… Will Work for Handphone

How’s this for the last post of the year? Roll back to the year 2000. I got my first cellphone (oops, I mean handphone). It was rare among my friends to have one, and so therefore, I felt just a little bit cooler than them. Yeah I know, now they’re a dime a dozen, but back then it was more of a time for pagers and answering machines. Keep in mind this was in the States, and we’re at leastRead more

Indonesian Maids, "I See Dead People"

Well that new maid that I mentioned last week… yeah, she’s already gone. Four whole days she worked for me. Apparently she quit cause she was afraid of something. This culture is very superstitious, and often they speak of magic, ghosts, and psychic abilities. Well, I’ve had about 4 maids and a roommate say they feel ‘something’ upstairs. The other maids did not leave because of this, but they were constantly afraid of being alone in the house. This lastRead more

Asian Fetish?

I just checked my website “stats” which lists how many people have visited, what country they’re from, and other various facts related to this blog. I was browsing through the section which shows the words that people typed into search engines to come across my site… at times it’s quite amusing. I came someone using these search words – “asians with dirty feet” What the hell is that? I mean c’mon guy! Get with the program! What kind of sickRead more

Expats On the Run!

It’s funny how so many expats bolt from Java as soon as they have a chance. As soon as we have vacation time, where do they run off to? The tropical beaches of Bali only an hour’s journey? Beautiful islands of Thailand nearby? Shopping in Singapore? Not a chance. Most of them return to the very place they were so eager to leave. It’s understandable that they would wish to see family and friends, but think about it – theyRead more

The Power of Color

The power of color. It’s unbelieveable how much colors can affect our moods. I decided to paint my house. It seems that most people feel that “white” is the best color for interior walls. It’s like they feel that it’s “better for resale“, or “nice and clean“, or “makes the room feel larger“. I’ll tell you what – coming from the all white school of thought, I now know that changing the colors of my walls has a dramatic effectRead more

Technology and Distance

It’s crazy how quickly time can pass. I left America in July of 2002 and haven’t returned yet. I called my dad last night for the first time in a year and a half (it was his birthday). Even though my family is pretty close, we’re physically all very distant. There’s something much more personal about a phone call than instant messaging or emailing. It’s funny how technology can move us closer, and yet distance us in so many ways.Read more