scent from Japan

from Johan..very nice sweet scent that surprisingly last long from morning till evening. It's Cherry eau de parfum from Masaki..hhmmmm...arigato, Johan-san!!

the past is to inspire and remind..

Honestly, I never thought that I will ever get out from my "laziness". I thought the time when I can be what I want to be, do what I want to do, was gone forever by age. I thought that I will never feel what I used to feel before. The feeling of "high spirit" and "passion". For awhile I had no dream, no ambition - zilt. Nothing! It was a scary moment in my life. I felt lonely and worthless. It was like "the end" of Lia's life.

But today, I found and then watched "Byakkotai", A re-make of the 1986 hit, which scored 80-percent in the Aizu district of Fukushima prefecture.

"Byakkotai" seems to be a story by which the content of the drama visits Byakkotai Memorial Hall by a modern young person who is the descendant of a Byakkotai samurai, and traces the history of the tragedy of the Byakkotai in the force organized by about 340 boys of 16 years old and 17 years old at Boshin War (Aizu war). Yamashita Tomohisa performs two roles (a Byakkotai samurai in the old days and the descendant's Shintaro Sakai).

HISTORY - BYAKKOTAI

The Byakkotai (白虎隊, Byakkotai? lit. "White Tiger Corps") was a group of more than 300 young, teenage, samurai of the Aizu domain, who fought in the Boshin War.

Byakkotai was part of Aizu's four-unit military, set up in the domain's drive to finalize its military modernization, in the wake of the Battle of Toba-Fushimi.[1] The other three units were Genbutai, Seiryūtai, and Shujakutai.[2] Each of the four was named after the protecting gods of compass directions. Byakkotai was meant to be a reserve unit, as it was composed of the young, 16 to 17 year old sons of Aizu samurai.[3] It was subdivided further, along the lines of rank within the domain's samurai population: two squads were from the upper (shichū) rank, two from the middle rank (yoriai), and two from the lowest (ashigaru).[4] Twenty of the members of the 2nd shichū squad, cut off from the rest of their unit in the wake of the Battle of Tonoguchihara[5], retreated to Iimori Hill, which overlooked the castle town. From there, they saw what they thought was the castle on fire, and committed seppuku (with one failed attempt) in desperation, believing their lord and families dead.[6] However these 20 Byakkotai members were mistaken in their assessment of defeat, as the castle defenses had not actually been breached; the castle town surrounding the inner citadel was aflame. As the majority of the town was between Iimori Hill and the castle, the boys saw the rising smoke and assumed that the castle itself had fallen.[7]

The sole survivor, Iinuma Sadakichi, attempted suicide but was unsuccessful. He was saved by a local peasant. After the war, he moved to the nearby city of Sendai, and lived there until his death. He also served as an officer in the army (retiring with the rank of captain) and as an official of the local post office in Sendai.[10]

After the war, their bodies remained exposed to the elements until permission was finally granted by the imperial government to bury them. A memorial was later erected at Iimori Hill, and all 20 of the Byakkotai members named above are buried there.[11] A stone bearing a poem by Matsudaira Katamori also stands at the site:

幾人の　涙は石にそそぐとも　その名は世々に　朽じとぞ思う
Ikutari no namida wa ishi ni sosogu tomo sono na wa yoyo ni kuji to zo omou
"No matter how many people wash the stones with their tears, these names will never vanish from the world."[12]

The rest of the Byakkotai continued to fight over the course of the Battle of Aizu, with many of the members contributing to the defense of the castle.[13] Two unit members who survived the war and went on to prominent roles during the Meiji Era were the physicist and historian Dr. Yamakawa Kenjirō and the Imperial Japanese Navy admiral Dewa Shigetō.

What fascinated and inspired me was the objective the japs made the film. It was to remind the young generation of how hard it was to live in the past, and how hard our ancestors had to fight so we can live in comfort and peace today. I guess, it's not only here or Japan..but we (not only the teens) take things for granted now. We think everything will be forever. We allow a day pass by without any accomplishment or progress. We dream and waste it by not making it come true. We even take people around us for granted. We forget to respect and be thankful. The true epidemic is not global warming, AIDS, nor drugs...it's actually the "taking things for granted" epidemic. Moral.

The world should advocate and campaign the change of attitude. Just think of how powerful this change of attitude is. If the world is able to change its peoples moral, all other epidemics of the world will disappear. Just think!

Well, talking about the world seems sooo far away...if Japan can do it, Indonesia can too! Like Gandhi once said,"Be the change you want to see in the world." So, why wait for other people "more capable" to do it, just do it! Take the first step of the initiative...coz the first is always the hardest. But if I can be part of the change of moral in Indonesia, I'll be the happiest person in the whole world.

*Note: it's presenting history relevant to today's teens..Japan uses its number 1 idols to star in the movie and promote it through their J-WEB (Japs mobile phone based blogs from various idols of Johnny's Entertainment)

Insert: Yamashita Tomohisa (22) - lead actor Byakkotai. Japan's no.1 idol, a member of boy band NEWS and award winning actor

I'm energized once more. I am alive. I am back and I am happy. I have reunite myself with "high spirit" and "passion"...and this is all because of a movie, a Yamashita Tomohisa, and history. Today onwards, I will make my dream come true!

GAMBATTE!!

who and what we are..

Y&R Indonesia's entry for CITRA PARIWARA 2007

indonesia chapter 1st meeting

Last night was the first Asia 21 Indonesia Chapter official meeting. It was hoted by Sandi Uno at Kemang Hotel (looks great, food good..and the cosmopolitan martini was fantastic! Kudos!). Present was Sandi, Andru, Hendra, Lia, Christina, Daniel B., Eva, Nick (special guest from Asia 21 Australia) and the new kid on the Asia 21 block...Diono Nurjadin.

So..here we go..

Asia 21 Indonesia Chapter

Board:
Chairman: Sandi Uno (B06/Fellow 2008)
Co-Chairman: Andru Subowo (Fellow 2006)
Treasury: Daniel Budiman (B06) & Christina Lim (B06)
Secretary: Daniel M (B07)
Network Relations: Veronica Colondam (B06/Fellow 2007)
Communications: Lia Sunarjo (B06) & Meutya Hafidz (B06)

Members: all delegates and fellows

Advisors: all Asia Society International Committee

The Task:
1.Select a group of national young leaders from all sectors who would meet regularly to discuss challenges facing the country and the region, and develop specific public service projects to address these challenges
2.Interface with the Asia Society and the Asia 21 Initiative globally
3.Select and raise funds for a delegation to be sent to the Asia Fall Summit, in collaboration with Asia Society New York headquarters (ASNY)
4.Identify potential partners for satellite Asia 21 chapter, including Asia 21 fellows and other Summit delegates
5.Develop action plan and submit for review to ASNY
6.Develop selection process
7.Identify and solicit local partners
8.Host local meeting and develop communications network
9.Coordinate with Asia Society on Annual Asia 21 Summit

Good luck to us all..hopefully we can create a more inclusive world!!

kawaiiiiiii....

influenced by the japs, i guess...arigato Johan..for bringing the "kawaiiii.."ness to Jakarta!..(photo: Lia, Sinta, Eva, Johan and Rashid at Edogin, Hotel Mulia Senayan.."kawaiiii..." "dame! dame!" "nani??" "gome"...=)

so cute...

not the humans!!..but the baby burger at HotShot's! it's a plate of 4 baby burgers and you can choose whatever burger you like! this is great for confused - indecisive people that goes "uuuh, should i order the cheese burger, crispy or turkey...uuuhhh i want all!!!" - nah! this cutey will do...

try it! cute is the new cool!

plus: you don't have to be a baby to be cute and eat these cute yummy babies..."kawaiiiiii....."

Johan and the furniture queen, Dewi Wahab..=)

my picture personality

Temperament
Cosmopolitan
When you wake up in the morning, you set out to impress and to make a lasting impression on those who you encounter. You surround yourself with all the right people and right things - making you a real trendsetter. Others admire and want to be just like you. Second best will not do - it's the best (and only the best) for you. You are attentive to detail in yourself, your surroundings and your social circle.

Interests
Fashionable
Sophisticated, glamorous and experienced. You love everything that is new, fashionable and in vogue. Others admire you, but can't always relate to you since you are a real diamond in the ruff. You like to be two steps ahead of everyone else when it comes to the latest and greatest trends. It could take your counterparts years to adopt your current trends. You just seem to know what's "hot" before everyone else does.

Amusement
Party Animal
If you were looking for one word that defines your personality it would be FUN, FUN, FUN! For you the glass is always half full - your think about life positively and don't dwell on all of the negative possibilities out there. Since you can't do much to change things, you just enjoy the good moments. You have an infectious laugh and a contagious sense of humor that makes for happy times when you are around.

Passion
Physical
You are a cuddle bug - from a warm hug shared with your best friend to steamy sex with your partner, you enjoy every bit of human contact that you can get. You demonstrate your love for others most fluidly through physical one-on-one contact and you feel the most loved when you are being touched. You feel disconnected when you are physically

horror at 13th floor Y&R.

i discover healthy

"Healthy Choice" - it's a restaurant that has a menu designed according to your blood type. After you order, they will then change the generic table mat to a mat that has a description about your blood type. So, if it is me..I'm AB, i can't eat chicken...if I'm on diet, I should eat this and that..for dessert it's bla and bla..it even contains characteristic of people with certain blood type..what exercise to do..what illness you are prone to..it's soooo cool!!

Well, I had a burger suitable for AB. And it was yuuuummmmy!! Try it guys..there's one in Bellagio, and the biggest is in Kemang Raya. Worth it!!! and no guilt afterwards..hahaha...

By the way, this is my new boss, Johan..he's blood type A - he's introverted, intense, inventive, DEMANDING, perfectionist, sensitive, cooperative, creative.