Sunday, November 16, 2008

Comparison

Why a jew can grow his beard in order to practice his faith.
But when Muslim does the same he is an extremist and terrorist.

Why a nun can be covered from head to toe in order to devote herself to God.
But when Muslimah does the same they call she is oppressed.

When a western woman stays at home to look after her house and kids, she respected because of sacrificing herself
But when a Muslim woman does so her will, they say "She need to be liberated!"

Any girl can go to university wearing what she wills and have her right and freedom.
But when Muslimah wears a hijab they prevent her from entering her university.

When a child dedicated himself to a subject he has potential.
But when he dedicated himself to Islam he is hopeless!

When a Christian or a Jew kills someone religion is not mentioned.
But when Muslim is charged with a crime, it is Islam that goes to trial.

When someone sacrifices himself to keep others alive, he is noble and all respect him.
But when a Palestinian does that to save his son from being killed, his brother's arm being broken, his mother being rapped, his home being destroyed, and his mosque being violated. He gets the title of a terorist just because he is a Muslim

When there is a trouble we accept any solution.
But if the solution lies in Islam, we refuse to take a look at it

When someone drives a perfect car in a bad way no one blames the car.
But when any Muslim makes a mistake or treats people in a bad manner, people say "Islam is the reason.

Without looking to the tradition of Islam, people believe what the newspaper say.
But questioning what The Qur'an says.

@ diambil dari Milis MIIAS-Rasmi Henenberg

Saturday, November 15, 2008

The smallest good deed is better than the grandest good intention

I was the one who liked to have a plan. In my mind I always had a lot of things that I want to do. But most of them remained only as plans and others became reality only after I gave my self some effort to do that.

One case was about building a kitchen for my new house. When I bought a new house four years ago, the house didn't have a kitchen at that time. I had a plan to build a nice kitchen after we could save some money. Time went by, and we never even tried to build it step by step. We always thought that we would have a perfect time to build it. It had been four years and it was all left only as a plan. Even when we had to go to Australia for study, the kitchen had not been built.

Another story was about my habit for delaying study. Because sometimes I thought that I could do it later. The problem was I even delayed doing my homework or assignment until close to the due date. If I had done it earlier, I knew that I could do much better. But I didn't do it. That's why sometimes I couldn't finish my homework or assignment on time, or even if I could do it on time, the result didn't satisfy me at all, because I did that in hurry.

But I have another good story which actually always inspired me to change my habit. The story was about one of my friends who became a principal in primary school. As a new principal I believed she must be shocked when she knew about her new school's condition for the first time. No professional staff, no trained teacher and very poor infrastructure. She had a big plan to change all the conditions into better ones. But instead of waiting for enough funds to achieve her plan, she chose to work step by step, little by little. She trained all the staff and the teacher, she encouraged them to be more professional and have wide knowledge. She used recyclable things to teach the students. She was very creative. And she was successful. Now her school has became one of the favorite schools. She became not only a teacher but a counselor to for a lot of school. From a little step by step she could make her dream come true

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Pornography

Setiap 6 bulan sekali, agent rental rumah akan ngecek kondisi rumah. Dan 4 hari lagi inspeksi akan diadakan. Inspeksi-nya sangat cepat. Cuma beberes-nya ini yang butuh waktu. Maklum punya anak yang super aktif membuat nggak ada sejengkal rumahpun yang nggak berantakan. Jengkel juga sih kadang apalagi kalau kondisi badan lagi lelah banget. Tapi dijalani aja...ini adalah salah satu nikmat Allah yang harus disyukuri.

Sasaran pembersihan pertama adalah kamar mandi, setelah gosok di beberapa bagian. Lumayan sudah kelihatan bersih juga. Baju-baju yang sudah bertumpuk untuk dicuci tinggal dimasukkan ke mesin cuci besok pagi.

Sebelum ke sasaran berikutnya, yaitu kamar tamu. Bikin sarapan pagi dulu buat 2 goergous-ku. Menu pagi ini Beef BBQ (hadil kemarin ke CM) plus tumis brokoli. Ehm.....enak ternyata. Sayang nggak beli terlalu banyak kemarin.

Selesai sarapan tugas lain memanggil, beberes kamar tengah yan merupakan pusat-nya toys. Karena ada hubungan timbal-balik, jadilah beberes-nya dilanjuting dengan membereskan lemari yang isinya cuman mainan melulu.

Jam 2:30. Mas ngingetin kalau kita ada undangan seminar tentang Pornograpy. Ternyata undangannya jam 3 . Berarti bahan-bahan yang kusiapkan untuk bikin selada roghut terbengkalai nggak jadi dibikin buat kudapan seminar. Udah telat. Yah udah akhirnya solusinya pergi ke Wollies buat cari snack trus mampir ke Mitcham Library buat ngembaliin buku2 dan Video yang udah waktunya dibalikin.

Sampai di Flinders, ternyata acara belum mulai gara-gara kesalahan teknis (listriknya mati). Setelah ulur2 kabel akhirnya acara bisa dimulai lagi. Pembicara-nya ada 4 orang. Mbak Vivin, Pak Budianto, Mas Wayan dan Mas Andre. RUU yang sudah jadi UU sejak tanggal 30 Oct 2008 memang menimbulkan pro dan kontra. Pak Budianto yang menjadi pembicara pertama memandang dari sudut filosofi-nya. Mas Andre dari sudut Agama. Mbak Vivin dari sudut gender. Dan Mas Wayan yang orang Bali asli lebih mengarah kepada adanya permainan politik di balakang itu semua.

Pendapat-ku sendiri. Pornography merupakan area yang abstrak. Setiap orang bisa memberikan persepsi mengenai apa yang dimaksud dengan pornography. Ketika dipandang bahwa agama sudah tidak mampu lagi mengatasi arus derasnya pornography. Maka diperlukanlah upaya pemerintah untuk membendung arus deras-nya. Yang menjadi penekanan sebenarnya adalah kemampuan pemerintah untuk membuat sebuah aturan menjadi aturan yang dipatuhi oleh setiap pihak. Dan tidak membuat aturan-aturan yang dikhawatirkan overlapping tanpa ada tindakan selanjutnya ketika aturan-aturan itu dilanggar. Benarkah memang tidak ada politik yang mampu membawa masyarakat kepada kondisi yang menentramkan?

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Belanja Kilat di Central Market

Pagi ini jatahnya kerja sularelawan di Toy Library. Karena persediaan roti tawar masih satu bungkus, jadi sarapan pagi ini Roti Bakar Selai Rasberry aja. Nadia sarapan roti sambil minta dibikinkan teh hanget. Emang enak sih.....sebelum beraktivitas dicharge dulu dengan yang hangat-hangat.

Setelah ngecek isi dapur buat bikin list belanjaan langsung cabut dulu ke Toy Library. Hari ini alhamdulillah nggak terlalu sibuk. Dan ternyata minggu yang lalu (waktu itu aku nggak bisa masuk karena badan lagi meriang) juga nggak terlalu sibuk (itu sih kata Lisa dan Debbi). Mungkin karena banyak orang sedang mempersiapkan Parade Natal di Blackwood. Hari ini ketemu kembar non identical. Yang satu kayak ibunya dan yang lain kayak bapaknya. Wajah mereka memang beda, warna matanya pun juga beda, satu biru cerah dan satunya lagi coklat muda. Duh ganteng2 plus lucu2. Nggak lupa juga sebelum pulang sudah nyisihin mainan buat dipinjam Nadia minggu ini. Xylophpne. Scrabble, Mathematics Lab.

Sepulang dari sana, bikin nasi buat makan siang. Lauknya pakai ayam goreng dan bihun goreng. Setelah itu cabut lagi ke CM. Mas cuma antar kita karena dia mau belajar aja di mobil sambil nunggu kita. Karena waktunya yang sudah mepet habis, aku plus Nadia harus kejar-kejaran dengan waktu. Pengumuman bahwa pasar akan tutup dalam 15 menit lagi sudah terdengar, maka belanja super kilat aja. Beli Ayam plus Daging di Halal Butcher....alhamdulillah masih kebagian. Waktu Lewat Kios Ikan mereka sudah pada bersih-bersih dan ngasih diskon. Lumayan dapat ikan yang lembut dagingnya (tapi aku nggak pernah hafal namanya) dengan harga murah.

Dua main course itu sudah di dapat, sudah bisa bernafas lega. Tinggal berburu sayuran dan buah. Kalau kedua hal ini sih beli di Wollies atau Coles juga bisa....cuman sekalian aja keliling2 siapa tahu bisa dapat harga diskon. Bener aja ketelatenan membuahkan hasil. Dapat Brokoli besar yang masih segar dengan harga cuma $ 1. Trus Nadia ingetin juga emaknya buat beli wortel. Sayuran lainnya : tauge, pokcoi, timun, kangkung (yang ini dibeli karena pingin betul bikin tumis kangkung). Buahnya dapat pisang dan buah pear aja karena aku ingat persediaan apel dan jeruk masih belum habis. Pingin juga sih beli Nanas cuman karena sudah mau tutup dan antri berdesakan di salah satu kios jadi malas juga akhirnya beli.

Selesai di sana, nggak lupa lewat tukang daging yang jual telur. Trus lanjut ke Asian Grocery "Thuan Pat". Di kios paling ngampang banget ketemu orang Indo, karena tokonya punya koleksi bumbu Asia yang lumayan lengkap. So bumbu nasi kuning, nangka, santan, dan jangelan kebeli. Beli juga tahu dan tempe yang harganya amit-amit (lebih mahal daripada beli ayam sekilo). Dapat udang beku (belum tahu mau diapakan, yang penting stock dulu). Dan nggak lupa buat emergency alias kalau malas dan capeknya lagi kambuh. Sekotak Indomie masuk juga dalam tas belanjaan. Yap selesai sudah.

Waktu bayar di kasir, ternyata Nadia sudah duluan menyiapkan uang untuk membeli snack kesukaan dia. Dia malas berdebat dengan emaknya mengenai makanan apa yang boleh dan tidak boleh dia beli....jadi kayaknya dia sudah persiapan sejak dari rumah. Untungnya yang dia beli kali ini nggak yang aneh-aneh

Pulang ke rumah, langsung deh beberes barang belanjaan. Untung my dearest daughter dengan sigap siap membantu. Aku yang nyocokin doket dengan barang belanjaan sedang dia yang susun barang-barang di tempatnya. Sekalian ngajarin dia kerapian....biar dia tahu bahwa pengklasifikasiaan barang itu perlu untuk memudahkan urusan.....he...he...

Selesai semua, tinggal istirahat dulu. Mas kulihat sudah tertidur pulas di depan komputernya. Maklum nanti malam masih harus tugas luar. Nadia seperti biasa nggak bisa kalau disuruh tidur siang jadi dia masih merengek minta emaknya menjadi teman bermainnya. Ok....lah untuk bantuannya supernya kali ini aku mau main dengannya. Jadi akhirnya kita main lagi scrubble junior. Dia sangat antusias sekali. Dan dia emang menang. Kadang aku takjub juga pada kemampuan anak itu untuk memahami sesuatu. very fast. Terima Kasih ya Allah untuk kemudahan itu hingga aku yang kadang kurang telaten ngajarin dia merasa beruntung punya murid yang lumayan canggih seperti dia.....he....he...he....

Malam ini kita bikin mie ayam dan es campur buat makan malam. Trus nonton "Ice Age II". Trus bobok deh.

Mie Ayam & Es Campur

Kemarin setengah kilo ayam fillet sudah direbus. Rencana awalnya sih mau bikin rogut buat isian biskuit. Cuma karena rasa malas sudah menyerang. Yah jadinya rebusan ayam masih terbengkalai. Nah malam ini sambil nonton "Ice Age II", kok tiba-tiba aja pingin banget makan mie ayam.

Dan makin nyam...kalau makan Mie Ayam-nya di dampingi segelas es campur. Es campurnya sendiri dibikin yang praktis. Untung di kulkas masih ada kelapa (walau nggak terlalu muda), nangka dan Grass Jelly plus persediaan susu kental manis yang harus segera dihabiskan kalau nggak mau kedaluwarsa.


Bahan Tumisan Ayam :
@ 1/2 kg ayam fillet
@ bawang putih
@ bawang merah
@ merica bubuk
@ garam
@ kecap manis
@ minyak ikan
@ minyak wijen
@ saos tiram

Bahan Kuah :
@ kaldu ayam
@ bawang putih
@ daun bawang
@ merica bubuk
@ garam
@ gula pasir

Cara :
1. Rebus Ayam dalam 2 liter air sampai matang. Sisihkan lalu potong-potong bentuk dadu.
Saring dan sisihkan kaldu-nya.
2. Tumis bahan kuah dan masukkan ke dalam kaldu ayam .
3. Panaskan minyak. Tumis bawang putih sampai harum. Masukkan ayam dadu, kecap manis,
kecap ikan, saos tiram. Masak sampai matang.
4. Rebus mie. Tiriskan dan campur dengan minyak sayur dan kecap manis.
5. Penyajian : Atur mie pada mangkok. Tambahkan sawi/PokCoi yang sudah direbus diatasnya.
Tambahkan Tumisan ayam.
6. Sajikan dengan kuah dan sambal bakso....kalau ada tambahan baso lebih nikmat lagi.


Es Campur

Bahan :
@ Kelapa Muda
@ Nangka
@ Jangelan Hijau
@ Sirup Cocopandan
@ Susu Kental Manis

Nadia langsung lahap menyantap Es Campurnya. Sayang Mie Ayamnya masih belum habis dia sudah nggak kuat menahan kantuk....yah jatah emaknya lagi menghabiskan. Ngimana nggak makin gendut emaknya....he....he...he...sedangkan Bapaknya Alhamdulillah pulang kerja langsung deh lahap menyantap Mie-nya. Lumayan khan yang buat penganjal perut sebelum malam ini larut lagi di depan komputer...:-)

Terobati deh keinginan makan Mie Ayam Pak Sabar PUSKIB-Balikpapan

Nobody Understand Me !

That was a sentence which applied to me when I was still teenage. At that time, I thought that almost everybody didn't want to understand me. I remembered when I want to see a movie with my friend in the cinema. I love movies, but I know that it was impossible for me to see a movie on my own, because I never had enough money. My parents wouldn't spend their money only for such a thing, because they weren't rich and they seven children to take care of. At that time my friend insisted on paying the ticket for me (actually he want to ask my brother). I agreed but I had to take the consequences after that. I was being punished.
Another time, I joined a martial art club, but again my mother didn't agree with my choice. At that time I just thinking about trying to protect myself because I had a lot of activities. Sometime I had to do the activity at night, like attending some club's meeting. My mother always said that I was a woman, and as a woman I had to look graceful. I definitely didn't agree with her.
Another time, I protested to my parents about being treated differently that two of my sisters. I thought that my parents didn't love me as much as they loved my other sisters, and I thought that they didn't want to understand me. I only wanted to make them proud of me but in my own way.

A True Friend is the one who can make you cry

When my teacher said to write about one phrase that described a True Friend, suddenly I remembered one of my friend or at least for my he is my friend. Why I said that because he actually always said that he never can't be my friend. I absolutely no doubt about the meaning of the phrase "A True friend is the one who can make you cry".
My friend that I mentioned before was the one who always supported me in my career but didn't want to be recognized. He always want to look like a cruel person in front of me; almost wasn't easy to make him smile; very serious at least with me; giving me a lot of task and always trying to keep a distance. The first time, I really didn't understand why he did it to me. What did I do which made him did that to me?
After a while, I became understand that he actually wanted to make me as his staff whom stronger, more independent, and he could trust and depend on. He did all of the cruel things just only because he had difficulties to deal with my character. It needed time to understand and believe the fact. But after a while, I tried to see the flashback of my career.
Even though he made me cry couple times, a should believe that he only tried to make me a better person everyday. Now I realized that he had become one of the most influential person in my life.
I was the young person who tried to face the professional environment and become a mature person who felt confident with all her capability. Thanks friend......

Memories at School

I remembered the time when I was a junior high student. I had so much fun in school. I had four best friend at that time. Two boys and two girls. All my best friends were clever student. Three of them were always amongst the five best student in our school. I was lucky to have them, because they were very patient to teach me especially in Maths, Physical Science and English. But on the other side, I was better in sport that them. So if our class had to compete in "Class Meeting" I could make them proud too.
Something that I remembered was I always walked together with one of my best friends to go home. When my father bought me a new bike because I got a best award at one time, then I gave my best friend a lift to go home.
Sometimes we did homework together at one of our homes. After that we played a game or rode a bike. Sometime we read a new book that belong to my one of my best friend. She was book collector. We really liked "The five famous-Enid Blyton". My best friends had all of the series.
Now we have grown up and have our own lives with our own families. Three of my friends have become engineers. I am an accountant. But sadly one of my best friends lost her short memories. She still can remember us, but she can't easily understand about what's going on around her. I still fell very sorry for my friend.

My Greates Talent

If somebody asked me "What's your talent?". The answer will be "I have no idea". Why I have to answer like that is because I really don't know what's actually my hidden diamond which hasn't been sharpened inside me.
If the talent was genetically being given by our parents, Why I could be like my father who is really good in art, sport, and communication. My father is an artist, a sportsman, and a great communicator. When he was young, he was a badminton champion, he played a lot of kinds a sport. He drew and painted pictures, he made sculptures. He even played a lot of different kinds of musical instrument easily. And even the rest of my family too.
I have six brothers and sisters. All of them have great talent in art. My eldest brother is very good in naturalism painting. My second brother is very good in making cartoons and photography and he even has his own studio for business. My third brother is very good in abstract painting and he joined with a lot of exhibitions in my home town. My youngest brother is photography lover and movie maker. My eldest sister is fashion designer and he just found her talent 5 years ago. I think she is lucky. My other sister is an architect and one of her project was McDonald's builing in my home town. What's about me? Until now I still cant's draw the proportion right of a chicken.
How about sport? Both of my sisters were very good in sport when they were young. They were always choose as player in their school sport club and even in my local community. I like sport too. And my biggest achievment was Ju-Jitsu National Champion. I still felt that I just lucky at that time. Or is it my greatest talent?
In other things that I am doing, I ma just an ordinary person. I just do everything in common way. But as an ordinary person, I am quiet happy and accept my self be the way I am. Maybe I never know what exactly is my great talent, but I can only really be sure that I am a hard worker, very loyal to everything that a believe, eager to learn new things in my way to search for my greatest talent. So even if maybe I never find my greatest talent, I will always try to enjoy being myself, just an ordinary person.

What Appears to be the end may be a new beginning

I just have read a story about someone who discovered that life is both more and less than we hoped for. The title of the book was "Learning to Fall". This book was filled with words of wisdom and they were inspired.
The author, Philip Simmon, has been diagnosed with a fatal condition known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease. He would be probably dead within a few years. Of course, he felt shock at first, but then he decided to face up to the fact. Knowing that his days were numbered, he started to asked with new urgency, the sort of questions from : "What is my life' true purpose?" to "Should I reorganize my closets?". Then, he realized that he had learned something by asking them. He had learned that a fuller consciousness of his own mortality has been the best guide to being more fully alive. He also learned that he dealt most fruitfully with loss by accepting the fact that he will lose everything one day.
So he started to accepting himself by accepting the whole package, the whole sour and sweet that he is. He stopped seeing the world as a "problem" to be solved, when instead he opened his hearts to the mysery of his common suffering, then he found himself in a world transformed by love. Even though he couldn't walk anymore, he still tried to enjoy his life by doing a lot of thing for other people with love.

Be a full bucket
Drawn up the dark way of a well
Then lifted out
Into the light

[The Sufi Poet-Jalal Al Din Rumi]