[My Family] Another milestone to the heavenly world

[Pier Lounge - Cathay Pacific, near Gate 65]
At 0700 HKT CX881 finally touched the ground, the Captain announced that the flight was 10minute ahead from the schedule. Who care anyway, as my next flight to Jakarta, CX777, will definetly flight at the same time. But in term of service, Cathay is one of the top notch. Stewards were always ready during the flight and kept always offering food and drinks despite of the time, as long as she saw me awake, watching movie or "working" with my notebook.

Stopped by or window shopping for minutes and attempted to ask the price of Samsonite carrier bag (as I usually use back pack Targus). The price was 168 USD or one thousand and ++ in HKD. My company may buy me any way, but I'll wait for another trip to find the better and the cheaper one... and it must be not purchasing in the airport.

Arrived at the Pier Lounge, the best in class - I guess, at least it is like day and night when you compared the Pier Lounge with LAX lounge. Went to shower and took my half an hour to refresh and did what I had to do... to pemper my skin, my hair, my body by my own. I grabbed a coke and a banana, as I thought the stewards had feed me enough last night. I called my beloved family and I met Oki ... he must have been waiting for my call and he already knew about the computer that I bought for my kids. When I said that this notebook not only for my 4year-kid Oki, but also for his brothers, he thought that I bought three similar notebook... thing that I usually did when I bought a gift from my trip. I clarified and he understood.

He explained with proudness that now he can read faster, while he learned English in his club and simple Arabic world in his Islamic afternoon school. I talked to my wife for a minute and started typing this blog, before I go to boarding to, my finally, the last flight to my heavenly world to see the angelic faces of my kids and my wife. It was exhausted, but the trip is worthwile, either in business aspect or personal, specially for this trip BP America pay all my expenses.

[WORLD] Paranoid Country - Going to USA in 2008

[CX881 Upper deck at 87K Seat]
It is about 4hour-flying from Los Angeles when I wake up for a midnight pee

Find a movie to watch while I am awake … The Sentinel - a Michael Douglas's film

A film is about secret agents surrounding the US President and intricate on killing him

While watching the movie, I open up my notebook and write this

I just imagine if Condi or Bush watch this movie as well and their paranoid brain think faster

I think in their mind there is two different hubs and also different processor to analyze the fact

… one processor us AMD Athlon 64bit for paranoid mind and the other just use old abacus to think realistic fact

Airport security is developing further beyond every one's think of

… first, nail cutter, small scissors or any sharp object are forbidden to be carried, even, by toddler

… second, shoe shall be removed for x ray as the enemy revolutionize their tool to threat people

… third, if you are unlucky, TSA guy will search and swipe all your belonging in case there is nitro deposit in there

… fourth, now a glass of water, chopstick or any gel forms are banned due to
           the enemy revolutionize further that a bomb can be made from a liquid

What the case when their enemy can revolutionize further that a bomb can be made into a shirt, a tie, an under short

We may go to full body x-ray every boarding to the flight --- what paranoid ridiculous (See in next 2008 boarding)

And after watching this movie, Bush may start think to x-ray all their secret agents

… ridiculous paranoid with stupid solution, at least that what I thought

[Indonesia] Truly Kualahan Lumpur

[CX Lounge at LAX]
11:23
Saya senantiasa takjub atas "ketabahan", "kesabaran", "kepasrahan" masyarakat Indonesia, dan kembali senantiasa dapat kita lihat di layar tivi ketika melihat penduduk Sidoarjo harus mengungsi dan tanah tumpah darahnya kerena kesalahan segelintir orang, pengusaha dan pejabat.

Saya juga senantiasa takjub atas "kebodohan", "kelambanan", "kegesitan untuk mencari kesempatan dalam kesempitan" pejabat-pejabat kita. Mungkin tidak untuk kasus Sidoarjo ini yang saya lihat dari bupati terlihat serius dan berusaha membela rakyatnya.

Maaf atas kegampang takjuban saya … dan lagi lagi, masyarakat nanti pun sudah lupa terhadap perilaku selama lima tahun dan terlupakan oleh janji-janji semu selama sebulan di masa pemilu nanti. Jika begitu, sebenarnya "kebodohan" sesungguhnya milik masyarakat Indonesia, sedangkan pejabat mungkin dari dasarnya sudah bodoh tapi berlagak masa bodoh.

[ME] My Trip on the way home - 2

[LAX Terminal 3 – Cathay Pacific Lounge]
A bit delay due to late departure in Houston but still OK as my next boarding time is “damned” at 1:30am Saturday morning. I went to Aisle C – Cathay Pacific Business Class counter and went to “another damned” immigration office for “selected” people from around the globe. But LAX is always the best related to immigration matter, quick and no sweat.

When we were queuing to the TSA gate, someone shouted at loud and made everybody alert and worried. Some TSA staff secured and blocked all entrance and exit gate. Later, it was unclear what had happened and there was no notification at all for this inconvenience. I put my shoes off, pulled out two notebooks from my back pack for x-ray check. Everything was clear and I went to VIP floor at 5 … expect from unexpected, as usual lounge outside Asia is worse, either from food, connectivity, infrastructure, service … you name it. Again this lounge very crowd with limited chairs (less than 50 chairs), some were standing and may be a lot better than lounge in Gambir.

My flight, CX881 will depart at 01:55am Saturday morning transit in Hong Kong and continue with CX777 with departure time at 9:20am Monday morning. I will then meet all my love ones at home the next couple hours, Insya Allah.

[Indonesia] Polisiku ... Buta Huruf tapi Melek Angka

[CX Lounge at LAX]
Mungkin ini uneg-uneg gua … yang sejak lama terpendam dan baru kesempatan diutarakan ketika sedang menunggu penerbangan. Harusnya gua tulis pas Kepolisian Indonesia Ulang Tahun bulan kemaren.

Polisi memang dibawah Jendral Sutanto, jauh berubah dalam beberapa permasalahan besar - korupsi (dengan catatan bukan yang di Kepolisian), terorisme, perjudian dsb nya. Tetapi masalah yang kecil dan dirasakan orang banyak, tidak atau sedikit tersentuh. Hal tersebut sangatlah mudah dilihat di sepanjang jalan. Ketertiban lalu lintas sangatlah nol besar, angkutan umum atau pribadi dengan mudah berhenti di tanda larangan berhenti atau parkir, seakan-akan polisi kita itu buta huruf.

Tapi jangan sangka, polisi kita buta angka … mereka sangat melek angka, bahkan dengan mudah tanpa melihat angkanyapun beliau sudah dapat mengetahui nilainya dari warnanya. Syukur, polisi kita tidak buta warna, khususnya warna tertentu … atau mungkin bukan karena warna tapi daya penciumannya yang melek.

Any way, Selamat ulang tahun. Semoga polisi kita melek huruf dan angka untuk kebaikan bangsa bukan untuk "kebaikan" kantong pribadi. Dan yang penting lagi, melek hati nurani - karena kelak itu yang harus kita pertanggung jawabkan dihadapanNya.

[WORLD] Glory Prophet Muhammad and Damned for All Hatred to him

[IAH C43 Gate]
Again, I heard the Pope Benedict’s news related his statement to insulting the holy prophet Muhammad pbuh after I read the news yesterday. I saw how angry all Muslims around the world including me, angry, hatred and for his comment. Islam has never been, is not ever or will never be spread out with power or sword. Please ask the converted Muslim (mualaf) like Mohammad Ali, Maurice or see the comment of Bernard Shaw or other non Muslims related the holiness of prophet Muhammad pbuh.

In the Holy Quran, it stated that “… it is so clear between the right and the wrong, the Lord has given for every person to think about with his heart and thought and only Islam, the religion that He accepted”. Lord is then emphasized more in this continuous verse that “there is no force for every one to accept Islam”.

For Pope Benedict, I will wait to hear this man said apologize for Muslims world or I just categorized the “highest” Catholics priest as non good follower of the prophet Jesus pbuh. Please read carefully the history of Islam and what the Holy Quran (the Final Testament) said, by understanding and comparing (that what I did to read the Old/New Testament after somebody gave me bible and offered me to get “blessed”) tolerant can be built.

Islam is so pure and simple, that we only believe to Allah, the One and Only Lord – not as so confusing like trinity with human-lord agent or other trinity like in old roman, old Egypt, Hindi, etc. Allah is so the most forgiveness, those to forgive His creatures (whom have chase for being forgiven) with unnecessary to sacrifice any son for this… just pray to Him alone. We love the prophet Muhammad as the same as we love the prophet Jesus, Moses or others.

Islam teaches us to help each others disregard racist or religion as long as work in inter human mutual relationship but not inter faith. Islam clearly draw the line for inter faith tolerance as stated in the Holy Quran "For you, your religion and for me, mine". Jihad itself is the mandatory for every Muslims, from physical jihad, like fighting the infidel which has occupied our land up to the most ultimate jihad, fighting our own desire, like fasting during Ramadan. With some Islam land is occupied, Jihad cannot be resisted as every Muslims around the globe to fight until those infidel quit from Islam land. That why you'll find not only Afghan who will fight again NATO in Afghanistan, but some from Indonesian, Australia, England or other part of the world. Imagine, if there is no jihad spirit, Indonesia may not be independence up to now.

In the Holy Quran, Muslims are analogized as bees, who eat only good food (read: halal) without distorted anything but make it better (see when bees take honey from flowers). They will not hurt any one, but if someone insulted them, they will chase down even their own life may be the cost. But they organize better and care each other. They build a strong community where their nest attached to single point but strong. Every Muslims, old and young, men and women, love the prophet Muhammad pbuh over than their love to them or their son. Insulting of the prophet is the insult to all Muslims, but we will forgive any one who seek for forgiveness. Allah also gives a good analogy for infidel in the Holy Quran, they like a spider which lives alone with nest attached to every location and weak. They eat by hurting or killing other.

After Denmark and Italian case, when posted provocative caricature of the holy prophet Muhammad, now the Pope started with his unwise comment. We will see what happen to him, as we have knew what had happened to the publisher of Denmark’s newspaper… burned to death in incident, and will be burnt forever in hell fire. This unwise pope stated something that unnecessary … I'll respect him if he apologizes for his wrong doing even though the damage, again, has been made.

[ME] My Trip on the way home - 1

[IAH C43 Gate] This is my final day of the several days – exhausted – business trip to Houston (again). Yes it is really exhausted; I arrived in Houston last Monday at 2am in the damn morning and I had to attend at 7am at Westlake, BP HQ!!!

The flight and immigration was “normally” right, specially I arrived a day before 9/11 anniversary, but the arrangement of the flight was worse by Bayu Buana after my SQ flight was cancelled and later I got new route using Cathay (even though the service was about the same).

I stayed at Marriot Sugar Land, Houston, TX – about 45minutes driving at midnight from International Airport IAH. Sugar land is new district on SW of Houston downtown, “CNN was nominated as one of the most growing community in USA”, integrated between business, community and close with several highways I-59 South, SH-6 and SH-99 to make this town square easy to reach.

This is the regional meeting among Central Coaches from North America Gas (NAG), Alaska and Indonesia. It was held from Tuesday to Thursday. A very interesting and beneficial for implementation in each assets for take away when we returned back to the asset. I presented twice for this time, related to the implementation in Indonesia and the technology. May be, within next quarter or early next year, we will meet again.

Other “amazing” things, four times I ordered lunch or dinner and always got the very big big Texas size food, from rib eye steak up to sandwich or just chicken teriyaki. This time I bought no toys, but notebook Compaq Presario, the leading one as using AMD Turion 64bit, DVD Writer, 80GB hard disk with 512MB RAM… this will be use for my kids. I bought two handbags for my wives … oops, my wife and several bottles from Bath & Body Works product. While for me … to see my kids is enough.

Oki … show me you’re the cup of 2^nd Winner from last Al Azhar Family Day and give your dad big hug. Noval and Zaki, thanks for your high score during last week, you did it and now you can do it again… Winner is only about mindset as you are all has potential and has 1000% support from your dad.

My beautiful wife, Azar, I want to see you ruby hair.

6:35pm, now … I think I have to prepare to boarding. See you in Jakarta then, Insya Allah.

[Kids] an adventure to the sea with ESQ

[Pramuka Island] July 13 - 14, 2006
I took a week vacation during kids holiday, there was an offer from ESQ team when Zaki and Noval joined two day-workshop in Bogor. There was another program for kids, to go back to nature as part of adventure, learning and linked to ESQ program.

Kids, Zaki, Noval and Oki were so keen to join this program, where they could explore a place where strange for them. We packed on Wednesday morning and drove to Ancol, Pier 19 Marina. After two hour sailing, we arrived at Pramuka Island and stayed at Delima Cottage, standard but hygiene - the problem was electricity cut off from 2pm - 5pm. Welcoming procession from a local nasyid group was proceeding from the boat to the cottage.

After rest and relax for a while (but I saw energy from the kids were always high), we went to the local forestry department office, where a small marine exhibitation inside. The officers explained about marine and biota also kids had a change to plant mangrove tree and released a baby turtle in the next following days.

In the afternoon, kids again very enthusiastic to try snorkling close to the Pramuka island port. This was familiarization before went to real snorkling adventure to the open sea, the next morning.

It was amazed that we held maghrib praying by shore. Under the night sky, we prayed together in open yard under open sky. Pak Buang was the imam, he was an ordinary fisherman with deep knowledge on Islam and wise. We then continued to have dinner in the open sky with delicious fresh fish and continued to have discussion with pak Buang, pak Rubi and pak Mus.

Another day was started, kids had prepared to walk around to Pramuka island to conduct beach cleaning, mangrove planting and turtle adoption. The team was then splitted into two groups to go to snorkling point in the open sea, visited Panggang island, another fisherman village and a big fish factory "keramba" in the middle of the sea.

The day was ended when we returned back to Jakarta. I saw tiredness and hapiness in their face. Someday, we will visit somewhere else where we can do snorkling.

[Me] ... Sebuah kesembuhan

[Arkadia at lunch time]Bapak akhirnya pulang ke rumah setelah dirawat selama 9 hari di RSPI kamar 4303. Jumat kemaren, ketika aku libur flexy (BP memberi libur tiap Jumat yang berbeda, selama total waktu dalam dua minggu tetap 80jam, atau 40jam seminggu), aku gunakan untuk menjaga bapak saya, dan itu dimulai dari Kamis malam. Melihat progress dan kebugaran bapak, keyakinan dan harapan semakin jelas bahwa bapak akan bisa mengalahkan stroke dan kembali seperti sedia kala.

Karena memang tidak asuransi, jadi semua anak-anak saling bahu membahu untuk mendapatkan perawatan terbaik untuk bapak. Begitu juga dalam hal menjaga di rumah sakit. Beberapa harus mengambil cuti untuk dapat menjaga 24jam sehari.

Hari H, Jumat kemaren bapak diijinkan pulang, kebetulan saya sendiri yang kebagian jadual jaga. Setelah menyelesaikan administrasi, Bapak dan saya menuju ke Depok Mulya dimana ibu sudah menunggu untuk kepulangan ini. Setelah sampai, beberapa peralatan harus dibeli seperti alat bantu/latih jalan dsbnya. Beberapa furniture yang kiranya menghalangi jalan bapak juga diatur kembali, sebelum saya pulang ke rumah. Oki sudah menunggu ...

Selasa kemaren, kakak gantian mengantar untuk periksa ke dokter, dan sekarang bapak sudah bisa menggerakkan dan mengangkat tangan kanannya. Berbicara juga jauh lebih jelas. Semoga cepat sembuh dan sang hakim sudah ditunggu sekian puluh muridnya di pengajian di rumah.

Cepat sembuh ayah... Kami sayang dan hormat atas semua semangat untuk mengalahkan stroke.