Snowballing

Hatred is having a snowballing effect nowadays....It depends on us whether to be inside the snow or watch it hitting the wall.

Journal PDJ - 11.10.09

It's a sunny Sunday, which makes Maroon 5's song its direct opponent, let alone the Gloomy Sunday. New Yorkers are starting to get up from their bed for their brunch, and 72nd street is one of the places to go. Inside one of the cafe, people in their casual sporty attire go in and line up for their order, mostly done with eggs. Some people stay outside to have their sunny day jog in the park nearby, preffering to have their late brunch.

Who lived around the area, the upper west side? Some bums I spotted at the 72st/Columbus Ave station. But more often, some chic ladies are visiting the cafe or as its written in their name, an espresso bar. There are some hip youngsters as well. I could have guessed that those youngsters are the highly paid nanny while those chic ladies are their employers...:) Ochi told me that people in the Upper West Side and Upper East Side really paid well their nanny and manny. So these nannies and mannies are able to continue their degree in the college, post baccalaureate.

Speaking of nannies and mannies, I've just received email from Agus, my historian for the project. I was asking the other day about some mixed indo women who went to the Netherlands to study in the early 20's century. He hasn't found any info about mixed indo women, but he gave the information about indigenous women who went to study in Europe (the Netherlands). In addition to that, he mentioned that these women were not the first to go to the Netherlands to study or work. Before them, many have gone to work as a house servant or attending seminary school. They became the nanny for some European counts and aristocrats. I just wonder, what would they do then, to congregate within each other when they're having a day off like those Indonesian female workers congregate in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong on Sunday.

At first, I'm creating Yanneke's character with the mother who went to Europe to study in the beginning of the century. But, reading Agus' description, it would have given more impact if Yanneke's mother is a descendant of a Indonesian female house servant who married to the locales in Europe. And, for the novel, she could mention her trait to Reksodirdjo. It also stressed out the need of creating conflict by giving the realm of Reksodirdjo as he wanted become westernized, while Yanneke is striving to embrace something east.

Where should I find Captain Black tobaccos?
I want to talk about Hemmingway's The Old Man and The Sea...but maybe I leave it for tomorrow since I'm only halfway reading it. I found his character, Santiago, out of respect that we know the name of the old man from the boy, Manolin, is interesting. So does Reksodirdjo in his adulthood.

Damn...I love the Upper West side...:)

Journal PDJ - 10.10.09

As I sit on one of the stools at bay watching the heart of upper west side, 72nd st, in Aroma Espresso Bar, I realize this is going to be my last weekend for this New York trip. Originally, it would have only taken two weeks trip but I extended day by day until it is close a month stay (a total of 4 weeks). I've been to this cafe several times, the one on the 72nd street. It consists a free wi-fi and several communal tables. One drawback is that not many walls offer an electrical outlet. But for me, that doesn't defeat the best Chocolatte Croisant that they have and a walking distace to the historic Strawberry Field, across the late John Lennon's apartment. In fact, it has become my ritual, to take a stroll after a stop over in the cafe.

As for the progress of the novel concept, did I tell you that I'm thinking to have Yanneke and Reksodirdjo married to each other. One out of pity, one out of need to survive. But to stress more on the subjects in the novel, the background subjects, I will give more details regarding this. What people love to experience when reading the novel? It should be the feeling of being in Batavia. How was the wind in Weltevreden? How was the tram system that cut through the heart of Batavia? Tanjung Priok? Meester Cornelis? Lastly, the intricacies of the gossips spoken among the household in Nassau Boulevard and Gondangdia.

Here's are the list possible to be put in the novel:

• The arrival of Yanneke and her family in Tanjung Priok port. How was the tide and current? Was there any blockade for the health inspection? How stiff was the Dutch East Indies policemen in regard to the immigration? What is the look and the structure of the port?
• Inside Hotel des Indes at Weltevreden. How was their ballroom (it will also help the look of the scene in the film) look like? How was the room being organized? Was there any specific suite?
• The social club like Harmonie or Concordia, their requirement, their snobbishness.
• To walk along the main boulevard in Batavia, how did the wind goes? What did they see when Batavian woke up in the morning and peering southward?
• How did you pay for the necessities in Batavia? Your Leisure?
• Decca Park, its detail and what was its activities during the Sunday after the mass from the Cathedral?
• The seaside: Pasar Ikan or Tanjung Priok?
  

The list will go on. Perhaps, I will create a writing dedicated to put more lists regarding the social life in Batavia. As I have stated, the novel will not be finished in one year time. But as long as a definition of the character comes alive to support the film (Hotel des Indes), it will be sufficient for the time being.
In addition, there should be a secret rendezvous for Reksodirdjo and Yanneke somewhere near the seaside.

Hmmm, I will miss New York and its individualism....:)

Journal PDJ - 07.10.09

Nothing much been done to building the grand design of 'Perempuan di Jagamonyet'. A few of scribbling here and there regarding Yanneke's character was tried, and yesterday I was thinking of making Reksodirdjo and Yanneke married to each other at the beginning of Japanese occupation of Java.

The fact that I haven't done much more to the walking of the memory lane when I visited the Bay Area, the region where I spent 11 years there. From my teen to my early 20's. I had a different point of view back then, and the tinkling bell of reminiscing put me in different realm. Yet, the background is almost identical to the experience I've had in the past, only the feeling. I should have elaborated more, but I guess I will write it some other time.

Dennis Lehane's "The Given Day" also gives me a lot of inputs and angles in positioning myself of building "Perempuan di Jagamonyet". In fact, I'm 150+ pages more toward the end of it. If "The Given Day" set in the upheaval after the great war (the first world war), I should set "Perempuan di Jagamonyet" in the turmoil of the time in the Dutch East Indies more. It could be the rise of nationalism, the right to self-govern, either from the mixed European races as well as the indigenous or I have to dig more into the rise of proletar or the farmers, in respect to condition of the country, in the land at that time.

When I planned the film "Hotel des Indes", I was thinking of releasing the book before the release of the film. I guess, the book has a life of its own. I am prone to release the book way after the film. As I said before, the main character could be other than Reksodirdjo, the main character in "Hotel des Indes".

This is my last week in New York, approaching four weeks I stayed in the land of the free, as some people have always said it. On Saturday, I will be attending Pedro Almodovar's session in New York Film Festival. Damn, festival is around but I haven't watched one of the films presented there...:)

Journal PDJ - 28.09.09

It's sunny today as the bright sunshine poured and reflected resplendently over the grass of Bryant Park. It's also a Yom Kippur Day as many stores in New York area are closed. So does one of the best coffee chain that this city offer, Aroma Espresso Bar. I believe the proprietor is Jewish since I've failed to see that they offer pork and its sib in their menu.

Yanneke, my character for PDJ, is also a Jewish descendant, from her mother side. Since, I'm dwelling to develop this character even more, I have to rethink and redraw totally for the character to be able to be the lead in the novel. Before, her father was a real father, but then, it would not give the Yanneke character a bleak past. Therefore, I intended that Herr Schmidt is her step father, a man that her mother marry after her first husband, Yanneke's real father, gone missing. But, I will stress out that both men are Bolsheviks or Anarchist, someone that can put Yanneke and her mother in the slum of European working class quarter.

So, we have the Bolshevik or Anarchist from the male side and the Jewish side for the female side that create Yanneke's early life. It should be noted as well that Yanneke has lost her real father when she was three. By the time, she was five, she had a new father, this Kurt Schmidt, a Bolshevik musician. I will iterate more in the characterization paper as I develop more for Yanneke's character.

All of a sudden, it's windy all over that I have to put my light jacket on. It's not enough. A bit about Bryant Park, beside those Chess Players, there are some tourists who usually have their refreshment drinks with the baggage beside them. However, there is one old lady, whom on the first day I came here, I thought that she was one of the tourist in waiting since there was her big luggage beside her. Her look and her attire are considered to be normal. Yet, as I come here often, this lady is always here with the same attire and luggage. I presumed that she is one of the park's bum. She just passed by in front of me.

Journal PDJ - 27.09.09 (a Gloomy Sunday)

Simply, there is no progress regarding writing characterization. Hamid's character is complete, while I have to doodling around for Yanneke's character. Yesterday, with the intention to dig more about Yanneke, I spent my time strolling at the Central Park from the 72nd St. Indeed, it was near the Strawberry Field.

One thing for sure, I have to pull Yanneke's character into the surface, becoming the main lead for the novel. She has to be an Aries, born on April 21st. Lastly, I have to find her real ambition by going to the Dutch East Indies with her mama and her Bolshevik musician step daddy.

Today, nothing from the sun. It has been raining since last night. As I look up from the see-through roof top window, I can see the splatter of the rainfall against the glass. It was a drizzle a minute ago, but gaining more quantity. What a gloomy Sunday.

I'm starved....:)

Journal PDJ - 24.09.09

Breakfast at the same place with the everyone else whom I don't even know their name but I can see what they wear and use. Ochi texted me a while ago, I replied with a simple message "at the office". By now, she used to having me gone already when she wakes up in the morning. The turf grass is now full but I haven't seen anyone stepping on it, let alone laying themselves down on it.

Back to PDJ, I still haven't finished Hamid's background story. I believe, since Hamid is going to be the narrator in the novel, I have to stress his character a little bit, setting up his goal etc. Despite his goal is not going to be solved at the end of the novel or the film (Hotel des Indes - HDI), I would have to put into a thinking that the main character of the novel is not Reksodirdjo who was a bit passive when I re-read his background story. Simply, Reksodirdjo's character is the character who is unsure with his own being, perhaps a representation of us all in Indonesia.

Indeed, the action evolves around Reksodirdjo but he utilizes those moment like he is a one directional pawn. The reader could have disowned him right away, throwing away the sympathy for him. Therefore, Reksodirdjo in PDJ cannot be the main character. So, who would I choose to lead the story, if Hamid is the narrator of the event? I would go for Yanneke to play role, how will she fit into the story.

However, Reksodirdjo in HDI leads the story because of the background he'd experienced in the novel PDJ. He would not be himself in HDI if the incident has never occured in his life.

It's hot in New York today. I'm not wearing any jacket but still get the perspiration all over. This is what we call an Indian Summer....no, we are in the Fall season now.

As of noon in New York, I just finished a background story for Hamid's characterization.

Journal PDJ - 23.09.09

It's a cloudy Manhattan morning. In front of me, the workers are already put half of the grass turf back on the middle part of Bryant Park. Yes, it was for the last week NY Fashion Week's tent that they have to sacrifice the turf. Not so much difference route I took from yesterday's morning. The subway was still people's subway no. 5, but the walking route was a bit different. Today, I walked along the William St. and made a turn at the Exchange Place (the street where they installed a big electronic blockade, preventing unwanted vehicle to scram through the NYSE) all the way to the Broadway. Yesterday, it was a right turn at the Broad Street, passing a massive United States flag on the NYSE building before turning left to the famous Wall Street.

Yesterday's writing was mixed with the euphoria of my buddy backhome in Jakarta, Joko Anwar. He promised in his tweets if he ever to get 3000 followers he would go naked in one of the Circle K minimart branch. Several hours after his tweet, his followers were exceeding 12000 followers. So, he had to keep his promise, and he proved to the rest of his followers (15000+ then), an act which most Indonesian politicians seldom or never did. Here's the local media link. It was the Indonesian frenzy that created a hype in the cyberworld, much more than the KPK and President SBY for the G-20 visit in New York. For Joko's action, I saluted him.

Despite the distraction, I was able to finish the characterization of one of the main character, Reksodirdjo Mangoenkoesomo. Today, I'm going to start with the voice of the novel, the character Hamid. But still, I haven't been able to express the grand idea for this novel as my friend asked me over the Yahoo Messenger. It was still a scattered ones. My defense was that I'm going to build each character, and their involvement against the history will speak itself for the grand idea. Still not sure, though.

By the way, someone with full attire of business suit smoking pot not far from my seat, and one guy is bitching about his losing a chess game to his opponent, mentioning about sacrifices. Losing is losing, dude.

Journal PDJ - 22.09.09

Just like yesterday when I started writing more of the characterization for my intended novel "Perempuan di Jagamonyet", I got up early around 7.44 (indicated by my alarm in iPhone) and without taking a shower, cleaning up myself and heading for the subway to the Grand Central from the Ochi's apartment in Financial District. I used express subway no. 4 or no. 5 from the Wall St. Station, a few paces from S. William St.

The sidewalks were already busy with people heading for their daily activities, a hustle and bustle of New York as I may called it. It's like in any movies depicting New York, this time, I experienced it alive and kicking. The subway itself, I can express it with the people's express. At 8 o'clock, the train to Grand Central is 90% packed with variety of people. They were engrossed with their newspapers, reading the latest news; magazines; iPod/iPhone, listening to their music and of course, a new phenomenon called Amazon Kindle.

In Grand Central Station, about 30% of the people inside exit at this station. The Grand Central at this time of hour, until several hours more, is the jungle of Triboro individuals. The shops are already in their daily activity, serving the suburbanites a coffee or pan to be consumed on the way. It's the vein of the city. Without this, New York would never be the same. I guess, I'm the newbie here, New York will always like this.

I think it's gonna be my daily routine for several days ahead, a latte from Starbucks and Chocolate Pan from Zaro, a vendor in the Grand Central. I deviated from my usual, caffe mocha, after I realized that the calorie intake of the caffe mocha is 110 more than the caramel machiato. I'd always think the other way around. Damn! No wonder, I picked the leftover in my bulging stomach nowadays.

Well, my morning intakes are my company for my hideaway in Bryant Park, a free wi-fi park behind the famous Public New York Library. The biggest green in the park is being tended at the moment because of the activities done in the past week to it. Some says, it was for the New York Fashion Week. I haven't confirmed it on the net, I guess I'm just lazy to browse this information...:)

Since I'm here, I will let myself engross with continuing of the writing of "Perempuan di Jagamonyet", leaving the chatting noise of someone playing a game chess, must be a regular, in front of me.

'til tomorrow.

Bryant Park, New York - 22.09.09

Once There Was a Tower, Now is Goodbye Virgin

Kalau ada kata-kata Virgin di judul tulisan ini, bukanlah untuk resensi film Virgin 2 nya Nayato. Ini adalah kenyataan yang terjadi di belahan dunia sebelah sana, dengan salah satu Virgin Megastore yang dulu saham penuhnya dipegang oleh sang penciptanya, jutawan Richard Branson.

Pagi tadi saya mendapat SMS dari Ochi, adik saya yang beberapa tahun terakhir ini tinggal di New York City. Isi SMS tersebut memberitakan kalau Virgin Megastore di New York akan tutup pertengahan bulan ini dan mereka melakukan obral besar-besaran sampai 40%. Buat yang suka mengkoleksi DVD, blu-ray, CD atau apapun yang selalu di jual di toko multi entertainment multi ada tersebut adalah sebuah kesempatan. Adik saya dan suaminya beli 6 blu-ray dan beberapa game PS3 cukup dengan mengeluarkan $150. Tapi bagi saya, koleksi kenangan membeli CD dan sebagainya di toko seperti Virgin Megastore seperti tidak terbayarkan.

Dulu kita kenal dengan apa yang namanya Tower Record hampir di seluruh kota di dunia (sayang Jakarta tidak sempat ada). Kalau ada yang bepergian ke kota tertentu, menitipkan untuk membeli CD di Tower Record setempat tidak terlewatkan. Pertengahan 90an, hadir Virgin Megastore yang merebak di pusat jantung kota-kota besar di dunia. Kalau di Los Angeles kita bisa melihat Tower Record di Sunset Blvd, Virgin Megastores di kota itu hadir tepat di tengah kota. Serunya, Virgin Megastores memberikan peluang pembeli untuk mendengar langsung isi dari CD yang mereka akan atau berpikir untuk beli. (Buat orang Indonesia di era pra-Bob Geldof's Complaint sudah biasa dengan mendengar kaset sebelum membeli). Balik lagi, ini sebuah persaingan outlet. Pembeli seperti disuguhi pilihan outlet untuk memenuhi kebutuhan piranti lunak entertainment mereka.

Pada Juni 2006, terakhir kalinya saya belanja di Tower Record di Broadway dekat dengan St. Marks Place, New York. Pada saat itu juga adalah bulan-bulan terakhir eksistensi Tower Record karena pada bulan Oktober 2006, mereka melakukan likuidasi besar-besaran dan tutup secara resmi pada bulan Desember 2006. Di situs ini, http://nymag.com/listings/stores/tower_records03/, kita masih bisa menemukan lokasi toko ini dengan catatan kalau 'the venue is closed'. Kali ini, Virgin Megastores juga akan mengalami nasib yang sama. (Catatan: Tower Records di Picadilly, London, dibeli oleh Virgin Megastores pada tahun 2003 sebelum tutup pada tahun 2007).

Kalau yang berencana ke daerah 42nd Street, New York, dua bulan dari sekarang. Kalian mungkin tidak akan melihat satu toko yang telah, secara perlahan, menjadi icon daerah tersebut dalam 10 tahun terakhir. The Devil Wears Prada, The Sex and The City, dan masih banyak film box-office lainnya, telah menampilkan 'backdrop' dari Virgin Megastores di beberapa scene mereka. Sekarang, bagian dari scene-scene tersebut telah menjadi relic seperti the stadiun New York Yankees, the Old Comiskey Park atau mungkin gedung kembar WTC.

Telah menjadi keasikan tersendiri, ketika kita pergi ke toko-toko tersebut, mengobrak-ngabrik koleksi yang kita cari, ataupun mendengar selentingan musik dari album-album terbaru, belum tentu fenomena ini bisa dirasakan oleh kita dalam 5 tahun mendatang. Ini tidak terlepas dari bergeraknya fasilitas ekonomi baru yang melanda dunia, tidak hanya Amerika Serikat. Mudahnya dan cepatnya akses internet telah membuat gaya hidup kita berbeda. Kalau dulu, yang pernah tinggal di Amerika tahun 80an & 90an, pernah merasakan adanya katalog toko-toko tertentu (J-Crew, Sears, Victoria Secrets, dll) untuk menjawab kemudahan kita untuk berbelanja tanpa harus bepergian, 10 tahun terakhir kita dibuai dengan segala bentuk toko-toko online. 10 tahun yang lalu, buku atau CD kita bisa beli lewat internet. Kali ini album cukup diunduh (download) lewat toko seperti iTunes store atau amazon.com.

Gaya hidup kita semakin didikte dengan buaian-buaian seperti ini. Kapan terakhir kalinya orang yang kamu kenal membeli CD. Semua yang di Jakarta pada umumnya memilih untuk memiliki langsung mp3, lewat situs bajakan di Rusia ataupun lewat iPod kawan dekat. Kindle juga menjadi fenomena baru ketika amazon.com meluncurkan buku-buku teks sekolah dalam format kindle. Semua menjadi paperless. Beberapa koran yang cukup tua di Amerika memberhentikan publikasi mereka ketika mereka memilih untuk menjadi koran online. Tidaklah heran, dengan pergerakan teknologi menjadi 1 dan 0, retail-retail seperti Tower Records, Virgin Megastores, HMV menjadi ngos-ngosan untuk menjaga 'overhead' mereka, lebih-lebih mereka menawarkan produk yang bisa dibilang akan menjadi usang dalam 5 tahun mendatang.

Sedikit lagi semua akan tinggal jadi kenangan. Siapa tau tas-tas kantong kresek plastik dari toko-toko seperti Tower Records, Virgin Megastores suatu saat bisa menjadi sesuatu yang menarik dijual di ebay atau menjadi property film-film yang bercerita tahun 80an & 90an. Sekarang, kesempatan untuk beli barang yang di 'bargain' di Virgin Megastores dengan tidak lupa untuk mengambil beberapa memento seperti kantong kresek, karena tahun 2006 terlewatkan untuk mengkoleksi yang dari Tower Records.