Religiofragilisticexpiaridiculous

I remember a time when I was in high school. It was a state-owned school, one of the best in town (people said). But sadly, I never thought that my high school period was the high moment in my life. Of course, I was that shy, ugly teenage girl, then , but what bothered [...]

Peminum teh

Ini tulisan lama yang dulu pernah aku publish di Friendster – before a psycho hacked my account.
Minum teh dulu salah satu kegiatan rutinku sewaktu masih kuliah di KU (Uni. of Kansas). Setiap kamis, mulai jam 4 sore, di lobby Kansas Union disediakan teh, limun (hehehe… dah lama nggak denger kata ini), cookies dan brownies. Kami [...]

Red alert: be merry!

Selamat hari Natal! Sugeng Natal! Mugi wilujeng sadayanipun… (phew!)
Merry Christmas, champs and chimps!!! … and a happy, happy year 2008!
If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended:
That you have but slumbered here,
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend.
If you pardon, we [...]

Aunt Lettuce, I want to peek under…

Charles Simic is one of my favorite poets. The reason is so obvious: his poetry is simple, yet unpredictable; it tends to use everyday words – very efficient and unromantic – but at the same time, what it reveals is unprecedented. Here’s an example:
Hotel Insomnia
I liked my little hole,
Its window facing a brick wall.
Next [...]

One fine day yesterday, … and today!

I’m having a cold, so the horoscope today made a huge mistake about my health condition. But it was right about other things: my sense of humor and spirit were soaring in their highest level today. I went to campus – it was already in its holiday mood. I kept sneezing and having a runny [...]

Natalan model jadul

… tapi ngangeni. There are certain things that I don’t mind about being 30-something. It’s Christmas time, there’s no need to be afraid…

Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan *meeeep!!!*

Ini kegelisahan saya terbesar belakangan ini. Rasanya kita yang ada di bawah bendera Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni harus mulai mengkaji ulang kenapa “bahasa” berada dalam satu kamar dengan “seni.” Dan kemudian, kenapa “seni” cenderung di-euthanasia, setidaknya itu yang saya rasakan 3 tahun terakhir terjadi di prodi di tempat saya mengajar. Program-program seperti drama dan [...]

A woman is always in the wrong

Last night I watched the football match between Liverpool and Man. U. I was pretty excited by the fact that somebody will buy me a lunch today because I won the bet: MU beat Liverpool!
I know there are millions of women like me out there, but not in this small circle of friends and relatives [...]

Masculinity: this bad boy isn’t bad at all

Marnie didn’t understand why I dig Russell Crowe. Will it hurt so much to say that he is the epitome of sexy masculinity – all with its roughness, that glare in the eyes, and those sneers in the face of danger? It’s a rewarding adventure to be able to detect hints of vulnerability in that [...]

Orang Jawa ngomong Indonesia: aneh atau lucu?

Ke-Jawa-an dan logat Jawa yang kental sering menjadi sesuatu yang lucu saat dengan sadar dan sengaja ditampilkan di media hiburan massal seperti sinetron. Sesuatu menjadi “aneh,” “janggal,” atau “lucu” karena subjek itu dianggap tidak memenuhi standar nilai kelompok yang dominan/superior. Dalam hal ini, “ke-Jawa-an” masuk dalam satu kategori bersama-sama “ketambunan,” “kecebolan,” “kebancian,” “kehitaman (kulit),” “ke-Madura-an,” [...]