I Want A Free iPad!

That's it! I'm sold! I want a free iPad and a 500-Gb internet storage! I'm dedication today's blog post for spamming everyone to join SugarSync. They're pretty neat actually. Among their competitions (Dropbox -- the most popular), I like SugarSync integration the best. They also have a neat iPhone app.

So, I think it's worth a try! Click here to join and you can also refer to others and win an iPad!

Sometimes I Wished I'm An European

Yes, I admit that I wish I'm not just someone who comes from a poor, terrorists-laden and corrupt third world country. Wait! Before you refute my statement, let me put a sarcasm tag for you. I'm proud to be Indonesian actually.

Just sometimes I wished I'm an European for a very specific reason. Which one? No, I don't envy Europe's cultural heritage, my home country has arguably more expansive and varied culture than any European nations. Maybe the economy? Are you joking or haven't read news lately? Euro has been sinking down, thanks to greedy countries getting into debts they cannot afford. So for what reason then? For the sake of bureaucracy that's what!

Today, I'm applying for Permanent Residence in Slovenia. One of the documents I need to provide is a letter that shows I never have problem with the law. If I'm a citizen of an EU country, I don't need this paper. This document sounds harmless and easy to get, right? Not exactly. Below is my story.

Go ahead, click the image to enlarge and rage with me!

(TL;DR bureaucracy sucks!)
So to get this paper, first I need to obtain a letter from Ketua RT (loosely translated to Neighborhood Chairman) that I had never made a crime. That's funny since I haven't been living in the address (of my parent's) for more than 10 years. It's simply because it's the address that is shown on my passport. After that, I need to go to Kelurahan (something like a smaller Town Hall) to verify and get it official. This paper is one of the requirement to apply the "criminal record" in Polres (District Police if I might say). The other requirements are supplying fingerprints and dozens of 'latest' photograph. I had to run to the nearest photo studio because I got the photograph size all wrong and reprint them again. (to be continued)

Do You Have A Million Dollar to Spend On..

.. revealing one's identity? Well, he's not just a random mysterious figure. He's Banksy, THE Banksy.

For many, he's the real-life Bruce Wayne. But instead of catching petty criminals, he vandalizes. His graffiti inspired others. His messages are clear and never subtle. Among his many works, one Simpsons episode opening and these graffiti in Israeli borders are my personal favorites. I wish I will be able to see them one day before they got removed.

A man claims to know the true identity of Banksy and can prove it to you. But it doesn't come cheap. Go to this eBay auction and bid if you have that much money to burn. Bids close tomorrow.

Good luck and I hope it's worth it!

PS. I'm 95% sure the auction is a joke.

Eighty Minutes Went Too Damn Fast When You're in Paradise

Last time I had a traditional Thai massage was in Ram Butri. And I had one in every single evening I was in Bangkok. Well of course once a day! A 60-minute full body massage costed only 220 baht or around €5. After that, Thai massage had been a luxury I cannot afford.

Well, not until my colleagues got me a voucher for my birthday. Not only that, it's on Sense Wellness Club Ljubljana, which is probably one of the hippest places to have one today. And damn, that place is awesome! The massage itself was awesome! Thank you my colleagues! I almost missed the voucher's expiration date when I went today. Hehehehe.

Other than various massages, they have other offers too. I definitely gonna try their sauna and jacuzzi someday!

And like other Asian-themed places in Slovenia, they seem have problem differentiating between Buddhism and Hinduism. So long as mix-matching decorations look nice, right?


PS. A little announcement here. As you might have already realized, I haven't been uploading any photos lately for Photo A Day project. I gave it up entirely. They should have wrote that the project is not suitable for young parents that barely have enough time for themselves, let alone hunting photos everyday.

Angry Birds

It turns out that this Photo A Day is too hard for me to carry on. I'm in a brink of giving up. I simply don't have time and energy to shot photos each day. Well, to my defense, today I did take several shots, half emptied the film in my Holga. However, you can not just download the result and upload it to the internet. Someone need to develop the 120 film, then scan the photos first. The fact of only a few number of photo studio available for developing 120 films, doesn't help at all. Then again it's the weather. The clouds are making this -- wait a minute, this is my blog! I can do whatever I want! Why do I whine and make up some excuse on the first place!? Hah!

For all the mysterious dead birds, fish and crabs all around the world, here's a photo of flock of pigeons, before they ambushed me in Munich last year.

Last year? For real I didn't take this Photo A Day thingy seriously!

Another Day

Another day passed without taking a single photo. Another chance to put a cross-processed photo from my photo library. Why? Because I love cross-process.

But this wasn't me.

Trains have been an important part of my life. Every day I run catching one for getting to work. If I miss it, I need to wait approximately one hour for the next one. It's just one of the main disadvantage of living in a small country.

Another news is that I will start to experiment with an Holga tomorrow. I got one from my Secret Santa a few weeks ago and have been waiting forever to try it. It's gonna be nice to shot with 120 film again.

Bedtime Reads

Yeah, I want to do this

Yesterday, I asked reddit what are their favorite bedtime children books. I want to read and introduce English to my son. So, here's a compilation of their recommendations:

• Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, or also bundled with The Runaway Bunny and My World
• Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk
• Dr Seuss books
• Harry Maclary series by Lynley Dodd
• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
• Old Bear board book by Jane Hissey
• Elmer by David McKee
• This is the Bear by Sarah Hayes and Helen Craig
• Kipper the dogs series by Mick Inkpen
• The Blue Balloon by Mick Inkpen
• The Jolly postman and Each Peach Pear Plum and some other books by Janet Ahlberg and Allan Ahlberg
• Quentin Blake books
• The Percy the park-keeper series by Nick Butterworth
• Sandra Boyton books
• David Wiesner picture books
• On The Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman
• Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Grouchy Ladybug and other Eric Carle books
• The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
• Corduroy by Don Freeman
• The Little Critter books (Just Go to Bed, I Just Forgot) by Mercer Mayer
• Many Moons by James Thurber
• Doreen Cronin books
• Where's my Cow? by Terry Pratchett
• T.S. Eliot's Love Song by J. Alfred Prufrock
• A Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
• Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt
• The Giving Tree, A Light in the Attic, Falling Up and Where the sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
• Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst and Ray Cruz
• The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams Bianco and Monique Felix
• Crazy Hair by Neil Gaiman
• Hatchet by Gary Paulsen and Drew Willis
• Love You Forever by Robert Munsch and Sheila McGraw

Among other books, are non-children; e.g. Hitchhiker Guide to The Galaxy, Lord of The Rings, The Hobbit -- it actually doesn't matter since a 4-month old baby wouldn't understand a word you read him. But to note that you yourself should enjoy reading him the books, pick the books that you might find interesting. Remember that if you're bored and unhappy, he could sense it.

Let me know if you know any other interesting books. Thank you!


EDIT: More recommendations!

• The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
• Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren, Michael Chesworth, and Louis S. Glanzman

Meet Mister Splashy Pants Jr.!

We got him last month. He's now swimming lazily everyday and sharing the aquarium space with Gustav Miroslav and Deborah Watson.

Disclaimer: I just made up the names. But since they don't have names yet, so why not?

The New Old

The tiny Slovenian capital, Ljubljana, had once an intimate relationship with trams. But then the evil automobiles took control, and the city had to abandon its tram system. Unsurprisingly, traffic congestion ensued. Such a shame for a city of its size. Fortunately, there are plans in the future to reintroduce the trams. I really hope that someday the trams would claim its former glory.

Today, laying innocently outside the city center, a former tram car functions as a pizzeria and fast food diner. I never had the chance to try it, even though I pass this every single day on my way to work.

I Love X-Pro

I have to admit that I got myself into Lomography. But I can never follow their Ten Golden Rule; I always compose and take my time configuring the camera before I shot. I just don't like to waste film. Especially, if it's a slide film. Why? Because I love to cross-process (X-pro) the films.

Another thing I have to admit, I didn't take above photo today. I didn't go out of my flat. It's new year's weekend --the laziest weekend of the whole year.

Beginning of 365

Just one hour after the year changed, I declare that the "Photo A Day" project begin! Happy new year!