Dealing with Sense

Naturally, I have sensitive sense. A vibration across the room can wake me up. I can smell a vague aroma of onion and get really annoyed about it. And I read facial cues. It is not something that I am proud of, or even like; because once I sense an awkwardness, then I feel there is no point of being there.

That is why I am not that good in extending pleasantries. I can do it naturally because I have nice smile (that’s what my friends say and I know that too), but the truth is, I am not a real social person. Does that make me having double personality issue?

Most of the time, I am angry at myself for having ears and nose that sensitive. I seldom have deep sleep, and with the constant pressure I have been having; lately I prefer going everywhere by myself because I don’t have the energy to interact with people. I always feel like my body is in the war-state. Like my brain tricks me to keep alert. Just like what I’ve heard about Maasai tribe in Africa who can be awake from sleep in just seconds.

But a friend told me that it might be an advantage. I know it is. It is just….sometimes I demand people to understand that sensitivity, and they just don’t. It is annoying. And I just have to swallow the bitterness for that. Apparently not many people have the same sensitivity as me.

I do believe it is a gift. One day I’ll find out what it is for :)

-C

 

The Charm of Kaohsiung, Second Biggest City in Taiwan

Before you guys give comment about how frequent I go here and there, yeah, I do travel a lot :D

It is finally Chinese New Year break in lab (yeah, we don’t actually follow the designated ‘break’ as we don’t recognize holiday as something important), and my adviser is going out of town so we can have several days off. I have gone to most parts of Taiwan so actually I don’t have any plan for Chinese New Year break.

Anyway, since three months ago I am really eager to revisit Kaohsiung (and Cijin Island!) so I made a plan to have weekend getaway on Jan 20 and 21. At first I wanted to stay 2 nights at Kaohsiung considering that my labmeeting is on late Friday afternoon (4.40 – 6PM), but then the meeting was moved to last Tuesday so I changed my plan. I departed from Taipei to Kaohsiung on Friday at 2.12 PM using Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR), stayed one night, and get back to Taipei on Saturday night, using THSR again, at 9.54 PM.

 

Getaway!

Tomorrow I’ll be heading to Kaohsiung for one-day getaway. Solo-traveling, again. I love Kaohsiung and Cijin Island, and thus why I wanna revisit the city. Last time I visited Kaohsiung (and Kenting) is two years ago. How time flies so fast.

I will take THSR departing from Taipei Main Station at 14.12, and get back to Taipei the next day, departing from Zuoying at 21.54.

I am so excited :)

-C

 

I Am Flabbergasted!

To my surprise, today I have just realized that Indonesian Minister for Environment is a professor in economics. Whoa. He got an MBA and a doctorate in economy. And I thought that is just absurd.

I don’t know. It just doesn’t make any sense. Or is it that I don’t possess the same sense as others?

Look. I won’t even say yes to people asking my help in something if I don’t have any confidence and knowledge about that particular thing. When my labmate asked me to help him correct the grammar in his thesis, I required him to sit by me and see if the correction I made was right, since words, as simple as they may be, can diverge into different context.

If for ‘this little thing’ I am so careful, I just cannot imagine when you give a such important matter into someone who’s not even working on it. I am….flabbergasted. Seriously. You can say I am cynic, but I know you’re all with me on this.

And here again I wonder why the country I love so much is in autopilot mode. Such a shame.

-C

 

R9 Cafe Taipei: Just As Sweet As Perfection

I do frequent cafes. Not because I have money, but I need a good place and great companions when I think, so cafe is great. Here in Taipei, some cafes don’t limit the buyers for staying, so I can sit as long as 6 hours and let my mind flies.

Raras, one of my friend, invited me (and some others) to got to R9 cafe for brunch. I’ve heard of the cafe and passed over it several times, but never get the chance to try it. So  today we went there. The cafe is located near the R9 exit of MRT Zhongshan station (one station after Taipei Main Station, heads up to Danshui).

I do think the place is in a perfect corner. Sunshine falls directly into the store, so it doesn’t need too much lighting in daytime. It is not so big, but the store has some nice comfy couches.

We sat down near the window and started to browse the menu. I came for the honey toast and coffee so I ordered strawberry honey toast and latte with orange. The others ordered honey toast too and ‘real meal’: beef stew, spaghetti, and seafood rice.

 

How Low Can We Go: A Question

By: Marlistya Citraningrum

I was just about to tidy up my desk and go back to my dormitory when I read a tweet about Mr. Fauzi Bowo’s plan to get tough on anti-smoking regulation. Not to be so subjective (because I smoke occasionally), I personally think that this attempt is just a low ball.

Jakarta has bigger issues that need to be addressed. I have mentioned several times about environmental threat faced by our country, of which they are current issues in our capital city: water, waste, and traffic.

The first two problems are in coexistence. They ‘create’ flood. And I am so bored with news about flood in Jakarta that I do not pay attention anymore. Nothing has been done to avoid the annual flood in Jakarta. Or is there any that I miss to read?

Jakarta as capital city has no integrated waster sewerage system. I was doing the research for my professor when I read that the water pipe system (for supply) in Jakarta is the same one as built by the Dutch somewhere between 1900 and 1940, and the drainage (sewer) system is from the 1960’s city spatial planning. Okay, so no improvement or even a will to improve the water line systems?

I think it was two years ago when the governor frankly blamed the street vendors as the root of flooding problem, accusing them of not properly dumping the waste, thus clogging the drainage system and causing flood. Oh come on, with all those old-fashioned drainage system, do we really expect it can work properly? To my common sense, of course it can’t. But I realized that common sense is not so common anymore. With the vast development, more people, more vehicles, more industrial activities, what seemed okay 50 years ago will not fit anymore. A drainage system that worked just fine at that time will not exhibit the same performance as it was. And does the government even take the action of clean those lines up? No new system apparently, but what about maintenance?

I am not just pointing my finger at the government. People out there, who scream at the government and say the government cannot prevent flood but they throw their waste onto the street from a speeding car, or into the river; are stupid. Yes, that’s just stupid. Call yourself educated, but throwing your candy wrap to the street and thinking ‘it is just a piece of small plastic’ are also lame. Totally ironic.

Now about traffic congestion. I totally hate Jakarta for this. Too many cars on the road. I think busway is a good start to solve the congestion and encourage people to take public transportation, but that is just the beginning. What I observe is no strict regulation on how unprofessionally regulated public transport aka ‘angkot’ (minivan) should ‘behave’ on the road. Hey, they stop anywhere they want, for a long time. Isn’t that the root of all those congestions everywhere? Now, I believe there must be a regulation somewhere about that. But nothing is done to ensure the regulation being followed by minivan’s driver right?

Street vendors are also a problem because they take up spaces, but it is a bit complicated and somehow related to feeling and empathy. But it doesn’t mean it can’t be done. The government sure has experts of city planning. Isn’t that the motto of Mr. Bowo: “Serahkan Pada Ahlinya” (Give It to the Expert)?

Then today I read about policemen in Tangerang warning girl for wearing shorts. Oh please, now police take the action against people’s apparel? Taking up an issue when there are other important issues to address is just a representation on how low we can go. Yes, how low can we go?

Maybe I expect too much. And maybe I am being too cynical. But aren’t you all agree?

-C

P.S. Picture credit: wikipedia.org

 

Perception

I was ordering my grande cup of mocha at Starbucks when I saw a policeman rushing upstairs. I thought something bad happened up there and wondered what did.

Turned out that the policeman was just looking for restroom, because he worked in the crossing roads near there and the closest restroom is there, inside Starbucks. Too far if he went to MRT station.

Then I thought I was so silly for thinking that something bad happened. This is the dangerous side of being so perceptive about something. Getting too attached to an image.

I am rational empirist. I perceive everything through logic. But many people (including my father) teach me that I have to open my mind to everything. I am an open minded person. However so, I realize I still have to open it even wider.

That is how you live in coexistence with others. Keeping an open mind.

-C

 

So Be It :)

Just as life is an unsteady-state, many things change. I do realize, as both scientist and human, that I cannot get a guarantee for what happens in life.

Happiness and sadness come side by side, or by turn. Frustration and euphoria also take the spot. Nothing is actually new in the circle of life. It is still unfair, but to me, it is just. Strangely enough, now I am not sure whether I should help or not.

New year has come with more tasks ahead of me, and new stage of life. I’ve taken the decision to be one single woman, a decision questioned by many others. I just chose. And I appreciate your concern, just don’t spit it out too much to me.

On a deeper level, I have changed. This is one of things I can’t explained by words, but I assure you, change is always painful at the beginning. It is awful, and to get to know that I will face those hard days with half my focus, it is devastating. But as always, I move forward. I don’t want to stop or take a step back.

I write these under the circumference that I am very emotional at the moment. I am awashed in hormones, you know, and it clouds my judgement so much that even I cannot cry when I really want to. I pull myself inward and attempt to question myself, to shake myself even more so I can gain momentum.

I feel something akin to broken heart, a breathtaking feeling that wouldn’t go away. I am intense when it comes to feeling, and usually the agony is torturing me for days, or even months. I just need clear head to think it through, and regain consciousness afterwards.

There is a needy side in me, of which I always try hard to control because I don’t want to fall to yet another disappointment. This way I actually ridicule myself for attempting to block something that feels natural to me. I don’t know. Maybe I am that ridiculous.

I have always been myself, and I want it to stay. I have been afraid to move on or even to speak, but then again, sometimes I don’t even need to speak. So I let my mind free itself to think and experience some chaos there. It has always been chaos.

So be it. I don’t make promise :)

-C

 

Coffee Alley, Taipei

I am a sucker for sweetness. I put lots of sugar in my coffee. And I always love to go to some cafes and enjoy a cup of coffee doubled with cakes or pastry.

Coffee Alley is a famous chain cafe in Taipei, and along with Dazzling Cafe, are two “recommended to visit” cafe. There are 6 cafes of Coffee Alley in Taipei, and I visited the one in ATT for Fun Mall (across Taipei 101, used to be New York New York). I have been there three times already. But still, never really get bored to revisit the cafe.

We planned to make a reservation for 6 PM, but the waitress told us that the reserved tables were full already so we had to come there early to get a table. We waited for 15 minutes before finally get to sit. While waiting, the waitress jot down our orders so it won’t take too much time for us to wait again.

Look at this cute menu:

 

T.G.I. Friday’s

Okay, I know T.G.I. Friday’s is not an option for student to eat, but I don’t mind going to eat there once in a while. When my budget allows, surely.

There is one TGIF near my school, 10 mins by bus. Very American, yes, and I love the interior (which is typical for every TGIF anywhere). I like the dim light set and the bar. If I go alone, I will choose to sit at the bar. If not, always near-the-window table.