Bali Log Date: 21.12.2011 - It's almost Christmas...

So, its 3 days to Christmas Eve...
and to tell you the truth, the Christmas spirits are not inside me.
not since a long time.

Today started as a so-so day. went to the office and (tried to) get some work done.
Went home before sunset and sit somewhere for coffee, and then my phone rang.

Good news... Is it?
It is... a new hope, opportunities to do something new.
Learning the arts of the not so unknown.
And now, the heart is beating fast.

Is this an early christmas present?
The overthinking self got me again.
I am now feeling a chill down my spine, not on the new opportunities,
but on other stuffs.

And I see this things are growing on me, making me a changed person,
not as free-spirited as I used to be. All thanks to the ups and downs.
But to be a man (not being sexist or anything) I felt that sooner or later,
I do have to face this. And now, of all time, should be the time.

So brace yourself people, I'm jumping ship.
Hoping for a clear water, and salty seas.
Where I could, swim and be free...

Salute

Bali Log Date: 17.12.2011 - Cold weather, and some DIY Photo Scans

So, it has been a while now.
I think Im getting rusty by not saying things the way I used to.
It's December, Christmas is coming, A year is ending,
and boy do I got some news...

But carrying on, I just wanted to show you my pictures,
My friend processed it, and after a long while, I decided to do something about it.
So that you can also see them.

Here is what I did:
1. I set my laptop screen contrast to 100%, and then put a white background on it.
2. I stick my negative b/w film on the screen.
3. I took a picture of it with my digital camera, frame per frame.
4. I invert it in photoshop, and set it to monochrome.
5. Voila, here are the results.

And I do hope You like it.
Cheers,
Niki

A moment to ponder

Time, is never on anybody's side.
It just simply exist. Moving, with the same pace.

People, human beings, are now in an information era.
The thirst for knowledge and information has made human moving so fast, other sometimes hard to keep up.

Space, is another thing.
Every living being need space. Big and small. And too much or too little space, will affect its being.

Combination of time and space, has been how we organisms on earth has been struggling with on a never ending battle.
All have been fighting to live their lives, with the space and time available, and forces of nature, or they will cease to exist.

And I will keep writing in a detached way that reflects my mind, but not actually telling, what is really happening in my head.

I just like how people (might) read this, and relate it to their own lives (other organisms are also welcomed). I just thought with my ego, that maybe you do experience what I am saying, either now, prior in your life, or in the future.

So time and space, and how you make of it, will shape your character, and your role in life.

Niki (still pondering)

Bali Log Date: 11.08.2011 - The Rainy Season

The grey clouds are hanging out a lot these days.
Rain is literally pouring in.
Last couple of months, I said that none of my shoes is free of sands,
Now, none of them are dry, all had a slight of dampness from the rain.
But don't get me wrong, I like rain.
As long as none of my electronics got wet and short-circuited, that is.

You guys must want to read some updates of what's going on around here, don't you?
Or you just don't care. whichever suits you, I don't mind, really...

Oh did I told you already that I got a new bicycle?
Well, I did. this is my bicycle (oh its on facebook btw)
And lately, since i travel with it almost every day, she got a taste of rain too...
I really am not a good at taking care of stuffs, e.g. my bicycle.
She got in the rain and all I did was wiped it dry, and she is now showing sign of rust.

So, rainy season, duck season, Asean Fair at Nusa Dua, heard some good music and seen some good handicrafts there. And also, tomorrow I'm going to this Jason Mraz concert, got my free ticket.
Quite a funny story, that is. It was an afternoon, I was checking my timeline on twitter, and some Free Magazine offers free tickets, so I said. I want it. And they simply gave it to me. What a life.

How about things on the other side? What other side?
Right now, the other side is pouring, while I'm sitting in a Cafe with roof on top of it, so I'm not wet.
Do I feel sorry for anyone else who is in the rain? not really...
I'm just being this selfish ignorant bastard, So sue me...

Life is getting exciting and dull.
I just didn't get easily excited anymore (except on mornings).
And this is bad, because IF I'm bored, things just might get a little too much.
Both socially and economically.

Ah, another blabber...
Let's skip this and get to the point.

Rainy season had effect on people, positive and negative ones.
I see 3 Kind of people:
1. People who likes the rain
2. People who hates the rain
3. People who just don't care

So, there will be some constant nagging going around, some smiles and gloomy faces, the rushing before the rain kind of people, the stay at home people, the dancing in the rain people (rarely spotted), and the unlucky 'caught in the rain' people.

All is well on my side, for me, rainy season is just a chance for a fashion change, not to mention this is the tropical island where people wear sundresses all the time. Well, its time to get your coats and shawls and scarves and hoods and raincoats and boots out of the closet. Let us face the rain with style. And don't forget your umbrellas while you're at it.

Whatever the weather has in store for you, we, human beings, has created so many things to adapt to it.
So just live another day, dance in the rain, wear your boots and coats, open up your umbrella, and have fun.

Bali Log date: 10.29.2011 - On appointments and promises

Let's see, how do I start this?

Appointments and Promises...

when you don't really know what to say, start with yourself 
(someone said that to me, or that is just what I think how i should write)

So, me as a person, make appointments only when I know I can attend it, and always tried to be on time.
But as we all know, some people are just not that punctual, or doesn't really bother to look at the time.
Waiting has been part of my life, not really bothered by it, but sometimes it could be a drag.
And not to mention the last minute cancellation (or as my friend Prima said "Last second cancellation").

So yeah, I tried my best to be punctual, and give people heads up when I'm running late (as it was how it's supposed to be when you make an appointment with another person or party). So, when the other person or party suddenly went out of reach and didn't give any notice, I tend to get frustrated or sometimes my imagination wandered aimlessly. Maybe I can even write a book about that alone already, a sort of thriller-fantasy on why people are running late. Haha...

Next on the topic, promises.
In my younger years, I made a lot of empty promises, to people, friends, lovers, family, and even to myself.
Now, I still do, but much more less frequent (Really nic, much more less? your words are contradicting each others). So, yeah... I learn to get all the variables (thanks to my full of calculation friends) and get more and more thoughful, before decided to say something that might alter other people life (or at least how they think about me).

This has its positive and negative side. The positive side is, I make less empty promises. I don't say things that I don't know I could fulfill or not. The negative side, well... people might think that I am too indecisive, that I don't know where I stand (which I really don't at the moment). So two sides of a coin. That's Life. I am still trying to get it balanced. The old easygoing-self against the new thoughtful-self is on a battle for life.

So, what do you think?

Do you value people's time when you make an appointment?

Do you have that much variables (thoughts) before making any promises?

Let's think about it while we still have time for ourselves...

But, not too serious, because life is just something for you to live through,
and "time you enjoy wasting is not wasted" - John Lennon














Cheers...
Niki

Bali Log Date: 10.27.2011 - Photos gone bad, or is it?

I just tested out a xr redscale film with my Sprocket rocket camera.
Some of you might not know what those are, so here are the link for both
The film the-lomography-redscale-xr-50-200 and the camera sprocket-rocket-panorama
(again without the sprocket holes, due to scanner incapabilities)

So, carrying on, I loaded the film to the camera, took it to the beach, which is still okay.

and then I took pictures in an alleyway, with less light, and the trouble start.
all I got is some dark images of nothingness...

Here are the link to the Photo hunting documentation by a talented friend of mine, Popo, and pictures by fellow Lomonesia Bali poppies hunting documentation

Next, I take some pictures of meadow, on a very sunny day,
which turns out really great, no complains about it.

And then, yet another picture fails...

 and another...

The last frames of this roll was the next demise, a parade of people are marching down the road,
I rushed and took the camera, taking some shots, and then realizing that it was on bulb mode (here's a link to Bulb photography) and resulting a ghostly image (luckily it's not too over-exposed)

I finally noticed that my camera are probably on bulb mode and change the setting to normal,
resulting this picture bellow.

Oh, I forgot to mention that I also took some night shots (with flash) and the pictures turns out like this.

Well, an experience, I call it a failure, but I guess you'll be the judge of that.

That is all for tonight.

Thanks for viewing...

Bali Log Date: 10.25.2011 - Red (scaled) October

The weather has just gotten a little bit warmer... a little to warm actually.
The morning, noon, afternoon, even at night, the heat are almost unbearable.

But not to worry, my dear friends...
The weather are always changing, shifting through time like grains of sand.
They say, it's the global warming, the deforestation, the overfishing, the abusive mining.
Other says, it's the demoralization (is that even a word?) of the civilization.

Words are just words. We, mankind, has made the most incredible, and also destructive objects,
through words and knowledge. But, let's not get all too righteous and blame everyone.
Although we do thrive for constant improvements, we simply fail to stop and think ahead.
Quite contradictory actually, and here is where I stop.

So, let's talk about me for a minute.
Emotions has caught me off guard, some frictions occurs, getting into my system.
with the weather, they accumulate into something beyond my control (barely)
I managed to do some bad decisions, which leads to a chain reactions, and almost got me cracked up.
Debris are visible along the way, shear and tears here and there, but somehow, things cools down (a bit).

So back to my "blogwriting"-self, this is kind of my sanctuary, which I totally forgot.
Here is where I could write and mix my words into a jumble heap, to my heart's content.
Pouring everything (public readable) out and feeling fine after. It's amazing, really.

And then, enough with the whinning,
Let's talk about plans.

Most of the things I have planned along the way has to get some adjustments.
And also, I have to start again thinking, about priorities, strength, and capabilities.
My individual/social-self is always on a neverending battle, struggling to come out and becoming my dominant self, but we all know that balance is needed, zen is a must, so here goes nothing...

After a long walk, and some occasions, I found out (again), that everything just need a little tweaking,
and what matters most is some positive energy, lots of smiles, and friends at hand.

Cheers...
Niki

Bali Log Date: 10.14.2011 - Tinkering with winks, snort, and heat

Dear Readers,

I have been on a hiatus, and my words seems not to be up to date.

Today, I am still having this sleepy morning, a hungry after-breakfast stomach, and now,

an after-lunch blocked nose. The morning started out sunny, after yesterday Quake, 

check this for links 

 articles on the quake, and the epicentrum

Here is a recording from someone's house

Anyway, So the heat is getting stronger by noon, making the after (wrong delivery order) lunch me drowsy.

Yet, I already had 2 cups of coffee today, 3rd cup won't be good for me. So, maybe I'll just walk for a bit. get some fresh-heated air.

See ya guys later...

Jump JUMP...

Bali Log Date: 10.08.2011 - Been Idle for too long...

It's been a while since I posted anything in this blog, so let's start.
This week has been eventful, starting with the Sunday Lomo Photo Hunt.
Went to Kuta, stroll around poppies lanes, and took some pictures (hope it's any good, but who cares :p)
Had a really good time with all the people coming along.
And the day haven't ended yet because after that, some of us went to a Gig / Band Festival in University of Udayana, watching some (famous) Local Band. Life is good.

the day went on to monday (what happened on Monday?)
I can't really recall (I should stick to writing my Daily Log)
So well, comes Monday, Work Time. And then, I went to process my film.
Oh, I get some lectures on taking properties pictures. Not good Enough.
Not focusing on the object. Sorry about that, I will try to better later on.
The pictures comes out good enough, a few scans got side-tracked
(I Should remember to check it before leaving the lab next time).
and then I went to get some coffee (Yay my memory are not failing me)

Tuesday, is a rainy day. Stayed at the office all day and do some desk work (barely)
After hours, went to the movie theatre and watch a movie titled "Abducted"
A so-so action movie, quite enjoyable, but maybe, i have developed more standard, oh well.
Had dinner after and went home.

Wednesday, stayed in on a sick leave. I got shivers and headache (must be the weather)
Something happened when someone drop by.
Won't say more of it.

Thursday, went to the office still feeling a bit light-headed. after hours, walked home for the first time.
Decided to sleep early, and overslept. my hands got pins and needles, and my head isn't working too well in the morning after. but at least, i get some extra work out + rest.

Friday, Yay it's friday already...
This is getting boring, really really boring...

I'm not making any points here.
I should stop.
and post some pictures instead.

Pictures of Kenny

 with Lita and mas Andhika

 Random beach shots

and that is all for now.
Thanks...

Friday Fried Day - September 30th, 2011

Danau Beratan - to cool off this hot day

It's a hot day, and my lunch was fried chicken. the air conditioner is acting up, the sun is scorching, and I am totally sleepy. I had 2 cups of coffee already, and now, after making some phonecalls, I am getting ready to doze off...
But no, I still have things to do, and more to think and distribute. should I not able to do it today, I will have to do it tomorrow.
And today is also getting hotter by some discussion about sex (not that I'm aroused or anything)
and I just check out the playboy.tv heheh...
Let's just focus on some work now.
Catch you all later.
Oh, Oh... and my How I Met Your Mother download is still going since 5 days ago.
hmm...