And it’s not just a Farewell Dinner…

As many of you already know, I am leaving my current company to pursue my career somewhere else. Yes, finally I am landed myself in a non pharmaceutical company! And I am very happy and excited about my new career path. But I am not gonna write about it here. What I want to write here is about the farewell dinner that I just had tonight with IRIS Team.

IRIS is the new appointed agency in the company that I just left. And I really really really like working with them (despite of the fee and very high production fee, IRIS is in my opinion is much better agency compared to others). The creative and brand planner are very smart and creative, yet… they know how to accommodate the client needs. Something that some creative team from other agency lack of: the sense of business. I also like the client service team because they are very accommodative with our concerns.

Knowing that I am leaving, the IRIS team invited me for a farewell dinner. Bobby, the client service director kept telling me it would be a simple dinner only. But yeah… I don’t mind simple dinner. The fact that they set up a dinner was already extraordinary for me. I don’t know if it’s common or not… but in my entire career life, I had never had an agency that set up a farewell dinner for me. I feel very very very special. So tonight we had dinner at Good Diners, SCBD. And I had so much fun with Bams, Bennet, Indah, and Bobby. Some of the creative team could not make it because they had some sudden work to do. We ate yummy dinner, shared stories, and laughed and laughed and laughed. Again, it was FUN.

After the dinner, on my way back to my house, I was being reminded on one more principle that (I think) works not only in the personal context, but also in business. And it’s about the little genuine personal touch that you add in the relationship. What IRIS did tonight was more than just a farewell dinner for me. It was a nice gesture of genuine appreciation and I do hope it’s a start of new friendship (like a few other friendship that I have developed along the way of my career). I am learning something tonight and I just hope that I will remember this learning for every relationship that I have now and in the future,

I dedicated my writing tonight for the IRIS Team who had helped me in past few months for the new campaign. It is very nice working with you guys and I hope our path cross again in the future. Thank you so much for everything. Good luck with my baby (read: brand). You will be missed!

2011: Year of Patient Endurance

When I was transferring my blogs from Multiply to this site (WordPress), all the bitter sweet memories from the past flashed back. Sometime I laughed when I read my old post and thought… geez… was it really me who wrote it? That post was very ridiculous! Or sometime I still could remember how painful I was in some certain condition. But most of the time, I smiled when I saw all my sweet memories. All the remembrance of my travelling, important occasions like my birthday, my best friend’s wedding and birthday, christmas, easter, etc is never fail to give me a warm heart feeling. It reminds me how beautiful and blessed my life is despite of a few bad things that happens.

Like my previous years, year of 2011 also had bitter and sweet memories. Oh well, maybe it has more bitter memories, because it seemed that I struggled a whole lot more last year. However I refuse to admit and call it a bitter year.  I would rather call it THE YEAR OF PATIENT ENDURANCE.

As I mentioned in my previous post, in 2011 I was struggling very bad in my job that caused me getting stress and mild depression. I gained weight. I was sick most of the time. I was always anxious and tired. I did not have work life balance. I lost my confidence. In addition, one of my best friend hurt my heart so much just one day before my birthday.  Bottomline, I was not really happy.

However, through the process I learned a few things that enables me to have the patient and endurance last year.

The first thing that I learned is that I can not depend on put my hope in other people. Because people, even your BFF, can fail you and make you dissapointed. I can only depend on and put my hope and trust in God alone. Only God can understand the deepest of my heart: my hurts, loneliness, desires, and dreams which other people may not understand. And God, being God, is able to comfort me when others can not.

I also learned to keep my faith in God eventhough I had not seen the light in my dark tunnel. Sometime I had a pitty party, too. But then I was being reminded that what I thought and said was becoming my faith. The bible said in Hebrew 11: 1 : “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance in what we do not see”. So everyday I learn to thank God for His favor and blessing in my life, to believe that good days are ahead of me, to trust that God still has so much in stores for me, eventhough I may not see it now.

I also learn to get to know myself better. I learned about my weaknesses and strength. I tried to understand what make me angry, sad, or happy, what motivates me to work and not, what I appreciate the most from people, what I hate from a relationship, what I want and do not want. I tried to make some improvements such as to be more positive, patient, more forgiving, and to take life more lightly. I may not not succeed all the time, but I am sure I am in the process of becoming a better person.

Last but not least, I learned that friendship may not last forever, but every friends that come into my life is a treasure. I really treasure my friends, old and new, who had given me support and love in my journey in 2011. I thank all my friends for cheering with me when I was happy, to be an ear when I needed to share my stories, to make time to spend time with me, and to accept me as I am (but not hesitated to tell me when I was going to wrong direction). It meant a lot to me.

I want to say good bye again to 2011 and welcome the 2012. This is my faith: I will walk in right direction because God is directing my steps and causing me to be at the right place and the right time, new doors will be open, I am blessed because God’s favor bringing increase and victory, I will walk in divine health, I will meet my someone special, I will be debt free, and I will defeat all my problems.

I believe it will be the year of restoration and favor for me. I am going to bounce back with God’s grace.

 

What I think of Christmas

Today is Christmas day. Many people always welcome Christmas with a joyful spirit. I mean, who does not like Christmas? Christmas somehow always feel different from any other month, with all the beautiful decoration in the mall, the christmas songs, the end year holiday, christmas gifts, and gathering with your family and loved ones. Christmas is by far the best month of the year for many people, and of course for me.

However, I heard some people say that Christmas can be the saddest and loneliest time of the year. Because they might not have any family or loved ones to share their Christmas with. When some people are busy with their own Christmas thingy, some people could feel left out and lonely. It’s a bit ironic, but it happens. Have you ever been feeling lonely on Christmas day? I am not saying here that I feel lonely during this happiest season of the year. It’s a bit mixed feeling… I am in between.

In December, I always take time to look back and review what I have done (and not done) and to know what went well (and what went wrong), to remember people who have given contribution and being a blessing in my life, and to count my blessings. It is easier when I have a great year and things are going well. But it’s NOT easy, when I have a pretty rough year, like this year, 2011.

My work was very stressful this year due to many things that I can not mention here. All the job related problems had left me drained with no energy to practically do anything in the first to third quarter of the year. In addition, one of my best friend who happened to have working relationship with me suddenly exploded in his series of SMS sent to me, over my phone call request that I usually do to other agency, leaving me feeling very deeply hurt. And I guess the conflict is still going on until now. We have not really talked ever since. I am not ready for anymore harsh words, I guess. On the top of everything, I gained weight due to stress life. I had no love life in my 30′s. What can be worse than that?

Till Christmas Eve, all I can think in my review is all the bad things. But when Gigi, Pastor’s Dave sang this song in the Christmas Ever service last night, my heart was touched.

I have a Maker
He formed my heart
Before even time began
My life was in his hands

I have a Father
He calls me His own
He’ll never leave me
No matter where I go
He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
And He hears me when I call

This song reminded me again that in everything, good and bad, Jesus is watching me. He is not only watching from far away, but he is walking beside me, and without even I realize it, he carries me when I can not walk anymore. At that very moment, I can think of how God had blessed me in so many ways, despite of things that I feel was so hard this year.

I have my family and good friends who support, care, love, and cheers with me all the way of my journey. God even sent some new friends who are now becoming my new circle of friends. He has blessed me with job that provides my living, a roof above my head, clothes which are enough to do fashion show for a year, a car that takes me everywhere, a driver to help me coping up with Jakarta’s crazy traffic, good health to do my activities, and many more.

Above all, I have God who had sent his Son to earth to die for my sin. What he promises is more than the material life I mentioned above, it’s more than that. It’s the eternal life for whoever believes in Him. I was being reminded about the meaning of Christmas.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life – John 3 : 16″

Tonight, I am thankful because I have Jesus in my life. Everything, I believe, will bring me closer to His will. I am thankful because He has set my life for a good purpose. I am thankful because of Him, I have season of increase, victory, and favor and I can be blessings for others.

MERRY CHRISTMAS….

Selamat Jalan Oom Yo

Malam hari ini jam 9.30 malam sewaktu saya masih bekerja di kantor, saya mendapat BBM broadcast message dari seorang teman, mengabarkan bahwa Pak Johannes Oentoro atau yang biasa saya panggil Oom Yo telah berpulang ke Bapa pada hari ini 27 April 2011, pk. 9.15 malam WIB, di RS. Siloam Lippo Karawaci.

Walau saya sudah mengetahui bahwa waktu beliau tidak akan lama lagi karena penyakit kanker pankreas yang diderita beliau dalam setengah tahun terakhir ini, tetap saja berita ini membuat saya sedih dan gak lama kemudian saya pun mulai menangis tersedu-sedu di meja kantor, di depan laptop yang masih terbuka.

Dan dimulailah flash back kenangan saya bersama beliau

Saya mengenal Oom Yo sejak saya masih berumur 5 tahun. Kebetulan mama saya dahulu sempat satu kost dengan Tante Santi, istri Oom di Universitas Satyawacana dan kemudian menjadi teman baik. Waktu itu saya diperkenalkan kepada Lala, anak sulung dan satu-satunya Oom Yo dan Tante Santi saat itu. Karena Lala anak tunggal, saya sering “dipinjam” saat weekend untuk bermain bersama Lala. Basically we grew up together, me and Lala. Dari sanalah saya banyak mengenal pribadi Oom Yo.

Dalam ingatan saya, beliau adalah pribadi yang pendiam, kelihatan dingin, tetapi sangat menaruh perhatian kepada orang-orang yang membutuhkan, suka menolong, dan murah hati. Sejak kecil, bila saya menginap di rumahnya, saya dianggap sebagai anak sendiri. Bahkan tak jarang, saya mendapat barang-barang yang sama yang juga dia belikan untuk Lala.

Satu hal yang paling saya ingat adalah ketika mejelang masuk sekolah dan saat itu saya sedang diajak jalan-jalan ke Pondok Indah Mal bersama keluarga mereka. Karena Lala butuh sepatu baru, berhentilah kami di toko sepatu Nike. Saya yang kala itu masih berumur sekitar 7 atau 8 tahun, hanya bisa mengagumi sepatu-sepatu tersebut, pada akhirnya saya hanya duduk saja. Kemudian Oom datang dan bertanya, “Kamu sudah ada sepatu baru untuk sekolah? Dipilih saja, nanti Oom belikan”. Yang kemudian saya jawab bahwa saya jawab dengan ucapan terima kasih dan dengan sopan menolak karena saya sudah punya sepatu lama yang masih bisa dipakai. Walaupun dalam hati saya ingin sekali sepatu Nike keren yang saat itu gak mungkin terbeli oleh orang tua saya karena harganya yang gak masuk akal.

Oom dan Tante membuka banyak jalan untuk edukasi saya yang lebih baik. Waktu SMP, mereka memberikan les Inggris free of charge di lembaga kursus Bahasa Inggris yang dimiliki beliau di kawasan Sarinah saat itu. Saya selalu ingat, bahwa Oom bilang bahasa Inggris adalah bahasa masa depan dan saya akan mendapatkan banyak manfaat dengan belajar sungguh-sungguh. He is right. Terbukti walau bukan lulusan luar negeri, bahasa inggris saya gak malu-maluin lah. Dan itu berguna sekali di tempat kerja selama ini.

Kemudian, saya mendapatkan beasiswa di SPH Sentul karena rekomendasi beliau. Saya juga ingat saat akan lulus dari SPH, dia memanggil saya dan bertanya mau kuliah di mana dan ambil jurusan apa? Samoai akhirnya saya mendapatkan beasiswa (walau tidak full) di UPH. Karena dialah, saya belajar sungguh-sungguh, karena saya tahu, saya berhutang budi banyakkkk sekali kepada beliau.

Saya sangat kagum terhadap visinya kepada UPH. Saya melihat dia juga menolong banyak sekali anak lewat beasiswa yang diberikan via Yayasan Pelita Harapan. Juga lewat sekolah Lentera Harapan yang didirikan di area-area terpencil di Indonesia. Visi beliau untuk mencetak pribadi-pribadi yang mempunyai karaktek baik dan takut akan Tuhan sungguh luar biasa. Hidupnya memberikan pengaruh yang besar kepada saya pribadi dan juga orang-orang di sekitarnya. He is a man of vision.

Selamat jalan, Oom Yo. Thank you for being a part of my life and bringing great influence into it. The memories of your faithful life will always be cherished.

 

Jakarta, 28 April 2011

In memoriam of Dr, (HC) Johannes Oentoro, Ph.D

Founder and First Rector of Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH)

 

Happy are those who has Found his Soul Lantern

Happy are those who has found his soul lantern since they are little children – Andy F Noya

This morning, I listened to Career Couch @hardrockfm. Today Renee, the Career Coach speaker, talked about Personality Branding and invited Andy F Noya. If you have watched Kick Andy at Metro TV, then you must be familiar with Bang Andy.

I met Andy Noya in person a long long time ago when I was still handling Berocca and sponsoring Kick Andy. This guy is very inspirational… he has passion, vision, and mission mixed with a great sense of humor. I love his show and really adimire him so much.

Today he stated the sentence that is written in my notes’ title. Yes… he was talking about life passion. How many of you have found your life passion? Tell you the truth, I haven’t really found mine. Oh well… maybe I do… but I am not sure well. I just know that I love to do certain things and I really love my job in brand management. So I was just wondering, if people do feel the same thing as I am now.

The question about life passion keeps bugging me in the past few months. It’s important for me because I don’t want to lead a wasted life… a life without purpose… a life without passion… a life which just pass by. Right now, I am still searching and I hope my searching will come to a happy ending. And I hope you will find yours too.

I am closing my notes now with a quote from a good friend a few days ago:

“Finding the passion is important, but the more important is the journey of finding it itself”. So I guess… I am going to have fun, enjoy, and learn from my journey to passion.

Who’s with me?

Haven’t Met You Yet

Saturday, November 21, 2009

For all the singles in the world, you just haven’t met him / her yet! It’s better to wait than to end up with a totally wrong person and make your life like a hell on earth. Keep looking, Don’t give up! and meanwhile enjoy your life to the fullest

 

Haven’t Met You Yet ~ Michael Buble ~

I’m not surprised.

Not everything lasts.

I’ve broken my heart so many times

I stopped keeping track.

Talk myself in.

I talk myself out.

I get all worked up, then I let myself down.

I tried so very hard not to lose it.

I came up with a million excuses.

I thought I thought of every possibility.

And I know someday that it’ll all turn out.

You’ll make me work so we can work to work it out.

And promise you, kid, that I’ll give so much more than I get.

I just haven’t met you yet.

Mmmm…

I might have to wait.

I’ll never give up.

I guess it’s half timing, And the other half’s luck.

Wherever you are.

Whenever it’s right.

You’ll come out of nowhere and into my life.

And I know that we can be so amazing.

And baby your love is gonna change me.

And now I can see every possibility.

Mmmm…

But somehow I know that it’ll all turn out.

And you’ll make me work so we can work to work it out.

And I promise you, kid, I’ll give so much more than I get.

I just haven’t met you yet.

They say all’s fair.

In love and war.

But I won’t need to fight it.

We’ll get it right and

We’ll be united.

And I know that we can be so amazing.

And being in your life is gonna change me.

And now I can see every single possibility, mmmm.

And someday I know it’ll all turn out.

And I’ll work to work it out.

Promise you, kid, I’ll give more than I get,

Than I get, than I get, than I get.

Ohhh!

You know it’ll all turn out.

And you’ll make me work so we can work to work it out.

And I promise you, kid, to give so much more than I get.

I just haven’t met you yet.

I just haven’t met you yet.

Ohh, promise you, kid, to give so much than I get.

(I said love, love, love, love…)

I just haven’t met you yet

I just haven’t met you yet.

Small Things that Make Your Day

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

 I have to admit that I tend to be a chronic, very impatient, furious complainer. I complain about everything that doesn’t meet my expectation. I know it’s bad… very bad… and it makes people around me feel uncomfy… and last it makes people don’t want to get close around me.

Afra, my best gal friend always tells me, “Honey… you are cute and sweet when you are smiling and being friendly, but NOT when you are NOT in your good mood and complain about things” Oh yeahhh… I guess she is right. Who wants to get near a frowning lady?

Just a few days ago, I decided to think about small things that make my day instead of things that make me want to complain about the whole worlds (such as Jakarta’s crazy traffic). Small things that I may not notice previously, but actually give spice and color to my daily life. I have been writing them in my FB to remind me that the world is actually a better place if I want to appreciate little thing and count my blessings.

This is my last small things that make my day today: playing with Little Luc after my 2.5 hours traffic; seeing him running, smiling, and laughing; and a good nite kiss from him #things that make my day#

What are your “small things” that make your day? Let’s start think about them and count your blessings now. . Good nite, friends!

Lucas 2nd Day in Jakarta. He's a little shy guy!

Officially Resigned from the Office

Today I officially handed my resignation letter to my boss. It was not as emotional as last week when I told her that I would like to resign from the company. In the middle of our conversation, she cried. It made me kinda sad. I knew that she would want me to stay, but she couldn’t do anything to stop me. Plus I feel sorry about her have to handle three brands by herself when I leave, since the office is not allowed to hire anyone until April 2009.

What am I feeling now? It’s a mixed up feeling between sad, happy, and scared.

Sad that I would leave all my dear friends who have shared all sweet & bitter moments with me for four years.

Happy that I finally will embrace new environment, new challenge, new opportunity, new hope to be succeed.

Scared because I know that it will be quite uneasy to adjust to new situation and friends in the new office.

I wish my self all the best. I hope I make the right decision to move on.

Ultimate Tips for Better Life

Sunday, November 15, 2009

It’s a forward msg from a friend, but I think the tips work for me. Hope it works for you as well!
ULTIMATE TIPS FOR BETTER LIFE:

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. & while you walk, SMILE. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
3. When you wake up in the morning,Pray to ask God’s guidance for your purpose, today.’
4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, and almonds.
6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
7. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
9. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.Forgive them for everything !
11. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
12. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
13. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
14. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: ‘In five years, will this matter?’
17. Help the needy,Be generous ! Be a ‘Giver’ not a ‘Taker’
18. What other people think of you is none of your business.
19. Time heals everything.
20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
21. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
23. Each night before you go to bed ,Pray to God and Be thankful for what you have accomplished,today !
24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed!
25. Please forward this to everyone you care about!

The Wisdom from My (New) Red High Heels

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Last Saturday, I went to Mall Taman Anggrek with my mom who wanted to check out Metro Big Sale. I was so exhausted last week and going to the mall definitely wasn’t my preference. In addition, I needed to check Scott’s event in two outlets and go to a colleague’s wedding in the evening.

However, being a good daughter and the only daughter available at home now, I accompanied her without any shopping list. I just want the shopping time to be as quick as possible. Well, it’s really not me because I usually like shopping time with mom and I like shopping!

When we reached MTA, we went straight away to Metro. Because I don’t have wish list in particular, I just wandered around and followed my mom. The first destination was bag and shoes section. She wanted a comfy sandals for her Yogya trip.

After 15 minutes, I got bored so I told my mom that I would like to go around shoes section by myself. I suddenly remembered that I had been looking for a red high heels for months. Every time I went to the mall, I always check shoes counter and aim to get one. But today, I am looking without any expectation. It’s because looking for a nice red high heels that suits me well was proven not an easy task.

It took just one minute when a nice looking red shoes caught my attention. Ahaaaa…. I went to try them on and it just perfectly suited my feet. So fast… no hassle… very effortless. I bought it right away and of course I felt so happy . My Red high heels…. The thing that I had been looking for months. .

The shopping turned out to be quick. We went home after lunch and I even managed to go to one outlet and go to my colleagues’ wedding in the evening. When I was thinking about my new shoes on the way back from the wedding, suddenly I remember a quote that my friend told me a few years back:

 You get thing of your desire when you least expect it

Many times in my life, I experience the “red high heels” case above. I want things so badly, so desperately, so I try too hard to get what I want. I do everything in many ways and many times. I usually end up feeling exhausted and of course I don’t get what I want.

However, when I start to chill out and have a least expectation, and when I start to leave my burden, wish, and dream in God’s hand, something must happen. It might not be what I want, but it always seems the best path for me… And YES it is always the best: the scholarships, the job opportunities, the IES church and LG, my friends. All are beyond my imagination and dreams. And I really thank God for what He provides in my life.

I wrote this note because I need to remind myself lately on above truth. God provides and He provides with things beyond my imagination… beyond what I have seen, heard, or understood.

 “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him” – 1 Cor 2 : 9

It’s really comforting to know that God is a faithful God and He is in control of everything. I just need to stay faithful, calm, and believe that God is in control of everything. He is in control of my life and my future. I don’t have to worry… He has so much in store for me.