UU ITE, did you block my Multiply????

Why can’t I get into my Multiply account today? Is it blocked now?

Help???

I am so anxious to know the result of tonight’s discussion at Kominfo. 

Can Anybody Lend Me MacBook for Dummies please?

I need the book. Desperately. I know it’s out there somewhere, found it in online bookstores, but I can’t find it in Kino in PIM or Times or Periplus. Where can I find it ya, anybody cares to lend me their book?I have this cool MacBook but still at lost on how to fully utilize it.I also included Windows XP in my MacBook thinking that if I’m going to work with the office files, I should use XP. But so far, I haven’t use it. Maybe I should get rid of the XP and become a full Mac person?I still hasn’t sort out the connection problem with IM2.Don’t think I want to go out to Galeri Indosat in Pondok Indah today. I’m using hubby’s Dopod through bluetooth connection now. But that means I couldn’t go online as often as I want, until my IM2 is working in my Mac, or I can always use my old Acer TravelMate if I want to go online. But what’s the point of having a new laptop if I’m still dependent to the old one?So, where do I go from here?Hmm….first, I’m importing all the songs that I like to my new iTunes, and I’m copying all my pics to iPhoto, then I think I’m going to a free Wifi zone to browse and maybe work on my office docs with iWorks?We’ll see…..it’s so hot outside…but with sounds of thunder from afar…not a good day to go out. 

My IM2 Story: now you have it, now you don’t

Am feeling cranky this afternoon.

I just ‘upgrade’ my tech gadget from my trusted Acer Travel Mate to a stylish MacBook with Leopard OS in it. Not because I want to be among the trendy people or suddenly I feel ‘connected’ to the nerds, but simply because my beloved Travel Mate is getting more and more senile already and my dear friend’s Vish’ advice started to make sense. I have always been lazy in screening my laptops from viruses. And Mr. Mahmud said with Mac, you don’t have to worry about viruses. Being a trendy Mac user is a bonus of course.

Since I’m gaptek and always been a gaptek person, I checked with IM2 before making any decision on which laptop to buy. I have to make sure that my ZTE modem can be used with a Mac. I have been in contact with IM2 since early this year, checking and re-checking about my modem. Their answer is always the same: jangan khawatir ibu, bisa kok kalau ZTE. There…I feel confident now that I should get myself a Mac. Great.

I bought the new white (I don’t like the black one) Mac last week and it was great. Still have lots of things to learn about how to use a Mac for dummies like me, but it’s soooo cool. Even the ad is cool. Hah!

With the help of Vish the geek, last Monday I downloaded the driver to use my ZTE modem in my Mac, as per instructed by the good Mbak through IM2 customer service. We went to the website, got the ZTE Modem for MacOS downloaded. Then we tried to get it connected.

It doesn’t work. Okay. So, I told Vish, let me do it with guidance from the support people later, since it was getting late. Which I did this morning. Unfortunately, when I called the support person, he can not help me as well. We tried this and that and those and these. Still not working. He told me to go to IM2 in Jatipadang to get it installed (yep only IM2 Jatipadang that opens during this holiday).

Since I really really wanted to start getting my Mac to work, I persuaded the whole family to accompany me there. And…you know what happens….

First, the mbak tried to plug my modem in the mac. It didn’t work, then I told her that I have the icon already, but it doesn’t read the modem. Then she said, oh..you need the driver. Told her, I’ve downloaded the driver, its in the Apps folder, see I can open the 3G icon and it doesn’t work. Then another Mas come and tried to configure another name. Filled every single pull down menu………………….

IT STILL DOES NOT WORK.

Funny thing is, the customer service/support people there are equally at lost. They said they need a zip file with the driver and it should be downloaded to Windows XP first than installed in the Mac. That sounds weird. Why would you do that? Isn’t Windows and Macs are two very different OS?

Then I told them to please delete the driver I’ve downloaded so they can installed a new one. They couldn’t find the downloadable/installabe driver for ZTE Modem for MacOS…and I was in their HEADQUARTER. They tried to find the driver in their own server. Nada. They tried their flash disk. Nada. They tried the IM2 website……it’s gone also. That’s weiiiirrdddd..The Mas said that since they are in rolling, so they do not know where to find things in Jatipadang. Shouldn’t there be an SOP for customer service/support???

They are in the business of communications, but they do not communicate with each other.

I came all the way from Bintaro to Jatipadang, on a holiday very excited and they can not help me. They said that there is one person that thas the driver in his flash disk, but he works at Galeri Indosat Pondok Indah and he is on holiday (Yeah…its a public holiday). So, that means, I have to wait till Monday to get my MacOS driver. This beginning to iritate me.

Why would you tell me that my modem can be used in Mac, just need to download the driver at the website if apparently I have to go to their place and still it doesn’t get fixed. Had i know..I might not buy a Mac, despite Vish’s advise. They told me to go to the website, download the driver and the modem can be used like normal. Hmmm…that is totally not good. It is totally crap.

When I asked for a solution, they said the only solution that they can give me is to go to the Galeri Indosat in Pondok Indah on Saturday, and get Mas Dimas to install it in my Mac. Because he is the only one that has the driver’s zip file in his flash disk. IT WAS SO WEIRD.

If they have the service, and they said it can be downloaded from their website, why can we found it? Why can’t their own support people find it? If they decided that they do not have the driver, shouldn’t they offer me to replace my Modem??? I wouldn’t mind paying a small fee (as long as it is reasonable, after all it is not my fault).

There were a bunch of people having similar problem with their modem today. It’s a public holiday, long weekend, yet still many people are taking the effort to go to Jatipadang trying to get their modem to work. This shows how getting a working connection to our laptops is very very very important nowadays.

I go to school with IM2’s PR (if she is actually still with IM2), sadly I can not contact her. Maybe they are having some problem communicating. Hello….hello???? 

Cmon IM2. Get a grip, you should do better, or else your subscribers are going elsewhere.

Just a note: I am writing this blog using my old trusted Acer Travel Mate with IM2 modem. I still like my modem, I just need it to work in my Mac!

Looking for Mac Taylor in New York

I just return from the Big Apple. On the way home from my training/meeting in Al Capone city, Chicago.

Am so excited, because I thought I could finally pin point where Mac Taylor runs around in his day to day activities in CSI: New York.

Sadly, I was a bit disappointed.

The Big Apple is actually not like how it was featured in movies (yeah..yeah..it still has the dark, gloomy touch). My friends, Debbie, Eric and their daughter Joscelyn picked me up from Newark and we drove to their home in Flushing, Queens via Manhattan (pronounced Manha’an).

My first impression of Chinatown in Manhattan was: it looks like Pasar Jatinegara and Kampung Melayu. Sorry, americans, but your city is no different than mine.

Neehow, we got to Flushing and they feed me with: Nasi Lemak!!! Oh woooowwww…that was the best food I’ve ever tasted in the past 10 days….yeaaaaaayyyy…

Deb & Eric’s new house in Flushing is close to the main street and Flushing is well known for having the most foreign birth residents in the whole NY. No wonder, i feel like being in Singapore or Hongkong but with snow and a chilling cold air.

First day, I lay low…was very tired (the United flight was not at all exciting…definitely Asian airlines rocks) because I left Chicago at 5.30am after a late night for a friend’s party and I got to be a selectee in Chicago O’Hare. My..my…am I suspicious?

Deb and Eric took me to Bayside where my eyes grew big at seeing lots of shops (got no time for shopping in Chicago), but in the end, I bought lots of books on digital (thanks to Eric who works at Barnes and Nobble, I got a 30% discount). That day I was asleep so fast, I even left Jo playing around while Deb is in the shower….sorry Deb…

Next day, we went to Kissena Park for the snow experience and then off to Riverhead, Tanger Premium Outlet..OMG…..I went totally crazy with all the discounts and the shops..

Last day in NY, I decided I wanted to see Manhattan. So I went with Deb to work in 3rd Avenue, took the 7 train from Main St Flushing to Grand Central Station just like every NY commuter does every day. What a trip that was. I was so overwhelmed by the experience.

Deb went to work and I was left alone with a map of NY and a little direction (just go to Times Square..everything starts there, Deb said). So, I went..on foot, walking about 9 blocks. I need the exercise anyway. Then I took the hop on hop off City Sights bus and go around downtown. I was going to do the whole tour, but the agent said it will need two days. So I decided to pick and choose my destination. I pass on Ground Zero, Empire State and Central Park. But, clearly Statue of Liberty is in my list.

It took me 1 hour waiting in line to get to the statue and we have to go through security checks like in airport. Got to the statue, take pics and then I was sooooo tired, I fell asleep in the ferry back. Hop on the bus again and complete my rounds. Back to Deb’s office, get on teh 7 train to Flushing, pack and get ready to get to Newark.

I was going to spend 4 days in NY but change it to 3 days only. Now I regret it. I shouldve stayed another day.

Oh…I didn’t get to meet Mac Taylor (did meet a couple of NYPD though). Well…CSI: NY is taped in LA i think…hahahaha.

PS: I did went to LA when I come in, but only for 3 hours lay over plane change from SQ to UA. I didn’t even get to see the Hollywood sign…sigh.

Mission Accomplished

I have been missing in action a while, I know. I was very very busy with many many things, business trips, learning new stuffs, work (what else?!) and trying to find time to get a proper massage.

But, good news is…although I was ‘away’, I managed to get some things that are always in my list, finally done and accomplished.

I successfully get my step father to do his blog! Yeaaaayyy….

He was here and I was just returning from a digital training in the US of A (in the middle of winter, in the most windiest city in the US of A, minus 18 degree for almost the whole time I was there). My step dad always has this fascination with technology, but as predicted, being a non digital native, he is quite skeptical and i think a bit wary of the new technology.

He looked quite excited to listen to my new knowledge and I showe him my pics from the trip (beautiful views from the office, etc). I showed him my blog also (not this one…the other one) and I managed to get him excited about having his own blog.

Before his interest disappeared, I quickly set up a blog for him — in Multiply, nothing fancy yet — and he immediately started to write his first post about the upcoming Hash he was organizing. Great!

He asked a lot of questions — which is good. But I was a bit stumped when he asked about how to use features in his brand new Toshiba laptops with Windows Vista. Gosh…I don’t know how to move around in Vista as well. I think MSFT should make a good Vista 101 video (like Mac does with Leopard), which is friendly for non techies and certainly for non digital natives.

All in all…my day has been good!

PS: two weeks later, I also managed to get somebody else set his own blog.

An amazing way to start Visit Indonesia Year 2008

The government declares this year as Visit Indonesia Year 2008. It is also coincides with the 100th year of National Awakening. What a blast! Everything that matters to Indonesia in one year.

Only one month away in the Visit Indonesia Year 2008 and torrential rain closed down the main international airport for six hours. Hah!

Our office is having the long awaited weekend training in Sheraton Bandara last Friday to Sunday. We were told to come to the office by 6.30 am since we have to leave for the venue at 7am sharp. It was raining since the night before, and I was not really in the mood for anything that requires thinking.

So, off we go, slightly after 7am. It was raining all the way to Bandara. Even we barely even see the swamp surrounding the toll road to the airport. After two hours (for a trip that mostly took around max 1.5 hours) we arrived. Tired, cold, weary and hungry.

We had a quick breakfast and get into the training room immediately. Not long after we heard that rain is getting worse and traffic jam was everywhere. We received calls from clients, friends, families who decided to go home after being stuck in traffic for hours.

Then we heard the news. Due to heavy rain, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport is closed. Visibility is only 300 meters. And more news: the toll road to Bandara is heavily flooded, it is inaccessible. So, there you go: we are stranded in Bandara.

One of our friend had to head home since his house was flooded, while normally there are no floods in his area. At first he thinks that it is only a shallow flood. Two hours later, he heard news that the flood had reached a man’s chest. He must hurry home, but he didn;t know which way to take, since the toll road is closed and the back road is totally jammed.

Our regional boss was not able to come early since all flights from Singapore to Jakarta were either delayed or cancelled altogether. Oh nooooo….

One thing that crossed my mind was to get hubby to Bandara soonest possible, because we need to fly out to Singapore on Sunday.

To make matters worse, we had around 8 black outs in the hotel. And 20 of us (including me) could not checked in since the room was still occupied by flight attendants whose flights was cancelled or delayed, or since the room was not yet cleaned, because the housekeeping team couldn’t reach the hotel due to flood.

We finally able to check into our rooms around 7pm, just in time to shower and head straight back to the training venue for our dinner. And our regional boss finally arrived at 7pm. That prompted dinner to be served late. What a day!

It was just funny how the government thinks. They declared this year as Visit Indonesia Year, but completely forgot about infrastructure. The Bandara toll road has been flooded on a yearly basis. Now, the government said that they will build a flyover road above the current toll road to anticipate floods. Where have you been???????

We used to have major floods every five years. Then it was every two years. Now, it’s every year! Was it due to Climate Change? Nevermind who’s fault it is, but it relies on the Government to think ahead and pre-empt these things.  

During the training, we constantly checked out online media to see how was it in the city. We read stories of people stuck in traffic for 6 hours, how people couldn’t catch their flights, or worse, they can reach the airport, but the air crew was not there to serve them.

Later at night, we see people arriving in Jakarta sleeping in the conveyor belt, because they can not get out of the airport. I couldn’t imagine how the tourists will think about this.

What an amazing way to start Visit Indonesia year 2008.

Lots of homework for Foke and the gank!

I see with my own two eyes:…….

Right! We just went to The Police Reunion Concert in Singapore last Monday.

What such an amazing concert that was. Not only because of the top quality performance of Sting, Stuart Copeland and Andy Summer, but also because of the audience!

From the first beat, the whole Singapore Indoor Stadium jump to their feet and sing along with Sting. And it lasted for two hours until the concert was over, after two finale (yep..I’ve never been to a concert with two finale).

I think there are lots of blogs out there that were talking about the concert. So, I’m going to write something that I saw with my own two eyes.

It all begin on Sunday morning in Soekarno Hatta. It was the first day of fully functioning Bandara, after it was closed for 6 hours on Friday and a jam-packed Bandara on Saturday. Nevertheless, early Sunday morning the airport is very very very busy already.

Before checking in, I spotted several camera crews. Infotainment types, so right away, I know that there must be hordes of celebrities traveling abroad.

Then we checked in – normally. Until we sit down in the waiting lounge where surprisingly the aircraft was not yet arrived. Strange..that is sooo not SQ. Then, I saw with my own two eyes, my first encounter of a couple of celebrities. Cut Keke and hubby. Then I was distracted with the arrival of my former client. WE chit chat a while, and yep, he is going to SG to see The Police.

Ooooh…I also saw hubby’s doctor arriving with the same aircraft. He did mention that he is coming to ID.

We shared the same flight with the Esia gank — they did a contest to see the Police I think. Then we also see Agus Ringgo — along with them. 

To cut things short, we arrived in SG on time. Went to the hotel and go out to have lunch.

It was soooo busy at Bugis Junction. There’s a little bit of a commotion at the far end of the mall. OMG…there’s a meet and greet with Jay Chou. Waaaaaa…i like Jay Chou. Waaaa..he is having a press conference in our hotel and waaaa…he is staying in the same hotel.

Later that day, we were meeting our friends from Jakarta (who are coming to…what else…see the Police) at Clarke Quay. And…I saw with my own two eyes…..the Project Pop gank!

And while we were sitting in one of the cafe, hubby and our friends are constantly bumping into their friends, who are in SG to…what else…see the Police). I counted around 25-30 group of people speaking Bahasa in the Clarke Quay area that nite. It was like hanging out at Citoz…..hehehehehe

The next day, when we are at Singapore Indoor Stadium, we go around the Stadium counter clock wise. On the right side of the stadium, we see a big group of expatriates (bules) gathering around their watering holes, Brewerkz. Circling around the back, we saw a tent that sold concert t-shirts, jackets everything. And yep……we saw with our own two eyes……a bigger group of INDONESIANS!!!!

That time, hanging around that area before we enter the stadium was like hanging around Jakarta Convention Center. No English, Singlish, Mandarin, Malay were spoken there. Only BAHASA. Even the drink kiosk sold Aqua Gelas — which is very difficult to find in SG (Aqua bottles are so many, but Aqua in glass…nope).

Then I saw Alya Rohali and Krisna Mukti. My friend told me that they saw Nico Siahaan and Farhan. We are constantly on the look out for Ahmad Dhani and Mulan actually..hehehehehehe.

I met with my cousin, my friends from Uni (imagine, we haven’t seen each other for around a decade), hubby met with his high school friends (we met them like six times during those three days). These are the peeps that we didn’t even meet in Jakarta.

Well..I can say that The Police Reunion Concert was also a Reunion for us all. There, we met with our old friends, relatives and probably enemies.

Probably my hubby’s doctor’s assistant (she is probably in her mid twenties) got it right when we were discussing about the concert. Hubby’s doctor certainly know who the Police is and even said that Sting comes to Singapore quite often. When we ask his assistant whether she is going to see the concert or not, her reply was: “hmm…no. It is one of the oldies group, right?”.

I really don’t know whether to laugh, cry or say: “Maksud lhwooooooooooohhhh??????”

Rest In Peace:Pak Harto (finally) passed away

Former Indonesian President, Soeharto passed away today, Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 1.10pm at RSPP.

Good bye Pak Harto, may you rest in peace.

I heard about the news while I was browsing Expedia.com trying to daydream about going on vacation somewhere. Hubby was sleeping, then his mobile phone rang. His friend told him that Pak Harto passed away — so he must make action to move the wireless device planted by his client in RSPP (for the journalist) to Yogya.

We immediately switch on Metro TV and there it is….the news the nation awaits. It has been 24 days after he is admitted to the hospital. After several critical condition, several miraculous recovery (he was reported able to talk yesterday), today he was in critical condition again, before finally he submitted to the will of God AlMighty.

The Soeharto chronicle was one amazing happenings in early 2008. Right after he was admitted to RSPP, the hospital was the watering hole of many many many media. The once quite beautiful garden was rampaged by trucks from TV stations, eagerly await any news about his condition.

For about two weeks, print media’s front page was about his minute by minute condition. After seeing that he is probably not going to go soon, media started to move news about him to their inner pages. Even today’s papers do not have news about him in the front page. I bet, tomorrow, all papers will have a black banner with news about Pak Harto on their front page.

Pak Harto was one of Indonesia’s charismatic leader, despite of all charges addressed to him. Nobody could deny his leadership for 32 years have been providing Indonesian a chance to be seen and respected by other countries.

Farewell Pak Harto, rest in peace. I forgive you, and I appeal to all my fellow Indonesian to forgive him too.

PS: will tomorrow be declared as a holiday? or will the government declare three days of mourning? Naaaaah….I wish, but that’s highly unlikely. We’ll see.

Visionary VIPs: Pak Harto, MM Lee and Doctor Mahathir

MM Lee visits Pak Harto this morning. Good to hear.

Heard that Doctor Mahathir is also planned to visit Pak Harto. Another good thing.

It shows that Pak Harto really has good relationship with great leaders of our neighbouring countries.

The three probably share the same traits, same concept in ruling their countries and same way of thinking. Be it good or bad. The three of them have great visions for their countries and they make it happened — despite lots of grumbling among the people.

Now, Indonesia is leading a different way from the other two, and look where we are now…….we are different in many ways…..go figure.

Among the three, I think only Pak Harto is forced to step down. The two stepped down on their own account, which in the end make them still ‘running’ the countries behind the scene.

In my humble opinion again, these three people are great and very advanced in their visions during their ruling time, that probably not many will understand. And in order to understand their visions and their way of thinking, we, the people must be given a choice on how we want our lives be run. So, authoritarian way of governing people is something that are frowned upon, always. It is not a good thing, I must say. But it is also not entirely bad.

It must be balanced. Give us options to choose, but do give us boundaries.

Only then we will know which one is the best for us. Isn’t that how we are told to raise our kids? Provide encouragement and options, so they can take care of their own livelihood and make the best choices for themselves.

The Pak Harto Chronicle

Our longest ever ruling president, Soeharto has been very ill in the hospital for nearly two weeks now and day by day, speculation and the media frenzy is getting even crazier. I thought I will write something about this when he passed away. But apparently, I need to rant about some things that happens before the time comes.

I feel sorry for Pak Harto, yet I’m very much amaze on how much influence he has among us, the people of Indonesia. 

I was in Singapore for three days last week and everywhere we go, when Singaporeans learnt that we are Indonesian, they always ask: “do you think Pak Harto will make it?” Our standard responses are always similar: “we hope for the bestlah. Whatever that is, God will provide the best for him”.  

We kind of understand this, since in Singapore, a kitten stranded up a tree can get into first page (OK, that’s a slight exaggerationlah), so the Singaporean people must be longed for something bigger than how many newlyweds are using the newly opened Terminal 3 to get hitched. 

Of my nearly 38 years of life, I have not seen any greater media attention that this. When Ibu Tien passed away long time ago, of course there are media craze. She was still the First Lady when she died, that’s understandable.

But Pak Harto is still with us (even if it only barely), so either the attention is there because of his greatness, or whether we do not have other more important news to be told? I think this last 10 days, we could find more government officials gathering around RSPP than in their respective offices. All of them are paying their respects to Pak Harto – or letting the people know that they still respect Pak Harto, most probably.  

At first, I was so keen to know the day to day (or rather minute by minute) accounts on Pak Harto’s progress. But then the media begin to extend their coverage to other things, such as the court case, the missing persons case, his stepping down 10 years ago,etc. I felt like we are ‘entertained’ with an obituary – while the subject is still alive. That’s strange. When he was said to be in critical condition for the second time, the media run a story on preparation done at Astana Giribangun (the cemetery) and how the Karanganyar government has prepared a special ID card for journalists for the funeral – got the picture also. Heeeeyyy….he is still alive.  

From my professional life, being prepared is always good. But preparation should be kept behind the scene. No need to tell the world about that.  Then I was so amused with the fact that some independent groups were coming to the hospital and pray for Pak Harto’s wellness, hopping that he could get better – so he can stand the trial. WHAT THE F@#$??????  It’s just totally inappropriate! 

I fully supported REFORMASI, I like democracy and I fully support the demise of Order Baru, but I appeal to all of us Indonesian, do not forget all the good things that Pak Harto done for our country.  For the 30plus years he lead us, despites all the corruption, collusions, nepotism that we suspected (and some are proven true), he developed Indonesia to where we are now and with his leadership we were once the greatest nation in SEA (probably Asia also). 

So my fellow countrymen and women, let’s forgive Pak Harto. He is a very sick old man now. We need to let it go, we need to be ikhlas, on all counts, so he can be relieved of his pains.  

Yep, I think the best thing for Pak Harto in his current condition is to go see his maker, it’s time already. I really can’t stand to see him ‘tortured’ with lots of those machines attached and medications and still have to go through lots of allegation.  Let him go in peace. Pak Harto, God will provide the best for you. Thank you for what you’ve done for the country, it will not go un-noticed.  

In my humble opinion, Pak Harto might be a persona non grata at the end, but he has done great things for my beloved country, Indonesia.