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Monday, May 18, 2015

Late Night Thoughts: on How #single became a #trend

It’s a long title, I know right? I tried to come up with more catchy title, but I failed. So I have been thinking this since a very long time, but I was very distracted by everything and here I am. It’s probably nothing, and we all are okay with it, but sometimes when I am not in the mood of being very sad and stop making tear-dropping stories on my blog (check them here), I just started to think why this song is very sad. Or why is this movie so very dramatic? Or why are all good songs always have this twisted hurting lyric in it? And why am I doing this? I mean, I don’t judge or whatever and I don’t think I am not one of them who crave something sad to, you know, relate. Won’t you agree if every time someone broke our heart, there is always at least one song you can totally relate, and you end up listening to it until it somehow heals you? It’s comforting and that’s good for you. And I don’t blame you for that. That’s okay. That’s normal. And that’s how we are human.

Until, it was just too much. Too much cry, too much sad songs, too much sad stories. The more songs and stories I can relate, the harder I can let go.
And here in Indonesia, being heartbroken is actually has its own trend. Here we call it, ‘galau’. There is actually a song titled Galau and I was like ‘okay….’.        

Beside ‘galau’, it is actually kind of a big deal if you don’t have date on Saturday night or being single for a long time. They actually have one title for it they call them ‘jomblo ngenes’. Wow. And people start using hash-tag to talk about it and it gone viral. Everybody knows what ‘jomblo ngenes’ is. Yeay.

And on the other side, single people will busy defending themselves and say that they are single by choice. Well. Okay. Note that.

Here is the thing. In Indonesia, most people still worry about what other people might think of them, so they will obligatory try to impress everybody else buy getting a girlfriend or being very defensive about it.

Some colleagues of mine ever guessed how many years I have been single and they guessed six years. Wow, it’s a very long time, by the way. They were wrong, obviously. It’s not the point. The point is I barely even care. They can guess whatever they want, but I won’t look for a boyfriend because they told me so.

I believe there’s always the right time for everything. And it is already written for me. Naive? I know.   


Late Night Thoughts: on Norwegian Wood & Hateful Feeling

I just finished reading Norwegian Wood. I said, ‘New reading won’t do any harm’. Then I started to read it. Good perspective, I thought. I never read literature as ‘wounded’ as Norwegian Wood.

It’s not a simple kind of sad. It tore you apart until at some point you chose to take a breath and thank God you’re still alive. It was way too deep until I believe that was Mr. Murakami’s actual story. But he denied it, tho. Who am I telling you otherwise?

I had my difficulties to imagine the actual events and how everything could be that messed up, since I was never been to Japan, but the way he expressed himself through writing was moving. It took four deaths in one book to make me realize that I have this one life.

Well, I had no intention to waste it, like another person on my ask.fm told me otherwise. But thanks a lot to him/her who said to me that it saddened him/her to see me wasting my parents’ money and not having a decent job because he/she thinks having one little brand is not a decent job, and by doing that, I waste my parents’ money. I appreciate his/her concern. I do, but I wish he/she got more balls to say it in front of my face. It doesn’t come from random people. I understand this person knows me to not telling me in person and chose a hateful social media like ask.fm, and yet, not that well to understand that I will prove him/her wrong.

He/she seems very concern that I had wasted my parents’ money. He/she doesn’t need to worry about that, because I won’t.

If someday he/she realizes that calling me and my friends’ creations were ‘only online shop’ or he/she thinks Jakarta Fashion Week was nothing won’t make him/her be any better than me, than us, for that matter, he/she can always come clean and apologize. (Of course he/she will need bigger balls.)

Remember what I said about a society? You can’t please them all. Why bother giving love to someone who doesn’t want it in the first place?

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Nostalgi Terakhir

Baca dulu: Prioritas (2)


Andra menggeleng-geleng sambil membaca cerita fiksi di tangannya. "Gila. Ini semua tentang lo?"

Saya diam saja, tidak menjawab.

"Untuk Putra dan semua kenangan yang terpatri di dalam alam bawah sadar saya, terima kasih." Saya melihat Andra membaca halaman paling depan, sebelum penulis membubuhkan paragraf pembukaannya.

"Anjrit, ada nama lo juga di bukunya."

"Yang namanya Putra kan banyak, Dra."

"Yang mantannya Laras Sarasvati bisa diitung kali." Cetus Andra mematahkan teori-teori asal milik saya. Tanpa diperjelas siapa-siapa, saya pun tahu buku kumpulan setebal 300 halaman itu untuk saya. Bukan gede rasa, tapi ada lebih dari satu momen saat kami masih seiya sekata yang sengaja Laras tambahkan di dalam bukunya. Membuat saya tersenyum sendiri saat membacanya, tapi yang saya rasakan sisanya adalah gigitan semut. Ngilunya sebentar. Tapi berbekas.

Saya selalu berpikir Laras menghukum saya dengan membuat cerita tentang kami. Saya selalu berpikir itu cara Laras untuk membuat saya merasakan apa yang selalu ia rasakan.


***

"Put, ada yang ninggalin pesan tuh." Kata Tari, rekan kerja satu kantor saya yang kebetulan duduk di seberang saya. "Oh, dari siapa Tar?"

"Nggak tau, cewek sih, nggak bilang siapa namanya."

Saya tercenung. Buru-buru saya menekan nomor telepon di kertas post it kuning yang sengaja ditinggalkan Tari menempel di komputer saya. 

"Halo, dengan Laras."

Saya terdiam. Lidah saya tidak bisa diajak bekerja sama. 

Tepat seperti setahun lalu saat Laras dan saya menjadi dekat setelah Laras putus dengan teman sekantornya. 

"Put, kamu mau nggak, kalau kita ngulang lagi dari awal?"

Saya ingat binar matanya. Saya ingat nada bicaranya yang takut-takut. Saya ingat saya tidak merasakan hal yang sama. 

"Maksudnya kayak dulu?" Saya bertanya, mengulur waktu entah buat apa.

Laras mengangguk.

"Aku....nggak bisa, Ras."

Hening panjang sampai Laras bilang, "Kenapa?"

"Aku nggak ngerasain hal yang sama." Sebetulnya saya tidak pernah benar-benar tahu apa yang saya rasakan. 

"Oh...gitu." 

Saya sadar dari lamunan saya saat di ujung telepon Laras menjawab, "Ini Putra, ya?"

"Iya, Ras. Kamu...kenapa telepon?"

"Aku mau ngirim kado, mau aku kirim ke rumah atau kosan?"

Setahun tanpa bicara, tanpa ucapan selamat hari raya, ataupun ucapan selamat ulang tahun, tiba-tiba dia muncul lagi tanpa ba-bi-bu. Tanpa aba-aba membiarkan saya jatuh berdebum. 

"Nggak usah repot-repot, Ras." Jawab saya, mencoba menolak kotak pandora dari Laras.

"Nggak repot, kok. Jadi dikirim kemana?"

"Ke kosan aja. Makasih, Ras" Setelah memberikan alamat lengkap kosan, saya was-was. 

Tiga hari kemudian, paket dari Laras datang. Terbungkus plastik dan kertas cokelat, saya buka dan menemukan kartu ucapan selamat. Tulisannya: "Selamat ulang taun, Putra. Sukses selalu."

Buku berwarna hijau zamrud itu dibungkus rapi. Ada pita warna putih di ujungnya. NOSTALGI SEROTONIN karya LARAS SARASVATI tertulis di cover-nya.

Sejenak ada rasa bangga membuat reaksi kupu-kupu terbang di dalam perut. Ada rasa hangat yang mengalir menuju jantung saya, membuat saya tidak sabar membaca buku karya Laras.

Tapi rasa penasaran itu tercekat rasa bersalah saat di halaman selanjutnya ada nama saya disana. Di-cetak menjadi ribuan kopi dan dibaca banyak orang. 

Untuk Putra dan semua kenangan yang terpatri di dalam alam bawah sadar saya, terima kasih.

Berlembar-lembar saya baca buku itu. Rasa bersalah itu semakin menumpuk. Saya tidak pernah betul-betul tahu apa yang Laras rasakan, sampai sekarang. Sampai rasa sedih itu dideskripsikan jelas di dalam bukunya. Sampai sakit yang tidak pernah ia tunjukkan terlihat jelas dalam kalimat di bukunya.  

Bahkan ia menuliskan ketidaksukaan saya pada cokelat. Saya juga tersenyum saat di beberapa halaman dia menyebutkan nama-nama kucing peliharaan saya. 

Satu cerita yang secara psikis menampar saya. Judulnya Mantan. 

Hei kamu,
adakah aku dalam benakmu? Setidaknya saat malam ulang tahunku? Atau mungkin saat tahun baru, karena tanggalnya tidak berbeda. 

Rasa penasaran itu membuncah dan berakhir dengan saya bertemu dengannya untuk makan siang. 

"Aku udah baca buku kamu." Kata saya memulai pembicaraan siang itu.

Laras tersenyum. "Suka?"

"Menohok, Ras." Dia tergelak mendengar respon saya. Mau tidak mau saya tersenyum. Senang melihatnya tidak sesedih buku karangannya. 

"Putra, jangan terlalu dianggap serius, ya." Tapi binar matanya berkata lain. Binarnya mengekspresikan luka yang tidak pernah sembuh. Dan caranya menutupi semua luka itu terlalu menyakitkan untuk disaksikan. 

"Maaf untuk semuanya ya, Ras."

Laras tersenyum. "Saya nggak apa-apa." Tapi yang saya dengar malah kebalikannya. 

"Saya nggak pernah dendam atau benci sama kamu, Put."

"Tapi, kamu emang nggak pernah ngerti sesayang apa saya sama kamu."

"Dan, saya maklum. Saya nggak berharap kamu untuk mengerti, karena kadang cukup buat saya untuk tahu saya masih waras buat nulis buku tentang cinta saya ke kamu." Kata Laras sambil tersenyum kecil.

"Saya sayang sama kamu."

Untuk sekali ini, saya melihat sisi Laras yang lain. Yang tidak pernah ia tunjukkan kepada saya. Untuk sekali ini, rasanya nyata. Bukan lagi angan-angan. Untuk sekali ini, kupu-kupu di perut saya terbang tiba-tiba. Untuk sekali lagi, saya jatuh cinta. 

Saya menggamit tangan Laras, lalu tersenyum. "Saya juga sayang sama kamu."
















 

 


Thursday, May 7, 2015

(Not) So Late Night Post

It's been ages I don't write any post. I lost my laptop again, in technical way. My Macbook is broken and I don't think seven millions can save her either. So I am currently looking for new laptop basically. I honestly need something stronger than my Macbook (doesnt mean to be harsh, tho) but I dont know because Macbook can be very attractive despite the fact it's very fragile. Maybe it's because the exclusivity. But in the end, like Ellen DeGeneres said, you need a taco that can contain all the guacamole you want. I am thinking Vaio, tho. God, I will miss her so much. *cry*

Anyway, since I am currently unemployed, I manage to do anything during my 'free' time. I gained 6 kg for God's Sake. It was like a slap on the face. I am trying to lose it now.

I designs again. Generally, it's technical drawing. Oh, and Fitlosophy goes well. I am so thrilled, it's almost a year now. Imagine myself having an almost one year old baby girl. The struggle is real.

It's pretty much it.

.

.

The thing is... Ah, nevermind.


Thursday, March 12, 2015

Sentiment Artwork

It's been a little while since my last post. My laptop just died two weeks ago and he is back with me now. For summing up my activities, I would love to start with Brasserie Gabrielle at Grand Palais that happened yesterday.

Surrounded by the loyal and royal Chanel warriors dressed (mostly) in tweed jackets and bringing Chanel signature quilted bags (and mostly in black), Cara Delevigne was the first to present Ready To Wear collection for Autumn/Winter 2015 in puffy quilted jacket. The refine idea came from what Gabrielle used to do during her spare time. Cherish the atmosphere of her favourite diner and winer and admiring the gastronomy by herself or accompanied by her best ones. Karl nicely built the diner for the idea of her as spirit at Grand Palais. I assume we all can catch some sentiments here.

Quoting Style.com where they loved to call Brasserie Gabrielle as the least cynical collection during his duty as Chanel's creative director but for my sanity here I personally say that Karl can be as cynical as he wants to and still pull out such an amazing collection. But yesterday was personal. Yesterday was the way Karl would prefer to find himself sitting down on very comforting sofa next to the window, watching life goes by without squeezed by paparazzi and savouring his favourite wine at his favourite fancy diner. At that time I will wonder, will Karl need to go to sleep to dream of amazing designs for the next collection?

Not only personal and least cynical, Brasserie Gabrielle was also the most 'Chanel' collection since 32 years ago (let me count it for you: from 1983). Tweed dominated the collection as quilted jacket follows. And I bet houndstooth never go anywhere since 2013.

One minor comment, took Kendall as one of the model next to Cara, would be one step that most of designers this year would have taken for business' sake. And I won't say it's not wise, and Karl loves familiar faces on the runway, I respect that. But Chanel is doing great only by the subtle designs and executions.




Sorry for lack of pictures, I have bad internet connection here. For more pictures kindly visit Style.com