Kulam Ikan Tetangga

Raksasa tidur itu bukan Kumbakarna yang patriotik. Raksasa tidur ini berada di tengah-tengah pulau Jawa. Namanya adalah Merapi, Meru (gunung) yang mengeluarkan api. Sesuai namanya, tahun ini sang raksasa terbangun dari tidur dan mulai memuntahkan api. Saya belum dua tahun tinggal di kota Yogyakarta, pusat provinsi Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta yang berpenduduk sekitar 3.5 juta jiwa. Daerah Istimewa ini terbagi menjadi empat wilayah kabupaten dan satu kotamadya. Laut yang ganas membingkai di Selatan provinsi, sementara di Utara menjulang Merapi setinggi 2968 meter dari permukaan laut. Turis asing dan domestik datang ke Jogja sepanjang tahun tidak perduli hujan atau panas, mengunjungi kota, mengunjungi candi-candi kuno di ujung Timur dan Baratnya; Prambanan dan Borobudur. Arus turis ke kota ini mengalami beberapa kali surut; ketika dunia dihantam krisis ekonomi tahun 1998, ketika pulau Jawa dihantui teror bom yang merebak semenjak tahun 2001-2003, ketika gempa besar melanda bagian Selat...

Sulking and whining comes easily for everyone. Being gloomy and dark doesn't make you more special than me.

The man behind The Sartorialist took this photo and shared it in his blog . It somehow brightened and lightened my day instantly  :) "I'm feeling... happy, and that's a big deal... for me." - Marlin the clownfish,   Finding Nemo , 2003 -

I hadn't done much to my NaNoWriMo project this year. Last night, after high volcanic activities since Wednesday afternoon 3 November 2010, Merapi released another big eruption. Friday, 5 November 2010, 09:00 WIB. The water lilies bloomed despite of the volcanic ash. Friday, 5 November 2010, 09:00 WIB. Rats footprints. They had been a nuisance since before the eruption. Friday, 5 November 2010, 09:00 WIB. You probably can't see it, but the roof is gray-ish covered with ash. That's Beka in his victorian collar, trying to tell me he wanted to play. Half an hour after midnight, Friday 5 November 2010, 00:30 am +0700GMT, the volcanic low guttural rumbles could be heard from our place within the Keraton area, the central of the ancient city Yogyakarta. We are 30 km away from the mountain. Yogyakarta city was washed down with volcanic ash and sand. This time it's worse than the volcanic ash rain on pre-dawn Saturday 30 October 2010. Satuday, 30 October 2010, 09:30 WI...

Volunteers must know the limit of themselves. If you are coming to Yogyakarta to help, make sure you are physically and mentally fit to be able to give help . 1. You don't have to go up the mountain to help. There are a lot of works to do for the refugees which are scattered in a lot of spots. Gathering donations, data and listing and distribution administration may seem less adventurous but is still needed. Volunteer support system is really needed, as in, volunteers supporting other volunteers. They are human too . 2. Morals had been really low because the lack of sleep and rest. So far the big eruptions and torrential rain always happened during the night when it is cold and dark. So you can also help by thinking of ways to help keep the moral up, both for refugees and volunteers. Knowledge on Crisis psychology management is needed! Map to the refugee camps: http://merapi.combine.or.id/posko/ The map is updated daily. New camps had been established as the danger zone had been d...

"Why are you doing this? You already have everything." "Yes," he looked uncertain for a while. "But you have what I don't." For someone who demands so much attention, the Little General annoyingly stays out of reach. Meanwhile, Arnel goes back into hiding. What is it with these boys? I thought Kabuki would choose the outgoing ones! My word count is not progressing as expected. Can I please go home and sleep?

She was a fierce warrior. Her flag was purple with a streak of gold. Her hair a stream of menacing color. The color of blood. In the middle of a battle that grew quickly somber, she radiated bright heat, anger, terror. They say her army was undefeatable solely because she was always present in the battlefield. Her presence was intimidating the enemy and acted as an endless source of energy for those who fought on her side. They gave her many, many names. The queen of terror, the maiden of death, The female general. Most of these names are whispered in awe, and often in anguish, anger and vengeance. It was not right to have a woman in the middle of a battle fought by men. It was not right to have that woman leading an army of men. And it was not right that the woman seemed to always win. It was told in one particularly famous story that in an attempt to mock and strip her out of her charisma, a war general had challenge her in a one and one duel. The soldiers were quite anxiou...

Bulan Oktober 2010 ini penuh bencana, saya sampai lupa kalau mulai jam 00:00 tadi bulan bunuh diri sastrawi sudah resmi dimulai di Waktu Indonesia Bagian Barat. Oh yeah, saya ikut lagi NaNoWriMo tahun ini. Tahun lalu saya ikut dan ternyata berhasil menuntaskan satu draf racauan penuh arti yang setelah disuntang-sunting penuh keputusasaan ternyata jadi setebal 151 halaman. ah... yeah... Maka, marilah kita mulai! Tahun ini saya mohon doanya bukan buat saya tapi buat para pengungsi dan agar aktivitas Merapi cepat berhenti. Susah juga berkreasi di tengah keadaan kalut dan genting.