Reinhard Gouw's Journal

I'm home from a long trip! Cirebon - Jakarta - Bandung - Jogjakarta. It's 9 days and my dad drove all the way from Surabaya and to Surabaya again. My dad used to do that when I was a kid, and it's been a long time until this time. My dad's not too young anymore, but he's strong! And I'm proud of him. I helped being a navigator, I'm a newbie in driving, still just about a month so I sat beside him and learned more to drive out of city. I accidentally slept a lot. hahaha but it's better than sleeping along the way like what I always did when I was a kid.

So it was a great family trip that we spent everyday and hours together, not like in Surabaya where we have our own business, and spend less time. Yeah, holiday with family always brings us closer. I get closer with my dad. Since I was a kid my relationship with my dad isn't the best dad-son relationship, so we get in quarrels a lot. But in this trip, I really really really really feel different. I realize my parents are getting older as the time flies. I don't know how much time left in this world I have with them (I sure hope it's a long long time!), and having this time with them around, I want every moment to be nice, and I want to make them proud of me always. I want them to be happy. I know I gotta throw away my ego since I'm getting older too. When we were kids, parents are always the one who try to understand us. Now that we're older, it's our turn to be the one who try to understand them. What I get now is I still need my parents more than I need anyone, even though I walked out sometimes and spend more time outside.

I planned to be neat on money in the trip, because I already spent a lot in the last Bali trip and there will be another trip coming. When I go to Mangga Dua, I wasn't really interested in anything. I used to be so wild in Mangga Dua because they have nice clothings with cheap price! But I wasn't, at all. I only eat sweet cup corns a lot. Then on the 2 out of 3 days, I searched for a shop I know, it's a shop there with GREAT sense of style.  It's hard to search for it though, it's kinda on the further back side. The owner picks the clothing from H&M, Levi's, Nudie, Topman, and he seems to be supplying the goods from Bangkok and Singapore. I don't really know if it's fake or discounted authentic items, they have moderate and fixed price but the shop really sells awesome things. Also there is always a Bangkok fashion magazine there that inspires. Just like Lookbook. There I got a Levi's denim shirt. And then I got a random denim shirt too around the building. When I went to Grand Indonesia, I saw a huge "1/2 PRICE SALE" poster and I can't help but to get in. There I saw an amazing shoes with aztec prints and I really wanted that shoes!! But it's not half-priced and  kinda tagged with a price not suitable with my wallet! haha. So I browsed in the half price things, and there were awesome shorts, chinos, 3/4 chinos! Just like what's in Lookbook. Also there was an aztec tank but the price is crazy and it's not manusiawi, at all. I was kinda galau about buying anything or not. Then I didn't buy anything for the time. But eventually, I bought a skinny chino in Paris Van Java's Topman in Bandung. And that's all I got from the trip. I started to have this new mind "Better few items with higher quality than more items with decent one"? Still, brand is not everything for me.

The Topman shoes that gave me eyegasm.

In Bandung, I stayed in my cousin's house like I always did since I was a kid and I got the chance to meet my nephews! :) Yeah, my big brother and his family lives in Bandung. My nephews are 2 boys, Marshiello Venuandra General and Maximillian Venualvaro General. The big brother, Marshiello is big enough now to call me uncle! hahaha. Shiello the loud and active one, and Maxim the silent and cool type. I played with them and I started to feel family love! I hope they come to Surabaya soon so I can play with them more, it should be a good uncle-nephew relationship.

Marshiello Venuandra General

Maximillian Venualvaro General

Then I went to TransStudio with my cousin, my sister and her friend along with her little sisters. I wasn't interested in the beginning, but then it really rocked my last day in Bandung! TransStudio is a great amusement, a marvelous indoor theme park! I enjoyed all the thrill rides and I took a lot of photos there.

Crazy mimegirl!

My favorite ride, the Giant Swing!

The bravest girl ever, Karin. She enjoyed the scariest rides!

Really an experience I will never forget. TransStudio is the bomb!
A long and tiring road to Jogjakarta, and back home the next day. And sure, I'm getting a lot fatter from this trip!  Arggh should start exercising again.

How I eat in Bandung. For real.

From this trip I also know more about my cousin's personal life problem, and as a psychologist soon to be, I tell myself I will help them someday. Adds more to my life mission. Healing my own family, first of first. :)

Back home to Surabaya, I'm super busy with practices for competition, it's tomorrow at Gramedia Expo. I only practice for 3 days with GPS but I hope for the best! Other than dance competition, there is also MR. SiMPLE business, school documents, O4 dance at my teacher's wedding, and other smaller things. SG trip is getting closer along with O-Week so I hope I can manage time well with both! Also I need to make bucks fast!! I have no money at all in hands. =_=

Last week I went to Bali for a week with some of my high school friends. I thought it won't be too exciting since everyone's not actually close friends, but it turned out to be an amazing holiday with such fun people for me! And staying for a week made us family.

Day 1,
After checking in at Purirama Hotel and got introduced to the tour crew (we joined a tour, but it's not an ordinary tour! We were taken care by young wild fun and crazy guys, they are Surabayan youths who goes to Bali a lot and they really know how to have fun in Bali.), then we went to Uluwatu to monkeys. And I had fun with those monkeys for sure!
















straight to Dreamland. It should be Padang-Padang but the bus couldn't go through high ground on the road so we went here instead. We took a lot of photos like the sinetron Tersanjung on*the rock, in the sand, and sure we played with the water!




and combing the surf sale area, I got this dope Ripcurl short ripped jeans, it shouldn't have been a fashion trip for me but the jeans succeeded in trapping my eyes. Then we went to eat the awesome flavah sate penyu with the weirdly tasty salt. Oh God, the guys really know how to eat in Bali. 




















We watched a movie of GWK and its vision. I feel proud of Indonesia watching that movie. There was also a painter man there who draws for free for small size drawings. My friends volunteered to be the model, including me and Sydney. I was wondering why the man would draw a lot of people without feeling bored or stuffed up, but then I realized, PASSION. It's called passion. His passion in drawing those arts led him to be that kind of dedicated artist, the kind that smiles when drawn even when a lot of people are in line to be drawn for free. I feel salute.

Me and Sydney with the passionate artist.

Sydney gave the color when we got home. :)

Watched the Balinese Barong Dance in the outdoor auditorium, and dinner at Jimbaran!!! Yeahh.
Then in the night, again naughty naughty, me, Agassi and Alvin, accompanied by Ko Kriz and Ko Victor the crew, went to Sky Garden. Upon entering, we got 2 free bottles of Bir Bintang. There I met Grego and GT and Vincent Chang and Yoko, my friends from Petra 1. I danced crazy and I felt so great, honestly it's my first time to actually go clubbing. I went inside clubs in Bali but never really get on the floor. Since Grego and Yoko are my GPS crew mates, we planned to go up the stage but one of my friend got a little drunk so I went home. I promised I would be back later to get on the stage. I never wanna go clubbing in Surabaya and any places other than Bali.

Day 4,
Shopping day at Krisna, Erlangga.

My tattoo got an irritation and 'bernanah'.


















In the afternoon the boys swam with the crazy crews and we sure had fun. I went to Discovery to eat BK with Rhesaldi after, then another Legian and Kuta stroll. At McDonald Kuta's garden, there were dancers dancing and freestyling and I was maximally tempted to join! I only watched from the side, hoping to be invited to the dance but I wasn't so I went to catch up with my friends at Flapjaks, then after, I went back to the dance and I was invited to join! Then I joined and danced, and we chit chatted and they are Glory of God Crew, and they send some pokes to Kak Sem and LMSC and we shook hands before we part. Wow.. I feel proud of Indonesian dancers! :) In the night we ate nasi lawar Agassi and the crews brought back, it's a SUPER GOOD culinary object of BALI!

Day 5,
Waterbom. Had a ton of fun especially with climax, smashdown, and boomerang. They were hell of crazy rides and my lomo camera rolls are empty after. hahaha. Then when riding lazy river, I really enjoyed the sunshine at Bali and its plants, and its carvings, and the smell, and my friends with me there, and I REALLY didn't want it to end, ever. Then we went to Discovery for another BK and strolled the Kuta Beach then went back home. I got sick in the night so the plan to go back to Sky Garden was cancelled.

Day 6,












In the night, some of the boys went to a reflexology, Smart Reflexology that is. And we got a SUPERNICE massage. Oh God, a little heaven in Bali.










Another sate penyu and nasi pedas for dinner. Eatgasm..
And we played Uno again like the other nights 'till midnight, some sleep and some of us went outside to enjoy Legian. Nothing other than clubs actually that are still open. And my plan to try mushroom was cancelled since I got sick. hahaha. Maybe it's God's way to stop me from eating mushroom also. :D No more Sky Garden either, so I only went there once in this trip. We strolled around the hotel since we never really did all along this week, kinda scary actually. We planned to go to the beach also to watch sunrise but the plan failed and we went to a short sleep.

Day 7,

I'm posting this right now in my alone time. Such a nice comforting moment. :)

So I'm telling a bit of my story after UNAS.
There were some bad things coming after UNAS. The aunt of my mom died. There was an external family problem. And I started wondering about my passion. Like what I've always been aware of, after one problem will come another. "Life will always try to knock you down, but it is always your choice to stay down or get back up".

Thank God, some of the problems are solved. I had the chance to help one or more of my family member to make a changing decision. It was a great feeling that God gave me the abiltity to persuade and change that person's mind. The best feeling is when God uses you for His plan. :)

Now I'm about to share another story about His blessing. Some weeks ago I designed a T-Shirt, a hiphop-themed T-Shirt and started selling it on my bb. Other than my eager to make a cool T-Shirt, I want to make some money too since I'm going to Bali with my friends in the end of May. I opened the pre-order for 7 days. From the beginning, I put a target and expectation, that I would have at least 20 pieces order. 1 day, 2, 3.. There were only 12 pieces order and even some of them were sill unsure. I felt disappointment an I started being pessimist, "Maybe this is a lame design? Maybe I can't market well?" Then I posted it on Facebook. No real response, only about 3 persons are interested. Okay, so be it.. I already broadcasted the T-Shirt again but still, no response. Then suddenly out of nowhere, a friend of mine made more than 10 pieces order! I was like, WOW, really?? It's shocking for me and not only her, my friends who was unsure made fix order, and more and more orders came. And guess what? In the end, I got more than 50 orders of my own designed T-Shirt!! :):) It's such a surprise for me and I experienced it! God gave me more than double of what I expected! I was blessed and He is really a full-of-surprise Father. I then got my confidence back, and I even added 10 pieces for me to stock and sell. Now 2 of them are already ordered. (You interested too now? Tell me!) I was so happy. I am! :)

Now I started reading this nice book of Max Lucado, a book recommended by my friend's mentor for me, I belive I'll find my destination reading this. I was still wondering about what I should be doing in this life. Everyone's born with a purpose. What's mine? What's yours? I don't wanna live normally. I wanna live impactfully. I don't know where i'm going, but I won't be any worried if God's with me along this long road.

Last night I shared about passion with my dance friend. He talked a bit rough about me and my thoughts. But he talked in his perspective and didn't intend any bad. I learned a lot last night, not only about things around the community, but also:
- Benturan-benturan keras diperlukan untuk membentuk seseorang.
- Sebuah pukulan tidak selalu dilayangkan dengan maksud jahat, kata-kata kasar terkadang keluar dengan maksud baik.
- Seringkali orang yang menyebalkan itu adalah malaikat yang sengaja ada disana untuk membentuk kita.

I'm sorry it was in bahasa because I like it better that way. (alasan lainnya (alasan sebenarnya?), krn aku bingung meninggriskannya. hahaha.)
Anyway, I really learned last night. And I can handle another 'benturan's to make me better! >:)

It's good to be broken to pieces for God to shape you.

Udah lama ga ngepost blog! It felt like forever! haha. Tampilan blogger sampe udah brubah. ckckck..jd kembali katrok. Ini post pertamaku di sepanjang blog ini yg pakek Bahasa Indonesia, meskipun bukan yang baik dan benar dan sesuai EYD. hahaha. Yang penting ngepost deh. Di post pertama ini aku mau crita soal UNAS.

Jadi, UNAS sudah berlalu, tepatnya besok sudah 4 minggu yang lalu. Tapi terasanya sudah lamaaaa sekali. Bahkan, di minggu pertama setelah minggu UNAS, udah terasa kayak 1 bulan. Mungkin itu yg terjadi kalo kita habis meletakkan beban buanyak di otak. haha. Tapi seminggu setelah UNAS itu aku masih kebawa2 soal UNAS. Mimpi kadang bisa bangun2 inget 1/5sinxcosx, trus mimpi soal reaksi netralisasi, bangun2 kayak harus mbunderi LJK. hahaa uaneh2, tapi mbanyoll. Asik wes habis UNAS isa masih kebawa2 kek gitu.

The whole story, aku dapet "chocochip" (that's what friends in school say to replace the word "answer key") sebelum UNAS. Aku niatnya jaga2, kalo ada mata pelajaran yang ga bisa (khususnya fisika yg plg serem) aku bakal pake kunci niatnya. Tapi itu pun sudah terbeban rasa bersalah. Alhasil, aku ganti ketentuannya jadi: Aku bakal kerja sebisaku, dan kalo nilai fisikaku 3,75/4 aja aku udah ga bakal liat kunci. Temen2 pada bilang aku pasti ga kuat dan kebawa liat kunci. Tapi aku blg jangan salah, aku dr awal SMA ga pernah nyontek dan ga pernah nyontekin orang! >:) Bahkan kalo denger bocoran jawaban scr ga sengaja di saat aku ga bisa ngerjain soal, ga akan aku salin. Itu yg aku bs banggain dari aku! (di kehidupan persiswaan) Dan kalian para adek2 kelas juga harus seperti itu lho. Nyontek itu ga enak, hasil ga murni. Sedikitpun ga murni ga mantap rasanya. Nilai meskipun elek tapi kalo hasil murni itu lebih lego. hahaha ENOUGH curhat! Bukan maksud sombong ya tadi, cuman pengen share lho. hehe halal ditiru itu. Trus akhirnya UNAS pun dimulai..

Hari pertama. BI.
Aku bangun pagi melek mata, buka SMS udah ada chocochipnya. Wow. Aku ketawa sendiri baca SMS itu, lucu ae pagi2 buka SMS wes ada chocochip. Kyk wes di sogoki kemenangan instan. Huahaha. Aku pertama mau nyatet paket itu ada suara dari hati nuraniku yang paling sangat teramat dalam sedalam lautan, kalo aku nyatet kunci sama aja dong aku ga percaya sm Tuhan dr pertama? Udah nyiapin cheat duluan dan ga percaya sm bantuan dr yg diatas? Wahh bener juga. Tapi akhire yo tak tulis pisan. :| Dan aku nyatet 2 paket doang di papan LJKku, di sisi kiri dan kanan. Karena papan LJKku ada motif kotak2, aku tulisin kode berupa garis2 kecil di kotak2 e itu. Dan aku mulai merasa bakat jadi agen rahasia. HAHAHA. Aku cuman pengen cocokin doang, apa chocochip ini bener2 chocochip ato chocochip tipuan? haha Dan aku kerja BI. Aku dr pertama dah komit, ga akan liat kunci sebelum selesai kerja soal. Tujuannya adalah: Biar aku ga nyocok2in n pengen ganti, siapa tau kejawil bisikan sesat. haha. Setelah aku kerja retretret, aku coba cocokin sm kunci, wehh ternyata kunci tembuss!!! Shockingnews. Aku lumayan banyak salah, tp cukup asal aku lulus sudah puas. Jd aku ga liat lg deh. hehe lgsg tutup LJK semua, aku mencoba tidur.

Hari kedua. Inggris. Fisika.
Malem sebelum Inggris dan Fisika, setelah aku belajar giat segiat mengejar matahari, aku doa dan baca Alkitab, di dalamnya ada ayat yang sangat menempil aku dan aku terdorong sampai 5 meter jauhnya di alam bawah sadarku, seperti tertemplak. Ini ayatnya di 1 Korintus 3:13-15 ; 18-19 ; 23. You get what it means, right? Intinya yg aku dpt, mendingan jadi bodoh bagi dunia tapi hasilnya murni di hadapan yg Di Atas, drpd pinter bagi dunia tp hasil nya cheating. Hmmh mantap nih halaman.... Dan aku bertekad bulat tidak akan melihat dan mencatat kunci untuk siap2! Lalu waktu pelajaran B. Inggris, aku ngerobek LJK!!! Semua dikarenakan gejolak emosi yang kuat dalam ragaku untuk segera mengakhiri UNAS....tapi aku bohong. HAHA. Entah mengapa, ada noda kecil di LJKku, aku mau ne ngehapus, padahal ga keras sama sekali gosokanku, serius sueerrr ga bohong, cuma tk sentuh2no, dan LJK iku bolong. Aku gatau mbayangno mbolongi LJK!!! Dan aku nunjukin ke pengawas e, pengawas e mengeluarkan respon semacam kecewa dan letih meladeni seperti ini (karena beberapa detik sebelumnya, temanku juga gak sengaja ngerobek LJK, aku sendiri sampek merenungkan beberapa detik untuk mengaku, masak 2 LJK robek di waktu dekat, terdengar sangat ceroboh nanti siswa sekolahku). Lalu aku ngotot dan menjelaskan kronologinya bahkan sampek tak tunjuki td caraku menghapus noda iku dan dia tidak percaya, tetap katanya memandang ke seluruh kelas: "Pelan2 kalo ngehapus jangan ditekan ya! Ga ada gantinya lagi ini kalo ada yg robek lagi." Yasudah aku nyerah dan duduk..jd agak ilfeel mbe UNAS. Tapi UNAS goes on. Setelah dpt LJK baru cepet2 ngerjano. Dan di saat2 terakhir B. Inggris, tanganku wes letih, wes meh e putul, tak pekso sampek suooro rasae mbunderi. Bayangin, aku sudah mbunderi semua identitasku dengan namaku yang panjang: "Reinhard Budiman O S", itu belum kalo Onggowijaya Sugihartone masih ada space buat ditulis. Tapi untung e isa selesai 10 menit sblm waktu berakhir. Walaupun identitas e jd agak kurang rapi, tp aku harap kebaca wes.. Yg tak takutin sampe skrg cuma ini. Habis e Inggris aku wes gaiso mikir, letih rasae. Aku curhat ke teman2 dan katanya nama lengkap ga usah ditulis gitu, cuma Reinhard B O S gitu aja gapapa. Tapi sudah terlanjur dr hari pertama aku nulis e gitu, yawes lah...mo diopokno. Trus aku akhir e lagi....nulis hal maksiat lagi. 3 paket kali ini.. Lalu fisika kukerjakan sampai selesai, cukup lumayan, dan tak cocokin sm kuncinya ternyata masih lulus :) Fisika kali ini emg ga sesusah di tryout2..yg mungkin juga krn aku ga pernah telaten sm fisika selama tryout2.

Hari ketiga. Matematika.
Ini wes, tak peker guampang. Ternyata susah e ram.. Apalagi aku dpt paket C, yang anak2 gosipkan dr hari pertama kalo paket C paling susah. HASSTAGA. Aku ga nulis chocochip blas untuk Mat iki. Kok kuwalik kabeh.. Aku sampe selesene mat itu sampek gualau, takut ga lulus. Akhir e jawaban ku tk tulis kabeh dek papan LJKku, aku pengen nyocokno cekno tenang selama menunggu hasil UNAS.. Mari Mat, tk cocokno dengan chocochip yg temanku punya (krn chocochipku tak hapus pagi itu juga), dan untung tung tung lulus... Meskipun nilai ga bagus, tp tenang wes..

Hari keempat. Kimia. Bio.
Aku rencana siapin chocochip di salah 1 mapel, dan kimia yg terpilih. Kali ini aku lebih vulgar dikit, tak tulis tulisan "SUKSES" di papan LJKku, trus dalem e ada garis2 maksiat seperti di kotak2 sebelumnya. HAHA tapi kevulgaran itu serasa hilang setelah aku ngeliat temenku yg nulis chocochip jauh lebih vulgar, ga vulgar lagi mudo rosoe, dia nulis di kertas tempel, kode2 bentuk segitiga, kotak, dsb trus ditempel di LJK, 5 kertas itu. Apa ga kurang seksi -_- haha. Dan kimia GUAMPANG POL! Suantai buuuanget kerjane. Aku serasa ga perlu cocokin, jadi aku selonjor angkat kaki selama menunggu waktu berakhir, tapi akhirnya aku cocokin juga, norak yo. Dan tuntas dengan nilai lumayan! Menurutku bagus, sampai aku cerita temenku yg anak OSN, "Guampang ya kimiae!!" dia bilang "Apae, susah rere!!!!" trus aku bilang "Guampang yato! Tak hitung loh aku mek salah *sekian*" trus de agak terpaku dan akhirnya dengan tega bilang "Salah segitu kok mbo bilang gampang"............tampaknya aku curhat dengan orang yang salah. Lalu Biologi. Cukup mudah di awal2, di akhir2 susah krn aku gak begitu konsen sama persilangan, hereditas, dan sanak familinya. Jadi aku tau aku lulus dengan hasil cukupan. Karena banyak juga jawaban yang ambigu.. Setelah berakhir, menunggu waktu habis aku mulai menghitung bulatan2 identitasku sampai kode soal dan sebagainya, 37 bulatan!!!!! No wonder tanganku serasa akan patah di hari kedua, 37 bulatan x2 = 74 bulatan, ditambah 50 soal Bahasa Inggris, 124 -______- jelas sudah. Lalu setelah bio dan waktu untuk keenam mapel berakhir, bio ku tak cocokin banyak yang bener (aku ga mau tanya pendapat temanku yg OSN itu lagi, kapok), seperti dugaan teman2, ambigunya biologi itu mudah ditebak!!! Dan aku lega. Cuman takut B. Inggris tok. Tapi, SEMUA BERAKHIR!!!!

Dan itulah euphoriaku di hari terakhir dan seterusnya. Meskipun banyak masalah lagi yg dateng setelah itu. :) Di post selanjutnya yg besok akan tak post aku meh curhat cukup akeh. Intinya, setelah UNAS berakhir, aku baru mikir, kalo aku ga cocok2in jawaban gitu, mungkin emang ga tenang, tapi rasa seneng e bakal lebih meluap di tanggal 26 (pengumuman kelulusan) kalo aku ga cocokin jawaban. :) Bener banget itu.. Jadi rasae seneng2e agak biasa ae lek misal (lek misal) aku tau aku lulus ntar. Tapi yo..wes lah, sudah kadung. Cuman agak sedikit berpikir jadinya. Yang aku leganya, aku ga memanfaatkan chocochip SAMA SEKALI akhirnya seperti dugaanku di awalnya. :) Dan terimakasih untuk kekuatan Tuhan aku bisa ngelaluin dengan cukup baik. Bersyukur banget, yang semester 1 aku pikir bakal keteteran dan gila karena UNAS, ternyata aku masih normal2 saja dan bisa mengetik dengan lancar sekarang..meskipun kadang huruf "c" keyboardku ngadat seperti 3 detik yang lalu. *abaikan* Oke. Itu yg aku mau curhatin dulu. Maaf kalo pake Bahasa Indonesia nya ga baek dan benar bahkan campur jowo dikit. Piye meneh.. Wess itu sek. Maaf juga jadi serasa celoteh anak. Pesen buat adek2, cemungud ea kalo mo UNAS, jangan terlalu dipikir krn tidak sesusah yang dikira :) (Aku bohong, ada mapel yg lebih susah) Yg penting study your best and let God do the rest.. Kalo bisa jangan pake chocochip, buat nyocokin kyk aku sekalipun. hehe. Intie yg penting ngoyoh, kata guru matku Pak Sapto sg mirip Sean Kingston, "Yang paling ngoyoh dapet yang terbaik". So....just let your sweat and exercise your brain out! :)

ZEMANGAK!