Looking for Boyfriend / Girlfriend?

A friend asked me this question, "What is your purpose in looking boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife?"

What comes up in my mind is "It depends in what stages of life we are in". When we're still teenager even when we're in highschool, having boyfriend/girlfriend is just a sprinkle of sugar on top of your donut.

We like it maybe because it is a new thing occured in our life, it is an exciting adventure, and it fills our emotion with happiness. If you don't store the donut properly, the sugar will melt and may cause your donut turns soggy, which is a bad thing in my opinion.

We see things differently as we're getting more mature. The purpose of looking significant other is to look for partner in life. It is not just for a fling or temporary sweetener in our life. That is the reason it is called significant other.

Without one and another, the main ingredient in our life is missing. As we know, each ingredient has its own function. It becomes part in the composition for a purpose. We cannot say that one is more important than the other regardless the amount. If 1 main ingredient missing, you cannot create what you have planned.

That is why being selfless is crucial to make a relationship works. We should not focus on 'I'. Instead, learn to make everything becomes "We", "Us", and "Ours".

Love Is a Skill

The Bible Says Love Is a Skill
by Rick Warren

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7 (NLT)

Love is a skill that can be learned. In other words, it's something you can get good at and that means you get better at love by practicing love.

There is no time better than the Christmas season to practice loving others.You may think you're a good lover, but God wants you to become a great lover, a skilled lover, a master lover. Yet, most people never learn how to love.

You can become an expert at relationships. Wouldn't you like to become known as a person of extraordinary love? When people speak of you they might say: "He doesn't care who you are or what you look like." "She doesn't care where you've been or what you've done or where you're from."The only way you get skilled at something is to practice. You do it over and over.

The first time you do it, it feels awkward, but the more you do it, the better you become.The
same is true with love (1 John 4:7). Let's practice loving each other. As the Bible says, "Practice these things; be committed to them, so that your progress may be evident to all" (1 Timothy 4:15 HCSB).

Practicing Love

This blog is written in response to the devotion "Love Is a Skill" that was posted before this entry.

Yes, I want to be remembered as a person with an extraordinary love rather than the champion of triathlon or a noble winner. In the future, others will break the record and people will forget your name. But being a great lover, you will be remembered in people's hearts.

It seems easy. In reality, it is much more difficult than you can imagine. It takes a lot of practice to become an extraordinary lover, an expert in relationship. Sacrifices need to be made, maybe it's your time, your money, your plans, and your expectations.

The hardest is when we have to do it to people that we don't know really well but we can start to the people close to us at anytime.

The most important thing to be remembered about practicing love is not about taking the credits. It is about how you could touch people's lives and make a better change.

Behold !! Chipotle is Here...

Finally! Some hint of Chipotle Mexican Grill recipe. I believe they won't post the complete recipe but that's okay, I could manage with it. Definitely will try it with trials and errors of the other ingredients =D.

Cilantro-Lime Rice
We steam white rice every hour until it's light and fluffy, then toss it with freshly chopped cilantro, a dash of citrus juice and a little salt. Vegetarian.

Fajita Vegetables
We start with whole green bell peppers and red onion, slice them, and then sauté them in a bit of soybean oil with chopped, fresh oregano until bright and slightly crisp. Vegetarian.

Black Beans
Never refried, our black beans are seasoned with cumin, garlic and other spices, then slow cooked until tender, but not mushy. Vegetarian.

Pinto Beans
Our pinto beans have a smoky aroma and a mildly sweet heat. These beans are seasoned with bacon, in addition to several herbs and spices.


Carnitas
Naturally raised pork, seasoned with thyme, bay leaves, juniper berries and freshly cracked black pepper. First, it's seared, then braised for hours until it's fall-off-the-bone tender and finally gently shredded. Chef's recommendation: crispy tacos with carnitas, sour cream, hot salsa and romaine lettuce.

Chicken
Marinated overnight in our smoky, spicy chipotle pepper adobo, then grilled. The char marks impart a subtle caramelized flavor. A customer favorite.


Steak
Lean steak marinated for 12 hours in our smoky, spicy chipotle pepper adobo, then grilled to a juicy, medium-rare.

Barbacoa
Spicy, shredded beef, slowly braised for hours in a blend of chipotle adobo, cumin, cloves, garlic and oregano. Tender and moist, the barbacoa is a must for beef-lovers.

Fresh Tomato Salsa (Mild)
Chopped red, ripe sweet tomatoes, mixed with red onions, jalapeño peppers and freshly chopped cilantro for a mildly tangy, refreshing taste. Vegetarian.

Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa (Medium)
Sweet, succulent corn, blended with roasted poblano peppers, jalapeño peppers, red onions and freshly chopped cilantro. This unique, robust salsa is both sweet and mildly hot. Vegetarian.


Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa (Medium)
A distinctive combination of tomatillos, tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, red onions, freshly chopped cilantro and several spices. A rousing addition to a barbacoa or carnitas burrito. Vegetarian.

Tomatillo-Red Chili Salsa (Hot)
This salsa of puréed chiles de arbol, tomatillos and fresh spices is smooth, full-bodied and a rich, rusty red color. Very hot. Vegetarian.

Sour Cream
One hundred percent cultured cream whipped to a velvety consistency. Vegetarian.

Cheese
A blend of freshly grated jack and white cheddar cheeses. We grate our cheese from large blocks daily, which ensures a moist, creamy texture. Our cheese is made from a vegetable-based rennet and is therefore vegetarian.

Guacamole
Several times daily in every Chipotle, we lovingly mash just-picked, ripe Hass avocados, then blend in freshly chopped cilantro, red onions, and jalapeño peppers, citrus juice, salt and selected spices to create the silky, sexy guacamole we love. An impartial connoisseur has called it the "Best Guacamole Known To Man". Taste and decide for yourself. Vegetarian.

Romaine Lettuce
Crisp, fresh leaves of crunchy romaine lettuce, cut just right to accompany your tacos (ask for mucha lechuga!). Omit rice and add lettuce to your burrito bowl for a Chipotle salad. Vegetarian.

Zooom, for a closer look at the ingredients!

http://www.chipotle.com/

Problems oh problems...

Life is a series of problems. Once we get out of 1 problem, we enter to another one. We cannot escape from it.

Several or many times in our life, we make bad judgments and decisions. It is part of life that force us to grow and be more mature in dealing with problems.

As we grow older and be wiser as a result of dealing with lots of problems, we can always look back and see that sometimes what we perceived as a big problem was not a big problem at all, and we can laugh on it for making it so complicated.

Lesson:
1. Calm down, clear our heads (this is the hardest part)
2. Do not complicate things.
3. Simplify! That's what genius do, making complicated things simple (with an effort of course).

Tips:
1. Ask child's opinion might help.They do have straight and simple answers to adult problems. Not all applicable though. You should use your judgment on this one.
2. We have God that we can count on. He is bigger than our understanding and know what is best for us. And we can always ask for His guidance.

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Making Choices

My department where I work now currently has 9 vacancies. My boss asked us to refer our friends to fill the positions. Many of my co-workers don't want to offer this to their friends because they think working in here is not a really good option. By referring friends here, it means dragging them to "hell".

I used to think like that. But hey, this is real life. Nothing is perfect. We always perceive what we don't have is better than what we have. People often fail to see the positive side and be grateful for what happen in their life.

It's our choice how to perceive things. There are many things that I found unsatisfying. I can create a long list of negativity in my workplace. But, I can still learn something good from what I do now. How I handle myself in this situation is also a learning experience.

When there's a better option out there (again, this is based on perception, and hopefully right about it), I can move out to another company. Hence, it is okay to present the positive and the negative side of our workplace to our friends. Let them decide what's good for them.

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Jerusalem Pilgrim Moments

Arrived in Dubai Airport - Very expensive Small Cup of Mocchacino

First Kosher Breakfast - No Meat

At the market - Bargaining Peanut

Why quitting from your job?

 In the last 6 months, there are 4 out of 18 people resigning from my department. In average, 1 person resigned every 1.5 month. Is it normal? Or is there something terribly wrong?

Following is my observation. The reasons they choose to work in the new company or to open his/her own business are:
1. Higher salary
2. Better benefits (health care, travel allowance, etc)
3. Flexible time and higher income

In summary, the reason of resigning from your job is MONEY.

There are so many self-help book about motivation at work that says money is not the real motivation. True! Our productivity at work depends on many factors other than money: the people, work environment, company's culture, job significance, career advancement, appreciation, etc. Our performance can be high or low based on those factors. But, what makes people decide to stay or leave is back to its root: monetary factor.

We never know what the new company's environment and culture would be like other than what is being said by the interviewer. Thus, our decision is made based on tangible factors.

For bosses out there, it is important to create a conducive work environment by providing intangible benefits. However, reviewing tangible benefit is no less important than the previous one.

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Stop Trying to Please Everybody

It's one of may favorite daily devotional. It's experienced by many as a result of intense social pressure. Although I'm not a person that does not give a damn to what others think, I have to admit that sometimes it affects me too. Hopefully, this devotional will become a great reminder for us.
---
When we worry about what other people think, we let them control us. We waste a lot of time and energy trying to figure out what other people want us to be. Then, we waste a lot of time and energy trying to become like that rather than just being what God made us to be. You're manipulated and controlled by somebody else.

Worrying about what other people think is dangerous because we’re more likely to cave in to criticism. It means we don't always do the right thing; instead, we do the thing that everybody wants us to do.

And we’re in danger of missing God's best because we're so worried about what other people what us to do that we can't stop to think about what God wants us to do.

• Fact #1: You cannot please everybody. Even God can't please everybody. One person prays for it to rain; another prays for it to be sunny. In the Super Bowl, both teams are praying that they will win. Who is God going to answer? God can't please everybody. Only a fool would try to do what even God can't do. You can't please everybody.

• Fact #2: It's not necessary to please everybody. There is a myth that says you must be loved and approved by everybody in order to be happy. That's just not true. You don't have to please everybody in order to be happy in life.

• Fact #3: Rejection will not ruin your life. It hurts, sure. It's not fun. It's uncomfortable. But rejection will not ruin your life unless you let it. 

Quit trying to please everybody! Remember that nobody can make you feel inferior unless you give them permission.

The Apostle Paul says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31 TEV) This means we can think like this: ‘God likes me, and I like me; if you don't like me, then you've got a problem. If God likes me, who cares that everybody doesn't approve of everything I do.’

Remember, nothing you ever do will make God love you less. Nothing you ever do will make God love you more. He loves you completely right now!

Source: http://www.purposedriven.com/article.do?method=articlePage&contentId=201906

Professional or Loyal?

30 October 2009

Definition:
Professional - expert or specialist in the field one practice professionally
Loyal - faithful or devout to a cause

What I mean about professional in here is doing what you are good at, eg: marketing, logistic, etc. And loyal means being faithful to the company where you work or even to your boss.

What are you?
Which side do you lean on?
Why do you think that one is more important than the other?

4 Nov 2009

Responding to @ptbkr comment:
Yeap, you're right about my definition that is far too extreme :) I just wonder how far people are willing to abandon their professionalism for loyalty. Sacrificing professionalism might jeopardize work performance. Unless, you really like the new experience you're doing now.
I, myself, am a follower to your short-term loyalty idea. To be exact, I'm loyal to myself. I can stick with what I am good at or even try new profession at a new workplace. It gives us a broader knowledge about stuff happens in life.

So, here's the next question:
As a boss, what do you demand more from your subordinates? Loyalty or professionalism?

Media Influence on Community's Perspective (Part II)

Ideally, media and the journalists must be independent, objective, fair, balance, and factual. Often times, that is not the case.

The journalists, although required to be fair, consciously or unconsciously still want to express their own opinions. They want to send their messages to the audience and want the audience to be receptive to their ideas. This is very dangerous when it comes to politics, ideology, and principles.

Of course it's unfair to accuse the journalists and hold them to be 100% responsible for this bias in relaying the news. We should also investigate the background of the media, who owns it, who takes control, what their backgrounds, belief, ideology, alliances, sponsors, etc. No matter how independent the journalists are, what is printed and broadcasted out there depends on the 'Boss'.

For example:
Surya Paloh        : Golkar Party, Metro TV, Media Indonesia
Rupert Murdoch : Republican, Fox News, Wall Street Journal, NY Post
Silvio Berlusconi : Italy Prime Minister, Media Mogul

For sure, the easiest way to keep update with current news is from the media. As we bombarded with so many information in 1 day, we still need to be critical. We should not swallow all the information plainly as a whole, but also think whether the message is credible and unbiased. DO investigate from other resources. Different media might present different perspectives and it is very useful for the audience to get a different point of view. Then, you can decide about what you think is right. Or at least, try not to be bias in making your judgment.

Media Influence on Community's Perspective (Part I)

Yesterday, I watch the news on prime time hour. The breaking news is about the conflict happening in Middle East, where the Israeli troops claim the Al Aqsa mosque. You can read the details of the story on your own. But that is not the point why I write this.

The news was repeatedly over & over again. The background of the news was delivered in a documentary-like video, makes it easier to digest.

Actually, I was shocked & quite terrified that another war might happen as a result of the invasion. However, there's something that caught my attention. Same thing had happened in the previous month. I wonder why I did not hear anything about it.

The next morning, I decided to check the news from the other parts of the world. It turns out, not 1 media in US & Europe mention about it. I know if check only US media, it would be bias. That's why I always check the European media to counter check & clarify the news.

Okay, that's just the background. I think you get a glimpse of what I am trying to say here... (continue to Part II)

Movie Review: Inglourious Basterds

I am not a fan of Quentin Tarantino's movie, especially the bloody ones. I have to admit that Inglourious Basterds is his masterpiece. It is a genius suspense-comedy movie. How Quentin mixed the intellectual minded character with the stupidity. When the audiences sense that the plot implies something terrible happens, the characters, the dialog, the act are able to make the audiences crack in laughter.

The characters are very strong especially Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz), the Jew Hunter. Well, you can say Hans Landa is a charming, friendly, and likeable man with with a hint of evil plot in his mind and his words. In this movie, Christoph Waltz amazingly delivers those attributes to make this movie alive. And he speaks English, French, German, and Italian too! All other characters are incredibly funny, especially when the Basterds tried to speak Italian.

It is a must-see movie of the year.

My rating: 8/10

Polygamy - Panacea to win God's Love?

Just read the news in Jakarta Globe , a polygamy club called Malaysian Global Ikhwan Polygamy Club (yes it came from Malaysia) was opened in Bandung, Indonesia. The upscale launching party was attended by 150 people throughout the nation. It is said that they will open the branches in other cities.

The co-founder, Hatija Aam, told reporters from the New Strait Times that “Polygamy is a most practical approach, an effective cure to a woman’s desire.” Which part from this sentence is right?

In my personal opinion, this is totally wrong. This belief is degrading women because polygamy is used by men as their easy shortcuts to have a relationship outside their marriage. This is against the concept of marriage, in which the man should love the wife, and the wife should respect the husband (all in singular). This wasn't the case if the husband love another woman. In a more polite word, Polygamy is so-called legalized affair. And how come Polygamy is a way to win God's love?

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.com/home/polygamy-club-opens-in-bandung/336271

Favorite Quotes

Integrity is the glue that holds our way of life together. We must constantly strive to keep our integrity intact. -Billy Graham 


Learning to write is learning to think. You don't know anything clearly unless you can state it in writing. -SI Hiyakawa

Interesting Ads

Nationwide Insurance Ads in Columbus, OHIO
-Real place, real cars!

YouTube on Blackberry

When you streaming video through Blackberry, the internet connection automatically switched to WAP, which is not included in the BIS package in Indonesia. This will cause you to pay extra to the service provider. Now, you can do it for free!

Follow this tips to avoid extra cost while optimizing Blackberry features:
1. Go to m.youtube.com via your Blackberry browser
2. Search for your favorite video
3. Hoover the trackball pointer to the selected video
4. Click BB logo, copy address
5. Go to www.easyyoutube.com, paste the address
6. Click download

Wait until the download finished, and you're ready to watch YouTube on your Blackberry :)

Leadership! by John Maxwell

Great news for you who strive for developing leadership availability!

Most of you might have heard about John Maxwell. He is a bestselling author and speaker on leadership. His bestselling books include The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Developing the Leader Within You, and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader.

Now, he is about to write his 2010 book about Connecting to Others. Every now and then, he posts his articles on the web, and ask the readers to write with him, to comments and to give insights about the article. Each chapter will be published for only limited time. When you miss the previous chapter, don't worry! You still be able to read the summary.

Here is John Maxwell's link: http://johnmaxwellonleadership.com

You can follow him on twitter too @johncmaxwell

Miyabi Oh Miyabi....

What so fuss about Miyabi, the Japanese porn star, who was planned to star Indonesian non-pornographic movie? The government and the MUI reject her coming to Indonesia for the reason that she is related to something pornographic.

Legally, she doesn't break Indonesian law
Ethically, well..she doesn't cast in Indonesian porn-movie

Whether or not she comes to Indonesia, still.. her movies are watched by millions. In my personal opinion, her coming to Indonesia doesn't change a fact that many people still have their own way to watch her. It's the audience who should make a judgment whether it is ethical, against the law, or against the religion. It is the audiences who put up with the consequences.

Last but not least....its the people who makes  the buzz, and also the media, boosting Miyabi's popularity to the youngsters. They should think first! before releasing public statement.

Tips of Overcoming Your Worry

I just read a daily devotional in www.purposedriven.com (yes, it is based on Purpose Driven Life book) regarding what we need to know about how to handle our worries. These are the 4 points that I learnt based on Jesus' teaching (Matthew 6:25–34):

1. Worry is unreasonable. To worry about something you can’t change is useless. To worry about something you can change is foolish! And every time you review a worry in your mind, it just gets bigger. Worry amplifies problems out of proportion.

2. Worry is unnatural. You weren’t born a worrier. It is a learned response to life. In fact, you have to practice to get good at it. Fortunately worry can be unlearned. The only species in God’s creation that worries is human beings. We don’t think God will take care of us.

3. Worry is unhelpful. It doesn’t work. It can’t change the past. It can’t control the future. It only makes you miserable today. Worrying about a problem never solves the problem.

4. Worry is unnecessary. God has promised to take care of you if you’ll trust him with the details of your life. Let God be God in your life! “God will take care of you, just have faith.”

“So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time” (Matthew 6:34).

Indonesia's Earthquake Info

You might find this link below is useful to give you information about current updates of earthquakes happening in Indonesia and its potential impact:
http://www.bmg.go.id/depan_isu_gempa.bmkg

CNN Hero - Budi Soehardi

KUPANG, Indonesia (CNN) -- At Roslin Orphanage, children giggle through deep concentration as they try to master the "Chicken Dance." It's a far cry from the Indonesian orphans' earlier months and years.

"They are cheerful-looking and photogenic, but close to all have a very sad story," said Budi Soehardi, founder of the West Timor orphanage.

"Some of the babies come because a mother passes away right after delivery because of lack of nutrition. Others come from extreme poverty. Some come from families [that] just do not want the children and abandon them," he said. Vote now for the CNN Hero of the Year

Soehardi, a 53-year-old Indonesian pilot living in Singapore, and his wife, Peggy, look after 47 children at the orphanage. They have a personal relationship with each one, and consider them part of their family. The couple named many of the children since they entered the orphanage as babies -- some of them tiny victims and refugees from the conflict in East Timor.

Soehardi has three children of his own but says there is no difference between what he supplies for his biological children and those living at the orphanage. They all get clean living spaces, vaccinations, food, clothing and vitamins from the United States.

"Mr. Budi is like my own father," said Gerson Mangi, 20, a resident at Roslin Orphanage. Mangi, who came to the orphanage when he was 12 years old, had no means to attend school after his parents died. Now, thanks to the educational training at Roslin and a private sponsor, he is in medical school.

Soehardi, whose father died when he was 9 years old, can relate to these young people's hardships.

"Food was hard to come by and my school fee was very difficult," Soehardi said. "The refugees just really strike me so badly and [I want] them to be better off."

Young victims of a fight for independence

A 1999 news report on the situation in East Timor inspired the Soehardis to take action.

Soehardi was eating dinner and watching CNN with his wife and family at home in Singapore when he saw the plight of the refugees fleeing East Timor for West Timor, Indonesia. Families were living in cardboard boxes, children were wearing rags for clothes, and sanitation was nonexistent.

"It was devastating," Soehardi said.

The poor conditions were a result of conflicts in East Timor that surfaced after the residents voted for independence from Indonesia. Following the election, militias -- with support from Indonesian security forces -- launched a campaign of violence throughout the region. Hundreds of East Timorese were killed, and as many as 250,000 were displaced from their homes, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

The Soehardis had been planning on taking a vacation, but watching the news made them rethink their plans.

"[My wife and I] look at each other and we have a thought of our own. ... 'Hey, let's do something else. Why don't we visit the place ... to make a different kind of holiday,' " Soehardi said.

He began coordinating financial donations, food, clothing and supplies. With help from friends and ground volunteers, the Soehardis navigated the conflict-ridden areas and delivered more than 40 tons of food, medical supplies and toiletries to East Timor refugee camps.

Soon the Soehardis determined West Timor could use a space for orphans.

"My wife was initially asking me to build three rooms. Then two hours later she [asked for] five rooms, and then later nine rooms and finally, the orphanage building."

They completed their orphanage building in 11 months and named it Roslin Orphanage, after a pair of Timorese women whom Peggy looked up to as a girl.

In April 2002, the orphanage opened and provided a home for four children. Since then the residence has expanded to provide free education, clothing, housing and food for 47 children of all ages, newborns to university-age. About half of its residents are younger than 8 years old. Video Watch Soehardi teach the children the alphabet »

An unexpected harvest

The orphanage was built on donated land that the Soehardis initially thought bore barren soil. But today, the rice they feed the children comes solely from their own land.

"We dared to take the challenge," said Soehardi of his foray into irrigation. He and Peggy, who are not trained in agriculture, used two pumps and a generator to get water for irrigation.

Then they began planting rice. "One hundred days later, we were having our first harvest and declared ourselves to be self-sufficient on rice for the orphanage children," he said. Video Watch Soehardi explain how he made the land more fertile »

It's a fortunate cost-cutting tactic, especially with Soehardi losing his piloting job in November because of the struggling economy.

Soehardi, whose pilot salary goes toward maintaining the orphanage and funding medical student Mangi's education, is hopeful that the end of his contract will not affect the children's well-being.

Indonesia Earthquakes

Near the end of Year 2009, Indonesia has been devastated by series of earthquakes that cause many people died and injured. It starts with the 7.0 magnitude of earthquake in Cianjur Jawa Barat that brought death tolls to 57 people.

On 30 September 2009, a magnitude of 7.6 earthquake that hit Padang, Sumatra Barat killed 800+ people and left many more injured. The officials estimated that there are about 376 people are perished and 8 people is still alive under the debris of Hotel Ambacang.

The city was dark for 2 days without electricity, bridges were down, telecommunication lines were damaged, and the heavy rainfall also made the officials difficult in the search and rescue mission and causing the family of the victims cannot reached their loved ones.

"People used hammers, chisels and bare hands to dig through debris. Staff at a local hospital treated the injured outside the semi-collapsed building as bodies lay in makeshift morgues.

"Wednesday's quake was felt in nearby cities including Medan and Bengkulu, where people panicked and ran outside in search of higher ground, fearing a tsunami. But it was also felt as far away as Singapore and Malaysia." (Source: CNN.com)

This is a trusted resource that include some of the highest rated charities where you can help the victims of the earthquakes. A small amount of what you have makes a huge difference for those in need (http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/impact/)