Yahhh, laptop saya 'sakit', panas dikit langsung quit, software pada ngadat. Kata Hubby, kipasnya udah ngga berfungsi, jadi suka overheated. Kata adik saya yg sekolahnya Teknik Informatika, udah banyak selipan file ngga jelas di sistemnya yang perlu dibersihin a.k.a diformat. Atau motherboardnya yg emang udah menuju R.I.P.
Pendeknya, ini salah satu masalah yang memperpendek masa tenang saya di Bandung, dari tanggal 5 Januari jadi tanggal 3 Januari. Udah ngga bisa tenang lagi :(
Selain itu banyak kerjaan juga sih. Salah satu klien udah ngejar supaya saya menuntaskan kerjaannya. Belum lagi ada beberapa kerjaan lain yang rencananya dikerjain di Bandung tapi malah engga. Keenakan liburannn...
Padahal beberapa hari ini beneran enak ngadem di rumah orang tua sendiri. Baru ngebayangin balik lagi ke rumah mertua yang crowded dan banyak teriakan itu aja udah males. Belom lagi di rumah mertua ada seseorang yang didewakan, semua tingkah laku yang bener dan hebat adalah yang seperti dia. Dia jadi benchmarknya gitu... Males kan... Padalah si orang yang didewakan itu malah nyantai-nyantai aja, ngga ngerasa orang harus kaya dia. Kelakuan orang yang mendewakannya itu yang bikin gerah.
Ihik, nasibnya nih belum ada rumah sendiri. Makanya agak ngiri juga liat temen-temen yang udah nikah dan punya rumah sendiri, enak banget yah mereka, bebas ngatur suasana rumah sendiri.
Yahhh, anyway, anyhow, ngga boleh putus asa, harus berjuang supaya ntar beneran punya rumah sendiri, gimanapun caranya.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Being 20 something
Barusan ngeliat blog cewek umur 24 yang lagi terombang-ambing kehidupan cintanya. Isinya semua tentang cowok-cowoknya, ceritanya detail, dari telepon, online chatnya, plus analisa kira-kira kenapa begini dan begitunya. Super detail sekaligus desperate (ada waktu yah nulisin semua detailnya...)
Cewek 20an gitu, pasti lagi cantik-cantiknya, memandang dunia dengan banyak kesempatan dan mimpi buat diwujudkan. Lagi banyak-banyaknya cerita dan petualangan. Tapi jaman umur segitu pikiran juga lagi keriting-keritingnya, judgment suka ngaco dan emosi kaya roller coaster. Baca blog dia ngingetin saya waktu umur segitu, banyak berjuang untuk urusan hati dan emosi hehehe...
Being 20 something is really cool, but experience it once is enough :P
Cewek 20an gitu, pasti lagi cantik-cantiknya, memandang dunia dengan banyak kesempatan dan mimpi buat diwujudkan. Lagi banyak-banyaknya cerita dan petualangan. Tapi jaman umur segitu pikiran juga lagi keriting-keritingnya, judgment suka ngaco dan emosi kaya roller coaster. Baca blog dia ngingetin saya waktu umur segitu, banyak berjuang untuk urusan hati dan emosi hehehe...
Being 20 something is really cool, but experience it once is enough :P
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Pembelajaran 2008
Walaupun 2008 bukan taun favorit saya, karena saya exhausted dan kering kerontang dari relasi dengan sesama, tapi saya belajar beberapa hal tentang kehidupan, tentang 'ilmu survival' dalam Human Relationship dan Money.
Ngga pernah ada waktu yang sempurna untuk memulai sesuatu
Saya punya kebiasaan untuk menunda melakukan sesuatu dengan alasan menantikan saat yang sempurna untuk merealisasikannya. Waktu yang sempurna untuk mengerjakan sesuatu menurut definisi saya adalah waktu yang cukup panjang, senyap tak terganggu, steril dari segala macam selingan, dan kondisi fisik yang segar bugar. Masalahnya adalah, semakin bertambah usia yang dibarengin dengan pertambahan tanggung jawab dan kesibukan, situasi seperti itu hampir mustahil kejadian. Buntutnya yah, jadi ngga ngerjain apa-apa. Makanya sekarang tiap kali ada waktu, walaupun cuma 5 menit, harus dimanfaatin. Bayangin 10x 5 menit kan udah ampir satu jam tuh. Akibat sering diputus sambung kaya stop kontak, sekarang konsentrasi saya udah lumayananlah dibanding dulu.
Sebaik-baiknya Mertua tetap lebih enak tinggal sendiri.
Ini nih, tantangan kedua terberat di 2008 selain urusan bisnis: Tinggal bareng di Pondok Indah Mertua (PIM). Dari segala kebiasaan yang beda banget sama keluarga saya sampe ke nilai-nilai, apa yang dianggap bagus dan ngga bagus. Dari cuma sekedar terheran-heran sampai bete tapi ngga terlampiaskan (yah ke mertua gitu loh...), jadi makanan sehari-hari di PIM. Padahal ini mertua yang baik loh, bukan yang nasty annoying seperti sinetron Indonesia.
Uang itu ngga pernah cukup. Pengeluaran harus dicatat jadi bisa dibudget.
I just found it a 100% true! Kasian deh lo, udah banyak buku yang bilang tau! Emang kalo ngga ngalamin sendiri ngga 'nendang' hahaha... Selama 2008 ini kita ngirit-ngirit ke semuanya kecuali makanan. Akhirnya kita kaya di perut, gembel di penampilan, miskin di wawasan. Untungnya ada catatan pengeluaran, yang biarpun baru mulainya di Oktober tapi kita jadi tau salah kita.
Kadang-kadang emang ada klien yang 'marah' sama kita
Walaupun sudah berusaha sebaik mungkin, berusaha memenuhi harapan klien, ternyata masih ada faktor lain yang muncul terus bikin ribut. Misalnya fotografer yang ngotot minta file mentah sama si ibu yang order undangan tipis terus ternyata suaminya seneng tebel dan ngebego-begoin kita dengan pertanyaan, 'belum pernah bikin undangan yah?' Jadi yahhh, terima aja, anggep aja natural disaster yang ngga bisa ditolak.
Waktu itu diadakan, bukan dicari kapan sempatnya
Dari dulu saya males belajar nyetir. Males harus dandan, ganti baju, terus keringetan (karena panik hehe). Juga males ketemu temen, mikirin harus dandan, macet-macetan, kerjaan ngga kelar, abis duit, dll. Akhirnya ngga ada yang jadi deh. Di Bandung ini saya maksain nyetir. Pokoknya harus nyetir! Dan nyetirlah saya. Pokoknya harus nengokin bayinya! Dan pergilah saya menengok bayi itu dan mamanya, sahabat SMA saya.
Jadi selalu baik hati dan jujur ngga selalu tepat sasaran
Karena kadang saya ketemu orang yang terlalu bebal untuk menhargai arti kebaikan dan kejujuran. Mereka pikir itu kelemahan dan seenak-enaknya memanfaatkan itu. Istilah gampangnya, ngga tau diri. Jadi kalau ketemu yang begitu, sentakan dan taktik perlu.
Standar dan klise yah semuanya. Tapi, believe me, kadang untuk berubah dan meresapi, seseorang harus mengalami sendiri.
Ngga pernah ada waktu yang sempurna untuk memulai sesuatu
Saya punya kebiasaan untuk menunda melakukan sesuatu dengan alasan menantikan saat yang sempurna untuk merealisasikannya. Waktu yang sempurna untuk mengerjakan sesuatu menurut definisi saya adalah waktu yang cukup panjang, senyap tak terganggu, steril dari segala macam selingan, dan kondisi fisik yang segar bugar. Masalahnya adalah, semakin bertambah usia yang dibarengin dengan pertambahan tanggung jawab dan kesibukan, situasi seperti itu hampir mustahil kejadian. Buntutnya yah, jadi ngga ngerjain apa-apa. Makanya sekarang tiap kali ada waktu, walaupun cuma 5 menit, harus dimanfaatin. Bayangin 10x 5 menit kan udah ampir satu jam tuh. Akibat sering diputus sambung kaya stop kontak, sekarang konsentrasi saya udah lumayananlah dibanding dulu.
Sebaik-baiknya Mertua tetap lebih enak tinggal sendiri.
Ini nih, tantangan kedua terberat di 2008 selain urusan bisnis: Tinggal bareng di Pondok Indah Mertua (PIM). Dari segala kebiasaan yang beda banget sama keluarga saya sampe ke nilai-nilai, apa yang dianggap bagus dan ngga bagus. Dari cuma sekedar terheran-heran sampai bete tapi ngga terlampiaskan (yah ke mertua gitu loh...), jadi makanan sehari-hari di PIM. Padahal ini mertua yang baik loh, bukan yang nasty annoying seperti sinetron Indonesia.
Uang itu ngga pernah cukup. Pengeluaran harus dicatat jadi bisa dibudget.
I just found it a 100% true! Kasian deh lo, udah banyak buku yang bilang tau! Emang kalo ngga ngalamin sendiri ngga 'nendang' hahaha... Selama 2008 ini kita ngirit-ngirit ke semuanya kecuali makanan. Akhirnya kita kaya di perut, gembel di penampilan, miskin di wawasan. Untungnya ada catatan pengeluaran, yang biarpun baru mulainya di Oktober tapi kita jadi tau salah kita.
Kadang-kadang emang ada klien yang 'marah' sama kita
Walaupun sudah berusaha sebaik mungkin, berusaha memenuhi harapan klien, ternyata masih ada faktor lain yang muncul terus bikin ribut. Misalnya fotografer yang ngotot minta file mentah sama si ibu yang order undangan tipis terus ternyata suaminya seneng tebel dan ngebego-begoin kita dengan pertanyaan, 'belum pernah bikin undangan yah?' Jadi yahhh, terima aja, anggep aja natural disaster yang ngga bisa ditolak.
Waktu itu diadakan, bukan dicari kapan sempatnya
Dari dulu saya males belajar nyetir. Males harus dandan, ganti baju, terus keringetan (karena panik hehe). Juga males ketemu temen, mikirin harus dandan, macet-macetan, kerjaan ngga kelar, abis duit, dll. Akhirnya ngga ada yang jadi deh. Di Bandung ini saya maksain nyetir. Pokoknya harus nyetir! Dan nyetirlah saya. Pokoknya harus nengokin bayinya! Dan pergilah saya menengok bayi itu dan mamanya, sahabat SMA saya.
Jadi selalu baik hati dan jujur ngga selalu tepat sasaran
Karena kadang saya ketemu orang yang terlalu bebal untuk menhargai arti kebaikan dan kejujuran. Mereka pikir itu kelemahan dan seenak-enaknya memanfaatkan itu. Istilah gampangnya, ngga tau diri. Jadi kalau ketemu yang begitu, sentakan dan taktik perlu.
Standar dan klise yah semuanya. Tapi, believe me, kadang untuk berubah dan meresapi, seseorang harus mengalami sendiri.
2008 Brief Life Review
Taun 2008 ini beneran berasa lewat cepet banget, dan juga monoton... Dari isi blog aja ketauan, isinya cuma kerja, kerja, dan kerja. Temen dicuekin, keluarga jarang ditengok. Koleksi baju ngga ditambah, dan ngga berasa terlalu ngefek, karena emang jaranggg sekali keluar kecuali sama Hubby. So, tahun 2008 ini beneran lewat tanpa variasi.
Bisnis
Dari segi penghasilan sebenarnya cukup memuaskan, IN CASE, ngga ada bencana saham yang melalap hasil kerja keras dan nangis darah setaun ini. Jadilah kita berdua bertaun baru dengan kondisi pas-pasan, ngga bisa kipas-kipas seperti perkiraan semula. Tapi, walaupun kami jatuh, ada fakta yang sedikit menghibur, dihitung-hitung, omzet kami lumayan loh, udah lebih dari 'gaji standar middle manager'. Jadi kami sekarang udah optimis, bidang bisnis kami udah di jalur yang bener.
Tapiii... (selalu ada tapi), hasil segitu itu adalah hasil kerja keras saya seorang diri, yang udah full, udah di limit saya. Load lebih dari itu saya bisa sakit jiwa hehehe. Jadi seperti yang dibilang Hubby, taun 2008 ini kami baru work hard, belum work smart. Makanya di taun 2009, kami udah bertekad bekerja dengan cara yang berbeda supaya hasilnya juga bisa beda.
Perkawinan
Hubungan sama Hubby ngga selalu mulus, namanya juga dua manusia berbeda yang jadi satu, jadi kerikil-kerikil konflik banyak banget. Tapi dalam setaun ini, kami makin jarang ribut karena secara personally, financially, dan how to manage our life, kami udah lebih saling ngertiin. Dan saya harus mengakui, dengan segala ketidaksempurnaannya, Hubby orang yang berhati lapang, karena dia mau mengatasi egonya untuk menjadi suami yang lebih baik. Jadi walaupun kami masih hidup dengan kondisi finansial yang masih gonjang-ganjing, YES, we're happy because there's something money just can't buy!
Keluarga
Tiap kali liburan, biasanya Hubby dengan setia menemani ke Bandung, tinggal 1-2 minggu balik ke rumah papa mama saya. Tapi selain itu, wahhh, bisa 1-3 bulan ngga liat papa mama. Kadang-kadang saya sedih loh. Kayanya mereka udah ngasih buanyakkk sekali buat saya tapi untuk nengokin mereka aja susah banget. Saya suka ngerasa bersalah ngga sering-sering liat mereka. But, hopefully, di taun 2009 nanti saya bisa manage waktu lebih sering ketemu mereka. Ketemu sama adik bungsu malah lumayan sering. Sejak dia tinggal di Jakarta, kami sering ke gereja bareng, jadi agak terobati kangen keluarganya. Sama adik yang tengah, yah telpon-telponan, membahas kehidupan perkawinan dan bisnis juga. Maklum, sama-sama keluarga muda.
Petemanan
Wah, ini sih ke laut aja deh... Serius, taun 2008 parah banget, yang saking ngga pernahnya bersosialisasi mungkin udah ditendang dari list pertemanan. Paling banter cuma telpon atau message di Facebook. Kalau ketemuan, pasti 'ngga bisa' karena kerjaan ada di atas segalanya. Badly damaged, I must improve a lot in friendship.
Saya jadi inget buku 7 Habits-nya Stephen Covey. Katanya banyak orang, tanpa sadar, terlalu memusatkan hidupnya di salah satu bidang saja. Saya sepertinya terlalu memusatkan hidup di kerjaan. Tiap kali ada urusan, kerjaan vs. yang lain, pasti kerjaan pemenangnya. Ngga enak sih mengakui kalau diri sendiri keliru. Tapi saya udah bertekad, tahun 2009 saya ngga mau hidup dengan prioritas yang keliru, tapi dengan prinsip, menjalani hidup yang bermakna dan penuh cinta dan pembelajaran.
Bisnis
Dari segi penghasilan sebenarnya cukup memuaskan, IN CASE, ngga ada bencana saham yang melalap hasil kerja keras dan nangis darah setaun ini. Jadilah kita berdua bertaun baru dengan kondisi pas-pasan, ngga bisa kipas-kipas seperti perkiraan semula. Tapi, walaupun kami jatuh, ada fakta yang sedikit menghibur, dihitung-hitung, omzet kami lumayan loh, udah lebih dari 'gaji standar middle manager'. Jadi kami sekarang udah optimis, bidang bisnis kami udah di jalur yang bener.
Tapiii... (selalu ada tapi), hasil segitu itu adalah hasil kerja keras saya seorang diri, yang udah full, udah di limit saya. Load lebih dari itu saya bisa sakit jiwa hehehe. Jadi seperti yang dibilang Hubby, taun 2008 ini kami baru work hard, belum work smart. Makanya di taun 2009, kami udah bertekad bekerja dengan cara yang berbeda supaya hasilnya juga bisa beda.
Perkawinan
Hubungan sama Hubby ngga selalu mulus, namanya juga dua manusia berbeda yang jadi satu, jadi kerikil-kerikil konflik banyak banget. Tapi dalam setaun ini, kami makin jarang ribut karena secara personally, financially, dan how to manage our life, kami udah lebih saling ngertiin. Dan saya harus mengakui, dengan segala ketidaksempurnaannya, Hubby orang yang berhati lapang, karena dia mau mengatasi egonya untuk menjadi suami yang lebih baik. Jadi walaupun kami masih hidup dengan kondisi finansial yang masih gonjang-ganjing, YES, we're happy because there's something money just can't buy!
Keluarga
Tiap kali liburan, biasanya Hubby dengan setia menemani ke Bandung, tinggal 1-2 minggu balik ke rumah papa mama saya. Tapi selain itu, wahhh, bisa 1-3 bulan ngga liat papa mama. Kadang-kadang saya sedih loh. Kayanya mereka udah ngasih buanyakkk sekali buat saya tapi untuk nengokin mereka aja susah banget. Saya suka ngerasa bersalah ngga sering-sering liat mereka. But, hopefully, di taun 2009 nanti saya bisa manage waktu lebih sering ketemu mereka. Ketemu sama adik bungsu malah lumayan sering. Sejak dia tinggal di Jakarta, kami sering ke gereja bareng, jadi agak terobati kangen keluarganya. Sama adik yang tengah, yah telpon-telponan, membahas kehidupan perkawinan dan bisnis juga. Maklum, sama-sama keluarga muda.
Petemanan
Wah, ini sih ke laut aja deh... Serius, taun 2008 parah banget, yang saking ngga pernahnya bersosialisasi mungkin udah ditendang dari list pertemanan. Paling banter cuma telpon atau message di Facebook. Kalau ketemuan, pasti 'ngga bisa' karena kerjaan ada di atas segalanya. Badly damaged, I must improve a lot in friendship.
Saya jadi inget buku 7 Habits-nya Stephen Covey. Katanya banyak orang, tanpa sadar, terlalu memusatkan hidupnya di salah satu bidang saja. Saya sepertinya terlalu memusatkan hidup di kerjaan. Tiap kali ada urusan, kerjaan vs. yang lain, pasti kerjaan pemenangnya. Ngga enak sih mengakui kalau diri sendiri keliru. Tapi saya udah bertekad, tahun 2009 saya ngga mau hidup dengan prioritas yang keliru, tapi dengan prinsip, menjalani hidup yang bermakna dan penuh cinta dan pembelajaran.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
The Bird Series
I'm very excited now! I just got one idea about bird series used as metaphor. The inspiration? Shigeo Fukuda the master of witty art and, ironically, my father-in-law's pet, his canary birds. Ha! It's the proof that inspiration can be found in anything hehehehe...
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Searching for My Forte (Part 02)
Dua mantan teman kerja saya jadi pembicara di sebuah seminar desain grafis. Mereka memang orang yang pintar, dengan pemikiran desain yang mendalam dan kepedulian akan situasi sosial di sekitar mereka. Jadi mereka layak jadi pembicara di seminar itu.
Saya orang yang cukup kompetitif. Kalau dulu, saya akan merasa 'kalah' dengan pencapaian itu. Mereka sudah jadi pembicara, yang berarti perluasan profesi, tak lagi hanya eksekutor kreatif, tapi sudah menjadi salah satu pemberi ide. Hebat kan. Saya juga dulu pernah jadi pembicara seperti itu, jadi dosen dan dosen tamu, dan kemudian peserta seminar mengontak saya meminta petunjuk. Jadi saya tau mereka ada di mana sekarang.
Tapi anehnya saya koq tidak ingin sama sekali. Saya berpikir jadi pembicara di seminar atau jadi tokoh desain grafis bukan impian saya lagi. Dulu saya pikir itu asyik, Tapi sekarang saya pikir itu membosankan. Saya sekarang malah ingin menemukan bidang baru, jadi ngga cuma desain grafis melulu. Tidak perlu hebat terkenal seantero jagat, yang penting saya senang di hati, saya menikmati, dan yang paling penting saya bisa bangga dengan itu, seyakin-yakinnya.
Sekarang ini usaha desain grafis saya sudah jauh lebih bagus daripada tahun kemarin. Saya dan suami menhitung omzet kami tahun ini dan hasilnya cukup membanggakan. Kami saja tak menyangka hasilnya. Kerja keras kami ternyata tak sia-sia. Kami jadi lebih yakin bisnis ini menjanjikan.
Nah karena desain grafis sudah jadi pekerjaan yang dalam tahap penekunan, segala hingar bingar seru-serunya desain grafis jadi menghilang. Makanya sekarang ini saya merasakan desakan yang cukup kuat untuk menambah dimensi hidup saya. Penemuan kalau saya sudah berubah cita-cita ini menyadarkan saya kalau saya harus menemukan arah kemudi baru. Saya tidak bisa lagi HANYA melihat ke arah tokoh-tokoh desain grafis. Saya harus memperluas pandangan saya untuk menemukan arah baru.
Problemnya, apa ya arah baru itu :P
Saya orang yang cukup kompetitif. Kalau dulu, saya akan merasa 'kalah' dengan pencapaian itu. Mereka sudah jadi pembicara, yang berarti perluasan profesi, tak lagi hanya eksekutor kreatif, tapi sudah menjadi salah satu pemberi ide. Hebat kan. Saya juga dulu pernah jadi pembicara seperti itu, jadi dosen dan dosen tamu, dan kemudian peserta seminar mengontak saya meminta petunjuk. Jadi saya tau mereka ada di mana sekarang.
Tapi anehnya saya koq tidak ingin sama sekali. Saya berpikir jadi pembicara di seminar atau jadi tokoh desain grafis bukan impian saya lagi. Dulu saya pikir itu asyik, Tapi sekarang saya pikir itu membosankan. Saya sekarang malah ingin menemukan bidang baru, jadi ngga cuma desain grafis melulu. Tidak perlu hebat terkenal seantero jagat, yang penting saya senang di hati, saya menikmati, dan yang paling penting saya bisa bangga dengan itu, seyakin-yakinnya.
Sekarang ini usaha desain grafis saya sudah jauh lebih bagus daripada tahun kemarin. Saya dan suami menhitung omzet kami tahun ini dan hasilnya cukup membanggakan. Kami saja tak menyangka hasilnya. Kerja keras kami ternyata tak sia-sia. Kami jadi lebih yakin bisnis ini menjanjikan.
Nah karena desain grafis sudah jadi pekerjaan yang dalam tahap penekunan, segala hingar bingar seru-serunya desain grafis jadi menghilang. Makanya sekarang ini saya merasakan desakan yang cukup kuat untuk menambah dimensi hidup saya. Penemuan kalau saya sudah berubah cita-cita ini menyadarkan saya kalau saya harus menemukan arah kemudi baru. Saya tidak bisa lagi HANYA melihat ke arah tokoh-tokoh desain grafis. Saya harus memperluas pandangan saya untuk menemukan arah baru.
Problemnya, apa ya arah baru itu :P
Searching for My Forte (Part 01)
Saya lagi nyari kegiatan baru nih... Kegiatan yang bisa bikin saya 'in trance', bener-bener masuk menikmati apa yang saya kerjakan. Pastinya bukan desain grafis. Udah cukup deh, 5 hari, kadang 6 hari dalam seminggu berkutat dengan InDesign. Sempet kepikiran jewellery making atau baby clothing. Tapi masih sebatas pengen. Jeleknya saya selalu mikir gimana dibisnisinnya, yang kalo udah masuk gitu susah deh, kena masalah biaya dan produksi.
Bikin apa yah, buat asik-asik gitu?
Bikin apa yah, buat asik-asik gitu?
Saturday, November 22, 2008
The Load Has Passed
Finally I've finished the first draft of that wedding book. Yes that so frustrated wedding book that made me thought I can't design! I've sent it to the client. He said he has taken a glance at it and love it. 'If there's revision, it will be minor one', he said.
Ohh, it's been the darkest week ever for the past two months. My inspiration got locked, as if I struck a brick wall every time I tried to develop my ideas. At one time the idea looked brilliant, but got lame at the lay out. Sometimes it looked good, could be applied good, and then suddenly I hated it so much that I erased it instantly.
And as the time went by, I designed nothing! I was trapped on the same pages, over and over, with no clue at all! I was so frustrated, got a headache and irritated eyes, the right one and then the left one.
But yesterday I decided, no matter what, I have to finish it, no excuse anymore!!! I had already cornered at my limit.
And then, 'pop', it flowed. Not as good as usual when my muse is on the job. But, it did finished.
This hard week has made me realize, the inspiration is indeed the God's reward. Sometimes no matter how hard you try, you just can't produce anything.
Friday, November 21, 2008
The House that Simply Too Packed
Saya tau sekarang kenapa kita ngga bisa hidup 'damai' dalam serumah. Karena dalam 200 m2 populasinya terlalu padat: 5 orang, 1 anjing, dan 6 burung; sehingga setiap orang, setiap makhluk punya area aktivitas yang saling bersinggungan tak terhindarkan. Jadialah saya, semi-loner yang perlu waktu banyak bertapa sendirian dalam sepi ini hampir kehilangan ruang sunyinya. Belum lagi kuping saya yang super duper tajam menangkap bunyi hingga decit se-iprit-pun langsung tertangkap, terganggu...Kadang saya suka merasa bersalah loh kalo merasa terganggu. Pertama, saya numpang, jadi ngga ada hak untuk terganggu. Kedua, harusnya saya bersyukur ada rumah. Banyak yang ngga punya rumah, berteduh dalam hujan. Rasanya seperti tidak mensyukuri apa yang dimiliki.
Tapi susahhh luar biasa untuk tetap bertenang waktu gangguan itu datang. Yahhh... saya ngga bisa mengubah orang lain, tapi saya bisa mengubah diri saya sendiri :)
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Blank + Basi = PANIKKK!
Nasibnya jadi desainer nih. Kadang-kadang otak ini mati kutu ngga mau diajak kerja sama menciptakan sesuatu. Yang ada kalkulasi rasional kaya robot yang ngga bisa diaplikasikan untuk kerjaan yang butuh rasa.
Kaya kerjaan kali ini, bikin buku wedding. Biasanya bikin buku cantik kaya begini 'gampang', it's one of my forte, just like dreaming and jrenggg..., jadilah template menarik yang sering bikin klien sumringah.
Tapi kali ini boro-boro. Saya aja sebel liatnya apalagi klien. Walaupun sering juga sih, saya cinta klien yang sebel. Seperti yang Hubby bilang, 'ngga semua orang mikir dan liat kaya kamu, yang penting klien seneng'. Kalo dia ngomong gitu suka sebel, abis dia bener.
Balik lagi, duhhh, total 8 taun jadi desainer udah beribu-ribu kali kayanya ngalamin yang namanya stuck tapi tetep aja rasanya kaya mimpi buruk. Ngeblank, ga tau mau ngapain, gini basi gitu basi. Padahal Desember udah harus jadi lagi, sama CETAK! :(
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Mosquito Spray
I've never meet with someone so annoying like him. Just stay near him and you can detect that he is so boastful though he knows nothing. When he comments, what's best I can do is pretend not to hear for it is so useless that I can't stand it furthermore. His family doesn't respect him. When he talked, they all reacted indifferently. On the contrary, when the topic was sensitive, they just blurted their anger as if they took a revenge on something that has happened so long.
It's pathetic, because he's actually a kind man, but lack of social awareness and a very bad listener. Sometimes I took a pity on him. But you know, it's so hard to love someone like him because he's like a mosquito spray, people just don't like to stay near him.
It's pathetic, because he's actually a kind man, but lack of social awareness and a very bad listener. Sometimes I took a pity on him. But you know, it's so hard to love someone like him because he's like a mosquito spray, people just don't like to stay near him.
Silence is Golden
Silence is an exclusivity in his family house. I just realized this when I have to live with them, that silence in my own family home is not every family's custom. For example, in mine, TV is only turned on when there is someone is watching. Talking is done in a talking volume, screaming is done when something urgent is happening or the we are just too far from each other to talk.
But in his, TV is almost turned on from morning to night. His parents talk to each other almost like screaming. And just like those are not noisy enough, they also eat noisily, burping, farting, just name any kind of sound what human can make, but added a big volume to all of them.
Maybe I'm just too sensitive, too aware to any kinds unnecessary things. But I'm kind of frustrated for not having my own silence moment, my private moment. I can find this excusive moment when I'm in toilet. I'm happier when every members of family (except him) are not at home. Even when I took a nap to clear my mind, it's very often that the sound of they slammed the doors woke me up because it happened so frequently.
I just need sounds outside my head to be turned off so I can turn on the sound inside my head.
But it's just so noisy here :(
But in his, TV is almost turned on from morning to night. His parents talk to each other almost like screaming. And just like those are not noisy enough, they also eat noisily, burping, farting, just name any kind of sound what human can make, but added a big volume to all of them.
Maybe I'm just too sensitive, too aware to any kinds unnecessary things. But I'm kind of frustrated for not having my own silence moment, my private moment. I can find this excusive moment when I'm in toilet. I'm happier when every members of family (except him) are not at home. Even when I took a nap to clear my mind, it's very often that the sound of they slammed the doors woke me up because it happened so frequently.
I just need sounds outside my head to be turned off so I can turn on the sound inside my head.
But it's just so noisy here :(
Ngga Terlalu Penting
Kejutan! Saya bangun pagi hehehe. Belakangan bangun jam 9-10 karena kecapean, malah sempet bablas jam 11.
Kemaren malem mati gaya. Udah males banget cuma untuk diem di depan komputer juga. Mata udah sakit, kena radiasi terus-terusan. Waktu suami ngajak makan Padang sekeluarga seneng banget. Komputer langsung saya matiin. Pulang makan tidur deh... Jelek banget yah, hehehe.
Tidurnya cuma bentar terus bangun, mandi, akhirnya dengan sisa-sisa kekuatan bikin deh 12 bulan untuk agenda. Jam 10 di Star World ada Desperate Housewives. Episodenya lagi seru-serunya, Fairview kena tornado. Jam 11 masuk kamar, terusin Reservation Road, jam 1 tidur.
Dan tadi jam 6.45 saya bangun ngga ngantuk lagi. Kemaren sempet bilang sama suami mau kerja pagi aja. Malem udah ngga tahan. Ternyata jadi juga bangun pagi.
Kemaren malem mati gaya. Udah males banget cuma untuk diem di depan komputer juga. Mata udah sakit, kena radiasi terus-terusan. Waktu suami ngajak makan Padang sekeluarga seneng banget. Komputer langsung saya matiin. Pulang makan tidur deh... Jelek banget yah, hehehe.
Tidurnya cuma bentar terus bangun, mandi, akhirnya dengan sisa-sisa kekuatan bikin deh 12 bulan untuk agenda. Jam 10 di Star World ada Desperate Housewives. Episodenya lagi seru-serunya, Fairview kena tornado. Jam 11 masuk kamar, terusin Reservation Road, jam 1 tidur.
Dan tadi jam 6.45 saya bangun ngga ngantuk lagi. Kemaren sempet bilang sama suami mau kerja pagi aja. Malem udah ngga tahan. Ternyata jadi juga bangun pagi.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Tender 'Rese'
Duhhhhh, koq males banget yah bikin desain kalender buat tender... Mungkin gara-gara sebel sama prosedur tendernya. Masa yang diundang 8 perusahaan, masing-masing mesti bikin 3 alternatif, terus kalender dinding dan meja beda tema. Total berarti ada 48 desain! Saya sempet protes ke suami saya, malesss bikin tender brengsek kaya gini. Buang-buang tenga banget sihhhh... Masa cuma buat kalender aja mesti undang 8 perusahaan!!! Gara-gara KPK nihhh, semua BUMN takut kena gulung, jadinya mereka berusaha taat prosedur, takut dituduh koruptor. Yang dapet efek ga bagusnya yah kaya saya gini, 'UKM' tak terperhatikan, hiks, hiks...
Tapi mau marah gimana... balik-balik bego kita sendiri sihhh... Kan ngga ada yang paksa ambil. Emang kita juga iseng-iseng berhadiah, mumpung partner kita termasuk 'favorit' di tender ini.
Yah nasib, masih kecil, belum banyak pilihan :-(
Tapi mau marah gimana... balik-balik bego kita sendiri sihhh... Kan ngga ada yang paksa ambil. Emang kita juga iseng-iseng berhadiah, mumpung partner kita termasuk 'favorit' di tender ini.
Yah nasib, masih kecil, belum banyak pilihan :-(
Thursday, November 6, 2008
To Retain My Sanity
For all this year, this is my routine:
9.00-10.00 Wake up
–Working–
12.00-01.30 Have lunch
–Working–
16.00 Have a 15 minutes-1 hour break
–Working–
18.00-19.00 Dinner
–Working–
(NOT BUSY DAY)
20.00 Stop working, reading a book, calling my parents, browsing, or playing computer games
(BUSY DAY)
Working till late, my record lately is 3.00 in the morning when everything seemed blurred and my brain working like a ten years ago computer processor.
And this month so crazy that almost everyday I designs like marathon. Sleeps with a kind of relieve for completing the day's target and then wakes up with a big load in my head to finish the next.
I'm very afraid that this kind of routine can drain me, not only physically, but mentally. So I tried everyday to light up my mood, most of the times it's work, especially since I routinely go to church to get a lot positive encouragement after an exhausted week. Going to church reminds me how I always finally could pass all my obstacles and how God always guides me to overcome them bravely and safely. And what doesn't kill you make you stronger.
It's just like everytime I loose my power, I'm reminded again that I'm not as weak as I thought before. It's my mind that weakens myself, not the obstacles.
I used to think that my greatest supporter was my father. Yes he's wise, kind, and everything one child can hope in a father. I love and respect him very much. But lately he has so many things that weight his head. He just needs rest and freed from thinking all the problems, him and his children.
This makes me realize that I shouldn't rest on the shoulder of another human though it was my father. Human grows old and tired, and human has limit. It's God I should lean on. He's the creator of my life.
9.00-10.00 Wake up
–Working–
12.00-01.30 Have lunch
–Working–
16.00 Have a 15 minutes-1 hour break
–Working–
18.00-19.00 Dinner
–Working–
(NOT BUSY DAY)
20.00 Stop working, reading a book, calling my parents, browsing, or playing computer games
(BUSY DAY)
Working till late, my record lately is 3.00 in the morning when everything seemed blurred and my brain working like a ten years ago computer processor.
And this month so crazy that almost everyday I designs like marathon. Sleeps with a kind of relieve for completing the day's target and then wakes up with a big load in my head to finish the next.
I'm very afraid that this kind of routine can drain me, not only physically, but mentally. So I tried everyday to light up my mood, most of the times it's work, especially since I routinely go to church to get a lot positive encouragement after an exhausted week. Going to church reminds me how I always finally could pass all my obstacles and how God always guides me to overcome them bravely and safely. And what doesn't kill you make you stronger.
It's just like everytime I loose my power, I'm reminded again that I'm not as weak as I thought before. It's my mind that weakens myself, not the obstacles.
I used to think that my greatest supporter was my father. Yes he's wise, kind, and everything one child can hope in a father. I love and respect him very much. But lately he has so many things that weight his head. He just needs rest and freed from thinking all the problems, him and his children.
This makes me realize that I shouldn't rest on the shoulder of another human though it was my father. Human grows old and tired, and human has limit. It's God I should lean on. He's the creator of my life.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Bvlgary Jasmine Noir
This perfume is one example of creating drama for a bottle of scent. A jasmine scent in an elegant minimalist shape bottle that shows it's class, confidence just in black and gold (though not so unique compared to other perfume bottles designed). But it drew my attention by how the perfume was 'sold'. They names it black jasmine, which is the name itself is already create a mysterious aura, since the black jasmine sounds so exotic and rare ingredients. The launching itself was located at Turkey, a night that attended by who's who socialite, movie star, and fashion mogul.
I just thinking, without all dramas attached to it, it's just another new perfume comes to market. Well, it's another lesson how to sell your ideas.
Burberry from Lowry
For Fall Winter 2008-09 Burberry creative director Christopher Bailey went in the opposite direction from his Spring 2008 collection which was a vibrant jubilee of color.
The label found it’s inspiration in L.S. Lowry, an artist from northern England. Lowry was famous for depicting life in England’s industrial areas, and tended to use drab gritty colors. The designer told Reuters, “I really wanted to look at all the old Lowry paintings … there’s something quite nostalgic, there’s something (in them) a little romantic, something a bit industrial.”
Bailey’s inspiration came across as leaves flooded the runway to set the earth tone in which the collection was based. The muted color palette involved rich deep shades of reds and browns.
The cut of Baileys matchstick thin suits was sharp and unforgiving. They were accompanied by silk shirts with prints that were untucked.
The muted color palette forces you to study the details which included piping on suit jackets and fur trimming on coats. cable knit beanie hats were ubiquitous throughout the show, as were gloves of all sorts. Knit gloves, fingerless gloves, reptile skin gloves, gloves with extra long cuffs, Burberry is heavily pushing their accessories game.
And here's about the Inspirator:
Lowry and Loneliness
The first time I saw the paintings of the British artist, Laurence Stephen Lowry, I was struck by their humor and sense of optimism. Later, when I read about him, I was surprised to be told that most of the paintings characterized the deep loneliness of the man. That painting – and classical music, his other passion – were buffers against the cold winds of his single existence. Lowry never married and was always something of a recluse – exactly the things to mark him out as odd in our society. But loneliness is not a permanent state and Lowry was certainly not socially handicapped – acquaintances and friends speak of his warm sense of humor – so it seems to me that perhaps he was just a person who simply preferred his own company the best and saw no reason to change the state of things.
Lowry, The Artist
Lowry painted and studied art diligently for a very long time – it used to annoy him quite a bit in later years when people assumed he was a 'self-taught' artist, who came by his art easily, without all the practice and hard-work that goes into it. For all the child-like stick figures in his work, he had worked hard to develop a good proficiency at Life Painting and he sketched almost incessantly. He used to carry along a sketchbook on his work rounds and every time something interesting caught his eye, he would stop and make a quick sketch. These sketches were later incorporated into his paintings. Mostly of his early works were industrial scenes. His color palette was limited – vermilion, yellow ochre, prussian blue, white, and black mainly.
He was interested in art for art's sake - and his work shows a very sympathetic and observant eye for detail - and he never really bothered about trying to sell his works or try to set up an exhibition. He probably would have remained unnoticed if his works, sent to a shop for framing, had not been seen by an art dealer from London. Immediately impressed, he sought the artist out and insisted on giving him a one-man exhibition at the Alex Reid & Lefevre Ltd. Art Gallery in London.
The exhibition was a success, with the Tate Gallery buying one painting, and from henceforth, Lowry was feted in the art world and his paintings sold for good sums of money.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Cinta dalam Bento
Beberapa tahun yang lalu saya sempat merasakan jadi orang kantoran, kerja di gedung mewah di kawasan premium Mega Kuningan. Seperti kebanyakan orang kantoran di sana, kami makan siang di Mall Ambassador yang banyak banget tempat jajanannya. Anehnya dengan segala kelimpahan jenis makanan itu, saya dan teman-teman kantor sering merasa bingung menentukan pilihan makan di mana karena bosan. Lagi-lagi soto ambengan, lagi-lagi ayam penyet... Lucunya ada dua gerai makanan yang selalu bikin kami kangen minimal sebulan sekali: KFC dan Hoka Hoka Bento atau Hokben. Dan rasa nagih ini kami rasakan bersama hingga rasanya wajar kalau salah satu di antara kami bilang, 'wah udah lama nih, ke KFC yuk' atau 'ke Hokben yuk.'
Kenangan ini muncul lagi saat saya ke Kartika Chandra, untuk gunting rambut and ngecat di salon langganan. Gunting plus ngecat biasanya makan waktu minimal 3 jam. Untuk mencegah saya pingsan di bak cuci rambut, saya isi perut dulu di Hokben Kartika Chandra. Karena makan sendirian, saya jadi 'iseng' mengamati sekeliling. Walaupun sudah pernah melihat Hokben di Senayan City, saya baru sadar betapa Hokben sudah banyak berganti wajah sejak jaman dulu saya masih orang kantoran.
Hokben yang dulunya tampil dengan warna primer merah, biru, kuning seperti lukisan Piet Mondrian, sekarang tampil lebih eksklusif dengan warna dominan merah dan hitam. Kalau dulu dindingnya polos putih dengan foto-foto menunya, sekarang dindingnya berwarna hitam, dihiasi mural kolase foto wanita Jepang berelemen grafis gaya Jepang seperti pagoda, kipas, bambu. Mural tersebut dibuat dengan gaya foto ala foto fashion dengan tone warna yang eksotik, kekuningan dan cenderung surealistik. Kursi-kursi plastik gaya fastfood sudah digantikan dengan kursi-kursi tripleks berlapis veneer dengan rangka stainless stell. Tampaknya Hokben sedang berbenah diri ke arah menjual 'lifestyle', yang mengutamakan kenyamanan, bukan lagi sekedar tempat makan.
Hanya saja perubahan itu tampak belum total. Tampilan menu pada neon box masih seperti yang dulu. Warna merah dan hitam Hokben yang baru belum secara konsisten diterapkan. Warna merah, biru, ungu, hijau, tampil pada nama menu yang mengaburkan identitas Hokben yang sekarang. Nama menu yang menggunakan font latin bergaya kanji sebenarnya tidak perlu. Dengan pesan yang sudah berlimpah: nama brand Hoka Hoka Bento (Bento adalah nasi kotak Jepang), mural bergaya Jepang, warna merah hitam, dan penyajian menu dalam mangkuk dengan sumpit, penggunaan huruf lain kekanji-kanjian malah menjadikan Hokben seperti kurang yakin dengan jualannya sendiri memang bento dari Jepang. Yang paling 'lucu' adalah logonya, anak kembar laki dan perempuan yang gaya ilustrasinya masih seperti desain kantung ulang tahun anak-anak sablonan ekonomis dua warna. Mungkin ada unsur feng shui yang dipercayai telah menghibahkan kemakmuran pada pendiri Hokben.
Tapi dengan segala ketidaksempurnannya, Hokben seperti bukti nyata dari there's always a room for improvement. Sebagai brand yang sudah memiliki banyak sekali pelanggan fanatik, Hokben menunjukkan diri sebagai brand yang rajin berbenah untuk terus memikat pelanggan setia dengan terus memperluas fungsinya.
Berbicara tentang Hokben, koq tiba-tiba saya kangen dengan Egg Chicken Roll dan saus mayo-nya yah. :)
Kenangan ini muncul lagi saat saya ke Kartika Chandra, untuk gunting rambut and ngecat di salon langganan. Gunting plus ngecat biasanya makan waktu minimal 3 jam. Untuk mencegah saya pingsan di bak cuci rambut, saya isi perut dulu di Hokben Kartika Chandra. Karena makan sendirian, saya jadi 'iseng' mengamati sekeliling. Walaupun sudah pernah melihat Hokben di Senayan City, saya baru sadar betapa Hokben sudah banyak berganti wajah sejak jaman dulu saya masih orang kantoran.
Hokben yang dulunya tampil dengan warna primer merah, biru, kuning seperti lukisan Piet Mondrian, sekarang tampil lebih eksklusif dengan warna dominan merah dan hitam. Kalau dulu dindingnya polos putih dengan foto-foto menunya, sekarang dindingnya berwarna hitam, dihiasi mural kolase foto wanita Jepang berelemen grafis gaya Jepang seperti pagoda, kipas, bambu. Mural tersebut dibuat dengan gaya foto ala foto fashion dengan tone warna yang eksotik, kekuningan dan cenderung surealistik. Kursi-kursi plastik gaya fastfood sudah digantikan dengan kursi-kursi tripleks berlapis veneer dengan rangka stainless stell. Tampaknya Hokben sedang berbenah diri ke arah menjual 'lifestyle', yang mengutamakan kenyamanan, bukan lagi sekedar tempat makan.
Hanya saja perubahan itu tampak belum total. Tampilan menu pada neon box masih seperti yang dulu. Warna merah dan hitam Hokben yang baru belum secara konsisten diterapkan. Warna merah, biru, ungu, hijau, tampil pada nama menu yang mengaburkan identitas Hokben yang sekarang. Nama menu yang menggunakan font latin bergaya kanji sebenarnya tidak perlu. Dengan pesan yang sudah berlimpah: nama brand Hoka Hoka Bento (Bento adalah nasi kotak Jepang), mural bergaya Jepang, warna merah hitam, dan penyajian menu dalam mangkuk dengan sumpit, penggunaan huruf lain kekanji-kanjian malah menjadikan Hokben seperti kurang yakin dengan jualannya sendiri memang bento dari Jepang. Yang paling 'lucu' adalah logonya, anak kembar laki dan perempuan yang gaya ilustrasinya masih seperti desain kantung ulang tahun anak-anak sablonan ekonomis dua warna. Mungkin ada unsur feng shui yang dipercayai telah menghibahkan kemakmuran pada pendiri Hokben.
Tapi dengan segala ketidaksempurnannya, Hokben seperti bukti nyata dari there's always a room for improvement. Sebagai brand yang sudah memiliki banyak sekali pelanggan fanatik, Hokben menunjukkan diri sebagai brand yang rajin berbenah untuk terus memikat pelanggan setia dengan terus memperluas fungsinya.
Berbicara tentang Hokben, koq tiba-tiba saya kangen dengan Egg Chicken Roll dan saus mayo-nya yah. :)
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Melamun dalam Hujan
Hari Minggu ujan, besar dan menderu-deru, plus kilat menyambar, bikin anjing saya ketakutan ngintil terus ke mana-mana. Jalanan basah, daun-daun rontok, dan langit gelap sekali, jam 2 kaya jam 5. Rumah waktu itu lagi sepi, semua pergi kecuali suami yang asik main game komputer. Setelah 2 minggu yang hectic, enak banget, ngelamun dalam gelap liat air ujan mengguyur bikin basah semuanya... Rasanya seperti kekusutan dalam kepala ini diurai rapi lepas teratur.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Lazy Friday Scribble
Jakarta starts to get cloudy and cooler this week. It makes waking up is quite a challenge since atmosphere is so lazy and comfortable to become a sloth. Today I woke very late, 10.30 AM, the record breaking!
I started the day with only half of my spirit like usual, thinking it's Friday and it's already the second week I worked very hard, efficiently and effectively with my best performance ever, but the works still a lot to be done. And I don't really enthusiastic welcoming the weekend tomorrow, I bounded to prepare the presentation for Wednesday presentation. So it means no free Saturday.
The meeting with the big client turned out to be a usual meeting. The client's representative is a guy at around the same age as us. He's a nice relaxing guy who acts in a friendly and helpful manner. We're quite lucky to have him as a connecting guy. Anyway, it's proved again that my fear is always bigger that the actual situation and condition. Sometimes I hate the way I worry about everything. Lucky, I have a bold and optimism husband that push me for always take a step further. 'Take the job first, then think how to do it', like he always said. On the other hand when he becomes too reckless, it's my turn to calm him, make him to think deeper and consider the consequences. We complete each other.
Currently I check the catalog proof print before it's printed. After that, I must work for the company profile as one of the requirements for closing up the deal with the big client.
I should be happy with all these loads, they means more cash to replace our losing money in stocks. But why oh why, I feel lost and drained, that so hard for me to feel grateful for all I have?
I started the day with only half of my spirit like usual, thinking it's Friday and it's already the second week I worked very hard, efficiently and effectively with my best performance ever, but the works still a lot to be done. And I don't really enthusiastic welcoming the weekend tomorrow, I bounded to prepare the presentation for Wednesday presentation. So it means no free Saturday.
The meeting with the big client turned out to be a usual meeting. The client's representative is a guy at around the same age as us. He's a nice relaxing guy who acts in a friendly and helpful manner. We're quite lucky to have him as a connecting guy. Anyway, it's proved again that my fear is always bigger that the actual situation and condition. Sometimes I hate the way I worry about everything. Lucky, I have a bold and optimism husband that push me for always take a step further. 'Take the job first, then think how to do it', like he always said. On the other hand when he becomes too reckless, it's my turn to calm him, make him to think deeper and consider the consequences. We complete each other.
Currently I check the catalog proof print before it's printed. After that, I must work for the company profile as one of the requirements for closing up the deal with the big client.
I should be happy with all these loads, they means more cash to replace our losing money in stocks. But why oh why, I feel lost and drained, that so hard for me to feel grateful for all I have?
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Too Many Loads, Too Little Time, and an Inspiration Shortage
Tomorrow afternoon I have to meet this signage client who wants to speed up the design process since many of our design alternatives still haven't meet his boss's expectation. We'll do an on site revisions.
This job is one of the most toughest job ever for following reasons:
1. Making signage actually is not our expertise, but there's always the first time for everything, right?
2. The feedback is always poor. The decision maker, aka. the boss is a kind like a god who's never been seen, talk little & vague, but need to be understand completely.
3. The procedure is complicated. Since they are a magnanimous company, so many rule to follow before we can get work.
I sooo malesss to meet him. I should make two alternatives for Mr. E's blank cards, but I guess I need an extra energy for tomorrow, and after, in case my photographer client need his ad to be revised. He's also so picky and I'm quite loaded by his project. For the coming week, I've already had his stationary and website draft to be done, a draft of agenda for a shipping company, and another wedding book draft to be prepared for presentation.
Arrgh, so many things fill up my head !!! :((( Want to clean them up just in one blew but I don't have an energy and enough inspiration to work on them over and over till night. On 7 or 8 pm I lost my focus and work slower. Working till midnight will deteriorate my energy, make me to get up late. It can happen for a few days before I get to my normal waking hour.
Since I start my own graphic design company, I rarely feel graphic design is fun. I just simply think it's just work need to be done. It' showed in my works. I, personally, saw my works lately have lost theirs edge and warmth. I used to think that good design should astonish the audience. The design with blood, I used to say.
Actually it makes me quite sad since I've ever been in a time when I felt very thankful for being graphic designer.
Well, I know, I know, the reason is I can't work alone, I need to be helped. Maybe next year when we've already recruited someone, I can get more relax and fall in love again, passionately with graphic design.
This job is one of the most toughest job ever for following reasons:
1. Making signage actually is not our expertise, but there's always the first time for everything, right?
2. The feedback is always poor. The decision maker, aka. the boss is a kind like a god who's never been seen, talk little & vague, but need to be understand completely.
3. The procedure is complicated. Since they are a magnanimous company, so many rule to follow before we can get work.
I sooo malesss to meet him. I should make two alternatives for Mr. E's blank cards, but I guess I need an extra energy for tomorrow, and after, in case my photographer client need his ad to be revised. He's also so picky and I'm quite loaded by his project. For the coming week, I've already had his stationary and website draft to be done, a draft of agenda for a shipping company, and another wedding book draft to be prepared for presentation.
Arrgh, so many things fill up my head !!! :((( Want to clean them up just in one blew but I don't have an energy and enough inspiration to work on them over and over till night. On 7 or 8 pm I lost my focus and work slower. Working till midnight will deteriorate my energy, make me to get up late. It can happen for a few days before I get to my normal waking hour.
Since I start my own graphic design company, I rarely feel graphic design is fun. I just simply think it's just work need to be done. It' showed in my works. I, personally, saw my works lately have lost theirs edge and warmth. I used to think that good design should astonish the audience. The design with blood, I used to say.
Actually it makes me quite sad since I've ever been in a time when I felt very thankful for being graphic designer.
Well, I know, I know, the reason is I can't work alone, I need to be helped. Maybe next year when we've already recruited someone, I can get more relax and fall in love again, passionately with graphic design.
My Therapy
I promise to Mr. E to give his blank card design today. It's a batik motive, die cut, half of A5 size. He wants to show it to one of his friend, the famous kebaya and cloth maker in Indonesia (I found her showroom in Singapore, but I forgot which mall). If she agreed to make my designs, I'm sure, it will be one of my beautiful portfolios.
Beside that, I've already long tired of my computer with all it's digitized tools that make a line straight 100% and everything you made clean & precision. So the prospect to make some organic form with it's perfect imperfection, got me really excited. I've already started the illustration, happy & optimistic.
I think, it's a theurapetic moment I should have after long hectic weekend crowded with heartless money-interest jobs.
Beside that, I've already long tired of my computer with all it's digitized tools that make a line straight 100% and everything you made clean & precision. So the prospect to make some organic form with it's perfect imperfection, got me really excited. I've already started the illustration, happy & optimistic.
I think, it's a theurapetic moment I should have after long hectic weekend crowded with heartless money-interest jobs.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Anneli Olander
I found this art prodigy through one graphic studio website in USA.
She's amazing, very gifted and pretty, too.
Her signature is cool, full of humor but very creative.
Check her out: http://www.anneliolander.com
Tellin' me about your company
We get this giant client by luck. They even didn't asked our portfolio to work on their sign system job. Along with the process of finalize the contract, they asked our company profile.
And here comes the problem... We don't have any. Making the profile a good piece of art work is easy. But making up our history etc. is quite a challenge since we're only two years company with no employee except me and my husband.
Actually we've planned to hire someone, buy a computer, build our website, BUT... after the financial calamity that drain our saving, we have to hold the plan and start from zero to build our financial strength again.
Anyway, what I've to do is only make one simple company profile, one that not too proud, but not too insecure, too.
I'll back later to show the result :D
And here comes the problem... We don't have any. Making the profile a good piece of art work is easy. But making up our history etc. is quite a challenge since we're only two years company with no employee except me and my husband.
Actually we've planned to hire someone, buy a computer, build our website, BUT... after the financial calamity that drain our saving, we have to hold the plan and start from zero to build our financial strength again.
Anyway, what I've to do is only make one simple company profile, one that not too proud, but not too insecure, too.
I'll back later to show the result :D
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Another obstacles, and I kept spirited!
Kemarin malam saya kerja dari jam 9 pagi sampai jam 11 malam untuk bikin 3 aplikasi logo klien saya. Karena ngerasa ngga jago-jago amat buat logo, saya sudah mendedikasikan banyak waktu dan konsentrasi saya pada proyek ini supaya klien saya puas. Akhirnya jadi juga 3 aplikasi stationary yang menurut saya 'my best stationary designs, ever'
But the client apparently didn't have the same admiration like me. He just ditched all the alternatives and asked me to develop new versions. He even kicked my dearest alternative.
Rasanya semua jam-jam yang saya dedikasikan langsung jadi abu. Ini kalo 'mellow mode' :P
What's truly happens is I still has'nt give up yet. My years as graphic designer has taught me that client's rejection is part of the design process. Any comments from client are valuable inputs to develop further. We, graphic designers, must respect clients.
Tapi jangan bego juga, telan semua mentah-mentah. Cari tau lebih detail apa mau dia sebenernya.
Seperti yang saya akan lakukan bentar lagi, tapi telpon ngga nyambung-nyambung juga :P
Oh, I have another discouraging news: Our client that we thought will add a large sum of our money this year just said that they cancelled the project. We assumed they preferred someone else.
Well, I started today with not so bright day like days before, but I keep my head up & my mind clear, gracefully accept all good and bad as part of the life cycle all humans must experience.
But the client apparently didn't have the same admiration like me. He just ditched all the alternatives and asked me to develop new versions. He even kicked my dearest alternative.
Rasanya semua jam-jam yang saya dedikasikan langsung jadi abu. Ini kalo 'mellow mode' :P
What's truly happens is I still has'nt give up yet. My years as graphic designer has taught me that client's rejection is part of the design process. Any comments from client are valuable inputs to develop further. We, graphic designers, must respect clients.
Tapi jangan bego juga, telan semua mentah-mentah. Cari tau lebih detail apa mau dia sebenernya.
Seperti yang saya akan lakukan bentar lagi, tapi telpon ngga nyambung-nyambung juga :P
Oh, I have another discouraging news: Our client that we thought will add a large sum of our money this year just said that they cancelled the project. We assumed they preferred someone else.
Well, I started today with not so bright day like days before, but I keep my head up & my mind clear, gracefully accept all good and bad as part of the life cycle all humans must experience.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Kalah nih...
Awal tahun ini saya mengirim karya ke perlombaan desain di US. Karya itu, karya yang saya pikir terbaik, dibuat dengan sepenuh hati tanpa terlalu memusingkan budget. Karena cukup yakin dengan kualitasnya, saya ikutkan karya itu dengan pemikiran 'nothing to loose'. Kalo kalah, paling biaya lomba & ongkos pengiriman yang terbang. Tapi kalau menang, tentunya baik buat perusahaan dan buat kebanggaan diri.
Tapi saya kalah...
Pemenangnya sudah diumumkan, dan saya tidak ada di dalamnya. Walaupun awalnya saya tidak mengharapkan untuk menang bahkan sempat lupa kalau saya ikut lomba, toh saya sedih juga. Ada yang menggores kepercayaan diri saya karena ternyata karya saya tidak cukup bagus untuk masuk untuk finalis sekalipun.
Dulu sewaktu di perusahaan lama, beberapa karya saya masuk sebagai pemenang. Padahal karya-karya tersebut kalau saya lihat sekarang, biasa aja... Masih bagusan karya saya yang sekarang ini (yang tidak menang lomba).
Saya jadi berpikir (masih sambil sedih), yang turun kualitas karya atau taste saya yah?
Tapi saya kalah...
Pemenangnya sudah diumumkan, dan saya tidak ada di dalamnya. Walaupun awalnya saya tidak mengharapkan untuk menang bahkan sempat lupa kalau saya ikut lomba, toh saya sedih juga. Ada yang menggores kepercayaan diri saya karena ternyata karya saya tidak cukup bagus untuk masuk untuk finalis sekalipun.
Dulu sewaktu di perusahaan lama, beberapa karya saya masuk sebagai pemenang. Padahal karya-karya tersebut kalau saya lihat sekarang, biasa aja... Masih bagusan karya saya yang sekarang ini (yang tidak menang lomba).
Saya jadi berpikir (masih sambil sedih), yang turun kualitas karya atau taste saya yah?
Thursday, September 25, 2008
A Client, D Client
What my husband and me have learnt so much about building our own company is how to deal with clients. The relationship with clients is always be a love and 'hate' relationship. We love them, of course, for believing in us by giving us projects to do. We recognize it as a handsome appreciation of what we've done. But we sometimes 'hate' them for giving us a very tight deadline that torture us or paying us lower that it should be. But anyway anyhow, it's business after all. No pain, no gain. Clients that take but give is a reasonable client.
But we have a rare kind of clients, both in a positive way and negative way.
We just get a new client, a photographer who put his trust in us to build his own brand. We do his branding collateral and photo album design. He never negotiates our price, but easily accepts the number and then starts the project right away. Beside that, he also has a good taste that makes us keep enthusiastic in developing his project. So far, he's our best client, both in money and aesthetic term. For all his 'good attitude', he's an 'A' Client.
In the other hand, we also have a bad bad client, who takes more that it should be. She's a prominent decorator in this metropolitan city. Her fee in decorating is nine digits number. Her clients are rich people who appear in many publications. Judged only by her name, she should be an 'A' Client.
But she's not.
Actually, she's one of our first clients. At the start of our relationship, we do really thankful for her trust in us. She's the type of sweet talker who has generous appreciations and encouragements. That's why we're soft to her, gave her more than she's expected.
But after a long way relationship, we're not as happy as before, in serving her. Projects with her were lame. The price is quite pathetic and often cancelled without further explanation and payment. The payment is also always late, sometimes she just like pretends to forget it. But she's not the type who's hesitant to ask for help. We did some free of charge layouts for her print ad in magazine. When she asked for helps, she's almost never mentioned about the price, as if it's an obligatory to help her.
The most recent proof is she asked us to print some name card we've designed for her without mention about the prices. We decide to get bold by asking her right away.
Well, she had once made us a free of charge wedding bouquet. But we have 'paid' it with one sweet seventeen invitation and one print ad. One wedding bouquet isn't a whole life debt, isn't it?
We have decided, we don't want to collaborate anything with her anymore.
For her bad attitude, she's a 'D' Client.
But we have a rare kind of clients, both in a positive way and negative way.
We just get a new client, a photographer who put his trust in us to build his own brand. We do his branding collateral and photo album design. He never negotiates our price, but easily accepts the number and then starts the project right away. Beside that, he also has a good taste that makes us keep enthusiastic in developing his project. So far, he's our best client, both in money and aesthetic term. For all his 'good attitude', he's an 'A' Client.
In the other hand, we also have a bad bad client, who takes more that it should be. She's a prominent decorator in this metropolitan city. Her fee in decorating is nine digits number. Her clients are rich people who appear in many publications. Judged only by her name, she should be an 'A' Client.
But she's not.
Actually, she's one of our first clients. At the start of our relationship, we do really thankful for her trust in us. She's the type of sweet talker who has generous appreciations and encouragements. That's why we're soft to her, gave her more than she's expected.
But after a long way relationship, we're not as happy as before, in serving her. Projects with her were lame. The price is quite pathetic and often cancelled without further explanation and payment. The payment is also always late, sometimes she just like pretends to forget it. But she's not the type who's hesitant to ask for help. We did some free of charge layouts for her print ad in magazine. When she asked for helps, she's almost never mentioned about the price, as if it's an obligatory to help her.
The most recent proof is she asked us to print some name card we've designed for her without mention about the prices. We decide to get bold by asking her right away.
Well, she had once made us a free of charge wedding bouquet. But we have 'paid' it with one sweet seventeen invitation and one print ad. One wedding bouquet isn't a whole life debt, isn't it?
We have decided, we don't want to collaborate anything with her anymore.
For her bad attitude, she's a 'D' Client.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Everyone has their own stories
Talking to old friends always remind me of the other side of myself now. I just ended telephones with my two best friends during my college time. It's funny that three of us ended living in Jakarta as entrepreneur. With these similarities, both in place and background, we do really have many things in common.
One of them open a restaurant with her husband at the North Jakarta. The restaurant is a four stories home-office building with two stories for eating area, one story for kitchen, and the top of it is their home. The customers has already been a regular, most of them are executives work at its neighborhood. She told me that business is okay. Like many other new business there are 'good days' when people keep coming in and 'bad days', when only few eat at their place. Since she has to stay at her restaurant the whole week except Sunday, she feels her life is a little bit boring. I just laughed when she said this because I experience the same thing which is heightened on this month when no new customers approach us to make some design.
The other one told me her rocky relationship with her mother-in-law. She is very upset because her mother-in-law is still reluctant to accept her status as her son's wife. She show it by talking without looking to my friend's face. I don't know the reason, I think she just doesn't like me, my friend said. And it upsets her husband, too.
Her husband really loves my friend. He even attends a seminar how to be a good husband. And my friend said to me that her husband changes a lot in a good way. She also suggested me to join the seminar how to be a good wife that held this August. I said to her that I'm very interested but I have to spend money a lot for my mioma medication and probably operation. But I'll think about it.
Another thing she told me is her father-in-law's debt. He is so addicted to gambling that it's already costed her husband's family home, worth 3 million rupiahs. But the money is still inadequate to cover the debt. My friend is really worry because her husband's family wants to drag them into this problem which can affect their savings, significantly, IF they do join them. But the case is no because they just don't have the capacity to help her husband's family since my friend still has the home loans to pay.
Then our conversation took us to the college years we spent together. She told me that through me and my family she knew that family can be close and peaceful, which she doesn't have any examples before. I said to her that I also learn from her how to survival and that everything is possible though you have nothing at the start.
Well, life... Like my priest said once, that everyone at every level of life has their own problems. We can easily jealous for other's appearance because we don't know what happen inside. If we allowed to understand in details, maybe we don't want to trade our lives with theirs.
I just reminded how lucky I am to have such a great family, the greatest gift that God grants to me.
One of them open a restaurant with her husband at the North Jakarta. The restaurant is a four stories home-office building with two stories for eating area, one story for kitchen, and the top of it is their home. The customers has already been a regular, most of them are executives work at its neighborhood. She told me that business is okay. Like many other new business there are 'good days' when people keep coming in and 'bad days', when only few eat at their place. Since she has to stay at her restaurant the whole week except Sunday, she feels her life is a little bit boring. I just laughed when she said this because I experience the same thing which is heightened on this month when no new customers approach us to make some design.
The other one told me her rocky relationship with her mother-in-law. She is very upset because her mother-in-law is still reluctant to accept her status as her son's wife. She show it by talking without looking to my friend's face. I don't know the reason, I think she just doesn't like me, my friend said. And it upsets her husband, too.
Her husband really loves my friend. He even attends a seminar how to be a good husband. And my friend said to me that her husband changes a lot in a good way. She also suggested me to join the seminar how to be a good wife that held this August. I said to her that I'm very interested but I have to spend money a lot for my mioma medication and probably operation. But I'll think about it.
Another thing she told me is her father-in-law's debt. He is so addicted to gambling that it's already costed her husband's family home, worth 3 million rupiahs. But the money is still inadequate to cover the debt. My friend is really worry because her husband's family wants to drag them into this problem which can affect their savings, significantly, IF they do join them. But the case is no because they just don't have the capacity to help her husband's family since my friend still has the home loans to pay.
Then our conversation took us to the college years we spent together. She told me that through me and my family she knew that family can be close and peaceful, which she doesn't have any examples before. I said to her that I also learn from her how to survival and that everything is possible though you have nothing at the start.
Well, life... Like my priest said once, that everyone at every level of life has their own problems. We can easily jealous for other's appearance because we don't know what happen inside. If we allowed to understand in details, maybe we don't want to trade our lives with theirs.
I just reminded how lucky I am to have such a great family, the greatest gift that God grants to me.
Monday, May 19, 2008
It's so dark inside
Have you ever get really really angry to someone that the anger itself consume you deeply make you even hard to breath? It's anger landed to only ONE person. This single process, for sure, has already risen up the cortisol level in your blood. Now imagine if the same effect multiplied cause you get angry not only to one, but MANY persons. The effect must be killing. With so much poison in blood, how can somebody runs life healthy and grateful. All will seem dark and desperate.
And this 'doomed world' that happen to my auntie a.k.a 'blame-everyone-auntie-except-herself and his son'. From her younger age till now, she lives poorly, both in material and mind. She always has her own poin of view about this life but in her very very negative way. Her siblings, include my father has lend a hand so many times for her. But, exactly like a villain in Indonesia sinetron or Indian dramatic movie, my auntie is never be grateful. She always think her siblings take her money or should give her more money. She also thinks everyone is a traitor and she's the only clean person that has to get the dirt caused by her siblings. She hates all her siblings because of that.
And she dropped by the letter of the curse just minutes ago driving the motorcycle given by her siblings (yes 'that cursed siblings that so mean to her'). She, just like always, blames everyone for her almost homeless condition. FYI, she's already given a house once, she lost it cause by her failure, and then her siblings paid her new house, and then... lost again. And now, she wants our house by making up a story that actually our house was given to her by my Grandma who's already passed away many decades ago.
The fact is, even the house is not my Grandma's. It's bought by the money of my father's and his older brother's sweat and blood, and then took my Grandma in to live with them. And yes, took my auntie, too. But, it's not HERS!
No wonder she's always been poor, really really poor. It's her own choice, to fight with others instead of conquers herself and getting busy to upgrade her own life. She's just fight with everyone, energized by poison in her mind. With so many bad things in her head, how can she sees light? Many lights actually, if she wants to open up her mind.
Sadly, I think she'll just get poorer and poorer in her old days because I see no sign that she want to change.
And this 'doomed world' that happen to my auntie a.k.a 'blame-everyone-auntie-except-herself and his son'. From her younger age till now, she lives poorly, both in material and mind. She always has her own poin of view about this life but in her very very negative way. Her siblings, include my father has lend a hand so many times for her. But, exactly like a villain in Indonesia sinetron or Indian dramatic movie, my auntie is never be grateful. She always think her siblings take her money or should give her more money. She also thinks everyone is a traitor and she's the only clean person that has to get the dirt caused by her siblings. She hates all her siblings because of that.
And she dropped by the letter of the curse just minutes ago driving the motorcycle given by her siblings (yes 'that cursed siblings that so mean to her'). She, just like always, blames everyone for her almost homeless condition. FYI, she's already given a house once, she lost it cause by her failure, and then her siblings paid her new house, and then... lost again. And now, she wants our house by making up a story that actually our house was given to her by my Grandma who's already passed away many decades ago.
The fact is, even the house is not my Grandma's. It's bought by the money of my father's and his older brother's sweat and blood, and then took my Grandma in to live with them. And yes, took my auntie, too. But, it's not HERS!
No wonder she's always been poor, really really poor. It's her own choice, to fight with others instead of conquers herself and getting busy to upgrade her own life. She's just fight with everyone, energized by poison in her mind. With so many bad things in her head, how can she sees light? Many lights actually, if she wants to open up her mind.
Sadly, I think she'll just get poorer and poorer in her old days because I see no sign that she want to change.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Work like crazy
Here's my today TO-DO-LIST:
• 10 logo alternatives for babybag product DONE
• Convert and burn to cd a photographer's album DONE
• Prepare the poster file to printing quality DONE
• Revise and burn to cd a wedding invitation DONE
• Design a birthday party invitation for that highschool girl DONE
Anger and decision to care no more make me focus much much better.
• 10 logo alternatives for babybag product DONE
• Convert and burn to cd a photographer's album DONE
• Prepare the poster file to printing quality DONE
• Revise and burn to cd a wedding invitation DONE
• Design a birthday party invitation for that highschool girl DONE
Anger and decision to care no more make me focus much much better.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
The end of my biggest load
The biggest payment project with the biggest load all these months: Two bulks of annual report?
They're finished today!!! Yipeee!!!
Wait for the payment... \(^_^)/ Want to invest them in gold.
They're finished today!!! Yipeee!!!
Wait for the payment... \(^_^)/ Want to invest them in gold.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Betenya begadang
Ini udah jam setengah lima pagi dan saya masih harus melek untuk rapi-rapiin tabel dan grafik dan huruf dan sebagainya. Huhhh, salah saya juga sih kemaren pake mendadak ngga mood untuk ngapa-ngapain. Udah Sabtu saya terbuang sia-sia karena dipaksain kerja malah ngga produktif, Minggunya begadang kaya gini lagi.
Sebel deh... Ngga abis-abis kerjaan. Saya sebenernya udah stress berat, tapi saya tahan-tahan dan coba untuk tetap positif dan berterimakasih untuk semua project yang masuk, yang saking padetnya bikin kiloan saya tetep di situ-situ aja, malah lebih kurus daripada waktu kerja sama orang.
Tapi kalo begini terus yah ampun dehhh... Mana minggu depan ini penuhnya banget-banget-banget.
Help, help, I need a break!!!
Sebel deh... Ngga abis-abis kerjaan. Saya sebenernya udah stress berat, tapi saya tahan-tahan dan coba untuk tetap positif dan berterimakasih untuk semua project yang masuk, yang saking padetnya bikin kiloan saya tetep di situ-situ aja, malah lebih kurus daripada waktu kerja sama orang.
Tapi kalo begini terus yah ampun dehhh... Mana minggu depan ini penuhnya banget-banget-banget.
Help, help, I need a break!!!
Sunday, May 4, 2008
100 Dreams
1) My own GRAPHIC HOUSE
2) Learn to make CUPCAKES
3) Travelling to EUROPE: Paris, Rome, Mykonos Island, Prague, Viena
2) Learn to make CUPCAKES
3) Travelling to EUROPE: Paris, Rome, Mykonos Island, Prague, Viena
Saturday, May 3, 2008
I draw again
She is only an employee of one ad agency that outsource a project to me. Since she's the person in charge on my project and the project itself takes months to be finished, our relationship gradually built, from business relationship to more casual friend relationship. During the working, we talk, joke, laugh, even share the bad moment caused by that bad client.
But it's not the relationship that makes me write this. What's so special is what's she's done to me.
A couple of days ago, I went to that agency to do my project. There are some revisions from the client that I need to put in the design. She's just so busy with another project meanwhile I've already finished my job. I need her feedbacks so I can get through another stage of the process. So while she's doing something else, I spent my time drawing with my pencil. At first it's only abstract scribbles. Then I started drawing boy with a kite and added a boy next to him, pointing his finger to the sky, maybe watching flying kites. I also draw a dog, plus a vast grassland on the backrground.
And finally she appeared, ready to give the feedbacks. Accidentally she saw my drawing. I didn't expect her to see it. I wasn't proud of the drawing. But she loved it! Said it's cute and want to keep it for her kids.
That drawing is characters I created when I was in highschool. They are successfully sold in a form of bookmark. The theme usually cute children playing in many setting, from birthday party to pajamas party. So when the Christmas or Valentine came, I can sold many of them to my schoolmates. It's quite an achievement at that time.
But then I just quit drawing. Here's the why: I'm more knowledgeable about what's good and what's not, I set a very high standard to my artwork. I think I shouldn't use the highschool style of drawing now. And since I don't have many times to innovate a new style, I just quit. Yes, that's it, I just quit!
So, I don't anticipate that somebody can say love my out-of-date style drawing! It came to me for a few seconds that I don't believe that she really meant what she said. But then she asked me to add a girl to the drawing. I was event asked to do it while she'll replace me sitting in front of my laptop to input the feedback, which's actually was my job.
And it's what so special to me: She has made me DRAWING AGAIN.
It's been ages since the last time I drew. I can paint, I can drew, even I was told that my illustration is fabulous and I'm very talented. But long enough not holding the pencil nor the brush, I just feel the skill is gone. Before that day, I don't have any confidence to fill the white paper with my drawing. I just don't know how to start. It's really sad since I drew like crazy since I was a child and never hesitate to turn my white paper to colorful surface. And I always did it successfully.
Her praise reminded me that I've been there. I almost forget that I can draw. Struggle designing everyday has made me forget even lazy to pick up my pen and draw. I used to jump to the computer process and hope everything will be neat and cool instantly. And come with this computerized process, I create a dreadful image of myself as an art person. That I can't draw. I forget I can draw!
I know she did it unconsciously. But for what she's done to me, I must thanks her a million. Her praise, tough simple and only in minutes has affected me incredibly.
But it's not the relationship that makes me write this. What's so special is what's she's done to me.
A couple of days ago, I went to that agency to do my project. There are some revisions from the client that I need to put in the design. She's just so busy with another project meanwhile I've already finished my job. I need her feedbacks so I can get through another stage of the process. So while she's doing something else, I spent my time drawing with my pencil. At first it's only abstract scribbles. Then I started drawing boy with a kite and added a boy next to him, pointing his finger to the sky, maybe watching flying kites. I also draw a dog, plus a vast grassland on the backrground.
And finally she appeared, ready to give the feedbacks. Accidentally she saw my drawing. I didn't expect her to see it. I wasn't proud of the drawing. But she loved it! Said it's cute and want to keep it for her kids.
That drawing is characters I created when I was in highschool. They are successfully sold in a form of bookmark. The theme usually cute children playing in many setting, from birthday party to pajamas party. So when the Christmas or Valentine came, I can sold many of them to my schoolmates. It's quite an achievement at that time.
But then I just quit drawing. Here's the why: I'm more knowledgeable about what's good and what's not, I set a very high standard to my artwork. I think I shouldn't use the highschool style of drawing now. And since I don't have many times to innovate a new style, I just quit. Yes, that's it, I just quit!
So, I don't anticipate that somebody can say love my out-of-date style drawing! It came to me for a few seconds that I don't believe that she really meant what she said. But then she asked me to add a girl to the drawing. I was event asked to do it while she'll replace me sitting in front of my laptop to input the feedback, which's actually was my job.
And it's what so special to me: She has made me DRAWING AGAIN.
It's been ages since the last time I drew. I can paint, I can drew, even I was told that my illustration is fabulous and I'm very talented. But long enough not holding the pencil nor the brush, I just feel the skill is gone. Before that day, I don't have any confidence to fill the white paper with my drawing. I just don't know how to start. It's really sad since I drew like crazy since I was a child and never hesitate to turn my white paper to colorful surface. And I always did it successfully.
Her praise reminded me that I've been there. I almost forget that I can draw. Struggle designing everyday has made me forget even lazy to pick up my pen and draw. I used to jump to the computer process and hope everything will be neat and cool instantly. And come with this computerized process, I create a dreadful image of myself as an art person. That I can't draw. I forget I can draw!
I know she did it unconsciously. But for what she's done to me, I must thanks her a million. Her praise, tough simple and only in minutes has affected me incredibly.
My own home
Currently I stay with my hubby's family. They such a wonderful family, very nice, open-minded, kind, and so on. I love them. I don't have any problems with them personally.
But I have problems with their habits. My hubby family, they are so noisy. In the morning, television is turned on with a very loud volume with sometimes nobody even watch it. And since the way they enjoy their time only by watching television, it can be turned on the whole day like today. And yes, with a loud noise.
The way they talking to each other? For me it's yelling at each other. Even when they are only a meter away from each other. They also yell when on the phone that the sound can block the client's voice on my phone if we're coincidently on the phone in the same time.
Closing and opening the door by slamming it is another annoying noise that happens during the night when everyone is already at home. It's usually the sound of the door to the backyard and the bathroom.
And it's not included the 'murai batu', the new singing birdie that still get confused to differ day to night.
These noises... They make me mad. And extremely destruct my mood.
I love wake up in the silent peaceful morning. Silence allow me to start the day in more positive mind. Silence makes me thinking clearly, gradually develop a motivation to go through during the day. So a loud television badly injures my morning. My head is shut down and I find it's hard to smile in the morning.
I don't like people talk with maximum volume. In my opinion, people only need to yell from if someone they want to talk with is in the distance. When you are in 200m2 home, you CAN talk with others, yell isn't needed. You need to yell if something urgent happen, in case, home is burning down (amit-amit...)
I usually take a nap for hour to continue my work till midnite. So the door slammed repeatedly everytime they go to bathroom or backyard make me really mad. Sometimes I think how can they're so sound numbed that they don't disturbed by such horrible kind of noise. In my family, everyone opening and closing the door gently.
Yes, I know it's not their fault at all. And yes, I know, it's their home. I'm the one who stay at theirs just because of their generosity. Well... it just make me want more a home of my own someday, when silence is not privilege.
But I have problems with their habits. My hubby family, they are so noisy. In the morning, television is turned on with a very loud volume with sometimes nobody even watch it. And since the way they enjoy their time only by watching television, it can be turned on the whole day like today. And yes, with a loud noise.
The way they talking to each other? For me it's yelling at each other. Even when they are only a meter away from each other. They also yell when on the phone that the sound can block the client's voice on my phone if we're coincidently on the phone in the same time.
Closing and opening the door by slamming it is another annoying noise that happens during the night when everyone is already at home. It's usually the sound of the door to the backyard and the bathroom.
And it's not included the 'murai batu', the new singing birdie that still get confused to differ day to night.
These noises... They make me mad. And extremely destruct my mood.
I love wake up in the silent peaceful morning. Silence allow me to start the day in more positive mind. Silence makes me thinking clearly, gradually develop a motivation to go through during the day. So a loud television badly injures my morning. My head is shut down and I find it's hard to smile in the morning.
I don't like people talk with maximum volume. In my opinion, people only need to yell from if someone they want to talk with is in the distance. When you are in 200m2 home, you CAN talk with others, yell isn't needed. You need to yell if something urgent happen, in case, home is burning down (amit-amit...)
I usually take a nap for hour to continue my work till midnite. So the door slammed repeatedly everytime they go to bathroom or backyard make me really mad. Sometimes I think how can they're so sound numbed that they don't disturbed by such horrible kind of noise. In my family, everyone opening and closing the door gently.
Yes, I know it's not their fault at all. And yes, I know, it's their home. I'm the one who stay at theirs just because of their generosity. Well... it just make me want more a home of my own someday, when silence is not privilege.
Onimun (25-27 April 2008)
Bali is a week ago. Time flew so fast that make the days in Bali feel like a last year story. We have a really good time in Bali. By walked along Kuta, 'leyeh-leyeh' in our nice pool villa, and splurged on mojitos, Bali is a real heaven compared to Jakarta. We're surely want to go back soon to this paradise island. Anyone who says honeymoon isn't needed for newlywed couple maybe simply don't have any honeymoon or have a bad one hehe.
I save this space to write our honeymoon story.
Monday, April 21, 2008
I'm just too busy!
A man is trying very hard to cut down a tree by sawing it. A boy, curious on what he's doing, gets closely and asking,
"What are you doing? You look tired and frustrated."
"I'm trying to cut down this damned tree! I've tried for hours but this tree so stubborn that it doesn't even move from it's place!" the man replied, mad and exhausted with sweat all over his shirt.
The boy come closer, close enough to see that the saw is already dull.
"Well, your saw seem need to be sharpened. It's wasting time to cut such a big tree with that paralyzed tool."
The man, doesn't even look at the boy, almost shouting to him,
"What do you know, little man! Don't you see me really busy right now? I don't have time to sharpen my saw!"
Sunday, April 20, 2008
100 Smartest Diet Tips Ever
By Top Dietitians of the American Dietetic Association for Prevention
Got a diet dilemma? Ask a true diet pro: an RD, or registered dietitian. Her job is turning complex nutrition research into doable plans for real people.
Here's what they told us, in their own words. These tips are solid gold, learned from successful experience with thousands of clients. Some tips are new. Some you've heard before, but they're repeated because they work. This treasure trove of RD wisdom could change your life-starting today.
I Can Only Handle One Diet Change Right Now. What Should I Do?
1. Add just one fruit or veggie serving daily. Get comfortable with that, then add an extra serving until you reach 8 to 10 a day.
2. Eat at least two servings of a fruit or veggie at every meal.
3. Resolve never to supersize your food portions—unless you want to supersize your clothes.
4. Make eating purposeful, not mindless. Whenever you put food in your mouth, peel it, unwrap it, plate it, and sit. Engage all of the senses in the pleasure of nourishing your body.
5. Start eating a big breakfast. It helps you eat fewer total calories throughout the day.
6. Make sure your plate is half veggies and/or fruit at both lunch and dinner.
Are there Any Easy Tricks to Help Me Cut Calories?
7. Eating out? Halve it, and bag the rest. A typical restaurant entree has 1,000 to 2,000 calories, not even counting the bread, appetizer, beverage, and dessert.
8. When dining out, make it automatic: Order one dessert to share.
9. Use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate.
10. See what you eat. Plate your food instead of eating out of the jar or bag.
11. Eat the low-cal items on your plate first, then graduate. Start with salads, veggies, and broth soups, and eat meats and starches last. By the time you get to them, you'll be full enough to be content with smaller portions of the high-calorie choices.
12. Instead of whole milk, switch to 1 percent. If you drink one 8-oz glass a day, you'll lose 5 lb in a year.
13. Juice has as many calories, ounce for ounce, as soda. Set a limit of one 8-oz glass of fruit juice a day.
14. Get calories from foods you chew, not beverages. Have fresh fruit instead of fruit juice.
15. Keep a food journal. It really works wonders.
16. Follow the Chinese saying: "Eat until you are eight-tenths full."
17. Use mustard instead of mayo.
18. Eat more soup. The noncreamy ones are filling but low-cal.
19. Cut back on or cut out caloric drinks such as soda, sweet tea, lemonade, etc. People have lost weight by making just this one change. If you have a 20-oz bottle of Coca-Cola every day, switch to Diet Coke. You should lose 25 lb in a year.
20. Take your lunch to work.
21. Sit when you eat.
22. Dilute juice with water.
23. Have mostly veggies for lunch.
24. Eat at home.
25. Limit alcohol to weekends.
How Can I Eat More Veggies?
26. Have a V8 or tomato juice instead of a Diet Coke at 3 pm.
27. Doctor your veggies to make them delicious: Dribble maple syrup over carrots, and sprinkle chopped nuts on green beans.
28. Mix three different cans of beans and some diet Italian dressing. Eat this three-bean salad all week.
29. Don't forget that vegetable soup counts as a vegetable.
30. Rediscover the sweet potato.
31. Use prebagged baby spinach everywhere: as "lettuce" in sandwiches, heated in soups, wilted in hot pasta, and added to salads.
32. Spend the extra few dollars to buy vegetables that are already washed and cut up.
33. Really hate veggies? Relax. If you love fruits, eat plenty of them; they are just as healthy (especially colorful ones such as oranges, mangoes, and melons).
34. Keep seven bags of your favorite frozen vegetables on hand. Mix any combination, microwave, and top with your favorite low-fat dressing. Enjoy 3 to 4 cups a day. Makes a great quick dinner.
Can You Give Me a Mantra that will Help Me Stick to My Diet?
35. "The best portion of high-calorie foods is the smallest one. The best portion of vegetables is the largest one. Period."
36. "I'll ride the wave. My cravings will disappear after 10 minutes if I turn my attention elsewhere."
37. "I want to be around to see my grandchildren, so I can forgo a cookie now."
38. "I am a work in progress."
39. "It's more stressful to continue being fat than to stop overeating."
I Eat Healthy, but I'm Overweight. What Mistakes Could I Be Making without Realizing It?
40. Skipping meals. Many healthy eaters "diet by day and binge by night."
41. Don't "graze" yourself fat. You can easily munch 600 calories of pretzels or cereal without realizing it.
42. Eating pasta like crazy. A serving of pasta is 1 cup, but some people routinely eat 4 cups.43. Eating supersize bagels of 400 to 500 calories for snacks.
44. Ignoring "Serving Size" on the Nutrition Facts panel.
45. Snacking on bowls of nuts. Nuts are healthy but dense with calories. Put those bowls away, and use nuts as a garnish instead of a snack.
46. Thinking all energy bars and fruit smoothies are low-cal.
What Can I Eat for a Healthy Low-Cal Dinner if I Don't Want to Cook?
47. A smoothie made with fat-free milk, frozen fruit, and wheat germ.
48. The smallest fast-food burger (with mustard and ketchup, not mayo) and a no-cal beverage. Then at home, have an apple or baby carrots.
49. A peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread with a glass of 1 percent milk and an apple.
50. Precooked chicken strips and microwaved frozen broccoli topped with Parmesan cheese.
51. A healthy frozen entree with a salad and a glass of 1 percent milk.
52. Scramble eggs in a nonstick skillet. Pop some asparagus in the microwave, and add whole wheat toast. If your cholesterol levels are normal, you can have seven eggs a week!
53. A bag of frozen vegetables heated in the microwave, topped with 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts.
54. Prebagged salad topped with canned tuna, grape tomatoes, shredded reduced-fat cheese, and low-cal Italian dressing.
55. Keep lean sandwich fixings on hand: whole wheat bread, sliced turkey, reduced-fat cheese, tomatoes, mustard with horseradish.
56. Heat up a can of good soup.
57. Cereal, fruit, and fat-free milk makes a good meal anytime.
58. Try a veggie sandwich from Subway.
59. Precut fruit for a salad and add yogurt.
What's Your Best Advice for Avoiding those Extra Holiday Pounds?
60. Don't tell yourself, "It's okay, it's the holidays." That opens the door to 6 weeks of splurging.
61. Remember, EAT before you meet. Have this small meal before you go to any parties: a hardboiled Egg, Apple, and a Thirst quencher (water, seltzer, diet soda, tea).
62. As obvious as it sounds, don't stand near the food at parties. Make the effort, and you'll find you eat less.
63. At a buffet? Eating a little of everything guarantees high calories. Decide on three or four things, only one of which is high in calories. Save that for last so there's less chance of overeating.
64. For the duration of the holidays, wear your snuggest clothes that don't allow much room for expansion. Wearing sweats is out until January.
65. Give it away! After company leaves, give away leftover food to neighbors, doormen, or delivery people, or take it to work the next day.
66. Walk around the mall three times before you start shopping.
67. Make exercise a nonnegotiable priority.
68. Dance to music with your family in your home. One dietitian reported that when she asks her patients to do this, initially they just smile, but once they've done it, they say it is one of the easiest ways to involve the whole family in exercise.
How Can I Control a Raging Sweet Tooth?
69. Once in a while, have a lean, mean salad for lunch or dinner, and save the meal's calories for a full dessert.
70. Are you the kind of person who does better if you make up your mind to do without sweets and just not have them around? Or are you going to do better if you have a limited amount of sweets every day? One RD reported that most of her clients pick the latter and find they can avoid bingeing after a few days.
71. If your family thinks they need a very sweet treat every night, try to strike a balance between offering healthy choices but allowing them some "free will." Compromise with low-fat ice cream and fruit, or sometimes just fruit with a dollop of whipped cream.
72. Try 2 weeks without sweets. It's amazing how your cravings vanish.
73. Eat more fruit. A person who gets enough fruit in his diet doesn't have a raging sweet tooth.
74. Eat your sweets, just eat them smart! Carve out about 150 calories per day for your favorite sweet. That amounts to about an ounce of chocolate, half a modest slice of cake, or 1/2 cup of regular ice cream.
75. Try these smart little sweets: sugar-free hot cocoa, frozen red grapes, fudgsicles, sugar-free gum, Nutri-Grain chocolate fudge twists, Tootsie Rolls, and hard candy.
How Can I Conquer My Downfall: Bingeing at Night?
76. Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The large majority of people who struggle with night eating are those who skip meals or don't eat balanced meals during the day. This is a major setup for overeating at night.
77. Eat your evening meal in the kitchen or dining room, sitting down at the table.
78. Drink cold unsweetened raspberry tea. It tastes great and keeps your mouth busy.
79. Change your nighttime schedule. It will take effort, but it will pay off. You need something that will occupy your mind and hands.
80. If you're eating at night due to emotions, you need to focus on getting in touch with what's going on and taking care of yourself in a way that really works. Find a nonfood method of coping with your stress.
81. Put a sign on the kitchen and refrigerator doors: "Closed after Dinner."
82. Brush your teeth right after dinner to remind you: No more food.
83. Eat without engaging in any other simultaneous activity. No reading, watching TV, or sitting at the computer.
84. Eating late at night won't itself cause weight gain. It's how many calories—not when you eat them—that counts.
How Can I Reap Added Health Benefits from My Dieting?
85. Fat-free isn't always your best bet. Research has found that none of the lycopene or alpha- or beta-carotene that fight cancer and heart disease is absorbed from salads with fat-free dressing. Only slightly more is absorbed with reduced-fat dressing; the most is absorbed with full-fat dressing. But remember, use your dressing in moderate amounts.
86. Skipping breakfast will leave you tired and craving naughty foods by midmorning. To fill up healthfully and tastefully, try this sweet, fruity breakfast full of antioxidants. In a blender, process 1 c nonfat plain or vanilla yogurt, 1 1/3 c frozen strawberries (no added sugar), 1 peeled kiwi, and 1 peeled banana. Pulse until mixture is milkshake consistency. Makes one 2-cup serving; 348 calories and 1.5 fat grams.
87. If you're famished by 4 p.m. and have no alternative but an office vending machine, reach for the nuts—. The same goes if your only choices are what's available in the hotel minibar.
88. Next time you're feeling wiped out in late afternoon, forgo that cup of coffee and reach for a cup of yogurt instead. The combination of protein, carbohydrate, and fat in an 8-ounce serving of low-fat yogurt will give you a sense of fullness and well-being that coffee can't match, as well as some vital nutrients. If you haven't eaten in 3 to 4 hours, your blood glucose levels are probably dropping, so eating a small amount of nutrient-rich food will give your brain and your body a boost.
89. Making just a few changes to your pantry shelves can get you a lot closer to your weight loss goals. Here's what to do: If you use corn and peanut oil, replace it with olive oil. Same goes for breads—go for whole wheat. Trade in those fatty cold cuts like salami and bologna and replace them canned tuna, sliced turkey breast, and lean roast beef. Change from drinking whole milk to fat-free milk or low-fat soy milk. This is hard for a lot of people so try transitioning down to 2 percent and then 1 percent before you go fat-free.
90. Nothing's less appetizing than a crisper drawer full of mushy vegetables. Frozen vegetables store much better, plus they may have greater nutritional value than fresh. Food suppliers typically freeze veggies just a few hours after harvest, locking in the nutrients. Fresh veggies, on the other hand, often spend days in the back of a truck before they reach your supermarket.
91. Worried about the trans-fat content in your peanut butter? Good news: In a test done on Skippy, JIF, Peter Pan, and a supermarket brand, the levels of trans fats per 2-tablespoon serving were far lower than 0.5 gram—low enough that under proposed laws, the brands can legally claim zero trans fats on the label. They also contained only 1 gram more sugar than natural brands—not a significant difference.
Eating Less Isn't Enough—What Exercising Tips Will Help Me Shed Pounds?
92. Overeating is not the result of exercise. Vigorous exercise won't stimulate you to overeat. It's just the opposite. Exercise at any level helps curb your appetite immediately following the workout.
93. When you're exercising, you shouldn't wait for thirst to strike before you take a drink. By the time you feel thirsty, you're already dehydrated. Try this: Drink at least 16 ounces of water, sports drinks, or juices two hours before you exercise. Then drink 8 ounces an hour before and another 4 to 8 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes during your workout. Finish with at least 16 ounces after you're done exercising.
94. Tune in to an audio book while you walk. It'll keep you going longer and looking forward to the next walk—and the next chapter! Check your local library for a great selection. Look for a whodunit; you might walk so far you'll need to take a cab home!
95. Think yoga's too serene to burn calories? Think again. You can burn 250 to 350 calories during an hour-long class (that's as much as you'd burn from an hour of walking)! Plus, you'll improve muscle strength, flexibility, and endurance.
96. Drinking too few can hamper your weight loss efforts. That's because dehydration can slow your metabolism by 3 percent, or about 45 fewer calories burned a day, which in a year could mean weighing 5 pounds more. The key to water isn't how much you drink, it's how frequently you drink it. Small amounts sipped often work better than 8 ounces gulped down at once.
How Can I Manage My Emotional Eating and Get the Support I Need?
97. A registered dietitian (RD) can help you find healthy ways to manage your weight with food. To find one in your area who consults with private clients call (800) 366-1655.
98. The best place to drop pounds may be your own house of worship. Researchers set up healthy eating and exercise programs in 16 Baltimore churches. More than 500 women participated and after a year the most successful lost an average of 20 lb. Weight loss programs based on faith are so successful because there's a built-in community component that people can feel comfortable with.
99. Here's another reason to keep level-headed all the time: Pennsylvania State University research has found that women less able to cope with stress—shown by blood pressure and heart rate elevations—ate twice as many fatty snacks as stress-resistant women did, even after the stress stopped (in this case, 25 minutes of periodic jackhammer-level noise and an unsolvable maze).
100. Sitting at a computer may help you slim down. When researchers at Brown University School of Medicine put 92 people on online weight loss programs for a year, those who received weekly e-mail counseling shed 5 1/2 more pounds than those who got none. Counselors provided weekly feedback on diet and exercise logs, answered questions, and cheered them on. Most major online diet programs offer many of these features.
Got a diet dilemma? Ask a true diet pro: an RD, or registered dietitian. Her job is turning complex nutrition research into doable plans for real people.
Here's what they told us, in their own words. These tips are solid gold, learned from successful experience with thousands of clients. Some tips are new. Some you've heard before, but they're repeated because they work. This treasure trove of RD wisdom could change your life-starting today.
I Can Only Handle One Diet Change Right Now. What Should I Do?
1. Add just one fruit or veggie serving daily. Get comfortable with that, then add an extra serving until you reach 8 to 10 a day.
2. Eat at least two servings of a fruit or veggie at every meal.
3. Resolve never to supersize your food portions—unless you want to supersize your clothes.
4. Make eating purposeful, not mindless. Whenever you put food in your mouth, peel it, unwrap it, plate it, and sit. Engage all of the senses in the pleasure of nourishing your body.
5. Start eating a big breakfast. It helps you eat fewer total calories throughout the day.
6. Make sure your plate is half veggies and/or fruit at both lunch and dinner.
Are there Any Easy Tricks to Help Me Cut Calories?
7. Eating out? Halve it, and bag the rest. A typical restaurant entree has 1,000 to 2,000 calories, not even counting the bread, appetizer, beverage, and dessert.
8. When dining out, make it automatic: Order one dessert to share.
9. Use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate.
10. See what you eat. Plate your food instead of eating out of the jar or bag.
11. Eat the low-cal items on your plate first, then graduate. Start with salads, veggies, and broth soups, and eat meats and starches last. By the time you get to them, you'll be full enough to be content with smaller portions of the high-calorie choices.
12. Instead of whole milk, switch to 1 percent. If you drink one 8-oz glass a day, you'll lose 5 lb in a year.
13. Juice has as many calories, ounce for ounce, as soda. Set a limit of one 8-oz glass of fruit juice a day.
14. Get calories from foods you chew, not beverages. Have fresh fruit instead of fruit juice.
15. Keep a food journal. It really works wonders.
16. Follow the Chinese saying: "Eat until you are eight-tenths full."
17. Use mustard instead of mayo.
18. Eat more soup. The noncreamy ones are filling but low-cal.
19. Cut back on or cut out caloric drinks such as soda, sweet tea, lemonade, etc. People have lost weight by making just this one change. If you have a 20-oz bottle of Coca-Cola every day, switch to Diet Coke. You should lose 25 lb in a year.
20. Take your lunch to work.
21. Sit when you eat.
22. Dilute juice with water.
23. Have mostly veggies for lunch.
24. Eat at home.
25. Limit alcohol to weekends.
How Can I Eat More Veggies?
26. Have a V8 or tomato juice instead of a Diet Coke at 3 pm.
27. Doctor your veggies to make them delicious: Dribble maple syrup over carrots, and sprinkle chopped nuts on green beans.
28. Mix three different cans of beans and some diet Italian dressing. Eat this three-bean salad all week.
29. Don't forget that vegetable soup counts as a vegetable.
30. Rediscover the sweet potato.
31. Use prebagged baby spinach everywhere: as "lettuce" in sandwiches, heated in soups, wilted in hot pasta, and added to salads.
32. Spend the extra few dollars to buy vegetables that are already washed and cut up.
33. Really hate veggies? Relax. If you love fruits, eat plenty of them; they are just as healthy (especially colorful ones such as oranges, mangoes, and melons).
34. Keep seven bags of your favorite frozen vegetables on hand. Mix any combination, microwave, and top with your favorite low-fat dressing. Enjoy 3 to 4 cups a day. Makes a great quick dinner.
Can You Give Me a Mantra that will Help Me Stick to My Diet?
35. "The best portion of high-calorie foods is the smallest one. The best portion of vegetables is the largest one. Period."
36. "I'll ride the wave. My cravings will disappear after 10 minutes if I turn my attention elsewhere."
37. "I want to be around to see my grandchildren, so I can forgo a cookie now."
38. "I am a work in progress."
39. "It's more stressful to continue being fat than to stop overeating."
I Eat Healthy, but I'm Overweight. What Mistakes Could I Be Making without Realizing It?
40. Skipping meals. Many healthy eaters "diet by day and binge by night."
41. Don't "graze" yourself fat. You can easily munch 600 calories of pretzels or cereal without realizing it.
42. Eating pasta like crazy. A serving of pasta is 1 cup, but some people routinely eat 4 cups.43. Eating supersize bagels of 400 to 500 calories for snacks.
44. Ignoring "Serving Size" on the Nutrition Facts panel.
45. Snacking on bowls of nuts. Nuts are healthy but dense with calories. Put those bowls away, and use nuts as a garnish instead of a snack.
46. Thinking all energy bars and fruit smoothies are low-cal.
What Can I Eat for a Healthy Low-Cal Dinner if I Don't Want to Cook?
47. A smoothie made with fat-free milk, frozen fruit, and wheat germ.
48. The smallest fast-food burger (with mustard and ketchup, not mayo) and a no-cal beverage. Then at home, have an apple or baby carrots.
49. A peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread with a glass of 1 percent milk and an apple.
50. Precooked chicken strips and microwaved frozen broccoli topped with Parmesan cheese.
51. A healthy frozen entree with a salad and a glass of 1 percent milk.
52. Scramble eggs in a nonstick skillet. Pop some asparagus in the microwave, and add whole wheat toast. If your cholesterol levels are normal, you can have seven eggs a week!
53. A bag of frozen vegetables heated in the microwave, topped with 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts.
54. Prebagged salad topped with canned tuna, grape tomatoes, shredded reduced-fat cheese, and low-cal Italian dressing.
55. Keep lean sandwich fixings on hand: whole wheat bread, sliced turkey, reduced-fat cheese, tomatoes, mustard with horseradish.
56. Heat up a can of good soup.
57. Cereal, fruit, and fat-free milk makes a good meal anytime.
58. Try a veggie sandwich from Subway.
59. Precut fruit for a salad and add yogurt.
What's Your Best Advice for Avoiding those Extra Holiday Pounds?
60. Don't tell yourself, "It's okay, it's the holidays." That opens the door to 6 weeks of splurging.
61. Remember, EAT before you meet. Have this small meal before you go to any parties: a hardboiled Egg, Apple, and a Thirst quencher (water, seltzer, diet soda, tea).
62. As obvious as it sounds, don't stand near the food at parties. Make the effort, and you'll find you eat less.
63. At a buffet? Eating a little of everything guarantees high calories. Decide on three or four things, only one of which is high in calories. Save that for last so there's less chance of overeating.
64. For the duration of the holidays, wear your snuggest clothes that don't allow much room for expansion. Wearing sweats is out until January.
65. Give it away! After company leaves, give away leftover food to neighbors, doormen, or delivery people, or take it to work the next day.
66. Walk around the mall three times before you start shopping.
67. Make exercise a nonnegotiable priority.
68. Dance to music with your family in your home. One dietitian reported that when she asks her patients to do this, initially they just smile, but once they've done it, they say it is one of the easiest ways to involve the whole family in exercise.
How Can I Control a Raging Sweet Tooth?
69. Once in a while, have a lean, mean salad for lunch or dinner, and save the meal's calories for a full dessert.
70. Are you the kind of person who does better if you make up your mind to do without sweets and just not have them around? Or are you going to do better if you have a limited amount of sweets every day? One RD reported that most of her clients pick the latter and find they can avoid bingeing after a few days.
71. If your family thinks they need a very sweet treat every night, try to strike a balance between offering healthy choices but allowing them some "free will." Compromise with low-fat ice cream and fruit, or sometimes just fruit with a dollop of whipped cream.
72. Try 2 weeks without sweets. It's amazing how your cravings vanish.
73. Eat more fruit. A person who gets enough fruit in his diet doesn't have a raging sweet tooth.
74. Eat your sweets, just eat them smart! Carve out about 150 calories per day for your favorite sweet. That amounts to about an ounce of chocolate, half a modest slice of cake, or 1/2 cup of regular ice cream.
75. Try these smart little sweets: sugar-free hot cocoa, frozen red grapes, fudgsicles, sugar-free gum, Nutri-Grain chocolate fudge twists, Tootsie Rolls, and hard candy.
How Can I Conquer My Downfall: Bingeing at Night?
76. Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The large majority of people who struggle with night eating are those who skip meals or don't eat balanced meals during the day. This is a major setup for overeating at night.
77. Eat your evening meal in the kitchen or dining room, sitting down at the table.
78. Drink cold unsweetened raspberry tea. It tastes great and keeps your mouth busy.
79. Change your nighttime schedule. It will take effort, but it will pay off. You need something that will occupy your mind and hands.
80. If you're eating at night due to emotions, you need to focus on getting in touch with what's going on and taking care of yourself in a way that really works. Find a nonfood method of coping with your stress.
81. Put a sign on the kitchen and refrigerator doors: "Closed after Dinner."
82. Brush your teeth right after dinner to remind you: No more food.
83. Eat without engaging in any other simultaneous activity. No reading, watching TV, or sitting at the computer.
84. Eating late at night won't itself cause weight gain. It's how many calories—not when you eat them—that counts.
How Can I Reap Added Health Benefits from My Dieting?
85. Fat-free isn't always your best bet. Research has found that none of the lycopene or alpha- or beta-carotene that fight cancer and heart disease is absorbed from salads with fat-free dressing. Only slightly more is absorbed with reduced-fat dressing; the most is absorbed with full-fat dressing. But remember, use your dressing in moderate amounts.
86. Skipping breakfast will leave you tired and craving naughty foods by midmorning. To fill up healthfully and tastefully, try this sweet, fruity breakfast full of antioxidants. In a blender, process 1 c nonfat plain or vanilla yogurt, 1 1/3 c frozen strawberries (no added sugar), 1 peeled kiwi, and 1 peeled banana. Pulse until mixture is milkshake consistency. Makes one 2-cup serving; 348 calories and 1.5 fat grams.
87. If you're famished by 4 p.m. and have no alternative but an office vending machine, reach for the nuts—. The same goes if your only choices are what's available in the hotel minibar.
88. Next time you're feeling wiped out in late afternoon, forgo that cup of coffee and reach for a cup of yogurt instead. The combination of protein, carbohydrate, and fat in an 8-ounce serving of low-fat yogurt will give you a sense of fullness and well-being that coffee can't match, as well as some vital nutrients. If you haven't eaten in 3 to 4 hours, your blood glucose levels are probably dropping, so eating a small amount of nutrient-rich food will give your brain and your body a boost.
89. Making just a few changes to your pantry shelves can get you a lot closer to your weight loss goals. Here's what to do: If you use corn and peanut oil, replace it with olive oil. Same goes for breads—go for whole wheat. Trade in those fatty cold cuts like salami and bologna and replace them canned tuna, sliced turkey breast, and lean roast beef. Change from drinking whole milk to fat-free milk or low-fat soy milk. This is hard for a lot of people so try transitioning down to 2 percent and then 1 percent before you go fat-free.
90. Nothing's less appetizing than a crisper drawer full of mushy vegetables. Frozen vegetables store much better, plus they may have greater nutritional value than fresh. Food suppliers typically freeze veggies just a few hours after harvest, locking in the nutrients. Fresh veggies, on the other hand, often spend days in the back of a truck before they reach your supermarket.
91. Worried about the trans-fat content in your peanut butter? Good news: In a test done on Skippy, JIF, Peter Pan, and a supermarket brand, the levels of trans fats per 2-tablespoon serving were far lower than 0.5 gram—low enough that under proposed laws, the brands can legally claim zero trans fats on the label. They also contained only 1 gram more sugar than natural brands—not a significant difference.
Eating Less Isn't Enough—What Exercising Tips Will Help Me Shed Pounds?
92. Overeating is not the result of exercise. Vigorous exercise won't stimulate you to overeat. It's just the opposite. Exercise at any level helps curb your appetite immediately following the workout.
93. When you're exercising, you shouldn't wait for thirst to strike before you take a drink. By the time you feel thirsty, you're already dehydrated. Try this: Drink at least 16 ounces of water, sports drinks, or juices two hours before you exercise. Then drink 8 ounces an hour before and another 4 to 8 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes during your workout. Finish with at least 16 ounces after you're done exercising.
94. Tune in to an audio book while you walk. It'll keep you going longer and looking forward to the next walk—and the next chapter! Check your local library for a great selection. Look for a whodunit; you might walk so far you'll need to take a cab home!
95. Think yoga's too serene to burn calories? Think again. You can burn 250 to 350 calories during an hour-long class (that's as much as you'd burn from an hour of walking)! Plus, you'll improve muscle strength, flexibility, and endurance.
96. Drinking too few can hamper your weight loss efforts. That's because dehydration can slow your metabolism by 3 percent, or about 45 fewer calories burned a day, which in a year could mean weighing 5 pounds more. The key to water isn't how much you drink, it's how frequently you drink it. Small amounts sipped often work better than 8 ounces gulped down at once.
How Can I Manage My Emotional Eating and Get the Support I Need?
97. A registered dietitian (RD) can help you find healthy ways to manage your weight with food. To find one in your area who consults with private clients call (800) 366-1655.
98. The best place to drop pounds may be your own house of worship. Researchers set up healthy eating and exercise programs in 16 Baltimore churches. More than 500 women participated and after a year the most successful lost an average of 20 lb. Weight loss programs based on faith are so successful because there's a built-in community component that people can feel comfortable with.
99. Here's another reason to keep level-headed all the time: Pennsylvania State University research has found that women less able to cope with stress—shown by blood pressure and heart rate elevations—ate twice as many fatty snacks as stress-resistant women did, even after the stress stopped (in this case, 25 minutes of periodic jackhammer-level noise and an unsolvable maze).
100. Sitting at a computer may help you slim down. When researchers at Brown University School of Medicine put 92 people on online weight loss programs for a year, those who received weekly e-mail counseling shed 5 1/2 more pounds than those who got none. Counselors provided weekly feedback on diet and exercise logs, answered questions, and cheered them on. Most major online diet programs offer many of these features.
Your imperfection is perfect for me...
Sandra Bullock is quite possibly the best celebrity doggie mom. Here, she's seen leaving her apartment with her two dogs, Poppy and Ruby. Poppy (on the leash) only has three legs, while Ruby (being carried) only has two legs after being involved in a car accident.
