Pre and Present Addictions…
Hello Everyone,
As you guys know, or knew and forgot, I had a Nokia E71. But, I found I just needed even more “power.” I’m under a constant barrage of data! But, it’s ok.
So, I decided to sell the E71 to X-Tine (who LOVES Nokia products) and get the Sent-From-God Blackberry Bold. I was a little worried about getting a Blackberry (BB), given that their owners tend to become zombie-like possessed with them. It’s like a crack cocaine addiction for them!
*~ Thus their nickname: Crackberries ~*
Still, I was not to be scared away with a solid-substance tech-drug addiction. I made my Rp. 1.000.000 down payment, and patiently waited for it to arrive. While waiting, I suffered a range of emotions. Like any techie/science lover, I had to monitor my vitals:
Pre-Addiction: Late September
I’ve yet BB Bold (getting it on October 10). But, I can say I have a pre-addiction to the Blackberry!
I was at a bank, waiting in queue. There was a guy sitting cross-legged so casually, thumbing the trackball his BB Curve. His little girl (maybe 8 or 9) was leaning against him, watching what he was doing, with a proud “my daddy’s better than your daddy, because he has a Blackberry” smile on her face.
I
hated
I’m now really looking forward to getting my greedy chubby fingers on that new BB Bold.
I cant wait to be hit by that “new tech toy smell” when I open the box!
*~ Opening Box: Snifff, Ahhhh Yeahhhh ~*
Newbie Confusion: October 10
I finally got word my Blackberry Bold has arrived! I’ve already downloaded various Mac tools for it, as well as a great red and black “theme” for it! I’ve also been reading all the user websites, such as www.CrackBerry.Com ! I’m Ready! *~ Assuming the 2-point American Football Stance ~*
I left work at 11:30 AM to go get it from the store (Yes, I know, an abuse of Managerial Power). After sapping my account for the $, I rushed from the store to my taxi (yes, it was waiting for me) to head to one of my cafe hideouts, to try it out.
I reached into the bag slowly, savoring that final sensation of Christmas-morning-anticipation, and I pulled out the sexy-ass black box that it comes in. And oh yessss, new tech smell! I can smell it in through the sealed box! I open the lid and; it’s beautiful! I also purchased the deep brick red “skin” for it, as well as a black skin. I’m using the red skin mostly. Now….uhhh what the…..
This “phone” is much more than a phone. It’s MUCH more than a smart phone. There are lots of new complexities (PIN, IMEI numbers??? what the F___). Amazing. I’m confused. I? Me? I am the Avatar of Tech! Batman comes to me for tech advice! How can I be confused??? Must I do the unthinkable: read the manual?
*~ Shudder: Manual Reading… ~*
Ok, this is definitely a work horse phone. It’s amazing. The design, texture, the features … Ohhhh. headache!
Hurts, But In A Good Way:
I’ve heard that some women like a little “pain” during certain “activiities.” I do not know if this is true or not, but it’s just what I’ve heard. They say “ya, it’s painful, but in a good way” (Baffling to this mere man, but uhhh cool!).
I now understand it. I’m finding this phone was painful, but I could not resist it.
*~ Ouch! ohhhhh ~*
Crack(berry) Addiction and Assimilation:
It’s all so clear… It’s so so very clear. I see the music, and I hear the colors… I’m becoming a slave to this device. When the little red light blinks (message arrived) I MUST answer it. I cant ignore it. It’s like invasion of the body snatchers!
This device (it’s not just a phone, or PIM or PDA) is GREAT! I can do so much more on it than any previous phone. And, I can do it so much more efficiently! It’s like, Super-phone! I’m on top of every email account, simultaneously, while also Yahoo Messenger, SMS, Blackberry Messenger, etc etc etc, and it’s al soooo simple. It’s like cloud logic!
To be continued… message arrived…..
Running Downhill…
Hello Hello Hello,
It’s been super busy lately, both in my personal life, my photographic life (which partly overlaps into my personal life), and my professional life.
You can read the mundane details below, but for lazy people like me, allow me to just give you the cliff notes version 
- Preparations for my current photo project has made significant leaps!
- My God, I have to give 2 critical presentations within the next month!
- After months of complaining to HR to get me CVs and Resumes, I’m FINALLY am getting quality people to potentially fill several tech support and programmer positions!
*~ If you’re a PHP Programmer, in Jakarta, EMAIL ME! ~*
. - After a battle with my company’s HR department, I was able to give two of my staff decent raises.
- I really really really need to finish my paper, a study of the specific group of individual sex workers (see previous post, “Exploring The Underground World of Sex Workers”)!
Photo Project:
My company’s campus has several buildings. For some meetings, I take a quick, 30 second walk to a neighboring building, then proceed to the 7th floor. From there, I have this incredible view of the area. One such view is of a place that fits perfectly into my current photo project. The area has grown in 3 months from 2 shacks, to a community of shacks, where they sort through, and burn huge amounts of trash.
Since I’m working alone on photo projects (I really need to be more autonomous), I decided to take a 45 minute walk to that area, in shirt and tie (stupid me) to talk to the people there, to gain some form of access/entry. My phone has a dictionary, and I was practicing what to say to their camat (their community leader). Turns out my attempts paid off.
After their initial shock of seeing this huge black guy with an American accent, they seemed quite open. I told them the best I could I just wanted “foto foto aja” (photos only). When the guy was talking, I could only understand 1 out of 7 or 8 words, but it seemed they wanted money! I told them it for my own project, not gov, or magazine or tv or such. I am sure I sounded like I was using baby talk hahahaha.
Daily I take taxis to and from work. I always tell the taxi driver to use roads instead of toll roads, because I love to see the people walking on the street as well as various hidden areas I find photographically interesting. This is how I found site #2 for the photo project! So, I’ve now 2 sites to focus on for this project. Hurray!
I also found renting a car (and driver, because no way I will drive in this city!) will be easy. Some of the places I want to go in the city simply have horrid access to taxis. And, being lazy, I hate walking more than I need to (but, with camera in hand, I can walk all day).
So, the project will begin soon. Wait… Not so soon! why???? Because…….
Case Study for Group of Sex Workers:
Yes, I have been asked to turn this in. I knew it would be due eventually, but I really wish I could have been told of the due date in advance! I was asked literally just a day before it was wanted! Come on! That is not fair. I shot the pics when? Last year? If I was told ‘the paper will be needed in 1 month, or 10 months” then I could have planned my work.
As I was never asked for it, I never kept working on it. Then just last week I was asked to provide it in a day. if knew it would be needed, why not tell me when you found out when you are meeting about it? I could have prepared it, if I was given a firm deadline to have it by. And, when giving deadlines, it cant be a day or two before! It has to be planned, and stated during the project’s Analysis phase. But anyway, It’s a lesson for future projects. It’s not a huge deal, but will be time consuming, given my work presentations, plus my regular workload. :p
So, I gave what I had, the base outline that was posted on the previous blog post (which did go into detail, but not as much as the formal paper, with citations and secondary sources) and I gave the photographs. I also stated I would finish the paper next week at the latest (which is when presentation #1 is due….. Oct 14 cryyyy).
Ok, enough for now. Hope you are not as busy as me! But damn it, these presentations put off my photo project, AGAIN! I’m really thinking of that NGO photographer/writer offer that is avail in 2009… While this job is great pay, it’s cutting into my photography time big time! This is something I cannot allow for a long period of time.
At the moment I feel like I’m running downhill; at first, I’m in control of the decent, but momentum and gravity are pulling on my body mass until its a mad run, and just keeping from tripping over my own two feet! hahahahaha
What Makes Crazy People Crazy???
The Setting: Starbucks Sarinah, which is 95% empty
I’m writing this blog post in my head. Why in my head, instead of on my laptop? Because my crazy-ass stalker is sitting next to me. Why is she sitting next to me? I’ve no idea, except to bug me.
“Are you alright? How do you feel? Did you get my calls or SMS? You did not reply…”
*~ Well of course I did not reply! You’re a stalker! OMG! ~*
I think stalkers have stalker-periods. Just as women have monthly periods, stalkers have monthly or bi-monthly periods, where they come to their victims, bleed all over them, and give their victims cramps!
My stalker is especially tenacious, using every excuse in the book to make contact. First, it was contact out of ‘concern’ for my health. Second, it was contact about religious advice, with a side-dish of dieting wisdom, and reprimand-for-telling-people-cafes-are-fun desert. Third, she now wanted to meet because Dumbledore, the laptop I sold her a year ago, has a non-functional trackpad after she installed a mouse. Forth, and lastly, she wanted to meet because she wanted me to join her in Tangerang for a photo project (like I’m going to stay in a hotel with her? “F” that!). But, no matter what she says or does, I only become more adament to stay the hell away from her. I’m the world’s most stubborn man.
*~ I AM the world’s most stubborn man! I even have a plaque stating it! ~*
Off-tangent Item:
There seems to be some celebrity here! There are three photographers here shooting photos of some woman and her gentleman friend. I’m assuming the woman is the celeb, as I am sure I’ve seen her “somewhere” before, I just can’t place where. I’m sure on TV though. I can say she seems genuinely a kind soul, and is very accommodating to the photographers.
Back to Reality… Oh ya, Luxifer is sitting next to me…
Yesterday, she sent food items to my house, even though she knows knows knows I do not want anything from her! I gave them to the house-boy, because I simply cannot accept anything from her. I felt that was better than just throwing it into the trash (It’s bad to waste food).
Part of me is fully aware she “cares” in her own demented, warped way, but it does not justify terrorizing people. She’s like bi-polar! One min she spewing out talk of how I am a evil man, because I do not listen to God (why? because all she says is directly from God, and so if I do not listen to her then I am, by the transverse property of mathematics, not listening to God). Then she “switches” and talks of “why do I avoid her?” as if she has NO CLUE why, as if I just woke up and decided to not talk to her for no reason! Then she “switches” again with anger and speaking in “tongues” (Christians in America, especially Baptists know what I mean) and telling me she is a prophet, and her name is no longer Luxi <Lastname>. But, now her name is Maria-name-name-name-name-Luxi <Lastname>. *~ That scared the shit out of me! ~*
OMG, now she trying to put her arm around me? *~ GET THE FUCK OFF ME! ~*
No, I did not “say” that, but my Grrrrr seemed to convey the meaning. Now we know what is next….. the “I’m sorry” My God. Now comes “The Tangerang office needs the sex worker photos, this is business Kak Rod…” I told her “Send me their address; I will mail the CD.”
BTW, I am told “Kak” means “Sister” not “Brother” Is this true? Then why the fuck does she keep calling me Kak Rod? My skin crawls everytime I hear her call me that. I want to get up and go, but the free wifi is just too damn adhesive.
She wants to use more of that horrid “Anointing Oil” to bless me. I respectfully decline. I should say, all of my replies (the very very few I do give) are very tactful, 5-word-or-less “no thanks” or “sorry, I’m not interested.” replies. I don’t want to feed the beast!
She rubs the oil in the palm of her hand, and is about to leave. She’s making several phone calls to whoever. She wants to shake hands as if “no hard feelings.” She really does think she is the smartest person on the Planet Earth, and all others are just idiots: She wants to contaminate me with an Anointing Oil handshake?
Actually there is so so so so so much to tell, but this is enough. My mind is getting full with this text, esp while reading of how O.J. is finally going to jail.
*~ What a combo: OJ and Luxifer, hahaha ~*
A question to the universe: How to get rid of stalkers? Some friends say “move!” others say “change your number!” Both of these ideas are quite disturbing actually. Some may say only do those if the stalker is violent. Well, my stalker IS violent.
*~ One day, maybe (but most likely not) I will tell you of her physical attack at my house, and prior to that, her throwing a full bottle of Jungle Juice at me, then pushing her elderly mom when the mom and sis were screaming “KikI, Stop It!”! ~*
In the past, I would reply her SMS and emails, in some hope of explaining to her that just because someone is not doing what “she” wants, does not mean they are acting childish. Oh, if you are not willing to talk to her, you are childish. Well, I say if a person is disrespectful to you, you then have the right to choose to not associate with that person. But, my attempts are quite insane, in a way. Why? Because I’ve tried explaining “over and over and over” how I feel and think, and only getting the same result, while hoping to get a new result.
That is the very definition of insanity: doing things in same way, while expecting a different outcome. So, I am taking a new approach to get that new result: I do not reply any communication. I do not reply any emails. Items she brings to my house are given to the houseboys to do with as they want. The ONLY thing I give is the photos, which I did shoot for the city of Tangerang, thus I respectfully give that CD of photos. The entire time she was here (maybe 20min now? I lost count) I’ve said only couple sentences to her. No matter how many time she put her scaly arm around me, or try to touch my arm, I simply move away slightly to show it is not welcome, and I just turn the music up higher.
Ah, she’s going to church. Wonderful. Amen, and God Bless! Go to Heaven! (pretty please?!?)
The Starbucks girls just brought me a free Oatmeal Raisin cookie. I guess she saw I needed it. As they were staring and watching this entire infiltration into my personal space *~ LOL ~*
Take care