Happy Eid Mubarak 1427 H

makes poverty history

Whenever I read word of ‘poverty’, I always thinking about my country especially people who lives in the outer island of Java. When I knew about this event: International Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty on Oct.17, I also start to think and imagine what kind of ‘real action’ to eradicate poverty. There were so many programs and policies designed and implemented, but only few of them has been socialized and evaluated in serious way. In Indonesia, poor people are – definitely – becomes subject of politics only. Nothing more.

In my opinion, let’s start thinking and planning poverty eradication program in local basis approach. We should never ever try to think about national – top down policies again. Instead, try to find any ‘hidden capital’ in local community to empower the economic activities and then try to find out what “poverty” actually mean for people. “Local wisdom” on poverty are actually exist quite long time ago in old ancient Indonesia. However, these kinds of local capital were being wiped out and replace by simple solution like money transfer or pure charity. That’s why now many people preferred just to receive without wondering how long they have to receive from others.

on my 30th year

Today is my 30th birthday and look what I've got. It's a beautiful watch from my lovely wife. Thank you, dear. I love you so much...

Another enlighten thing is ‘age does matter’. It seems that when you’re entering this number (read: age) everything would never be easy anymore. Maybe that’s one sign of maturity. I hope it’s not only a sign, in fact it’s a start of better future. Amien…

... for Pangandaran

A deep condolence and sympathize with my brothers and sisters in Pangandaran for the losses due to the tsunami...

Another tsunami, another earthquake, additional disaster still comes further. Is it true that nature actually trying to give us a sign?

Lord, please let not our compassion fatigue become reality. Give us strength to surrender our strength to your will with love and pure heart.

Summary (part 2)

Now, this story is about the preparation for returning back home to Indonesia. After my thesis defense, I confirmed return ticket to Indonesia on June 6^th. Since this time is my return home for good, packing and cleaning the room is the main problem. For reading materials and class notes, I had sent them by post and it cost NOK 1,800. Quite expensive, but I do not care since I have no time to look for another way of sending them. Another thing is my books, it take two days for me to finalized how I can pack all of those books in my luggage combined with clothes and the rest (Note: there was excess luggage 8 kg for them that I found during check in at the Gardemoen airport. Gosh!).

Lastly, I want to say goodbye personally to everyone and friends during my stay in Norway. However, I feel so sad that I couldn’t manage to meet all of them.

Well, I manage to have my last badminton game with Vidar and Daniel. Both of them are my first Norwegian friends in GG Hallen and since then become my playing partner in Badminton. Takk for spilleren!


I manage to say goodbye with my very good friend from Nepal, Dadhi and Baikuntha. I manage to say goodbye in very short time with Torill (thank you for the “Sophie’s World” book gift and visit me in very last moment).


And, on the last hours, I manage to say goodbye and having “last lunch together” with my supervisor, Arild Angelsen, and several staff of the Department of Economics and Resource Management at UMB. I feel so bad that I couldn’t manage to say goodbye personally to my flat mate Thomas. Thank you for my other flat mate, Nils, who had drive me to the airport bus station with his car. It was really helpful.

Well, I am grateful that I have a really nice moment during my stay in Norway. I met a lot of good friends and great persons. You may see some of my picture from my first year of study in Norway here. It’s been a great experience also to learn about Norwegian culture and language. I really loved the Norwegian people way to behave in such ways of well-control and discipline. I also loved the Norwegian teachers behave in a really friendly ways. It was also lovely to know international community during my study in Norway.
Especially, I learn a lot about my brothers and sisters from Africa and South Asia. If I heard about their story about their countries conditions, I always grateful that Indonesia is having so much better (if you don’t want to say lucky) condition. In short, I only want to say that I learn a lot indeed.

Tusen takk Norge!

Indonesia: Ring of Fire?

“Indonesia is on the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin”.

The above statement seems to be simply the words of press. It’s a jargon or perhaps a logo for a country called Indonesia. In academic field, perhaps in geology or geography, those words will attract some study or even big field research where some scientists or experts might involved.

I am not a geologist or geographer. I am just a citizen who realizes – based on the statement – that I lived above the ground that have great potential danger. However, I never being thought – at any educational occasion – about how to deal or even face directly with such danger, if they shown in immediate time.

Summary (part 1)

This is summary of everything happened in last few weeks:

Finally, I presented and defended my thesis on Thursday June 1^st 2006, in front of my supervisor and one external examiner. It was take place for more or less one hour, started at 12.30 in the afternoon. After presentation for about 15 minutes (from 12 minutes that allocated), I received a lot of questions from the external examiner and two or three questions from my supervisor. Several important points that I had chance to make note on the questions I presented below:

1. The main problem is on the understanding the statistical model used. In my study case, interpreting and presenting the results of logit regression model in a proper ways.
2. What is the practical implication of my study?
3. Expectedly, there is strong correlation between population density variable and regional variable, especially Java island variable. This issue was not yet clearly anticipated and controlled.
4. Regarding unit of analysis: observably, there are more than one individual in one household that being analyzed. Thus, there is a big possibility of correlation among household member which not yet clearly anticipated and controlled in my regression model.

I had answered the above questions/problems as:

1. Given the study that I did in my thesis, it was only an initial for further study in farm household theory. To continue improving the method and techniques, I need to learn more about another regression model or improvement of given model used by past studies.
2. Regarding practical implication, I believe that my study have a general implication on the development of rural (farm) household potential in Indonesia. It is expected that by understanding the behavior of labor market in rural area in Indonesia will gives us hints for promoting any policies to improve economic condition in those area. Specifically, this study was not yet supplied or analyzed particular policies in Indonesia.
3. I already suspected that the correlation between population density and Java island variable was exists. However, I still apply the two variables to represent impact of supply of labor (population density) and regional differences (by region/island). Due to time constraint, it is expected that those condition could be improve in future studies.
4. About unit of analysis, my observation with the data found that there is a condition where each farm household have numerous member where they have activities not only in farm/agriculture but also non-farm/non-agriculture. Previous studies mostly used household head or farm operator and their spouse as unit of analysis, ignoring other household member. However, for Indonesia case that would not be able to capture the real situation of labor allocation within household in Indonesia. That is my main argument for using individual level as unit of analysis. Regarding the correlation among household members, definitely I need to control them. However, I could not found any literature with clear explanation of such condition particularly for topic off-farm work participation. Further improvement need to be done in the future.

Despite of all questions arise during the defense, my own note regarding my thesis is as follow:

1. The data that I utilized, IFLS, has not yet being used optimally. The data contains plentiful information, but it is quite difficult to understand and to prepare the raw data to be able to use directly for analysis. Another self-study or training might be very beneficial to explore the benefit of IFLS data.
2. The farm household model itself also still needs to explore further. From what I have found so far from various journals, the model has much potential to be used for different purposes. So, it is really beneficial to master this model indeed.

 

After the defense, I got a call from my best friend Paksi and he congratz me in here. Thank you very much, Bos! Looking forward to see you very soon. Well, that is all for now…

Bulan separuh hinggap di malam tak begitu gelap
Siluet dedaun berayun ditiup oleh angin dingin
Sendiri sunyi sepi menghuni nurani

Rindu ini belum terbalas tapi sensasi pilu telah menerjang
Dibawa separuh bulan yang hilang
Dibalik gelap siluet dedaun yang berayun
Ditiup angin hari nan dingin

Lagu mendayu mengiring detik waktu
yang asyik menghitung masa
tapi melupa getaran hati yang tak tentu
diterpa nelangsa dikecup nestapa
apalagi jika sudah tak dipercaya

Bagai matahari panjang di belahan utara
Namun dingin kutub datang tetap jadi raja
Hangat di permukaan sekejap saja
Lalu membeku upaya segala selamanya

malam ini menipu rasa
matahari masih menahan baranya
dilangit yang memerah jingga
tapi dingin dihembus ke dalam jiwa

matahari juga menipu cuaca
bersama awan seolah ceria
berlari-lari di sudut angkasa
namun tak terjangkau hasrat di sana

angin menyusup dari celah jendela
gigil sekujur kasih tak pernah bisa dipercaya
kau tetap gigih berkata-kata
bahwa aku lahir sejak pagi selalu mendusta
sehingga bahkan segala upaya
tak kan pernah bisa disapa berguna

maka
harus ditempatkan dimana?
malam yang menipu rasa
dan matahari yang juga menipu cuaca

hanya kau yang terutama
buah pikir dan kecerdasanmu segala
secara ini hati ku bukan mulia
kedunguan sempurna aku si manusia

jangan mencoba menjawabnya
seperti ketika kau tetap gigih berkata-kata
aku tiada akan berdaya apa

...sorry

“Yang namanya mahasiswa telanjur dianggap cendekia. Keistimewaan mereka diduga berada pada kekuatan nalar dan kecerdasan intelektual. Sementara warga republik lain kembang kempis menanggung krisis ekonomi, mereka menikmati kemewahan bertahun-tahun mengolah ilmu di tempat terhormat yang tertutup bagi mayoritas warga negara seusia.”

Gosh! This article has alerted me very strong. I am also
a college student (baca: mahasiswa)… and I feel sorry.

for Yogya...

A deep condolence and sympathize with my brothers and sisters in Yogyakarta for the losses due to the earthquake...

tentang maaf

Coba bacalah dengan seksama artikel di sini. Menarik sekali menemukan bahwa ternyata tutur bahasa Indonesia penuh dengan topeng seperti halnya individu-individu yang menggunakan bahasa tersebut. Makna dari penggunaan kata maaf pilihanku adalah sebagai berikut:

16. ’kalau mau urusan lancar…’ seperti dalam "Maaf. Pengertian dong. Uang rokoknya mana?"

Masih belum habis pikir, ternyata ada juga yang memperhatikan hal ini hingga sejauh demikian.

statement of the day

This is my favorite statement from a reading that I've found today:

"There is nothing wrong and much right with letting religious faith be the wellspring of a citizen's public action. At the same time, one whose moral judgements are driven by religious devotion must be ever careful to discern whether God's word or human politics is doing the work. For there is a vast difference between a political inspiration that is fired by one's deepest religious beliefs and a claim of religious belief that is fired by a pre-existing political commitment. It is the job of the religiously devout citizen to understand and preserve this distinction, one that unfortunately is blurred, and perhaps disbelieved, by our political rhetoric, as well as by our mass media."
The Culture of Disbelief (1993) by Stephen Carter

After reading several comments and reviews on this book, it is hard for me not to agree with Carter. I just touch by this book as my 'positive protest' on so many religious-based law that already (or will be) inacted in Indonesia.

To be honest, I am worry... no doubt on that.

I just wanna go home

(video klip click here)

by Michael Buble
Album: It's Time (2005)

Another summer day
Has come and gone away
In Paris and Rome
But I wanna go home
Mmmmmmmm

Maybe surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel alone
I just wanna go home
Oh I miss you, you know

And I’ve been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you
Each one a line or two
“I’m fine baby, how are you?”
Well I would send them but I know that it’s just not enough
My words were cold and flat
And you deserve more than that

Another aeroplane
Another sunny place
I’m lucky I know
But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I’ve got to go home

Let me go home
I’m just too far from where you are
I wanna come home

And I feel just like I’m living someone else’s life
It’s like I just stepped outside
When everything was going right
And I know just why you could not
Come along with me
That this is not your dream
But you always believed in me

Another winter day has come
And gone away
In even Paris and Rome
And I wanna go home
Let me go home

And I’m surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel alone
Oh, let me go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

Let me go home
I’ve had my run
Baby, I’m done
I gotta go home
Let me go home
It will all be all right
I’ll be home tonight
I’m coming back home

*Gosh, I really miss you, my south-moon

a good lesson learn from European song contest

You may be wonder why I posted song lyrics of “Hard Rock Hallelujah” by Lordi in my previous post. Definitely, it was not a tremendous song (not yet perhaps) and Lordi is not (yet again) a well known famous rock band. In fact, yesterday is the first time in my life I heard this song and the band. So, I want to share you the reasons.

It was all start from the Eurovision Song Contest 2006. First of all, I am really not a big fan of any singing contest. Maybe I follow a bit on Idol, especially American Idol (from a biggest “my beloved wife” fan) and Norwegian Idol (salute for Wisnu Witono Adhi). Somehow, I got curious with this Eurovision contest since it was trying to perform different countries’ music and let the European public to vote for. They have a simple rule that they cannot vote for their own country’s performer. Thus, it has a meaning that we must appreciate (by vote) other countries. Such a wonderful rule of contest, I guess. In the year 2006, there are 24 participants. You may find the detail event in here.

Now, the main reason why I interested with this event is because the winner for this year contest is the band whose lyrics I have been posted. Lordi with his band and the song titled “Hard Rock Hallelujah” won the contest in a very unique way. The thing that I love from the band winning is that they are a “rock band”. As most of us know that it is very rare that rock music or band will participate in any song contests with televoting system. Most of the contests will be dominated by pop or ballads songs. Moreover, in such contest they commonly would be dress a very glamorous, sexy, and attracting in fashionable way. So, at the end we mostly will vote for the performer with obvious style and genre of music.

But, Lordi’s band has changed the obviousness. This rock band was really “rock” the Eurovision 2006 (I borrow part of the term from this headline). With their unique monster costumes and mask, as media said as a shock “horror rock” group, they won the vote from 35 European countries participated in the voting. The music, typical rock enough music (not that “hard” or “metal”) with fires on the stage were really gives different customary feeling on what a song contests should be considered. In short, they are really different. One of a kind!! (You can see their performance here)

Although political voting between neighbors’ countries voter may exists, but this year Eurovision – as stated by many commentator – was the best ever. I am absolutely agreed on that. There is a good lesson that I grasp from this year contest: the open-mindedness and heterogeneity. I quote what Lordi said to the press after win:

“This is a victory for rock music, not only for Finland, but also for rock music. And also, it was a victory for open-mindedness. There are a lot of Eurovision fans that belongs to the minority. … We are the minority. But now, suddenly a hot rock band, looking like monster won a Eurovision. … The thing is that from now on Europe and the European people, they actually showed that the times changes and there are more different kind of musical style than just pop or ballads. Those are nice too, but this is also a prove that from now on I hope that there’s a band, more rock band who will have a courage to join in.”

So, are you ready to vote for different kind of music?

Hard Rock Hallelujah

(video klip click here)

Hard Rock Hallelujah!
Hard Rock Hallelujah!

The saints are crippled
On this sinners’ night
Lost are the lambs with no guiding light

The walls come down like thunder
The rocks about to roll
It’s the Arockalypse
Now bare your soul

All we need is lightning
With power and might
Striking down the prophets of false
As the moon is rising
Give us the sign
Now let us rise up in awe

Rock ’n roll angels bring thyn hard rock hallelujah
Demons and angels all in one have arrived
Rock ’n roll angels bring thyn hard rock hallelujah
In God’s creation supernatural high

The true believers
Thou shall be saved
Brothers and sisters keep strong in the faith
On the day of Rockoning
It’s who dares, wins
You will see the jokers soon’ll be the new kings

All we need is lightning
With power and might
Striking down the prophets of false
As the moon is rising
Give us the sign
Now let us rise up in awe

Rock ’n roll angels bring thyn hard rock hallelujah
Demons and angels all in one have arrived
Rock ’n roll angels bring thyn hard rock hallelujah
In God’s creation supernatural high

Wings on my back
I got horns on my head
My fangs are sharp
And my eyes are red
Not quite an angel
Or the one that fell
Now choose to join us or go straight to Hell

Hard Rock Hallelujah!
Hard Rock Hallelujah!
Hard Rock Hallelujah!
Hard Rock Hallelujah!

Rock ’n roll angels bring thyn hard rock hallelujah
Demons and angels all in one have arrived
Rock ’n roll angels bring thyn hard rock hallelujah
In God’s creation supernatural high

Hard Rock Hallelujah!

Music & lyrics: Mr Lordi
Arrangement: Lordi
Performer: Lordi

Grunnlovsdag 17 Mai

Hari ini, Norwegia merayakan hari jadi-nya yang jatuh pada tanggal 17 Mei setiap tahunnya. Di kalender yang aku peroleh dari minimarket Rimi, tertulis "Grunnlovsdag" sebagai nama yang ditulis untuk merayakan hari tersebut, yang berarti Undang-Undang Dasar atau Constitution. Dan hari ini adalah hari libur nasional, di mana seluruh warga mulai dari anak-anak hingga warga imigran turut serta turun ke jalan berparade membawa bendera Norwegia dan bersuka-cita. Pada perayaan tahun ini, aku tidak turut merayakan karena alasan keengganan ditambah hawa dingin yang disertai hujan semenjak pagi. Namun, aku tetap menyaksikan keriuhan perayaan tersebut melalui televisi.



Tahun lalu, aku ikut merayakannya dengan berkumpul di tugu tempat di mana konstitusi Norwegia pertama kali dirumuskan oleh Christian Magnus Falsen (1782-1830). Oh ya, tugu tersebut berada tepat di belakang Tårnbygningen atau dikenal dengan nama Tower Building di kampus UMB. Jadi, dengan sedikit bangga aku mengatakan bahwa para "founding father"-nya Norwegia dahulu berkumpul di Ås dan merumuskan cikal bakal konstitusi Norwegia seperti sekarang ini.

Jadi, Gratulerer grunnlovsdagen og god 17 mai...

At last!!... But not yet finish...

At last!

All the files already burned into CD. Inside the CD, there are data management folder, including log file, do file and data file in Stata format; there are cover template in PDF files both for hardcopy-cover and CD-cover; there are the main thesis file... yes, it is my thesis!, including both MS-Word and PDF format. Why should I made all of those thing? Don't ask me, it was required by the university. According to regulation at UMB, I must submit my thesis print out with special-preserved cover and binding also with CD that include all data and necessary working file related with my thesis.

Therefore, all of them are ready now. Just need to print and binding (within a few hours) and submissioooooon!!!
[Note: the deadline for submission all of those stuff is May 15 2006 15.30pm].

But... Wait a minute!!
But, it's not yet finish!
Not at all!
I must defend it...

So help me God...















PS: I would like to show some important part from my acknowledgement of the thesis. "Specially, I appreciate Diahhadi Setyonaluri, my best friend and wife, for her love and continuous support. She is the one who patiently withstand the pain and stress during my absence while I was in Norway. I love you so much, my dear" (Wisana 2006: p.ii).

pesan tentang 'Kesadaran'

Di tengah tenggat waktu yang sedang aku hadapi, aku bersyukur karena masih ada sedikit ruang untuk merenung sekaligus pembelajaran yang selalu aku temukan di dalam ajaran Sidharta Gautama atau yang lebih dikenal sebagai Buddha. Membaca Dhammapada selalu memberi inspirasi dan mengingatkan pentingnya kesadaran akan diri sendiri.

Check your mind,
Be on your guard,
Pull yourself out,
As an elephant from mud.
— xxiii.8

Terlebih, di tengah dunia yang semakin penuh dengan pengendalian oleh orang-orang yang berkuasa, tirani dan pemegang modal maka perdamaian dan kesejahteraan seperti yang selalu diagung-agungkan oleh berbagai peradaban dunia seakan semakin jauh dari kenyataan. Yang lebih memprihatinkan adalah betapa banyak agama yang telah turut serta - sadar maupun tidak - menjadi alat penguasaan. Pesan tersebut di atas, seakan menjadi relevan untuk diriku agar selalu mawas diri. Karena sangatlah mudah untuk kita terbawa arus 'panas' seperti saat ini. Hanya dengan menyadarkan diri sendiri lah, keseimbangan dan perdamaian hidup masih bisa dijaga.

Sehubungan dengan hal tersebut, hari ini umat Buddha merayakan hari raya Waisak. Aku menemukan dan membaca renungan yang ditulis oleh Biku Dharmavimala berjudul "Berjalan di Atas Bumi" yang telah membuatku ingat akan pesan Sidharta Gautama tentang 'Kesadaran'. Aku selalu menemukan tulisan dan renungan yang ditulis oleh para biku sangatlah religius dan mendamaikan, apabila dibandingkan oleh tokoh agama atau ulama lain di Indonesia. Secara apa yang aku pahami tidaklah cukup hanya diucapkan, maka aku tidak ingin mengumbar kesan apa yang aku pahami dan mengerti seperti khotbah dan pidato para pemimpin agama-agama besar tersebut. Cukup pesan-pesan sederhana ini datang di hari-hari seperti ini dan kubaca dengan seksama agar tetap bisa mengingatkanku akan kesadaran-ku.

Bagi segenap saudara/i umat Buddha, aku menghaturkan selamat merayakan Hari Waisak. Semoga segala kesadaran penuh damai dan cinta kasih akan selalu datang dari seluruh penjuru alam. Salam damai...

PS: Aku mendengar dan membaca kalau Buddha konon lahir di wilayah yang dikenal sebagai Nepal sekarang. Secara Buddha mengajarkan tentang kedamaian dan cinta kasih, namun ternyata di tempat kelahirannya saat ini perdamaian masih jauh dari kenyataan karena kemelut politik dan pemberontakan. Dengan ini, semoga Nepal bisa kembali damai dan membangun negaranya.

untuk para pria

Judul artikel ini Mata Pria yang ditulis oleh Ariel Heryanto.

Silahkan baca, dan seraplah dengan pemahaman anda sendiri. Aku sudah menyerap dan memahami dengan caraku sendiri.

Selamat Jalan Pak Pram!

Ini bukan obituari, melainkan sekedar ungkapan rasa sedih bercampur haru-nostalgi akan berita kepergian seorang sastrawan sekaligus sejarawan terbaik Indonesia. Pramoedya Ananta Toer adalah salah satu penulis yang pertama kali membuat aku tidak mampu melepaskan buku saat aku membacanya.

Gadis Pantai adalah judul buku pertama karya Pak Pram yang aku beli sendiri di pameran buku Senayan. Aku habiskan membacanya dalam waktu 2 jam! Bahkan, setelah itu aku masih ingin membacanya lagi. Belum pernah aku sebegitu semangatnya membaca semua cerpen atau cerita. Tidak juga buku pertamaku, Petualangan Tintin ke Bulan, bisa membuatku seperti saat itu.

Sebelum membeli buku ini, aku hanya tahu dari diskusi-diskusi di kampus FEUI tentang Pak Pram dan kontribusinya bagi dunia sastra dan juga politik di Indonesia. Patut dicatat, sebelum tahun 1997/1998 karya-karya Pak Pram tidaklah dijual secara terbuka. Karena itulah, aku termasuk terlambat dalam mengenal dan membaca karya-karya Pak Pram.

Karya yang paling membuatku 'semadi' total (baca: mengurung diri) di kamarku adalah Tetralogi: Bumi Manusia, Anak Semua Bangsa, Rumah Kaca dan Jejak Langkah. Keempat buku ini aku beli bertahap dalam waktu dua minggu. Setelah keempatnya lengkap, barulah aku membacanya semua satu per satu selama dua hari di akhir pekan. Lagi-lagi aku tersentuh membaca keempat karya legendaris Pak Pram tersebut. Setelah itu, aku kerap menyempatkan membeli dan membaca beberapa karya Pak Pram yang tentunya semua sudah merupakan cetakan terbaru.

Kini, Pak Pram sudah pergi. Indonesia lagi kehilangan seorang tokoh besar. Pun tokoh ini adalah tokoh yang terlupakan dan terbuang oleh negaranya sendiri, padahal dunia mengakui pemikiran dan karya-karya besarnya.

Selamat jalan, Pak Pram! Terima kasih yang tulus dari seorang siswa biasa atas segala ajaran dan pemikiran besar tentang arti hidup dan berbangsa.

Universal - Humanism Law

Just finished reading the touching-quotations below... Need not to wonder "how similar we are" at all.

Confucianism
"Do not do to others what you would not like yourself. Then there will be no resentment against you, either in the family or in the state"

Analects 12:2

Buddhism
"Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful"

Udana-Varga 5,1

Christianity
"All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye so to them; for this is the law and the prophets"

Matthew 7:1

Hinduism
"This is the sum of duty; do naught onto others what you would not have them do unto you"

Mahabharata 5,1517

Islam
"No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself"

Sunnah

Judaism
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellowman. This is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary"

Talmud, Shabbat 3id

Taoism
"Regard your neighbor’s gain as your gain, and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss"

Tai Shang Kan Yin P’ien

Zoroastrianism
"That nature alone is good which refrains from doing another whatsoever is not good for itself"

Dadisten-I-dinik, 94,5

the day of silence

Hari raya Nyepi, Tahun Baru Saka 1928, di tahun 2006 masehi ini mungkin terasa lain. Entah kenapa, di koran-koran internet yang aku baca belakangan ini, artikel dan berita tentang perayaan Nyepi terlalu banyak dibandingkan tahun-tahun lalu.

Entah kenapa juga, di tahun kedua aku di Norwegia, aku semakin menghayati arti me-nyepi lebih berbeda jika dibandingkan perayaan Nyepi di Indonesia. Secara aku tidak pernah sekali pun merayakan Nyepi seperti di Bali. Melainkan sejak hampir dua tahun lalu, aku merayakan Nyepi hampir setiap hari di Norwegia, di kota kecil Ås tepatnya, hingga hari ini.

Tiada kesan dan kata-kata yang cukup menggambarkan betapa berharganya pengalaman hidup di kota ini. Sebuah pembelajaran yang penting, sehingga membuatku tak henti bersyukur bahwa aku diberi kesempatan menekuni segenap alam di Ås khususnya dan Norwegia umumnya tahun ini. Sepi sungguh kota ini, namun sepi yang benar-benar menyentuh hati. Betapa pun sepinya tempat ini, aku berterima kasih dan bersyukur atas segala yang telah diberikan, ditunjukan, dan diajarkan oleh kota ini.

Terakhir, posting ini terinspirasi oleh Renungan Hari Raya Nyepi 2006 oleh Gede Prama di Kompas. Juga oleh editorial yang bagus oleh The Jakarta Post yang berjudul A guiet prayer. Juga sekalian aku ingin menghaturkan Selamat Hari Raya Nyepi, Tahun Baru Saka 1928.

"Damai tenteram semesta sekalian alam.
Semoga hati yang tulus dan pikiran yang jernih berkenan hadir dari segala penjuru ruang dan waktu"

polusi DAN konservasi

Aku masih percaya, dualitas di dunia akan selalu ada. Tidak mungkin satu sisi mendominasi secara mutlak atas satu sisi yang lain. Secara titik optimum dari suatu kehidupan adalah harmoni, maka mengelola dan - sedapat mungkin - mengendalikan dualitas tersebut adalah tujuan yang cukup sederhana dibandingkan berusaha sekeras mungkin melenyapkan sisi yang tidak kita inginkan. Misal, jika ingin membersihkan lingkungan maka bukan dengan sekeras usaha untuk meniadakan polusi melainkan mengelola dan mengendalikan polusi agar tidak berdampak lebih buruk pada lingkungan.

Silahkan membaca dan berkomentar atas posting-ku di kaFE depok, tentang harmoni lingkungan antara "berpolusi dan berkonservasi" dengan judul A query from 'not so green' Norway.

Pertanyaannya hingga detik ini yaitu bagaimana caranya menemukan keseimbangan tersebut?

definisi demokrasi

Ingin tahu definisi 'demokrasi'? Ini dia:

"Lagi pula menurut Fauzan (Ketua Departemen Data dan Informasi MMI, red), jika yang digunakan adalah cara-cara demokrasi maka Bali sebagai pengusul minoritas harus mengikuti mayoritas. 'Ini kan sesuai dengan prinsip demokrasi bahwa suara terbanyak yang diikuti'"

Kutipan berita yang berjudul "MMI: Jika Terus Menolak, Jadikan Bali Daerah Khusus Pornografi", seakan mempertegas bahwa RUU APP adalah agenda besar kelompok mayoritas yang semakin tajam menancapkan kukunya di Indonesia.

Membicarakan moral sudah semakin menyebalkan... Ah, sekarang juga semakin menyebalkan membicarakan demokrasi.