Finally Woken

Tunnock's Teacake and Tablet

I blame Scotland for my weight gain. This country seems to have endless collection of sweets and savouries, and none of them are healthy! It seems that all sin ingredients are mixed together to create devilish, high calorie deserts. I thought STP and deep fried Mars bar are the only bad sweets, but  everyday I find new things. 

I met my first Tunnock's Teacake on last Good Friday. Without a shame, I scoffed down 3 pieces in front of everyone.

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My blog is updated today, 28 March 2008. Click Finally Woken to read the complete story.

Table Manners - Eating Without Prejudice (?)

In Indonesia, when we go to restaurants, there are no other way to grab waiter's attention but calling {this can go from mbak (sister) or ibu (ma'am), to unnecessary flirtatious remarks like sayang (darling) or cantik (gorgeous)}, waving (hand or napkin), or -  these are extremely rude manners - whistling, clapping and flicking your fingers.

I am told that in UK you should not do anything but engaging eye contacts (and souls, perhaps), until they realize that your plate is empty and you are ready for your second course. Rather than eye movements, any gestures will be considered rude. No calling "xcuse me!", no frantic waving, and don't you dare to whistle, clap or flick your fingers if you want to be ignored for the rest of the night, or worse, have your soup tasted like feet because probably someone dropped his shoes accidentally into it. So imagine that you're extremely thirsty and longing to have your glassed refilled, and you desperately are staring to those busy waiters, hoping that somehow they realize that "there is a person in table 8 staring intensely, and she's either trying to hypnotize you or mesmerized by the size of your....apron..."

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My blog is updated today, 25 March 2008. Click Finally Woken to read the complete story.

Caucasian vs. Indonesian Men (modified)

Note:
The original article was posted on Thursday, 20 March 2008. In regards to those who has requested me to remove the family reference, this article is rephrased, although I try not to go too far from where I stand and believe.

After the article is published as of today, I will remove all comments generated from the previous post respectively by tomorrow, because I don't think they reflect my new one. All of you, however, are free to post new comments as usual. I never apply comment's screening process, but I don't tolerate abusive and dirty words.

I know since the original article was posted last Thursday, there are at least 4 reactions posted in other blogger's pages. I do not wish them to do what I do here, nor would I start name callings in other bloggers' pages, as some of them do. I will never jump into some bloggers' pages (who talk about totally different things) and make degrading comments about other bloggers, just because we have had disagreement about something, somewhere else. It's childish. But I believe all people are good at judging others' characters, and they eventually will form their own opinion about each blogger.

By repost this article, it does not mean that I am easy to be bullied. It's them who dragged their families as reference first, so when the information was out open loudly to public I thought it should be okay for me to use it as a point of reference. Obviously not. But I really do respect their wish, as I would have done the same thing too (and hope people will take my complaint seriously too, if it happens).

As I have mentioned to those who sent me private responds by emails, I never intend this post to be nasty, offensive, or abusive. I regret that the post generated nasty and harsh comments as well, and in return, has made most of people to choose to stay away from it. It should have been an interesting discussion.

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My blog is updated today, 24 March 2008. Click Finally Woken to read the complete story.

Caucasian vs. Indonesian Men (2)

My previous post sparked lots of heavy comments. First came Oigal, who said I was nasty and too personal. He asked me to remove my reference regarding his family from my blog.

I did reply to his comment, saying that I was in rush to go to funeral (and it was Good Friday for goodness sake), I will come back with a proper response after I have time reading all the comments from him and Rob at Unspun, and after reading Rob and his posts altogether. They are lots of them, and I should take time to read them all, otherwise I would be accused to having quoted them wrongly, again.

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My blog is updated today, 22 March 2008. Click Finally Woken to read the complete story.

Caucasian vs. Indonesian Men

read Unspun's clipped article, originally from BaliBlog, regarding what (tourist? foreigners? cheap?) men perceive about Javanese girls. At first I didn't jump into the discussion, since what Baliblog described about Javanese women was beyond degrading and not worthy to entitle my opinions.

But then the discussion was turned into how women (in general, not only Javanese) are treated by men in Indonesia. Two of the participants, Oigal and Rob, pointed out that their wives sometimes are verbally abused by local men. Mostly because those women are seen with bule (Caucasian) men, and therefore are labeled as whores.

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My blog is updated today, 20 March 2008. Click Finally Woken to read the complete story.

American I-Dull

I am embarrassingly watching American Idol now. I have never been a fan, and only saw the show on and off, if it happens to be on telly, but since a few weeks a go I decided to tape it so I wouldn't miss it (people in Indonesia would not be familiar with Sky TV; but in short, I could program the telly to record the show or the series, and I could pause the live show if I need a toilet break, it's like Tivo in the US).

I don't really follow the whole show history. I only know Kelly Clarkson and Daughtry. I certainly don't remember who won the contest last year, let alone 2 years a go. I rarely watch the show up until the Top 12 anyway.

And then yesterday when I was watching the show, I got so annoyed with Ryan Seacrest, the host.




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My blog is update today, 19 March 2008. Click Finally Woken to read the complete story.

What's My Blog Rated?

I saw Elyani got her blog rated, followed by Therry. I chuckled when I found out that Therry's is R-Rated because this feisty lady uses lots of swear words. Curious, and confident enough that I will get a nice result like Elyani's, I tried to get my blog, Finally Woken, rated as well, and here's what I've got:

Bloody hell?!

Apparently it is R-rated because I use words like death, dead, pain, kill, and knife. Huh??

I indeed was talking about suicide (which funnily, wasn't considered dangerous) once. But I'm sure I was talking about lobster when I use the word knife. And pain?? Since when it becomes a dangerous word to use? Imagine the health & fitness blog will be R-rated as well if it discuss es about back pain, injuries, and so on.  Or cooking blog will be R-rated because it uses knife or chop words a lot. D'oh....

Anyway it's just for fun. Don't take it too seriously....

What's My Blog Rated?

I saw Elyani got her blog rated, followed by Therry. I chuckled when I found out that Therry's is R-Rated because this feisty lady uses lots of swear words. Curious, and confident enough that I will get a nice result like Elyani's, I tried to get mine rated as well, and here's what I've got:

Bloody hell?!

Apparently it is R-rated because I use words like death, dead, pain, kill, and knife. Huh??

I indeed was talking about suicide (which funnily, wasn't considered dangerous) once. But I'm sure I was talking about lobster when I use the word knife. And pain?? Since when it becomes a dangerous word to use? Imagine the health & fitness blog will be R-rated as well if it discuss es about back pain, injuries, and so on. Or cooking blog will be R-rated because it uses knife or chop words a lot. D'oh....

Anyway it's just for fun. Don't take it too seriously....
 

When Indonesian Goes Shopping

I have landed on a blog written by an Malaysian expat who now lives in Jakarta. Some of her articles tickled me and I just realized that is how people see us, Indonesians. One that makes me smile is to read her amazement to see the ladies who go to shopping malls with big hair and dangerously high heels, and they look like they are ready to go to a gala dinner rather than buying  detergent or having coffee with friends.

I couldn't agree more. God forbid if Indonesian matrons turn up with unwashed hair, or a pair of flip-flops - unless they are a bejeweled pair - or without make-up, even on weekends or at the shop's closing time. It's better if they are accessorized with designer handbags and shoes, at least one nanny for each kid (one to push the trolley, one to to carry all the shopping bags, and one to hold the kid), and sometimes dutiful husbands who sit down patiently, while the matrons are trying on the just-in-for-summer shoes at Jimmy Choo.

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My blog is updated today, 16 March 2008. Click Finally Woken to read the complete story.

Bloody Eejit

My friend Anja has just arrived from Holland a couple of months a go. She learns that even though she speaks impeccable English, she still can't understand what Scottish people say half of the time. Well I couldn't blame her, I've been here for over 8 months and I still don't get it sometimes. And even though I've known Stuart for several years, there are times I have to ask him to repeat what he's saying, especially when the weather gets too cold and it freezes the tiny cells in my brain. One time some guy was trying to sell something over the phone and I had to stop him by saying I'm not Scottish and his accent was too strong and I had no idea what he's saying. He took it hard and put the phone down without saying anything more.
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My blog is updated today, 15 March 2008. Click Finally Woken to read the complete story.

On Anonymous Bloggers (2)

There was a big hoo-ha a while a go when Fatih raised an old issue about anonymous blogging. He particularly dislikes those who blog anonymously on sensitive issues, like politics or religions, and suspect that they have hidden agendas. Fatih's post generated ripostes and comments from expats in Indonesia.

Unspun, stands firmly behind Fatih, showed how bad anonymous blogger can be, by clipping an article from The New York Times about a suicide of an advertising agency's creative director in Chicago, allegedly after couldn't handle the harsh criticism from AgencySpy and AdScam, two blogs written by advertising industry insiders.

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My blog is updated today, 10 March 2008. Click Finally Woken to read the complete story.

The Fake Trade

The Fake Trade, a documentary by Channel 4, written and directed by Nick Hornby (yes, the author of Fever Pitch, About a Boy, and High Fidelity), was aired on Monday night, 3 March 2008. It took us to see the inside of the counterfeit industry.

The documentary opened with BASCAP arranging the biggest anti-counterfeit conference, and it showed some seized counterfeit products like tea (found in Sweden, sent from US through Korea, made in China - or something like that, it's like a tangled web when the guy tried to describe the supply chain), fake mobile phone (real case, fake components, fake invoice), counterfeit German cigarettes, and fake Durex condoms (this is very frightening as Africa was the end point of sale. Imagine if the condom has tiny hole, and is used by HIV/AIDS patient).

But one thing that freaked me out the most was fake egg! The guy in the documentary showed how he create this bizarre product, made from toxic ingredients (like gelatine, benzoic acid, alum, and others) which, according to scientists, will cause dementia for those who eat it. First he made the yolk, then using the mold he made the white part. This fake egg only costs half of the real one, especially because there is no need to keeping the live chicken.
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My blog is updated today, 5 March 2008. Click Finally Woken to read the complete story.

Shortbread, Oatcake, and Rowie

Shortbread is a Scottish-origin biscuit which is made from white sugar, a lot of butter, and plain white flour. These sweet cookies are usually served with tea (hot tea, I may have to add, since for Asians tea sometimes is served cold) in the afternoon, or for a snack.

Due to its popular demand, shortbread is also made in other countries like Denmark and Sweden, but of course the Scottish version is the most popular one.

Walkers Shortbread Ltd is Scotland's largest shortbread exporter, and thank to them, you could find these cookies in Jakarta, at least I've seen them displayed in Sogo supermarket. Dean's is also another nice brand. But of course the best shortbread I've ever tasted would be Stuart's grandma's homemade ones!

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My blog is updated today, 3 March 208. Click Finally Woken for a complete story.