Perfect!

Lunch time on weekdays often means a quick lunch and a long coffee break to me.

That is when I eat the lunch that I bring from home at the office and after that go to the park downstairs in my office building area. Then I sit. And I read books. And I watch people pass by.

Last week I sat down at the usual coffee place and I looked around. Then it dawned to me. I could not have a better office building. Or even a better job. For this particular time in life.

I have a job in which I feel like I know what I am doing — I have been doing more or less the same thing for the past eight years. I can go home at 5pm. I get along with my colleagues (hopefully it goes both ways). I can expand my network. And this. The office building with a park and a coffee place with outside seats.

I have said this many times, and I will say it again. Thank you. Appreciate all the things that you have done for me.

A walking meditation

Or rather, in my case, a driving meditation.

It was a late Sunday afternoon. I just had lunch with friends, and coffee with another. We parted. But I did not feel like going home.

Not like there was anything wrong with home. It was just one of those times. When you just want to wonder around with nothing but your thoughts. Your mind remains quiet. Your mouth as well. Too tired to move.

Too many things going on in your head. Things you don’t really want to share with anybody. You cannot. (or not able to?)

So I drove around town. And I was treated with a beautiful sunset. Typical sunset in a big city. Still it was beatiful. And managed to bring a smile to my face.

Nice. I don’t mind you as my company.

breakfast with fam

It was a public holiday in Indonesia. People were rushing out of town. So what did we do? Mom, sis, bro and I went for a relaxing breakfast in a nearby cafe. Relaxed. Happy. Warm.

Feels so close. Llike a family. Thank you.

Job: Communications Coordinator for Environment program

A large environmental services program is recruiting for a Public Outreach & Communications (POC) Coordinator to manage regular public advocacy and media relations work to promote improved health and environment service delivery in Jakarta and across Java and northern Sumatra.

Based in Jakarta , the POC Coordinator manages a team of regionally-based POC Specialists and works closely with program staff and partners from a wide range of technical disciplines. This position requires five to ten years professional experience and a relevant university degree (preferably Masters) in communications.

The successful candidate will have excellent relations with Indonesian media, government agencies and NGOs; experience in strategy development, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, events organizing, advocacy and public relations.

As a manager, this position requires experience in team coordination and capacity building. Effective oral and written communication in both English and Bahasa Indonesia is essential.

Technical experience in health and hygiene, water and sanitation services delivery, watershed management, forestry, or biodiversity conservation is required. Previous experience working on a USAID project, with exposure to USAID branding guidelines is preferred.

If you are interested and you think you would fulfil the requirements, please email me for details.

Job: Communications Advisor for BRR

Communications Liaison to BRR Office of Economic Development (OED). Short term. Based in Aceh.

Working under the the Aceh Technical Assistance Recovery Project (A-TARP), this advisor will provide a range of technical assistance in communicatons to OED and its initiatives, including the Investors Outreach Office (IOO), Export Development Center (EDC) and Economic Development Task Force.

Five years of experience is a must.

If you are interested and you think you would be qualified, please email me for details.

Job: Communications Advisor for ITAP

A job opening – long-term public affairs, communications, and public relations advisor to provide support to Indonesia’s Ministry of Trade in capacity building, public outreach and awareness, and communication. Based in Jakarta.

At least five years of experience in communications is required.

If you are interested and you think you would be qualified, please email me for details.

In a matter of seconds

Jakarta is sunny today. It was sunny yeterday morning and part of the afternoon as well.

Then at about 5pm yesterday, it turned into this:

[pic: Kompas Daily]

I was waiting for my car, half complaining and thinking what had taken my driver so long to come. And I was looking towards the sky of East Jakarta.

I literally watched the storm moving towards me. It was so fast. The bright sky quickly turned into dark. Very dark. And might I say, scarily dark.

As I was on my way home, I thought probably it was no coincidence that I should stand there watching these drastic changes of the sky.

The waiting for the car was just a logical excuse to force me to stand there, having no other choice but to watch the sky. From brightness to darkness.

Just like I am standing here right now watching my country.

Unfold your own myth

Who gets up early to discover the moment light begins?
Who finds us here circling, bewildered, like atoms?
Who, like Jacob blind with grief and age,
smells the shirt of his lost son and can see again?

Who lets a bucket down and brings up a flowing prophet?
Or like Moses goes for fire and finds what burns inside the sunrise?

Jesus slips into a house to escape enemies,
and opens a door to the other world.
Solomon cuts open a fish, and there’s a gold ring.
Omar storms in to kill the prophet and leaves with blessings.

But don’t be satisfied with stories,
how things have gone with others.
Unfold your own myth,
so everyone will understand the passage, We have opened you.

Start walking toward Shams. Your legs will get heavy and tired.
Then comes a moment of feeling the wings you’ve grown, lifting.

-rumi, of course-

The mud (over)flow in Sidoarjo, East Java

They say a picture speaks a thousand words. Let these speak, then.

How can we still walk on the face of the earth with our head held up high?

[pics courtesy of Efrulwan, Surabaya]

Happy

I have no real reason to put this picture other than the fact that it is so adorable. They are so adorable. My nieces. Look at the expression. Look at the smile. Look how happy they are. Love them to bits.

On second thought, I supposed this is real enough as a reason.