Moving Thy Blog?

Hrrr... I never expected I have to move from this blog this fast.

So far, I enjoy using this blog. The system is simple and easy to use. The design is quite nice to see. And, the best of all, the choice for background images is nearly unlimited. All in all, I honestly love using blogger.

However, blogger is also limited in many things. In what I especially need, for example: the option to make private certain post entries while the blog itself is visible to everyone.

Lately, when thinking of posting some of my raw ideas into this blog, I begin to worry about what I should and should not put. I mean, I can't just blabber every little detail and let others know what I'm up to. Many people won't care, granted, but some of these are really, really raw that I have a nagging feeling when about to post it.

So, I come to one conclusion, that an option to make one post is invisible to others is necessary. Unfortunately this option is not provided in Blogger, which means I have to move -- at least, that's what I think.

Still, I think it's worth trying. Why not? I love it here, especially with its simplistic environment, but with this limited capability of this blog, I can't just stick with it. Alas, I cannot!

For that reason, I decided to make another blog in Livejournal under the same name: Doodle Scrabble.

But will I really move forever? I don't know. For now, I'm gonna give this new blog a try. If I'm happy there ... well, perhaps I'll stay there. But if not, I'll come back here. Everything depends on the future.

Anyway, first thing first. I have to move all my previous posts here into my new blog. For some emotional reason, I don't want to lose all my posts here.

See you guys there.

Prezi: Innovation in Presentation

One more post before I forgot. In fact, this was the original post for today, while the previous one is just an additional idea I got when I checked my email inbox.

I just tried to use another presentation software for the very first time in my life. As far as I can remember, I only use PowerPoint, PowerPoint and PowerPoint for any kind of presentation. Only this time, just this Tuesday to be more exact, I tried to use another software: Prezi.

This is not exactly a free software, actually, but indeed you can use the free version with many limitations. And because this is still my first time to use it, I don't dare to use the paid version. Though, I must say after my first usage, I'm quite satisfied to use it.

The free version must be made online, unfortunately, so having a good internet connection is essential here. And so is time. The best part of Prezi is that it fits perfectly for everyone who wants his/her presentation more innovative and 'archaic'. Unlike PowerPoint, Prezi enables you to rotate the presentation freely, zoom to any directions and move not between slides but between places. Imagine it is a big blackboard, and you hold a camera for making a movie. Then imagine you zoom in into one part of the blackboard, and then roll your camera to another part. The result is like watching a film, right? That's just how it is using Prezi: it's like you're using a film for your presentation.

I must say Prezi can be a better option, especially for those who take art and need to show their creativity through their presentation. However, making Prezi needs much more time. You need to develop both content and the design of the presentation. Where will you focus at after this? How will the camera move? All of these need a certain amount of consideration. Still, it's quite challenging to make an original presentation for your Prezi!

Prezi, however, indeed has its limitation. Three limitations, as I have found it. First, unlike PowerPoint, you can't use animation in your presentation. You can move the focus freely, indeed, but you can't make the word disappear or use certain visual effects, like when you use PowerPoint. That's when ol' PowerPoint can be useful.

Secondly, Prezi uses a lot of movement to create its presentation. If not careful, it will end up making your audience confused. Make sure you give a gap between each movement, so readers don't need to feel their heads dizzy.

Lastly, unless you have a paid account, your Prezi can be seen by everyone and can be downloaded in one click. This is especially troublesome if you have a very important, top secret presentation you want to keep from annoying spectators. 'Twas annoying...

That's all, I suppose, a glimpse to Prezi. I have tried to make one myself for Myths and Legends presentation. Check it out. I hope it's not that confusing. I didn't use the twisting movement in fear I might get the audience confused. This is still my first experiment, so my apologies if it's still not in a perfect quality!

EF Joking!

Hrrr ... I haven't posted any new post for what feels like forever. But at least I have time again today...

I just got an email from EF today. It seems they made videos for all people who once had taken a lesson there. And, I must say, this video is amusingly DISTURBING, in sarcastic kind of way. I wonder who dared to make this video. Too much flattery.

Seriously, just watching the video itself, I feel giddy. I really, really don't know what to say about it. I don't know I should be angry, snap, be embarrassed or laugh uncontrollably until my intestines explode. Whoever made this must be a very amazing joker...

Seriously, I do want succeed, but not in that sort of way. Nuh-uh. Me being adored by thousands people will be some kind of nightmare. Let alone, being invited to a talkshow or leading a campaign for peace. Hrrr ...

Still, whoever made that video is quite smart. I wonder how they can change the name and the picture. What program are they using? I'm thinking of making something like that for my friends if only I have time, with a more twisted ending. Hee hee hee...

Anyway, here is the video. Not recommended for underage. And some of these use Indonesian, so you might not understand what they say. Hope your imagination can improvise.

Well, have fun.

Squee!

Diana's Shine

Heaven's chariot
Of the maiden Diana
Placed among the stars

...I dunno why this haiku appears in my head.

Lately I smell like Greek mythology. Especially after I began my research for Myths and Legends presentation. Combined with haiku and tanka I learn from Language and Writing, plus the beautiful moon I saw yesterday evening, this haiku is the result.

Yep, I managed to wake up and gaze at this decade's brightest full moon! It's all thanks to King, though, my housemate, for waking me up before it was too late. This haiku came the night before, when I was walking home and seeing the moon. This morning, when I walked back to uni, I came up with a tanka which I think I'll use for Language and Writing portfolio. 'Twas no harm in adding one or two more tankas.

Hrrr ... The brightest moment of Diana the Huntress. It's so cool. Wish my phone has a better camera. I have asked Ali to take a photo, though, and I hope he managed to wake up, as well.

The Clockworks

Hrrr! 'Tis finally weekends!

I can't believe I missed the morning Saturday church today. I overslept! Perhaps 'tis just because this week is so busy and consumes all my energy. I have felt tired since yesterday, indeed, but I ignored it because I have a rare feeling that I know what to do with Cobweb. So, in conclusion, I just wasted my time reworking the story, even though I should have slept to go to the church. Now that I thought about it, it sounds like my own mistake, doesn't it?

Now, now, I guess it's all worth it. I can still go to the evening church, can I not? After all, the evening church is near uni, and I'll spend all day there! Not so much difficult ... I hope.


I decided to change Cobweb's story to include a specific machine called 'clockwork,' instead of calling them just 'machine.' At first I was thinking of calling them as robot, but after further thinking, 'robot' sure sounds so futuristic. This story didn't take place in the future, but just an alternative world based on ours at this very second. Then I moved to 'machine,' as I was saying before, but this I also dismissed. It sounds so very Terminator-like.

So, I suppose, clockwork is better. They were all made of parts of a clock, of course, as the name suggest. The original idea came when I was browsing Endling's DeviantArt. There was a drawing of clockwork bunnies, and I thought it was really wicked, and I wanted to take the idea of creatures made of clockworks. Ideas are not copyrighted, are they not? Besides, I also created the creatures myself -- I just got inspired by the 'clockwork' name there. I love his creepy-drawing-style.

I'm still in process of designing the characters, though. I got the idea of the story itself, but the characters ... still need some changes.


By the way, Yahoo!News said that tonight the moon will be much bigger and brighter for the last decade. Especially tomorrow, 5 AM in the morning, it was the time the biggest moon reaches its full shape. I wanna see!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Blech. I didn't write more post yesterday. The reason? Laziness! Hrrr ...

Anyway, back to the busiest moment in my life. Well, gotta admit that this statement is a bit very exaggerating, though. I have been even busier, back when I was in the second grade of high school, when I was ... *sob*

This time, as I remember I've posted before, I joined the college magazine: GSM. These last days, I have finished an article about "writing versus typing" and then sent it to the editor. The result is unknown. So far, I haven't seen or heard anything about my article.

But then -- yesterday, to be exact -- the editor sent a message to all of us that he would be happy if there was someone who were willing to help proof-reading. And I thought, why not? I haven't been that busy, anyway, as I haven't got any real part-time job. Besides, I love working as an editor, don't I? Why don't I come to help? So I said, and so I went.

'Twas not bad, really. In fact, it's marvelous. Today, I was especially busy. From the morning I had been in the office to sort all of the articles. Then I had a lecture for Language and Writing (the theme was comics, by the way, which I also love), and then went back editing. Then I finished the day with the tutorial for the same subject, finished about four o'clock and then helped Ali to brainstorm ideas for the cover until seven. In conclusion, today I was sooooo busy!

And now I was about to start with Myths and Legends presentation for next week. Perfect.

Still, I think it's all worth it. I never succeed to get a part-time job, anyway (which I'm curious if that's just because I'm still too lazy or what, even though I have given my resume everywhere), so why don't at least spend my time doing the things I love? Why not becoming a volunteering editor?

Hrrr ... I suppose I'll stick with this job for a while. Maybe after this edition is published, I'll try to seek a job as a writer or something. The best thing in ECU is they have a career consultant, from which I hope I can get help about my job. Hopefully, but there's no harm in trying.

Hrrr ... I'm so tired.

Invader Zim: Jhonen is Back!

The book for GSM hasn't arrived yet. And I'm supposed to finish the review today. Hrrr...

Okay, I was pretty lazy yesterday, I admit. Because of waiting for the book (it's titled UFO Dairy, by the way), I have to stay in uni, preparing to read like the wind once the book has arrived. I can't leave, or else I will the chance to get the book. So, with that excuse, I wasted my time by watching Invader Zim in YouTube. It was an animation created by Jhonen Vasquez, the same lunatic who wrote JTHM and Squee which I deeply adore. I was thinking, because this was a children's movie (yes, I'm fond of childish movie, but so what? Many adults do), the movie couldn't be that bad. And I was right ... though I was wrong at the same time.

Invader Zim is really Jhonen's style. If I sum it up, it can only be one word: I-N-S-A-N-E. All the characters, except perhaps a few with minor roles, are mad. One of them, GIR, is undoubtedly stupid and mad. Dib is probably mad, because he's also wondering if he's mad and he talks to himself. Zim is an idiot, though it's also possible he's mad. Gaz is absolutely mad. In fact, the other humans must also be mad, because they don't even realise there's an alien among them, even though he's poorly disguised and behaves unlike a normal person. I quite like it, though.

The cartoon itself is full of nonsense and absolute hideousness, which surprisingly looks good. The characters are somehow scared of nut-chewing moose, for unknown reason. Zim's spaceship can remain working when hitting an asteroid, but breaking down when hitting a very small bee. And Zim later even has a robot bee resembling the bee that destroys his ship, even though he claims he wants to destroy a bee. In several occasions, they even show things that only belongs to Happy Tree Friends, like organs (disturbingly detailed) and brain and stuff. Especially in the first episodes. It gets better, though, as the story progresses. Still full of nonsense, but less hideousness.

Too bad this cartoon is cancelled in the process. I don't know how I should react. In one way, I understand Nickelodeon's reason not to show hideousness to children, but on the other hand, I think this movie is good as long as this "hideousness" is lessened a bit. The first episodes, especially that involves showing organs and taking off one's eyes, even though it's only shown in the shadow. Except when Gaz wants to save their family's night -- I quite think showing hideousness there is a good idea. In fact, rather than hideous, it looks kind of funny.

Seriously, I don't think there will be any cartoon like this ever again.

MLC's Birthday!

Oh yeah. Today I feel grrrrreeeeeaaaaattttt for unknown reason!

Today is Mount Lawley Church's fourth birthday. As I'm sure I know but I never write it down in this blog (so, I shall write, in case the future me will read this), starting from this year I go to the church twice. Saturday I go to a Roman Catholic church near my homestay, and Sunday to Mount Lawley Church (a.k.a. MLC), which is actually a IPHC church. I started to do this after my uncle and aunt protested about me going to another church. I don't mind, actually, because all I seek is God, not Catholic or Christian or Islam or other religions. Besides, MLC is the first church and the first community I found in Australia. Emotionally speaking, they're like a family to me. I can't just leave them like that. I just can't.

Another reason is because the Roman Catholic church near my homestay is (I'm sorry to say) old. The only ones who come there are the elders, with only one or two generation Y including me. Still, except for a little girl that I think is in primary school, I'm the youngest there. It's very unlike in Indonesia. I'm kind of lonely there that only going to that church is unthinkable. MLC, on the other hand, is much more lively. I met many other people there, most of them have even helped me a lot, even though it's not really my religion. Still, they welcome me nicely, so ... what the heck? Having a different religion isn't a bad thing, anyway.

So, in order to avoid trouble with my family members, I decide to go to both. No trouble, right? They told me to go to a Roman Catholic church, and I do! No problem. Kind of cheating, but hey, 'tis not wrong! Happy birthday, MLC! Forgive me for two-timing!

.HACK//G.U. Trilogy

Whew! My mind feels much more refreshed now! Too bad my works are now piling up...

Nevertheless, I don't mind having a rest. Last week, I feel so very busy that I got headache time to time. Perhaps that was why yesterday I unintentionally decided to have a rest. I began doodling Cobweb and Samaritana again, followed by the Mad Moth, and finally finalise the story. I'll need some new ideas about the twins that will help Cobweb later in the story, but I don't know how. I still have no idea how the best they should look like. Anyhow...

'Twas the work stuff. Just this morning, because I still felt crowded with all of my schedules, I decided to have another quick rest and browsed YouTube. And then I came up with the .HACK//G.U. the movie. I didn't know they have it in YouTube, so I decided to watch it, and then...

I love it!

Well, seeing the plot, the story itself is really bad. Too many jumps skips and unexplained gaps between events. In one scene, I even barely understand what's going on until the next scene appeared. I still think it might be a bit better if they separate it into three movies (hence, trilogy), so more aspects can be included into the story.

Nevertheless, the director is quite smart to crop and combine these stories. Even though it won't make sense to those who haven't played the game (thankfully, I have), the story itself is quite enjoyable for those who have played it. The design character is very cool, especially for Haseo's newest form and Atoli's AIDA form. The fighting is wicked, especially at the very end of the story. I just wish Haseo and Atoli's AIDA form would engage into a battle -- I really want to see what kind of attack the AIDA form would use.

Too bad, though, Avatars are barely important in the story -- the avatar battle only happened twice, against Azure Kite and against Ovan. Ovan also seves as the main villain, while the reason he becomes a villain, AIDA, is not explained further at all. In the other words, if you never played game before, you would barely remember anything about AIDA, which should be the basic of the story itself.

Personally, I think they better delete Azure Kite, too, if they want to make the story this different. Seeing the plot, Azure Kite is indeed served as a villain, but there's no reason why he becomes one. It's just ... SNAP, and here you go, a villain. He's barely important, except as an object of hatred one third of the story. Better delete him if that's the case, and immediately move to Ovan.

Kuhn and Pi are also barely important. In one scene, they show how Kuhn is irritated, indeed, but that doesn't show much of his characteristic. And so does Yata, except that he looks all-mysterious and powerful in many ways. It would be better if they give them more voices.

What I like the best is the ending. Though I hope they will give Aina, Ovan's little sister, more chance, the ending itself is quite beautiful, especially when Ovan and Aina are in the open field. And they even provide the last bit of mystery, right after the credit, which doesn't appear in the original game (or at least so far I know it). I really like the design of Xth form, which looks very calm and peaceful compared to the other forms. The colour is also the opposite of before: white looks much, much better for this kind of design. Overall, the narrative itself is good with so much limited characters.

Things to Do

Yeah, finally it's the end of the week. Yet I still have a lot of things I want to do and I must do. Somehow, I don't feel excited for this weekends -- I feel I've never been so busy.

I need to finish reading Bulfinch's Age of Fable. I need it to grasp the basic idea of classical mythology. I really want to know more about it, because if I don't, I'll probably fail the unit and I don't want that. Unlike my classmates, I wasn't born with this kind of culture, so I barely know about its mythology except from what I learnt from movies and stuff. And you can guess how distorted the genuine myths are in a blockbuster movie...

Secondly, I also need to finish an article for the GSM, my uni's magazine. It's due next Tuesday, so let's assume it's in the first level of priority.

I also need to review a book for the same magazine. Yet, I haven't received the book and I can't start the review if I don't read it. This one is more complicated than the others. I just hope I can start it as soon as possible.

Lastly, I also need to find a job. Now that I've changed my phone number, there's no reason for not getting a job. I don't like hearing others boasting about their job when I ... well, you know. I always get worried when others ask whether I've got a job or not. I was looking for one, but I just couldn't find any for unknown reason. I want to work.

I don't think I can work with Cobweb this week, except with some pictures and stuff. I'll give more updates soon.

Samaritana - 1

'Twas not a bad day, after all. Yesterday, I took my first lesson in Modern Media Writing. Just in my first impression, this subject seems to be meant for journalism. Not really my thing, after all. I always prefer writing something that's more into dreamworld. Reality and I don't seem to get along, for no reason. Well, from four subjects I take this semester, this one seems like the most uninteresting one.

On the other hand, Language and Writing class is wicked! Just today, we learnt how to make a poem -- really just a very basic form of poetry called "found poem," that is a poem that's derived from an existing article or something -- and then we were divided into groups and discussed our poem. Man, I sure can get used to this subject... I want to see how the future will take me.

For this subject, there's also a presentation (well, it seems nearly all subjects need you to present something), and luckily one of the topics there interested me in instant -- it was about nursery rhyme. I love nursery rhymes. That, plus fairy tales. I don't know why, but they sound even much more fun for me. Sounds a bit of childish, indeed, but I always love a good story, and nursery rhymes and fairy tales are also recipes of stories. Whew, I love this life!

Too bad, though, that I have to present it in the end of the semester. All other weeks have been taken since last week, while I was still struggling with stupid payment troubles. I don't like being the last in a presentation -- usually the others have been relaxed after doing their own presentations and want this just finish as soon as possible. I have to be smart to attract their attention.


Okay, that's all about studies and stuff. Now about Cobweb again...

I'm so busy this week that I'm afraid I have no time to write any chapter. So, I just developed my characters. Through pictures, of course. I lately got used to draw my characters again and again. I simply love it.

The one I'm working at the moment is Samaritana. I'm trying to make her not just a half-human half-bug (as she indeed was), but also to relate her with the idea of a snake. No particular reason, indeed, but I derived name "Samaritana" from a fairy tale Biancabella and the Snake. There, Samaritana was the name of a snake that served as a "sister" for the main character. Her role is kind of like a fairy godmother, though, like any of those characters with power of magic and stuff. So, in order to respect her nature, I though this new Samaritana should also be a snake.

The first thing that came up into my mind was to make her a snake from waists down. You know, like an Isis monster in Ragnarok Online. But then I got confused how to connect her body into a snake's, so I threw it away.

In my random doodling, I accidentally came up with an idea of her as a bubble gum. Bubble gum can spread so far away, right? Perhaps the mark she left when walking looked kind of a snake. But, again, I dumped that idea, thinking I better think closer into a snake rather than a stupid candy.

The last idea I came up with, just yesterday, was to make her as a modern Medusa. Her hair was normal, all right, but just in the appearance. Each of her hair was actually made of a very small microbot that could work according to her will. And often her hair tangled together to form a snake, which fitted the image of Medusa. Yup, so far, she sounded quite promising -- it fitted both an image of a robotic monster and an evil snake lady.

I'm still working on her hairstyle, though. I think her hair should be long, but ... I dunno. How to take care of her fringe? How does she look like when her hair doesn't turn into its snake mode? I'm still thinking on it.

Between Greek Myths and Modern Magazines

The first day of uni has passed. 'Twas not too bad, after all, though I must say, very different from my first thought.

Myths and Legends class is more into Greek myths, I think. Not too bad, indeed, because myth is still myth and myth is a story. I love stories, so I shouldn't have a problem. At least that's the theory.

But I have no idea at all about Greek mythology. Unlike most of my classmates, I wasn't born with Greek mythology and stuff. I was born with Eastern culture, and so with Eastern mythology. I have no idea at all what they were talking about during the class. Everything I know about the Greek mythology is limited to Percy Jackson series...

I need to work extra hard to catch up with the others. Luckily I have bought a handbook for this subject, and it seems to give a basic information about these myths. I'm gonna need to read it before the next class, if possible.


Another thing that happened yesterday was the first writer's meeting, right after the class. Whew, yesterday sure was busy! 'Twas a meeting for a uni magazine, and I was already listed as one of their members! I'm gonna need to write one article about "Writing vs Typing" and one review about a book I haven't even laid my hand on -- and that's all for next week! I suppose this week I'll be extremely busy ... but at least I'm having fun.


To do list:

1. Finish reading Through the Looking-Glass before the book for the magazine arrives. I already borrowed it, and I don't wanna return without reading it. I need to finish it today.
2. Buy a new SIM card. That's for today, 'course. I'm gonna go to the city after the class.
3. Write about the article. I dunno when the book (it's titled the UFO Diary) will arrive, so I better finish one thing as soon as possible.

Well, 'suppose that's all for today. I hope I can still work on Cobweb very soon -- I don't want to leave my idea decayed.

Updates

Whew ... has been ages since I updated this blog. Been lazy. I can't evade saying that I've been a lazy bum lately.

Anyway, in this one month, many things have been happened. I'm officially a university student now, for one thing, though I haven't started any of my class yet. I was delayed because of silly, stupid payment errors, and missed all lessons in my first week as a result. 'Twas annoying! Hrrr...

Well, at least I can get in time for my second week, of which the first lesson will begin just in two hours time. Best of all, it's Myth and Legends, one of the subjects that previously interested me when I was still in PIBT! Gosh, I'm lucky I can take it now! Well, on the downside, it seems this subjects is more into Greek mythology than fairy tales, but that doesn't matter. It's still related to stories -- now that matters.


Another update: I changed my internet connection to Vividwireless. This has unlimited connection and costs $79 per month, which after being shared with two of my housemates costs me around $26.33333333 something. It's good, I suppose. Before I had to pay $29 per month and only got 2 GB. If I compared the prices, it sure is great!

But, well, nothing is perfect, I suppose. It's unlimited, indeed, but only works at home. That means I can't use internet outside house except at uni. No more reading online manga in the park! Oh, nooooooo!


Yet another update: I'm thinking of changing my SIM card. GoTalk SUCKS. The signal is as good as trying to breath inside a mud. Sometimes I'm wondering if that's the cause I couldn't get a job -- maybe someone did call me, but couldn't reach me thanks to my poor signal? Well, I know it sounds a bit like an excuse, but better get rid of that possibility before it really happens.

So far, I think I'll change to Vodafone, but I have no time to buy it now. I'll get one tomorrow after the lesson. It's Modern Media Writing. Unlike today's lecture, I don't feel really interested in this one, but it's not a bad thing to try. I have no choice, after all. All other subjects, including the ones I want, have been full. Well, who knows if it turns out I'll like it?


What else? Oh, yeah, by the way, lately I'm trying to type using ten fingers. I started considering this when I saw Shevan (is it her name Shevan? I don't really remember -- she's one of the PIBT receptionists) typing so fast with ten fingers, and even without looking at the keyboard. I think that'll be cool if I can do that -- surely it will fasten my time of writing -- so I started practicing. I'm still not very used to it, though. I know where the keys are, but I can't help glancing into the keyboard. I don't know why. Has been some kind of habit, I suppose. Oh well, everything needs practice. I just hope I can get used to it very soon.


Last but not least, I have finally got an idea of what looks like a promising story to write. It's titled "Cobweb," though I still have no idea what the subtitle will be. It's sci-fi, which is very new for me. I never write anything that doesn't involve a teeny-weeny drop of magic before, but I started thinking that there're too much magic that the world needs a bit more fantasy science. You see, I don't like being the same with the others. I always wants to find something different. So far I don't know any Sci-Fi novel for children, so why don't I make one?

It will involve a lot of monsters called "bugs." I tried to draw one of the bugs yesterday, and the result is quite amazing. I want to scan it and post it tomorrow. Weirdly enough, I still haven't decided the appearance of the main character, but I think it can wait. The main character, Cobweb, is the most "normal" looking character in the story, so ... I basically have no idea of how he will look like. I'll think about it later.


That's all for now, I suppose. From today, I think it's better if I put more about myself in this blog. I don't want anyone to read it -- this is just my private blog. This is not for publication. This blog is the only place I can talk about myself, so please, I beg you, don't leave any comment here. I feel better when thinking nobody reads my blog.

See ya.

Fairy Tales of the World

Lately, one of my friends that I don't really like (please don't tell him :-P  ) said why I must care so much about fairy tales. After all, hey, that's just fairy tales! Those stories aren't real, are they? And so it seems.

Funny, though, I think fairy tales are the most important stories in the world. Why? Because they're just fairy tales, the kind of stories you heard when you're helpless children, trying to understand everything that's going on in the world. And you learn this "everything that's going on in the world" from these stories. How do you know eating children is a bad idea? Because Big Bad Wolf does that, and that can't be good. How do you know holding envy is not good? Because an evil stepmother does that, and that can't be good, either. How do you know you have to be brave, smart and careful when you're walking in the empty forest? Why must you not open a forbidden door, or listen to the wicked forces? Why do you have to be nice? Because that's exactly what the fairy tales heroes and heroines do. It's all simple as that.

This is the world without fairy tales: Stepmothers will mistreat all of their stepchildren, because nobody tells them not to. Fathers will leave their children in a dark forest and let them being eaten by packs of wolves, because nobody tells them the opposite. Children will eat someone else's bowls and holds grudge from one another. Jealousy is common. Envy and wrath is everywhere.

Regardless you believe it or not, fairy tales represent the society. And when fairy tales are no more, then the society represented in it has no moral anymore. There's nothing that separates good from bad. Okay, delete the fairy tales, and the world might as well crumble into pieces.

One quote I quite like is from Terry Pratchett: "Somewhere, all stories are real and all dreams come true." And that's exactly what fairy tales are: they're not real in the way you can see it, but they exist in human's mind. You can't say, "Oh, look! That's Cinderella there, running from A to B!" but these stories exist in the moral and consciousness of society. They construct the way humans are thinking and believing. And when you delete the existence of fairy tales, the society itself must disappear.

Jane Eyre's Cover Design

Wow, I love this illustration! Beautiful colours! Nice balance! Good typeface for the title! Creative choice of papers! (You have to see the real book to understand the latter) Everything really gives me the feeling of a classical story! Overall: B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L! XD

WARNING: I don't own the copyright of this image! If the owner wants me to delete this post, I will be glad to do it. I just want to talk about the design here. This picture is taken from http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lcj5y4FcqS1qzh8aeo1_250.jpg

An old saying I have often heard is "Don't judge book from its cover." I'm sure you often heard that saying, especially if you've been used to English language.

All I can say is "Well, are you kidding???" Look at the three quotation-marks I put here. I rarely do that -- only for things that I want to super-super-super-super-emphasize.

I'm not a philosopher and I'm not a wise man, so I don't have a problem to say otherwise. But I often buy a book, and every time I go to a bookstore, I'm forced to pick one from hundreds books there. And believe me: If your book doesn't have a nice cover design, most people will just skip it. Except if you're already famous, that is.

Sad, indeed, but that old saying needs renewal. 

After the design, of course the content of the book is also important. I never argue that the content is less important. I buy a book to read them, not just to admire the cover. With an exception of design books, of course. It's useless to buy a good-designed book that has awful story. Usually, I'll put that kind of books in the deepest part of my bookshelves. I haven't even finished reading some of them.

So what's my point here? That both the cover and the content are important. No cover, no one will buy it. No content, throw it in the bin. It's pretty straightforward, like everything else in this world.

Geek? What Geek?

*Glup* I really am a geek. I'm definitely not a party animal -- even just a thought of attending makes me sick. :-(

Sometimes, I'm thinking what's the characteristic of a geek. I have tried to type it in my dictionary, and here is the result:
1. An unfashionable or socially inept person.
2. A person with an eccentric devotion to a particular interest.
3. A carnival performer who does wild or disgusting acts.

Well, I suppose (or I hope) I don't fit with the third definition, but I definitely am the first and the second. I hate it when I have to buy fashionable clothes. I always wear the same clothes for what feels like ages -- more, if possible. I won't buy anything except my family protests. I don't know why, but I just don't like it.

But, ladies and gentlemen, if a geek is always unfashionable, it clearly doesn't fit with the second definition: "A person with an eccentric devotion to a particular interest". So, the second definition says that people who love shopping (notice that I sayid "people", not "women") are also shopping geeks. They're fashionable, aren't they? But are they called geeks? Nope.

So what is geek? Er, actually, there's nothing called a geek. That's just a word, you know, made of alphabets G, double-E and K. Words are just codes, as someone said (Barthes, I suppose, or Fiske. I forget), and these codes have no meaning except if a society gives them a meaning. It's a result of relationship between codes and conventions in a society, where a code consists of words connotes a specific meaning. And this meaning, sadly, is defined as "an unfashionable or socially inept person".

In conclusion... do you need any other proof I'm a geek? Heck, what kind of person will talk philosophy in his just-for-fun blog, except if he's a geek? I even started this post without any idea it will end up this way. Well, here goes my holiday...

Rats, I really hate going to parties... >:-(

Linguistic Disaster

Okay. Sometimes, I can't understand what's the reason I choose English over Indonesian language. I mean, Indonesia is my mother tongue, right? So it should--should--fit better for me. Or so to say.

But as I think more about it, there are the differences between these two languages:
1. English tends to be cooler. It's more straight, more complicated and more strained, with plenty of rules called "grammar". On the other hand, Indonesian is more "barbaric". Though there're some rules to organize sentences (subject + verb + object), there's no tenses that makes it more complicated. These rules aren't named grammar, either: it has special name called "EYD" (short for "Ejaan yang Disempurnakan" or Perfected Spelling).

2. English is more suitable for serious stories. This might be because of subjective perception in the culture, of course, but the novels and novellas work better in English. The reason is probably because this language has more "everyday" vocabularies than Indonesian.

3. HOWEVER, Indonesian language works better for humor stories. One reason is because Indonesian language has a big collection of swearing words, coming from different languages in Indonesia's subculture. Even Sundanese language (one of the native languages) has its own swearing words, and then combined to the swearing words in Javan language and the other native languages. As a result, Indonesia's national language itself has much more bad words than English. This is kinda embarrassing, actually. -.-"

4. English humor needs more twisted ideas to be funny. Unlike Indonesian that can use "absolutely inappropriate" words to be funny, swearing words in English are more straightforward and unimaginative. The most often heard, of course, is word f*ck, motherf*cker, c*cks*cker and such words. Compared to Indonesian: Anj*ng, Bab*, T*i, Bangs*t, Kampr*t and so much more. Swearing words in English are similar to one another (the 'f' words to the 's' words), but Indonesian is more varied. I can't believe I'm talking about this... -.-"

5. Even the accent itself has an impact. Indonesian accent is more varied in its "up" and "down". This means that Indonesian people can use different types of voice to give different meanings. This works very excellently for irony and similar stuffs. English, on the other hand, is mostly higher than Indonesian. There's no "down": just up, up and more up. It's difficult to understand if you haven't experienced both languages by yourself. :-P

Language is part of the codes in a society, or so I've heard. So, it is possible that language also represents the society it belongs to. And because these two societies (Indonesia and English-speaking countries) are different, the languages must also have different impacts. I wonder how these two languages can be created in the first place. Wish I can make a research about it. :-(