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Best Nine Instagram 2016

Here’s the thing, I don’t believe that 2016 events can be shorten into nine pictures to conclude the whole year for you..  I believe there is more to just nine…

I have to say that 2016 was a fast year… Like I said before and again I could imagine it like a blink of an eye…

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My best nine is :

1. Fighting Until We are One :

It was my bestfriend from college’s wedding. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I was so honour to also be her photographer on her big day… It was an amazing and daring wedding for me too. Such a brave decision made by the two when they actually put aside their differences to become one as life partners. I respect them whole heartedly… Was a great weekend wedding with the help of my lil sista cousin, and her two gifted friends from her old university too. It was a match made for both the wedding couples and the documentary team.

2. com

This was a blessing in disguise, I was hired as a video producer for a local music website. This website is specific for local Indonesian musicians to show their talents through the world wide web. We are here to help local artist promote their music through our website and Youtube channel. Packed with several contents for audience to see, I met the whole team and absolutely blend in. I learned a lot from them, met amazing musicians and how the music industry work.

3. Late Night Hangout Buddies

These are uur friends when we needed to hangout late nights for chats. From serious talks about life until silly jokes long forgotten and found again. A pleasure to be able to talk endlessly with this bunch…

4. Dad Mom

Aww, the power couple, through thick and thin, these two are the people I look up to so much. Thankfully they are my parents. Believe me, they are far from perfect, but they seem to have it right at times. For better for worse they say, right? Well, these two are the answers to my questions about relationships from time to time.

5. The Big Ten

These are my first cousins from my mother’s side. They are a silly bunch but so loving and caring, I sometimes don’t really believe that we are blood related. I’m grateful to have them all. I pray that we would never part from our silly ways and make life less stressful than it already is at times.

6. Sister Love

My sister, she’s the bomb. She is a real fighter. 2016 was a rough ride for her. But she made it through. She’s my greatest gift, as I always say. She can never replace anyone ever.

7. My Balance

I believe I met this wonderful person for a reason, 10 years has gone by and we still are glued to each other. Although we have our differences in perspective, but we keep on trying to understand each other differences. He reminds me a lot about the things in the little things I fail to see. It is why I call him my balance in life.

8. Being a Bridemaid for a Day

“Shinta, will you be one of my bridesmaid?” First, I did not believe what I just heard, it was a surprise for me because well, I did not know that I was even considered a closest friend by this darling gorgeous lady. She is one of my boyfriend’s closest friends since highschool. Ever since I went out with my boyfriend, I have to say I found a dear friendship with her and we’ve connected ever since, until the day of her wedding. She and her husband are the cutest couple I’ve ever met and wonderfully happy for them both. I was very excited to be her bridesmaid and it showed. So this is the picture of the princess bride herself and her bridesmaid.

9. 4/5 of the Fantasic Five

I have long wanted to watch my brother play hockey and this was the day, but to explain, this is my mom’s cousin sons. Here in the picture only has two of her sons, now the eldest is not with us in the picture because he is so far away. He lives in America now. So that’s why I call it the 4/5 of Fantastic Five. Although the good news is, this year there is a very good chance that we’ll have another full Fantastic Five picture together again!

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So once again, thank you 2016 for the wonderful memories with this lot! Thank you for the lessons and great adventures. Now I’m off to 2017 and start new memories! :*

2017

Oh my goodness… It is already 2017 ! My word!

Now is it just me but 2016 passed by soooo quickly… I kinda lost track. It has been so fast, it seemed like a blink of an eye. People say that means we were damn busy… some say its because we were as productive as we were suppose to be.

Don’t get me wrong about 2016… Lots of good things happened last year, but I just wanted to fast forward and just get straight into 2017. I believe that things will be better. Many events and milestones to look forward to. All I want to do it pray that it will eventually happen as wished for.

One of the things I wanted to promise myself, was to write in my blog again. I haven’t been updating my blog in ages, it’s a disgrace. I love writing. I can’t get enough of writing, but these few years back, I was too distracted by things that made me think now, it was useless. Things that really don’t matter. Superficial things.

So I’m going to dedicate myself to writing everyday in my blog no matter what the topic is. And then less social media. Like cut down on a few things and focus on the computer for real research, job seeking, college hunting, writing blogs, and photo editing and etc.

Hang on, a little break from this. I’m going to re-watch Star Wars : Attack of the Clones . Continue soon..

New Job, New Adventure

Back to writing.

Well, it has been about 2 years since I wrote a piece in this blog, which is sad and very inconsistent of me. 😦

But anywho, let me start again.

I wanted to write again because I think I have lost the touch of talking to myself. Storytelling has always been my expertise, so why have I not been using it?

These past two years I have developed a certain attraction towards moving images instead of writing or reading. Everything seems to be on video, if you want an information about something, its on video. Youtube, Vimeo, Facebook. Anything. Everything is there. So the urge on picking up a pen or even just typing has long gone.

But now, because of a certain event has happened. I think writing would be good again for me which I also hope that my interest in moving pictures or images won’t be too far away from me again.

I have loved moving images since I was a baby. That’s all I can say. When I wake up in the morning, I can still remember our living room in an apartment in Sauders Street, New York. The soft, white carpet that covers our brown picket floor. Our tv placed in the middle of the room, it was as tiny as I can remember, but to a 1 year old, it might have been humungous. I would just sit not far away from the tv and watch my favourite cartoons. Back then, of course, I didn’t know how it would make such a big impact for me now. As I realised, I can never put my eyes away from something visual. It is drawn to me closer and closer, whether its to do with photography or moving pictures.

So now, after 3 years of being a freelance photographer and part-time videographer (if needed), I landed on a job as a producer again but it is more into the music industry. Now get this, this job that I landed on is the most flexible one I’ve ever experienced. I only work 6 hours , well more or less , in a week. This time, being a producer for this music website isn’t as complicated than being a producer for a big music video production which I have had my fair share back in 2011. But all is good, I am learning something totally new and that is the local music industry in Indonesia. Not just Jakarta, but in Indonesia. These whole entire nation. Hmmm…. quite the homework, right? Well, I can’t say that I am a ‘real’ music enthusiast, I do enjoy music, all sorts, but I can’t say that my knowledge about music is my expertise. So there you have it, Shinta, something new to learn about. I strongly believe that whatever I did in the past, made me come up this path. With a boyfriend who knows more about music than me, I think this is God’s way of making me more humble to my boyfriend’s interest and devotion towards music and Indonesia. Don’t get my wrong, I still love Indonesia, but sometimes I can’t help but think, I do not know much about my own country sometimes.

So here you go, Shinta. Your puzzle now is to figure out how to get yourself more involved in the music industry in your own country and help them visually send their messages in Klikklip.com through to the whole country and hopefully, the world.

Until my next writing. 😀

 

 

Small and Long Chats

Lately, I have been blessed in meeting all sorts of people that made my day much better.

I will tell you the people who lid me up this past week.

1. Dhee and Julez

These two girls have been my dearest friends since forever. More than 10 years, these girls has made me laugh and smile through my days of growing up. We don’t regularly meet, but when we do, we would already have these precious moments that I cannot really describe in words. They have been there for me, at times when I need them. Never have they thought of me as anyone stranger than life, as they have accepted me the way I am today, and will always be. Julez is in Jakarta at the moment, while waiting on her break-through of her digital e-book and as for Dhee, the newly wed and already pregnant, is working her way in finishing her school, also teaching English in a nearby campus in Jakarta. We, three, have reunited after an absence of 8 years. Definitely enjoyed the day in one of the oldest mall in J-town, and continued with a half an hour photo session back in my place for old time sakes. We will be meeting again soon this coming week before Julez goes back to Riau, where she lives. This small rendezvous was a very very fun one.

2. My uncle, Om Iwan (“Om” is “Uncle” in Indonesian)

This is my favorite uncle whose a pilot from my dad’s side.He is one of the excellent pilots of Garuda Indonesia, and has brought many planes from Seattle to Indonesia. (That’s something huh.) He has always been the most exciting, adventurous and kindest uncle that ever lived. When I was still a kid, he would always kidnap me to go out of the city to have an adventure… Whether it was going to the beach to chill and eat barbecue fish and drink coconut right from the tree or even just chilling, watching the latest movie in the theaters. He has always been a very happy person. And as years gone by, we had connected again through the same hobby that we both have, which is photography.  So one day, I introduced him to Toble (if you read my previous blogs) , and we exchanged our love for cameras and I notice he had a hand-grip strap for his camera, which I have been looking for. After a while we haven’t met for quite a while, he says to pick something from his house, and it was a hand-grip strap! AHH!! Awesomeness.

So he told me to drop by his place to get it anytime I can. Knowing that he usually flies off to who knows where, sometimes, to Europe, or Australia, Japan. I would never know whether he’s in town or not. I decided to drop by one day. Didn’t expected him to be home, but as I was leaving after receiving the small gift, he drives in his garage just in time to chat with me. It was nice to talk to him again. Always admired him since I was a kid. Told him to ask my dad to go cycling on Sundays. He gladly agreed to it and asked my dad to join him that Sunday morning.

3. Mba Dinar (“Mba” is called “Sister” in Indonesian)

A lovely working mother of two whom I met because a dear friend Afra, referred me to her as a freelance writer. Mba Dinar needed someone to write for her upcoming website next year, and needed someone who can connect and share her vision, translating it all to an inspirational journey. After all the bbm texts, phone calls, only-one-time meeting, we met again for the second time for a 2 hour interview. If I was going to write about her, I needed all the information I can get by asking her questions of her visions and dreams about her new upcoming business plan she was going to make. That Saturday morning, I had a one-to-one session with her in a small coffee shop in Kemang, and thankfully, we had the place to ourselves, where it was just quietly set up for us both. I recorded our conversations through my laptop, enjoyed and exchanged of common principals in life. She had a great desire to help others and to come across someone like her is very hard to find these days. A soft, melancholic lady with a heart of gold for me, she was a figure of a big sister I long wanted. A person with gave you the touch of words that made you feel good about yourself and never tried hard to please  you.

Our conversations had lifted my heart, my own desires in life. Funny thing is that I felt really connected to this lady that I have only known for a couple of days. I only prayed under my breath that she will be the one of my mentors in life. 🙂

4. Ibu Nuning (“Ibu” is “Mrs / Madam” in Indonesian) 

Last Sunday, I paid a visit to SOS Children’s Village again to also donate my old books and toys to the kids there, and met Ibu Nuning. A lady who has been working for SOS and the kids for 27 years now. I thought she was amazing, her love towards the kids and her job has made me look upon myself and wonder if I’ll ever find that strength to go through this life. Sharing small chats, and discovering that she has already lived without her husband by her side for 13 years,but only because her husband is also working for the SOS Children Villages in Semarang, Central Java. They have this long distance marriage, and still working along fine. She said she prayed every night for strength to do as she was destined to do. And thankfully, until today, there hasn’t a day gone by that she has regret her decision. Every month she will have at least one time to go visit her husband in Semarang, but that she has gone through for 13 years. I can never imagine what she is going through, but I am so sure, she is blessed and well taken care of by God himself. God bless her for her love towards the things she goes through in life.

So these are the people I’ve come across last week, that has given me more meaning to my life. These small and long chats are the fruits of my life that I never replace… Thank you God…

Day After Day

Day After Day

Been listening to this awesome tunes from Croquet Club. 

Check out his soundcloud. 

Chilling sounds, great way to tune down and relax..

Thanks, Jeremy..

You made my day! 

Fun Freelancing for a Good Cause – Part III

You would think that one has met its match, everything would be alright in the end, right? But again, I try each day to remind myself, don’t be over confident in the things we come across, for sometimes we would find ourselves in very difficult positions that we aren’t able to move or help because there are just things we cannot handle on our own.

Thinking that my main job was done, things got a little heavier when it came to dealing with finance. It wasn’t my duty, though I had to think of the other options and solutions the clients can do. Conflicts among the client and interior designer also rose to surface. And that money can be a very very sensitive subject. Assumptions from both parties were building up and I had to make amends with both. There were mistakes to begin with, but the only point back then was to find a solution to this matter. It was quite crucial because it all depended on the time frame that was available, because it didn’t go through, then we were eventually doomed. My job here was to be able to help each and every side there is to this project and my goodness, my head was cramping. I didn’t know that it would be that difficult to handle cause it really got so tense between all parties. I only can pray that this is all for a good cause, nothing more nothing less, and that everything will turn out okay in the end. I was also praying so hard to God and my grandfather to actually help me out on this. I know I can feel my grandfather present and that he is looking down at me for this. I just needed a little hope.

But no need to worry, my prayers were answered. Finally it all went through and things started to look good. I also cannot believe the fact that Didit (interior designer) can finish all the new designs of 3 rooms could be done in just 2 days. It was the most satisfying feeling ever to have met a good team that could do the job well and right. Without any lack of disadvantage, things had just worked out the way in planned in the end. Although, AxN had to work their way around all that drama, we had managed everything to be done on time.

Overall, this project had made a big impression in me. It felt great to help others. Others who are in need. And this was one of the greatest achievement for me this year in 2012, I must say. Something worthwhile, even for a month. Nothing could beat the pleasure of me, having time to actually talk to every single one who was involved with this project. The client “Axiata” and “Zenith”, the TV production team “AxN”, the kids who got their wishes Adit and Benny, the director of the whole SOS Children villages association of Indonesia and his most helpful colleagues, the XL company in Indonesia and most definitely the interior designer, Didit + Sandri, the fantastic duo couple that made it all happen. God bless. All of them were really kind and helpful in their own special ways. Meeting these all sorts of people was actually what I really want to do. Discovering the stories and backgrounds of most of the people I’m working with. It was a blessing. Nothing can beat with that, as I know that not many can have this kind of experience and I have to say I’m quite lucky to have it all in my plate this past month. This was a great satisfaction had really made me felt worthy of myself and that I can actually do more than what I already have.

I think from time to time I would love to be able to experience projects like this again. As long as I’m helping another and making them smile is all I want to do in my life. Through stories, photographs or moving images, would make me real whole as a person in this world, to become someone a bit better each day.

God bless for all the people that helped this project come through and most of all, praying for the very best for the lovely kids and mothers living in SOS Children Village in Cibubur. May you all be blessed with all the finer things in life. Oh and also God bless for Ibu Dian who gave me this opportunity to make things happen. Hopefully I will find more exciting projects with you.

Thank you God, and the whole Universe for this.

Me with Adit & Benny

SOS Children Village + Friends

Adit And Benny

Juliana, Grace, Zoe, Shinta

Didit, the interior designer

Have I told you?

Have I told you that I have always believed that as much as I love taking photographs… I know that it will be the death of me too… I live and die for photographs… memories and moments I know I can never erase through photographs… I am addicted to reliving the glory days of a certain moment or event. It keeps me sane and alive.

This also goes to my writings as well. As I grow older, I realize how depended I am to writing about everything. The things I experienced or felt, most of them have been written, and therefore, I am still clinging to the past like a maniac retard, and yet, I’ve never felt so much alive than ever. Appreciating every moment that ever happened in my life and to be able to read it over again, is just a blessing. For me.

At this very moment, my heart is aching (in a good way) aching because it all happened. The pictures I went through, it all happened and had passed by just like that. It was crazy, recklessly fun. It was hell of a ride. And tell you what, it feels pretty damn good! Hahaha. I can laugh at my own foolishness and naiveness. No one else can. Only me, myself and I.

Which brings me to the point where I don’t really care of what people think nowadays about me. I’ve done quite enough to try to impress.

Now I just want to be.

And let me say it again, photographs and writings till I die. 🙂

Fun Freelancing for a Good Cause – Part II

Let me continue, what I have started.

My journey still continues with Axiata and AxN in helping fulfill the wishes of these two boys. The first time being a freelance fixer, I thought was just easy, translating and well, analyzing the situation for a few foreigners who have no clue to where they are and how to get to where they want to and etc. But during the meetings, I was involved more than I thought I would. They needed more people to help their task in Jakarta. This task also was not easy with the tight deadline that was only dependent on the availability of one particular host, with that, there was no other way that it could be extended or so.

First of all, let me tell you what Adit and Benny (the two boys I was talking about), wished for. They wished they could have more information about how to become a doctor with also a bigger library including upgraded computers. Now, now you see, with those kind of wishes, that means there are lots to be done, not other than, interior designing itself. First, I thought, hey, maybe they already have someone in mind to redecorate the learning center of SOS Children’s Village, but as I studied their conversation among the clients, nope. Nothing. Nil. They had no interior designer ready for the job, and suddenly, one of the clients of Axiata turns to me and asks the question, “Do you know any interior designer from Jakarta who can help us?” As tricky as this question was asked to me, I was not quite sure, whether I should say no, not I can think of, but with a quick response , I said, “Yes.” But my brain was encrypting of all the people I knew, and not of them I knew were good interior designers that can work as fast. Damn. I was in deep shit.

So the meeting ended that day, with them heading back to KL. Zoe gave me my fee and told me that she would contact me again, if there are any more assistance she would need in the future. I, for one hand, did not want to hope or wish. I just thanked her and went home.

Two days later, I got an email from Zoe, saying that she needed me to do all these things, and asking me about my fee, for a month. I was like wow… This is awesome. I would be paid for a month and well, I would have something to do as well. Yippee! So I contacted Ibu Dian, the lady friend of my dad who gave me this job at the first place, and set my price which completely blown me away, this was just awesome. But let me tell you something, through awesomeness, there is always something you have to go through before the awesomeness sticks by you. You have to go through a lot of shit (pardon my language but hey) first to really really savor it all. Believe me, this piece of writing here is getting there.

1. First task, find an interior designer who was available, and is able work fast as in just 1 week.

ARGHHHH! This was a pain. Who would want to work that fast and well, how? I was at my feet, finding someone who would want to help. Once I did, I pitched them to the client. They seem to like what they saw. I was happy, but something was lurking behind me. I could not figure it out but something was but went with it.

2. Second task, ask interior designer to come to the site and meet up with client to discuss further matters.

Now, I thought, I had it all in my hands, the interior designer said okay, the clients were okay. But turns out, the night before we had an internal meeting with the interior designer at SOS, Cibubur. The interior designer bails on me last minute, saying that he could not do the job, and I was frantic! I could not think of any other options. My head was going to exploded because I knew that I could not find any interior designer in the middle of the night. And that was my one job, my crucial task for this job. With my head spinning, thankfully the interior designer who bailed on me gave me another option. He helped me find another interior designer who could execute the job and gave me this other guy’s phone number. Immediately dial the number, and took my chances. I didn’t really care anymore, I needed to find an interior designer who is willing to do the job. And in my heart, I was just praying to God, asking him to assist and guide me through. I only said this, “I only want to do something good for the kids. I only want to do good. Nothing more, nothing less. I want this to happen. I just want to help..” I chanted this mantra over and over, and at that time, this new guy, on the phone was more confident than ever about making this work. His name was Adit, nickname Didiet.

The next morning, we were able to meet up in SOS Cibubur and my client who I already informed about the changes of interior designer, talked it through and explain on the condition, their wishes to make a whole new different look for the computer room and library. Additional also another room where children can be more expressive such as music, costumes, basically anything to do with art.

So at least that was settled for now. The client has met the interior designer. My main job was done, but the adventures along the way, was going to be hell of a ride.

Continuing later in Part III…

Fun Freelancing for a Good Cause – Part I

As you know that, ever since I didn’t continue my contract with Filmogue, I’ve been free as a bird. Been making my own decisions about life and all, and it may look a little selfish, but for me, its something that I have to do eventually before I regret my days later in life.  Thankfully until today, I am still fine and breathing fresh air. Also life is getting more exciting by the day. Here’s how it all started.

A few months back, my dad has been putting out the word for me that I was looking for a job which landed him, lending a word or two to his old colleague, who worked with him in the USAID and ASEAN back in the days. She and her husband owns a production house. Surprisingly its an international production house, that has lots of freelancers who worked dedicatedly to this very interesting executive producer, Ibu Dian. She has made this company way back, and has been doing it ever since. Working along side with many international broadcasting companies, she has brought her own production house as one of the most reliable international production house in Jakarta.

Dad told me that she was a very interesting woman who enjoyed her job and takes pride in what she does. She is a very strong woman, and also hilariously fun too. So my dad says to her this, “Why don’t you talk to my daughter, she used to be a project manager.. She might be able to help you.” And so there you have it, I cannot back down on that, can I? especially when my dad has already referred me to her, I followed dad’s request into meeting Ibu Dian in person. I really had no idea what’s to come, but I told myself I should just give it a try and see how it goes. Just an innocent chat will do, won’t hurt, right?

Ibu Dian and I met at Epicentrum, and we exchanged our experiences, and seems to me, she was actually doing the job I did last year only this lady was more professional and much more experienced than I was. She knew her grounds and really knows how to make it all work out. Not like me! Me, who was not-experienced in working as a producer should be doing and did not enjoy it enough. I was honest to her about wanting to work for a lighter side of things and that I also wanted to go back to school by looking for a scholarship too. She was really helpfully, and so elegantly straightforward in things, I thought she was cool. We ended our 2 hour chat, with her telling me that she’ll look for something for me that I might be interested it. I don’t know what but I did had a bit of doubt of what will come along.

BUT NOW, it gets interesting.  2 weeks later, suddenly, she emails me asking me if I would be interested in being a “Fixer” for a TV program from Singapore, AxN for a day. In my mind, I was like thinking, okay, if I had to do something like being a producer again for the day, I would kinda kill myself, because you all know that I don’t like counting budgets and all. and on the other hand, I needed a job and well, money of course. The last 2 months was great and all, but seriously if you don’t get something on the side, might as well just go under. So I thought, what the heck, I’ll just do it anyway. When I was referred to the AxN crew, they actually handed me to the other client, to help them sort out a few things and assist them for consulting on the site. Hmm. Okay, been thrown back to the client. At first, I was not quite sure about it but I already jumped into it so I could not go back either. And what the hell is FIXER!?!!! Haven’t heard such a thing. Seriously. Good God!

But anyway, eventually someone called me up, her name was Zoe. She was from a media agency in Kuala Lumpur called Zenith, who was handling Axiata Malaysia as her client to help them with their CSR program. Turns out their CSR program is connected to AxN, (the TV channel we usually watch for Wipeout Australia or Hawaii-O Five) who will be shooting for their CSR program. It will be a new TV program they will be launching next year about fulfilling wishes of not so fortunate kids across Asia. They will be picked in each countries and Axiata will be helping out in fullfilling their wishes. The ones who are picked in Indonesia, are two boys from a foster home called the SOS Children’s Village in Cibubur. And my mission was to take Zoe from Zenith and clients from Axiata to SOS Cibubur to connect them, and address them with their plans to help these two special boys named Adit and Benny, to fulfill their wishes.

And the adventures begins as a Freelancer Fixer for a Good Cause.

Will write it in another post, kay….