the professor's backyard

"Rumah Batu" (the Stone House) is how people in the neighborhood call it. Passing in front of the house years ago, my high school self and friends was stunned by its stoney, unusual appearance and speculated on who owns and lives in such house. I've never imagined that someday I would meet the owner of Rumah Batu, became one (out of thousands) of his students, and eventually visited the house years after I graduated from college. The house was built in 1996 by its owner/architect, Prof. Gunawan Tjahjono. For more info about the house, visit archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=9876

year end slap

I attended this choir concert yesterday: 

and at the mall's lobby where the concert took place, there was this World Press Photo exhibition which encourage the understanding of the world through quality photojournalism. Bitter and heartbreaking photos were shown, from a Middle-East girl with a big hole on her nose, super crowded prison somewhere in Africa, series of unfortunate events caught by the Google Street View, and even a beautifully composed seri of photographs showing "then and now" idea of some places. But nothing turned my head more than this photograph:

and the explanation that followed:

Andrew McConell
Ireland, Panos Pictures for Der Spiegel
1st Prize Art and Entertainment Singles 
Joséphine Nsimba Mpongo, 37, practices the cello in the Kimbanguiste neighborhood of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. She is a member of the Orchestre Symphonique Kimbanguiste (OSK), Central Africa’s only symphony orchestra. During the day, Joséphine sells eggs in Kinshasa’s main market, and rehearses with the orchestra most evenings during the week. The OSK was founded by its current conductor Armand Diangienda in 1994. Initially, just a few dozen musicians shared the small number of instruments they had at their disposal. Today, the OSK can muster 200 players for a concert. Most are self-taught amateurs who hold down day jobs all over the city. 

[official post on the website]

My first reaction was *silent* then "bless that lady and all members of the orchestra, and may all their passions for music be kept alive". I'm telling you how lucky we are (I am) for being able to practice or rehearse properly in proper places, for being able to purchase decent musical instruments, for having all things provided when doing performances, for being able to learn any musical instruments you (and I) want anytime or anywhere, if only we have the will.

Keep in mind that every time we play a tune, we have the spirit of every musician in the world: good or bad, an expert or a beginner, old or young, rich or poor, with her own musical instrument or borrowed. No need to brag about your shiny instrument, spacious studio, or even your extraordinary ability in reading musical excerpt. Don't even whine if you're still borrowing guitar from your friend, rehearse full band in a small 3 x 3 studio, or simply if you can only play the I - III - V chords.

Happy new year.

Elephants are a symbol of wisdom in Asian cultures and are famed for their memory and intelligence, where their intelligence level is thought to be equal to that of dolphins and primates. Aristotle once said the elephant was "the beast which passeth all others in wit and mind." The word "elephant" has its origins in the Greek ἐλέφας, meaning "ivory" or "elephant". (source)

The Abduction of Shinta

Rama and Shinta were a pair of lovebirds who voluntary exiled to the earth from their kingdom, Ayodya. They were also escorted by Rama's faithful brother, Leksmana. While on earth, comforting each other from the sorrow they felt, they saw a lovely golden deer playing around. Shinta was fond of the deer, asked Rama to catch it. They had no idea that the deer conspired with the bad Rahwana who had always been wanting to kidnap Shinta, taking her as his lover.

Then Rama left, granted his wife's wish to search the golden deer. Leksmana guarded Shinta while Rama was away. Suddenly Shinta heard Rama's voice, screaming for help. The worried Shinta unwisely asked Leksmana to find the voice, thus save Rama. Concerned about Shinta's safety, Leksmana made a circle shield around Shinta before he left, not allowing Shinta to get out from it.

While Leksmana was also away, Rahwana came to abduct Shinta. He failed twice, bounced by the shield. Knowing Shinta's good heart, Rahwana then disguised as a poor man begging for a sip of water. Soon as Shinta left the circle, she figured out it was Rahwana now taking her to his place. The hopeless Shinta dropped her jewels so that Rama would find her.

Learned that Shinta had gone, Rama wouldn't say a word to Leksmana. He thought his brother was being careless or worse, didn't fulfill his obligation to protect Shinta. However they managed to find Shinta's dropped jewels and promptly followed the trace.

Meanwhile, Jatayu, Rama and Leksmana's loyal bird friend saw Shinta who was in danger. Jatayu tried to save her, fought Rahwana with all his power. He failed. The severely wounded Jatayu was found by Rama and Leksmana, told them what was happening and pointed the way to find Shinta. Then Jatayu died.

The angry and heartbroken Rama met a group of monkeys led by Sugriwa, the prince of apes, who were willing to help him, if only Rama would kill Subali, Sugriwa's twin. Rama agreed. The monkeys fought against Rahwana, and Rama arrowed Subali to death.

And then Shinta was Saved.

1987

coinsidence

A friend recommended www.oddee.com -- the site of odds and unusuals on earth. Then I found the list '20 most amazing coincidences'. This one is what I like the most:

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Twin Boys, twin lives

The stories of identical twins' nearly identical lives are often astonishing, but perhaps none more so than those of identical twins born in Ohio. The twin boys were separated at birth, being adopted by different families. Unknown to each other, both families named the boys James. And here the coincidences just begin. Both James grew up not even knowing of the other, yet both sought law-enforcement training, both had abilities in mechanical drawing and carpentry, and each had married women named Linda. They both had sons whom one named James Alan and the other named James Allan. The twin brothers also divorced their wives and married other women - both named Betty. And they both owned dogs which they named Toy. Forty years after their childhood separation, the two men were reunited to share their amazingly similar lives. (Source: Reader's Digest, January 1980)

NOTE: our reader Linus wrote us after reading local newspaper Helsingin Sanomat: "Your story about the Finnish twins is missing some details: The first brother was killed by a lorry while riding his bike and crossing highway 8. He apparently didn't notice the lorry in the snow blizzard. The second brother was killed by a lorry only two hours later while riding his bike and crossing highway 8. The second brother couldn't have been aware of the first brother's death, as the police was still trying to identify the victim."

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followed by this:

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Twin brothers, killed on the same road, two hours apart

On 2002, Seventy-year-old twin brothers have died within hours of one another after separate accidents on the same road in northern Finland. The first of the twins died when he was hit by a lorry while riding his bike in Raahe, 600 kilometres north of the capital, Helsinki. He died just 1.5km from the spot where his brother was killed. "This is simply a historic coincidence. Although the road is a busy one, accidents don't occur every day," police officer Marja-Leena Huhtala told Reuters. "It made my hair stand on end when I heard the two were brothers, and identical twins at that. It came to mind that perhaps someone from upstairs had a say in this," she said. (Source: BBC News)

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Scary, isn't it?