This is soo me, ahahah. When I decide that no more staring at the computer screen for the day, somehow back home I automatically turn on the laptop. Sometimes with no reason. These guys at Phd Comics are scarily true everytime

What is Earth Hour by the way? Earth Hour is an event initiated by WWF in 2007, in the spirit of raising the awareness towards the need to take action on climate change.

How does it work? It is encouraged for all households and businesses to turn off non-essential lights and also electrical appliances for an hour, from 8.30 to 9.30 PM, on Saturday, March 28.

What significance will the event make? Energy saving for one thing. It was reported that during the Earth Hour last year, Bangkok decreased electricity usage by 73.34 megawatts, which, over one hour, is equivalent to 41.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide (Wikipedia, Earth Hour).

How is it related to the climate change? The carbon emissions will certainly decrease during that 1 hour. The general consensus is, carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas which contributes to the climate change.

So, if I go dark for an hour will I save the earth? You will save money, that’s for sure. As to really saving the earth; it is just a small contribution to energy saving, which theoretically will reduce the amount of carbon emissions into the atmosphere, compare to the same duration of time, during the same time of day, on any other day. Will it actually delay or (even better) stop the climate change from occurring? I personally think it won’t do as far. What you will make out of the Earth Hour is you will be joining millions other people from around the globe to support energy conservation which will hopefully radiate a habit of energy saving.

It is obvious that the way we exploit the current energy source is way excessive and simultaneously polluting the earth. There’s just have to be a change in our habit in treating the energy and a change in the technology producing the energy. Earth Hour for me is also sending a message that fossils based energy should be ended soon because it’s just out of date. Green energy using solar, wind, hydro-power, bio-fuel and geothermal are the way to go. Let the fossils based energy be the thing from the past, just like fossil should. Oil and Gas companies should and must create R&D centers for the development of green energy because that is the future of energy. Prepare to become out of business if you don’t start now. I bet you that.

Earth Hour is indeed a symbolic event and over rated if it’s to stop the climate change. It may not solve the problem or may not even buying time. But it will sure convey a message. That something can be done in an hour. That nothing we do even just for 1 hour is insignificant. It’s the spirit that counts. So, come on people, join the Earth Hour and spread the message. But obviously don’t stop at that. You guys are too smart to think that 1 hour can save the earth. Find your own way to proliferate the climate change and sustainable energy issues and just keep doing that.

I just signed up for the Earth Hour at www.earthhour.org and feel good about it. Let the dark be our friend for once

Menyambung dari posting sebelumnya tentang ‘keeping the faith’. Sepertinya susah juga ya untuk menjaga hal yang satu ini. Kadang sewaktu kita masih kecil dan masih dipengaruhi sama dongeng-dongeng pengantar tidur yang membuai dan menenteramkan (hamper sama efeknya seperti sinetron-sinetron masa kini yang menjual mimpi-mimpi nomor wahid), kita punya mimpi dan keyakinan bahwa kita akan mencapai semua keinginan itu saat dewasa nanti. It’s just a matter of time, kata banyak orang. Tapi setelah kita beranjak dewasa, saat dimana pikiran, jiwa raga, sudah dikotori oleh kepahitan hidup, kenyataan yang menonjok dan sedikit banyak rasa pesimis, keyakinan untuk menetaskan mimpi dan cita-cita yang sudah kita yakini dan kita jadikan panutan hidup sejak kecil lambat laun menipis jejaknya. Sampai mungkin pada suatu titik dimana keyakinan akan mimpi dan cita-cita itu sudah berganti dengan kepasrahan. Kepasrahan akan situasi dan kondisi nyata yang ada sekarang. Kepasrahan bahwa yang ada sekarang juga sudah bagus, sudah membahagiakan, sudah cukup. Mimpi dan cita-cita masa lalu cuma kenangan manis, yang sudah pantas untuk dilupakan. Is that so?

Jadi ingat, tadi malam baru nonton siaran ulang American Idol musim terbaru. Lil Rounds, salah satu finalisnya, bilang begini: “The day you let go of your dreams is the day you let go of your life”. Lil Rounds sudah berkeluarga, punya 3 anak yang masih kecil, tapi dia masih ingin mewujudkan mimpinya untuk menjadi penyanyi terkenal. I always respect those who are determined, and not letting go of their dreams, even when they are already settling down with a nice family. It shows that nothing can separate you from the dreams you have. Mungkin dengan sedikit perubahan dan penyesuaian disana-sini, tapi intinya mimpi dan cita-cita itu masih bisa diwujudkan. Sudah terlalu banyak cerita dari orang-orang yang akhirnya berhasil mencapai apa yang mereka inginkan sejak lama, walaupun butuh waktu yang sangat lama. It’s just a matter of time.

Ada tontonan kesenangan baru sekarang. Setelah bosan nonton Friends berulang-ulang kali (ahaha, just kidding there never will i be tired watching old episodes of Friends), akhir-akhir ini gue duduk setia di depan TV hampir setiap malam jam 10 buat nonton How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM – kepanjangan, jadi disingkat aja). Cerita HIMYM juga gak jauh-jauh dari pertemanan, percintaan, kelucuan, kebodohan; seperti Friends. Settingnya juga di New York, tempat tongkrongannya kalau gak di apartemen, di bar di bawah apartemen tempat 3 orang karakternya tinggal. Bedanya dengan Friends, HIMYM diceritakan melalui narasi Ted Mosby, the main character out of 5 others, on his journey to find the love of his life.

The story started in 2005, when the characters were all in their mid 20’s. Ted lives with his best buddy from college, Marshall. Marshall’s long-time girlfriend, and the only girlfriend he ever had, Lily, also lives there. Ted is an architect, and also a helpless romantic guy.  He felt that time’s running out to find his soul mate when Marshall got married with Lily. He always feels that Robyn, another main character, is the love of his life. But, let’s say, they have a complicated relationship. Barney (Neil Patrick-Harris), is a womanizer. He thinks he knows everything about women. He’s happy when Ted becomes single because then they can be a tag team in getting girls in the bar.

Anyway, I like the story line. And can relate to Ted’s journey. Hehe.

Satu: Tesis selesai

Dua: At least a paper is published

Tiga: Have more side income

Empat: Gather enough money for the after graduation trip (amen!)

Lima: Liburan ke Indonesia (atau Jepang, atau dua-duanya)

Enam: Explore Korea more (go to Buryeong mud festival, Nami Island in winter, Jinhae in the spring, DMZ trip, temple stay, Gyeongju in autumn)

Tujuh: Better in Korean (join the Korean class in Changwon)

Delapan: Better social life (weekends are for hang outs, not lab works. ahahaha, i wish)

(order is according to priority, not bound to change but bound to expand)

I think they are achievable. Reasonable sized goals. Quite rational (need a self assuring here, hehe). Wish me luck

Air ‘terjun’ di kolam depan kampus gak mengalir lagi. Udah beku sekarang. Dingin. Hehehe. Nomu chuoyo.

No, it’s not an adventure, it’s a mistake.

Ok, yes, it’s a mistake. I know it’s a mistake. But there are certain things in life when you know it’s a mistake, but you don’t know it’s a mistake because to really know it’s a mistake is to make the mistake and look back and say, yup, that was a mistake. So, really, the bigger mistake would be not to make the mistake, because you’d go your whole life not really knowing if something was a mistake or not… Does any of these makes sense to you?

I don’t know, you say mistake a lot.

Here’s the thing about mistake. Sometimes, even if you know something was a mistake, you gotta make it anyway.

(From the episode Milk – How I Met Your Mother)