MP Video - Say Something Nice

Wouldn't it be nice if they do this everywhere?

MP Blog - It's Just Me

i'd love to scream right now

for it may make me feel a bit better
but i know it won't ease the pain i feel inside
and i don't know how long the wound may last
maybe ages.....
so i have decided to keep quiet in my loneliness
and let the time heal it

MP Blog - What I Have

don't tell me i wouldn't know what i've got 'til i lose it

no..no..that wouldn't be necessary

'cause i know exactly what i've got

and i don't need to lose it to know what it is

it's there and it's mine

yes, it's definitely mine... i own it

i just can't have it now

it's right in front of me but i can't reach it

and even if i could touch it, i wouldn't have been able to get a hold on it

i can smell its flavor but i can't have the taste of it

it's like i'm in the same room with it... and another thing

it's a torture not to be able to make the use of it

and i can only have the other thing....

...TIME!

MP Blog - Looking Back at Times....

...when that car was about to hit me from the side so fast, i then realized i wouldn't get away from a bad accident

...when i got thrown away from the bike and rolled over the road, i was hoping that my helmet would be strong enough to protect my head

...when i looked at my leg right after i ripped my pants, i worried that the accident had broken it

...when those people were gonna fix my leg without any painkiller, i knew it was gonna be so painful

...when i realized i was not gonna get any better, i decided to go through surgery after all

...when the doctor told me it may not be the same anymore, i got so sad

...when they were working on my leg on the surgery, i could hear the sound of the electric drill but i couldn't feel anything

...when the painkiller worn out, i felt the pain on the stitches but not on the bone

...when i had my birthday on bed, i knew i may have another one in the following year since it would be right after another surgery when they take the plate & screws out

...when i felt like a weak person sitting on the wheelchair, i remembered my mom & i missed her more

...when i started walking with crutches, i was so happy that i didn't need to rely 100% on the wheelchair anymore

...when i started driving again, i was so happy & always amused when people around were surprised to find out that i actually still needed a crutch soon as i got off from the driver's seat

...when people in the banks gave me priority service that i didn't need to stand in lines because i walked with a crutch, i felt like a v.i.p

...when i walked in the swimming pool, i knew everything was gonna be just fine

...when i was abroad, i never knew i would get a chance to ride a motorbike in thailand

a year has passed by and at the end i may not have as good right leg as before but i'm happy with how things  turn out. and after all these times, i realized how lucky i am to be surrounded by kind friends who have been giving me prayers & supports.

fresh from the crime scene

show off

stretched to expose 

bloody leg

fresh stiches

screw me!

MP Blog - Between The Past, The Present & The Future

they say, the past is a history,
so i won't ask of where you were when i was younger.
they say, the future is a mistery,
so i won't ask of where you are going to be when i am older.
i am just glad of where you are now,
'cause the present is a blessing.

MP Blog - waiting

here i go again.

another Monday
another beautiful day
to fast through.
same old tasks
more problems to solve
more tensed moments
more "missing" thingy.
*
less hours to wait though.
hopefully....

MP Blog - Deep Thoughts (AHM part 2)

immersed in exertions, he keeps himself in his own time
mulling over intricacies he has to go through
it's like his rhythm of life goes into boredom
scrapes caused by allotment only proves one thing
sanctity of his adoration has made it more onerous
unrelenting tortures that wear him out slowly
bounded by those sacred ordinances
unflappable but challenging rules
bringing him sink into a deep invocation
beseeching for another chance
absolving him from the suffering

 

MP Blog - A Hidden Message

picture yourself, alone on a raft in the middle of the ocean
you can see nothing but the water and the horizon
you are running out of food and water
there's nothing between you and the sky
that message in a bottle you threw sometime ago gives no sign of rescue
and the only thing that may help you is just an oar
but you don't even know which direction you should head to
does it mean you should lose hopes and give up?

KEEP FIGHTING FOR YOUR LIFE!

MP Blog - A Teaser

 They say, "Diamond are Forever."
Many believe they are women's best friends.
You're not like one, you ARE one,
for you are so precious.
No matter how tight they cover you up,
or how deep they sink you in the sea,
or even when they toss you into a dumpster,
and make you buried in a pile of wet trash,
you are still a precious diamond to me.
And no one can take that away from you.

MP Blog - Smiling Heart

When one says it doesn't get any better than this,
that may just be a wrong statement.
There might have been no further improvement
but I am actually feeling better,
and that should be good enough for me to smile.
Don't ask me the reason why cause I don't know.
Perhaps it's because the day cools down from the earlier heat,
or maybe because eventhough there are still bad ones around,
nothing actually gets any worse,
or the reason could be so simple...
...it's you

MP Blog - Regaining It

i can feel (but i can't have a taste right this minute),

that it started coming back to me.

it didn't cross my mind but i don't blame myself.

no, i don't and i won't blame anyone, not even on the rain.

it knocked back on my door and stormed in like a long lost friend.

didn't say hi, no greetings but i'm treating it like a king.

it's what makes my life simple(r) and better.

like the old days when i have (far much) less to worry about.

those who have known me long should sense it too by now.

and those who haven't should ask those who have.

c'mon...it even shows on my writing.

this will make a very beautiful day.

MP Blog - square one

all this time…
i have struggled through lotsa thoughts
for all i thought it was gonna be another boredom
when they actually expect something extraordinary
which has brought them to me for who i am
so i went back to him
whom i believe was the brilliant among the few
whose ideas had helped me through it all back then
in my younger years
it is never too late to start
from square onethanks again piet!

One On One

Now who doesn't know Bob James? At least in the old days people here were familiar with his tune, ANGELA, which was used as the theme song of that famous sitcom TAXI, starred by Danny DeVito. And when Bob James teamed up with Earl Klugh, one of the jazz guitar maestros in the 80's, there was nothing but amazing tunes they made. And I picked this nice piece because it also happens to fit the picture.

MP Blog - A Great Loss in Jazz

Recently I got a very sad news from one of my reliable jazz sources. Esbjorn Svensson, the pianist and leader of Esbjorn Svensson Trio, passed away on Saturday June 14, 2008. Svensson, 44, died in a diving accident off a small island near Stockholm, Sweden.


A great friend and jazz observer introduced me to his music and I was there when he performed in such a great concert in Jakarta last year. Svensson and his band won worldwide critical acclaim and several awards for their 2002 album "Strange Place for Snow," including the Guinness Jazz in Europe Award. The group also was named best international artist in the 2003 BBC Jazz Awards. Two years later, the trio became the first European jazz band featured on the cover of Downbeat jazz magazine in the U.S. The band, also known as e.s.t., released "When Everyone Has Gone" in 1993 and had their international breakthrough with the 1999 album "From Gagarin's Point of View."

The band had just finished its 12th album, "Leukocyte," to be released in September. "Esbjorn was very happy with the result," said Burkhard Hopper, the band manager. Svensson will not be around when the album is released, but his memories and his music will always remain in my heart and mind as he will always be remembered by everyone who knows how great jazz musician he was. Farewell maestro.....

MP Blog - Pink Balls

1. If your eyes follow the movement of the rotating pink balls, the only color you see is pink.
(Jika mata anda mengikuti putaran bola-bola merah muda, warna yang anda lihat hanya merah muda?)

2. If you stare ONLY at the the black (+) in the center, the balls will change color.
(Jika anda hanya memperhatikan tanda (+) hitam di tengah, bola-bola tersebut akan berubah warna.)

3. Now, concentrate on the black + in the center of the picture. After a short period of time, what would happen to the balls?
(Sekarang, konsetrasikan perhatian anda HANYA pada tanda (+) hitam. Setelah sesaat, apa yang akan terjadi pada bola-bola tersebut?)

Ironically...

...everybody wants to help Save The Earth, but nobody wants to help Mom do the dishes.

 

MP Video - Who's On First?

Besides The Three Stooges, there are some other comedians from the old days who could actually play with words and be hilarious about it. Abbott and Costello had numerous word-plays in their acts that became so unforgettable. One of them was that number when they had misunderstanding between twenty-too and twenty-two. But It has been said a lot that the all timer one is that called "Who's On First". And I can't agree more.

I had it recorded on a cassette awhile ago and I played it so many times in my car until it's stuck in my memory. I lost the video of it recorded from TV when I was still abroad, but I was so lucky to find that particular segment in a their movie called Naughty Nineties I rented from a laser disc rental place nearby Pasar Rumput. And I was even luckier to find this clip in the internet. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

MP Video - The Tonight Show

This show lasted 30 years with Johnny Carson. It's true that he had over 20,000 celebrities as guests but he was a great comedian on the first place. Not only he always made great and funny comments about what went on the world in his monologue, the show also had segments which showed how talented and smart he was. Of course, he was backed up by a brilliant writing team as well. I never got tired of watching it whenever I had time (and a TV set available) during my college years.
I hope someday our own talk show hosts will be like him so their show will last long enough.
This piece shows why Johnny Carson will always be the master.

MP Video - Dolores in a Shoestand

A blog belongs to a friend of mine who happens to be a great Jazz freak took my attention awhile ago. It was about this group from Sweden called Esjborn Svensen Trio, famously known as e.s.t, who was scheduled to come and play in Jakarta. He gives such an incredible compliment to the group that really tempted me to check out the show. 

And I really had a joyful evening for they performed really good. Not only that the show was awesome, the company I had was just perfect. It was absolutely a true-friends-night-out. This number is one of my favorites. 

Thank you Chico for sharing your passions in great music.

MP Blog - Sang Saka

The Independence Day is around the corner. Yes, you can feel it by observing how people have been putting up the National Flags everywhere....though it's still days away.... Once upon a time, there was a president who suggested to raise the flag (and I'm not talking about banners or such decorations made out of papers) even a week prior to the D-day. This (knowing how smart our people are) may be interpreted as it could be up in the sky for a week with no rest at all....24/7. I don't remember which president it was, but I know for sure it happened after the president Soeharto's era. Things I never forget are that during the President Soeharto's era the Flag was not to be raised unless it was on the National days except at schools and government offices. That it was only to be raised from dawn til dusk. That it wasn't to be raised during night times. That it wasn't to touch the ground at all times. That it wasn't to be used on other purposes (such as decoration in demonstrations). And that it was to be raised half a pole on the day one who was considered a National hero passed away. Seems like the great Red and White Flag has been more appreciated and respected during the president Soeharto's era. Seems like our patriotism has worn out along with the smeared colors of our flag.