continuation from the other day...



2 December 2001



Sam asked me to go to Condet with him, he had a friend there who sell books in a very low prices. I eventually meet the guy in person

after a long journey to find his place. Mujid is one crazy book seller, that's all what I can say about him. I bought 5 new books from

him for Rp 50.000. Man, you would never ever get that price in a local bookstore. Not mentioning that he gave me and Sam a free book of Rieke's

poem. He's the publisher and publisher for some books that I was interested. We spend around 2-3 hours in Mujid's place and had a nice

talk. I often amazed how independent book publishers survive this way, I guess in Mujid's case it's rather different. We need a lot

of person like him in order to put this nation forward in spreading knowledge and books all over.



Describing the place he's working were his own "rumah kontrakan" with his kids and wife around. Two energetic little boys:) and one personal

computer. The books were everywhere. Good quality books and he told me that they're working for more translation especially literature works

that won the Nobel Peace Prize. I'm thinking to start my translation on Pablo Neruda and this other book I'm going to work with Sam.



Then we meet Rendy at the hospital where his father is kept. I found it funny to have one serious discussion in a hospital hallway and oh yeah

I just know that Jakarta still operates bemo, I thought it's only Bogor that still have them(?).



Books bought:

- Arus Balik, P.A.T.

- Kebudayaan Sosialis, Soedjatmoko

- Matinya Seorang Buruh Kecil (one of the best short stories I ever read), Anton Chekhov

- Nyanyian Revolusi, Pablo Neruda

- Renungan Kloset, Rieke



4 December 2001



I met Shea in Gramedia PIM in the afternoon, it was around 6.30 PM. He parked his car accross the mall, we walked to QB bookstore

that was just a little bit further from where he parked. Rather hmm...what can I say that Jakarta's street atmosphere in the late

afternoon with the prayer from the mosque as we pass. The street vendor, the afternoon workers, the cars, the traffic, the buildings...



Anyway, QB Pondok Indah is BIG. Two floor, old books setting with seats everywhere, I think you can even lay down there. Agung told me

that in Saturday night(?) they open till 1 AM and you can just sit back and relax, consider yourself as in a library. The collections, quiet

a thumbs up:) the price as I once said on English books prices, be mentally prepared. A book craver like one of my friend would wept

for days went they look up at the prices, *including me, sigh:(*



Shea bought a martabak nangka keju for me to try, it's one of this favorite. We were going to eat dinner in Abuba Steak House, but

it was very packed. Shea said it's very popular restaurant, it's quiet a small place but wow so many people eat there. The prices is not bad

too. Then we end up driving up to Kemang street, it's a street full of cafes and yeah one of Jakarta's night life area. Thought he was

rather curious with Aksara, I was still a little full and felt like a cup of decaffe cappucino. Aksara bookstore was closed but the cafe

upstairs was open, we had our dinner there. The cafe name if I'm not mistaken is W & L sumthin (I forgot, but I just know where it was).

It's a very cozy cafe, only a few people there and the table is quiet limited. The interior of the cafe have this minimalist effect and

the cafe looks spacious. I like the place and we stay there until 11 PM. They closed around 11.30 PM, if it's not Ramadhan month they would

open till 2 AM. This timeframe setting is due to the raids of FPI (Front Pembela Islam) to the cafes in Jakarta(but when they raids they also

consume the food and drinks, yeah, FPI is a big joke:D).



The jackfruit-cheese martabak was still in the car and not eaten yet, me and Shea drove off from the cafe and rather confuse to find a place

where we can just sit and eat the martabak while we're talking. Ancol was suddenly come up to mind. I haven't been to Ancol beach for ages nor

has he and Ancol at night is famous for it's "mobil goyang" but hey we are not going to do anything nasty accept sit near the beach and eat the

damn martabak:P

We still went with his honest questions to the penjaga tol like this "Pak, arah Ancol kesana bener kan?"



Ancol has changed a lot, very a lot. The beach doesn't have any sand anymore accept with pilling up rocks as a wall due to the abrasion of the

beach. When we arrive there's nearly no wind accept a very very light winds. Me and Shea sit in one of the rocks port. The sky cleared up thought

we can see clearly the moon and also the stars. We were talking about the Atlantis legend and the theory of it (have you hear that Atlantis

most probably located in Indonesia continent?), and of course eating the jackfruit-cheese sweet martabak:) The Java sea seems so calm and we can

see the illuminating lights reflected in the water, it's was a very beautiful night and very beautiful sight.



I went home at 2 AM (again) and drop dead to bed.



6 December 2001



My best friend Nging2 and photos:) She's crazy with photos and today I was her photographer. We also looks at our old photos dating since we were

junior high school. How times flew by like that? She borrowed her dad digital camera and she wanted to send the photos to Adi. Adi is in Seattle now,

I talked to him for a while when he called Nging2. He has change quiet dramatically, 180 degrees changes I must say, but hey Adi is still Adi inside:)



I met some of my old friends already, we might have a reunion after Lebaran:) I can't wait:)



I just cut my hair, not cut2, just fixing it a little.



9 December 2001



Went out b-balling and swimming a whole day, gue tambah item and very very tired...ZZZZzzzzzzz.....



12 December 2001



Recollection in Indonesian, rekoleksi, mengingatkan gue akan ret-ret gue waktu smp. Rekoleksi, kurang lebih melihat kembali. Dalam tiga minggu ini rasanya

gue bisa bilang it's been one busy weeks. Cape, ngantuk dan agak sakit2 (sakit badan gara2 lama gak olahraga dan emang masih batuk + pilek due to the iklim changes). Sebagian gak tertulis, sebagian tercatat, sebagian ingin disimpan sendiri atau tak ingin dituliskan dulu.

Rasanya gue masih agak ngambang, feeling masih a bit loss, maybe gue masih ingin menyibukkan diri atau memang sekarang malah gak ada waktu sama sekali. Or hmm I need an organizer that worked?