Dari Kamar 103

Semarang...

Setelah 10 tahun lamanya, akhirnya aku datang lagi ke kota satu ini. Belum sempat pergi kemana-mana. Karena baru sampai sekitar 2 setengah jam yang lalu. Sempat sih melewati Simpang Lima yang terkenal itu dari bandara menuju hotel. Tapi mungkin aku baru sempat ke sana berlama-lama malam nanti, atau besok siang.

Sayang sekali kunjungan kali ini bukan berlibur seperti 10 tahun yang lalu. Tapi KERJA. Menyelesaikan my last project di company yang sebentar lagi ku tinggalkan. Hopefully, ketika aku pergi, at least aku bisa bilang kalau aku sudah punya kontribusi ke mereka, dan ke portfolio bukuku. :)

Tapi ada bagusnya juga aku keluar dari Jakarta untuk beberapa hari. Menghindar dari kesedihan dan kekecewaan setelah TimNas kalah tanding lawan MalingSia semalam di KL. Di saat orang harus masuk kantor sambil menahan amarah mereka, aku bisa melepaskan diri dari semuanya. Paling nggak, suasana kecewa itu jadi nggak terlalu terasa. Tul Ga? Apalagi di hotel TV punya puluhan channel luar negeri yang pastinya nggak akan menyebut soal kekalahan kita....

Sendirian menulis cerita tentang setengah hari ini setelah kembali dari makan di restoran Padang di seberang hotel. Kenyang, dan ngantuk pun datang menyambangi. Padahal jam setengah dua nanti, si nara sumber buku (alasan kenapa aku di sini) bakal datang untuk interview. Masih ada waktu sekitar 35 menit lagi. Itu pun kalau dia nggak datang terlambat.

Sebentar-sebentar aku baca lagi materi interview yang bakal kutanyakan nanti. Kata bos, saat sedang bertanya, aku harus membayangkan bagaimana tulisannya nanti. Hmmmm....

Yo wes lah. Mau tiduran sebentar sebelum si Ibu datang.

Edwin McCain - I'll Be (Boyce Avenue piano acoustic cover)

Dang! Another Book Project!

The first book

I don't know whether to be grateful or remorseful about this fact.

Yup, when I was about to take a leave of absence from work, we've got an offer to write a book. It's the same company whom we wrote a book for 2 years ago.

The first book we wrote for them was called Mom's Power: An inspiring story of an ordinary house wife who can make Rp. 3.5 billions per month. The other day we found out that they had actually written the sequel (Mom's Power 2) with another writer. But now, they actually want us to repeat the success of the first book.

Well, I'm not going to tell the title of what we're going to write just yet. But it is going to be another inspiring and moving stories of women, mothers in particular, who struggle to achieve their dreams.

Hopefully, it will turn out great....!!!! Because I'm about to sacrifice my precious time for this. Hehehehe...

Sang Pencerah...

Last Saturday, I went to the movie and saw "Sang Pencerah". It's a movie based on a true history and life of K.H. Ahmad Dahlan, the founding father of Muhammadiyah, one of the two biggest Muslim Organizations in Indonesia.

It was actually a great movie... I learned a lot from it.

Because every story told in the movie was very much a reflection of what is happening in Indonesia today.

There is this one scene, where one Kiai came to Ahmad Dahlan School. That day, a school that used chairs, tables, books (other than Quran), was considered a non muslim school, or in a more harsh word: "Kafir" school. Because all those school necessities were made by non muslim people or Kafir Poeple. He then "lectured" Ahmad Dahlan how by establishing the school, Ahmad Dahlan have betrayed his faith, religion and the people.

Ahmad Dahlan in all the calmness just smile and asked the Kiai. How did he came to the village where the school located. Did he walk?
The Kiai laughed at his question and said, "I am not a fool. Only a fool who like to torture himself wants to travel far a way by foot. Of course I took the train."
Again, with smile, Ahmad Dahlan said, "Then only fools would refer this school as a Kafir School. Because obviously the train was also a product made by non muslim."
The Kiai was dumbstruck, and left the school without any words.

The situation took place in the scene reminded me of a situation happened in our country recently. How several Kiai of certain muslim communities and organizations were planning to put the "haram" label for the internet, specifically Facebook. Because it is created by non muslim (a Jew guy) which for them meant that it can harm Muslim people.

Another scene told how the other Kiai who didn't like the way Ahmad Dahlan teach his student, provoked the villagers to destroy Ahmad Dahlan's langgar/small mosque. Just because he taught differently from other senior Kiai in the village.

The scene is another reflection of what is happening in our country. How people destroy other religion's place to pray. Just because they don't like what they teach or don't understand.

These very narrow minded people are the ones who clearly don't understand the essence of Islam.

Now, I may not be an expert in Islam. I'm not even a Kiai or an Ustad. Hell, I sometimes even still missed my daily prayers. But I am a muslim. And from what I read and learned about Islam, that it is a religion of peace. A religion that is not only guiding and protecting its followers but also other people. People with different faiths and beliefs.

A religion that very much open to new science, technologies, and other modern things the world can offer. If it is useful for the improvement of umat (Muslim people), then we should and must embrace it.

TAKOYAKI

I really love this delicacy so much... It is a kind of snacks in Japan that can be found easily even in street vendors. When I googled it, I found this recipe. Haven't tried it myself (I have all the intention to do just that in the near future), but I want to share it here....

Ingredients:
4 egg yolks
2 egg white
Dashi* stock (5 table spoons (tsp) dashi + 750 ml of water)
350 gr wheat flour
1 tea spoon baking powder
3 tea spoon of salt
Vegetable oil


Content Ingredients:
250 gr of tako (boiled octopus/squid/shrimp cut in in small cubes)
Cabbage (thinly sliced)
Leek/ Green onion (thinly sliced)
Ginger (thinly chopped)


The Sauce:
200 ml teriyaki sauce (it can be replaced with an import English soy sauce) - add a little water in it so it wouldn't be so thick
200 gr of mayonnaise
5 gr of katsuo boshi
Nori leaf powder


The Cooking Process:
1. Beat the eggs, and put the dashi stock gradually while stirring. Keep stirring
until it blends. Then put it aside.
2. Mix the baking powder, flour, and salt.
3. Put the dough into the eggs mix. Dough it.
4. Prepare the takoyaki mold. Place it on the fire till it's hot. Dab the vegetable
oil or butter on the mold.
5. Pour the batter into the molds until it fills ¾ of the mold. Then add the
octopus/squid, cabbage, green onion and ginger.
6. Pour the batter again on top of it until the mold is full (a little overflow).
7. When the skin layer can be seen, toss them back and forth slowly until they form
small round (ball) shape by using a skewer. Leave it till it's done with briwnish
yellow color.
8. Lift the takoyaki off of the mold and place it on a plate.
9. Cover the takoyaki with the terayaki sauce by using a brush, and then put the
mayonnaise on them.
10.Sprinkle the katsu boshi and nori powder on top of the takoyaki.


* Dashi stock: is usually the basic for most Japanese cooking. It's usually made of katsuoboshi stock, or dried shitake mushroom.

APPLE

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Familiar with the phrase? This phrase has been heard by many of us, probably for hundreds of times. This phrase expresses how “powerful” apple is for human’s health. Is it true?

From the encyclopedia, apple is described as a fruit of several species of apple trees. The wikipedia explains that apple is included in the species Malus domestica in the rose family Rosaceae. The native home of the fruit is actually unknown for certain, but there is an assumption that the tree originated probably in the area between the Caspian and the Black Seas. And there is evidence showing that apple has been known from the years of ancient Greeks and Romans.

Apples are now spread around the globe. It becomes the favorite of many people, because of its good taste and inexpensive price. In Indonesia, we are very proud of our local apple, Apel Malang (Apple from Malang). Moreover, the global trading of the fruit made us here in Indonesia able to consume apples from USA, China, Australia, or other countries.

The old phrase we have mentioned before; “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” is not just another phrase. Apple does have real benefits for health. This is because the fruit contains several amounts of vitamins, minerals, fibers, and it is also rich with antioxidant. When it comes to the health benefits of fruit, apples lead the pack.

Even in the Romans age, apple was used to “clean” the digestion organs. This is possible due to the tartar acid contained inside the fruit. The tartar acid can help to obstruct the growth of illnesses caused by bacteria that lives inside the digestion channel.

Apples are a good source of dietary fiber. Most of the fiber is contained in the skin of the fruit. This is why, it is suggested to consume apple as a whole, including the skin. Unfortunately, the skin of the fruits is also the part most likely to contain pesticide residues and may have toxic residues if covered in petroleum-based waxes, which commonly used in conventionally grown apples. So, in order to gain all the beneficial substances of the fruit, mainly the fiber, it is best to choose apples that are grown organically.

The fiber contained in apples not only good to treat constipation, but also good to heal diarrhea. In the book of “Healing Foods” written by Miriam Polunnin clearly mentioned this matter. The book wrote that apples are very beneficial for digestion.

Apples contain high amount of photochemical substances, which among others are flavonoids and phenol that are good for health of the heart. In USA and Europe, the fruit has been an important diet for the people of the two regions. Consuming apples can contribute about 22% intake of fruit-originated phenol. And if compared with other fruits, apples contain the highest amount of free phenol.

Phenol and another substance called pectin, each is important in lowering cholesterol level. However, the combination of the two inside apples can give more effect compared the effect the two substances given separately. So, the complete chemistry components in the apples synergy with each other to support the health of who ever that consumes them.

The US National Cancer Institute stated that apple contain the most amounts of flavonoids than any other fruits. This particular substance, the report said, is capable to lower the risk of lung cancer up to 50%. Moreover, a research conducted at Mayo clinic, USA, in 2001 had proven that one kind of flavonoids called quacertin that contained in apple, is also capable to prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells.

Apples are very good for diabetic people, even though they taste pretty sweet. This is possible because the sweetness of the fruit is natural, derived from fructose, a simple sugar that is broken down slowly, especially combined with the high amount of fiber the apples contain. The combination can help to stabilize the blood sugar level.

Apples, particularly apple juice, can also reduce the risk of calcium oxalate kidney stones. The British Journal of Nutrition had published one study that found evidence about women who drank ½ to 1 liter of apple, or grapefruit, or orange juice daily. Those women’s urinary pH values and citric acid excretion increased, which significantly reduce the risk of forming calcium oxalate kidney stones.

Apples also contain high concentrate of tannin. According to the “The Journal of American Dental Association” in 1998, tannin contains the substance that can help prevent teeth damage and gums diseases caused by accumulation of plaque. As an addition, tannin also functions to prevent infection on urethra.

The antioxidant compounds contained in the apples, especially vitamin C and quercetin can help prevent memory and brain-function damages triggered by oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is not the stress exists inside the mind, but it is a condition of limitedness of antioxidant intake. This can make the body incapable to neutralize the free radicals, which are the cause of several illnesses, from cataract to cancer.s

As we know, there are varieties of apples based on the color. We can easily find yellow, green, and red apples in the market nowadays. Do you know that the colors in fruits, including apples, are a sign of good health? The green apples are claimed to be good for strong bones, teeth, aids in vision, and anti-cancer properties. Yellow apples are good for heart and eyes, immune system, and reduce the risk of several cancers. As for the red apples, they are good for heart, memory function, lower the risk of some cancers, and maintaining urinary tract health.

Those are some information I have gathered about the health benefits of apples. What do you think? Perhaps you will start to consume apples more often and more regularly after finding out about the fact of the fruits. And, obviously, you cannot complain about the taste. They are crunchy and sweet. And most important, they are so good for our health.



Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org
http://www.bouquetoffruits.com
http://encyclopedia.farlex.com
http://www.whfoods.com
http://news.bbc.co.uk
http://www.geocities.com
http://www.bkpsulteng.go.id
http://www.benih.net

The Pact

August 24, 2000....

My friends and I were sitting on the terrace of our campus mosque, just after class and waiting for the 1 o'clock class.

There were 9 of us, plus several male friends we used to hang out with. We were just killing time, laughing and talking about everything, about friends, tv shows, *NSYNC (hehehe..), about classes and a lot more.

Then, out of nowhere one of us (I can't remember who exactly) had an idea.

"Why don't we make a pact, that 10 years from now, at the exact same date, we will see each other again at Plaza Senayan, in front of the singing clock."

All of us agreed, and the pact was signed by each one of us....

Ever since the pact was signed, some of us started to drift apart because of various reasons. Only 4 of us remained being friends up to present day.

And the pact was slowly forgotten.


Present day...

A few weeks ago, one of my friends called me. She reminded me about the pact that we made. And she had all the intention in the world to keep the promise we make ten years ago. For me, and the rest of us, it was kinda difficult to make it. Since two of us working in the part of the city so far away from the location where we were supposed to meet. And one of us is currently living in Netherland.

Today, August 24, 2010, around 11 am, the same friend that reminded me about the pact called again. She said she was on the way to the meeting point. I was actually very surprise that she really meant it when she said she was gonna come.

When she got there, she called me again and said that it was rather sad to be there alone. While the rest of us who signed the pact were not there.


What happened today got me thinking:
It was so naive for us back then (10 years ago) to think that we would be the same.
People change, Life changes, Friendships change...
We all grew up: got a job, starting a family...

And it is kinda sad also. Considering the friendship between 9 girls in college ten years ago, had drifted apart...

Friendship were supposed to last forever...

Puasa... Puasa... Puasa...

Wah, ngga terasa....
Tau-tau udah mau masuk bulan puasa aja nih. Anyway, untuk menyambut bulan penuh anugerah dan makna ini, agar puasa kita dimulai dengan hati yang bersih, tulus, dan ikhlas, saya mau mengucapkan Mohon maaf lahir dan batin....