12:22:00 AM
I am back...
Merry Christmas!

*collapses into bed*

2:45:00 AM
My monthly suffering hath commenced. Despite all the pain, I actually feel very relieved... because my emotion has finally started to cool down. I'm so tired of being overly sensitive upon unnecessary things during the pre-period days.

I wanted to finish the guestbook configuration before leaving for Las Vegas tomorrow evening.. I know I won't have time at all tomorrow, since I haven't packed my clothes & accessories. I'm planning to do that after work. Hopefully the company let us out at 3 PM ~_~

But here goes the comment book or guestbook, whatever you'd like to call it. It sure took me too long setting everything up -_- I'm very interested to know who & how many actually read this journal, so drop me some notes, s'il vous plait? :3

8:40:00 PM
On the news...

Nice people, aren't they? :3 And the "prankster" is having so much fun teasing the "victim"... by doing absolutely nothing XD

On browsing...

Listen to this hilarious Taliban song!
I found a lot of interesting sites while browsing for e-zines. I have compiled my favorite ones on the network links *points to the right* The list will keep changing though, depending on preferences.

On designing...

I didn't know that configuring the megabook takes a long time -_- When I'm finally done with the guestbook layout, I still have to configure the preview layout and missing fields layout. But that's maybe due to the fact that I'm a perfectionist, I pay too much attention to details.

On vacation...

My parents & brother are in Bali since Monday, spending the holiday there. I'm so envious of them and terribly upset for not having been able to join them. I miss Bali. I miss our house in Tegalalang, near Ubud. I miss Kuta beach, Ubud, and Nusa Dua. I miss the lifestyle. I miss the arts. And above all, I miss the FOOD! >_< Not to mention that I miss my family, relatives, and friends in Indonesia, too.

3:30:00 PM
Since I missed two days of work (1 last week, 1 two weeks ago), I'll be working on the 26th and 27th. Thought I could do something and be paid, although relaxing at home sounds more tempting.

On lunch break...

This pot roast is good! As always, I got it from Marie Callender's that's located on the first floor of the building. That's where I always get my breakfast every morning. The same bacon everyday... yet it tastes so good =9 The price is pretty expensive though. I usually spend a maximum of an hour's salary for the whole day's worth of food, from breakfast to dinner. Don't count weekends, though. I always spend more, cause I usually eat outside on weekends.

My stomach has been pretty uneasy lately. Especially after I drank my first coffee. I sure loathe it when my stomach is being sensitive like this.

MGM Grand Hotel

That's where I'm going to stay in Las Vegas ^^v I'll be there from Dec 21 to 24. What I'm going to do there? Eat out, casino, eat out, see a show or two, eat out, shopping, eat out, taking photos everywhere, eat out, visit some attractions, eat out,...... you get the idea :3

Taun baruan berdua ama Babe aja kayaknya taun ini... ^^
....or maybe not.

4:13:00 PM
Vanilla Sky. What a weird, twisted movie. Negative vibe, too. Not recommended, unless you're a Tom Cruise or Penelope Cruz diehard fan.

I just loveee Snoopy! ^^v The Snoopy shop at Knott's Berry Farm has an excess of Snoopy merchandise. What I love most, though, is the peppermint. Not only does the mint taste veeeerry good, but also they are in the shapes of Charlie Brown & Snoopy! :3 And the online Snoopy store is worth checking.

Gyahhhh! I'm so boredddd O_O! I want to go home pronto!

6:57:00 PM
God has been very gracious to me lately :3
I have finally gotten the skirt that I had been searching for 6 months! It was so difficult searching for size 2. There are only very few online stores that carry Marc by Marc Jacobs and even less that carry the San Francisco wash denim skirt. I checked eluxury a couple of times weekly in the hope of finding size 2 in stock. And that, my friend, had been going on for 6 months before I finally got it! And with a free shipping, too ^^v And I'm going to receive it before Christmas, just the right time to bring it to Las Vegas :D

5:36:00 PM
Mwahahaha XD
I finally find a great deal for Canon S110 digital elph I have always wanted! It's normally priced at $399 everywhere. How about $220 included free shipping & $100 free accessories (16 MB compact flash card, a battery, and a case)? Wonderful, ne c'est pas? :3

dum de dum de dum...
*is very anxious to go through the purchasing process*

3:31:00 PM
Mmmmm...
Chicken teriyaki with vegetable and pasta roma on my desk =9
I'm on my lunch break right now. Turns out I'm not going to the Christmas luncheon. It's raining outside, I don't know where the party is held at, no one asks me to go with them, so I am not going. Besides, it would really feel awkward. I'm just a temporary worker after all.

I'd rather spend a few hours relaxing ^^v Almost everyone is out of the office, so I'm pretty much left alone.... and I can do whatever I please to do :3 Don't worry, I know my responsibility. I'm committed to my work to the point of having my lunch on the desk so that I'm able to work at the same time. See?

Setting that aside...
I had wanted to put the link of my photo album here, but I always forgot. So here goes, my photo album that I have compiled about a month ago. I also put the link on the side menu for easy access anytime. I'm always putting new photos there every now and then. Oh, and don't forget to sign the photo album's guestbook whenever you visit it ^^v The guestbook is inside each album.

11:52:00 AM
Good morning!
*so she said as she took a sip of her first coffee of the day*

I have developed a daily habit at work. I always go straight to the copy room to get a cup of coffee before starting to do anything every morning. It helps me stay awake on the time of the day that I dread the most. And 90% of the time, I'm working while also having my breakfast on the desk, the same menu each & every morning: egg & bacon, sometimes with potatoes & sausage. And that applies to this morning as well.... *took a bite of the bacon*

There will be a Christmas luncheon party for the company at 11.30 AM. I am invited. I honestly feel awkward attending the party, because not only I'm the youngest (and smallest) in the whole office, but also I'm not KMEP's official employee. Moreover, I do not know anyone other than the people I've been working with. But of course, it never hurts to perform a networking attempt.

Oh! I never mentioned that my supervisor is a Penn State alumni, did I? Yes, she graduated on 1985 (if I'm not very much mistaken. I'm sure it's some time in the 80's). State College is actually her hometown, surprise surprise!

7:50:00 PM
Las Vegas, here I come!

Believe it or not, I've never been to Las Vegas! Since Arlene is coming to Vegas for sure next weekend, I'm going to meet her there. The Christmas holiday seems to slowly turn out to be fun. Sure do hope so :3

Boring day ~_~

Today feels like 40 hours. I have started recording contracts data into PEC Premier since this morning. My mind is swirling at this moment due to the incredibly small text font size and too many data to be logged.

On an unrelated note...

I talked to Kara on the phone yesterday, after 2 months sans parler, for almost 2 hours. As always: gossiping =P That's just the informal & more connotative way of saying "updates on & around our lives". I missed so many things about her: her religious dancing & singing everywhere (especially in front of a mirror), having lunch/dinner at Spats Cafe & The Corner Room with her, her delish cooking (and it took oh so long), us dressing up just for the sake of it (knowing perfectly that there was nothing and no one to show our nice clothes to) and then taking photos around downtown State College, .... et cetera. There are simply so many things we've gone through together while in Penn State. After all she's my closest friend in college.

I worked on a layout for a comment page (in a guestbook template) for this journal. It's not done yet, I'm hoping to finish it tonight. I haven't really followed people's journals lately, thus I'm pretty tired searching for comments directed to myself on others' blogs. Of course I still do that on an ongoing basis, but I might have missed a couple of them. I thought I'd just let people comment here instead. And no, I don't really like a comment thing on each & every post (such as dotcomments or blogback), it's just too cluttered. I like to gather all the comments together, so making a separate site for comments using guestbook template is the best solution for the moment. But of course... I change my mind all the time ^^v

5 PM is approaching slowly... I'd better get ready to flee...

5:39:00 PM
Christmas might actually be merry... ?

Martin is moving to LA today for his permanent job. Eric is coming here for Christmas holiday. Yonas might be coming down here from San Francisco with his girlfriend & her friends....
Southern California sure is going to be full with Canisius high school (Jakarta) class of 1997 alumni. In addition to Bayu, Aaron, and David, who have already lived here, obviously.

After 2 months sans parler, I talked to Arlene on the phone for almost 3 hours yesterday. In case you've forgotten that name already, she was my dear roommate when I was in Pennsylvania. Guess what? So many surprises & updates on our lives :D I might see her next weekend, if she decides to go to Las Vegas.

2:12:00 PM
Work is a commitment. 8 am to 5 pm everyday is a required commitment. Losing 12 hours a day just for work is a total commitment.

I so miss college life...

"Hey, hobo man, hey Dapper Dan, you both got your style, but brother, you're never fully dressed without a smile!"

6:45:00 PM
Finally a good movie with a good director: Ocean's 11. Not your typical action movie. Absolutely unique. And Brad Pitt starred in it, too :3

Rule #1 when you're working full-time: DO NOT go to sleep more than 1 AM! You won't be able to wake up at 6.30 the next morning, guaranteed.

12:52:00 AM
True, very true...
The Art Test

If I were a work of art, I would be Edgar Degas' Dance Class. "I appear soft and gentle, but hide a core of rigid structure and discipline. I work hard and follow orders, because I am determined to succeed, but remain attached to displays of frivolity and maintaining my appearance."

6:43:00 PM
Writing from work...

Yes, I've started work since last Monday. It's a full-time temporary work: M - F from 8 to 5 until Dec 21 (3 weeks). The company is Kinder Morgan Energy Partners located in Orange, CA. The job duty? Just one word: boring -_- But at least the pay is enough to spend on manga, artbooks, and a digital camera. Consider them as my Christmas gifts.

Leon has gone...

And I still can't believe it ;_; As much as I hadn't met him in the past year, I still missed him. After all, I used to sleep over at Diana's place when I went back to Indonesia last year. And I used to go out with the members of my second family a lot (mostly with my mom, my second mom, Alex, Diana, Leon, and Frans). And eventhough Leon was only 2 years old when he died, he was a special child. Everyone loved him. And so did I.

Maybe it was better for him... Only God knows...

Blue Christmas...

Or maybe grey? Just like how the color theme of this layout reflects my feelings and my heart...
Alex (Diana's older brother -- better known as Ontan to family and close friends) is, obviously, not coming here this Christmas. He planned to spend Christmas holiday in California, and I thought I could spend my Christmas with him and his friend... and it was supposed to be merry... But his visa can't be issued before Dec 30 -_- And with what happened to Leon, he wants to make Diana happy as much as he can. They will go to places. They will all be together with their friends and family. And I'm left here alone.. don't know what to do on Christmas and don't know who to spend Christmas with...

This is my very first Christmas without my family and the people I love...

12:57:00 PM
In Memoriam With Love
Leon Nathanael Bunyamin
November 29, 1999 - December 4, 2001

May he rest in peace with the Father in heaven
a farewell from those who love him and lose him terribly
...his dearest memories shall be kept in our hearts forever...

I'm going to miss him a lot, especially since I hadn't seen him since December 2000... and will never be able to see him anymore. My deepest condolences to the whole member of my second family:
Diana (his mom -- Winny's daughter; my adopted sister)
Frans (his dad)
Winny (his grandma -- my second mom)
Roy (his grandpa -- my second dad)
Alex (his uncle -- Winny's son, Diana's brother, my adopted brother)
....and everyone else who experiences his loss greatly. My prayers are always with all of you.

I really wish I could be there... at Leon's final moments ;_;