1. Almost started a magazine when I came back to Indonesia a few years ago.
After finishing my school time in Melbourne, I came back to Indonesia in 2005 and was planning to start a lifestyle magazine. It was going to be called Juice and the company was to be called Media One. Guess what? Juice already existed internationally. Locally it’s published by a company called Media Satu. *facepalm* I found out a month later while hanging out at a friend’s restaurant at PIM2.
2. People used to think I was a design student
Back in Melbourne I used to do freelance design for business cards and event posters. People were convinced I was a design student and they would come up to my girlfriend telling her that I was. I studied marketing and economics, not design. Even now people still occasionally ask me to to cards. Not having done design much in over a year I’ve lost my touch.
3. A scar on my hand reminded me of a painful past
Yeah, that was a pun. I accidentally cut open my left palm while trying to open a bag of floss with a knife. It was inside a sheath and my left hand was on the under side. I passed out from shock and losing so much blood and still can’t remember anything until I returned from the hospital. I remember dad taking me to the receptionist of the resort but nothing else until I was back at the resort with my left hand covered in thick bandage. We were on the first day of a week-long family holiday and boy did I ruin it. Grandpa was so angry at my mom for not watching over me he had a stroke that lasted until he died years later. I still think it was my fault. Sorry gramps, mom.
4. I called my ex-boss blind for being a moron that I thought he was. Turned out he was worse.
I quit my first real job since returning from Australia after only 4 months and turned down a big raise because of a negative work environment. A month later he saw me outside his new place and started giving me this talk. I wasn’t interested in talking to him and wanted to leave but he kept yapping so I told him the real reason behind my resignation and called him blind for not seeing what was really going on in his company before I left. Earlier in my letter I toned down my reasons so as to make it as polite as possible.
Months later I found out that the company was the way it was because of his management practices, not because of the people around him. I genuinely thought he was a good guy. Not one person who’ve left since had anything good to say about him or wanted to mention him.
5. I was almost an athlete
Back in primary school I was scouted by swimming coaches who wanted to put me in the national program. Having to wake up at 3 and train for two hours everyday before school put me off. I used to be a long distance swimmer doing 15 x 100 meter laps per session twice a week.
6. I’m hating Brett right now for putting me up to this
Really. Thinking of 10 things about myself to share with people IS NOT EASY!!! I’ve actually been thinking about it since I saw Leonnie tagging people for it some time ago so I didn’t just start this today.
7. I couldn’t pronounce the letter R until I was in 8th grade
No kiddin’. I still can’t do a hard roll R.
8. I wanted a Mac since I was in 8th grade
A summer school trip to the US introduced me to Macs and I’ve wanted to have one from that moment. I told dad I wanted a PowerBook for high school because school required each student to have a notebook. He bought me a Toshiba Portegé P90 because they were both gray. *facepalm*. I forgive you dad. Glad you’re a Mac user now.
9. I still call Australia home
Born in Indonesia means absolutely nothing to me. I don’t even really belong to any of the local ethnic groups. I’m a mixed Chinese, Arab, Indian, with a bit of Javanese thrown in. Brought up in a liberally oriented household by conservative parents (go figure), and grew up largely overseas, I find Indonesia far too limiting and discriminative. Working my way out of here. Having spent nearly 10 years in Australia, despite ridiculing its policies and culture (lack of?) as well as seeing plenty of moronic racists, I find most of the people endearing and there’s not that many better places to live than Melbourne.
10. I don’t know how to potty train my daughter.
She’s 1 year old, still in diapers and refuses to sit down when doing her business.
I’m throwing this to @asil, @mastrosiani, @dirgayuza
AuliaSays 