Thursday, December 26, 2013

12 Common English Mistakes That Indonesians Make


First of all, this list of 12 mistakes is based on my experience. I encounter Indonesians every day (of course! I'm an Indonesian) and I've found these to be common among them. Secondly, I hope that it will be useful for English-learning Indonesians—and perhaps other English learners as well. Lastly, enjoy it!

1. infinitives everywhere
There are many kinds and forms of verbs in English. Indonesians tend to use infinitives on almost every occasion.

Examples:
• Erick go to school every day. (should be Erick goes...)
• She have dinner with her boyfriend at Sushi Tei Central Park yesterday. (should be She had dinner...)
• Berry want to play basketball this evening. (should be Berry wants...)

2. be + infinitive
Be forms are commonly found with infinitives. They tend to "stick together".

Examples:
• I am like to read romance novels. (should be I like to...)
• Last Friday I was bring some food to Tony. (should be Last Friday I brought ...)

3. more + short adjective + -er
Indonesians often struggle when it comes to short comparatives.

Examples:
• Elephants are more bigger than humans. (should be Elephants are bigger...)
• Kobe Bryant is more taller than Jay Chou. (should be Kobe Bryant is taller...)
• Benny is more busier than Santi. (should be Benny is busier...)
• Papayas are more healthier than beer. (should be Papayas are healthier...)

4. wh-questions
- wrong auxiliary position

Examples:
• Why you are wearing jeans? (should be Why are you...)
• Why you haven't put down the guitar yet? (should be Why haven't you...)
• Why she bought that medicine? (should be Why did she buy...)

- no auxiliaries

Examples:
• Why she walking around the park? (should be Why is she walking...)
• Why Carol eat last night? (should be Why did Carol eat...)

5. adjective + with
"With" is not combined with some adjectives.

Examples:
• Richard is different with my father. (should be Richard is different from/than (US)/to (Brit)...)
• Jane's car is similar with Rocky's. (should be Jane's car is similar to...)
• My book is same with his. (should be My book is the same as...)
• Victoria Beckham is married with David Beckham. (should be Victoria Beckham is married to...)
However, you can say "Victoria Beckham is married with four children."

6. silent t in words ending with -st, -nt and -ct, and silent k in words ending with -nk
Indonesians tend not to pronounce the last t in words ending in -st and -nt.

Examples:
• "Fast" is pronounced /'fæs/ (US) or /'fɑːs/ (Brit). (should be pronounced /'fæst/ (US) or /'fɑːst/ (Brit))
• "First" is pronounced /'fɚs/. (should be pronounced /'fɚst/)
• "List" is pronounced /'lɪs/. (should be pronounced /'lɪst/)
• "Sent" is pronounced /'sɛn/. (should be pronounced /'sɛnt/)
• "Mint" is pronounced /'mɪn/. (should be pronounced /'mɪnt/)
• "Want" is pronounced /'wɑːn/. (should be pronounced /'wɑːnt/)
• "Act" is pronounced /'æk/. (should be pronounced /'ækt/)
• "Fact" is pronounced /'fæk/. (should be pronounced /'fækt/)
• "Effect" is pronounced /ɪ'fɛk/. (should be pronounced /'ɪ'fɛkt/)
• "Expect" is pronounced /ɛk'spɛk/. (should be pronounced /ɪk'spɛkt/)

In addition, they tend not to pronounce the last k in words ending in -nk.

Examples:
• "Bank" is pronounced /'bæŋ/. (should be pronounced /'bæŋk/)
• "Link" is pronounced /'lɪŋ/. (should be pronounced /'lɪŋk/)
• "Sink" is pronounced /'sɪŋ/. (should be pronounced /'sɪŋk/)
• "Tank" is pronounced /'tæŋ/. (should be pronounced /'tæŋk/)

7. wrong pronunciation of words ending in -sk
Indonesians tend to pronounce /k/ and then /s/ in words ending in -sk. Sometimes the /k/ is silent.

Examples:
• "Ask" is pronounced /'æks/ or /'æs/ (US), or /'ɑːks/ or /'ɑ:s/ (Brit). (should be pronounced /'æsk/ (US) or /'ɑːsk/ (Brit))
• "Disk" is pronounced /'dɪks/ or /'dɪs/. (should be pronounced /'dɪsk/)
• "Risk" is pronounced /'rɪks/ or /'rɪs/. (should be pronounced /'rɪsk/)
• "Task" is pronounced /'tæks/ or /'tæs/ (US), or /'tɑːks/ or /'tɑ:s/ (Brit). (should be pronounced /'tæsk/ (US) or /'tɑːsk/ (Brit))

8. th sounds (/θ/ and /ð/)
Th is often pronounced /t/ when it should be pronounced /θ/, and it is often pronounced /d/ when it should be pronounced /ð/.

Examples:
• "Bath" is pronounced /'bæt/ (US) or /'bɑ:t/ (Brit). (should be pronounced /'bæθ/ (US) or /'bɑ:θ/ (Brit))
• "Thick" is pronounced /'tɪk/. (should be pronounced /'θɪk/)
• "Thin" is pronounced /'tɪn/. (should be pronounced /'θɪn/)
• "This" is pronounced /'dɪs/. (should be pronounced /'ðɪs/)
• "That" is pronounced /'dæt/. (should be pronounced /'ðæt/)
• "Then" is pronounced /'dɛn/. (should be pronounced /'ðɛn/)
• "With" is pronounced /'wɪt/. (should be pronounced /'wɪθ/ or /'wɪð/)

9. /v/ sound
Indonesians are not accustomed to pronouncing /v/. They often use /f/ instead of /v/.

Examples:
• "Give" is pronounced /'gɪf/. (should be pronounced /'gɪv/)
• "Live" is pronounced /'lɪf/. (should be pronounced /'lɪv/)
• "Verb" is pronounced /'fɚb/. (should be pronounced /'vɚb/)
• "Very" is pronounced /'feri/. (should be pronounced /'veri/)

10. pronounced gh
When gh should be silent, it is pronounced /g/.

Examples:
• "Eight" is pronounced /'eɪgt/. (should be pronounced /'eɪt/)
• "High" is pronounced /'haɪg/. (should be pronounced /'haɪ/)
• "Right" is pronounced /'raɪgt/. (should be pronounced /'raɪt/)
• "Weight" is pronounced /'weɪgt/. (should be pronounced /'weɪt/)

11. pronounced w in words beginning with wr-
When w should be silent in wr- words, it is pronounced.

Examples:
• "Write" is pronounced /'wraɪt/. (should be pronounced /'raɪt/)
• "Wrong" is pronounced /'wrɑːŋ/. (should be pronounced /'rɑːŋ/)

12. strong forms
Indonesians tend to use strong forms when they are not normally used.

Examples:
Can you swim?
"Can" here is pronounced /'kæn/ (strong form). (should be pronounced /kən/ (weak form))
• I think I will make a cup of coffee.
"Will" here is pronounced /'wɪl/ (strong form). (should be pronounced /wəl/ (weak form))
Continue reading..

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Spoil


About two weeks ago I was eating a portion of ketoprak at my granny's. And—no, no, it hadn't spoiled. I'm talking about something that's completely different.

One of my cousins, a six-year-old girl, wanted to get a cracker from my ketoprak. I refused to give it to her because she was spoiled rotten (now you've got it!). She was angry and tried to get it from me. However, I managed to "save" my beloved crackers from her, temporarily. Some time later, when I was not attentive, she grabbed, not one, but some crackers! If I had a T. rex... Okay, let's move on to the next point.

In the beginning, I was really mad at her. But when I thought more deeply, I realized that the child was just a "victim". As far as I am concerned, her parents are so "soft". They don't dare to give her punishments—educating ones, of course. That's what I regret.

Parents are the ones who, above all, must educate their children well. They must lead them to a good, balanced life. In school, teachers do teach children but the role of parents is undoubtedly incredibly essential. There are some things that children don't get/learn from school.

Children are successors. They will be the next leaders, the people who will take our legacy. Sooner or later they will replace us in this world. Can you imagine how would it be if this world were ruled by the spoiled?

I'm sorry, Doraemon. :p
Continue reading..

Responsibility


I'm making this article because of an event, an annoying event—actually more than one.

One of my friends invited me to go traveling with him. I accepted the invitation, and then we agreed on a time to set out.

But, some time later he changed the schedule without discussing with me before. I told him that I was not going because the time was not convenient for me. What happened next? I think no need to go further. (Note: This is not the first time he's done such a thing.)

Andddd, yeah, it's a very good example of a person who is very bad at being responsible. Some people might think such a case is trivial. But I think we should think about this more seriously. Everyone in the world has their own business, and they have to value and cherish each other's business, no matter what business they have, don't they? And a good point to remember is that one's business often relates to another's business. Think about the domino effect and feel the horror due to lack of responsibility.

Responsibility is something that makes a human a human. It is the foundation of every person's life and determines our future.
Continue reading..

Monday, December 16, 2013

Comparisons Are Odious

Aren't they? Yeah, at times they are. And I went through this kind of situation a few days ago.


I wanted to get a copy of Practical English Usage by Michael Swan as it is a great book on English, based on Amazon.com customer reviews and my friend's recommendation. It was sold by my company at 300,000 rupiahs (about 24.75 USD) and, therefore, plain cheap! I decided to buy it, so I told the PIC about my "craving".

While she was processing the purchase, one of my friends told me that there was a bookstore where he usually bought books, and, if I'm not mistaken, he told me that the book, if available, was sold at a cheaper price. Soon I tried to contact the bookstore officer, but I didn't cancel the purchase.

While waiting for the officer to give me the information, I did the transaction and got the book! But I was not satisfied. I wanted to know the price of the book from the bookstore. In short, the officer said that the book price was 246.000 rupiahs (about 20.30 USD)! I felt regretful that I had spent more money on it.

However, after thinking carefully, I realized that I had made the best decision! I needed the book and buying it right away was the right thing. Furthermore, If I had canceled the purchase, I would've been considered not responsible.

In my view, this is one of the keys to being happy in life: Don't compare things. :)
Continue reading..

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Time

What is time?


We humans are inextricably bound with time (in fact, dinosaurs are too). We move, breathe, think, eat, drink, work, play, and sleep, as well as poo, as time goes by. All of our activities depend on this four-letter thing.

Time is universal. It is not racist—all humans get the same portion: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. They cannot pause it. They cannot stop it. They cannot return to the past. They cannot go to the future. (except for Doraemon)

You can do good or bad with time. It really depends on your decision, on how you want to use it. For example, after reading this, you can go to a red light district in your country and spend one hour having sex with a prostitute, or you can spend the same amount of time to visit your parents, kin, or friends who you have hurt and apologize to them sincerely. Therefore, time is so powerful. In a sense, it can change the world, but it needs you to do it.

We often feel as if time passed slowly at times, but sometimes it passed really fast. Why do we have such a feeling? For my money, if we enjoy doing something, we feel it passes fast, and in contrast, if we hate doing something, we feel it passes slowly. Which one do you choose, the former or the latter? :)

Time is a passive thing. It won't say, "Come on! Use me! Use me!" It will just keep silent. It won't approach us. We are the ones who have to take the initiative.

Now, let's dissect a day:




1 day = 24 hours

Activities:
Sleeping: 8 hours
Working: 8 hours
Eating: 15 minutes (breakfast) +  15 minutes (lunch) + 15 minutes (dinner) = 45 minutes = 1.25 hours
Taking showers, brushing teeth, etc. : 15 minutes (morning) + 15 minutes (afternoon) = 30 minutes = 0.5 hours
Doing housework, etc. : 1 hour
Leisure : 3 hours

Let's calculate the amount of time left:
24 - 8 - 8 - 1.25 - 0.5 - 1 - 3 = 2.25 hours



For my money, this illustration more or less depicts a well-organized day for a human being. And, as you can see, there is still 2.25 hours to use. We could spend it reading, helping our neighbors, blogging, and/or doing anything that is worthwhile. If we do this consistently, we will be productive and, as a result, we will be a contented man. I believe that successful men are those who make the most of their time while their contemporaries procrastinate and spend their time doing things ineffectively.

So what will you do after this? :) Tick. Tick. Tick.
Continue reading..

First Dinosaur Encyclopedia – Book Review


First Dinosaur Encyclopedia
by DK

The following is a review of another edition Dinosaur Encyclopedia, which I had a copy of a long time ago. Since it got burned by a fire in February 2015, I bought a copy of the updated version (First Dinosaur Encyclopedia) in 2016. I have looked through the new book quickly and found that the contents are mostly similar but more up-to-date, and at the back of the book are some quizzes which the other edition doesn't have.

DK (Dorling Kindersley) is probably the best publisher of illustrated reference books. Dinosaur Encyclopedia is a dinosaur book with countless colorful illustrations and photographs which make learning dinosaurs a very fun experience! It is comprehensive; it includes information on many aspects about the dinosaurs themselves (their habitats, diet, behavior, etc.) and on other prehistoric creatures such as plesiosaurs and pterosaurs as well. As the subtitle of another edition states, it is very suitable for those who are just about to "dive" into the world of dinosaurs, especially teenagers. Packed with bite-sized facts and quiz questions, Dinosaur Encyclopedia is sure to be one of your favorite dinosaur books.

Last updated: May 11, 2017
Continue reading..

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Sons of Reasons


Sometimes I feel we, humans, are too "imaginative". When asked by a person, probably a friend or our mother or father, to do this or to do that, we often say, "I'm sorry I can't because bla bla bla." 1,000 reasons come out of our mouth. The problem is those reasons are often exaggerated and, sometimes, implausible.

Let's see this example.

One morning
Mother: Claire, could you buy me tissues in Carrefour?
Claire: I am sorry, mom. I'm busy doing my homework. (the homework is to be submitted one month later)
Mother: It's okay. You can do it later in the afternoon.
Claire: Oh, I'll be tired, mom. This homework is hard. (write two paragraphs about something that the student likes. Is it exhausting?)
Mother: Oh, okay. How about the evening?
Claire: Mom, you know I have an appointment with Dr. Phil Currie at 5 p.m.  It will last probably for about three hours. (three hours? To have an interview consisting of five questions with him? Note: He is a professor. Don't you think he is super busy?)
Mother: You can do it after that, right, darling?
Claire: Mom, please. I have to rest earlier. I'm going to Vietnam tomorrow morning. I won't be fit if I don't get enough sleep. (she always slept late and woke up early to go to school and she never complained about this but now?)
Mother: Okay, I'll buy it myself.

It's just a simple case but can make one of the most important persons in our life feel burden (She has to walk. She has to make effort she doesn't need to make.) and—if she knows—cry.

Stop making up ridiculous reasons. Pulverize all unworthy words. Don't put your head in the clouds. We are not "sons of reasons". We are sons of God, who is directed to live our life to the fullest, to make the most of our life for his glory.

Anything wrong? Yes. it seems as if I were an anti-feminist but I think, having looked at the example given, you already realize that this article is for women too! Daughters of God are not "daughters of twitters", are they? :)
Continue reading..

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Opus Jay 2013 World Tour Jakarta

Yesterday was definitely an unforgettable day for all Jay Chou's fans in Indonesia. The heavenly king held his first concert in Indonesia for his amazing Opus Jay 2013 World Tour at Mata Elang International Stadium (MEIS), Ancol, Jakarta, Indonesia, on October 12, 2013.

Opus Jay 2013 World Tour Jakarta poster
(image source: http://www.jpopasia.com/feed/13557/jay-chou-to-hold-concert-in-indonesia-this-october)

This event was promoted and organized by PT. Nusantara Utama TechnologyW Productions, and Synergism Entertainment. It was sponsored by Kaspersky and Tech Titan (of course, Jay is one of the brand ambassadors of Kaspersky). In addition, this concert was supported by PT. Minna Padi Investama. Ticket.com, KiOSTiX and FFoJC were in charge of the tickets.

Opus Jay 2013 World Tour Jakarta seating plans
(image source: http://hiburan.dreamers.id/article/21584/modul/article/load.php)

I bought the ticket back several months ago on Ticket.com. At first, I was going to buy a Bronze ticket, but, because I got a fortune, I decided to buy a Silver ticket. :)

D-Day

Yeah! This is it! I prepared everything for the show. The concert was to start at 7 p.m., and, because the food sold there must be expensive, I thought it'd be better to cook my dinner and bring it from home. A pack of Healtimie became my choice. In addition, I put on my cool Jay Chou tee shirt, which I bought several years ago when I was still at university. I set out from home at about 3.10 p.m. with my father. He brought me to the venue, driving his bike. Many thanks to him! ^_^

I arrived at about 4.45 p.m. Wow! I could feel the atmosphere! I walked toward the ticket booths to get my ticket. After taking it, I met up with my friends. Here's a pic of the ticket booths:


Then we went to a beach around Ancol Beach City, the mall where MEIS is located. It was really comfortable! There was a banner of the concert and one my friends took some photos of me.

At first, she couldn't take it well. He snapped me when I was approaching her to explain how to do it. And here's the result:


Then, the second photo was taken.


After that, we met up with the friends we were looking for. So there were five of us. And here's another photo of me:


There, we chatted a lot and I met up with other friends of mine. I also saw Olga Lidya, an Indonesian artist. I don't know whether she was there to watch Jay or not. I took some pictures of the whereabouts. Here they are:

Jay Chou's fans around the banner

Thank you, Kaspersky!

the beach

Ancol Beach City

At about 5.55 p.m. I ate my dinner. Afterwards, I entered the mall to start queuing for the concert.

Jay Chou's songs were played throughout my waiting. I wrote the list of the songs and here they are:

1. 白色風車 (Bai Se Feng Che) → White Windmill
2. 紅塵客棧 (Hong Chen Ke Zhan ) → Worldly Tavern
3. 安静 (An Jing) → Silence
4. 說了再見 (Shuo Le Zai Jian) → Said Goodbye
5. 不能说的秘密 (Bu Neng Shuo De Mi Mi) → Secret That Cannot Be Told
6. 說好的幸福呢 (Shuo Hao De Xing Fu Ne) → Where's The Promised Happiness (mixed with an unknown song)
7. 黑色幽默 (Hei Se You Mo) → Black Humour
8. 一路向北 (Yi Lu Xiang Bei) → All The Way North
9. 回到过去 (Hui Dao Guo Qu) → Go Back To The Past
10. 心雨 (Xin Yu) → Heart Rain
11. 不能说的秘密 (Bu Neng Shuo De Mi Mi) → Secret That Cannot Be Told (again)
12. 浪漫手機 (Lang Man Shou Ji) → Romantic Handphone
13. 給我一首歌的時間 (Gei Wo Yi Shou Ge De Shi Jian) → Give Me The Time For One Song
14. 千里之外 (Qian Li Zhi Wai) → Beyond A Thousand Miles (Faraway)
15. 髮如雪 (Fa Ru Xue) → Hair Like Snow
16. 明明就 (Ming Ming Jiu) → Obviously
17. 花海 (Hua Hai) → Sea Of Flowers
18. 黑色毛衣 (Hei Se Mao Yi) → Black Sweater
19. 傻笑 (Sha Xiao) → Giggle
20. 退後 (Tui Hou) → Step Back
21. 開不了口 (Kai Bu Liao Kou) → Cannot Speak
22. 楓 (Feng) → Maple
23. 心雨 (Xin Yu) → Heart Rain (again)
24. 蘭亭序 (Lan Ting Xu) → Lan Ting Preface

I was inside the mall. The queue was quite long but the mobility was good. Here are some pix:

Fans thirsting for Jay Chou

Don't bring anything dangerous, dude! Jay Chou must be safe!

Yeah, I passed the checking and got into MEIS! The stadium was cool and cozy! After going to the restroom, I searched for my seat, E-32. Finding it, I took the seat right away. There had already been a light stick provided. Nice!

Waiting for the concert I took some photos of the stadium.




As I waited, more and more people entered the stadium.

Another pic just before the concert started.


Then the concert started at about 7.40 p.m.! (It was late. I think it is because the promoter wanted to make sure that all the audience had entered MEIS before it started.) The enthusiasm of the fans was really felt! And Jay Chou appeared!!!

Here's the list of the songs:

1. 驚嘆號 (Jing Tan Hao) → Exclamation Mark
2. 龍拳 (Long Quan) → Dragon Fist
3. 最後的戰役 (Zui Hou De Zhan Yi) → The Last Battle
4. 一路向北 (Yi Lu Xiang Bei) → All The Way North
5. 不能说的秘密 (Bu Neng Shuo De Mi Mi) → Secret That Cannot Be Told
6. 稻香 (Dao Xiang) → Fragrance of Rice
7. 雙截棍 (Shuang Jie Gun) → Nun-chucks
8. 明明就 (Ming Ming Jiu) → Obviously
9. 世界末日 (Shi Jie Mo Ri) → End of the World
10. 龍捲風 (Long Juan Feng) → Tornado
11. 安静 (An Jing) → Silence
12. 簡單愛 (Jian Dan Ai) → Simple Love
13. 公公偏头痛 (Gong Gong Pian Tou Tong) → Eunuchs Tend To Have Headaches
14. 千里之外 (Qiang Li Zhi Wai) → Beyond A Thousand Miles (Faraway) (feat. Liu Chen, a singer from Beijing)
15. 青花瓷 (Qing Hua Ci) → Chinese Flower Pot
16. 鬥牛 (Dou Niu) → Bullfight (a cappella, without vocals), 水手怕水 (Shui Shou Pa Shui) → Sailors Afraid of Water (a cappella, without vocals), 大本钟 (Ta Ben Zhong) →  Big Ben (partly a cappella)
17. 彩虹 (Cai Hong) → Rainbow, 軌跡 (Gui Ji) → Orbit, 牛仔很忙 (Niu Zai Hen Mang) → Cowboy Is Very Busy, 星情 (Xing Qing) → Clear Stars, 回到过去 (Hui Dao Guo Qu) → Go Back To The Past

Note: This list might need correcting. I actually a little forget the order of the songs, but I think all the songs presented are already here. Please tell me if there's something wrong with the list while I try to get the precise information. :)

At the concert, there were pantomimes as well as guitar, beat box, drum, and keyboard performances from other persons. There were 本草綱目 (Ben Chao Gang Mu) → Compendium of Materia Medica tones in the beatbox performance and 以父之名 (Yi Fu Zhi Ming) → In The Name Of The Father tones in the keyboard performance. I also noticed 聽媽媽的話 (Ting Ma Ma De hua) → Listen To Mother's Words tones at the beginning of a song that was actually not 聽媽媽的話. :)

The concert ended at about 9.40 p.m. It was really amazing!!! I was overwhelmed and sang throughout the concert with full spirit!!! So touching!!! Oh my God!!! After about ten years being his fan, finally he came to Indonesia!!! (I started knowing his music from his The One Concert Live.) Opus Jay 2013 World Tour Jakarta was absolutely 100 out of 100!!! XD

During the concert, Jay said that he had ever been to Indonesia once 27 years ago, with his mom, for traveling. So, this concert was the second time he's visited Indonesia. :)

After the concert ended, I took some photos of the stadium. Here they are:




And here I am after the concert!


And here's a pic of me and my friends! Love you, friends! ^_^


I feel that I am more confident and expressive when singing after going to his concert! I was usually nervous when it came to singing with being noticed. :)  Jay somehow filled "some kind of soul" to me. :))

Jay hoped that he can hold a concert in Indonesia once every two years. Surely if Jay comes here again, I'll watch his concert!!! XD

That's all! Thank you for reading this! Thanks to all those who took part in making this event successful. Thank you, Jay Chou. We love you. :)

Note: Opus Jay World Tour, which is an album boasting his majestic concert in Taipei in the same year, is available on DVD and Blu-ray. To buy, click here. You can also enjoy the concert on YouTube: it is divided into two parts: part 1 and part 2.


Source: http://www.wproductions.biz
Continue reading..

Monday, October 7, 2013

Jurassic Park & The Lost World – Book Review


Jurassic Park
by Michael Crichton
&
The Lost World
by Michael Crichton

If you are a fan of dinosaurs, Jurassic Park and The Lost World are definitely books that you must have. The science in this book is perfectly interwoven with the thrilling experience of people who encounter the "terrible reptiles". Michael Crichton tells the stories in an incomparable way, making you feel as if you were in them. The novels, as well as the movies, will create an indelible impression in you. In addition, my favorite character is the mathematician Ian Malcolm. 5 out of 5 stars for Jurassic Park and The Lost World! Continue reading..

Monday, September 16, 2013

Dinosaur Art – Book Review


Dinosaur Art: The World's Greatest Paleoart
edited by Steve White

Dinosaur Art: The World's Greatest Paleoart covers interviews with some of the top contemporary paleoartists and their beautiful artworks. By reading this book, you'll know how they do their work, who influenced them, and many others. Despite the title, Dinosaur Art also covers other animals such as marine reptiles, pterosaurs and mammals. As this is an art book, don't expect to get much information about dinosaurs themselves; however, each paleoartist's section features one animal which relates to them. Dinosaur Art is a great book to fill your dinosaur bookshelf. Continue reading..

Friday, August 9, 2013

The Living Dinosaur, Living World, Indonesia

When I heard that there would be a dinosaur show in Indonesia, I was amazed! "This is what I've been waiting for," I thought.

But, when I looked at "my wallet", I thought I wouldn't go there. Thanks to my brother, his "spell" propelled me to the show. And, I don't regret watching my first dinosaur show! :)

The Living Dinosaur was a dinosaur puppet show presented by Erth's Dinosaur Zoo, from Australia, in cooperation with Living World, a mall in Serpong, Indonesia. It was performed from June 21 to July 7, 2013.

I decided to attend the event on July 5, 2013. To get there, in the morning I went "hitchhiking". Many thanks to my friend Natalia and her cousin for their kindness!

Before The Show

Before the show started, I got around and took some photos. Here are some of them:


My first photo at the venue! Me and a lot of dinosaurs! Cheese! :)

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Me in front of a banner. This photo seems scary... As if an Allosaurus or Velociraptor would attack!


Aha! Going back to our childhood! Some dino dolls! :)


That's me with dino dolls! Wanna return to the past! This reminds me of Jay Chou's song 回到過去! :)


Dinosaur toys are lovely! :)


Me standing in front of a TLD banner. That dino wants to gobble me up! Arghh, must go faster!

Yeah, just before the show began, I lined up with the crowd. 


The people are enthusiastic about this show. Probably some of the children here will be the first paleontologists from Indonesia! I do hope so. :)

During the Show

After queuing up for quite a long time, I entered the room. It was dark and filled with some dinosaur information on the wall. I remember there was information about two dinosaurs, Coelophysis and Plateosaurus, a pterosaur, probably Quetzalcoatlus, and dinosaur timeline.

I went on and, surprisingly, I met up with my cousin! She was with her child, and I sat beside her.

And here is the stage!


The children sit in front of the stage, while I do on a bench behind them. :)

A video about dinosaurs was then played for us. It included the mass extinction which wiped out dinosaurs about 65 million years ago.

Next, there were two men coming up!


They are the host, Julian (left), and Tim, the "paleontologist" (right). They were so funny! XD I laughed over and over during the show! :D

The first dinosaur to appear was Minmi paravertebra, an Australian herbivorous dinosaur which is similar to the more famous Ankylosaurus. :)


 Here you can see two kids are touching Minmi babies. So cute! ^_^

The second dinosaur was .... Oops! It was not a dinosaur! It was an insect! In fact, a giant insect!


Meganeura is really scary. However the kid doesn't look scared! Brave boy! :)

The next creature to participate in the show was a big-eyed plant-eating dinosaur—still from Australia. Can you guess what? Yep, it was Leallynausaura!


Named after the daughter of the paleontologists who discovered its fossil, Leallynasaura was small. As you can see, it is roughly the size of a human. Leallynasaura had big eyes, which enabled the creature to see well in the dark.

Anddddd, finallyyyy, the one that the children had been waiting for showed its teeth! A carnivore!


Australovenator was a medium-sized carnivorous dinosaur. As you might guess, this dino was discovered in what is now Australia. In the picture, people are trying to make this dino calm down. :)


Here, people observe the dinosaur in a special place. I myself touched its face!

Lastly, a kind of dinosaurs that people won't forget sent their representative to end the show! Give applause to the long-necked Titanosaurus!


Huge, enormous, giant! What else can be used to describe this cool dinosaur? ;) Surely, you wouldn't want this dinosaur to enter your house if it was alive today!

If there's a beginning, there's an end. Here is the Erth's Dinosaur Zoo's crew!


As a matter of fact, Julian mentioned their names but I forget all of them except Tim! Thank you very much for the show! :)

After The Show

I didn't want to miss the chance, so I took some photos after the show! ;)


The sauropod's so long that the size of this picture is not sufficient for it to show off!


You think I'm a coward? No, I'm not. This is the proof. ;)


Taking a photo with the "tyrant lizard king" is a must!


And, here it is! Tim and me! I had a chat with him and asked some questions.

Well, actually, he was a singer, not a paleontologist! Haha. I thought he was a paleontologist because he knew a lot about dinosaurs. :)

During the chat, he said that the show was not the first in Asia. It astonished me because it had been clearly stated on the banner, and it had been one of the reasons I had gone to enjoy the show. He said they'd been to Japan and Malaysia before. Hmm...

I said to Tim that I thought his show was similar to that of Walking with Dinosaurs from BBC. He replied that BBC stole their idea. I was quite surprised! He said that BBC came to their boss and asked how they did the things. Then, BBC made their own show.

That's the end of the story. Thanks for reading and please feel free to post a comment! :)
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