I only remembered that I wanted to visit it, because it is interesting. But when I actually visited the place, it was more heart wrenching rather than exciting.
Lately, I have the urge to shop online a lot. Knowing that I have hundreds of to-do list and a lot of priorities over priorities, this post is an attempt to make myself better. Some while ago I made a list of things that I want (but still not what I need). So here is another one.
1. Kara Dark Brown Shoes by Amble Footwear
I’ve been wearing flats and sneakers for ages, but lately, I feel a need to trade some with a more formal one. The leather loafer brown shoes are made by Bandung based local brand, and it’s looking pretty fine for me.
Between moving to a new place and getting frustrated for not getting the internet access, I’m still trying to get used to a new phase of life. Lately, I’m getting used to cooking only with a rice cooker, which is surprisingly good for healthy eating (because you can’t easily use a large amount of oil). But enough of the boring household chitchat here’s a recap of things that made me gasped lately.
(image from here)
Swedish designer Jonas Lindström photographed the fabrics from Kettal and made a wonderful Material Mood board. Using a neutral color scheme, the texture shown from the fabric created layers of impact for those who see it. It’s a unique approach to create a mood board and I certainly like it.
