Live Your Life

"Live a life of honesty, appreciation, kindness, and strength.. sprinkled with a little silliness."

~ Theresia '08

This is your life. Do what you love, and do it often. If you don't like something, change it. If you don't like your job, quit. If you don't have enough time, stop watching TV. If you're looking for the love of your life, stop-- they will be waiting for you when you start doing things you love. So, start doing things you love.

You only have one life. Within 100 years nobody will remember the stupid things you made. So make a fool of yourself while you still have the chance-- because if you spend all your life trying to be the coolest kid around, you will never be happy with yourself.

Stop over analyzing, all emotions are beautiful. When you eat, appreciate every bite. Open your mind, arms, and heart to new things and people.

Travel often, getting lost will help you find yourself. Some opportunities only come once, seize them. Live is about the people you meet, and the things you create with them; so go out and start creating.

Life is short. Live your dream and wear your passion.

Listen To Your Dog

"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole."

Roger Caras

1. My life is likely to last 10 to 15 years. Any separation from you will be painful. Remember that before you get me.
2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.
3. Place your trust in me, it is crucial to my well being.
4. Do not be angry at me for long, and do not lock me up as punishment.
5. You have your work, your entertainment, and your friend. I only have you.
6. Talk to me sometimes. Even I don't understand your word, I understand your voice when it is speaking to me.
7. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget.
8. Before you hit me, remember that I have teeth- that I could easily hurt you, but I choose not to bite you, because I love you.
9. Before you scold me for being uncooperative, obstinate, or lazy, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I might not be getting the right food, or I have been out too long, or my heart is getting too old and weak.
10. Take care of me when I get old, you too will grow old. Go with me on difficult journeys. Never say: "I cannot bear to watch." or "Let it happen in my absence." Everything is easier for me if you are there, even my death. Remember that I love you.

Embrace Your "You"-ness

"There is no one alive who is youer than you"

Dr.Seuss

There are unique little things that make us happy, those little itty bitty things that not many people know about. And sometimes they seem so insignificant that we often overlook them, procrastinate doing them- or just plain old talk ourselves out of why it is so important and take time to do those little things that might not even make sense to other people.

Why don't we take time remembering the little things that are parts of who we are. Spend some time- sweep the brush on the canvas and paint the dream we once had, pick up the guitar for a few minutes, stop and take photos of the field that no one else notice, grab the pen and start to write a page, pull over and stop to get that coffee that always make us happy when we drink it, listen to old songs that always make us smile, do the hobby that we have given up, read a biography about that person who inspires us... Anything to feed the unique-us.

We live in a world that tries to make us all the same. When there are little things that make us so different, be thankful for them and don't even try to change them. Honoring and doing those little things that will truly make our hearts sing.

We make the world more colorful, more fun, more unique, and more interesting by being staying original. Don't let anything dull our light. The world needs us in all of our vivid colors. Life is too short to be anyone else.. ;-)

~ inspired by a brave girl (:

Severus Snape, Always ♥

Dumbledore : "After all this time, Severus?"

Snape: "Always."

~ Dumbledore and Snape discussing Snape's continued love for Lily in Snape's last memory, as viewed by Harry.

I'm so in love with Snape..

Yeah, I know you may think this is weird. But those who know me so well, they know that I got a different 'taste' from common people. Most people will like Harry or Hermione- or maybe Dumbledore. But to me, Snape is always my favorite..

Severus Snape was born on January 9th, 1960. His mother is a pure-blood witch and his father is a muggle, that makes him a half-blood wizard. As a child, Severus was apparently neglected and his parents often fought. He could not wait to leave for Hogwart at the end of the summer.

Not only brilliant in potion-making, Snape also got a way in Dark Arts. He excelled at the Dark Arts from an early age. At the age of 11 he knew more curses and hexes than most of the seventh year students. He's exceptional.

But that is not the reason why I fall for him. I love Snape because of his love for Lily, Harry's mother. He loves her truly, madly, deeply..

Snape knew Lily- since his childhood. She lived in the same town with him. Severus noticed her evident magical abilities and began making friendly overtures. The two bonded quickly and it appears that he was very interested in Lily right from the beginning, which was never returned though she regarded him as a friend.

Severus suffered terrible remorse when Voldemort decided to go after Harry. That means Lily, the woman who he always loved was in danger.

Dumbledore told him: "If you loved Lily, if you truly loved her, then your way forward is clear. You know how and why she died. Make sure it was not in vain. Help me protect Lily's son." So he did. He continued living on to complete Dumbledore's plan to protect Harry and defeat Voldemort-- and he continued to love Lily for the rest of his life. Everything he did in the latter part of his life was motivated by his devotion to Lily, whom he loved unconditionally.

Indeed, Snape's Patronus was a doe, just like Lily's, showing that his love for her was stronger than his loyalty to Lord Voldemort.

ps: and.. i think it ain't a coincidence either that mine's also a doe...

To Me You're Perfect

Thanks to Bob Marley- for reminding me of this...

He is not perfect, you aren't either, and the two of you will never be perfect. But if he can make you laugh at least once, causes you to think at least twice, and if he admits to being human and making mistakes, hold on to him and give him the most you can.

He isn't going to quote poetry, he is not thinking about you every moment, but he will give you a part of him that he knows you could break. Don't hurt him, don't change him, and don't expect more than he can give. Don't analyze.

Smile when he makes you happy, yell when he makes you mad, and miss him when he's not there. Love hard when there is love to be had. Because perfect guys don't exist, but there is always one guy who's perfect for you.

Dedicated to a friend who makes me smile a little brighter, laugh a little harder, and live a little better. I'm so blessed you're in my life. To me, you are perfect...

Life is too short to wake up with regret. It's okay to cry, it's okay to be sad about it. It's okay to miss him. And it's okay to wish you did something differently. But never blame yourself for how things turned out. Never tell yourself you can't do better, and never tell yourself this is the end of the road.

Fate has a time and place for all of us and nothing you can do or say will change that. Sure, it's okay to fall, but it's never okay to stay down.

A Quiz You Must Take

I read this inspiring note somewhere. Maybe some of you have ever read this too, but I can't help myself not to share it. Here it is...

The following quiz appeared on the web and has been all over the world. See how you do:

1. Name the 5 wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last 5 Heisman Trophy winners.

3. Name the last 5 winners of the Miss America contest.

4. Name 10 people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor or actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

The point: None of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are not second-rate achievers. They are the best in their field. But the applause dies, awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name 3 friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name 3 people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of 3 people you enjoy spending time with.

6. Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.

EASIER?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money or the most awards. They are the ones who care.

~Unknown

Dr. Seuss

I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, And that enables you to laugh at life's realities.

Above is one of the best quote from Dr. Seuss. Who isn't in love with him? I bet everyone is. He's just adorable.

Here are a few of my favourite Dr. Seuss quotes:

"Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive that is youer than you."

Don't forget the special gift of just being you. Don't get distracted trying to be like something or someone else you're not. Be authentic, you're born original, don't die a copy.

"If you never did, you should. These things are fun and fun is good."

Opportunities await you and can be more fun than you ever imagined if you simply take a chance. Take a lot of chances and never regret. Have a blast. What good can be possibly coming from saying you never tried?

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who matter don't mind and those who mind don't matter."

Be honest and be real. Those who matter most in your life will accept you no matter what. Those who wont, you don't need. Life is too short too worry all the time about what people think.

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."

It's the art of seeing the glass half full. Celebrate people and experiences that you've had and let the memories live on. Never get trapped and despair when there's so much around you to celebrate.

"Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple."

Aren't we typically our own worst enemy? We make things more complicated than they have to be. When in doubt, go back to the basic, you'll may find the answer.

"I meant what I said and I said what I meant."

Mean what you say or don't say it all. Resist the urge not to be genuine just to protect or please yourself or someone else. It doesn't mean to be rude. It simply when you speak up, make sure it is what you want to say. Live with integrity.

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."

Never stop learning. You know only a portion of you could possibly know and there are so many more exciting adventures in learning new things.

"How did it get so late so soon? It's night before it's afternoon. It's December before it's June. My goodness how the time has flown. How did it get so late so soon?"

Time flies by, we all know this for a fact. Don't let life sneak past you without being a part of it. Time is valuable cause we can never get it back.

"Today is good. Today is fun. Tomorrow is another one."

Be grateful for today. Enjoy the fun and think of what you can do more to make tomorrow even better.

"Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the think you can think up if only you try."

Trying a key to succeed. Without trying success isn't even a possibility. Without trying you can't complain of what you don't have. Don't worry about the failure, it's only proved that you've tried.

A Hasidic Tale: I Forgot My Prayer Book

A prayer comes directly from the heart, it does not require any languages...

Late one evening a poor farmer on his way back from the market found himself without his prayer book. The wheel of his cart had come off right in the middle of the woods and it distressed him that this day should pass without his having said his prayers.

So this is the prayer he made: “I have done something very foolish, Lord. I came away from home this morn­ing without my prayer book and my memory is such that I cannot recite a single prayer without it. So this is what I am going to do: I shall recite the alphabet five times very slowly and you, to whom all prayers are known, can put the letters together to form the prayers I can’t remember,”

And the Lord said to his angels, “Of all the prayers I have heard today, this one was undoubtedly the best because it came from a heart that was simple and sincere.”

This is one of my favourite stories from "The Prayer of The Frog" (Anthony De Mello). Many times I feel like- I wanna talk to Him in prayers but I just can't find the right words to tell Him. Lots of things cluttering my mind and cant sort them of. Here's what I learn: God is the best listener, you don't need to shout- nor cry because He hears even the very silent prayer of a sincere heart.

If Tomorrow Never Comes

Will you look back on life and say, "I wish I had" or "I'm glad I did"?

Zig Ziglar

A friend posted a provoking question on Facebook today. He wrote: "What do you want to do before you die????"-- seriously, he used four question marks there..^^

Frankly it took time for me to think before I replied. I guess I have a long lists of things that I wanna do before I die.

I wanna write a book-- well, I did- but it wasn't that kinda book that I want to 'write'. I want to write a story of my own.

Next, I wanna make a comic. As I got my own style, my sister always says that most probably my comic will be read by comic freaks only :D

I also wanna read all the books that I wanna read. Right now, "Aleph" is on the top of the list. Anyone send me please.. :P

The other thing that I wanna do before I die is travelling to the places that I wanna go. India, Maldives, Tahiti, Monaco, and lots more... And I wanna just get lost in each new place, I love the feeling of being anonymous in a city I've never been before.

Last but not least, before I leave this world, I wanna make sure that those people who matter to me will never ever doubt that I truly love them. Just like in Ronan's song- I don't wanna die with a question: Is the love I give them at the past gonna be enough to last, if tomorrow never comes...?

Most of the time, we only aware of our lives only when death is threatening. Life is too short, do all the thing that you wanna do. Break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile.

Your life is made up of two dates and a dash, make the most of the dash.

Phenomenal Woman

PHENOMENAL WOMAN

[from And Still I Rise by Maya Angelou]

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing of my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can't see.
I say
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
The palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

copyright © 1978 by Maya Angelou.

What Trust Looks Like

What trust looks like when we cant explain our trouble, or see beyond it? In the waiting room of prayer and helplessness, we learn that questions about what it means to trust God can be almost as troubling as the problem itself.

Take one day at a time. Sometimes it helps to break the journey down into small steps. Not to worry about tomorrow as today has enough of its own problems.

Don't be afraid to be honest with God. When heaven seems to be ignoring us, we can say so. When we think that we have an argument with God, we can always express it.

Don't underestimate God. If God doesn't answer our prayers in the time and manners that we've asked, it's because He can see what we can't.

Expect to be misunderstood by others. In times of profound loss and concern, even our best friends will try to make sense of what has happened to us. They may forget that people do not suffer in proportion to their wrongs. Some pay quickly for their mistakes, others do not.

Ask but don't demand. In desperate circumstances we are apt to think we know what we need from God. Like a small child, we are inclined to beg Him for what we want. But when we are in the presence of God, it seems profoundly unbecoming to demand anything.

Don't be self-destructive. In times of disappointment or distress we need to avoid quick fixes that are harmful or self-destructive. None of us can afford addictions that kill the pain for the moment but complicate our problems in the long run.

Doubt yourself. We will finally reach the stage of doubting ourselves more than we doubt God. He is the God of all creation, He can do everything and no purpose of His can be withheld from Him.

So, even that most of the times we even get confused, we can learn that trust can cry, can groan, and even can doubt. We just need a little more patience as we wait to see that His plans and timing are better than our own.

~martdehaan4odb

Books vs Movies

Someone mentioned "A Walk to Remember" as a recommended movie today and I dunno- I feel so annoyed with this. It's not that I don't like the movie. The movie is not bad. It's quite romantic. In fact, the original soundtrack from the movie "Someday We'll Know" is one of my most-favourite-songs-of-all-time. But I wont recommend the movie to anyone cause it's not that up to compares to the novel.

Ask any reader who has seen the movie version of a favourite novel, and the answer will usually be, "The book was much better."

I consider myself as a firm believer in the idea that reading a book is much better than watching a movie because it allows your imagination to make marvelous world and character. Nevertheless, I gotta confess that in some occasions, a film director has managed to take a great book and make it even a greater movie.

The movies like, "The Lord of The Rings", "Memoirs of Geisha", "Three Idiots", and "Charlotte's Web"- they make us think that sometimes it is better for us to watch the creations of someone else's imagination.

While Hollywood has the ability to turn certain books into great movies, some other novel-based-movies just don't measure up to the novels. And sorry to say, "A Walk to Remember" is one of them... To anyone who has seen the movie but not read the novel yet, here's an advice: "Don't judge a book by its movie;-)"

You Never Know How Strong You Are Until ...

Have you ever listened to this quote: "A woman is like a tea bag. You have no idea how strong she is until she gets in hot water." ?

Some people believe that it's a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, while others believe that Nancy Reagan said it. I'm not sure who's right but one thing I'm sure of is that the quote must be said by a strong woman.

Ufff, I am in this mood again. The kinda mood that comes when life knocks you repeatedly for God knows how long. I'm trying to take it one day at a time but it seems that several days attack me at once. Need some words to revive me.

...

Well, here I am, sitting in front of my laptop, talking to myself that sometimes we never know how strong we are until being strong is the only choice we have.

So be strong, Vivi.. Chayoooooooo !!

The Truth About Hugs

Hugging is healthy.

It helps the body's immune system, it keeps you healthier, it cures depression, it reduces stress, it induces sleep, it's invigorating, it's rejuvenating, it has no unpleasant side effects and hugging is nothing less than a miracle drug.

Hugging is all natural.

It is organic, naturally sweet, no pesticide, no preservatives, no artificial ingredients, and 100% wholesome.

Hugging is practically perfect.

There are no movable parts, no batteries to wear out, no periodic check-ups, low energy consumption, high energy yield, inflation proof, non-fatenning, no monthly payment, no insurance requirements, theft-proof, nontaxable, non-polutting, and of course, fully returnable. ;-)

But the best reason why I like hugs so much is because it shows me that I matter, that for one moment, I am in that person's arms and no one else can come between. No competition, NO OTHERS.

So give someone a hug today...

Once Upon A Time

"Once in while, right in the middle of an ordinary day, love gives us a fairy tale."

Remember when you were a little kid and you believed in fairy tales. That fantasy of what your life would be, a white dress, prince charming, a castle on a hill, a knight in shining armor. You lie in bed at night, closing your eyes and you had faith that your dream's coming true.

But eventually you grow up. One day you open your eyes and the fairy tales disappear. When you wake up, life's always messing up and the glass slippers just don't fit.

Somehow you got to confess that no matter how you try to deny those fairy tales, it's hard to let go of them entirely from your hearts. I guess it's because that everyone has that smallest bit of hope, of faith, that one day dreams do come true!

I, myself, personally is a true believer. I love fairy tales. The romantic side of me really, really love this quote from Walt Disney about Cinderella: "She believed in dreams alright, but she also believed in doing something about them... When Prince Charming didn't come along, she went over to the palace and got him."

And- still there are lots of lessons we learn from the fairy tales:

• Why did Aurora sleep for 100 years? To tell us that you might have to wait for quite sometimes to wait for your true love to come along, sometimes very long- but it's wort it.
• Why did Princess Jasmine fall for Aladdin? To let us know that what the heart wants, it wants it no matter what- and when you go for what your heart desires, the whole universe conspires to help you to achieve it.
• Why was Belle in love with Beast? to remind us that you can't really helps what's on the outside, but if the inside is beautiful, then nothing will stand in the way of your love.

Still you hate fairy tales? Then just listen to Einstein. This genius man once said: "If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales." Will you argue with him?

Shakespeare Isn't Always Right

A friend posted on a group wall on Facebook: "BEST PHRASE SAID BY SHAKESPEARE: When someone lies to you, it's not his fault.. Actually it's yours, because you didn't give him the proper space to tell the truth."

I read that post in the morning and somehow I couldn't get it out of my mind. I'm not one of the big fans of Shakespeare. I love some of his quotes though. Really this line's annoying me. Well, I disagree with Shakespeare this time, with that quotation.

However someone treats us, it doesn't give us a legacy to lie to him/her. After all, life really isn't about how others treat us, but it's all about how we treat others.

As, someone ever told me, we can't expect Shakespeare for all good quotations.. ;-)

In Memoriam: Steve Jobs (1955-2011)

"3 apples changed the world: 1st seduced Eve, 2nd felll on Newton and he 3rd was offered half bitten one by Steve Jobs"

I'm not a Twitter addict- but i think today Steve Jobs has become a trending topic there. Well, guess it's not only on Twitter, but throughout the world. Frankly, I don't know much about him. I only got to know who he's when I searched for some design-quotes for a friend. "Design is not just what it looks like and feels. Design is how it works."

Still, he doesn't mean anything to me- but at least i know who he is- & I know he's a big man.

His death makes the world shocking. Just like in any other social media, today he's widely spoken on Facebook. He must be a great man, an exceptional figure. Everyone shows his/her respect of what he's done, not only about his work but also about his being. So, it's tickling me to find more about him.

Born on February 24, 1955, Steve was soon adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs. Honestly, his biography which I read on http://allaboutstevejobs.com/bio/timeline/timeline.html is a bit boring, or maybe cuz my mind is wandering somewhere else. Better I read that another day. Anyway, here's a great quote from him spread around Facebook today: "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma--which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own good inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

Farewell Steve Jobs, the world is immeasurably better because of you..

Wednesday Slow Machine

Wednesday, what's on your mind? When I think of Wednesday, "Wednesday Slow Machine" crosses my mind. It's a music program on a radio station (I forget what it is, Ramako or Kiss FM?). Used to listen to it when I was in Jakarta. but now I can't. My sister ever told me that I still could listen to it through radio streaming. Now that my connection's better, I'm thinking to give it a try.

I remembered staying tune there for the whole day, listening to those slow, mellow songs- what a lovely way to spend the day. You (Bazil Valdez), Be My Lady(Martin Nievera), Next To You (Jermaine Jackson), It Might Be You (Stephen Bishop), etc. Whoa...

@CWS: can u remind me which song did we request the most? ^^

At The Beginning

This is my very first writing here.. the opening.. the offspring.. whatever you name it..

Sebenernya dah lama banget pengen buat blog. kenapa juga baru sekarang bener2 terealisasikan (do i spell it right?)? But they say, better late than never.. so, today I really membulatkan tekad untuk terjun di dunia ini.. ^^ bukan karena ikutan trend, or anything like that. it simply bcuz I love writing. i always think that- it's cool that we can speak our mind through this. we can write & share our thoughts..

Cuz this is the very first start, so it's a kinda experiment. coba-coba.. ^^ pernah liat2 blog2 laen.. & some of them bener-bener keren! tadi waktu mau mulai, sempet bingung.. totally blank.. I'm big zero abt this stuff. I decided to start it with the simplest. simple is beautiful kan? & u know what, my favourite's blog- Paulo Coelho's-- it's sooo simple, yet awesome...

I even dunno what to write as a starting point ("dasar Vivi, katanya mau nulis lha kog dunno what to write.." -> suara hati Hajime Saito^^). tadinya, tulisan pertama ini mau dikasi nama "Aleph"- it's the first letter in Arabic Alphabet, skaligus judul buku terbaru Paulo Coelho.

but in the middle of writing, "At The Beginning" nongol di kepala, crossing my mind. padahal juga ga lagi dengerin lagu itu. ya udah, akhirnya terpilihlah judul lagu tersebut sbg judul tulisan pertama ini.. hehe..

so... welcome to my blog.. Just Vivi..

ps: nama "Just Vivi" terinspirasi dari personal website-nya Ronan Keating: Just Ronan.. ^^,