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...:)