Preview of What Would Be and What Would Become

Yet another luxury for me to succumb into a self-indulgence, i want to congratulate myself for keeping the commitment of providing the daily update (working days) to this blog from its first conception sometimes in late October. And since we're unceremonously had arrived in the very last day of November, it implies that no working days in November had passed without at least a single blog entry. It may not sound much, but believe me, it was a huge feat for me as you may observe that some entries are clearly misleading in direction and merely musing on a bullshite. Keeping a day job, burning a midnight oil, keep in touch with the stock and forex market, and writing a blog, while finishing the books, watching films, playing games, not to mention keeping my relationship strong, is rather too much and sometimes took its toll. But really, i've been enjoying myself, and gave me some sense of accomplishments.

Now, December looming, and here's what would be and what would become on December.

Screamfestindo begins last Wednesday night, and i had planned to go home on time today, and attend a few screenings. Aside from that, i've got tickets ready for Saturday and Sunday festival time. Expect the first week of December to be littered with blog posts from the festival.

The ninth Jakarta International Film Festival begins the week after Screamfestindo, and would go on until the 3rd week of December. So, expect the second and third week of December with blog posts from the festival.

And afterward? I'm going to take off for a holiday. I'm going home on December 19th, and won't be back until December 27th which of course, a mere days away from a New Year.

Enjoy your monstrous weekend, and thank you for the attention.

Bringing Down the House

This post was intended to mean as a review to a book, Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions by Ben Meizrich. However i had written several words of contemplation to my youth long gone before really proceeding with the book.

Math is a magnificent subject. And i'd like to have a privilege of self-indulgence (i wrote this post, anyway), by saying that back in a High School, i was pretty good at Math. Well, actually, Math is the only subject that i really cared about back then. I was practically terrible at Biology and Chemistry, often relies to memorizing things rather than to understand things, I was especially good at English, doesn't cared much about Bahasa or any other social studies for that matter. Just so-so at Physics (in fact, i only cared - and subsequently, aced - when it comes to Mechanics). But, i was pretty good at Math. But of course, you know how it is in High School. There's a certain myth that if you're good at Math, then you're good at anything. Seeshh.. Anyway, that kind of myth had propelled my popularity back then. Ah, those days. And i was in a band, playing lead-guitar for a heavy-metal induced band, had a ruffling almost-shoulder-length hair, NEVER carries a bag (my home was a short-distance away from school, carries a bag is not an option. I prefer to carry one universal notebook which i used to write EVERYTHING down, and a pen stuck in my back pocket, i put all of my textbooks at the school's mosque), a terrible but good-runner left defender at soccer game, and an avid PlayStation RPG gamer, in a way, i was a nerd, but unlike those nerds as portrayed by our television. Gah! I detest them!. But, whenever i return to school's reunion, one thing that seemingly stuck in my friend's head about me. A straight-A student. A fuckin' smartest-kid in town (sadly, supported by known fact). I was flustered whenever i heard that comment, since it implies at least two-things that were expected of me. 1) I had a lucrative job, with a bright career ahead of me, and 2) I had a tall, sexy, blond woman who cared about nothing but my wealth as a wife. I was, of course, as of now, had neither.

Anyway, pardon me for jumping back in the lane of time, i just happened to question my direction of life quite often lately. I mean, i had passed my twenty-something birthday a couple of months ago, and i still don't really know what i want, or what i desire. And with the end of 2007 looming ahead of me, i grew anxious about the future even more.

However, there's also often a false misconceptions about what Math truly is among the full-of-spirit teenagers (at least in my time). Many of those i knew often asked trivial questions about how impractical for them to study limits, integrals, number theories, statistics, trigonometry, and so forth. They (i was among them, actually) wondered about how Math is going to help them in their career, in their life, and so forth. In fact, it boggles down to one thing. Practicality.

Bringing down the House - hey, we finally get into the real post - is a book, a non-fiction book about some MIT students who win millions at Blackjack by practicing a simple card-counting method. The book made a reference to Rain Man where Dustin Hoffman's character was a savant who could easily remember cards through six decks, thus improved his odds greatly during a card game.

The card-counting method depicted in this book, is more about a statistical method, improving the odds of a player to win, thus reducing the risk, and most importantly, it relies on a team play with various roles. Spotter who bet at minimums, counting the cards as they did so, and when the count is favorable they signaled another player who bet at maximum, a good actor, and a master at counting cards. The Spotters usually lose, but since they bet at minimum, their losses were much covered with the Big Player whom they signaled in when the play is favorable who bet at maximum. And then some. It was an enjoyable read, if you like to know how to make money quickly by gambling, and had a particular interest in general Math, this book is worth the time reading. But, of course, it's easy to see as well, that the author of the book was not in favor for its reader to try the methods by themself.

The book will soon hit the theater with Kevin Spacey and Lauren Fishburne. And to differentiate from the 2003 film Bringing Down the House (Queen Latifah, among others), the film would be titled '21' which of course mean the highest profitable number in the game of Blackjack.

Contemplating Studio Ghibli

As with TV Series, i'm not too keen on anime (series). More because of the commitment to wait for several hundred of episodes to wait for sometimes tiny and ignorable conclusions. It's a luxury i'm rarely able to afford. Well, anyway, i've always welcomed a single animation film. And Studio Ghibli quickly gets my attention during my still short-lived voyage into the realm of film appreciations.

I couldn't pin-point the exact 'whys' but you could easily marked any of the Studio Ghibli's product. There are some uniqueness that sets Studio Ghibli apart from others, but, really, i was oblivious if i was asked about what differentiates the Studio Ghibli's product from other similar. But the striking uniqueness was there, and it was easy to spot.

I had come to a possession of seven Studio Ghibli's so far, and every single one of the seven was revolved around a girl, and only three of them who has grown beyond the age of thirteen.

Another trait that marked the Studio Ghibli's animated films were its fantastic beasts. I simply love and adore them, be it in the form of huge, furry ball of troll (in Tonari no Totoro, also become the official symbol of Studio Ghibli shown in the above image), or a twelve-legged bus in a form of a cat with malicious grin not unlike that of Chesire cat's (also in Tonari no Totoro), or the simple translucent wood spirits (Mononoke Hime). If anything, these fantastic beasts remind me of the child in me who seen the world as a place full of wonder not some place stink with responsibilities that more often than not were full of shit.

I had initially planned to dedicate a week to contemplate these works in detailed manners. But, in order to so, i need to see them once again beforehands. For this post, i'm gonna list them (according to what i have anyway) in order of my preference.

Omohide poroporo / Only Yesterday (1991)

The review of this film should be close as i just reviewed this film several days (if not weeks, dunno, i forogt) ago, a warm story about a young female who found her love in a magnificent rural modern Japan, it features one of the probably best ending sequence i've ever seen in a film for quite some time. Hm, i need to put some kind of search mechanism here.

Hotaru no Haka / Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

So freakingly depressing. Roger Ebert had said that it was one of the best anti-war film ever made. And i couldn't agree more than him on this. I also had reviewed this film, only years ago instead of months. Based on a novel that was written by the World War II survivor which had intended to be the author's apology as he was blaming himself for the death of his sister. A tear jerking film, i had written that if you're not at least smitten or fighting the urge to cry when you seen this film, then probably you're a heartless bastard. No offense, just an opinion. But really, she made him a 'rice-ball', for dear's sake. Argh, curse the boy with his pride. I hate the brother in this film, really hate him.

Tonari no Totoro / My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

Satsuki and Mei Kusakabe were two sisters. They were moved with their father to a rural Japan in order to get closer to where their mother (who had suffered from TBC) hospitalized. And to these kids, life is of course full of wonders, even the prospect of living in a haunted house doesn't seem to dampen their spirits. Borrows heavily from Alice in Wonderland, the film had heart-throbbing ending sequences where Mei (the younger sister, four years old) is missing and Satsuki stricken with panic and guilt search tirelessly for her.

Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi / Spirited Away (2001)

A fantasy that had won the Academy Awards for the best animation, i'm more amazed than the creature creation in this film more than anything.

Mononoke Hime / Princess Mononoke (1997)

Can't remember much of it. I need to see it again.

Houru no Ugoku Shiro Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

I'm not really involved with the story. For me, it's merely an adventurous sequences among beautiful landscapes. Howl doesn't interest me that much, and i even stop caring about Sophie after a short while. If this film had a note, it would be a flat one.

Majo no Takkyuubin Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)

Kiki is a thirteen year old witch who by tradition must travel to a big city to become a witch in training. She chooses a big city near ocean and started to help the townsfolk by offering delivery service (with her flying broom, that was easy). She met with a young boy, befriended him, grew careless and almost loses her ability, and found solace in a young female artist in solitude. Again, nothing interesting, nothing that make me cares about the characters, and as with Howl's Moving Castle, it ends in a flat note. However, the unmistakenly landscape of Europe (probably France) is beautiful to look at. And at least, it kept me awake.

Knocked Up (2007)

I'm in a strong opinion that there were only three films that qualified for the race of best comedy of the year 2007. Superbad, which i haven't seen, and because there'd be nil chance that this R-rated comedy would hit the local theater, the only option for me right now is to wait for the DVD release, 2 Days in Paris which would be screened at the Jiffest in two weeks time, and the only one that i've already seen from the three, Knocked Up.

The name Judd Apatow might sounds alien to most. But to us, film afficionados, Judd Apatow is already a name with reputation worthy to observe. One after another, the man had raised the bar for comedy films. The 40-Year Old Virgin which in my opinion, doubtless, responsible for sky-rocketing Steve Carrel's name, was one of the best film in 2004. And i'm willing to bet that the same could've been said to Seth Rogen in the future.

Seth Rogen is a Ben Stone a twenty-something slacker who had tried to start a dream with his fellow slackers but too much dreaming and too less working made them merely running in a tread-mill, not to mention that the dream was largely involving watching movies for nude scenes by celebrities (this of course, remind me of someone, who also a twenty-something, who also had dreams of a huge things, but simply too lazy and too angry to pursue, ... that would be me, by the way). While the ever lovely, Katherine Heigl, is Alison Scott, an anchor woman at the entertainment network television on the rise of her career. The two unlikely couple met. And on a wild night, the couple, which in any other circumstances would detest one another (this would especially true to what would Katherine Heigl felt to Seth Rogen, not necessarily vice versa), had an unprotected sex and ended up having a baby which she decides to keep.

For the twenty-something slacker, the probability of having a baby would loomed in a mountain of responsibility. Something that the slacker would found a great difficulty to afford. And for the career anchor-woman on a rise, having a slacker as a potential father to her baby, in addition of actually having the baby itself, would oppose a challenge formidable enough to demand an answer. The film dealt with the unlikely relationship told in a light-hearted and fun manners without being forced in an too over-the-top comedy. And with an added story-line about another relationship (Debbie, Alison sister, with her husband, Pete), the film was (not) surprisingly deep and concluded with a simple message about relationships that worked best when you're able to deal with the difference and not (and i believed so) merely looking for a perfect companion who agreed with you all the time. That would be boring.

The film was rated R. Some gross images and dialogs are bound to be around. I was laughing out loud when the characters talked about the stuffed-animal in the toilet although that was practically gross subjects to talked about, but the expressions were priceless. And i was simply look away when they shoot the birthing scenes. Rather disturbing i say, but again, simply worthy as one of the strong candidate for a best comedy of the year. In fact, the film was not merely comedy, but romance as well, in a way that it touches your heart (i'm not saying that romance is above comedy, but, given the usual dish of comedies we had nowadays, i'd like to think that comedy is one of the easiest film to made. Just put some comic faces, slap him, let him slip, embarass him, drench him in various nasty liquids, and you've got yourself a comedy. However, the actual challenge was to made a comedy that genuinely funny, ironically funny, not merely slapstick-props-and-gags-driven funny. In that sense, comedy is one of the hardest film to made. And Judd Apatow had shown how to made a comedy in that lane. Twice).

Katherine Heighl is solid through-and-out, she was the perfect Alison - Judd Apatow initially went with Anne Hathaway. I say 'boooo...' - beautiful, very very likeable, beautiful, energetic, and did i mentioned beautiful? And Apatow's usual, Seth Rogen, did nothing that is outside his comfort zone. And why does he had to, if he's already apt in that zone?

All in all, this would be my sleeper hit film of the year 2007. My best comedy of the year so far, and one of the best film in the year 2007.

Gotta Love Batman

You gotta love Batman and Warner Bros. for pulling yet another magnificent marketing stint regarding the next Batman films, The Dark Knight. There's already a website for The Gotham Times and the supposedly Batman's next super-villain, everyone's favorite, Joker was at it again with his own version of The Ha Ha Ha Times. If anything, this marketing stint makes me even curious about wether Heath Ledger would be able to shoulder the responsibility of being everyone's favorite villain, Joker. Because really, if we see these marketing stints Warner Bros. has been put us through, it's natural to expect that the Joker would be some kind of mind-fuck freak. A Joker that doesn't hesitate to kill, and laughing while doing so. Brrr... can't wait. Really.

I've Got to See This

This is probably my most wanted film that i wish to see in the year 2007. Ever since i heard of its conception and limited screening in various horror festival via the good guys at Cinematical, i've been on a close watch to the film and had a considerable expectation that the film would be screened at Screamfestindo. Tough luck. But, maybe, maybe, the guys behind Screamfestindo had a keen sense as well and put the film in a Surprise movie. Now, that is when i would rightfully said, more than ever, "it made my day". The image shown here is the second poster of the film, and i liked it way better than the first one. So much that i had decided to dedicate this whole day's post to express my desire to see this film.

Here's a keyword to what the film was about, vagina dentata which in itself consists of two individual widely known items, vagina and dentata. Go figure.

Lust, Caution (2007)

Film Review. Rules are made to be broken. Sadly, due to rules, Lust, Caution won't be competing for this year's Academy Award's Best Foreign Language Film (for the complete reasons of why, check this article), the fact that would further hampered the already questionable quality of these so called Awards. Lust, Caution is simply, in my book, the best film i've seen this year. Even though you have been hearing (probably tired as well) about how i praised The Bourne Ultimatum end on end, it turns out, and i'm proud to admit that i have been wrong, that Lust, Caution is a better film.

One of the uniform measurable quality of a good film is time versus boredom quality. It goes roughly like this, if you seen a 180 minutes film and you hadn't had the slightest idea to look at your watch, there's a good possibility that the film was better than most. On the contrary, if you seen a 90 minutes film and you found yourself glancing at your watch time and again, then there's a good possibility that the film was simply sucked.

Lust, Caution runs a shy minutes from 180 minutes mark. And not even once had i stiffled a yawn. When the film has ended, i look at my watch and surprised that almost three hours had passed. From that quality alone is not a surprise if i had named this film as one of the best film in 2007. If not the very best.

Tony Leung Chiu Wai - one of my favourite Hong Kong actor. Erm, wait, my favourite Hong Kong actor - is branded a traitor by the resistance during the tension of the World War II for his involvement with Japanese who at the moment, occupied the China mainland. Elsewhere, in Hong Kong, a group of Chinese students staged a play that in the end sparked their sense of patriotism. And when the chance came for them to cross path with Tony Leung's character (Mr.Yee), they decided that it would be a good time to do something for their country instead of staging a simple play.

The film told in a flashback manner. At first scene, we see four women playing mahjong at Mr.Yee's residence. This mahjong scene hooked me up right away as one of the three most powerful scenes in this film which distributed well at the beginning, in the middle (when Wang Jiazhi said, "You could've done it three years ago") and in the end (the final on-screen scene of Wang Jiazhi and Mr.Yee). One of the women, youngest and best looking of the group, Wang Jiazhi (Tang Wei), implied that she had something secretive with Mr.Yee who was a married man. All was shown only with glances and body language. They say you could lie easier with words than with gestures, and Ang Lee shown the fact clearly. Wang Jiazhi later excused herself claiming that she had some business to attend to. On her way, she contacted some group who then prepares themselves for a fire-arm outtake. Their intention is clear, to kill.

The film flashback four years prior when Wang Jiazhi is a freshman in a Hong Kong college and later, started their spy-game with her fellow drama students.

Most would believed that Ang Lee is the one responsible in bringing Zhang Ziyi to Hollywood. I wouldn't argue. But if Tang Wei keeps at it, it won't be long before we see Tang Wei in Hollywood. She shines in this film, and giving far better performance than any of Zhang Ziyi ever does. And not because she's doing nude scenes, or she's doing a hot sex scene with Tony Leung, it's hardly important. I have been deluded by the NC-17 rating fact and by everyone commenting that the sex scene is something really worth the wait in the film. In truth, though the scene itself is a necessity, it's more than just a fan-service, it's more of an establishment to the relationship between Mr.Yee and Wang Jiazhi, of what had begin in Hong Kong three years prior through slow seductions.

Though the film runs long, i never had an impression that the film runs slow. The pacing was right, and i was finally able to develop some kind of connections to the characters that i start to really care about them. Thus, the ending scene hit me like a storm wave. Tony Leung is flawless in this film, Tang Wei had left a considerable impression in her first debut, and she's also a beauty which in itself is a plus.

The year 2007 had proved as a better year for films than 2006. And Lust, Caution, so far as i'm concerned, currently lead the pack for the best film of 2007.

9th Jakarta International Film Festival 2007

The 9th Jakarta International Film Festival. December 7th - December 16th, 2007. A couple of days ago, i emailed jiffest's event organizer regarding the event and the full fixtures of the scheduled film to be screened. I received a reply just this afternoon advised me to check their website instead. I grumpily obeyed because really, when i sent an email a couple of days ago, the website had yet received an update since last year's jiffest.

To my delight, the website has been updated.

I immediately checked the membership info. Hm, apparently the membership hadn't opened yet. So i checked the film lists instead.

As a fan of Coen Brother's. No Country for Old Men is of course, automatically, and immediately went into my shortlist. Elizabeth: The Golden Age is definitely another one that went into my shortlist despite its negative reviews, i won't missed any of Cate Blanchett's film. I had hoped that I'm Not There was screened as well, but i think i was hoping a little bit too far.

Into the Wild, Atonement, Persepolis, Sicko, and Bushi no Ichibun were among my list as of now. Probably more, because it's almost 6 p.m right now, the office is almost deserted, and i'm barely able to concentrate. Now if only they would tell me when we could buy the membership for the festival. I would be very disappointed if i run out the ticket for No Country for Old Men. I had really really wanted to see it.

Jumper

Book Review. Jumper told about David Rice, an adolescence boy who forced to be grown before his time when his mother left him in care of his abusive, alcoholic father. In a midst of his stress, he had discovered an ability to transported him elsewhere in an instant to any place as long as he remembered the place exactly. And by discovering so, he decided to leave his dad, went to New York City, and started a new life.

The book make light of the ability by introducing the ability right at the first sentence of the book. From there, the book could be roughly divided into three parts (in my opinion, anyway). Mystery (with a stench of Tragedy perhaps), in which Davy had to start a new life from scratch in New York City with no identity, no money, and no relatives whatsoever. This is the part where i came to hate Davy, since he often spent his time crying, angry, and whining about everything that had happened to him. Although of course, when your Mother left you in care of abusive, alcoholic and had a serious tendency to hit you with a belt-buckle for a slightest mistake father, AND almost got raped by three truck-drivers, you would most likely end up as negative as Davy, maybe worse. However, he had my love when he was shown that he loved books so much that in single scene, at one of his tantrum, he threw the book across the room, only to expressed his regret in doing so later on.

The second part was my favorite, a Drama, in which Davy found a solace in form of Millie Harrison, a college girl three years older than him. It took nearly a third part of the book, in my counting, to give way to a relationship between the two. At the end of this part, there's probably one of the best - if not the best - break-up scene i've ever seen or read in a long while (and i read a lot, seen a lot) that it almost made me cried. I had more connection with Davy in this part, since i saw myself the most clearly in him. He loved to read and often escapes to book to escape the social duties he found dreading and too judging for his taste. I was prefer my solitude as well, and small circle of friends, and often spent my weekend reading or dreaming rather than socializing. Moreover, i saw myself in him as well, in the sense that when he loved someone, he loved her for what she was, a solace, an oasis, close enough but never too close to demanding. Always there for comfort, but never there too much to infiltrate his inner privacy. I could read clearly that Millie Harrison is the perfect girl for him as my recent gf is the perfect girl for me. Therefore, when the break-up scene occurred, i felt Davy's distress, anger, and sadness because i know that that what was going to happen to me when i broke my heart. This part was also when his search for his long lost Mother came to fruition, and later, become the trigger to what would happened in the third part of the book.

Unfortunately, the third part, is the worst of all parts, when the book took into Action/Thriller. I skipped a lot of paragraphs doing the part, skimming his final confrontation with his nemesises (yes, plural) and his Dad. I had high hopes during the second part only to be smashed down by the cliche-ness of the third part. The author doesn't surprise its reader as well, by giving me, us, a nice wrap-up ending that satisfied all major characters. No surprises there, and the book ends in a flat note.

Jumper spawned a sequel which arrived nine years after the first, i just read several first paragraphs of the sequel and had decided to read something else instead. The film version of Jumper will hit the theater at early 2008. Well, actually, the film would only borrow the title and the 'jump' essential, in fact, Steven Gould was writing altogether new script for the film and would largely involving the government-conspiracy kind of thing.

See also:
- Jumper (film)

La Regle Du Jeu / The Rules of the Game (1939)

Film Review. The Rules of the Game (1939)
Director: Jean Renoir
Languange: French
Significance (i.e why i had bothered to went extra mile to obtain the film): Listed as #2 top 1000 film of all time according to They Shoot Pictures Don't They?.

The year was 1939, the place was Paris and a country estate outside of Paris, the surrounding was the wealthy high-society of Paris. The haves and the famous. In short, The Rules of the Game depicted the life of these higher-society, they partying, went out hunting, over-dressed, scurrying over pretentious collectibles, and more partying. The overall pretentation and mood of this 100 minutes film is rather comical and farce. However, the final five minutes was a sharp turn that i hadn't even prepared for its shift given the mood of most of the film.

A little history, this film was initially banned in French on its premieres, Jean Renoir himself had recounted the event that he had seen one of the audience at the premiere lit a newspaper and had intended to burn the theater down. The prints of the film were later destroyed by the French government and later by the Nazi regime. And not until twenty years later, when Jean Renoir search the available copies of the film still available had the film - in one of the most renowned film restoration in cinema history - re-surfaced. The restored film was 111 minutes, and only a little insignificant portion hadn't made into the re-cut.

The film begin with the aviator Andre Jurieux who just land after 23 hours solo flying across Atlantic. However, amidst the popularity and bravado of his journey, he felt hollow because when he landed, his love, the one that prompt him to undergone the peril hadn't even bothered to show. His love was Christine, an Austrian heritage that was married with Robert. Her husband, her maid, and her friends all known about her relationship with Andre. Robert himself had a mistress, Guinevere. Even Christine's maid had a lover beside a husband who acts as a gamekeeper at Robert's estate where most of the film took place. For an unknown reasons, Robert invites his friends and neighbors (including Andre though he knew very well about Christine and Andre, and Guinevere) to his estate, partying, and hunting (in one of the most renowned hunting scene ever recorded on cinema. Believe me, it's haunting, and not because it's dark, or full of ghosts, spooky things, no, the hunting scene had occured at day, and no spirit beings were involved. But the final image of the rabbit, was soo haunting that it was often re-enacted later by many great directors - Robert Altman, for instance).

I was chuckled heartily and often when these nobles, scurrying at other's bedroom, flirting to one another, and shared things they shouldn't. Oh, don't fret. No sex scenes, one or two kisses (one or two, i'm not kiddig), no nudity, even no dirty talks, or meaningful inviting glances. But, the very great thing of this film and of Jean Renoir, that the message was delivered, loud and clear even without those straight-forward explicit scenes. Or maybe these nobles were obeying the Rules of the Game. For instance, you could have a lover, but it doesn't necessarily made you unfaithful to your spouse, et cetera. Now i know, why does those Parisians angry when the film was aired for the first time. Mockery is the very last thing that people needed on a country that was threatened by war. And the film did just so.

And after the infamous hunting scene, came the climax, where literally all hell broke loose. I'm an amateur film viewer, two or three galaxies away from an auteurism, but i love to read, and from what i've read, and i've seen for myself in the film for confirmation, that given the equipment and the quality of production at the time, the final scenes where the camera moved around relentlessly, unfolding and refolding several scenes at once, where the actors, extras, nobles, servants, scurrying about with purposes, partying, chasing one another through corridors, all without seemingly loosing a heart-beat, it was simply a work of a genius.

And finally, the final four minutes, where the film took a sharp turn, and we finally see what are "the Rules of the Game" truly means, and finally, wondering why those who obeys the "Rules" suffers the most.

This film had been taught in film classes everywhere, and it's really worth my money on being #2 in the top 1000 film of all time.

See also:
- Roger Ebert's take on the Rules of the Game (spoilers alert, though very insightful).

Screamfestindo 2007 - Tickets

Yup. Bought the membership for Screamfestindo 2007. After mulling about for about half an hour with the schedule, i had decided to bought five tickets instead of my initially planned ten. Four of the tickets were for films screened on Saturday, December the 1st which require me to be at the theater from noon until shy of midnight. The other ticket is for Sunday, actually more of an obligatory ticket because i had to choose five tickets for the price i had paid.

I bought the tickets for the following movies:

The Girl Next Door. Based on a book which in turns based on a true event about a young girl who went into her aunt after she had lost her parents. There, she was treated unkindly, and what i had meant with unkindly was to the point that the film garnered a negative reviews because of its vivid portrayal of a child abuse (its official MPAA Rating: "Rated R for sadistic torture and sexual abuse, nudity, language and strong sexual dialogue - all involving children."). However, one of my favorite horror film reviewer said that it was horrifying because you know that it was based on a true event, hence you know that it had actually happened. And that was disqueting, and what had made the film horrifying. He said, by the way. I still need to see it.

The Orphanage. Actually, the only reason i was excited about the fest. Official entry for this year's Academy Awards for Best Foreign Film from Spain? produced by Guillermo Del Toro (one of the magnificent trio - along with Pedro Almodovar and Alejandro Gonzales Innaritu - whose movies, either produced and especially directed, were certainly not going to be disappoint)? Oh, i'm so there. I don't even need to see the synopsis of the film. And its poster was a kick ass. Could this film be 2007's Pan's Labyrinth? I surely hope so.

Vexille. Remember The Matrix? It had an undeniable influence from Japan regarding the theme of machine-infested future. Don't believe me? Check the Animatrix. In my opinion, this anime is a must-see. Sets in Japan 2077, where there's a possibility that machines had their claws tight in our society, and a female agent, Vexille, was sent to investigate. Where The Matrix is the post-appocalypse world, i had guessed - and i really hoped that i had guessed correctly - Vexille is the pre-appocalypse world. The trailer of the film let us see a sneak peek of the quality of the animation and it's beautiful.

Surprise Movie. The event organizer was all shhh-shhh about this 'surprise' film. Some of my friend said that since Beyond Re-Animator was screened earlier, there's a great possibility that this 'surprise' film was going to be the original Re-Animator. However, since Re-Animator was scheduled to screened at the time-slot after this film (which is Saturday, midnight), that would eliminate the possibility. All i have is (probably false) assurance from the ticket-booth girl that i wouldn't be disappointed. I had marked her face and her name that should the film disappoint i would have a good start to hunt her down. Kidding.

The Ordeal. An obligatory one actually. I might not attend the screening because it screened on a Sunday 7 pm. I had picked the film because another one of my friend who claimed to dig horror films (not merely crap-topia Indonesian horrors which he detested earnestly) had recommend this film. I'd see then if our taste in horror films were aligned. And since French horror films that had managed to gain popularity rarely disappoint, this film maybe won't disappoint as well.

Back in the Game

I've got a call this morning (early morning, earlier than i'd love to) from my IT department senior. He was in Semarang at the moment installing Oracle Business Suite at our office branch in Semarang. He's calling asking me how fast am i in building a simple CRUD (Create Retrieve Update Delete, for you unfamiliar with IT) web-application. I had never been good in estimating projects, so i say, quite fast if i'm using PHP and MySQL. He said, can you make it before the day's end? I said, confidently, that i could. So, he sent me an email about the data which would become a base to the said application.

I clocked in earlier today, and checked my email right-away, and there you go, with a quick glance i counted three main tables, with another three identity tables used as constants, and so forth. However, i see my problems looming right from the beginning.

I fired my favorite text-editor and begin typing.

It was simple at first, i began to create a form, blank fields, a button, and some script to handle the queries. I was done in a half-hour for one CRUD cycle. But, as i was more comfortable with PHP (i've never done PHP coding for four years), and everything is starting to come back, AND i was adding another CRUD cycle to the application, i began to twiddle, and suddenly i was absorbed by the design and modularity. I started to separated each functions, and entities into its own classes (as much as you could doing an Object Oriented Programming approach with PHP, that is), and meanwhile, my manager asked for a minute brainstroming (which turns out takes about thirty minutes), one of my friend had bought fresh fruits (rujak) and somehow decided to bring the food at my table to which become a sudden attarction to my other office-mates, my Messenger buzzing with my senior asking about the progress AND proposing new requirements, i was delighted and surprised that i could come up with something like the image shown above this post before the day's end. Of course, the application was still buggy, but if the work order was done correctly, there won't be any misfire results.

I feel exhilarated. I missed the old feeling of having oppressed by deadlines, given a challenge to create something in a small time-frame, and to do something that i know i was better at (at least, better than having to sell a product, for an instance). Is it time for me to get back to school? Well..

Pushing Daisies (TV Series, 2007)

One of a brand new (first season) TV series that i watch recently was Pushing Daisies. The main plot revolved around a man, Ned, who often addressed as the Pie Maker by the serie's narrator (the serie uses narrator extensively). He had a gift which i'd say an absurd gift ever since he was nine years old. The gift is whenever he touches a dead living being, any dead living being, the dead living being would be revived.

Now, stop reading for a sec and try to guess the direction of the series.

When i read the first sentence of the main plot description, i had guessed the direction of the film was going to be a dark, gothic, philosophical, and horrific one. I had been wrong.

The Pie Maker's gift had its own rules. The series didn't explain about how the boy got the gift nor does it suggest the issue to be revealed or to be questioned later. The narrator had been shrugged off (or distracted us, the audiences) the ideas of whence the gift had come from... and instead focuses on the boy, who had chooses to accept the gift and never questioned the origin.

The rules of the gift is, if the revived living being touched by the Pie Maker continues to live for a full minute, then another random living being around the proximity would be dead. Any living being. Random. And the second rule of the gift, if the revived living being touched (or being touched by) the Pie Maker again, the living being would be dead permanently. Second touch. Re-dead. Permanent.

Fast forward almost twenty years later, the boy had grown into a renowned Pie Maker. As a side job, he partnered with a private investigator, a cynic, burly man, with a penchant for knitting. The P.I make use of the Pie Maker gift to revive a died crime-victim, obtaining the truth behind the nature of the death, and collect the reward. Until one day, when the Pie Maker had to revive his childhood neighbor, his first and last love, his first kiss, and had decided to keep her alive.

The Pie Maker and the dead girl were naturally in love. Their relationship was an awkward one that hough they shared the same bed, living together, and had a visible affections toward one another, their inability to touch, hug, and kiss were saddening and amusing.

However, the series didn't take the issue seriously (that's why it had been named Dramedy - Drama Comedy). They approach the matter with comical characters, sharp and distinct colors (think Dr.Seuss' The Cat in the Hat film, think Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), and mocking absurdity (a car fueled with Dandelion roots? Come on, get real) that even though the series had often always dealt with death, it had no slightiest hint of dread or horrid. It was a light entertainment, not too exciting, but its weird and absurdness had been enough to make me smile a bit.

And of course, the series featured a LOT of cleavage, which is an added bonus, i'd say.

How Long Have I Been Working Here? Too Long

I'm dealing with three vendors right now, one of them was foreign. And even if i had itched to deal with the development process myself, oft at times, well, all of the times, i had to surpress the desire and as my manager had said, i've got to think the big picture instead of 'wasting time' with the details in the development processes. Well, i had to oblige, of course.

It was hard at first. It was like losing your favourite pet (not spouse, or loved one, mind you, just pet, significant enough, but not too significant). But after a while, i realized that all i need do is bug testing, arranging time for a technical and administration meeting, and making sure that all those guys working in technical details meet the agreed deadlines, which roughly takes about 40% of my working time. I could very much doing research about anything i wishes most of the time, and that's exactly what i'm doing right now, with one goal in mind, always look for opportunities.

Yesterday, i got asked by one of the vendor on the way home after the technical meeting (this was around eight, full four hours after the official working hours had ended) about how long have i been working here? I was silent for a while, counting the ye... months! MONTHS! I was shocked, and counting again to really made sure. But of course, i counted right, i just been working here for four months. Damn! I felt like i've been working here for far too long of time. It had seemed like i had lost the count of time, and had aging considerably since last July. Or maybe, after i was thinking about it for a while, i've been gone through so much in the span of four months that i was almost lose the track of time (those outing events, this seminar, that workshop, two weeks holiday last Idul Fitri, etc., etc.). Or, i had matured well enough in the last four months that finally i could leave the child in me far more secluded than ever (which of course, something i really don't want to happen, as i've pointed out in some of my post in this blog many months ago). I was better dressed, that's for sure.

All in all, i felt that four months had gone like forever, but it's not a short time as well, and yet, when i look back, i hadn't really made any significant contribution both to this company and to myself. Now, this is something i REALLY need to foresee. From last week. I had to really stop doing nothing and start making something. That private library (and private theater) of mine won't be building by itself.

Ratatouille (2007)

Film Review. If anything was certain in the film world this year, it would be this, Ratatouille is the best animated film in 2007. By large, and by far. And after The Iron Giant and The Incredibles, Brad Bird has certainly firmed his position as one of the top man in animation films.

Ratatouille takes the tale of a gifted rodent (Remy) who had an acute sense of smell and wanted to become a chef. Given the premise, most of the scenery would therefore mostly at a restaurant's kitchen, in Paris.

The stars of this animated flick was of course, rats. There's no mistaking of the rat-ness or the rodent-ness of these rats even though the animated rats made them slightly cuter but again, there's no mistaking of that they are. Rats. Now, this would oppose a slight problem from some. For example, substitute the rats with snakes and there'd be no chance for me to see the film. None at all.

Anyway, the most unlikely combination of rats' dirtyness and kitchen's cleanliness worked well as a light-hearted entertainment that could be enjoyed for both children and adults alike. With almost two hours running time, the film had more than sufficient time - and did just so - of plot development time. I was delightly surprised when the film opens at the rural French where we learned about Remy's gift and his (this is an assumption really, but i think that it was a 'he' rat rather than a 'she rat) penchant to cook. Some of the later elements as the plot develops might be a little too thick for children but it never dwells long enough to make these kids bored. After all, the animation was so slick. Well, with Pixar, you really not expecting less than stellar. It sets the new bar for visual animation, if you asked me, check the chase sequence. Or, my personal favourite, the sewer scene at the beginning of the film.

Again, these are rats we're talking about. If you don't like the film, it's probably because you hated rats. Oh, the food critic rocks, he (voiced by the amiable Peter O'Toole, he practically steals every single scene he's in. And his final review at the end of the film, ah, now that's how you'd write a review and that's a part of why i had wanted to study English literature.

My Rating: ***1/2 / ****

North by Northwest (1959)

Film Review. I can't quite remember a recent thriller film which was this smart and this engaging. For one, the film throws a lot of questions. But unlike the more recent "thriller" releases, the film doesn't try to elude its audiences, throwing too many red herrings, and provide the answer in a timely fashion. An intellectual participation that doesn't mock its audience. Well, probably because in the last few decades the film industry lacks someone like Alfred Hitchcock to steer his audiences, or maybe i'm just too ignorant to notice. But like it or not, the fact remains.

In North by Northwest, Mr.Thornhill seems like an ordinary man, a working man, on his way to a dinner with friends while inscribing day's last notes to his secretary. He was kidnapped at the dinner and brought to a place belong to a certain Mr.Townsend where he was addressed as Mr.Kaplan. Puzzled, as we are, Mr.Thornhill refused to acknowledge that he was Mr.Kaplan and refused to cooperate. Mr.Townsend then ordered his henchmen to intoxicated Mr.Thornhill with a healthy dose of Bourbon and set him up for a car accident. However, Mr.Thornhill survives only to be captured by the police and then arrested for driving under influence. Claiming his innocence, Mr.Thornhill inscribed the last night events to his mother, his lawyer, and the police. Even more puzzling, when the police with Mr.Thornhill investigates Mr.Townsend residence, the party was addressed by Mrs.Townsend who recognize Mr.Thornhill rightaway as Mr.Thornhill (even though we and probably Mr.Thornhill has never seen her before) and said that he was indeed heavily drunk during the last night's party at Mr.Townsend's residence. When asked about Mr.Kaplan, Mrs.Townsend doesn't know anything, and it was further leave us and Mr.Thornhill about his real identity, the motives behind his kidnap, about who is Mr.Kaplan, about Mrs.Townsend's role in the events, about.. about..

The previous paragraph was in short, the first twenty five minutes of the film. We follow Mr.Thornhill's investigation about the said event at Mr.Townsend's residence for the rest of the film.

The film was best described as a detective film rather than a thriller. And like it not, intentional or no, if the film doesn't fail to hook your interest with its first twenty-five minutes, it would surely sucked you in, as you would love to understand the connection between Mr.Thornhill and the yet unknown Mr.Kaplan. This film therefore, would piqued interests from those who claimed had a certain penchant to detective stories. I was piqued. Further, the film had provided probably one of the eternal motion picture's still image (image above).

However, in my opinion, the film later went to a grey territory when it decides to involve some secret organizations and finally, a love story. From a smart detective film during the first hour to almost as low and as simplisistic as any Roger Moore's James Bond films during the next. I admitted that i had overestimated this film beforehand because it was the third highest reanked Alfred Hitchcock's film at IMDb's top 250 films of all time. I liked Rear Window even Psycho (the only other two Hitchcock's films that i've seen, i know, i know, got to see more of Hitchcock, and subsequently ranked higher in the list) more than this film.

Spotted Cameo: Mr.Hitchcock was known as the one who almost always appears in his own films. In this film, i was smiling when i saw him as one of the New Yorker who misses his bus at the beginning of the film.

My rating: **1/2 / ****

Tokyo Story / Tokyo Monogatari (1953)

An elderly couple from Onomichi were planning to visit their sons and daughters in Tokyo. However, they were forced to face and later, realize how far has their sons and daughters had drifted away from them, absorbed by their own business. A simple quiet tale of a family, that would remind you of how important the family is, Tokyo Story (or Tokyo Monogatari) is a heart-breaking tale, ironic but bitterly rings the truth to our ordinary life as sons or daughters, or as fathers or mothers.

My interest on classic Japanese cinema, like many others, i'm sure, i begin my journey with Akira Kurosawa. Having seen many of his films, i grew more familiar with his Samurai-themed and takes on life, and grew a perpetual fondness with one of his film about life of an old man, Ikiru.

It was only a matter of time. In fact, it was only a short while before i heard of Yasujiro Ozu. Alas, i had tasted my first Ozu only last night, with Tokyo Story, a film that has been on top of my wanted list for a loong time.

The film was slow, very slow, with two hours more of nothing but drama talk, it was not a film for everyone. But, of course, since i loved drama, and slow paced film was nothing new to me, i daresay that this film is surely one of the best film of all-time. A perfect atmospheric sights and sounds, a perfect cast (you would easily guessed correctly each's characters based on look), a down-to-earth theme that surely would kicked in at your daily life or history, and - yes, twice - a perfect cast (the Mother character whose i'm sure would be easily identified by any audiences who had a loving Mother. I, for one, missed my Mother dearly after seeing this film).

It has been said that the film has many of Ozu's traits in which not melodramatic or structured around Hollywood plot points, important events often not shown in screen, thus forcing us, the audience to made guesses about the events happened previously. In Tokyo Story's case, it works tremendously well because a) It keep me hooked up to the story, which otherwise would be potentially boring. I mean, it's a story about an elderly couple made a trip. I'd say, only the most capable director would take the story flight away from a boredom. And that's exactly what Mr.Ozu has done with the film. And b) It has an element of surprise. I was shocked at one point of the film when the events turn heart-breaking.

I can't praise this film enough. At the end of the film, during the final conversation between Father and Noriko, i was genuinely in tears. The film's final coversation was an irony that ring true in my personal life, i was ashamed and appreciated the film even more after that final scene. If you haven't had enough love to your parents before this film, i would very much sure that your love would be doubled, tripled, quintupled, even more by the end of this quiet masterpiece. Unless, of course, you fell asleep.

Side note: The film was made in 1953, a mere eight years after the World War II. On a lesser scale, i haven't seen anything much achieved in our cinematic world after the events in 1998. That was nine years ago. Those Japanese are sure something, eh?

A Violation to the Commitment

This is bad, i've made a commitment to post at least once daily during the work days. Now, the working hours almost done and i've got nothing to publish. Apologize, but i think that i had to scrape this one day off the chart, and babbling into an utterly random and non-sensing bubbling about things. Things.

I liked my office's internet connection. That, and the fact that there's always free food and coffee. But most of all, it's my internet connection. And i was the sole person who had the key to the gateway between the office numerous terminals to the internet world outside. How sweet can it be? Yeah. And oh, i had a several hundred of Gigabytes free space, and tons of DVD-Rs, so, i figured, while i'm here why don't i use my internet for something i really liked? Like, for instance, downloading movies. After all, when downloading movies, you'd only needed to provide the torrent files, and let the computer do the rest. I just checked out each morning to see which one of the files done downloading, and most likely, adding new torrents for download, and burned the content to the disc, brought them home in the evening, grab the snack and watch them as i drifted off to sleep.

However, i had a pretty strict code in downloading. As you must've been aware, downloading via torrent is a potent and a sure way to kill your bandwidth. So, i was applied the same rule of my clients (the 250-ish employees in my office) to my own downloading task. But only if the clock said that the hour was still a working-hour. After that, gaaaaaa.. let the greed begins.

Pretty dull life, if you asked me. I know i needed a change, a more dynamic and challenging roles both in work and in life. But until i found out what 'dynamic' and 'challenging' means, i would be pretty content enough with my current life right now.

Recently seen:
- Heroes Season 2 (pretty dull)
- Dexter Season 2 (exciting)
- Bionic Woman Season 1 (zzzzz....)
- Chuck Season 1 (mmm.. Yvonne...)
- The Simpsons Season 19
- Survivor Season 15
Films:
- La Dolce Vita (1960)
- Dr. Strangelove (1964)
- Tokyo Story (1959)
- North by Northwest (1959)
- Audrey Heburn's Complete (!) Collection
- Many more classic films in my downloading queues...

MMM.... Gotta love the Internet. Gotta L-O-V-E the Internet.

Monstrous Regiment: Book Review

To have your own custom world is a very convenient thing if you're a writer. You could take very much anything that happened in the real world, and re-imagine it as if it's happening in the world you've just created and had a story of your own. Further, you could tackle even the most sensitive subject (such as religions, politics) and re-told the story without offending anyone. It's very convenient. But of course, in order to do so, you have to really creates a world, apply their custom rules, creates its inhabitants, and creates its history, which of course, wasn't easy. At all.

"Monstrous Regiment" had its own little history behind its title and it was yet another Mr.Pratchett's story that took the world of Discworld as a backdrop. In short, it was about women's participations in a war with some little take on religion.

In Borogravia, where its inhabitants embraces a god called Nuggan, who decreed (among other things) that the colour blue, chocolate and sneezing are Abominations, a war was raging. Polly Perks decides to go into the army in an effort to find her brother Paul, and went into an army as Oliver Perks which was of course an Abbomination into Nuggans as she needs to cut her hair, wearing a pants (with a pair of socks), and swaying, and spitting, pretending that she was a man. Little does she knew that the regiment she was enlisted into, consisting of (among others) a coffee-addicted Vampire, a Troll, an Igor, a rather funny-in-the-head Liutenant with hints of dark history, a utterly-religious private, and a private with peculiar fascinating in fire.

Granted, making people laugh is a hard task. Especially if you means to do so through written words. It's a rare occassion for me to laugh, and even more to actually stop reading to stifled my laugh, but, with Mr.Pratchett's works that i've read so far, has never failed to do so. I was having a really funtime laughing especially at the earlier parts of the books where Polly makes her research and observation to how men's talked, cursed, swayed, and more importantly, spitted. It was also a fun ride when Polly adjusting her role as Private Perks and quickly gaining ranks through various incedental occurences.

However, as with other Mr.Pratchett's works that i've read so far, the half-end of the book weren't exactly as fun.

Once, the book finishes introduction and delved deeper into the more-serious territory, the reads become harder. Not only because Mr.Pratchett's was British (in my opinion, British English is far more difficult than the US English, quite probably because i used to US English more than British through entertainments), but because there were too many to my liking cross-references, and subtlety that sometimes i would read a passage several times before truly comprehending what the men were trying to hint at. Therefore, it was a particularly hard for me to finish the book.

Aside from that, it was pretty interesting in how Mr.Pratchett expresses his words on the role of women in times of war, in an occupation best known as a 'man-territory'.

Also see:
- Discworld
- Terry Pratchett

My rating: ** / ****

Writers on Strike

Have you ever wondering about the hard-working men behind the screens whenever you were fascinated with a film or a TV show? Yes? Well, how often did you wondering and particularly making a silent apprehension to the writer in particular? Oh, i see a hand raised, yes, you at the far-end. Huh? What's that? You're a writer yourself? I'm sorry, but that doesn't count. Anyone else? Well? No? Then, maybe, since those writers weren't received enough attention (and money, yes, particularly money), maybe if they went on a strike, you'd see how important their roles are in the industry.

As of today, 12,000 members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on a strike. The last strike was happened at 1988 and costing the American entertainment industry a whopping estimated 500 million dollars.

I was guilty as well, for not paying enough attention to the writers, often more to the directors, and actors. From what i've read, this strike could well be a considerable threat to several running TV series. The most notable will be the much awaited Heroes: Origins that previously scheduled to air somewhere on February. NBC has put the spin-off Heroes series on an indefinite hiatus.

As a casual viewer and particularly a huge fan of a good script, i sincerely hoped that the WGA and whatever party that they went on a strike against could come to a mutual understanding between each other so that we wouldn't have to suffer a terrible scripted films and TV series for long.

Image courtesy of www.cinematical.com

Stroke of Luck

How often do you feel lucky by winning some lucky draws or to win some door prizes? Well, i've never in my life won anything, for that matter. Not even once that i've been giving up trying to participate into any lucky draws or contests in hope to win some prizes long ago. I believe that my luck lies elsewhere. But, is it a curse? A some kind of an unlucky totem that hung ever closely at my shadow, grinning profoundly whenever i was not lucky. Of course, since i'm a believer, none of that nonsense would allegedly accepted in both my logic and my faith. But the thought sometimes amused me.

Last Saturday, i was at Manchester United Cafe at Sarinah, Jakarta to see a big match between Arsenal against Manchester United. As custom to the cafe, when i made my registration, i was given a coupon to fill out with my predictions on the final score of the match, and a man of the match. I was right on both accounts.

The man of the match was easy, thus, i wasn't expected to win anything since hundreds of the patron would came out with the right answer. Now, the final score of the match which i answered correctly, that was another matter. Arsenal is currently a team that has been spotlighted by media and fans alike. With their young guns, and a considerable doubt since Thierry Henry was transfered out to Barcelona earlier this season, their undefeated record so far has been the highlight of the news. Manchester United, on the other hand, started out rather slow this season, but came back strong recently when their several last matches were won with at least four goals scored at each match. And with Wayne Rooney found his 'touch' with the goal-posts, i had a pretty much an insurance that Manchester United wasn't an easy opponent for Arsenal to beat. The only reason that prompt me to predicted a draw between the two teams was that the match was held at Empire Stadium, London, the home of Arsenal.

The final score of the match, as you would've known today, was 2-2. Arsenal was more superior in the midfield, but lack a considerable firepower at front, while Manchester Utd. had all the fire fully loaded, and the defence was at their utmost performance. Of all the hundreds patrons that night, only five (according to the Master of Ceremony) coupons answered correctly. Of which one of them would be picked to win a prize, Jakarta-Singapore-Jakarta flight ticket. That means, there are 20% chance that i was the winner. Tell me, how often do you get that big percentage of a chance from a quiz? And, with my personal history of the one who never ever wins anything (from drawing a coupon, or any of those methods that relies on luck) in my life, would you blame me that i had my hopes high that evening?

Well, of course, the unlucky totem grinning again, showing his ugly teeth, and somehow had give the winning chance to some girl instead. Ah, maybe my luck did lies elsewhere, though, i'm still unable to locate them correctly as of now.

No Java for Leopard

No Java for Leopard? Now that's a huge consideration for me to upgrade my MacBook's Mac OS X. I've heard nothing but a good thing about the newest cat from Curpentino, and of course, the eye-candied desktops, virtualization, Boot Camp, Spaces were tempting to get a try out. And for a measly price of US$ 150, i'm ready to pay for it. In fact, i've been asked about the availability of the Leopard at various Apple retail stores in Jakarta, and planned to buy one this evening. Until of course, the non-existant Java 6 support.

Actually, i would gladly wait for Apple to release their updated Java 6 version for Mac in a near future. However, given that even the threads about Java in the Apple forum were deleted, i highly doubted that they would included the Java 6 in a near future. Oh, the agony! While it's true, that i don't code Java for a living anymore, i still needed a Java in my machine to keep myself sane and as a reminder to myself of who i was, of what i was, of what live i used to have and love. And of course, to keep practicing, in hopes (and dreams) that someday i would have a chance to wound back into it.

Now, what are my options? Keep my old Tiger? Switching into a new religion, that is Cocoa and Objective-C native to Mac OS X? Or, most likely, switch to Leopard and start utilizing my Toshiba, though of course, given the probability of carrying two computer laptops already give my back an ache. Oh, the agony!

The Power of Technologies

Ever since i had my very own MacBook last April, i was quickly bloating my disk-usage and most-used applications with configurations that rapidly grow both in quantity and quality. For instance, i just recently integrated my Gmail account into my Mail.app. It took two working days for my Mail.app to retrieve all 13,000+ messages from my inbox (including Mac-Indonesia and Java=User-Group-Indonesia) into my hard-drive. I know, i know, where was i this whole time? I had just enabled POP settings in my GMail. Now, i could read my mail at my most leisure time upon my bed, and off office-hours. This is most useful especially when there's a 'serious' topic going on and reading them all in the office doesn't seems a good idea.

Previously, i had also subscribed to RSS from every single websites i read daily (Cinematical, Engadget, The Server Side, ESPN Soccernet, Slashdot, and Wired) and afterwards, where i usually spent the greater part of my morning to read these sites (i know, not a good habit), i only needed a couple minutes to browse through the articles. Half hour at most. With these technologies doing my job, sometimes i really really felt like i had nothing to do anymore. Often at noon, during or shortly after lunch, i was mulling over an empty Safari page while thinking, real hard, for the URL address whence i wish to go to.

Running out of Ideas

Okay, i'm running out of ideas right now. Oh, i had several in-writing posts but i deemed that they were too early and immature to get notified publicly so, they were as of now, merely gathering dusts at my Desktop. Moreover, i was scheduled to attend a one-day seminar at Microsoft Indonesia later this day for whole day. I was wondering wether i should bring my genuine Windows Vista powered Toshiba or my MacBook (which of course, no Windows installed) just to mock the attendants.

Anyways, i grow more and more uneasy in this place, and i should figure to look for another job more inline with my core (a loner, an introverted, a basement Java developer), because i had thought that career-wise i won't go anywhere in this place.

Recently, some employees were promoted and rotated. To my dismay, i've seen some of the brightest guy in this office were overlooked. I've been working with Billing & Collection department for the last couple of months regarding their online billing system. And i was genuinely surprised that Mr.A was promoted as a Manager where as Mr.B was not. I've been working with both Mr.A and Mr.B and in my opinion, Mr.B was much more smarter than Mr.A. It is clearly shown on his feature, his way of speech, his body language, and his quick wit in understanding the new system. However, this Mr.B was known as the man who overly critic, when he doesn't like about something, he would say it, out loud, regardless of who he talked to. Well, i'm not seeing this happen for myself (often), but some of my senior colleagues confirmed my suspicions, and they were agreed that Mr.B was the one who should promoted as a Manager instead of Mr.A. Further, this was twice when Mr.B was overlooked for a promotion. According to one of my senior colleague at the Accounting department, Mr.B was the one who created the Accounting system from scratch in this company. He said that before Mr.B, my company hasn't any fixed accounting system (i don't know shit about accounting, so i can't vouch about how's a company who doesn't have any fixed accounting system could proceed with their financial statements. I just copied what my colleague had said, verbatimly). That wasn't a small accomplishment. But, because Mr.B wasn't affiliated in any way with PT. PLN (Persero), he was surpassed by some guy from PT. PLN (Persero) who later become a Manager at the Accounting department (rumor has it that Mr.B and this Manager weren't exactly the best of friends). Mr.B was instead appointed at Billing & Collection department. Again, his contributions weren't small, he had a huge portion in developing the Billing & Collection system. And again, he was overlooked. Now, there's a vacant position as a Manager at the Accounting Department, and me and my senior Accounting department colleague anonymously agreed that he deserved the position, though of course, my colleague, being a senior had a very good reasons to doubt that it would be the case. He has seen more brightest guys were overlooked simply because they were too critic. Obviously more than i've already seen, and i've seen quite a few.

Let's see what would happen then, meanwhile, if you know any delicious vacant position where i could be working closer to my root (a loner, an introverted, a basement Java developer), i would glad if you'd be so kind to inform me.