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Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Dear wifey - Cascading Our Dream

Dear wifey,

I was starting to write simple dear wifey letter. However the topic become too much heavy, so that I will publish this as blog post as well. :p

There two problem relate to human passion. First person who cannot find their passion. Second, person who know his passion but restricted to reach it.

Passion is the most important thing that drive us in life. It is our fuel and also our GPS for direction guidance. According to summary of talk Tim Ferris talk that I took from Arman Sulamanov tumblr, Tim had shared about the way to find our passion. We can find it by ask these two simple questions, what did you do when you were 12 and what would you do event if you weren't paid.

*How to find passion*

Let me remember what I would like to be when I was 12. I don't remember exactly whether it was at 12 but there is one of my child want to be dream. I want to be an astronaut. It was triggered by some astro scince book that I read when I was stay with my uncle during my elementary school time. I read about NASA space shuttle, international space station and US Apollo project, especially Apollo 11. I dream to be the next Neil Armstrong.

As my age increased, sometime our dream and passion also evolved. Evolved because we find something that we interest more or could be also because constraint around us that make we adjust our passion. One day around my high school time, I went to bank to save my small saving. I had small talk with the bank teller. He asked me what major that I plan to take in university. I answered that I haven't think about that yet. The teller reply me again, be a computer programmer, he said. That job currently in high demand so that much company will offers good income. I immediately imaging going to office with nice laptop in my backpack (at that time laptop is something that still super duper luxurious) and spent whole time coding in front of computer. Not long after that I ended up taking electrical engineering major in university. Interestingly, after finishing my study, instead of being electrical engineer or teacher (my degree has minor in Education) I became programmer.

It has been 5 years + I work professionally in that job. Periodically sometime I ask myself, am I drive in correct direction? Everytime I answer myself, should be yes. I enjoy most of the time I work. I like to write code even how dizzy is it. I like to play with software development tools, exploring new technology, learning new programming language and dreaming to build my own startup. Even though it will sound naive, but definitily I can state I will happily coding eventhough I will not get paid. According of previous charateristic description it seems that I already found my passion.

How to adjust passion

Few days back suddenly I found interesting enlightment. Suddenly I want to be a pilot. Pilot is something that quite related to my childhood astronout dream. I understand this might be simple twisted thinking that could be not too serious but also could be serious. That willing is triggered by hackernews link that point me to interesting blog of ex programmer that became bush pilot. Also triggered with GTA V game that I play recently. However this finding arise some interesting discourse.

Some person lucky enough could be anything they want since beginning. They are capable financially to reach their dream. Many people want to be a doctor but only some that could pay the tuition. Many children want to be a pilot but also not all can afford the expenses. Regarding those facts, I found the answer about adjusting passion.

It is never late to chase your dream. Few years back I was listening radio talk in Jakarta that invite interesting guy name Alexander Lay. He had worked in oil and gas company for few years with very descent income. He said that time, his savings will suffice him with very descent life for 7-10 years without working. We could imagine how large his income. However he found that his job is not his passion. He actually interest with law. Then at one point of time he decide to stop from his job and take law under graduate study for some years and became a lawyer. If you cannot afford to be something in past time, chase your passion at the time you can afford it. Like I have written about Matt Dearden, he was programmer but realize that his passion in flying. After have sufficient saving, he stop work and take flying course for few years and start career as commercial pilot.

*Conclusion*

After having some experience in finding our passion in life we should inherit this experience to the others. The closest one could be our children. I haven't had any children yet, but not long from now I want to present one luxury that I don't have when I was child: guidance to find their passion. I want to be a consultant of my children about chasing the dream. I also really want to be supporter of their passion chasing either financially or motivationally. They will be free to chase any of their dream as long as always maintain good deeds in their life. I called this action as cascading the dream. Next generation must be better than current one.

PS: I love you

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Dear wifey - How to have an awesome life

Dear wifey,

Human live in this earth only in limitted time. In this era, average life expetancy is around 60 years. We could have some bonuses for some extra years or on the other side we could also have less years. Nobody will know when exactly died will approach. The most important thing we only have one life. There is no green mushrom like in Super Mario Bross that give us extra life after we died. Most meme hate this tag line YOLO, but it is very true that You Only Live Once. So let spent it wisely.

There are not a sin to life just usual. However, I catch one nice quote about few years back. I don't exactly remember from where I got that. Perhaps even I was the one who originally created it. The quote sounds "Life is too precious if just to be ordinary." We have only one life with limited time span then why don't we spend it in awesome way?

Here are two important things that I considered important to be an awesome person. First is we should be an awesomely honest and awesomely nice person. Most religious people beliefs there will be another eternal life after this where we will be granted for what we did in this life. Logically it will be ridicolous chasing some material things with not honest way and feeds our family with such dirty income. However still many people do. The act of robbing not always must be in obvious way. Corruption either in form of time and money is one common example that happen in many places on earth. Life honestly, only consume a clean income and always be nice with other is one important thing that we should do first.

Second is going the extra miles. I got this quote from Negeri 5 Menara (Country of 5 towers) novel wrote by A. Fuadi. Very nice three sequels of novel to boost our motivation in life. The poin of this quote is do our best in every aspects of our life and let God decide what is the best outcome for every particular current situation. Wifey always advice me one of greatest suggestion I ever received. "Always try immediately every potential opportunity and challenge that inline with your interest and vision. Let decide what should we do later after getting the outcome." Example, I have applied so many scholarships in this 3 years and indeed still no one succed yet. Who cares about the failure? It might hurt you at beginning. Whatever that doesn't kill you will make you stronger. Do self evaluation, analyze improvement that can be done and then reapply again. We might be still fail again but at least we will learn so much. Just do the first step and let decide the next step after gettinf the first outcome. If succed later we decide what to do and if not succed what kind of strategy adjustment we can do.

Continue to elaborate further do our best and going the extra miles. If other people fail one times and give up, don't be like that. Don't bother to fail hundreeds time and keep going further with every strategy adjusment that we need. If other people study for 2 hours per night let make it 3 hours for us. If other people can finish work assignment in 4 hours find a way so we can finish earlier. Not only for such example, other sample is if other people spent his time from growth up until die in one place then we should go to explore the world. There are too many beautiful place that we should missed it on earth. Go to Europe, America, Middle East to any place that we can. Travel always bring positive insight in our life. Luckly it was rooted in one of my passion. Be different, be original and be yourself. Because once more life is too precious if just to be ordinary.

PS: I love you

Monday, November 18, 2013

Dear wifey - Re: A reflection

Dear Wifey,

It has been two years isn't it? Also, Like I often said Time flies isn't it? I remember almost all details since the first time we met, to the time we felt click, to the time we got married, to the time we were mostly separated, to the time we could live together like common couple for a while, to the time of today when I write this letter.

It was still quite clear in my mind, the first day we met, when unluckily you sit beside me :p. The destiny will be totally different if you were sitting at different spot. We were talking so much in the middle of test. I didn't wanted to waste a chance, I found a way to got your phone number before leaving that day. The destiny might be different if I didn't successfully got your phone number. And then you also remember the story after that, don't you? Watch movie, some dinners and dates, hanging out to mall, etc.

Birth, died and mate are God area. He decide all those stuffs. I was wonder at beginning, how God can find a match of one man to another woman. Does he use some kind of trancendent algorithm? The way we met and then live together and hopefully forever, always make me wonder. How lucky I am to have you at the end.

You are almost perfect from all side, that can complement so many deficiencies that I have. Joy, comfort, sense fulfillment are all the feelings that I have since we are together. If sometime I behave strange, like so easy to get emotional, those are not because something wrong from your side but totally more to my own mistake that could not be more patient and could not be more gentle to treat you. However, I am always learning to be a better person.

So let's talk about some mission statement. Firstly I want we can partner together to build our dream marriage. With a joy, laugh and comfort that never last forever. I don't want to learn that by going through bad way such your story below. How hard the challenges that might come in front of us, I always wanted to stay beside you and hold your hand firmly. Second, I want we can be together to build a strong generation in very nice family. To have smart and wise children that love the learn, full of care and have big dreams. Third, I want we to be more settled. To have a nice home anywhere or some houses in some beautiful places with some of our dreams vehicles inside garages. A wise man said, don't put dunia in your heart but grab it in your hands. Fourth, always have a great adventures ahead. Fifth, please help me to add.

Dear wifey thank you to be with me for this 2 years. I hope you don't mind to spent the rest of our life together. Thank you for continuesly giving surprises and presents. Those are important but still, you are the most important one.

Happy 2 years anniversary. I always love you.

PS: I love you

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Dear wifey - Developing Superior Global Agent

Dear wifey,

Even though I only to Europe one time, but I always love the place. I was there after winter so that the temperature still so much cool compare to tropical countries but not blazzing freeze. I like so many beautiful buildings and exotic scenary there. Most of the people also so kind. However, like any part of the world we will meet people that seems unfriendly. I love the Amsterdam Canal so much and raised thousends of curiosities why we cannot maintain our public facilities as clean and as tidy that European countries?

We are living in paradox country. Where we are proud to be country with the biggest muslim population in the world but at the same time the corruption level also very high. We are rich by natural resources but we are not earn any income from those because most of valuable things are maintained by foreign country.

I wanna say burn so hard whem hearing, reading, watching many ridiculuous news about the country. Incapable person that is assigned to be an ambassador in advance country, again about corruptions that has been rooted so much, anachist behaviour of most people, etc etc etc. When go back to the country we will face many rdiculous behaviour directly. Stupid people that smoke anywhere. Undiscipline people on the road. Back to some speak about religion, religion is nothing if only applied at the level pf self labelling and empty routinity in shallow worship. The worst things from all of those pathethic condition of our country is, I even haven't do anything yet to make it better.

There several things that we can do start from small thing. Be an agent while we are living abroad. Be an effective worker or brilliant student that capable maintain of high quality of work with full of discipline. So that if someone start to wonder about ua we can bring positive assestment for our identity. Who is that genius guy? Wow and Indonesian man. Oh a moslem that very disipline. Who is the smart woman? Oh scholarship student from Indonesia. She just present a nice conference paper in Sweden. Another step to be a super agent is inventing an awesome thing. Write a good book. Even if just a novel. Develop awesome opensource software. Etc. Indeed, I haven't do so much about these but I know we have to start even if it small.

However there is also super important thing to do to restore our country and muslim identity intp better level. Educate the next generation with best education in all aspects. The most important is teaching about the religion itself and complement with teach and give example of proper self development so that our childrend and grand children will growth as a good character generations. After self development then we should influence them about the excitement about learning. Teach the children to be always thirsty in searching the knowledge so that beside proper charachter our next gwneration descendant also could be a super brilliant generation that have power in knowledge, science and technology. Onw time I read about how Israeli family raise their children. They prepare all the stuff with full of care. So no wonder, even though in total they are so small but Jews people can handle many most important roles in the world.

Anyway, I wonder with myself how come the first paragraph story about European dream became little bit heavy essay? Like meme said, that escalated quickly!

Hopefully and we have to prepare ourself to give best education to our children in all aspects of their life.

PS: I love you

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Dear wifey - The Park Connnector

Dear wifey,

I always love riverside park near our apartment. At the time we moved there, it was so messed up because it was still in rennovation. Now as the time goes, the park connector becoming better and better. The fences are good, the trees are green. The river still dark chocolate anyway. I often wonder when our country could have such a good park. In Singapore people build the nature because they don't have natural resources at the beginning. However in Indonesia people destroy the nature and build ugly building.

I am sometime thinking to go to park at the night bringing macbook air and write an awesome software as the basis of the startup that I built. Typing c++ codes in the park at the night gonna be cool isn't it? At the other opportunity I sometime plan to have short jogging. It has been more than year since my last jogging. My jogginf rebook shoes often smile wirh ugly face to me, since he ha been worn no more than 10 times for 2 years.

When seeing to the west in the afternoon there are some magnificent view. One day I saw a beautiful orange sunset. I cannot see it fully because it was blocked by apartment building. I the other time I saw enermous unique form of cloud. I snapped it and uploaded to instagram. The sky is free and Singaporean people built a nice frame with their park connector.

However sometime the goodness and cleaness of the park is destroyed by ugly behaviour of some people. They sometime just throwing their garbage anywhere. Singapore law enforcement that is known so strict from outsider is not true all the time. Sometime I question to myself and maybe to the God. Why don't God just create nice people in this world? Why bother giving life to bad people? The world should be a better place if all the people nice isn't it? No corruptor, no murderer, no robber, no rapper, no undispline garbage thrower, no ugly smoker, no annoying neighbour. Anyway God must be have His own good reason.

Dear widey, I always love nature and the park. Looking forward to sit in beautiful park bench with you. Maybe in Europe. I love the pidgeons there. Like in Habibie and Ainun movie.

PS: I love you

http://instagram.com/p/fAI7DVuR_w/

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Dear wifey - Writing the blazing brain

Dear wifey,

Do you know why I often state that I like writing? It is because writing bring a lot of advantages. Writing in here is unformal writing like journal, blog or some short programming blog post and not technical academic writing where you are really superior.

One of the main advantages of writing is organize how we think and maintaining idea. Human brain is enermously awesome. It is our microprocessor that allows us to process so many things in very fast time concurrently. In detail it works by transmitting many signals between so many neuron. There will be sometime that we think many things at once. Jumping from here and there but nothing in focus. In other chances maybe one time we have a great idea. We are cultivating the idea inside the brain. Polish it and modify it. Somehow in not too long time simple distraction can make us totally forgot about that idea. Didding up that idea beal will be need a big effort if not possible at all.

Here comes writing to help manage the idea and how we think. Writing help us to organize large amount of ideas that floating in our head. We start focus by choosing the one that took most of our interest. Write something about it in self brainstorming phase. As the times goes usually the ideas will evolved and enhanced by itself. I have proved that statement. As an example even before writing the code most of the software development methodology encourage to write uses case first. Use case is human textual definition of the software. From that description we will separate some software parts and modules. Only after those steps finished we can start code. Those steps will make sure we will walk in correct path. Without proper writing the idea the possibility of wiriting wrong software will be to obvious.

Wow that was too technical thing in describe the advantage of writing, isn't it? Let see another advantage. Writing is very useful to finding yourself. In many advatagement of technology, many great inventions and exploration human still not get to know well about... himself. Indeed there is no suchway of finding biggest mystery in the world by only writing. However I have proved in some parts as well, writing as a media to know myself. How its works? The main example is writing journal routinely. As have been said above, our brains hit by millions or billions of idea everyday. Writing will help us to choose what is matter most to think.

As an easy reason how many advantages above can be proved, can be seen from the fact that most smartest people that ever live on earth are also a good writer. Of course there will be some exceptions. I will elaborate this maybe in another opportunity.

However regarding many advantages it has, still, writing is difficult task to do, even how much we like it. Start writing something and the suddenly lost in the middle is very common among people. In my school time, there were some occations where I have writing assignments. I will type the task use type writer. At the beginning it seems smooth. I type letter by letter and word by word. Until only 2 or 3 paragpraphs I stucked and cannot move further as if my brain run out information. I take out the paper, make it round like a ball with my hand and throw it to rubbish bin. Writing need a great effort and discipline. Even most experienced writer will face "writers block" moment some time in their life. The moment when a writer cannot find idea what to write. There is no "eaters block" right?

Recently I read an interesting article about the power of discomfort. To achieve success we will need great effort such as continuously learning and finding idea. However there is a missing piece. To be success people have to accept discomfort feeling in their process. Writing is hard and often make us discomfort and stop in the middle. Only the once that can surpress that discomfort feeling can successfully finding himself.

PS: I love you. Wait me in a beautiful nuance of europe in a few weeks.

Dear wifey: News Downloader 20131031

Dear wifey,

Please check new app in google drive. It could download properly your excel file (I put back the excel file in google drive). The result for that excel file also inside google drive (20131031_230659_excel_download.pdf). Please note, some others channel news asia article have been expired again. Please read readme file for the guide.Please check all and let me know for any problem.



Sunday, October 27, 2013

Dear Wifey - Proof Read, Bitte

Dear My Lovely Wifey,

If you have time, please help hubby proof read attached motivation letter drafts. Any input from you will be really valuable.

For your reference, following are information for those 3 scholarship that I will apply: 1. COSSE - Computer Simulations for Science and Engineering: http://www.kth.se/en/studies/master/em/cosse/programme 2. MATHMODS - Mathematical Modeling in Engineering: http://www.mathmods.eu/about/overview 3. DESEM - Dependable Software System: http://www.cs.nuim.ie/courses/desem/structure



Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Dear wifey - The Programmer that supposed to be a teacher

It all started with Java

2003-2008

And then I trapped in Electrical Engineering Education of State University of Jakarta for 4.5 years continueing the search my life path. Overall it was great time in campus. I met a lot great friends, nice lecturer and many new knowledges. I enjoy most of the courses, atrending the class, go to library, doing some research project, participate in some competitions, join cool extracurriculer club and also start to earn my own money. More story to come.

Life is only easy in movies and maybe the sims game. Real life often have much challenges. Money is not everything but only money that will make our stomach full and finance our education. My tuition fee was quite affordable even on standard of between 2003 - 2008. It was exactly 1.000.000 IDR. However arrive to that age I start to realize cannot rely to my mother anymore in financing my life. Start in the second year I became the freelance door to door student tutor.

Teaching is the easiest job for college student like me. First it is in line with my own college degree, at the end I supposed to be a teacher anyway. Second, I have my own passion in sharing my knowledge. Then I became freelance teacher for some years forward.

Back to school, I am still doing my activity like usual. Except I have to decrease my hanging out time, since I had several teaching schedule in a week in several student house. Sometime I woulf go home late and have to wake early morning again to go to campus. During my university time , mostly I keep commute from my parent home to campus which took averagely 2 hour one way.

In campus I encountered my old fascination with computer. In my major, beside studying low level concept like electrical engineering to microprocessor, there are several programming courses as well. And I was falling in live again. That was C programming course that made me turned to pink. I don't know why, writing line of codes, compiling and running it produced some output like a kind release some endrophin from my body, sense of enjoyment and fulfilment. Since that day, I never look back for looking what it is called passion.

Nearing the end of my university time, I became more heavily interacted with something callwd internet. But at that time it was still expensive. Broadband internet was still not common, wifi was never heard yet, most of the housing if needed still have to use dial up to connect to internet. Internet connection through phone had been existed but still not common. Only possible to use gprs and we only could browse to wap site which is almost useless. Even zuckerberg perhaps has not entered harvard yet, no twitter and most of the phone still Nokia.

In that era I was introduced with something called Java. It jargon is WORA which mean Write Once Run Anywhere. It is available in most platform from mobile phone, desktop to server. Luckily it has c like syntax. The challenge, Java introduced me to something called object oriented programming which took several years me for me to grasp its full concept.

The first time I used Java when I participated student contest in developing software for mobile platform. I built sms gateway to respond query of muslim praying time by using location parameter. At the end, even my thesis was something relate to Java which I wrote time attendence system using Java and RFID.

Fast forward, I had graduated on March 2008. De ja vu, like when I was in high school, I lost my path and don't know what I should be. Most of my friend go back to school and be a teacher. I respect teaching job, but at that time I want something else. Even though I have to end uo teaching in some stages of my life, it should to be a lecturer or professor in uni.

I remembered, I posted several job application using dead tree paper, envelope and stamp. I was submitting about 8 to 10 applications to different companies that posted job advertisement in news paper. Most of the vacancies that i applied for was management trainee or junior engineer. Very less that replied my application. Funny thing was some of management trainee vancancy that I applied, actually was forex tradeer recruitment. So I attend the process what they called interview but actually was forex training. At the end of 3rd day training we were asked to start to search investor. What?!!

I give up job searching use traditional way. Then I encountered some online job searching website. At that time the most famous in Indonesia was JobsDb. I derping arounf the website and don't know why I entering IT as industry that I look for. Later I saw so many job posting. Database Administrstor, Project Manager, sysadmin, web designer, php prorammer and Java developer were several open position available. Hey Java! I just realized there were quite many Java vacancy. I knew Java, at least I can program simple desktop apps.

Fast forward, I invited to several interviews. Software started to be a hype. Much people building company to answer demand of other company that need cool software. In same chains, software company need a cool software developer. Since cool software developer difficult to find, some company doesn't bother to recruit fresh graduate like me. Moreover I can show off to them at least I had created something. I got two job offers, both were junior java developer position. I took the one has more convenience location. The journey of Java developer in Java island start that day. It was, 15 July 2008, the first time I went to work. The office located in nice house (yes the office is in the house) in Kebayoran Baru Jakarta. The journey has not stop yet. Now I work in Singapore. Still with some Java codes, some sql script, deployment problem, some reporting and some design pattern. The exploler still looks some another nice beautiful and colder place. Maybe Finland and Norway? Who never know.

"Passion allows you to do what you love even without getting paid. So would you code java for free? Absolutely no! " :)

PS: I love you

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Dear wifey - In searching of the life path

Dear wifey,

It all start with Resistor color band.

Until 2003

After graduated from my high school, I was not clear to what life path that I would like to take. Obviously that must be not relate to social science, since I dont like remembering facts. I prefer thinking and solving problem. It made me love science, especially math, physics, electronics and ... computer.

The first two I love because I like calculation. Thanks to Pak Tri Wahyudi, Pak Sahroni, Ibu Rina as some of teachers in junior highschool and highschool that cultivate this interest.

About electronics, I like device since I was child. There were quite many electronic devices that was broken in my hand just because to pay my curiosity. I just wanted to see to internal of the item. I open it, dissambly, and I dont know how to reassimbly again. When I was i junior high school, I met with Pak Wawan Gunawan that teach semi extracuriculer study electrical engineering. It started with quiz of calculating the value of resistor based in its color band. I failed, but then I found my othet interest, electronics.

I interested with computer because of its sophistication and my incapability to afford one. I met this superb device in junior highschool when we have course in DOS, wordstar and lotus 123. In highschool I learnt with word, excel, paint (yes paint!! We were teached drawing logo of several Indonesia TV station) and somehow I discovered programming started with Visual Basic. After realizing my excitement to computer, Pak Arif the computer tutor who doubling his role as physics teacher, proposed me to join computer science olympiad representing my school. He promised to tutor me along the way. Indeed he tutored me by passing some books. I was learning Pascal in several weeks. Interestingly I win the region competition and then sent to province. Since that time I fall in love with bew stuffs call programming.

Reaching the end of my highschool, I confused again about my life path. Older sister in law of my father (who partially subsidise my education expense since highschool) who I called as Matuo Lin was expecting me to be a sailor to be like her husband. Even she sent me monthly money so that I can go routinely to swimming pool so that I can chase minimum body height to be accepted in local sailor academy. However this proposal change suddenly. One day she invited me to her home. She asked what major that I want to take in university. With full of honest and pureness I said "I don't know". She seems didn't like my respond. Conclussion from that day talk was also interesting. We came out with electrical engineering. The term that seems come from no where. I assume one of he reason this proposal came out because my cousin (her youngest son) was also taking electrical engineering in University of Indonesia (one of greatest university in Indonesia). However my destiny seems not to go to that great uni. Because budget consideration, she suggest me to try State University of Jakarta.

The problems was Electrical Engineering in State University of Jakarta was not pure engineering degree. State University of Jakarta was high institution to breed a teacher that later on to university. But after conversion most of its major still relate to education. Electrical Engineering in this university didn't aim the student to be an engineer but instead to be a vocational school teacher that will teach ready to use engineer. Honestly I was expecting to be an engineer instead of teacher.

Luckily there were special track for admission in that university. For whom that have sufficient grades in high school, can enter to this university without test. I passed the special track and then enter my new life journey as Electrical Enginering Education student a.k.a teacher candidate. In the mean time I burried my dream to study in one of the greatest university in indonesia. Start from this years I started to see that often destiny is very interesting.

Destiny is not dead end path. It is open paths where we have privillage to choose the path to go. Indeed sometime there will be an obstacle along the way.

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Dear wifey - A Short Farewell

Dear Wifey,

That is it. 3 months flies like a flash. It feels just like yesterday when I picked you up from Changi Airport. Today I drop you off when you have go again to Germany.

Dear wifey, thank you for bring so much happiness during your stay. Thank you for always taking care of me all the time. Thank you for not complaining in staying in small room and sharing very small bed.

Wifey, did you know, at the time I decide to propose you, honestly I was not sure whether you are the truly the one that I am looking for. I just asked an advice from Allah and from there my heart felt a guide and can do autopilot to do what I have done. Then as the time goes on, I become more and more grateful for that decission because, choosing you is the best decission I've ever take. As the time goes on, more and more I felt for you.

Dear wifey, physically separating again from you is a grieve. However we have to face this as our current reality. Of course we will not just give up and do nothing for this condition. I will do many things so that we can reunite again. Either by applying job and also applying scholarship. During this process, let's pray and fight together for our dream.

Wifey , did you remember the closing sentence of my earlier dear wifey email? It sounds something like, please wait me in Ilmenau, couple of weeks from now. Can wait to touch and kiss that beautiful and soft check that you have.

PS: I love you



Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Dear wifey - Danke

Dear Wifey,

Hubby want to say thank you so much for treating me so well during your stay in here. You always patient for waking me up for Sahur meal eventhough I realize by myself that I must be so difficult to be woke up. Thank you as well for preparing all the meal and even feed me using your beautiful little hand.

Dear wifey when I flash back to couple of years ago, at the time I'd just graduated, I have a wish about job. I really wanted to work abroad. The exact country I wanted to work to was Singapore. In couple of years my wish is granted. Indeed, speaking about wish, hope and pray, human always focus to what is not granted yet. But human often forget for so many things that has been received by him.

I still have a lot of wishes. Want to have more settle life, have children, wanna these and those. But I have to realize as well that I have had so many things in this life to be gratefull for. One of example is you. You are the most important person in my life for now. I still love my parents and still need to care my sisters, but still you are the most important one.

Thank you for accepting me, thank you for always being patient with me, thank you for continuously caring me. So sorry if I still cannot be someone as you expected.

PS: I love you

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Dear wifey - 2 years

Dear wifey,

Do you remember something that was happening several days before Ramadhan of some years a go? It was approximately about 2 years ago. In rainy night when I was coming to your please. The night when finally we settled a commitment after getting your approval for having serious relationship toward married.

Time flies isn't it? It has been two years and feel just like yesterday. This night I want to say thank you for accepting me.

I cannot wait in couple of hours we will meet again. Hopefully you will be happy during your stay here. We will do a lot of interesting things again together. Ramadhan worships, watching movies, do some traveling, etc.

Two year are short for a relationship. There are still more years to go Insya Allah in front of us. I believe we can sail through it together. I was thinking can write many things in this letter before. But I feel my finger just numb cannot type anything again.

Again I wanna say thank you so much for would like to be with me.

PS: I love you

Friday, July 5, 2013

Dear wifey - I love you

Dear Wifey,

Bicara kelembutan suami pada istri memang teladan terbaik adalah Rasulullah. Beliau selalu memberlakukan istrinya dengan sebaik mungkin. Tak pernah berkata kasar dan selalu sabar. Bahkan banyak hadist menjelaskan keutamaan memberlakukan istri dengan baik.

Meski bandingannya masih sangat jauh aku ingin bisa meneladani rasul dalam hal bermuamalah dengan wifey. Sekali lagi maafkan aku jika sampai hari ini masih jauh dari sempurna untuk menjadi suami bunda. Tapi Insya Allah aku ingin selalu belajar dan berubah menjadi lebih baik. Menjadi suami yang lebih penyayang. Menjadi imam yang lebih berilmu. Menjadi ayah yang penuh cinta dan dicintai.

Semoga bunda tidak pernah menyesal menikahi hubby. Semoga kita bisa mendapatkan kebarakahan Ramadhan ini. Insya Allah ini adalah Ramadhan penuh pertama kita bersama. Mari menjadikan Ramadhan ladang ibadah dengan sebaik-baiknya. Mohon ingatkan aku terus bila ada kekhilafan-kekhilafan. Tak sabar menunggu untuk berpuasa bersama, bertadarus, bertarawih, dan belajar bersama.

Tadi sebenarnya banyak sekali hal di kepala yang ingin aku tulis tapi tiba-tiba writers block ketika di depan keybaord ini. Aku hanya ingin bilang, aku sangat sayang dan cinta wifey. Aku tak pernah menyesal sedikit pun menikahi bunda. Bunda adalah karunia terindah dari Allah untukku.

PS: I love you

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Dear wifey - Letter and Stamp

Dear wifey,

Sudah cukup lama aku tidak menulis dear wifey saat commuting. Tidur saat di perjalanan memang rasanya enak sekali. Apalagi jika ada hutang tidur malam sebelumnya. Beberapa hari ini aku lumayan cukup tidur. Saat cukuo tidur biasanya kita akan lebih merasa berenergi. Lebih semangat dan lebih positif. Asal jangan kebanyakan tidur saja sebab itu justru akan membuat kita lemas.

Btw nulis topik apa ya hari ini? Bagaimana dengan tentang korespondensi.

Pada waktu SMP aku pernah menulis surat pembaca ke majalah Hai. Aku lupa menulis tentang apa. Tapi dari surat pembaca yang akhirnya dimuat itu aku mendapat banyak sahabat pena. Tapi hobi ini tak terlalu lama berjalan karena tiba-tiba mulai merasa bosan. Yang paling aku suka dari menerima surat adalah menggunting bagian amplop yang ada prangkonya kemudian merendem itu di air panas. Dengan cara itu prangko akan lepas dengan sendirinya dari potongan amplop tanpa sedikitpun rusak.

Dulu aku membeli sebuah album filateli di gramedia Bogor. Gramedia Bogor adalah gramedia terdekat pada waktu itu. Selain dari surat-surat yang aku terima, aku juga mengoleksi prangko dari membeli di toko buku. Salah satu kebanggaanku yang lain adalah saat mendapat surat dari mahasiswa korea yang pernah magang di SMP ku. Aku lupa mulai kapan aku berhenti melakukan aktivitas sahabat pena dan mengumpulkan prangko. Namun mengkoleksi prangko nampaknya akan terus menjadi kegiatan yang menarik.

Di jaman sekarang ini aktivitas surat menyurat pun tinggal menunggu kematiannya. Meski tetap aku merasa ada momen-momen tertentu yang lebih berkesan disampaikan melalui surat atau kartu pos. Mengirim kartu pos saat traveling misalnya seperti yang sering bunda lakukan.

PS: I love you

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Dear wifey - Train and River

Dear Wifey,

I was thinking about river because every morning I walk through river side to MRT station. Suddenly I remember about the train as well because yesterday you jusk asked me about whether there are any trains in Sumatera. How come train and river related in my thinking? It was related with some of my child memory.

When I was child and had been staying in Padang for about one year, I play with other children as any normal children will socialize. I don't remember exactly of everything because I was to small back then. But some of fragment still stay in my head. First is about river. We sometime play to some of the river near my house. From what I remember the river was so wide and seems so deep. Some of my friend with easy just jumping the water and swim there. But not for me. I was too scared and I couldn't swim yet. So I often just go back home again.

Near the river there is very large bridge. Train bridge. So there were train in Sumatera even though rarely for moving people. The main purpose is to move goods. In other day we will play near to the train bridge. We will bring very big nail there. We will put that big nail on the train rail so that the train will run over the nail and make some part of the nail to be flat. I don't know why we did that at that time. But at least I can remember some small train and river memory connection.

PS: I love you

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Dear wifey - Morning Flash Back

Dear Wifey,

Tadi pagi saat pergi ke Geylang Serai untuk membeli makanan aku kaget saat keluar rumah melihat aspal yang basah. Ternyata nampaknya hujan tadi pagi. Sambil bergerimis aku berjalan cepat ke bus stop. Di saat yang sama pikirin flash back ke masa lalu.

Ketika masa-masa dari kuliah hingga bekerja dan commuter naik motor aku sering berhenti berteduh di pinggir jalan ketika hujan. Biasanya bareng dengan pemotor lain. Di saat berteduh itulah aku selalu berkhayal, nyaman sekali rasanya jika bisa punya mobil. Tak perlu kebasahan ketika hujan dan tak perlu kepanasan juga.

Sambil terus berjalan menuju halte, aku flash back semakin mundur lagi. Saat itu aku mengingat ketika aku duduk berdesak-desakan di 56 menuju UKI. Sementara masih di tol yang sangat macet. Keringat pun menetes seperti bulir-bulir jagung. Di saat itu aku berkhayal, alangkah nyamannya jika setidaknya punya motor. Meski mungkin panas setidaknya aku bebas dan bisa melipir ke mana pun aku mau.

Dari sedikit flashback itulah terungkap betapa susahnya memuaskan manusia. Mungkin jika kelak pun bisa punya mobil, nafsu bisa saja mengurangi rasa syukur dengan hasutan ingin memiliki hal lain yang lebih lagi. Pesawat mungkin?

Sebentar lagi Insya Allah Ramadhan. Insya Allah Ramadhan yang akan kita jalani berdua. Semoga bisa menjadi momen introspeksi yang positif untuk kita berdua untuk menjadi insan yang lebih baik lagi. Kalau kata Aa Gym genggamlah harta dunia di tanganmu tapi bukan di hatimu. Semoga kita bisa menjadi pasangan yang sukses bahagia dunia akhirat.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Dear wifey - Writers Block

Dear wifey,

Keeping my promise, please welcome today's dear wifey letter. :)

Writing is always moody exercise. It is difficult to write when we are in bad mood or when we think we don't have good idea to write. That's why there is a common naming for such symptom. Writers block.

But from my opinion, writers block is more physchological problem instead of real problem. About mood, adult person actually have capability to adjust his mood. But indeed this is need practice. After we get used of this we can easily switch bad mood to good mood or feeling exhausted to full of energy.

About idea, we don't need to find idea. Idea doen't need to be created. Idea just need to look arround us. Since I was child I always amaze to the people that work in journalism. They always can professionally produce fresh article daily or often hourly.

The same impression I gain from college student. Like you. Student can actively push themself to finish all assignment on time. Mostly not an easy assignment. Even at the end of program they have to write thesis that will be very challenging. I believe you can do it easily. And I really need to learn from you when later can have a chance to go back to campuss again.

Thank you for always motivate me directly and indirrectly.

PS: I love you

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Dear wifey - Sharp Time

Dear Wifey,

Beberapa hari ini memang aku sedikit agak sibuk. Meski khusus untuk Sabtu malam hingga Minggu siang tadi aku tidak melakukan apa-apa melainkan hang out dengan teman-teman TN. Namun di luar itu, baik di kantor, persiapan IELTS lalu, hingga test IELTS kemarin dan juga sedikit persiapan speaking test besok membuat aku hampir tak ada waktu luang. Aku mau minta maaf jika beberapa hari ini bunda merasa kurang diperhatikan. Bahkan aku juga sadar sudah beberapa kali tak menepati janji untuk menulis surat ke bunda. Tak ada alasan untuk tak menepati janji, namun sekali lagi, hingga malam ini meski rasanya capek sekali aku masih harus memaksakan diri menyelesaikan beberapa hal untuk besok.

Sedikit sedih juga melihat bunda yang sudah terlelap tanpa sempat aku meluangkan waktu untuk mengobrol fokus dengan bunda.

Salah satu surat favoritku di alquran, seperti yang aku juga pernah ceritakan adalah Surat Al-Ashr. Demi waktu. Waktu itu adalah elemen yang sangat melenakan. Orang paling sukses dan orang paling gagal memiliki kuantitas waktu yang sama. Namun tiap orang punya kecerdasan tersendiri untuk mengelola waktunya dengan baik. Semoga kita tidak menjadi orang yang merugi karena tidak menggunakan waktunya dengan baik.

Insya Allah sebentar lagi Ramadhan. Alhamdulillah Insya Allah kita akan menjalankan ibadah puasa bersama di kamar kecil kita. Ramadhan tentunya akan membawa tantangan tersendiri untuk kita dalam mengelola waktu dengan baik antara tugas dunia dan juga kewajiban dan sunah-sunah ibadah yang banyak sekali. Semoga di bulan tersebut kita bisa mengatur waktu dengan baik dalam melakukan hal-hal tersebut. Di satu sisi kita semoga bisa mendapat berkah ramadhan, sekaligus menuntaskan kewajiban-kewajiban kita, baik belajar atau bekerja.

Tak sabar menanti wifey dalam waktu sekitar 2 minggu lagi.

PS: I love you

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Dear wifey - Remembering The Red - Re: Suddenly...

Dear wifey,

I don't know exactly since when I love red. But I like motorbike since I was in elementary school. Motorbike is really manly. Althought at that time there is not too much cool motorcycle around. The coolest motorbike during my childhood is Honda GL Pro. The one that is bought by mom for my dad. At that day there was no Kawasaki Ninja or Honda CBR.

In junior high school some of my friend start to bring motorbike to school. It was so cool. I never have any imagination to ask motorcycle to my parent. So even until high school I just can imagine. In high school more students bring motorbike to school. Usually when such student came and left he would pick a girl student with him. Maybe this was a lesson from God for me. So that I can focus in study instead of hang out useless.

Go to university, I was quite lucky to study in UNJ. Because this campus trully mid lower people campus. Most student will use public transport instead of bring personal vehicle (because most of them include me don't have it). But still some students bring their own motorbike. And I always envy to have such thing as well. I often dreaming so hard to have a motorbike during my time in univesity. Going to and from campus is really tiring. Running and chasing bus make me boring. I was thinking at that time if I have a motorbike, my life will be beter. I don't need to go from home to early, don't need to chase the bus, don't need to breath smoke cigaratte from fuck*ng people.

The dream only came true near the end of my study. I applied one internal scholarship at that time. The amount is 2.500.000. Later I use some of this money as down payment to buy my first motorbike. Red Honda Revo. For installment I pay it together with mom. Sometime she will pay, another month I will pay. By having this motorbike I also have more freedom during my teaching part time job. The bike is used by the whole family. By me, parent and some time my sister. The bike is stand there until around first year I work.

After working I was dreaming to have more manly motorbike. The option was drop to Yamaha Vixion. One of the reason because it has red color. From the time I was start working, I can save most of my salary. My first salary was 2.500.000. But rarely I had expense more than 500.000 per month. Around the end of my first working year, I had money around 20.000.000. Without thinking too much I buy my first fully personal motorbike, CASH.

The bike was with me for about 2 year. Until end of 2010, I heard Honda will launch a new big cc motorbike. It was Honda CBR 250R. I booked the bike since it first announcement. I contact the dealer directly to reserve the bike. I was using money from selling of my Yamaha Vixion as downpayment of the new bike. The 2 years vixion was sold for about 15.000.000 at that time. One of the best day of my life was when the beautiful red biggest bike I've ever had coming to my home. I just went home at that night. The bike already delivered and stand so beautiful in front of my home.

Even though the end is not too beautiful, I want to think positive maybe Allah want to teach me for not loving material thing too much. I still miss the time when I can ride Red (the name of the bike) anywhere. Go to office and also later go together with you before and after get married.

Only several month after the purchase I went touring by myself to Ujung Genteng southern part of West Java. Beautiful beach and place. But the most important was awesome riding. Until now, there are almost no other thing that can replace the enjoyment of riding motorbike. The wind, the road, the corner are some experiences that priceless. Indeed, riding motorbike is risky. Even I had some experiences with that risk by kissing asphalt. But other thing in our life also full of risk. Just never forget to pray before and during the trip.

I cannot wait to had another awesome bike in my life. But of course since I am a husband now, my priority shifted little bit. Family (which is mainly wifey and my future children) are the most important. I really want to purchase our first house and our first car (so that we can go anywhere in a comfort and safe vehicle). After that only maybe I would like to save money to buy another bigger red bike. I was thinking about Kawasaki ER6F 650. But since we supposed to have big dream, why don't I upgrade my wish to something more wonderful like Kawasaki ZX14R red!

PS: I love you PS: Try harder to wake up before sunrise because pray is one of the first thing that will asked by Allah on hereafter. PS: I was listening that song again during my travel to office this morning :-*

Monday, June 17, 2013

Dear wifey - Future

Dear wifey,

Dalam bicara masa depan, kita akan selalu berhadapan dengan ketidakpastian. Berencana itu perlu, berikhtiar itu harus namun biarlah Allah yang mengetuk palu.

Dari dulu aku sering mengklaim sebagai individu yang visioner. Sejak SMA aku punya kebiasaan menuliskan target-target kehidupan. Bahkan sangat detail. Target tahun ini, target 5 tahun ke depan dan bahkan target 10 tahun ke depan. Setiap target yang aku buat harus memenuhi persyaratan spesifik, berjangka waktu dan terukur. Spesifik artinya aku benar-benar fokus dengan yang aku inginkan. Berjangka waktu artinya ada target kapan keinginan yang aku mau harus tercapai. Terukur artinya apa yang aku inginkan dapat terukur keberhasilannya. "Aku ingin bahagia" adalah salah satu contoh target yang tidak memenuhi persyaratan di atas. "Menikah di usia 25" adalah salah satu contoh target yang memenuhi kriteria di atas. Spesifik itu pasti, berjangka waktu diupayakan tercapai di usia 25 dan terukurnya adalah dari eksekusi akad nikah, yang mana itu semua sudah tercapai.

Kembali lagi ke masalah ketidakpastian. Sangat sering juga target-target yang kita buat mungkin gagal. Meski sudah berikhtiar maksimal. Malahan kadang-kadang nyelenehnya manusia adalah tidak usaha maksimal tapi berharap hasil maksimal (inilah aku). Yang lebih parah adalah saat tidak berikhtiar sama sekali dan berharap hasil. Semoga kita tidak menjadi 2 yang terakhir itu. Ada doa yang sering aku panjatkan berkaitan dengan hal ini. Yaitu, Ya Allah bimbinglah aku dalam memaksimalkan ikhtiar dalam setiap kesempatan.

Jadi mau ke mana kita dalam beberapa waktu ke depan? Sebenarnya aku tidak tahu. Sejujurnya setelah gagal di booking.com tempo lalu, aku sedang malas melakukan apa-apa lagi. Sekarang ibaratnya ada di state of flow. Ingin mengalir dulu saja. Tapi tentunya tak ingin seperti ini terus. Ingin memaksakan diri untuk bangkit dan bermimpi lagi.

Dalam beberapa bulan ke depan aku ingin menemani bunda menyelesaikan thesis. Saat yang bersamaan aku ingin mempersiapkan melamar beasiswa dengan jauh lebih matang lagi. Hari Sabtu ini aku ingin IELTS semoga bisa mendapat hasil bagus. 3 bulan lagi mungkin mau GRE juga. Sebelum akhir tahun aku juga ingin menulis sebuah paper meski belum tahu apa. Dari sisi keluarga aku ingin agar kita segera punya baby. Di akhir tahun ini ingin bisa beribadah umrah.

Untuk jangka panjang di mana pun itu, aku ingin menjadi pengajar. Tentunya aku harus belajar keras untuk mencapai itu. Entah belajar mengajar di sebuah kampus di Eropa (mimpi yang sangat lebay). Atau tinggal dan berkarya di sebuah kota tenang di Indonesia. Sementara bunda tetap bebas berkarya, selama tak pernah kurang menunaikan tanggung jawab paling utama dan mulia dalam merawat dan membesarkan anak-anak kita.

PS: I love you

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Dear wifey - Tanda hari kiamat

Dear wifey,

Semalam hubby mendengarkan cerita mengenai tanda-tanda hari kiamat. Aku pun langsung teringat kembali mengenai analogi celupan jari ke air laut ibarat lama hidup di dunia. Betapa sebentar kita hidup di dunia ini. Rasanya baru seperti kemarin aku masih bermain dengan teman-teman SD. Rasanya belum lama aku pertama aku menggunakan celana panjang abu-abu saat masuk SMA. Rasanya seperti sejenak saja saat aku mulai kuliah, mulai bekerja. Rasanya seperti baru tadi saat kita pertama saling mengenal hingga menikah. Bunda, itulah salah satu pertanda pertama menjelang hari kiamat, waktu berjalan dengan sangat cepat. Setahun seperti sebulan, sebulan seperti seminggu, seminggu seperti sehari dan sehari seperti pelepah kurma kering yang dibakar.

Tanda lain yang aku ingat adalah mengenai semakin ditinggalkannya sunah. Dari sedikit yang sudah aku pelajari, Islam itu bersumber pada Al-Quran. Al-Quran itu sudah lengkap dan all in. Al-Quran juga adalah kita yang terjaga otentikitasnya hingga akhir jaman. Untuk hal-hal yang masih general dijelaskan di Al-Quran kita bisa merujuk kepada hadist untuk implementasi detailnya. Inilah dua sumber utama kita dalam berislam. Al-Quran dan Hadist. Bagian dari hadist adalah sunah nabi. Apa yang beliau contohkan dan ajarkan. Salah satu tanda hari kiamat adalah semakin jauhnya kita dari perilaku mulia yang pernah dicontohkan rasul.

Demikian sekilas share tentang 2 tanda hari kiamat.

PS: I love you

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Dear wifey - Mimpi, motivasi dan Niat

Dear wifey,

Setiap hari hubby selalu menyalakan alarm jam 4. Dengan tujuan agar bisa shalat. Alhamdulillah cukup sering terbangun saat alarm menyala. Terbangun untuk mematikan alarm dan tidur lagi. Benar-benar bangun dan shalatnya sangat jarang. Dari pengalaman, momen ketika akhirnya hubby terbangun dan shalat adalah ketika malam sebelumnya benar-benar niat untuk bangun dan ingin shalat. Tapi ketika cuma melek dan mematikan alarm adalah saat tidak niat atau niat tapi tak terlalu kuat. Kesimpulannya, niat itu punya kekuatan yang sangat besar. Tak heran ketika rasul pernah bersabda Inna a'malu bin niat. Kekuatan niat ini akan sangat bermanfaat ketika bisa diaplikasikan ke hal-hal lain. Upaya untuk mencapai target atau cita-cita misalnya. Nyaris tak ada yang tak bisa jika kita sudah niat.

Namun manusia itu tempatnya salah dan lupa. Seringkali motivasi internal itu harus diiringi juga dengan dorongan dari luar. Misalnya dari istri atau anggota keluarga lain. Kalau tak salah, hubby pernah dengar juga, entah itu sabda atau apa tepatnya yang menyatakan banyak muslim itu lebih baik dari satu muslim dalam melakukan kebaikan. Shalat pun pahalanya lebih banyak ketika berjamaah dibandingkan sendiri. Artinya demikian juga niatan shalat malam akan lebih mudah bila orang-orang terdekat saling mengingatkan dan mendorong. Tapi tetap balik lagi ke awal, dorongan eksternal bisa membantu hanya jika sudah ada dorongan dari diri sendiri.

Sekarang meluas coba membahas hal lain di luar niatan shalat malam berkaitan dengan dorongan internal tadi. Motivasi adalah salah satu hal terpenting yang dimiliki manusia. Motivasilah yang membuat dunia seperti sekarang. Motivasi adalah salah satu faktor yang menentukan kesuksesan. Untuk punya motivasi harus punya mimpi dulu. Setelah punya mimpi maka tahapan paling pentingnya adalah niat untuk mewujudkan mimpi itu. Niat di sini adalah dorongan kuat dari dalam hati untuk mulai action dan bukan sekedar ucapan. Oleh karena itu aku pernah baca sekilas (mohon maaf jika salah), dalam ibadah, niat itu bukan sesuatu yang harus dilisankan. Niat itu hanya antara hamba dengan Allah.

Di sisi lain punya motivasi dan mimpi, namun tak punya niat, maka tinggal saksikan mimpi itu tetap menjadi mimpi. Yang lebih parah lagi adalah ketika orang tak punya mimpi. Maka hidupnya akan mengalir terombang-ambing gelombang kehidupan tak tentu arah. Jika kita bisa hidup full seusia hingga standard umur umat rasul, maka kita bisa hidup setidaknya hingga umur 60-an. Plus minus. Bisa lebih bisa juga bahkan ajal menjemput sebelum standard itu. Alangkah sia-sianya jika usia yang sangat pendek untuk ukuran dunia akhirat itu sia-sia tanpa punya mimpi dan niat mewujudkan mimpi itu. Demikian juga alangkah meruginya jika kehidupan yang ibarat celupan jari ke air laut itu tak diwarnai dengan ibadah-ibadah yang baik dan istiqamah kepada Allah. Sebagai penutup, sekali lagi, hidup itu harus punya motivasi dan mimpi. Mimpi itu bisa diwujudkan dengan mudah jika kita punya motivasi kuat di sana. Niat itu adalah pendorong yang sangat kuat dalam melakukan action untuk mewujudkan mimpi.

PS: I love you

Friday, June 14, 2013

Dear wifey - Hiker story

Dear Wifey,

Bicara masalah gua, aku jadi teringat masa SMP. Saat SMP aku adalah anggota pramuka. Bahkan anggota pramuka yang sangat aktif dan sekaligus obsesif. Sejak kelas 1 aku mengikuti semua kegiatan. Sampai kelas 3 aku melalui semua tahap dari pangkat balok satu garis yaitu Penggalang Ramu, balok dua garis yaitu penggalang Rakit hingga balok tiga yang penggalang Terap. Bahkan aku pernah memersiapkan diri untuk meraih pangkat tertinggi dari pramuka penggalang. Pangkat tersebut adalah pramuka Garuda. Namun karena terkalahkan kesibukan sekolah aku pun batal. Padahal menjadi penggalang Garuda adalah posisi elit yang saat itu, setahuku bahkan sekabupaten Bogor belum ada yang pernah mencapainya.

Saat menjadi pramuka banyak kegiatan yang aku lakukan. Namun yang paling aku suka adalah saat hiking. Setiap beberapa bulan sekali kami akan mengunjungi tempat-tempat menarik. Biasanya tempat-tempat alam. Kami menutu ke sana dengan berjalan kaki. Melalui landscape2 alam yang indah. Kadang kami ke air terjun. Kadang hanya ke perkampungan. Pernah juga ke gua.

Di Jonggol, ada sebuah gua besar. Dari rumah keluar gang grafika kita belok kanan. Dari sana lurus terus melewati tempat guru ngaji mama, jalan terus melewati tempat engking garung dan lurus terus sekitar 5 atau 6 km maka kita akan sampai di gua walet. Saat pramuka tadi itulah kami pernah berjalan hiking hingga ke sana. Konon gua itu panjang dan dalam. Dan bahkan belum selesai dipetakan. Namun pada kesempatan hiking itu kami hanya sekedar sampai di muka gua dan duduk-duduk di luar saja. Sebab akan terlalu berbahaya untuk menelusuri gua.

Sedikit share tentang hiking dan gua di siang hari.

PS: I love you

Dear wifey - Welcoming wifey

Dear wifey,

Rasanya senang tak terkira ketika wifey memutuskan dan langsung membeli tiket pulang. Insya Allah artinya kita akan menjalankan ibadah puasa bersama-sama. Mengutip beberapa email lalu, semoga bulan Ramadhan kita kali bisa menjalankan ibadah dengan sebaik mungkin dan menjadi nilai tambah bagi kita dari sisi pahala, kekhusyukan dan keberkahannya.

Saat sesi pulang nanti, wifey dilarang sibuk. Ga boleh masak, ga boleh cuci-cuci dan ga perlu setrika. Masalah masak, hubby yang akan gorengin telur :p, terus menyiapkan wortel mentah atau ketimun sebagai sayurnya. Untuk cuci baju itu juga urusan hubby. Seterika, hubby akan seterika satu baju sendiri setiap pagi. Bunda tugasnya hanya satu. BELAJAR.

Kalau perlu kita akan atur jadwal harian untuk bunda belajar. Hubby yang akan menjadi satpamnya. Skripsi bunda harus lekas tuntas sehingga kuliahnya juga bisa lekas selesai. Tak terbayang pasti bahagianya menyelesaikan studi master di saat suami baru bisa berangan-angan. Insya Allah ilmu yang wifey timba (semacam sumur), semoga barakah dan bermanfaat. Terkadang ada orang yang mencibir, ngapain sih perempuan sekolah tinggi-tinggi jika pada akhirnya cuma harus bertugas mengurus anak. Namun justru itu poinnya. Anak-anak berbakat tentunya adalah anak-anak yang dibesarkan oleh ibu yang cerdas dan berilmu. Semoga kelak anak-anak kita akan menjadi buah hati kebanggaan kita berdua.

Dear wifey, meski tanggal pulang bunda ternyata hanya dalam hitungan minggu, tapi kok rasanya lama ya. Seperti judul dear wifey email awal-awal itulah relativitas waktu. Tak sabar menanti untuk segera bertemu dan melakukan petualangan-petualangan seru lagi.

PS: I love you

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Dear wifey - Dua hari sebelum Ramadhan itu

Dear wifey,

Beberapa hari ini aku teringat di hari ketika aku mengungkap keseriusan untuk menjalankan hubungan dengan bunda. Masih di resto dhoek, 2 hari sebelum Ramadhan?

Time flies. Maka tak heran jika ada ungkapan bahwa dunia itu seperti mencelupkan jari ke air laut lalu diangkat. Air yang menyangkut di jari itu adalah dunia. Air yang jatuh dan lautannya itu adalah akhirat. Betapa sekejapnya dunia. Dulu saat tinggal di Jonggol selalu merotasi khutbah yang sama. Salah satu khutbah selalu menekankan bahwa terasa cepatnya waktu berjalan adalah tanda kita betah di dunia. Sementara kita sebaiknya tidak betah di dunia karena kita tidak tinggal di sini selamanya.

Kembali lagi ke masalah waktu kita yang cepat berjalan. Dalam waktu yang tidak terasa mungkin kita akan bertambah usia, punya banyak anak, anak-anak tumbuh besar, anak-anak menikah dan kelak mungkin kita diberi kesempatan mempunyai cucu, dan seterusnya sampai kapan pun aku selalu berharap kita untuk selalu bersama.

Masih terasa seperti kemarin message fb yang aku kirim. Wawancara kominfo yang singkat. Hingga kunjungan ke Jember setelah lebaran 2011. Dan kini sudah 1.5 tahun lebih kita menikah. Meski tidak selalu bersama, kelak semoga kita tak akan pernah terpisahkan. Terima kasih telah meneri lamaran untuk menjadi istriku. Sungguh tak pernah setitik pun aku menyesal atas keputusan yang aku ambil. Justru malah untaian syukur yang tak pernah terputus.

PS: I love you

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Dear wifey - Dunia dan Akhirat

Dear wifey,

Hari ini aku tidak ada ide spesifik mau menulis apa. Barangkali karena otak aku sudah terlalu kepenuhan kode.

Tapi aku ingat potongan ceramah yang aku dengar selewat di radio tadi pagi.

Manusia itu lucu. Manusia sering dipusingkan dengan dunia. Pusing pekerjaan, pusing bayar cicilan, pusing dengan hal-hal yang dia inginkan. Namun agak jarang kita pusing memikirkan bagaimana agar bisa masuk surga.

Dunia ini memang melenakan. Tentunya kita harus imbang memikirkan dunia dan akhirat. Memikirkan akhirat bukan berarti mengabaikan dunia.

Alkisah di masa lalu, ketika umur manusia bisa sampai beribu-ribu tahun ada dua orang berbicara. "Kelak akan ada umat yang usianya hanya sekitar 60 tahun saja."

Lawan bicaranya kaget. Sebab ia sendiri bisa hidup ribuan tahun. "Jika berimur hanya sesebentar itu, aku akan menghabiskan usiaku dengan sujud kepada Allah saja".

PS: I love you

Dear wifey - My First Gadget

Dear wifey,

This is the story of my first gadget. Hingga SMA setiap apa yang aku inginkan selalu berharap ke orang tua. Maklum pada waktu belum tahu caranya mencari uang. Hingga akhirnya kuliah dan mulai mengajar, sedikit-sedikit aku bisa punya uang sendiri. Gaji pertama aku saat mengajar adalah 25.000 per 90 menit. Tentunya di luar ongkos transportasi. Pernah satu waktu aku punya uang hampir satu juta rupiah dari mengajar.

Dari uang mengajar itu sebagian aku simpan untuk membeli hal-hal yang aku inginkan. Sebagian besar terkadang beli buku dan yang lain untuk membeli komputer dan juga perlengkapannya. Ada satu waktu yang dari dulu sekali ingin aku punya pada waktu itu. MP3 player. Pada masa itu handphone sudah banyak dipakai orang, tapi teknologi masih sangat terbelakang dibandingkan dengan sekarang. Untuk hp yang bisa memutar musik harganya benar-benar sangat mahal.

Kebutuhan untuk MP3 adalah untuk menemani perjalanan aku. Komuter hampir 2 jam sejalan benar-benar waktu yang lama. Seringkali aku tidur, membaca atau hanya bengong. Karena sejak dulu aku suka musik, aku ingin punya MP3 player portable yang bisa aku bawa dan mainkan lagu yang aku mau.

Akhirnya setelah menabung, aku membeli benda yang sangat aku inginkan itu. Pada masa awal keluarnya, MP3 player adalah barang yang sangat mahal. Yang aku beli adalah merk cina dengan kapasitas hanya 128 MB dan berharga hampir 400.000 rupiah di tahun 2004-2005. Aku beli ke Mangga 2 pada waktu itu. Dari kampus ke mangga 2 kami cukup sekali naik bus hantu. Sering disebut bus hantu karena bus itu adalah Mayasari nomor 905. Jika angkanya dibaca seperti huruf nanti akan terbaca seperti kata "GOS" yang terdengar mirip dengan kata "Ghost".

Sejak punya MP3 player rasanya dunia lebih berwarna. Langsung aku masukan musik-musik favoritku ke sana. Dengan kapasitas 125 MB kurang lebih aku bisa memuat 20 lagu. Pada waktu itu yang banyak masuk adalah lagu-lagunya rock alternatif seperti radiohead. Dan juga yang lama bertahan di player itu adalah lagu-lagu Jepang kesukaanku. Si MP3 ini pun multi fungsi, selain untuk music player juga untuk file storage tugas-tugas kuliah untuk di print ke rental printer.

Ada satu momen tersedih dari si MP3 ini. Masa ketika tutup si MP3 ini hilang. Playerku ini memiliki tutup plastik di ujung USB konektornya seperti beberapa model USB flash disk. Jika tidak hati-hati tutup ini rawan hilang. Sebenarnya tak ada fungsionalitas di tutup USB ini. Tanpa tutupnya MP3 pun tetap berfungsi tanpa masalah. Namun dari sisi estetis jadi terlihat jelek. Jadi sebaik mungkin aku selalu berupaya berhati-hati agar jangan sampai tutup USB MP3 kesayangan ini hilang. Setelah beberapa kali hampir hilang aku selalu berhasil menemukannya lagi. Hingga satu hari ketika naik 56 dari Cileungsi ke UKI saat berangkat kuliah, saat turun di UKI aku terhenyak ternyata tutup MP3 aku sudah raib. Nampaknya jatuh ketika turun dari 56. Pada waktu itu terkadang saat UKI sangat macet, para penumpang turun dari 56 sejak masih di daerah exit tol. Aku waktu itu sudah berjalan hampir ke depan kampus UKI. Aku pun langsung berjalan balik dan menyusuri tempat aku tadi berjalan datang. Aku perhatikan baik-baik setiap sudut trotoar, tanah, aspal tempat tadi seingat aku lewat. Hingga aku pun berjalan lagi balik ke exit tol uki yang dari arah Bogor. Setelah hampir setengah jam mencoba mencari tutup plastik hitam yang berukuran sekitar 2 jempol, akhirnya aku menyerah. Sejak hari itu MP3 itu sudah tak bertopi lagi. Bagaimana pun perangkat hitam kecil itu pernah menemani aku ke mana-mana.

Hingga sekarang seharusnya ia masih ada di Jonggol. Terakhir aku wariskan ke Thia. Sempat ia pakai beberapa tahun hingga akhirya Thia pun punya HP yang ada MP3 nya. Sedikit curhatan kosong di malam hari.

PS: I love you

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Dear wifey - Welcoming Ramadhan

Dear wifey,

Within one month we will meet again with Ramadhan. This gonna be our third Ramadhan. In 2011 was our first Ramadhan after we'd met. 2012 was our first Ramadhan as husband and wife. Furtunately event though not for whole month we spent last week of Ramadhan together then silaturahim along Hari Raya. In now time flies, we will meet Ramadhan again in very short time. Hopefully we'll have chance to celebrate Ramadhan until Hari Raya together.

Ramadhan always be a special moment. In this month every worship procession are granted more values by Allah. Sunah is considered value of Fardhu and Fardhu even multiplied 70 times. Let make a mission statement for this Ramadhan. Let we try to Qiyamul Lail every night before Sahur, then don't forget for Dhuha after children of Camels exposed to the sun, and why don't we try to Khatam Quran again?

Today's email will be just as short as this. Hubby still feels little bit not fit since sleepless last night. Let's gathered our happiness to welcome our holly month that will came. Let's prepare ourself as well to be ready for the whole month procession.

PS: I love you

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Dear wifey - Story of a Teacher

Dear Bunda,

Sekarang lanjut ke pulang kuliah. Pada masa-masa awal kuliah, biasanya jam kuliah sampai siang atau sore. Setelah jam kuliah habis biasanya menghabiskan waktu sejenak berkumpul dengan teman-teman. Dari sekedar duduk-duduk hingga mengerjakan tugas. Namun biasanya aku pulang sore. Pada kebanyakan kasus aku selalu pulang via UKI dan tak pernah lewat rambutan.

Mulai sekitar semester 3 aku mulai mengajar privat. Berhubung banyak senior yang mengajar privat dan UNJ terkenal sebagai kampusnya calon guru, banyak lembaga bimbel yang membuka lowongan. Aku mendaftar di Nurul Fikri. Seperti melamar pekerjaan pada umumnya aku harus menyiapkan CV dan mengirim surat lamaran. Akhirnya aku diundang wawancara.

Bimbel privat Nurul Fikri memiliki 2 pengurus. Satu orang bernama Pak Aziz. Dia admin divisi privat. Dia yang mengurus masalah perduitan setiap akhir bulan. Satu lagi aku lupa namanya. Si bapak ini juga adalah pengajar veteran di privat. Pada saat test dan wawancara pengajar baru dialah pewawancaranya.

Aku masih ingat hingga hari ini saat aku wawancara dia menggunakan kacamata hitam. Ternyata dia sedang sakit mata. Wawancara pun dimulai dari pertanyaan-pertanyaan standard. Salah satu pertanyaan yang lama aku menjawabnya adalah saat ditanya kelebihan dan kekuranganku. Aku tak tahu harus menjawab apa. Apalagi itu adalah wawancara kerja aku yang pertama. Bahkan sampai aku ditinggal ke WC untuk diberi waktu berpikir. Akhirnya aku jawab sebisaku. Kemudian dia pun memberikan pertanyaan-pertanyaan lainnya.

Bagian kedua adalah micro teaching yaitu simulasi mengajar. Dia berperan sebagai murid dan aku sebagai guru. Materi yang aku bawakan pada hari itu adalah Fisika. Aku lupa bab apa. Aku menjelaskan sambil menulis di whiteboard. Sesekali dia akan bertanya sebagai murid. Akhirnya selesailah test pada hari itu.

Selang beberapa hari kemudian jika tak salah aku ditelpon dan diterima sebagai guru privat. Aku disuruh menunggu untuk mendapatkan murid. Biasanya alokasi murid berdasarkan lokasi, waktu dan preferensi kita. Dari lembaga privat akan menawarkan, jika lokasi dan waktu cocok maka kita bisa mulai mengajar. Murid pertama aku adalah seorang anak SD kelas 3 atau 4. Kaget juga aku mendapat murid SD sebab aku lebih mengharapkan SMP atau SMA. Aku sempat benar-benar nervous menjelang mengajar pertama ini karena aku tak tahu harus bagaimana.

Nama murid pertamaku ini adalah Bangkit. Bapaknya nampaknya anggota legislatif, entah DPRD atau DPR. Rumahnya sangat besar, di ruang tamu banyak foto-foto si ayah dengan baju kuning kebangsaan golkar di mana-mana. Namun sayangnya dia nampaknya kurang bisa mendidik anak. Bangkit adalah anak yang sangat susah di ajar. Hampir tidak ada keinginannya untuk belajar. Namun aku coba bersabar beberapa bulan mengajar. Pernah satu waktu ketika jadwal les kita, tiba-tiba ibu dan saudara-saudaranya ingin berangkat ke mall. Seketika itu juga dia tak mau les dan ikut ke mall. Akhirnya aku cuma bisa pulang ke rumah. Aku lupa bagaimana perhitungannya aku pada waktu itu, apakah dibayar les atau tidak.

Sejak dimulai dari mengajar Bangkit, aku semakin agresif mengambil jadwal mengajar. Tujuannya adalah agar bisa mulai menabung. Namun aku tetap berusaha menempatkan kuliah di prioritas utama. Ada masanya ketika aku merasa sedih, selesai jam kuliah aku harus langsung ngacir ke rumah murid, sementara teman-teman yang lain masih bisa nongkrong bareng dan berkumpul bersama-sama. Saking agresifnya aku bahkan pernah sampai mengajar di hari sabtu. Di sabtu aku bisa mengambil 2 atau 3 tempat mengajar. Sementara senin sampai jumat pernah ada waktu ketika mengajar hampir setiap hari.

Salah satu momen berkesan juga yang aku ingat, aku pernah mengajar 2 sesi di daerah klender setelah maghrib. Aku baru selesai mengajar jam 9 lewat. Lewat jam 9 tak ada lagi angkutan umum yang lewat situ. Aku harus berjalan sekitar 2 atau 3 km untuk tiba ke tempat metro mini masih ada. Ketika dapat metro mini, perjalanan ke rumah hampir 3 jam di malam itu. Tiba-tiba hujan, banjir dan macet di mana-mana. Aku sampai rumah lewat dari jam 12.

Pada awal mengajar di Nurul Fikri, murid harus membayar 50.000 per sesi yaitu 90 menit. Dari 50.000 itu hanya 50percent yang masuk ke kantong pengajar. Sisanya harus disetor ke Nurul Fikri. Namun murid tetap membayar melalui aku. Setiap akhir bulan aku akan setor ke kantor Nurul Fikri berdasarkan absen les yang ditandatangani siswa. Hari gajian.

Dari semua murid yang pernah aku ajar, Dimas dan Dwiki lah yang paling berkesan dan lama diajar. Dua orang kakak beradik ini memang punya motivasi yang kuat untuk belajar. Lalu meski dari keluarga cukup kaya namun kedua anak ini tetap sederhana. Di akhir-akhir semester aku semakin mengurangi beban mengajar di Nurul Fikri karena beban kuliah pun semakin banyak. Alhamdulillahnya orang tua Dimas menawarkan untuk mengajar langsung tanpa melalui Nurul Fikri. Aku mengajar Dimas sejak kelas 1 SMP hingga ia lulus SMA. Gaji terakhir aku pada waktu itu adalah 100.000 per sesi. Aku masih mengajar hingga setahun lulus kuliah. Saat sudah kerja aku hanya mengajar hari Sabtu dan Minggu. Aku baru full berhenti mengajar ketika mulai kerja di NFS. Mungkin merasa sudah capek dan gaji pokoknya sudah lumayan cukup.

PS: I love you

Dear wifey - Bus sleeper

Dear Bunda,

Selama kuliah aku hanya pernah kost selama satu semester. Yaitu saat semester 7 tahun 2007. Itu pun karena pada semester itu aku praktik mengajar satu semester di SMK 26 Jakarta dari pagi jam 7 pagi hingga sore. Namun selain semester itu aku selalu komuter ke rumah.

Oh iya, ada masa ketika semester 3 atau 4 aku pernah tinggal di gedung ekstra kulikuler kampus. Semasa kuliah aku bergabung ekstra kulikuler Lembaga Kajian Mahasiswa (LKM). Group diskusi mahasiswa gitu. Pada waktu itu aku memutuskan tinggal di sana sampai beberapa bulan kalau tak salah. Aku hanya pulang ke rumah beberapa kali sehari. Alasan tinggal di sana adalah, pertama untuk menghemat pengeluaran. Kedua untuk bisa menggunakan komputer LKM di malam hari untuk mengerjakan tugas kuliah.

Balik lagi ke masalah komuting. Saat semester-semester awal, banyak perkuliahan yang dimulai jam 8. Untuk bisa sampai jam segitu, aku harus berangkat dari rumah jam 5 pagi. Maka di pagi-pagi buta aku sudah keluar rumah lalu berjalan kaki hingga pertigaan kaum tempat menyetop angkot. Aku memilih angkot yang tempat duduk depan di samping supir kosong. Sehingga aku bisa duduk di situ dan tidur sampai Cileungsi. Sampai Cileungsi aku pindah ke 56 jurusan UKI. Sebisa mungkin aku duduk di depan juga agar bisa lanjut tidur. Sesampai UKI aku sambung bus mayasari P57 jurusan pulau gadung atau P300 jurusan rawa mangun. Di awal kuliah tarifnya 1000 untuk penumpang umum. Aku sering membayar 500 karena memang ada konsensus tak tertulis jika anak kuliah bisa bayar lebih murah. Kemudian tarif naik menjadi 1500 untuk penumpang umum. Aku kemudian membayar 700. Namun seringkali cekcok dengan kondektur karena aku diminta bayar 1000. Kemudian akhirnya tarif bus naik menjadi 2000 untuk penumpang umum, akhirnya aku pun harus membayar 1000.

P57 lewat jalan pemuda yang merupakan bagian belakang kampus UNJ. Jalan pemuda adalah jalan raya besar di Jakarta Timur. Bus stop ke kampus ada dua. Bus stop pertama dekat dengan jurusanku. Namun aku lebih suka turun di bus stop setelahnya yang berada tepat di depan SMA Labschool.

P300 lewat Jalan Rawamangun muka dan gerbang depan UNJ ada di jalan ini. Biasanya P300 akan menumpahkan semua penumpanngya yang sebagian besar mahasiswa UNJ di sini. Lucunya meski kampus sudah berubah nama menjadi UNJ, setiap sampai sini kondektur tetap saja berteriak-teriak IKIP, IKIP, IKIP. Berangkat dari rumah jam 5 pagi biasanya aku akan sampai sekitar jam 7.30.

Ke kampus via UKI adalah salah satu alternatif. Selama masa kuliah aku pernah juga mencoba jalur lain, via kampung rambutan. Dari kampung rambutan ke jalan pemuda, aku naik mayasari P98A. Dari kampung rambutan ia akan masuk tol jagorawi, terus sambung tol dalam kota dan baru turun di rawamangun. Di jam kuliah sebagian besar penumpang bus ini adalah mahasiswa UNJ juga. Biasanya mahasiswa-mahasiswa yang tinggal di daerah jakarta timur, cibubur, depok, dan sekitarnya. Dan pada jam kuliah, bus ini akan penuh hingga benar-benar super miring. Pernah aku berdiri di dekat pintu dari rambutan hingga UNJ karena bus sudah kepenuhan. Namun di pintu pun masih ada beberapa orang yang bergelantungan hingga keluar.

Ada pengalaman lucu, satu waktu aku pernah salah naik bus dari rambutan. Aku naik P98 bukan P98A. Pada waktu itu aku girang sekali karena bus tidak padat seperti biasanya dan aku bisa duduk dengan nyaman. Ternyata P98 tidak lewat jalan pemuda. Ia keluar tol bukan di rawamangun, namun satu exit sebelumnya. Bus ini ke Pulogadung via Klender dan bukan jalan pemuda.

Oke semoga sedikit sharing sederhana ini tidak membosankan. Dilanjut lagi besok.

PS: I love you

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Dear wifey - Angkot Sleeper

Dear Wifey,

Masih melanjutkan tentang cerita tidur. Salah satu hal paling enak dari perjalan commuting adalah tidur di perjalanan. Hal ini memiliki beberapa manfaat. Pertama bisa menambah jam tidur jika seandainya semalam kurang tidur. Dua, bisa fast forward waktu untuk perjalanan cukup lama.

Namun ada kerugiannya juga. Satu adalah pemborosan waktu jika sebenarnya kita sudah cukup tidur. Sebenarnya akan lebih bermanfaat jika waktunya digunakan untuk membaca misalnya. Tapi ya sudahlah, mau cukup tidur atau kurang tidur, tidur saat commuting adalah sangat enak.

Flash back ke jaman dulu, kebiasaan tidur saat commuting sudah berlangsung sejak aku SMA. Saat SMA adalah masa ketika aku mulai "keluar kampung". Mulai dari suka jalan-jalan ke Cileungsi sebelum atau setelah sekolah. Hingga aku harus rutin bimbel di Jakarta dan les Bahasa Inggris di Bogor.

Aku les di LIA Bogor saat kelas 3. Pada jaman itu cibubur belum seramai sekarang, sehingga tempat les terdekat ya di Bogor itu. Aku les setiap sabtu jam 3 sore hingga jam 7 malam. Perjalanan ke Bogor sendiri minimal 2 jam. Biasanya aku naik angkot ke Cileungsi dengan ongkos 1000 untuk anak sekolah lalu disambung bus ke Bogor dari Cileungsi. Ongkosnya pun 1000 rupiah. Dari dulu saat naik angkot Jonggol - Cileungsi tempat duduk favoritku adalah di depan sebelah supir. Tujuannya agar bisa tidur enak. Dari Cileungsi aku pindah naik bus. Lanjut lagi tidurnya.

Demikian juga sama dengan commuting ke tempat bimbel ke Kramat Jati Jakarta Timur. Dulu bimbel Nurul Fikri inilah yang terdekat ke Jonggol. Btw, aku masih ingat saat survey mencari tempat bimbel terdekat aku diantar oleh bapak yang itu. Kami survey ke Nurul Fikri Kramat Jati dan Nurul Fikri Cijantung. Akhirnya pilihan dijatuhkan ke Nurul Fikri Kramat Jati. Aku les bimbel 2 kali seminggu jika tidak salah. Perjalanan 2 jam juga dari Jonggol.

Saat masa kelas 3 alhamdulillahnya meski sering "beredar" ke kota, tidak pernah sekali pun dipalak oleh anak sekolah lain. Padahal pada jaman itu daerah Cileungsi - Bogor dan apalagi Jakarta Timur cukup rawan untuk anak sekolah. Mungkin karena tampangku yang lurus-lurus saja sehingga jarang diusik. :p

Besok lanjut saat commuting kuliah ya.

PS: I love you

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Dear wifey - Morning Sleepy

Dear Wifey,

Seperti yang wifey tahu, beberapa hari ini aku agak susah tidur cepat. Padahal sudah aku selalu niatkan untuk tidur dini dan bangun lebih pagi juga. Tetap saja susah. Contohnya semalam, baru setelah lewat jam 12 akhirnya bisa tertidur. Alhamdulillah bisa bangun jam 5 kurang tadi. Shalat malam, sahur, lalu mandi dan shalat shubuh. Setelah Shubuh rasanya sangat mengantuk, hingga akhirnya aku tidur.

Setelah tertidur sekitar jam 6, aku bangun sebentar jam 7 untuk ke kamar mandi. Aku tidur lagi dan bangun jam 7.30. Saat bangun aku merasa lebih mengantuk lagi. Aku kuatkan untuk bangun, cuci muka, wudhu dan shalat dhuha. Aku cuma shalat dhuha 2 kali 2 rakaat. Sebab bahkan di saat 2 rakaat pertama aku nyaris tertidur dalam shalat. Selesai shalat langsung aku berangkat masih dalam kondisi mengantuk.

Aku berjalan secepat mungkin ke stasiun kereta dan berharap barangkali itu bisa mengurangi kantuk. Sampai Dakota aku langsung turun ke platform. Posisi favoritku adalah di ujung kereta. Entah di kepalanya atau di buntutnya. Tempat duduk non reserve namun aku bisa bersender ke sekat sebelah kanan atau kiriku. Sebab tempat duduk di kereta tak ada sandaran kepalanya. Jadi satu-satunya cara untuk bisa mengenakan diri untuk tidur adalah dengan bersandar ke sekat kanan atau kiriku.

X = My Favorite seat r = reserved seat n,u = other seat

|====DOOR==============DOOR============== |Xr rnnnnnnnnnnr rnnnnnnnnnnr | |Xr ruuuuuuuuuur ruuuuuuuuuur |====DOOR==============DOOR==============

Sejak dari Dakota aku sudah langsung pingsan. Hanya sesekali aku terbangun dalam linduran. Dan aku persis terbangun sesampai Haw Par Villa. Masih agak lemas namun sudah agak lebih baik. Keluar dari stasiun bus science park sudah menunggu. Bayar 40 sen lalu duduk sambil main line pop hingga sampai kantor.

Sesampai kantor langsung buka laptop dan full koding hingga saat ini. Ini aku break sejenak menulis dear wifey email sambil menunggu kode sedang dideploy. Itu dia sedikit curhat super ngantuk di pagi hari.

PS: I love you

Dear wifey - Sedikit Tentang Bangun Pagi

Dear Wifey,

Semalam aku baru tidur jam 2. Ada kodingan yang harus dikebut. Hingga tadi akhirnya baru terbangun jam 6.30. Untungnya di Singapura matahari baru terbit sekitar jam 7. Jadi jam 6.30 masih dalam waktu sah sholat Shubuh. Sebenarnya beberapa hari ini aku ada mission statement. Untuk bangun sebelum Shubuh, sholat malam dan belajar. Namun sayangnya mission statement itu belum tercapai.

Kalau tidak salah aku juga pernah cerita tentang keutamaan shalat Shubuh. Bahkan ada hadistnya untuk ini. "Sesungguhnya shalat yang paling berat bagi orang-orang munafik adalah shalat isya dan shalat shubuh. Sekiranya mereka tahu keutamaan yang ada dalam kedua shalat tersebut, niscaya mereka akan mendatanginya sekalipun dengan merangkak. Sungguh, aku bermaksud akan memerintahkan shalat agar dilaksanakan. Kemudian aku menyuruh seseorang untuk mengimami shalat bersama manusia, Kemudian aku pergi dengan beberapa orang membawa seikat kayu bakar kepada suatu kaum yang tidak menghadiri shalat, lalu aku bakar rumah mereka dengan api." (HR. Bukhari dan Muslim).

Lepas dari masalah agama dan lompat membahas produktifitas, dari yang aku tahu bangun pagi memang akan memberikan spirit yang lebih dibandingkan dengan bermalas-malasan. Bahkan hal ini diakui oleh beberapa penulis buku dari barat. Problemnya adalah mungkin karena kita belum terbiasa sehingga merasa itu sebagai hal yang berat. Bahkan orang-orang sering bilang, kalau keseringan bangun siang rejeki bisa-bisa dipacok (sunda: patuk) ayam. Ini adalah sebuah analogi, sebab ayam biasa sudah bangun pagi buta dan mencari rejekinya.

Selain ini bangun pagi adalah momen paling produktif bagi manusia. Sebab biasanya sebangun tidur pikiran masih sangat segar dan siap menerima tantangan apa pun. Kalau pun ada waktunya tetap ingin bermalas-malasan, mungkin bisa satu atau dua kali seminggu saja setiap akhir pekan. Bebas jika mau tidur lagi sampai lemas setelah Shubuh. Tapi dari yang sering aku rasakan, kebanyakan tidur itu rasanya amat sangat tidak enak. Saat cukup tidur memang bangun pagi terasa berat. Namun setelah mulai sedikit beraktifitas biasa akan lebih segar dengan sendirinya.

Sebenarnya email ini adalah wasiat untuk diri pribadiku juga. Tak dapat dipungkiri, untuk tidak tidur lagi setelah shubuh, apalagi jika memang capek adalah sangat berat. Paling tidak, mari kita sama-sama saling menguatkan untuk jangan pernah kelewatan waktu Shalat Shubuh.

PS: I love you

Monday, June 3, 2013

Dear wifey - Mimpi 2013

Dear wifey,

Banyak motivator dan buku yang bilang, jika kita tidak bisa menuliskan apa yang kita inginkan, artinya kita tidak serius dengan keinginan tersebut.

Berikut adalah 4 wishlist hubby tahun ini. Sebelum tahun 2014 hubby ingin: 1. Mendapat beasiswa S2 mengikuti jejak bunda 2. Membeli rumah tempat kita bernaung 3. Mempunyai Yuna atau kakaknya Yuna 4. Umrah

Elaborasinya sebagai berikut. Untuk beasiswa, aku masih penasaran dengan segala kegagalan-kegagalan yang sudah terjadi. Salah satu hikmah yang aku petik adalah mungkin Allah ingin aku lebih memantaskan diri dan meluruskan niat.

Untuk rumah, di mana pun kita tinggal lama kelak, mungkin pada akhirnya akan pulang ke Indonesia. Jadi di mana pun itu entah di Jogja, Batam atau Jakarta semoga kita bisa segera memiliki rumah mungil nyaman kita di tahun ini. Meski konyolnya aku tak tahu mampu dari mana dengan keinginan itu.

Tiga, segera punya keturunan. Namun tetap dijalani dengan penuh kesabaran, ikhlas dan tawakal.

Empat, belakangan ini aku tiba-tiba merasa terpanggil untuk beribadah ke tanah haram. Jika bisa sebelum akhir tahun ini juga. Rejekinya dari mana? Wallahualam juga. Mari kita mulai dengan perbanyak sedekah, ibadah wajib dan sunah, doa dan pengharapan yang tak putus.

Jadi itu dia sedikit curahan hati di pagi hari.

PS: I love you

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Dear wifey - One Week

Dear wifey,

Masih melanjutkan sedikit kegalauan. Minggu lalu adalah hari terakhir kita bersama sebelum bunda berangkat ke Jerman. Ada sedikit hikmahnya juga aku MC, setidaknya kita bisa bersama seharian penuh pada hari itu. Sehingga aku juga bisa ikut mengantar bunda ke airport juga.

Pagi-pagi seperti biasa kita sarapan di Geylang Serai. Lalu ke China Town untuk mengambil durian pastry yang ternyata belum ada. Langsung pulang lagi dan menghabiskan waktu sampai sore tanpa ke mana-mana.

Sorenya kita berangkat ke bandara naik MRT. Rasanya sedih sekali waktu itu. Melepas istri tercinta untuk berangkat menuntut ilmu itu sangat berat di hati. Kita naik MRT terus sesampai di airport langsung checkin dan mereimburse GST. Lumayan 11 dollar. Setelah itu kita makan malam bareng.

Tanpa terasa akhirnya aku harus melepas wifey ke pintu keberangkatan. Setahun lebih yang lalu, akhir Maret 2012 kita pernah mengalami momen sama. Namun pada waktu itu rasanya lebih menyedihkan. Yang kita bayangkan pada waktu itu adalah kita baru mungkin berkumpul lagi setelah 2 tahun. Oleh karena itu sehari setelah itu keluarlah email dear wifey yang pertama.

Namun tetap, keberangkatan wifey kali ini pun tetap membuatku sedih. Meski tanpa disangka kita berhasil melewati masa-masa berjauhan sekitar satu tahun, tetap saja sehari tanpamu itu rasanya sangat sepi. Barangkali kita bisa akan bertemu lagi dalam beberapa minggu, atau maksimal dalam beberapa bulan. Aku ingin bisa datang di hari sidang thesismu. Melihat gadis jeniusku mempresentasikan karyanya.

Setelah itu Insya Allah aku sudah meniatkan diri untuk umrah. Pada waktu yang sama aku juga ingin kita bisa segera untuk membuka tabungan haji. Baru kemudian aku ingin menghabiskan waktu beberapa minggu bertualang. Keliling Eropa dan juga mengunjungi beberapa tempat indah di Indonesia.

Oh ya pada waktu yang sama aku juga masih terus akan melamar beasiswa dan pekerjaan. Tak sabar menanti kejutan-kejutan lain dari Allah. Tak sabar untuk terus melakukan banyak petualanganan denganmu.

PS: I Love you



Saturday, June 1, 2013

Dear wifey - First Sunday without Wifey

Dear Wifey,

Ini adalah hari minggu pertama tanpa wifey. Padahal masih terasa seperti kemarin, kita masih barengan ke mana-mana. Bahkan konyolnya hari minggu yang lalu tiba-tiba aku sakit. Padahal aku orang yang Alhamdulillah agak jarang sakit. Kalau boleh dibilang tidak enak badan aku yang minggu lalu adalah yang terparah semenjak pindah ke Singapura. Kalau boleh jujur barangkali itu adalah ungkapan bawah sadarku yang dikomuninikasikan melalui kondisi tubuh untuk menyatakan bahwa aku merasa sangat sedih ditinggal wifey.

Minggu lalu setelah dipaksa akhirnya aku mau berangkat ke dokter. Insya Allah aku akan selalu ingat hari itu, di mana kita berjalan berdua mencari doktor menerobos gerimis. Hampir tak pernah lupa selalu bergandengan tangan sambil terus berpayung dan sesekali agak mengangkat celana mengindari becekan. Semoga kita bisa terus mengingat momen-momen romantis, lucu, perjuangan yang pernah kita lalui hingga tua kelak.

Untuk ke depan sebenarnya aku masih gamang mengenai apa yang akan terjadi. Mungkin aku akan mencoba melamar beberapa beasiswa dan juga melamar beberapa universitas jadi jika kelak mendapat beasiswa siapa tahu sudah mendapat admission letter. Masih terus mencoba melamar beberapa pekerjaan juga. Kemarin sudah submit cv ke facebook namun aku belum mengerjakan coding testnya. Sulit sekali soalnya :).

Belum ada hal bagus yang terpikirkan olehku untuk dibagi pada hari ini. Just want to say, have a nice day. Semangat terus untuk kuliahnya bunda.

PS: I love you

Friday, May 31, 2013

Dear wifey - First Weekend without you

Dear Wifey,

Barusan hubby baru saja berenang. Salah satu mission statement hubby kali ini adalah untuk menjadi kurus saat nanti kita bertemu lagi. Jadi jangan pangling ya kalau nanti perut hubby sudah sixpack, dada bidang dan lengang kekar #ApaSih. Minggu lalu padahal kita masih jalan-jalan dan termasuk berenang bareng. Dan kini kita sudah berjarak ribuan kilometer dan belasan jam perjalanan.

Saat wifey di sini aku selalu semangat menyambut akhir pekan. Artinya kita bisa menghabiskan waktu seharian bersama. Pergi kemana pun kita mau, makan makanan enak, jalan-jalan ke perpustakaan atau window shopping ke mall. Tapi sekarang tanpa wifey di sini akhir pekan terasa biasa saja. Justru rasanya malas menyambutnya.

Rencana hari ini adalah pergi ke perpustakaan lalu jika tidak malas ke toko buku sebentar kemudian ke Geylang Serai untuk brunch. Siang-siang mau latihan IELTS, terus belajar matematika, mengisi aplikasi ADS dan DAAD, browsing-browsing Erasmus Mundus dan tika-tika perkerjaan.

Berhubung hari ini tidak ada topik spesifik yang terpikir, demikian dulu dear wifey email untuk hari ini. Atas waktu dan tempatnya hubby ucapkan terima kasih.

PS: I love you

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Dear Wifey - Shalat Dhuha

Dear wifey,

Sedikit berbagi mengenai keutamaan shalat dhuha. Seperti yang pernah kita baca, shalat dhuha itu bisa membuka pintu rejeki. Manfaat tersebut dapat kita lihat dari doa yang dibaca bada dhuha yang intinya meminta dimudahkan untuk meminta rejeki dari segala arah. Sesuai dengan pendapat Yusuf Mansyur, Allah itu adalah tempat pengharapan, jadi berharap kelancaran rejeki dengan berdhuha nampaknya bukan sesuatu yang salah. Asalkan kita tak bosan berikhtiar dan tak berhenti bersyukur.

Shakat dhuha adalah salah satu shalat sunah favoritku. Waktu pelaksanaannya sangat nyaman sekali. Tahajud itu adalah shalatnya orang-orang pilihan. Sebab hanya bisa dilaksanakan oleh orang yang benar-benar berniat kuat. Namun dhuha sebenarnya bisa dilakukan oleh siapa saja. Setiap pagi sekitar 30 menit setelah syuruk hingga sebelum waktu dzuhur 2-12 rakaat. Untuk pekerja bisa melangsungkan sebelum berangkat ke kantor. Mahasiswa dan pelajar bisa menjalankan di mushala kampus atau sekolah. Ibu rumah tangga bisa bershalat setelah mengurus anak-anak. Jadi mari kita berdhuha dengan kemudahannya tadi dan faedahnya yang luar biasa.

PS: I love you

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Dear wifey - Hari Dua

Dear wifey,

Hari kedua tanpa bunda. Kamar terasa kosong dan walau terdengar garing, hidup terasa sepi. Saat bunda eksis, pagi-pagi pasti sudah berisik. Malam-malam pun tak berhenti berceloteh. Satu-satunya waktu saat bunda sunyi adalah ketika tidur :p. Tapi aku sangat suka itu. Tak terbayang jika dua-duanya kita sama-sama pendiam. Semoga anak-anak kita nanti akan seceria dan secerewet bunda ?.

Weekend kali ini pun pasti akan sangat beda. Weekend-weekend lalu pagi-pagi bunda biasanya heboh sudah menarik-narik aku ke Geylang Serai. Tiba-tiba aku jadi teringat juga kebiasaan kita sarapan weekend di KFC City Square. Oh waktu kenapa ia cepat sekali berputar.

Semangat terus untuk persiapan thesisnya ya bunda. Tak sabar menanti keributan dan kehebohan bunda pagi. Baru dua hari tapi aku sudah bosan dengan sepi. Nanti di waktu weekend kita akan ke Geylang Serai lagi atau ke mana pun bunda mau.

PS: I love you

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Dear wifey - 4 Bulan

Dear wifey,

Menurut catatanku email dear wifey terakhir bertanggal 24 Maret 2013. Jadi sekitar 2 bulan lalu. Dengan momen keberangkatan bunda ke Jerman biarkanlah tulisan-tulisan singkat ini menjadi pengobat kekangenan.

Dear wifey, hampir 4 bulan bersamamu rasanya kok pendek sekali. Kemarin adalah masa terlama bersama semenjak kita berumah tangga. Semoga bunda berkenan dengan semua pengalaman bersama kita kemarin. Alhamdulillah bisa jalan-jalan ke Bali Lombok. Jalan-jalan ke Bandung. Jalan-jalan ke Batam. Membantu hubby mengurus visa. Menemani mencari apartemen baru hingga mengurusi pindah-pindahan. Tak lupa bersama-sama kita menyambut kedatangan keluarga ke sini.

Selama 4 bulan kemarin hubby meminta maaf jika banyak kesalahan yang sudah hubby lakukan. Membentak bunda di malam saat menyiapkan dokumen visa hingga bunda menangis. Hubby menyesal dan berjanji tidak akan mengulangi hal semacam itu lagi. Tak lama hubby juga sampai membuat bunda kelaparan hingga perut bunda sakit saat malam-malam kita menunggu couple Filipina selesai makan. Bukannya kemudian berlaku lembut aku malah berkesan menyalahkan bunda. Maafkan aku. Tak cuma itu, saat masa-masa menunggu perpanjangan kontrak aku banyak berlaku tak ramah pada bunda karena harus aku akui bahwa aku stress. Tapi aku sadar tak patut aku berlaku seperti itu.

Itu hanya sedikit dari kesalahan-kesalahan yang aku buat. Maafkan aku untuk yang lain juga. Insya Allah dengan segala cara aku ingin menjadi suami yang sempurna. Selalu lembut dan sabar. Selalu mencukupi kebutuhan lahir batin bunda.

Wifey adalah sosok tak tergantikan bagiku. Perhatian, lembut, manja dan lucu. Jika memang ada kalanya ujian rumah tangga datang dari godaan orang ketiga, semoga Allah berbelas kasih tak menurunkan ujian semacam itu. Sebab sekali lagi sosokmu tak akan tergantikan dengan siapapun. Sudah berbagai pengalaman susah dan senang kita jalani. Memetik kata-katamu juga sayang, jika kelak ada konflik diantara kita (semoga konflik yang menguatkan dan dapat kita pecahkan bersama) aku akan mencoba mengingat masa-masa sulit kita bersama. Masa-masa di mana engkau tak pernah lelah mendorongku, membantu dan menyemangati. Jika ada bidadari yang turu ke dunia maka itu adalag kamu sayangku. Tanpa terlalu puitis berlebihan, jika di surga orang shaleh boleh minta ditemani banyak bidadari, aku hanya ingin denganmu saja.

Dear wifey, tak sabar menunggu perjumpaan selanjutnya. Mari semangat terus berkarya dan beribadah.

PS: I love you

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Dear wifey - Milestone

Dear Wifey,

It is always peaceful seeing you sleep. Words is always difficult to prove anything. But I just want you to know, that my love to you is never diminish. It is always same here in my hearth, the same amount, even larger and larger. But I understand that woman sometime is sensitive. Woman can recognizes and feels something that never thought by a man.

Recently I am thinking a lot about future. Where we will live. Where we will spent most of our time. Sometime I feel so grateful that Allah is so kind to me. And I feel ashamed because I am still thinking that I don't obedient enough. Sometime praying late, rarely reading Quran, etc. But still Allah is so kind. He never stop to give me a surprise. Start from made me get married with wonderful woman. Opportunities to move to Singapore which I cannot deny give us a better life. And now He give another opportunities (when everything go smooth) to go to Amsterdam. Do you know, since long time a go I always want to step my legs in land of Europe. And suddenly when faith has written it can just came without notice. This gonna be an important milestone in my life and of course our life.

I cannot promise you to have a super wealthy life. But I want to promise to have beautiful-full-adventure-never-boring-life. Money is important but not super important. The most important thing is to life grateful and how we can give an advantage to other people. If at the end we still can have opportunity to be a super wealth family, then it is a bonus.

Dear wifey, thank you for always be patient with me. Thank you for always prepare super delicious meal everyday. Thank you for always taking care of me. I am sorry if I still cannot to be a perfect husband yet. But I promise I will learn to be such way.

PS: I love you

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Dear wifey - Welcoming My Lover

Dear Bunda,

This last several days with you are the greatest day of my life ever. Even when sometime on those days we didn't do anything. Just lying, cudling, ticling always an enjoyable moment.

In this second years of our marriage I am still wonder where we will heading. There are some plans. But the end result is still mysterious. I just wanna be have beautiful life with you. With some adventures, learning many new things, trying something we haven't known, visiting new place, learn new language, etc. I will make sure that this 3 months forward will be an awesome time for you. I will be your guard so you will be finishing your school assignment with focus ;). I will be the partner for our culinary hunting. I will be a travel mate for our travel adventures. I will be a sparing discussion partner for any of our talk, from light topic to heavy topic. I always want to make sure that you will be happy when you are with me.

PS: I love you



Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Dear wifey - Grow Old with You

Dear Bunda,

I want to say that time seems move fast. Yes it is when you are with me. But when we are not together actually it feels slow. But thankfuly, the time has come. We will meet again in couple of hours.

Sometime I think life is hard. There will be some test and difficulties along the way. The another benefit of marriage is we are not alone when fighting in this life. There will be someone that will hear our talk. Even there is a song that said there will be a shoulder to cry on.

Difficulties in life are varies. From the simplest to the most complex. From money matter to abstract matter that cannot be understood easily. Whatever they are, the test is a process to grow ourself. To be better and to be stronger.

Life is still so long in front of us. Insya Allah. As the time flow and we are getting older there gonna be some changes and new thing and experience that we can see. More wise hopefully, more humble, more settle, more wealth and more grateful. There will be a day when our home will be filled by small children that will always follow whereever you go. Those children will be grow up seems with no time. I always considering so much about proper holistic education for children. Not only formal education but teach them to have a good character and honest. They also have to critice, asking so much, love reading, love learning and full of confidence but still humble. I just want to pour what the things that defficient and my life. I've never felt have proper love from my dad and not proper communication from my mom. I really want those experience will be not repeating for my descendant. I wanna grow old with you.

Can't wait to see again in this very close time. Thank you so much for always be so patient to me. I want to be whereever we live I can make our house like a heaven for you. I always want to treat you properly and with full of love.

PS: I love you