Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Children and Fiction Characters

There's an interesting post I read in Violette's blog. 'Doraemon'. It just struck me, since I'm a Doraemon fan too. Not in a bad sense, though. It just make me think - a lot.
Hm... I've taken a class, a pretty interesting class, actually, about Penciptaan and it's combined with science. In short, it was a class about how science could proof the bible, especially about matters which are usually thought as impossible, like the Noah's Ark (How can the ark carry that many animals and how can they survive inside the ark for 40 days?), the actual age of the earth, how can Kain married his own sister (logically, if Adam & Eve were the only people lived on earth then there would be no one to marry Kain besides his own sister, right?) and be okay, how can Jesus turn water to wine, etc, etc.
Where was I? Sorry, got carried away. Oh, yeah. So, one day the class discussed about fiction characters like Doraemon, Dragon Balls, and such. The lecturer taught us that those cartoons are no good and only make children believe less in God and in Creation. Children will be taught that dinosaurs were real, that this earth is very very old (more than 30 million years, while according to the bible it's only about 6000 years), and that human comes from monkeys, not from Adam and Eve. I was like, "WHAAAAT???" And letting our children being in the real world all the time where everything is so depressing??? Even I created this Ryanverse to run away from the real world, how can children handle the real world without any fantasy-land they can run into anytime?
Quite honestly, when I was little I've never liked fiction characters like that. But that's the point. Now I regret it. What's the point in being a kid if you have not believed in Santa Claus since you were FIVE??? What's the point in being a kid if you never touched the land of fantasy, dreaming of being a Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty or the knight in the shining armor? Yea, yea, maybe that's why I'm such a cartoon-lover now, kinda make up for the missing time. I promise myself that when I have children someday I'll let them roam wild with their fantasy. And this is the connection to the Violette's post.
Personally, I think letting children enjoying the fantasy while they can is a must. It will let them explore their creative side as well as starting to make them feel. By feeling what the characters in the fiction feel, they will learn about compassion, friendship, and many other things. Of course, I admit, this will need a hand from the parents.
Like Violette's post's case. I think it's up to the mother, whether she could wisely handle the kid or not. I don't know the kid personally so I can't tell what to be done exactly, but his mother should know better. If the kid wants to act like Nobita because he wants to have a Doraemon, she could say, "Why don't you study hard and be a good boy, that someday you can invent a Doraemon by yourself and make him your best friend?" or, if the boy really loves Doraemon, she could say, "Isn't Doraemon the happiest when Nobita becomes a dilligent and good child? Don't you want to make him happy?"
I do that to myself all the time, too. When I feel so much fear to do something, I quote Xena, "Everybody's afraid, some only hide it better." When I feel like I can't do something or can't find a way out of a situation, I'll think, "What would Xena do?" When I regret something so deeply, I remember Xena saying, "Nothing we can do to change the past, we can only work to make the future better." I happen to have the same birthday with Donald Duck, and I happen to have the same clumsiness, the same bad-luck as he does, and sometimes I'm so embarassed by myself who let the words out without having the brain processed it first, just like him. But so I think, "Donald is just as clumsy as me, he has bad-luck just like me, he's also often mis-spoken things, but everybody loves him, so everybody can love me too."
See? Fiction characters can be good, too. I admit that maybe they'll make children believe in bible less and less and less, but if the parents really care, they can actually turn the effect as they like. It's not the matter of the object. It's how the subject catches the messages. So if you wanna do something, don't do it to the object. Do it to the subject.

Piano

You know, my mom was right. Now I'm very thankful that I can play piano. For one thing playing piano is a hobby that I can't not love. It's fun, and it also makes those around me happy too.
Then, the piano also becomes a communication tools which can be used anywhere. When I went aboard, when I couldn't speak the language, I simply communicated with the people with piano. I get to be Nao's friend because of piano. I quickly got a new friend in my new environment because of piano. I really felt lucky!
The ability to play piano also becomes one of my strength, since it means that I can teach piano if I can't get another job (heaven forbid!).
And then, for my private life, it's very helpful, too. In loving somebody, there's good and bad moments. In good moments, I can play to her and sing to her, or I can make a song for her. In bad times I can cheer myself up by playing. I can also use it for a gift to my beloved ones.
Piano also has been my inspiration, since I wrote 'The Sound of The Piano' fiction and Melia & Chris comic based on piano. And even the 'Lonely Knight' comic also including piano. And don't forget 'Ericka Erick' comic! I've even made a not-finished comic of an all-boy music school.
Oh, and one more thing: studying piano isn't one easy matter, and it helped a lot in building my character. My dicipline self I owe to piano. It also helped to build my confidence. And probably it also helped in building my never-ever-give-up (too determined) attitude. Heh heh.
I do feel very lucky, very thankful, especially to Mama for making me study piano at all costs. I really love piano, and not playing it for a while has been hard for me, but if I don't think I can bear it well if I can't play it forever.

Documentary Movies

Note: This is also an old post of mine. Wanna move it here, too, for no other reason that I like it! Heh heh.

Do you know what I really want to watch at this moment? A documentary movie about gay issue.
Sometimes it's really funny, talking about how people despise gays, especially those Christians. I found three articles about three documentaries made. The first is 'I Can't Marry You' (I like the title so much. It goes right to heart). It's a documentary to educate heterosexual people that they'll know why exactly gay people strive so hard to get married. What I think would make this documentary a huge impact for the striving of gay people if many heterosexuals watch it, is that documetary movies put faces to issues. When they talk about gay marriage, some say yes, some say no, but those who say no mostly never see any real gay people, much less know them. They just say no because it's what's common in society. What if they imagine that gays are men wearing skirts and put lipstics and giant women with big muscles? Well, by putting faces to the issues, they can see for themselves that gays are just... people! Tell me I don't have a gaydar, I can't tell if those gay people in the pic I have are gay if I see them in person. But it's true! They differ just like us. Westerns, Asians, black, white, yellow, tall, short, slim, fat, pretty, not-so-pretty, butch, femme, in-betweens, professionals, junkies, rich, poor, there are so many kinds of them... they're just people. And in this documentary there are lesbian couples who've been together for ten years or more, even one with seventeen-year-old son. Just imagine if you and your loved one have lived together for that long, and still, you can't tell other people that your loved one is your spouse. Imagine trying to explain to your children why Mama and Mommy loves each other but they don't get married. And think about how fair it is that a loving couple can't get married when those people who just get remarried and redivorced can have the previllege of marriage. Don't you see that one sentence someone long to hear from the one they love is 'Would you marry me?' What if the answer has to be 'I'm sorry, I can't marry you' just because the law says so. Owww... this is a must-see documentary in for this days!
The second documentary is called 'God and Gays: Bridging the Gap'. This one is more personal than political. This is one great documentary too, and it can save lives if the right people watch it. This documentary captures how gay people deal with their religion. Some tried to become 'ex-gays' with a terrible emotional cost, some tried to kill themselves. In this documentary you can see how parents even prefer their kids to be dead than to be gay. Sometimes, it needs death before someone can change their attitude towards gays. I can never understand how religions can make people blind. It's not like the religion IS God. Religion is no more than just a phylosophy and a set of rules made by human to honor God. But the way changes from millenia to millenia. You know, I like the PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) so much. It gives me hope, that among the rejections, hatred, and prejudices, somewhere out there, there are people who care. I just wish there's one organization like that here.
I won't talk much about the third documentation, the 'All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise'. I just hope that I can someday join the cruise with my family. It's so nice seeing those people smile at the camera, all beaming for a chance to feel like ordinary family. Of course, ordinary families don't land to a group of protesters ready to condemn us. (I just feel a bit sarcastic today... sorry).
Oookaaaaaaay. I guess it's time for me to stop. There are so many things I want to share with the worlds, you know. I just don't know where to start and what to do yet. And I'm not original enough to share those things with the world except for the personal matters like religions and Gods, because, for shouting out loud, I haven't met even ONE gay yet (myself doesn't count)! Living here sucks a lot sometimes! Not only about gays, also about women's rights, about schooling in Indonesia, about politics, about many things else. But you know what? Those topics are covered much by people, they care about those topics. Now who would care about gay in this country if its gay people won't care themselves? I guess this country really need someone to speak out, loud, and proud.

The Xena Planet

Note: I can't believe I haven't post this one yet! This is an old, old, old post but I want it to appear here anyhow. This is one of the best thing happened in 2005 for me!

Planet Xena. Wow!
The first time I heard it is from you, Nao. At that time I was very sick, but I closed my eyes and I felt like I was in a perfect world where anything I wanted could come true! It was amazing, really. Whatever the name given to that planet, the name will be immortal. Ten years from now, a hundred years from now, a thousand years from now, as long as there's human on earth, Xena and Gabrielle's name won't be forgotten. Tell me, is there any television show ever got that kind of honor???
Xena deserves it, I do believe so. The show has changed my life for the better, and maybe it has changed many many lives besides mine. It inspires me in many ways and it never gets old or boring. And you know what else's amazing? It'll mean that the WHOLE WORLD admits that Xena and Gabrielle belong together, whether they see them as friends or lovers. When there's a moon accompanying the Xena planet, no one thinks that the moon should be named Ares or Borias or Marcus or Joxer(?!) or whatever. Everyone automatically calls that moon Gabrielle.
There's one more thing that's amazing. It proves Xena's promise to Gabrielle: 'Even in death, Gabrielle, I will never leave you.' It's the most romantic sentence I've ever heard ever, because I know that it's true in the matter of Xena and Gabrielle. Well, now it is proven. It is proven that they will be together for eternity. Damn, as long as I'm concerned, the planet and the moon of Xena and Gabrielle can be the symbol for a perfect love!
I hope that planet will really be called Xena. She's now more than a TV character, she's a legend! Maybe she doesn't exist, maybe she's just a made-up character. But she can really change the world. Look at the way she changed me! If I don't know better, I'll say that she's a God-sent! For me, she is. She is a God-sent to remind me every time, that living is all about loving.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

An Attempt In Judging

I surprised myself that I invented a way in judging people, given my dislike in judging people. But I think this one is pretty useful for me, or for people who want to predict how I will react to something. Heh heh. Well, I write this just spending time between my last exam and a meeting I have to attend, so I'd better be hurry.
Okay... here goes nothing.
In judging people I'll use this analyze:
1. Is what they do will hurt someone else?
(Including 'hurt' someone's heart or of course, physically. But if the 'someone else' is actually not affected by the doing, but they CHOOSE to feel hurt, it doesn't count.)
2. Do they have control over what they do?
3. Do they do what they do based on love for other people?
4. Is there any life saved by what they do?
These are the answers I expect from the questions: yes-no-yes-yes. As long as there are two out of four match my expectations, then I consider the action can be forgiven or can be done, or can be understood.
Well, I have no time to give an example for this analyze, I'll try to continue other time, but if you have a case for me to try this on, gimme. I will try to analyze it my way.
And just for warning, I don't exactly use this everytime I judge people. And this judgement isn't always correct, I just had some fun analyzing my own feelings. Heh heh. Talk about trying to intellectualizing a way to judge people! :p

Friday, June 16, 2006

Gia Carangi



This is one wallpaper I made for a wonderful someone. Though I've never known her (granted, I was born in the year she died!), I read stories about her life, I even watched a movie about her life, and I've seen pictures taken form the days of her life. And I think, "Wow! This person is really wonderful!"
She is Gia Carangi.

When I see her pictures, sometimes I think she's the art itself, you know. There's something about her that demands attention and admiration. And from her movie, I really admire her personality, too. She's wild, free, but at the same time, so fragile, too. I've read her quotes, and well, they are great too. She's just so... natural. Of course the fact that she's an open gay supermodel matters too. Oh, and the fact that she died from AIDS. Once again I'm reminded of how short life is and that AIDS is a terrible disease we should fight.

So, I dedicate this wallpaper for her. If you wonder why the wallpaper is so simple, it's because I made it only with power point. It's the only way I can make wallpaper with my old computer. Heh heh. But I'm proud.

God's Intentions

Maybe this will outrage many people, but when I have something to write, to hell with 'many people'!

I think some of God's intention had been wrongly interpreted by human, you know. Like AIDS. Maybe initially God created that disease to warn people who used drugs, and maybe also to remind people how short their lives really are so that they'll cherish everyday. But human misinterpreted it as a disease for gays. But AIDS isn't only a gay disease. In fact it's even easier to spread among heterosexual couples if said sexually. But the number of gays with AIDS increased dramatically because many of them, like how people like to imagine them, are druggers, bohemians, homelesses, and even criminals. Some of the reasons they're like that, though, is people-at-large's fault, for they're failed to accept gays in the society. Of course, some of the reasons are their own faults, for gays are just like ordinary people. They're not just victims. Some of them also had choices and they chose the wrong choice.

I'm pretty flexible about things and I even know that I've done the same mistakes with other people in judging something. I know that I used my OWN judgment as my standard too many times. But I still use my heart too and that makes me see that nothing is absolutely right or wrong. Even though I hate discrimination so much I still can see why they discriminate people.

Today I found this article in Jawa Pos (yesterday edition) and I think this is so true:
"Penggunaan logika dosa-bencana sebaiknya didasarkan kepada prinsip kehati-hatian, setidaknya untuk menghindari dua hal. Tanpa disadari, manusia, kata Erich Fromm, bermetamorfosis menjadi Tuhan. Manusia melakukan tindakan tertentu yang seharusnya menjadi otoritas Tuhan."

This is absolutely right. Who are you to condemn other people? Who are you to say that people deserve to suffer because they must be sinners? Let them see it themselves. You are NOT God. You can't see if beneath the hostility they show they have hospitality or not. You can't see behind what your eyes catch. You have no right to judge people that harsh. You can judge people, of course, after all we're only human. But we have to try to minimize it. Of course we're allowed to give our opinion about something, but try to differ giving opinions with downright judging something.

For example, Jogja's earthquake. We can say that, "Oh, MAYBE they've done something bad. I hope they can introspect themselves." But we mustn't judge them, "They MUST have done something horrible! Therefore, they ARE sinners and I won't help them."

Same with my not liking RUU APP in the least. I said it's downright stupid, I hate it, but I don't say, "You'll go to hell if you do that." I really think that the people who sent smses telling, "If you don't legalize RUU APP right now you'll be the first person to go to hell." is the one who should check themselves. Who are you to condemn people like that? Remember, you're just HUMAN. You don't know what God thinks. And you're very possibly wrong.

Thursday, June 15, 2006

My New Song

I had the inspiration for this song last night while I was studying for my exams and playing the sims... I don't know why, but the more stressed out I am, the more inspired I am! During these 4 days of exams I've made THREE songs! Heh, what would you say for that???? Not to mention that I'm more determined to play sims than to study. Hicks, that one is really not right! But, Nao, I'm sure you'll like the sims I made! I've even made Joxer!!! Hah hah hah.
So, where am I? Oh, yeah. This song's for my dear best friend. I know this isn't much (I know that my weakness is the lyrics... hicks!), but this is the first time I make you a song, isn't it? Truth be hold, I'm inspired by your own post. Hehe. So I'll give this song the same title you used for your post.

Dear Friend

I've never meant for us to be best friend
But one day we met again and everything just seemed right
And from that day on we share the laughters
The happiness of the days always on my mind
There are tears to be shed, there are secrets to share
There are songs to be sung in rhyme
But I believe that you'll still be there for me
Like today when I sing this song for you
Cause friend's not someone you will forget when you're apart
And friend's not someone you'll leave behind with memories
But friend is someone you'll give thanks and cherish all your life
Cause there's no other friend like you


Hm... I kinda like the reffrain, but I can't find the right words for it... so if you have an idea please let me know. Heh heh.
Anyway, thanks for clearing my blog and thanks for being you!

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

RUU APP

I'll be damned if the RUU APP becomes the UU APP!!! That piece of shit isn't worth any good unless it's used in a moslem country because all of the content is based only on islamic rules. Those idiots who want to make it as a legal UU are just selfish, ignorant, fanatic, unthinking, retarded morons!!! This isn't a moslem country!!! Indonesia is a secular country based on its bhineka tunggal ika. Maybe it's right that garuda pancasila is infected by the bird flu. It's not able to grip the bhineka tunggal ika anymore.
I'm so ashamed of this country and day by day I love Indonesia no more. How can I love a country which always refuse to take me? No matter what I do, people always look at me as chinese, they don't care that I was born and raised here. And though they claim to accept five religions in Indonesia, in the end it's still moslem only that rules. Though many countries are just the same about gay marriage, what hurt me most is that if the RUU becomes UU, loving people of the same sex will be counted as pornoaksi. Damn, I'm positively mad! Since when loving somebody counts as pornoaksi?!! I bet those idiots also have wives, also having sex! Why doesn't that count as pornoaksi too???
But there're some really funny things, too, that they want to make an exception for Bali, sport, and traditional arts for wearing 'open' clothes. It's ridiculous! What UU has exceptions like that??? Down right ridiculous!
Many people don't know about this RUU, including my own friends who are college students, so they don't do anything to confront it. Damn. I've tried to tell as many friends I can about this RUU, and I can only hope that they can act out on it, too.