In Memoriam Sir Terry Pratchett

So, the generations that have been touched by Discworld are in mourning now.
A news about one of the most prolific fantasy writer's death just broke.
Farewell, Sir Terry Pratchett.

You have shown an admirable tenacity and - may I say - stubbornness by keep producing brilliant works in spite of your Alzheimer disease. I've just read some of your books. They are amazing. Touching. They have a big role in forming my character and lifting my spirit when I was down... So many advice hidden in your books. 

I like the cranky Granny Weatherwax. She is one of my personal heroines. I remember her moments of strength and weaknesses all too well. When she persisted in fighting against the Fairy Queen... When she was feeling too weak... When she was training the young witch from Chalk... And so many, so many episodes that leave a strong impression for a young girl.

My favourite Esme Weatherwax quote is

"There's no grays, only white that's got grubby. I'm surprised you don't know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people like things. Including yourself. That's what sin is." - Carpe Jugulum

And I am also a big fan of Adora Belle Dearheart. Don't let this sweet-sounding name fool you. 

She is dangerous enough.

She is a brave woman that can hold herself up.She is not afraid of investigating her brother's death teaming with a well-known con-man and succeeded in not getting fleeced or any. Kudos for Adora. And she steadily gets more position. Head of a clanks company, activist of gargoyle rights... you name it. 

I find myself enjoy books that have Tiffany Aching quite immensely. As an aspiring young witch, she is willing to work hard. I was a bit disappointed when she didn't end up with the baron's son, but in the end she gets a better bargain, in my opinion. 

And reading books about Death is never boring. From the stern, completely inhuman and incapable of sympathy and empathy (first Rincewind books), he is slowly transformed to someone who is willing to find an apprentice (Mort), a father, and a grandfather. He is shown to be a character who tries to understand humanity but is unable to fully grasp it. From his house which is just plain wrong ("It's bigger inside than the outside."), the color scheme (B&W), to the appliances and accessories in the house (the soap that doesn't bubble, doorknobs that don't work). He has a cute side though - whoever had heard of Death who rides a  white, shining stallion named Binky??? Binky. His vulnerable side is also shown in Reaper Man. He is often used as a vessel to tell important messages in books. The thing is... he is a compassionate psychopomp. When I meet my end, I would like him to be my psychopomp or my psychopomp to be like him, either way is fine. 

I adore Sam Vimes as well. He has ghosts and vices, and he is in constant struggle to live a balanced life and being a good man. In some ways, I can identify him as me. 

I cannot say any good things about Rincewind, though. Sorry, Sir Terry. Amongst your creations, he is the only one I cannot abide AT ALL.

Your books have helped forming me into today's me. I cannot say that today's me is a fine, fine creature, but I think today's me will be a worse creature without those books. And it helps my English a lot as well. Looking forward for another Discworld book, or actually, any new book by you, has been another motivation for me to rise everyday and do my stuff.

I think, it is time to end this narrative. I am running out of narrativium already.

Farewell again, Sir Terry Pratchett. Goodbye.

I hope if you get any psychopomp, then it is the one whom you have told us about in your books. I shall miss your works dearly. But as I have said, in memoriam. You shall be in my memory, ever. That, I can promise.

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The Poisoner's Handbook by Deborah Blum

Sometimes, on very rare occasions, you stumble upon things that seem like to be specifically tailored for you. Clothes. A boy. Books. I will talk about the last.

Source: Goodreads

The Poisoner's Handbook is a collection of poisoning cases, both intentional and unintentional ones. The author categorizes the case based on the poison involved. For each poison, there are several cases presented and usually there is one case elaborated among them. That case is usually a major one, meaning that in the day it happened, it became headline in virtually every media, was discussed in daily basis, and always in people's head. The beauty of Ms. Blum's narrative is that she succeeds in telling three stories in one shot. First, the case, from almost every aspect (the poison and the human factor). Secondly, the poison involved - the general information, physicochemical characteristics, and mode of action. Thirdly, the development of forensics and the rise of career (with all the obstacles and difficulties in the way) of two brilliant scientists at that time - Charles Norris and Alexander Gettler. 

AW. Norris is the one with beard. Gettler is the dude fiddling with chemical instrument.

I keep mentioning 'that day', 'that time'. Exactly when? That's the extra beauty of this book. They all happened during the Jazz Age - the crazy period when everyone seemed to be experimenting with everything. Also quite a period for the teetotalers and non-teetotalers, because alcohol is prohibited, hence the term Prohibition. It seemed to be an interesting time to live... With all the speakeasies, flapper attire and attitude, art deco, and jazz. Oh. My.

This book inspires me to take Toxicology class - a decision I am thankful for making :D You do not need to be an expert in chemistry or biology to enjoy and understand this book, although having some knowledge helps enhancing the enjoyment of this book. If you like any of these things: Jazz Age, poisons, historical stuff, forensic stuff - I can say with total conviction that this book is for you. Ms. Blum composes a very good book - both structurally and content-wise, so I think this book can be suitable for everyone. Ten stars for The Poisoner's Handbook!   
PS: My favourite poison will be the stealthy carbon monoxide. It is undetected during its action (at least in that period) and the only trace it leaves is the characteristic cherry-red shaded blood of its victim. LOVELY.

My Ultimate Femme Fatale

That woman.

Every Sherlock fan must know to whom those two words refer to. A seemingly rather harmless opera singer, the only problem she poses is the possession of some incriminating photos of her and some particular prince. It is quite surprising that she manages to outwit Sherlock so smoothly. She only plays an important role once in one story, but then she gets so many admirers and practically gets elevated to an enviable position for any female fictional characters.

From a merely resourceful and clever beautiful opera singer, she is translated into a sly spy and almost perfect woman endowed with beauty, sharp wit, and seductive charm. She almost always becomes Holmes' romantic interest. Well, if there is a woman capable to be Holmes' equal, it's definitely her.

I like her immensely because she has proven that she is capable of having confrontation with Holmes. She is neither afraid of his reputation as a great detective nor gets cocky. Instead, she tries her best to gain an upper hand and manages to do so. 

Two most notable portrayals of that woman in the pop culture are... 

I like both, but my favourite is Rachel McAdams' version. She captures the essence of that woman very well. She is the perfect living, walking, and breathing Technicolor replica of that woman. 

Who is your favourite femme fatale? 

Top Ten Christie Novels According to Me

As I have mentioned before, Agatha Christie's books are the gateway books to the wonderful world where every crimes are done in the most ingenious ways and solved in the most elegant, extravagant manners. From all her novels, I hereby present you with a list containing ten I love the most. The order doesn't need to reflect the level of favouritism. Short stories collections are considered as novels as well. Beware. Spoiler ahoy!

1. Crooked House

This is the first Christie book I read. I found it in my aunt's book shelf when I was eight or nine years old - hardly an appropriate age to digest any of her writings. I left it unfinished out of sheer boredom. When I was more mature, about fifteen years old, I reread it again and thoroughly enjoyed it. The storyline is very unique. A lot of poisons - my weapon of choice were I need to take another human being's life - are mentioned. It is hard to believe that a girl that young is capable of planning and doing crimes so atrocious. Crooked House is a perfectly dark novel set in location where Christie is a specialist - a big family living in idyllic British village.

2. Towards Zero

Towards Zero opens with two disturbing scenes, seemingly unrelated at all. A murderer plans his move and a man attempts to commit suicide. Christie managed to weave an intriguing story based on a premise that she had exercised before, namely that if every evidence points to someone since the very beginning, that someone cannot be the guilty party - he/ she must have been framed by the real culprit. The main attraction of Towards Zero is that the planned murder doesn't happen, after all. This book features Superintendent Battle as the investigator.

I have watched the screen adaptation and it firmly established Saffron Burrows as one of my favourite actress. It is a pity they ruin it by changing the investigator to Miss Marple instead.

 She is so pretty! In my personal opinion, she is the perfect Audrey Strange.

3. Death Comes at the End

Technically, this is the first historical crime I have ever read, although I didn't know that time because I hadn't known that such a genre exist. The ancient Egypt setting feels so realistic and accurate. The heroine was irritating at first because she seems so weak and trusty and pacifist, but later I realized that it might be caused by her grief of losing her husband just before the events in Death Comes at the End began. Her character development is one of the strong points of this novel. Another strong point is the realistic depiction of household bickering and almost life-like characterization of every family members (excluding the kids) of Imhotep's household. I personally like the sharp-tongued, clever old lady Esa. The ending is quite sappy, but well, it is to be expected from Christie. It is a good ending, though.

4. Ten Little Indians

The definition of awesome detective story is Ten Little Indians! I mean, who would expect that? I was completely in the dark all the time. The trick Christie employed here is classy and doesn't feel like a cheap deception - unlike Roger Ackroyd. She depicts the increasing tension in the isolated island perfectly. How the remaining people were suspicious of each other and paranoid all of the time. And in the end, I totally understand, relate, and sympathise with the Avillain, that misguided vigilante. 

5. Murder on the Nile

One of Christie novels (another example is Murder on the Orient) in which I ship so hard for the villains not to get unmasked. It is a great pity that Poirot decided to reveal the truth after all in the end... If I were in the same position as Jacqueline and to have the same characteristics as her, I would have definitely chosen the same steps, I think. Linnet Ridgeway gets zero of my sympathy because I find that she is an obnoxious rich girl whom I will gladly slap. She deserves her fate. 

I hate her.

6. The Mysterious Mr. Quin

... I forget to include him on the list of my favourite sleuth... Well, there is not enough space, after all. Mr. Quin's cases are mostly bizarre, supernatural, and out of logical realm. He usually appears with Mr. Satterthwaite, an old endearing snob. Mr. Quin evokes my romantic side, I guess.

7. The Thirteen Problems

A short story collection featuring Miss Marple. This book feels so homey and old-timey... And as usual, Miss Marple kicks ass although from outside she looks just like a very boring, ordinary old spinster with a penchant for knitting and gossiping. 

8. Nemesis

But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!

Amos 5:24

This is a quote from Bible which is quoted by a dead man in his letter to Miss Marple. And this quote is damned awesome. Nemesis, naturally, refers to her role in this book as the one who addresses the awful, awful miscarriage of justice. The crime in Nemesis saddened me deeply because of oh so much wasted potential of the lives of several people. Those wasted years, all caused by an egoistic act of a person. The years that can be spent for marrying, having and raising children together, laughing, bickering, crying - living. I really loathe the villain and think that the culprit has it really easy in the end. 

9. The Hollow

The motive behind the murder is plain creepy. And Christie uses her old trick again, the same one she uses in #2. I adore the Angkatells and their antics. I am quite okay with the additional love story in this book. Overall, the case is so-so, but the reading experience of The Hollow had been nice. 

And I like the Indonesian old version of the cover!

10. Murder on the Orient Express

It is an awesome murder the villains manage to concoct, orchestrate, and execute. Given the same numbers of personnel, resource, and circumstances, I highly doubt some people I know would be able to create a simple gathering or something, let alone a complicated murder. I absolutely agree with Poirot's and other people's acts and decision in this book. The man sure had it coming. If it makes me morally defect, so be it.

So, these are ten Agatha Christie's works I like the most. What are yours?

Your Favourite Sleuth?

Hi!

I have consumed an insane amount of mystery books during my entire life. They have been my faithful companions for a long time. I have buried my nose in numerous pages of 名探偵コナン. I have read several Nancy Drews and all the other novels featuring young snoops such as The Famous Five and The Secret Seven (all Enid Blyton's books). I never read any Hardy Boys, though. I have flipped countless pages of Christie's works. I have read all of her published mystery novels in Indonesian during my senior high school. And Christie is a gateway novel to other detective novels. I devoured Sherlocks afterwards. 

And once I became confident enough of my English (as recent as 9 years ago), my reading selection became far wider. I read Sayers, tried Ellery Queen (didn't work - he is too obnoxious), Bradley, McCall Smith, Charlaine Harris, and many more. I found awesome Scandinavian thrillers and love most of them. I like the ones by Lackberg, Fossum, and Lars Kepler. I am a big fan of JD Robb. And one day I stumbled upon Erle Stanley Gardner and he opened the floodgate that is love to all things hardboiled and/or noir. I am fond of his detectives. The tough, bulldog, slick yet honest attorney Perry Mason and his spirited sidekick cum secretary Della, the DA Doug Selby, and the unlikely pair Donald Lam and Brenda Cool. After that, I discovered Chandler and fell in love so hard to him. I like Spillane a lot as well. On a brighter note, I like Vish Puri series by Tarquin Hall, Nury Vittachi's Feng Shui Detective, and Mr. Monk. Going local, I absolutely enjoy V. Lestari and S. Mara Gd's works. It's a pity they publish so rarely in between and so few. 

In total, I have read a lot of mystery novels and most of their plots are still perfectly etched on my brain. From all the sleuths, I will try to single out seven of my most favourite sleuths. It is very difficult to select just seven and even more difficult to categorize them according to my favouritism towards them. I can mention twenty, easy, as long I don't need to categorize them. Basically, I like them with almost same amount of affection.

1. Hercule Poirot My number one favourite, all the time. He might be just a snobbish, cocky, cranky Belgian little man, but I he still has the first place in my heart. I fervently refuse to believe that he meets his end in Curtain and I vowed never to read Curtain before the day my I am going to meet mine.
   I always hoped that he will hook up with Countess Vera Rosakoff, but apparently it is impossible to happen. That's a pity, but I imagine it will be quite hellish to spend 24/ 7 with Poirot and 24/ 7 with Vera as well. His love to all things geometric and sanitary sometimes doesn't make any sense at all, and of course it can drive any roommate insane. And Vera can be sometimes too unpredictable and easily swayed to the more exciting way of life, a.k.a. criminal life.
    
2. Sherlock Holmes
   He almost tied with Poirot but I decide that after all, I like Poirot better. Poirot’s death surprised me a lot and made me vowed like that. Holmes’ death? Shocking and a bit of, isn’t that 残念, but that’s the extent. And he didn't really die after all. From all the existing versions of Holmes, my favourite, character-wise, is the original Arthur Conan Doyle created.
   

   

   He might be opium-, cigar-addicted annoying man with an ever changing mood, but they can be forgiven considering his insane gifts. Good at brawling, having seemingly photographic memory, and insanely perceptive - I'd kill for those talents. 
   When he is beaten by Irene Adler, I was a tad disappointed because he is Sherlock Holmes and he is beaten by an... an... opera singer! Granted, a very clever opera singer, but still! A man that almost always outsmarts the Napoleon of Crime, is beaten by an opera singer!
   Anyway, if you wonder who is my favourite Holmes physique-wise...
   

   

   Me?

   Yes. You! It is a real shame they make the storyline all modern and do not adhere to the canon! I bet Benedict Cumberbatch would look real good and yummy if he was dressed in the appropriate costume for the appropriate era where the original Holmes set. And the title A Study in Pink almost made me cry with frustration. Why can't you just stick to the original and deliver them properly? And why should you make Moriarty extra-gay? Why?
   And while we are on it, the Holmes version I absolutely hate with passion is Laurie R. King's version where he marries a girl named Mary Russell. Lady. Creativity and improvisation are good, but this is too far. I am okay with BBC modernisation although I personally still think it is a bit stupid. I am fine when Robert Downey Jr. portrays him as punch-happy muscular playboy. I am dandy with Alan Bradley trying to convince readers that he has a pair of working ovaries instead of balls, BUT I AM NOT OKAY WHEN SOMEONE TRIES TO MARRY HIM TO A GIRL LIKE MARY RUSSELL. It is just so wrong! Holmes is too soppy and sentimental in those novels. It is as if the author makes a completely different character and slaps the name Holmes on it because she wants to ride on Holmes' fame or... I cannot think of another reason.
   And if Sherlock ever marries? It will sure as hell not to a girl like Mary Russell. She is too sharp-mouthed and needy at times. The real Sherlock will never be able to put up with her. A woman that he likes and respects is a woman that can hold herself up and survive in any kinds of condition, I think. He has little time for sentiments and all that stuff.
3.  工藤新一　（コナン江戸川）Both the hottest and coolest sleuth ever. An eternal high
   
   
   
   
   school (or elementary school, depends on your perspective) student, this boy is an intelligent smartass. It is such a pity that he has to be trapped in a small boy body for so long. I wish he will get his normal body soon. The duration he is spending trapped in Conan body is the same duration my body spent to develop from a skinny little girl’s body to not-so-skinny more mature girl body.
   About love life, I'd rather he ends up with 宮野志保 since they both live the consequences of crossing the Black Organization so that they can understand each other well. Personality-wise, they are quite a match. 毛利欄 is nice, kind, and all, but there will always be parts of 新一's life she won't be quite able to understand. So I am shipping verily hard for 工藤ー宮野 ending!
   About the live action adaptation... I really like 溝端順平's version. It is not perfect because nobody can be worthy enough to portray 工藤, but he's good enough, I think.


4. Phryne Fisher
   

   Rags-to-riches, a true feminist, and blessed with good looks and good taste from everything from good liquor to fine young men. She sure is the royal I am fond of the most. I'd like to be a passenger in her Hispano-Suiza when she drives. It sure will be an unforgettable experience.
   I watched the series adaptation before reading the books. Before I read the books, I thought the series is awesome. After reading the novels, I feel that the series ruins the story a bit because they try to make Phryne monogamous to Jack Robinson. Pffft. Phryne? Monogamous? So not going to happen. And to Jack Robinson. It will be more plausible to use Lin Chung instead of Jack Robinson, but they don't do it, maybe because they still hold quite conservative views. Essie Davis is an awesome actress, but she is too old to be Phryne. It shows. Phryne is supposed to be in her late twenties, not early fourties. Sorry, Essie. I have nothing against aging women, mainly because I am a woman and will experience the same thing, but it will be better if actresses portraying characters are in the same age span as the characters, or at least, look as if they are in the same age bracket.
   
   
5. Philip Marlowe
   Ah. I have made a whole post about my adulation and adoration to him. Should he be the number one?
   No.
   It is a place Poirot won since a long time ago. If only I met Marlowe first… Maybe the story would be different.
   
   
6. Tommy and Tuppence
   I really like this feisty, plucky British couple. Tuppence is the driving energy between those two, Tommy is more like the rein to constantly hold his sometimes reckless wife back. Amongst all the stories that feature them, my favourite is strangely the short stories collection.They work together really well in that book, with the constant amount of hilarity and healthy amount of competition between those two as well. The funny thing is because there are, if I recall correctly, twelve cases, in the end they tie because Tuppence is right in six out of twelve and Tommy in the other half. 
   
   
7. Lord Peter Wimsey
   Blessed with riches, working brain, sharp tongue, an ability to distinguish wine and dress immaculately, and decent look, Peter Wimsey is a very endearing character indeed. It helps a lot that he is British. I am weak for British boys. And if they’re royalties… Let’s just say, mmmMMMMMM. He has an issue with PTSD, though. Luckily, his manservant, Bunter, is always ready beside him to help him whenever anything arises. Wimsey's mother, the Dowager Duchess of Denver (as someone has said, delicious alliteration) is as clever and funny as her youngest son is. And their family has the awesomest coat of arms ever.
   

   

   It is a nice motto, isn't it? 
   To top it, he has the most badass full name I've ever encountered.
   Peter Death Bredon Wimsey. 
   Wheeeee!
    
   So here I end my list! How about you? Who is your favourite sleuth, so far?

Such a Pretty Fat by Jennifer Lancaster

I realize that I am fully responsible in selecting my reading materials. The time that I spent reading this book can actually be used for reading my Biosafety material. Quiz は来週の月曜日-and so far the polling is for close book quiz (13 vs 12 - slim, slim difference). But well. I have read all of them last week, I will just re-read them tomorrow and day after tomorrow.

Her first to books are more interesting because the problems she detailed in them are real world problems that I can actually sympathize and empathize with. In her third? Not so much because it is about her struggle to reduce her weight using various dieting methods and of course, hard exercise.

It is a damned first world problem that I, a girl from third world country*, who is struggling to get her bachelor** finds reaaalllly hard to sympathize.

Then, lady, perhaps you should consider walking a block instead of driving a block.

Perhaps you should eat smaller servings.

Perhaps you can take the stairs instead of the lifts.

She complains about unable to eat steak because it will hamper her weight reduction.

I cannot eat decent steak because it will suck up the fund I can use for, you know, graduating my ass off.

 

She complains about the discomfort of gym in the beginning, although she enjoys it later. Lady, at least you can still pay for gym membership and there is a possibility to enjoy a decent gym close to your quarters. She whines constantly about Atkins (ketosis phase sounds truly nasty) and expresses some dissatisfaction about Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers, and all I can think is...

Yes Jesse, my sentiment exactly.

What. A. Thankless. Bitch.

And she tells in a witty way how she, after being treated like a queen during her book tour, had to go back to reality. The thing that pulled her down to earth is cleaning dog poo and dog-piss-drenched carpeting.

I'll kiss the damned dirt if the worst thing that I should face in reality is cleaning the freaking canine excretion!

By reading her work, I contribute to her increasing fame (and bank account). I have moral dilemma here... but still, she is very entertaining. AUUUUGGGGHHHHH. And I just read her status in Facebook about how she bought a damned coffee machine because she is too lazy to climb the stairs to use one that is available!

AAA

AAAAA

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Six stars for this book because it's still witty but but but almost unendurable. 

Conclusion:

Life is unfair. Time to take some pictures, Photoshopped them decently, and advertise myself as a mail-order bride.

Or...

Signing up to migrant worker office...

Current speed: 9 male shirts/ 45 minutes, some folded in different sizes.

Or... 

Time to go all Walter White...

Or.

Time to read the Biosafety material. Or some Fitzgerald.

* face it, Indonesia - claim as much as you want that you are happy and not dirt poor, but nah, you bloody are.

** I will bring up this issue as much as I like. If I don't get it, then I shall consider the possibilities of becoming a mail-order bride (I have listed the possible countries in my head) and migrant worker. I still need to work on my ironing skill, but otherwise I am good in vacuuming, wiping, washing dish. I AM THIS DESPERATE. 

The Science of Loss

I just want this post to have an awesome title. There will be zero science involved in this post, in reality.

I came back to Indonesia about two weeks ago after spending about six months abroad.

And the first thing I did was weeping. I wasn't catatonic or something. I was darned helpful and functional. Heck, I unpacked my bags and everything. But the tears just kept falling down. 

I was bereft. I grieved. 

In Japan, I had my own income (small and just scholarship, but still!) and I managed it quite well and successfully.
Here I don't.

In Japan, I know exactly what I have to do.
Here I fucking don't.

In Japan, I lived with my roommate (who is very kind and understanding) and close to my friends. We shared similar activities.
Here, I don't.

In Japan, I can wear anything I like.
Here, hell no. I am asking for it. As one of my classmate kindly reminded me on my first day, "Dyah, ini Indonesia ya bukan Jepang." ("Dyah, this is Indonesia, not Japan.")

In Japan, no traffic to deal. By traffic, I mean traffic traffic, the insane kind that makes you cannot move. And you have the option to walk because the sidewalks are freakishly spacious.
Here, I risk get run over because although Indonesians pride themselves as religious race, they don't pay attention to other people's well-being. And traffic rules be damned. And sidewalks? 

Lovely. Where should I walk? Air? Pinpoint, please

The ones in close proximity of my house are even worse.

Japan is clean. Here, it is dusty (well, not much to do beside cleaning them and cover things and hope for the best - dust happens) and dirty. Trash anywhere.  And not sorted.
And there is a slogan that says "Kebersihan sebagian dari iman" (Cleanliness is half of the faith - roughly translated). Knowing this motto, and seeing the sanitary level of Bandung, I must honestly say that I am doubtful that Bandung citizens are really that faithful. Pah. Clean atheists are better than piggy holier-than-thou-hypocrites.

In Japan, I am free. I am freaking free to do virtually frigging anything.
Here, you can be damned sure I am not.

In Japan, I don't feel homicidal all the time.
Here, I am secretly plotting to bring an insane quantity of concentrated acid to spray to half of the people I interact with in a day.

In Japan, I can get holy-moly-heavenly cheese at princely price. AND ENGLISH MUFFIN. I ADORE ENGLISH MUFFIN. THAT'S WHY I AM IN LOVE WITH MCDONALD'S BREAKFAST PACKAGE. Because they have the goddamn english muffin and hashbrown.
Here. Bah. Don't even think about it. And do I miss Indonesian food there? Hell no. What for? There is a store that sells it in 新億簿. After all, I spend twenty-two goddamn years of my goddamn worthless life consuming those same food over and over again. So, no. Food is certainly not an issue there.

How do I deal with this loss?

By pestering my friend who is still in Japan. Boy. You have the patience of the saints. Saints plural.
By pestering my Indonesian friend who is patient enough to hear, respond, and understand. I love you, Kania! (she's awesome)
By thinking about my final project.

But still. Heavy loss is heavy loss. I really miss my friends whom I left behind. Nobody has time nor interest to play Hold 'Em and/ or UNO here.

I am better now. No longer crying on daily basis. And every time I feel huge loss, I drink Coca Cola (no alcohol here. First, insane price. Second, parents) and take precious bites from the Ritters my friend and his girlfriend gave me as parting gift (because in Indonesia Ritters is, well you know!). I still keep the melkesjokolade my other friend gave me as well. But, still... 

I miss Japan. And I miss them. 
And I cried again :') because nobody can refrain from crying when she recounts her losses.