Brands

Having been in a post vacuum for sort of a long time and 'seen' some things going on on this only known inhabited planet, some of which included the launch of an international ballistic missile by North Korea (which I believe you all know) and the second son of President Joko Widodo, Kaesang Pangarep, being accused of religious blasphemy and hate speech for his video titled "#BapakMintaProyek", as well as engaging in a debate against a friend from high school who seems to be strictly creationistic, here I am to express another thought of mine through blogging.

Well, firstly, I'm not a marketer (my brother is), so I'm not going to give you a lecture on brands through this writing. It is more to my attitude towards them. What is a brand?

I think of it as some kind of ID card. It refers to what makes something different from others. When it comes to fast food chains, names such as KFC, Burger King, and McDonald's quickly come up in our minds and top the list. They are very famous brands since virtually everyone in the world knows them. Speaking of bags, Prada, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton are highly associated and very popular with high-class people.

Perhaps many people stick to certain brands in their lives; they develop a sense of 'contempt' towards products and/or services of other brands. However, that's not exactly true of me. I'm a kind of a person who is quite flexible and doesn't force themselves to get something at all costs out of an exclusive liking. Nevertheless, as with many, or all, things in the world, there are always exceptions.

Fashion

In terms of fashion, I'm not a picky man. I would be willing to wear any clothes that look nice (enough) on me and won't get me embarrassed in any situation. In addition, they should be comfortable for me and not cause any physical (and therefore mental) disturbances when I am doing my activities. I generally choose function over appearance. Currently I have a backpack that I've used for some time (perhaps around 2 years) and it doesn't display any sign of wear! The brand is Bodypack and I am really satisfied with it, so I'll definitely buy another Bodypack if I need another bag. My fashion brands also include Lois (trousers) and Indomaret (briefs).

Food and drinks

As I'm not an affluent man, I rarely splurge on expensive food. I will consume food and drinks that suit my taste and of course are not dangerous for my health. However, I have a preference towards HokBen (fast food) when my adventurous mode is off. For those who do not have the faintest idea (and haven't opened the link), HokBen is a Japanese food restaurant from Indonesia that provides a selection of mouth-watering dishes. Unfortunately, the prices are apparently going up so much that it seems to be becoming less affordable. Another fast-food chain worth mentioning is CFC, the name of which stands for "California Fried Chicken" – don't be fooled by the name, though, since it is originally from Indonesia. CFC has two special dishes that, I think, no such types of other brands can outdo: Onion Rings and Chicken Strips. They are simply mouth-watering and will definitely heighten your appetite in a split second.

Books

Reading is an essential activity that more or less determines the future of our planet. Therefore, choosing the right book for you is as important as deciding on your life partner – I'm not being lebay. I specialize in English and dinosaurs, so my book collection is mostly comprised of those kinds of book. With regards to English, Cambridge, Oxford, Longman, and Merriam-Webster have a special place in my heart. I find they are very reliable, informative sources which every English lover should consult. However, I am also open to other brands such as McGraw-Hill, which is an awesome addition to my collection. As for dinosaurs, brands are less important than authors! (well, strictly speaking, authors are actually brands as well) Dinosaur books by world-renowned experts such as Dr. Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. (American paleontologist) and Julius Csotonyi (Canadian paleoartist) are something I would pick even without looking at the covers first. One publisher that is worth mentioning for its stunning, rich dinosaur (and other subjects too) illustrations is DK (Dorling Kindersley), by which two dino books of mine were published.

Toiletries

Well, it is important to maintain a high level of hygiene. As a rule of thumb, I'd choose any which don't cause negative side effects, such as pimples (fortunately, my skin is not very sensitive) – Cussons Baby proves good for my hide. There is an Indonesian saying "Hair is a woman's crown", stressing the importance of hair beauty. I'm one who believes that it also applies to men. Natur is the brand I use since, as its name suggests, it contains natural substance(s) (although I know that not everything natural is nice, for example T-Rex). Nevertheless, so far so good!

Entertainment

Everyone needs entertainment, including me. Nowadays I never watch TV and play games, so I don't have any preference for certain TV and game 'brands'; I do watch YouTube videos though, and while there are some interesting channels, such as Edho Zell, I don't really limit myself to them. I'm not a moviegoer, so I rarely go to the theater and will watch any movies that attract me, regardless of the 'brands'. However, in terms of music, there's only one eternal 'brand', Jay Chou. I've been a loyal fan for a month of Sundays and personally I'd say he is the best musician in the world – his music will still be enjoyable in 66 million years' time.

That's about me. How about you? Are you a brand person or not? Share you thoughts in the comment section below!