This is a story of Amira January – a young success psychologist – who has her phobia on marriage and publication. Her advice as a psychologist always contradictory especially if it is relate to relationship or gender issue.

She got it all, except her status, she is single. No one knows –that her afraid of marriage life was because of her childhood experience.

Until one day, one event, destroy her “name”, her career, and her entire life. The event, which always becomes an enemy of every marriage life in the world. The event, which has a name “Affair”.

In this book, the writer, try to picture of how Mira (the nickname of Amira) try to survive from the rumors that destroy her life. The writer express Mira’s struggle through her view of marriage, affair and divorce.

I like the writer express Mira argued with herself when she noticed that actually she felt in love and how she put aside that feeling just because of her parents divorce. In addition, it’s not only that, the writer also try to picture of how an affair started.

Divorce in this book is not a big no-no. Divorce in this book is a decision that should be taken when there’s only fake romance life in a couple, when the sweet-talk only a drama. Divorce is not a common thing but also not a taboo. Divorce is a tough decision same as marriage, but not everybody realize it.

Same as divorce; an affair wherever you go, is an evil of marriage. However, do we ever understand how it started ? I’m not talking about an affair based on sex, am talking about an affair based on the feeling.

Once again, the writer put Mira’s struggle in refusing the love that has been offered by her ex-lover whereas his wife is her client, through several angle.

Anyway, even though that two parts – the controversial part – were only a small part of the book, but still as a novel who could enlarge somebody’s view of life, I will recommend you all (who can read Indonesian book) to read it.

This is a true story of Morrie Schwartz, a college professor who taught Mitch Albom, of experiencing life during the end of Morries’ life.

Mitch knew Morrie when he was a college student, a professor who did not see him as a raw material, but see him as precious thing, a jewel that, with wisdom could be polished to a proud shine.

They were lost track after Mitch graduated, until one day Mitch saw his beloved professor at “Nightline” channel television, which shown the story of Morrie in dealing with his “death”.

Mitch finally found his “coach” again, to get the wisdom of how to see the world in more profound place and even find the “answer” of his worries through one final “class” : experiencing life. A class that start of Tuesday ….Tuesday with Morrie.

…..”The last class of my old professor’s life took place once a week, in his home, by a window in his study where e could watch a small hibiscus plant shed its pink flowers. The class met on Tuesday. No books were required. The subject was the meaning of life. It was taught from experience….” (page 192)

I love this book; it taught me of how to see the ordinary things in life from simplest thing. Sometimes that simplest thing has been heard several times; but in this book, that simplest thing becomes the precious things in different perspective.

Morrie gave Mitch an advice that even my self felt envy of the chances that Mitch have. I wish I had the person like Morrie, so I could ask several questions that haunted me.

I cannot say which one of the advices is the best one, but one that touches my heart is when they finally say good-bye.

…. Coach, I said. I felt a shiver. He spoke in short burst, inhaling air, exhaling words. His voice was thin and raspy. He smelled of ointment.
“You …. Are a good soul”
A good soul.
“Touched me ….” He whispered. He moved my hands to his heart. “Here”.
It felt as I had a pit in my throat.
Coach ?
“Ahh ?”
I don’t know how to say good-bye.
He patted my hand weakly, keeping it on his chest.
“This …. Is how we say …. Good-bye …..”
He breathed softly, in and out, I could feel his ribcage rise and fail. The he looked right at me.
“Love….you,”he rasped.
I love you, too, Coach ………………(page 184-185)

…The good-bye which was so simple but has shown of affection, of appreciation, and on top of that, shown a pure love of someone who finally can open someone’s heart …

This is what I called LOVE ..

Where the only thing left is only the SHADOW of the one that we love ..

Where the strength to continue the life is only the MEMORY …

Where no other HOPE than the LOVE itself

Fourlplay – Snowbound

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,
Jack Frost nipping on your nose,
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir,
And folks dressed up like Eskimos.

Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe,
Help to make the season bright.
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow,
Will find it hard to sleep tonight.

They know that Santa’s on his way;
He’s loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh.
And every mother’s child is going to spy,
To see if reindeer really know how to fly.

And so I’m offering this simple phrase,
To kids from one to ninety-two,
Although its been said many times, many ways,
A very Merry Christmas to you

… Hm 3 days more to go before Christmas eve, before I go to church and wondering my preparation of celebrating the Joy of Christmas, the Joy of knowing that Jesus was born to save us…

And it has been more than 7 years when I first time heard Fourplay play this song. The song that remembering me of white Christmas, the song that remembering me of a glass of jasmine tea more than 7 years ago at Bats, Shangri-la.

The song that could awaken me from my dream of the old days, when sharing a story is part of our live.

The song that could take my mind fly away to a place called “dream”, to a place called “reality”, to a word name “memories” …

So nothing much I can say, only Have a very Merry Christmas to you …

This is a story of Chuiya, an 8-year-old girl who is widowed by the untimely death of her husband and Kalyani, a beautiful 20-years old woman who has been a widow since the age of 9.

In accordance with India tradition, Chuiya must be sent to a home – for not to say an ashram for widow – in Varanasi, where Hindu widows live in penitence to atone for their sins. Her feisty presence influences the lives of other widows.

During her stay in that Ashram, she quickly makes friend with Kalyani, who radiates a child-like innocence. The only beautiful widow whose hair is not shorn, as a nod to her profession that was forced upon her at an early age by the powerful head widow Madhumati, as a prostitute.

.... And the every angle close up was taken by Deepa Mehta. Watching this movie makes me feel as I’m part of the widow who stays in that Ashram.

The way Deepa Mehta took the angle, makes every single part of the movie radiant the beauty of the Water, the people, their strugle, their tradition …

It’s difficult for me to take away the scene of this movie … I’m speechless …It’s the best movie I’ve ever seen

I put my long review at this www.tere616.blogspot.com

Fascination – Nat King Cole
.. The opening song at the ballroom dance competition ..

It was fascination
I know
And it might have ended at the start
Right then, at the start
Just a pacing glance
Just a brief romance
And it might have gone
On my way
Empty hearted

It was fascination
I know
Seeing you alone
With the moonlight above
Then I touch your hand
And next moment
I kiss you
Fascination turned to love

It was fascination
I know
Seeing you alone
With the moonlight above
Then I touch your hand
And next moment
I kiss you
Fascination turned – to – love

Watching this film, reminds me of my wishes, learn Tango
Adopted from the true story of Pierre Dulain, a dance teacher, who taught a group of in-detention kids to reform themselves through ball dance class, where nobody believes that he would succeed, was something different. Especially because most of the films like “encouraging to something that no one believe” are in the sport area, for not to say all.

It was nice to learn Rock, the astonished boy, finally could make a good decision for himself – be a follower of a gang – to be someone who’s responsible for his own life.

Learned the philosophy, that the man lead the steps but it is also depends on the woman, whether she trust the man to lead the step, that the choice and trust play the important things of the beautiful dance. While at the same time, the man learned to respect the woman.

It’s not a boring movie, full of beautiful dance like Tango, Fox Trot and Ballroom dance.

Oh .. I envy people who could Tango …

It’s Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, translated to prep school soccer and this film has been made 11 years ago. It’s called “Just One of the Guys. My mistake”.

The film started when a teenage girl, Viola, discovers her soccer team has been cut from her school. She got the idea to disguises herself as her twin brother and takes his place at his new boarding school for two weeks.

As like other teenage girl , she falls in love with her new roommate, who’s the captain of her new soccer team, Duke.

Things get more complicated when his twin brother back from London and when she finds out that she becomes the object of affection of the beautiful Olivia, the girl whom Duke loves.

As “Bend like Beckham”, this movie also told us that “gender” is not an issue. Even though we are a woman, we could compete with the man, at the same level. There’s no man’s job or woman’s job, we are equal in terms of work.

Well, my intention of giving the review, is not to discuss the gender issue. My intention only to say that if you need a movie to release your tension, then watch this.

It’s hilarious, it’s release my tension after the 4 hours long meeting on Monday.

What should I say ? That yes, woman when they reach certain age, they started too worried about themselves, their children, their lives, their friends ? Moreover, sometimes they were less patient ?

This film try to picture of the quartet of life-long friends who have achieved a level of comfort in their lives, even Jennifer Aniston, who work as a maid by her own choice; and all of them have their own un-settled problem, like sex, aging, affair and charity events.

It suppose to be good, because their problem is people’s everydays live, our own problem, our day- to day un-settled problem.

However, unfortunately, I didn’t see their struggle to solve their problem, or even their partner dealt with their wives problem.

It seems that the director let us to make our own “journey”, our own interpretation, which is at the end make me lost. Like our own routine, having breakfast, nothing special.

However, besides that “lost” thing, I found something interesting, reminds me of my mom when she advice me, “Accept the reality, you are not younger anymore. You’re a grown up woman (not to say “Old”).”.

I always wonder how was it feel when I have to stay abroad, especially in Middle East, Europe and America. Not because I’m against them, no …; in fact, the way my mother raised me were more western then Asian. The value that my mother taught me for some of my relatives were not reflected Asian value. Therefore, even though I’m not staying abroad, I also experienced the culture clash.

My first experience with culture clash was my left-handed. When I was a child, even after I worked in a multi national company, the well-known Bank, people will starred at me because I’m left handed. Some was amazed, some saying that it was unethical. It’s really a nightmare of me. Every time I have to explain why my parents let me write with my left hand.

Anyway, my intention is to give the reason why I read “The Bollywood Beauty”. It started when I saw this book under Asian Literature shelf; the cover fascinated me. With the background of Melbourne, there was a girl holding a cell phone wearing colorful Indian sari and it is not just stop as it is. The bright, typical Indian color, were all over the book. I could not stand myself not to pick the book.

The story, as I’ve been predicted, tells about a culture clash, about discovery and self-discovery of Kesh, an Indian girl who born and bred in Australia.

The writer picture an Indian family who’s never visited India but still keep their culture tradition, sometimes more Indian then people who stay and lives in India.

Live in Australia, where going out with a man, smoke a cigarette, be in the night life society, and consume an alcohol, are something normal; for Kesh parent’s was a big no no.

Be in the family, who were marriage through arrangement, and thought that it was nice to arrange the same way too for their daughter, was something beyond her understanding.

Shalini Akhil, the writer, shares this in her delicious and highly spiced novel. Like Bollywood movie, she put the dishes up tears, laughter, music and food, with a truly scary dinner dance thrown in … and a final happy ending .. just like Bollywood movie except this is a novel “Bolywood Beauty”

This is the 3rd time I read this book. As a matter of fact, I use this book as my guideline if I need something to refer to.

This is the book that you should read before you start your Contact Centre project.

The book will inform you the basic steps of building the contact centre. Not too detail but all the important things to build up the contact centre was in there.