Quaequa |
ax2 + bx + c
a =
b = c = |
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Zombies & Priests
Zombies & Priests |
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Left Plain:
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Right Plain:
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Game Rules:
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Wednesday, August 22, 2012
A UFO Seen from Jalan Lautze
Believe it or not! I saw a UFO! Well, here is the story.
On Sunday, August 19, 2012, I went to attend a Holy Mass held at 6.30 p.m. at Gereja St. Petrus dan Paulus (Catholic Church of St. Peter and St. Paul), Jakarta on my beloved bike, Rexus. While driving on Jalan Lautze (Lautze Street), I saw a UFO moving right! At first, I hesitated to take a picture of it; however, at the end of the day, I decided to snap that mysterious object. Here is the photo:
Note: The photo was taken at 5.59 p.m.
The appearance was like a comet but with long "flame" as its "tail". It moved quite slowly at constant speed along a straight line.
After it disappeared, I followed the curious thing as I went to the church. Along the journey I took a look at the sky several times but didn't spot it. When I was near the church I saw a really big crescent. I don't know whether it was the moon, or "something else".... However, I didn't take a photo of it.
Done! This is my first experience regarding UFOs. Thanks for reading my story! Please share your opinion below! ;) Continue reading..
On Sunday, August 19, 2012, I went to attend a Holy Mass held at 6.30 p.m. at Gereja St. Petrus dan Paulus (Catholic Church of St. Peter and St. Paul), Jakarta on my beloved bike, Rexus. While driving on Jalan Lautze (Lautze Street), I saw a UFO moving right! At first, I hesitated to take a picture of it; however, at the end of the day, I decided to snap that mysterious object. Here is the photo:
A UFO Seen from Jalan Lautze, Jakarta, Indonesia |
A UFO Seen from Jalan Lautze, Jakarta, Indonesia (magnified) |
Note: The photo was taken at 5.59 p.m.
The appearance was like a comet but with long "flame" as its "tail". It moved quite slowly at constant speed along a straight line.
After it disappeared, I followed the curious thing as I went to the church. Along the journey I took a look at the sky several times but didn't spot it. When I was near the church I saw a really big crescent. I don't know whether it was the moon, or "something else".... However, I didn't take a photo of it.
Done! This is my first experience regarding UFOs. Thanks for reading my story! Please share your opinion below! ;) Continue reading..
Monday, August 6, 2012
A Brief List of Jay Chou's Songs for "Newbies"
Well, I am writing this article while listening to his songs. :)
This list is intended for those who want to "venture" into the world of Jay Chou – his music realm – but are confused about which songs to listen to for the very first time. Just try the songs of my choice! ;)
Note:
• I pick only two songs from every album.
• For translations click here.
1st Album: 杰倫專輯 (Jie Lun Zhuan Ji) → Jay Album
Songs:
• 可愛女人 (Ke Ai Nü Ren) → Lovable Woman
• 龍捲風 (Long Juan Feng) → Tornado
2nd Album: 范特西 (Fan Te Xi) → Fantasy
Songs:
• 簡單愛 (Jian Dan Ai) → Simple Love
• 安靜 (An Jing) → Silence
3rd Album: 八度空間 (Ba Du Kong Jian) → The Eight Dimensions
Songs:
• 爺爺泡的茶 (Ye Ye Pao De Cha) → The Tea Grandpa Makes
• 回到過去 (Hui Dao Guo Qu) → Go Back To The Past
4th Album: 葉惠美 (Ye Hui Mei)
Songs:
• 以父之名 (Yi Fu Zhi Ming) → In The Name Of The Father
• 妳聽得到 (Ni Ting De Dao) → You Can Hear It
5th Album: 七里香 (Qi Li Xiang) → Common Jasmin Orange
Songs:
• 七里香 (Qi Li Xiang) → Common Jasmin Orange
• 園遊會 (Yuan You Hui) → Garden Party
6th Album: 11月的萧邦 (Shi Yi Yue De Xiao Bang) → November's Chopin
Songs:
• 夜曲 (Ye Qu) → Nocturnes
• 发如雪 (Fa Ru Xue) → Hair Like Snow
7th Album: 依然范特西 (Yi Ran Fan Te Xi) → Still Fantasy
Songs:
• 聽媽媽的話 (Ting Ma Ma De Hua) → Listen To Mother's Words
• 退後 (Tui Hou) → Step Back
8th Album: 我很忙 (Wo Hen Mang) → On The Run
Songs:
• 彩虹 (Cai Hong) → Rainbow
• 我不配 (Wo Bu Pei) → I'm Not Worthy
9th Album: 魔杰座 (Mo Jie Zuo) → Capricorn
Songs:
• 龍戰騎士 (Long Zhan Qi Shi) → Dragon Rider
• 稻香 (Dao Xiang) → Fragrance of Rice
10th Album: 跨時代 (Kua Shi Dai) → The Era
Songs:
• 嘻哈空姐 (Xi Ha Kong Jie) → Hip Hop Air Hostess
• 愛的飛行日記 (Ai De Fei Xing Ri Ji) → Love's Flight Diary
11th Album: 驚嘆號 (Jing Tan Hao) → Exclamation Mark
Songs:
• 療傷燒肉粽 (Liao Shang Shao Rou Zong) → Healing Hot Meat Buns
• 超跑女神 (Chao Pao Nü Shen) → Super Sports Goddess
12th Album: 12新作 (12 Xin Zuo) → Opus 12
Songs:
• 傻笑 (Sha Xiao) → Giggle
• 夢想啟動 (Meng Xiang Qi Dong) → Dream Started
13rd Album: 哎呦,不錯哦 (Ai You, Bu Cuo O) → Aiyo, Not Bad
Songs:
• 手寫的從前 (Shou Xie De Cong Qian) → The Handwritten Past
• 鞋子特大號 (Xie Zi Te Da Hao) → Extra Large Shoes
14th Album: 周杰倫的床邊故事 (Zhou Jie Lun De Chuang Bian Gu Shi) → Jay Chou's Bedtime Stories
Songs:
• 不該 (Bu Gai) → Shouldn't Be
• 告白氣球 (Gao Bai Qi Qiu) → Love Confession
15th Album: 最偉大的作品 (Zui Wei Da De Zuo Pin) → Greatest Works of Art
Songs:
• 最偉大的作品 (Zui Wei Da De Zuo Pin) → Greatest Works of Art
• 紅顏如霜 (Hong Yan Ru Shuang) → Cold-Hearted
Bonus: 蝸牛 (Gua Niu) → Snail (from 范特西EP (Fan Te Xi EP) → Fantasy Plus (EP))
Okeydoke, just enjoy them! Don't forget to share your opinion here. Thank you! ;)
Source: http://www.jaychoustudio.com/jay-chou-discography (title translations) Continue reading..
This list is intended for those who want to "venture" into the world of Jay Chou – his music realm – but are confused about which songs to listen to for the very first time. Just try the songs of my choice! ;)
Note:
• I pick only two songs from every album.
• For translations click here.
1st Album: 杰倫專輯 (Jie Lun Zhuan Ji) → Jay Album
Songs:
• 可愛女人 (Ke Ai Nü Ren) → Lovable Woman
• 龍捲風 (Long Juan Feng) → Tornado
2nd Album: 范特西 (Fan Te Xi) → Fantasy
Songs:
• 簡單愛 (Jian Dan Ai) → Simple Love
• 安靜 (An Jing) → Silence
3rd Album: 八度空間 (Ba Du Kong Jian) → The Eight Dimensions
Songs:
• 爺爺泡的茶 (Ye Ye Pao De Cha) → The Tea Grandpa Makes
• 回到過去 (Hui Dao Guo Qu) → Go Back To The Past
4th Album: 葉惠美 (Ye Hui Mei)
Songs:
• 以父之名 (Yi Fu Zhi Ming) → In The Name Of The Father
• 妳聽得到 (Ni Ting De Dao) → You Can Hear It
5th Album: 七里香 (Qi Li Xiang) → Common Jasmin Orange
Songs:
• 七里香 (Qi Li Xiang) → Common Jasmin Orange
• 園遊會 (Yuan You Hui) → Garden Party
6th Album: 11月的萧邦 (Shi Yi Yue De Xiao Bang) → November's Chopin
Songs:
• 夜曲 (Ye Qu) → Nocturnes
• 发如雪 (Fa Ru Xue) → Hair Like Snow
7th Album: 依然范特西 (Yi Ran Fan Te Xi) → Still Fantasy
Songs:
• 聽媽媽的話 (Ting Ma Ma De Hua) → Listen To Mother's Words
• 退後 (Tui Hou) → Step Back
8th Album: 我很忙 (Wo Hen Mang) → On The Run
Songs:
• 彩虹 (Cai Hong) → Rainbow
• 我不配 (Wo Bu Pei) → I'm Not Worthy
9th Album: 魔杰座 (Mo Jie Zuo) → Capricorn
Songs:
• 龍戰騎士 (Long Zhan Qi Shi) → Dragon Rider
• 稻香 (Dao Xiang) → Fragrance of Rice
10th Album: 跨時代 (Kua Shi Dai) → The Era
Songs:
• 嘻哈空姐 (Xi Ha Kong Jie) → Hip Hop Air Hostess
• 愛的飛行日記 (Ai De Fei Xing Ri Ji) → Love's Flight Diary
11th Album: 驚嘆號 (Jing Tan Hao) → Exclamation Mark
Songs:
• 療傷燒肉粽 (Liao Shang Shao Rou Zong) → Healing Hot Meat Buns
• 超跑女神 (Chao Pao Nü Shen) → Super Sports Goddess
12th Album: 12新作 (12 Xin Zuo) → Opus 12
Songs:
• 傻笑 (Sha Xiao) → Giggle
• 夢想啟動 (Meng Xiang Qi Dong) → Dream Started
13rd Album: 哎呦,不錯哦 (Ai You, Bu Cuo O) → Aiyo, Not Bad
Songs:
• 手寫的從前 (Shou Xie De Cong Qian) → The Handwritten Past
• 鞋子特大號 (Xie Zi Te Da Hao) → Extra Large Shoes
14th Album: 周杰倫的床邊故事 (Zhou Jie Lun De Chuang Bian Gu Shi) → Jay Chou's Bedtime Stories
Songs:
• 不該 (Bu Gai) → Shouldn't Be
• 告白氣球 (Gao Bai Qi Qiu) → Love Confession
15th Album: 最偉大的作品 (Zui Wei Da De Zuo Pin) → Greatest Works of Art
Songs:
• 最偉大的作品 (Zui Wei Da De Zuo Pin) → Greatest Works of Art
• 紅顏如霜 (Hong Yan Ru Shuang) → Cold-Hearted
Bonus: 蝸牛 (Gua Niu) → Snail (from 范特西EP (Fan Te Xi EP) → Fantasy Plus (EP))
Okeydoke, just enjoy them! Don't forget to share your opinion here. Thank you! ;)
Source: http://www.jaychoustudio.com/jay-chou-discography (title translations) Continue reading..
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Quote #7
"True love can be found only in God. Be with Him; that is the fullness of life." - Thomas à KempisContinue reading..
I Am Number One
We live in a world with "one trillion" surroundings. Our family, our school friends, our boss, our daily chores, our iPhone, our riches, our beloved dogs, our cute dinosaurs (birds), and so on. It is our fate and in this "chock-a-block" place we are called to live our life to the fullest, according to God's will.
These things, which are good and can be used to glorify God, sometimes can be very dangerous to us. I mean when we neglect Him, when we make Him the ...th in our life, when He is not Number One.
Let's see what the Lord says to us in the Bible: Luke 10:27.
Look at the first thing he expressly states. It is HIM. HE is the foremost in our life. We are to love HIM above all. All are from HIM and all are for HIM. Nobody, nobody but HIM. (remember something? ;p) Loving God is the requirement for loving our neighbors, which He mentions later.
Do I pray every day? Do I refuse to go to the church for any insufficient reason? Do I build an intimate relationship with God day by day?
God is the source of all. We are His. We are not our own. Let us be humble and dedicate ourselves to Him. Let us serve Him with all of what we have.
I Am Number Four
Who is Number One? Continue reading..
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Quote #6
"Too much thinking is as bad as too little thinking." - Klinsman HinjayaContinue reading..
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Wi-Fi & Wife
Aha! You know Wi-Fi, don't you? :) You can connect to the Internet through Wi-Fi. Many "institutions" provide this service, from Starbucks to Dunkin' Donuts. A little quiz: What does Wi-Fi stand for? You don't need to be a computer science student. LOL Search it with Google and you'll get "Wireless Fidelity". :)
How about wife? Ah, I think even the first graders know. A wife is a husband's spouse. And that's definitely true.
So? What are their relationships? Besides their similar spelling and pronunciation, they are closely related in .... Let's see.
When you decide to be a husband or a wife, you must, of course, "embrace" faithfulness. No marriages can last without faithfulness, without fidelity (without God either). So, if you are a husband or a wife, remember Wi-Fi. :)
Ehm, still not complete. :( Just go on. :)
I remember an article written in a KOMPAS newspaper (KOMPAS is an Indonesian newspaper). It tells an experience of meeting a wife who is happy to see handsome guys when she is out of her husband's reach. So terrible!
Fidelity is about not only when you are within the range of your spouse, when you can hear her/his voice, when s/he can see you, but also when the situation is "wireless". When you are in a mountain and your beloved wifey/hubby is at home, stay loyal. When you are in Jakarta and your lovely spouse is in Bangkok, keep faithful. When you are surrounded by 1000 girls/guys who want to kiss you, kiss your sweetheart's photo.
Fiuhh, complete: Wi-Fi! (Wireless Fidelity) :D
"I have a wife. Wi-Fi!" :D
"I am a wife. Wi-Fi!" ^_^ Continue reading..
Monday, May 14, 2012
Positioning
If you think this article is about soccer, you've got it wrong. :)
We are us. We have our own position. Maybe you are a father, a wife, a neighbor, a boss, or a king. Probably you are in a queue, in a shelter, on a train, at a party, or at your home. Too many examples. And, now, you are in a position (maybe more than one) too, right? :)
Various conditions make us different than other people.
Positioning: If I were him/her, what would I feel?
Before we do something, it is great to reflect on the sentence above.
→ Before we bully our friends
→ Before we speak harshly to our parents
→ Before we jeer our brothers and/or sisters
→ Before we watch porn movies
→ Before we hit our wife
→ Before we insult our husband
→ Before we sleep together with someone who is not our spouse
→ Before we meet our boyfriend or girlfriend late
→ Before we laugh at the disabled
→ Before we lie to our customers
→ Before we steal others' time
→ ... (your turn :))
not always bad:
→ Before we smile to our grandparents
→ Before we caress the sick
→ Before we give thanks to our maids
→ Before we say sorry to God or our kids
→ ... (I am tired of typing. Please. . . ;))
Imagine slowly, deeply. . . "Make" yourself him or her. . . Feel . . . Take his or her position. . . .
You are HIM! You are HER!
What do you feel? (listen carefully and thoroughly to your heart)
Grief? Bliss? Sadness? Joy?
Our life is full of acts and we contribute to them! (never forget this) The choice is in our hands and always will be. :) (I am not paid by Facebook for this LOL)
"Take your position, Messi!" Tito Vilanova shouted. (now I am speaking about soccer XD) Continue reading..
We are us. We have our own position. Maybe you are a father, a wife, a neighbor, a boss, or a king. Probably you are in a queue, in a shelter, on a train, at a party, or at your home. Too many examples. And, now, you are in a position (maybe more than one) too, right? :)
Positioning: If I were him/her, what would I feel?
Before we do something, it is great to reflect on the sentence above.
→ Before we bully our friends
→ Before we speak harshly to our parents
→ Before we jeer our brothers and/or sisters
→ Before we watch porn movies
→ Before we hit our wife
→ Before we insult our husband
→ Before we sleep together with someone who is not our spouse
→ Before we meet our boyfriend or girlfriend late
→ Before we laugh at the disabled
→ Before we lie to our customers
→ Before we steal others' time
→ ... (your turn :))
not always bad:
→ Before we smile to our grandparents
→ Before we caress the sick
→ Before we give thanks to our maids
→ Before we say sorry to God or our kids
→ ... (I am tired of typing. Please. . . ;))
Imagine slowly, deeply. . . "Make" yourself him or her. . . Feel . . . Take his or her position. . . .
You are HIM! You are HER!
What do you feel? (listen carefully and thoroughly to your heart)
Grief? Bliss? Sadness? Joy?
Our life is full of acts and we contribute to them! (never forget this) The choice is in our hands and always will be. :) (I am not paid by Facebook for this LOL)
"Take your position, Messi!" Tito Vilanova shouted. (now I am speaking about soccer XD) Continue reading..
Quote #5
"He who cannot enjoy one minute of his life cannot enjoy his whole life." - Klinsman HinjayaContinue reading..
Sunday, May 6, 2012
See The Unseen
Yesterday, I watched The Avengers with my friend and his family. Many funny scenes there! Hahaha! :D After watching the movie, we went to a food stall to eat gudeg. That is the first time I've eaten that food. It tasted sweeettt~ ;) (try it when you come to Indonesia :)) Then, there happened a chat that inspired me to write this article.
My friend's father said that the cool gadget my friend uses smells his father's sweat. The parents described how they persevered to work, endeavored to be successful. I was touched and my brain was "tugged" by what they said.
I think we ever adore someone with great amazement.
• "Wow, how clever my teacher is! I want to be like him! He is an English master!"
• "Merry has a cool laptop. I want to be like her too! I want to have one!"
• "Lisa, I once went to John's house. His house is so big! The interior is very beautiful! After all, there are a swimming pool and a basketball court! My dream house!"
Such expressions come out from our mouths.
But, have we ever thought about how much struggle they have undergone? How much toil they have done? How myriad the obstacles they have faced?
Achievements, popularity, cars, handphones, .... (please fill this in by yourself)
Those are the "products", the final results. REALIZE that behind those all is something that we should consider, something that we must reflect on, something that is unseen, but we have to see.
So, every time you see someone or something "shining", _ _ _ the un _ _ _ n! Continue reading..
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Need or Greed?
Hm. . . I think, by reading the title, you know what I mean. :) But it's okay. I wanna share my experience and I wish you want to pay attention to it, which I hope inspires you. :)
Several days ago I visited Kaskus (an Indonesian forum) to look for Jay Chou's albums. I wanna collect all of his albums (I only have one. What is that? Click here. :)). Add info: Praise God, I've got my first job! ^__^
After surfing for some time, I got what I wanted. There were some tantalizing albums displayed on a thread; however, the seller said that what was available is only the 10th album, The Era, I decided to buy that "yummy" album, which was worth 50.000 rupiahs. (rupiah = Indonesian currency)
I couldn't make a transaction by COD (cash on delivery)—that was what I wanted, but he/she didn't want to—, so I had to pay the fee for shipping. The shipping cost for 4-7 days is 4.000 rupiahs, while the one for 1-3 days is 6000 rupiahs. What did I choose?
The point is: I didn't need to listen to the album within 1-3 days, although I was very eager to listen to the cool songs! So, I chose the first option. I saved 2.000 rupiahs (not too much, about US$0.2, but WORTH). 2.000 rupiahs is 2.000 rupiahs, right? :)
There are many choices in our life, and every choice has its own consequence. Don't waste what you shouldn't waste by being greedy. See your needs. See how happy it is to act properly. :)
• Book
• CD/DVD
• Blackberry
• iPad
• iPhone
• Laptop
• Starbucks products
• ... (you may fill in this blank by yourself)
Buy?
Need or greed? ;) Continue reading..
Several days ago I visited Kaskus (an Indonesian forum) to look for Jay Chou's albums. I wanna collect all of his albums (I only have one. What is that? Click here. :)). Add info: Praise God, I've got my first job! ^__^
After surfing for some time, I got what I wanted. There were some tantalizing albums displayed on a thread; however, the seller said that what was available is only the 10th album, The Era, I decided to buy that "yummy" album, which was worth 50.000 rupiahs. (rupiah = Indonesian currency)
I couldn't make a transaction by COD (cash on delivery)—that was what I wanted, but he/she didn't want to—, so I had to pay the fee for shipping. The shipping cost for 4-7 days is 4.000 rupiahs, while the one for 1-3 days is 6000 rupiahs. What did I choose?
The point is: I didn't need to listen to the album within 1-3 days, although I was very eager to listen to the cool songs! So, I chose the first option. I saved 2.000 rupiahs (not too much, about US$0.2, but WORTH). 2.000 rupiahs is 2.000 rupiahs, right? :)
There are many choices in our life, and every choice has its own consequence. Don't waste what you shouldn't waste by being greedy. See your needs. See how happy it is to act properly. :)
• Book
• CD/DVD
• Blackberry
• iPad
• iPhone
• Laptop
• Starbucks products
• ... (you may fill in this blank by yourself)
Buy?
Need or greed? ;) Continue reading..
Friday, March 30, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Oh-portunity!
Hello, dear friends! I wanna share my experience with this article. :)
As a big fan of Jay Chou, I'd like to get his new album, Exclamation Mark. One day, a friend told me about a competition held by Fullstar. Oh! The winners would get it! I decided to join in that competition and thank God I became one of the three winners! ^__^
As always, his songs are lovely! ;)
After some time, I found another competition on Facebook—held by Periplus. Oh! The winners would get a voucher worth a sum of money to buy books! As a book lover, I joined that competition and thank goodness I became the winner! :D
I used the voucher to buy 3-D Explorer: Dinosaurs: A Journey through the Prehistoric World—I am a dinosaur lover :)—and Oxford Paperback Dictionary & Thesaurus—I am an Englisholic :D.
Opportunity. Something that usually comes to our life—I believe you have ever got it, haven't you? Something that will bring something good to our life. Probably, we often miss it because we are lazy or not confident. Maybe, we usually miss it because we are afraid that people will laugh at us. Perhaps, we miss it because we assume that we will lose. Be positive! "Leave" everyone! You are you! You are the decision maker! Don't let your life be driven by people around you. It is you who is the center of your life. Don't you see that "mouth-watering food"? Don't you see those "shining jewels"? Don't you see YOUR SMILE behind that opportunity?
Be not late. It doesn't await you. The matter is whether we want to take it or not.
I have proven that taking an opportunity is very pleasant. :) (believe me :)) And. . . It is your turn. :)
Oh! Oh! Oh-portunity! :D
(It sounds like the chorus of Chao Pao Nü Shen, the last song in Exclamation Mark) :p Continue reading..
As a big fan of Jay Chou, I'd like to get his new album, Exclamation Mark. One day, a friend told me about a competition held by Fullstar. Oh! The winners would get it! I decided to join in that competition and thank God I became one of the three winners! ^__^
Me and Exclamation Mark |
As always, his songs are lovely! ;)
After some time, I found another competition on Facebook—held by Periplus. Oh! The winners would get a voucher worth a sum of money to buy books! As a book lover, I joined that competition and thank goodness I became the winner! :D
I used the voucher to buy 3-D Explorer: Dinosaurs: A Journey through the Prehistoric World—I am a dinosaur lover :)—and Oxford Paperback Dictionary & Thesaurus—I am an Englisholic :D.
Me and 3-D Explorer: Dinosaurs: A Journey through the Prehistoric World |
Me and Oxford Paperback Dictionary & Thesaurus |
Opportunity. Something that usually comes to our life—I believe you have ever got it, haven't you? Something that will bring something good to our life. Probably, we often miss it because we are lazy or not confident. Maybe, we usually miss it because we are afraid that people will laugh at us. Perhaps, we miss it because we assume that we will lose. Be positive! "Leave" everyone! You are you! You are the decision maker! Don't let your life be driven by people around you. It is you who is the center of your life. Don't you see that "mouth-watering food"? Don't you see those "shining jewels"? Don't you see YOUR SMILE behind that opportunity?
Be not late. It doesn't await you. The matter is whether we want to take it or not.
I have proven that taking an opportunity is very pleasant. :) (believe me :)) And. . . It is your turn. :)
Oh! Oh! Oh-portunity! :D
(It sounds like the chorus of Chao Pao Nü Shen, the last song in Exclamation Mark) :p Continue reading..
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Book The Book!
"Who coined the term 'dinosaur', dad?" a young daughter asked. The father was confused, and then bought her beloved one her first dinosaur book, First Dinosaur Encyclopedia. He asked, "Have you got the answer, sweetie?" She replied, "Yes, dad! A man named Richard Owen did so. Thank you for buying me this book, daddy."
A little depiction of what a book is. Our life is full of books! Those who have never read a book, please comment below – I am sure that you have at least one book in your bedroom now. ;)
When in primary school, people read a lot of books, such as math and art books, and some people have gotten books as a birthday present from their friends or their loved ones (never? poor you.. :p). Some read books while on a train or bus (don't do this while driving a car!), whereas others read them during the time of pooping (eating? sorry.. :p). Yeah! Books have been our "guardian angels": they are everywhere! The question is: Why?
There is an Indonesian saying: books are windows into the world. Through books, we see the world. We know innumerable things such as natural science, psychology, economics, and sports by reading books. They are very important as they—including Facebook :p—can't be separated from our lives. Not reading books simply means being "blind".
Books can also entertain us. Two types of books which are considered to be entertaining by many people are comics and novels. I believe many of you like to read them, don't you? My favorite comics are Kungfu Komang and Doraemon. Personally, I think Kungfu Komang is the funniest, while Doraemon is the coolest.
Not only knowledge and entertainment, but also inspiration can be gotten by reading books! We can be more positive-thinking, more courageous, more confident, and so forth – there are many lessons we can learn from reading these sets of written and often illustrated paper sheets. When you read about a tough character, such as Chinmi in Kung Fu Boy, you may be inspired to be a tough cookie in your life. Besides the character(s), the story and even the author of a book might inspire us.
One thing worth mentioning is that books are generally reliable sources. If you want to look for information – for your research, for example – books are a good place to start. Nevertheless, the most reliable sources are journals; books should be "satisfied" with being "the runner-up".
However, keep in mind that books can also have a negative impact! They can be demotivating, contain misleading information, and the list goes on and on. Therefore, you really have to be selective or careful when choosing a book to read.
At present, it is so easy to get books. In the past, you had to go to a bookstore to buy one (not necessarily, if you are the son or daughter of the owner.. :p) Nowadays, there are online bookstores, which cater for bibliophiles and novice readers alike, such as Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. You can place an order on the internet in just a few minutes and what you want will arrive at your home by mail in a certain length of time, depending on how much money you are willing to spend. Purchasing books is now really at your fingertips!
It is suggested that you buy books that you like and you need. Never buy any books that you wouldn't read as there could be many people needing them. In addition, you need to make sure that you read all the books you've bought – we are taught to eat all the food we have ordered and the same thing applies: we have to "eat" all the books we have bought, don't we?
Two days later. . .
"Honey, I've just arrived home from a bookstore. There was a dinosaur book titled "Dinosaurs: The Most Complete, Up-to-Date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages". I'll go there again tomorrow. Do you want it?"
"Book the book, please!"
Continue reading..
It is suggested that you buy books that you like and you need. Never buy any books that you wouldn't read as there could be many people needing them. In addition, you need to make sure that you read all the books you've bought – we are taught to eat all the food we have ordered and the same thing applies: we have to "eat" all the books we have bought, don't we?
Two days later. . .
"Honey, I've just arrived home from a bookstore. There was a dinosaur book titled "Dinosaurs: The Most Complete, Up-to-Date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages". I'll go there again tomorrow. Do you want it?"
"Book the book, please!"
Saturday, March 17, 2012
How to Be Good at English (Part 1)
My high school English teacher said that English is a "golden bridge". And, that's certainly right. As an international language English connects people all over the world. Even Jay Chou, my favorite musician, studied English in order to play the role of Kato well in the movie The Green Hornet.
I have a few friends from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Kenya, Nigeria, Sweden, and India. What language do I use to communicate with them? Yeah, English! English makes you "fly" around the world! English is like "a tongue that everyone must own" if they want to "get out of their shells".
And, several questions come up:
• What is the way to be good at English?
• How can we understand well what people say in English? (listening)
• How can I speak English fluently? (speaking)
• I want to read Harry Potter novels but I can't! Can you help me? (reading)
• How can I produce good writing in English? My teacher ordered me to write an English essay. (writing)
I have experienced learning English for more than ten years—yep, not too long. Some people told me that I am good at English. (I don't know whether it is true or not. Humbleee~ :p) Given the fact, I'd like to give you some tips on how to be good at English. I hope these are useful for you. :) Here they are~
Tip #1
Like learning other languages, learning English is a matter of habit. You have to accustom yourself to it. Wanna be great at listening? Watch English movies! (such as Hollywood movies) Try not to turn on the subtitles. You can read the text when you feel it is necessary. Another way is to listen to English songs. (Phew! Jay Chou has not written any legitimately English songs. I hope he will. :)) Wanna be awesome at speaking? Talk with English-speaking people! Find some partners that are willing to converse with you in English and do it consistently. Wanna be excellent at reading and writing? Read a lot of English books! (I suggest that you choose ones that are interesting to you) The more you read, the better you can write. You will meet a lot of new words, and you can use those in your writing. :) Don't forget to write anything in English! Why don't you update your Facebook status and tweet in English? :)
Tip #2
Tip #2
Oxford and Merriam-Webster dictionaries |
Your dictionary is your "weapon". It is an extremely useful means of learning English. Whenever you find a word that you don't understand the meaning of, look it up in the dictionary, Don't be lazy to open your dictionary! Make sure that your dictionary is good. A good dictionary provides how to pronounce a word, what type of verb a word is (is it a transitive or intransitive verb?), what part of speech a word is (a noun? an adjective? an adverb?), etc. I myself use Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary and several Oxford dictionaries.
Tip #3
Think once, not twice. Once you read or listen to a word, "feel" the word. Imagine what it describes, what its form is, etc. For example, the Indonesian word for "human" is "manusia". When an Indonesian reads or listens to the word "human", they have to imagine how a human appears, what forms it, etc., rather than the word "manusia" and subsequently those! So, what is in his brain is the form, the appearance of a human, not the letters "m", "a", "n", "u", "s", "i", and "a" and then the form and the appearance of a human! Let's see the pictures below:
In my opinion, this is a common mistake made by most learners of English. They think twice. We just need to think once.
Pretend that your brain has two modes: one is your mother-tongue mode and the other one is English mode. When you want to do anything in English, block your native language mode completely! Nothing in it is to "infiltrate" your English mode! All of your mind is English.
Tip #4
Don't do this... :( |
Do this! ^_^ |
In my opinion, this is a common mistake made by most learners of English. They think twice. We just need to think once.
Pretend that your brain has two modes: one is your mother-tongue mode and the other one is English mode. When you want to do anything in English, block your native language mode completely! Nothing in it is to "infiltrate" your English mode! All of your mind is English.
Tip #4
English is not a phonetic language. This is very important. In "about", "a" sounds /ə/, while, in "all", it sounds /ɑ:/. In "say", "s" sounds /s/, while, in "is", it sounds /z/. There may be more than one speech sound for one letter. Be careful with this.
Tip #5
Tip #5
Your brain is amazing! Be fast! You don't have time to think! Use your subconsciousness. Don't be "fascinated" with the words you read and hear. Don't get "captivated" with the words you use. You have to think a looooooooooonggggg wayyy~
Tip #6
Grammar is the foundation of a language. It is needed for all kinds of activity: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. You should have good English grammar books—and, of course, read them. My favorites are Betty Schrampfer Azar's series, one of which is Understanding and Using English Grammar, English Grammar in Use by Raymond Murphy, and Advanced Grammar in Use by Martin Hewings.
Additional information: There are many means of learning English, e.g., books, websites, and English clubs. I like to read four of-the-day English points on EnglishClub to enrich my knowledge. I also have an English-learning group named Learn English with Q-Man. Please join if you'd like to. :)
★ English: Connecting People ★
PS: Sorry, NOKIA.. :p
Related article: How to Be Good at English (Part 2)
Continue reading..
Tip #6
English Grammar in Use and Advanced Grammar in Use |
Grammar is the foundation of a language. It is needed for all kinds of activity: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. You should have good English grammar books—and, of course, read them. My favorites are Betty Schrampfer Azar's series, one of which is Understanding and Using English Grammar, English Grammar in Use by Raymond Murphy, and Advanced Grammar in Use by Martin Hewings.
Additional information: There are many means of learning English, e.g., books, websites, and English clubs. I like to read four of-the-day English points on EnglishClub to enrich my knowledge. I also have an English-learning group named Learn English with Q-Man. Please join if you'd like to. :)
★ English: Connecting People ★
PS: Sorry, NOKIA.. :p
Related article: How to Be Good at English (Part 2)
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Mind Mind
Probably the title reminds you of one of Jay Chou's newest songs in his latest album, Exclamation Mark: Mine Mine. Yep, it inspired me to name this article—I am a big fan of him. ;)
Yesterday, I stayed at my brother's house in Kelapa Gading, an area in Indonesia you must visit before you die! There are so many foods available there, and the environment is comfortable and very suitable for living. The epithet of Kelapa Gading is the "autonomous town", due to its completeness – my friend from junior high said the only thing it doesn't have is a funeral home.
That afternoon I met an old friend; we began our friendship when we were in elementary school. He is actually one of my closest friends. We had promised to go jogging together beforehand and then we did it in a vast jogging area.
He urged me to jog around the area ten times! I thought I wouldn't be able to do that. I had not exercised for long. "Maybe I can jog around only about two or three times," I reckoned. And, in my opinion, ten times were too many! The area was very wide! But, I just decided to start jogging. He gave me three tips:
(1) While jogging, don't open your mouth. It would make your stomach painful.
(2) Don't stomp. Step calmly.
(3) Enjoy the "show"! Don't focus on your tiredness.
I did what he had told me. And. . . I was able to jog around the area six times incessantly! I was quite surprised! How come I was able to do that? Nevertheless, I decided to take a rest while he continued jogging for one more lap. Afterwards, I went on jogging around with him two more times! Then, I took another rest while he completed another lap. At the end of the day, I jogged with him for one more lap.
It was incredible! I was able to jog around a wide jogging area nine times in total! (I know he was greater: 11 times! He is definitely a sturdy man. ;)) Probably I would have been able to do it more than six times continually, but I chose not to force my body. :)
His tips are great! And, what I want us to focus on is the third one. "Mind".
Minds are determiners. What you focus on is highly influential. I concentrated on enjoying the jogging: my mind was directed to the "enjoying". I didn't feel tired because of that. And, the result shows how great the power of mind is.
I remember an inspirational saying of his: "Your mind conquers your body, rather than your body conquers your mind."
Mind mind~ Continue reading..
Yesterday, I stayed at my brother's house in Kelapa Gading, an area in Indonesia you must visit before you die! There are so many foods available there, and the environment is comfortable and very suitable for living. The epithet of Kelapa Gading is the "autonomous town", due to its completeness – my friend from junior high said the only thing it doesn't have is a funeral home.
That afternoon I met an old friend; we began our friendship when we were in elementary school. He is actually one of my closest friends. We had promised to go jogging together beforehand and then we did it in a vast jogging area.
He urged me to jog around the area ten times! I thought I wouldn't be able to do that. I had not exercised for long. "Maybe I can jog around only about two or three times," I reckoned. And, in my opinion, ten times were too many! The area was very wide! But, I just decided to start jogging. He gave me three tips:
(1) While jogging, don't open your mouth. It would make your stomach painful.
(2) Don't stomp. Step calmly.
(3) Enjoy the "show"! Don't focus on your tiredness.
I did what he had told me. And. . . I was able to jog around the area six times incessantly! I was quite surprised! How come I was able to do that? Nevertheless, I decided to take a rest while he continued jogging for one more lap. Afterwards, I went on jogging around with him two more times! Then, I took another rest while he completed another lap. At the end of the day, I jogged with him for one more lap.
It was incredible! I was able to jog around a wide jogging area nine times in total! (I know he was greater: 11 times! He is definitely a sturdy man. ;)) Probably I would have been able to do it more than six times continually, but I chose not to force my body. :)
His tips are great! And, what I want us to focus on is the third one. "Mind".
Minds are determiners. What you focus on is highly influential. I concentrated on enjoying the jogging: my mind was directed to the "enjoying". I didn't feel tired because of that. And, the result shows how great the power of mind is.
I remember an inspirational saying of his: "Your mind conquers your body, rather than your body conquers your mind."
Mind mind~ Continue reading..
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Quote #1
"If you can read this, it means you are alive. If you are alive, you can live your life to the fullest." - Klinsman HinjayaContinue reading..
Saturday, March 10, 2012
"Afford" and "Effort"
Two simple words. They look and sound similar, don't they? And, in fact, the relationship between them is very strong!
Please read the story below, which is based on a true one:
There is a 21-year-old girl named Tania. She loves English and wants to buy Advanced Grammar in Use by Martin Hewings—one of my favorite English books—to improve her grammar. The problem is she doesn't have enough money.
One day, her friend offers her to be a data entry clerk for three days. "The wage is more than enough," she thinks, "I will be able to buy AGU!" Then, she decides to take the opportunity.
And. . . Deng deng deng~ AGU is in her hands!
Effort → working for three days
Afford → AGU
So simple, so simple! But, often we only look at the "afford"! We don't pay attention to the "twin". We seem under hypnosis! Do we realize that it is like eating without a mouth or playing without a game? It is impossible. What would have happened if Tania had not taken the opportunity? We need to do something to get something. That's the precept.
Wake up! The world is a place for non-dreamers! The world is a place for vigorous men! The world is a place for real men making real efforts to get real results! And they are us, right? ;)
PSsstt. That's my true story. :p Continue reading..
Please read the story below, which is based on a true one:
There is a 21-year-old girl named Tania. She loves English and wants to buy Advanced Grammar in Use by Martin Hewings—one of my favorite English books—to improve her grammar. The problem is she doesn't have enough money.
One day, her friend offers her to be a data entry clerk for three days. "The wage is more than enough," she thinks, "I will be able to buy AGU!" Then, she decides to take the opportunity.
And. . . Deng deng deng~ AGU is in her hands!
Effort → working for three days
Afford → AGU
So simple, so simple! But, often we only look at the "afford"! We don't pay attention to the "twin". We seem under hypnosis! Do we realize that it is like eating without a mouth or playing without a game? It is impossible. What would have happened if Tania had not taken the opportunity? We need to do something to get something. That's the precept.
Wake up! The world is a place for non-dreamers! The world is a place for vigorous men! The world is a place for real men making real efforts to get real results! And they are us, right? ;)
PSsstt. That's my true story. :p Continue reading..
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Patience Makes Perfect
One day, I was waiting for a transjakarta bus, a typical bus operating in Jakarta. There were several persons waiting with me. A bus came and stopped. Then, the door opened. What next?
Yeah, you are right. Pushing! And, pushing makes "pusing"—"pusing" is an Indonesian word meaning "dizzy". I was quite surprised. Maybe you have seen this kind of "event" too. Was it that hard to be slower? Did it "kill" them to wait a few seconds more? I don't think the people meeting them would have said, "Hey, you look old, my friend. What happened?" if they had been more patient.
There is another. On Jakarta streets, you will see many motorcycles stop in front of the white line while the red light is on. Many even go forth! What if an accident happens? Two lives are sacrificed for two minutes!
Time is precious. But, using time for something silly is .... (please fill in the blank yourself) Let's cherish others in very details of our life.
People say practice makes perfect. I want to add one, "Patience makes perfect." Continue reading..
Welcome to Klinsman Hinjaya's Blog!
Welcome to my blog! ^_^
On this blog there are many things which you may haven't met in your life. Surf, laugh, cry, reflect on yourself, be happy, be grateful! Hopefully, this inspires us to be a better, better, and better person! :)
Whatever your web browser is, the website is Klinsman Hinjaya's Blog! Hahaha. :p Continue reading..
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