It is almost the end of the first month of 2015! Happy (late) New Year, I wish that you got all the sunshine and all the beautiful moonlight this year.

2014 was a year of postcards. Most of the postcards I got, are from my sister. She visited 3 continents last year alone (say whaaat). She did tremendous works to get there, and I think I should started to do so :)) The other postcard are from Vina (who constantly sent me postcards from countries across Europe. Vin, maafin akulah gak pernah ngirimin kamu), from Keyno (who traveled to Belgium for a business trip), from Insan (who traveled to Japan and magically watched the Arctic Monkeys) and others. May all of you got more fun journey this year.

Last year was seriously good year after all, I had fun. Though I didn’t travel much nor achieving any better, but I (still) have fun. Probably because I tried to do what I want to do since a long time ago. Having a homeware business, going to Bali, and the rest of the bucket list. My scholarship program has been made to its 4th year, though I’m getting a little lazy to update the financial report every month (astaga Megaaa, maafin aku yang malas ini). But to have something that reminds you to give back is a good feeling after all.

***

(image taken from here)

Diana Rikasari published her book last year, and it was a no brainer for me to have it. I’ve been her admirer for a long long time. I’ve been buying her shoes a lot. I’ve been reading her blog, her Instagram, and everything I guess :)) She is my vision of ‘better person’. Diana Rikasari is a fashion blogger. The world of fashion is complicated and mean, it’s a jungle out there. The way she handles ‘haters’ and life problem is just epically kind and inspiring. I think she doesn’t have any mean bones in her. Once, I watched her interview about this ‘inspiring’ kind of thing. She said that she is astonished by how many people that have been inspired by her, when all she’s doing is just taking pictures and writes on her laptop. I guess once again, I’ve been falling in love with words and colors :)

She is one of a few things that reminds us to put some profit of Kawung Living and put it to better use. We’ve been adopting her charity model to give IDR 5.000 for every purchase of our product. Believe us, we’ve already been doing some counting also (ha!). We agreed to focus in women empowerment, just because women is a rock star. I am a total feminist by heart and I always believe you don’t have any boundaries whatsoever for being one. So here is for us, to you. All you beautiful Indonesian women. We are proud to become one.

***

Last year, a 2000 m2 space called Indoestri is opened for public. They want to make a community of learners, makers and all kinds of creative people. It’s a really good concept space, where you can learn various workshop from Woodworking to Pottery, Metalworking to Brand Starting, etc. They also offer annual membership that let their member to go on any given workshop they’ll held. Their workshop class is ranging from IDR 500.000 to IDR 1.000.000 for non-members. I guess it is worth all the money considering excellent guest mentor (Ayu Larasati previously held her Pottery class there FTW) and cozy space. But for me, it is a little bit pricey. Though someday, I really wanted to attend one of their classes.

LivingLoving also held some intimate gatherings slash workshops last year. The subject is ranging from food photography to playing with flowers. Ayang Cempaka also held classes about painting with water color, which is so envying!

(My Maken Stitch Tote Bag Kit in the making)

Last one, this is my personal favorite. There is one local brand named Maken, run by a talented crafter name Ojan. He (yes, a he) is a Jogja based crafter who has been blogging for years (I do admire him for a long time). Maken is not only providing you home décor product but also some simple DIY Kit, like stitch tote bag and stitch plywood. Their goal is also to make everyone feels the spirit of making things.

I really wanted to do something like that (and also having stationary line, haha). I have been writing some idea about making simple DIY Kit myself. Someday (maybe when I do not have any full time job anymore), I think I can really make that happen :P

***

So the theme of 2015 is to…

(Image taken from here)

I put this wallpaper on my phone in the hope that every time I see it, it will remind me about doing many new things in many new ways. I got this awesome wallpaper from Design is Yay, a blog by Wita Puspita of Pippa Paper. I super love her, her works, and kind of happy to have another source to go on to the internet.

I mean, social media like Instagram and Twitter (sorry Facebook, you are too ‘politics’ these days) are fun, but the joy of reading a blog and article on a website is pure bliss. So for everyone who has a neglected blog, you may wanted to visit that once more. Write a paragraph, about everything you feel, everything you see, everything you like, just everything. And for everyone who has been wanted to make a blog, do that, never look back! The time you do that, please tell me :3 Because one or two times, I do wanted to be that soulless person at public transportation who doesn’t bother looking up and just sucked into my phone screen. On that kind of time, your writing will meant a lot to me :))

***

2014 was a good one, but 2015 would be awesome (according to this wild wild child inside :P). For 2015, I guess I kind of want to do all things from this list.

(…and kids, that’s how  I spent undesirable amount of time of writing 2015 goal :)) Image taken from various sources of Google searching)

I want to learn and create a lot of things. Making a self-made product has been giving me more respect about things and the effort behind its making. Starting Kawung Living has been an awakening for me. Because I finally realized that the possibility of doing and creating everything you want, is endless. Especially in this rich country named Indonesia. I mean, you got natural resources like crazy and talented people like everywhere. Even when they are not posting something on Instagram, they are artist for sure!

***

I think I have blabbering and writing for hours right now. I guess I have been enjoying taking a break after countless sleep of making this website. Though it is just mess up right now, I like how it turned out. We don’t have any extra budget to hire professionals to make our website, so making it simple is just a right thing to do. Besides, I’m already ticked out my first goal for 2015 (haha!).

Good night, professional dreamer. May the odds always be in your favor :3

Sometimes, people talk to me about their problems. Relationship, hardship, whining, or simply problems. My horoscope, blood type, or even my zodiac tell me that I am a good listener (who doesn’t?). So, in order to live up to that expectation, I started to understand how that works. Couple of times, I let my emotion get into the actual talks. I lecture people with my own thoughts. Sure I’m not the best person to go when you need an advice. Because my life is pretty simple. I don’t think complicated is suited to anything in this world. Even complicated problems sometimes have simple answer. Because I think there ‘s nothing more complicated than how you’re still alive today. So adding more complexion would just be a waste on this beautiful world.

I don’t really know how it works with any other people, but when they stressed out enough and start to talk to me, I get stressed out too. When they are crying and feeling lonely, suddenly I feel like one too. Unfortunately, you always need to be the bigger person when you are in the listener position. On that kind of situation, empathy is really a dangerous weapon that you should use carefully.

But afterall if I were sane enough, I just listen. Because sometimes all they want to get, is to be heard.

You know, the common problem people nowadays have are how they see each other as a competitor, in a bad way. They don’t see each other as a ladder to achieve higher ground. They despise anyone who has more spotlight. Does attention really matter that much? But then again, in the world of Likes and Re-Tweet/Blog/Gram/Path, sure attention is something people wanted to have. Maybe, all they wanted is the same thing afterall, they just wanted to be heard.

On that kind of times, I always believe there is an Oasis song for every problem. Most of the times, the simple answer to that problem is  a song called Live Forever. I think every people should have someone they’re singing this song to. People to live forever. Because really, sometimes all you need to know is not how other’s garden grows.

Maybe I don’t really want to know
How your garden grows
I just want to fly
Lately did you ever feel the pain
In the morning rain
As it soaks it to the bone

Maybe I just want to fly
I want to live I don’t want to die
Maybe I just want to breath
Maybe I just don’t believe
Maybe you’re the same as me
We see things they’ll never see
You and I are gonna live forever

The song Live Forever is written by Noel Gallagher in the middle of Grunge era, with Nirvana having a tune that said ‘I Hate Myself and Want to Die’. He and I have a same point afterall.

“Seems to me that here was a guy who had everything, and was miserable about it. And we had fuck-all, and I still thought that getting up in the morning was the greatest fuckin’ thing ever, ’cause you didn’t know where you’d end up at night. And we didn’t have a pot to piss in, but it was fucking great, man.”

(Read from right to left)
The scene from 20th Century Boys by Urusawa Naoki. One of the greatest comic books ever written in history.

You know, for me, being 27 is quite something.

I don’t have any expectations nor wishes to get up here. But I’m there anyway. Still have the ability to smile, writing cheesy poem, making typo and grammar mistakes, taking bad angle pictures, as well as making several bad decisions. Hell, I am a total happiness!

And at my last birthday, I get the best present of all time.

See? The sun, the ocean, the earth, and all the colors beneath the sky. All of those, are the greatest present a person can get. I got to be alive and nothing can top it all (I guess it is the same gift every year, but I don’t know why it’s just getting better all the time).

My father and I are quite alike. We made bad decisions all the time. We rubbed some people the wrong way all the time. But when we get a chance to do one thing that we can do best, we give all the thing and poured a lot of heart to it. Little by little, over time, I realize what I can do best. And it is to love.

I love, when I love. Because I’ll never run of it.

I was wrong about achievement and envying about what people got. You already know how I really wanted to make a dream machine. I just realized, that somehow ,I tried to be a good example that will make people ‘get inspired’ because of me. But that inspiring kind of thing maybe is not my forte. I don’t have any respected talent to go along anyway. I don’t deserve staying under spotlight, because I’m never get used to. And if there is one who should be under the spotlight, it is you. Maybe I’m not destined to make a dream machine, because I am that dream machine. And you are the dream.

May you got all the falling stars tonight, beautiful nightmares. Thanks for giving me a chance to ever cross your day :)