Attitude Towards Life

Some people share their vision to others. Some keep it to themselves. Some people know how to play it, some simply blah it out loud. Some people know when to stop, some just keep on going. Keep it useful for others for you have the freedom to be influential - or to be not. However, when displaying your attitude towards life, you can influence others deeply.

At Komunitas Salihara on the last weekend, I watched White Shoes and The Couples Company for Jakarta Biennale's closing night. Oh man, I was amazed. Not that it was my first time watching them, but their attitude just blew me away. Watching Sari was like seeing someone who's just comfortable with herself, nothing to hide nor to be ashamed of. 

I was thinking of how such an entertaining performance could be so powerful. It was nothing too serious, but then perhaps the humbleness was the thing that made us fall. Just like everyday life, your humbleness and attitude towards mundane problems are the the things that made people fall for you. I once read, that one of the keys of good self management is when you face harsh situation coolly. Your daily attitude, that is when you should be discipline and be consistent.

People got a lot to say about you, always. But as always, how you respond is your key to the result that you want. If you want people to say bad things about you, do horrible things. If you want people to say good things about you, do fine things. There's no rocket science, but sometimes we can't comprehend even the simplest etiquette. 

When I see other people, I want to see myself from their point of view, but I never succeeded. However, I know that those people around me are those who reflect myself. Might not be a perfect reflection, might be crippled water reflection of myself, but at least we are comfortable together because we are comfortable being ourself. 

And when you are with a bunch who's comfortable with themselves and perceived a positive attitude towards life, you can be sure that more and more will join your bunch. Therefore you'll able to make bigger impact when you're together.

But don't forget to always go back to ground zero. Remember why you started and recollect your core. Get your mind, eyes and heart into one point that you can project towards others. From there, people will see you as a whole. You can be a tiny dot, but at least you're a round dot.

Gentleness

"Only the weak are cruel. Gentleness can only be expected from the strong." 
Leo Buscaglia

A deep swirling water makes her stomach turns
So badly that it hurts
Hurts so bad that it makes her think
Think twice until it hurts
It hurts to think twice

But no brain is for the non-hearted
No heart is for the cruel
The cruel, she doesn't want to bother with
Because cruelty is for the weak

However,

Against the current is not the way
Even the strong sometimes needs to comply
Not to lose herself, not to lose the battle
Be gentle, that's the key
Because gentleness is for the strong

Access

Access has become more important these days than ever before.

I once heard a guest on Desi Anwar's Face to Face program on MetroTV said that creative young people should be given capital, to empower them to create, act and realize their passion. To a certain degree, I agree with that argument. However, through a little journey that I've been in since I went back to Jakarta, I would have to say that access has become a far more important aspect in determining one's growth.

But why is that? How come access suddenly becomes a crucial factor in someone's journey? It didn't come out all of a sudden. It's just never been told widely before. In fact, not so many people would have had the privilege to be given access and facilities for them to grow in their early stage of adulthood. Imagine if you're given access to good soil, added with fertilizer and a decent amount of sunlight, you should be able to grow superiorly compared to your plant friends who should grow with all they have merely. You are in a situated environment like in an incubation jar.

And when you grow faster and you are better stimulated, you will somehow influence and give impact to your surroundings. You'll be able to duplicate yourself, you'll be able to support the living of others and you'll give them access from your maturity.

You? You don't need access anymore. You're now fruitful.

And when your season is gone. Then it's time to for you to be the source of living for others, by sharing and opening opportunities for others. 

Now I wonder, how far can we go when we have been given all the access we needed?

Work/Life

Having been in the biz for a bit of time now, a mixed feeling came across me at different times of the day. Days are moving faster than usual and things are happening faster than expected. That made me realize how work and life can't be two separate things anymore. It is interesting to find that more and more of the younger generation are starting to make their way into business in Indonesia and it seems to be a field for the survivor of the fittest. However, what I'm trying to bring across is how comfortable it is to work in Indonesia when there are so many of your friends are living the spirit like you do. You automatically create a support system that pushes you to move forward. That is when work and life become seamless and a balance is created.

You need a bit of groove to survive in Jakarta. Take it easy.

What Is It About General Object?

General Object is more less like a baby to me. It has always been inside me waiting for the right time to be hatched. There could never been better timing, but. When I got back, I knew exactly what I wanted to do, how I envision the brand to be and what would it take to get it out there.

Well, not everything went according to plan as always. I screwed up here and there, people worked beyond my expectation and things... Just seemed to be more complicated than I thought it would be. Wasn't sure if I were doing the right thing, I decided to keep moving forward for there was no turning bad or if there was, it would be even worse to do.

Through the early process of a long journey, I learned that it is always good to have a vision. It is important to keep your dreams ahead of you, otherwise you will have nothing to look forward too. Dreams, although seemed so far yet so close, were one of the key factors of pushing one's success. People who were successful sound ridiculous sometimes, they wanted to do things which were impossible, yet they proved to everyone that they did. So, there you go, don't worry to sound a bit out there because you are the one who will actually get there.

General Object will be a train for me. Where it goes, I can only plan and measure but we will see how far it will get. As far as I'm concern, we're going towards the imaginary land. But hey, let's create our own land.

General Object is Now Open!

Yaaay, we are open!

After the long hours of preparation, setting up and production, we are finally happy to announce that our products are now available for purchase. Shop now at General Object for your daily household supplies and all things for your dwelling.

Please visit our website www.general-object.com for product showcase and purchase!

Meanwhile we're tidying up our look on the world wide web, go ahead and follow our progress through our Facebook page.

Few Last

Healesville, VIC

Jak

As I was sitting at one of Jakarta’s hippest dining spots (if were not to meet friends, wouldn't be here), I started to believe that this is my dwelling place now. A group of young executives were having a chit-chat over dinner after their long working day, another table of well-off aunties were talking loudly about how their neighbors just spent millions of rupiah for a bag and in the more quiet corner, two young men were discussing their business while smoking a good rolled tobacco. Ahh, it felt so much like Jakarta.

A couple of reasons why I think people should come to Jakarta. Although sometimes it’s seen just as a city full of lifestyle and traffic, there is something phenomenal happening here. It’s just so alive and vibrant. It’s everyone in it who makes it like that. Everyone is contributing their energy, effort and their cash in supporting the rising small medium enterprises. Or wisely speaking, I should not use complicated words, as I would sound like the recently arrested (formerly up for election in Karang Asih) guy that just doesn’t seem as smart as he wants to. It’s a different sensation, Jakarta is. It’s the upper class to the lower class of the society who makes this all possible. Where else could you possibly find a society as broadly set apart as it is here?

Nevertheless, Jakarta is emerging in its own terms. The rising of pop-up markets is illustrative enough to show how vibrant the young culture is. Those who just don't find enough satisfaction in the everyday mundane and keep looking for a brighter future while enjoying the process. But hey, the ILO said to get young people to decent jobs. If the decent ones are not there, let’s just create our own. Good jobs are not at all easy to get, especially when previously existed jobs are not there anymore these days and suddenly totally new positions are available to those daring to take the challenge. It’s a big question mark really of how we all should react to the changes. It has really become the survival of the fittest and Jakarta is offering the land to survive (or so they said).

A Conversation with Evan and Dan's Manifesto

It's really early in the dawn when I was reading Dan Pink's Flip Manifesto, a great read that I think everyone should spare some time to have a read. As I was reading, I was brought back to some days earlier this week, when I had a chance to spend a day with Evan of H.D. Buttercup who was visiting Indonesia (Yes, thanks to people around me who know that access is far more powerful than notes). There were some things that simply clicked to me and made me realize how people who do great in what the do are simply doing things that we all have been reading from books but just never end up doing it. 

Quoting from Dan's first paragraph:

"If you're looking for business advice, you might haul out your old MBA textbooks or consult a management guru. But the shrewdest guidance often comes from an actual entrepreneur. Someone who's created a company. Someone who's faced the challenges of missed deadlines, cranky employees and dodgy supply chains. Someone, say, like Bob the Builder."

True that. I've learned much more during my times tagging along people whom I respect, rather than studying at any schools. I had animated conversation with people who truly have been in the industry and have gone through the sweet and bitterness of it. I learned the real world wisdom from them.

It was interesting how Evan said to me to treat work like a relationship. You got to give all you have, you got to love it, you got to give it all your time. Otherwise, it won't work. He kept asking me, what do you want to do? What? Is it really? Why? And that straightaway affirmed me that I was not firm enough. Wrote Dan in his text: "Of course, passion isn't bad. But business can be a bit like love. When people first fall in love, they experienced that woozy and besotted feeling that verges on obsessiveness. That's passion and it's great. But as couples bond more enduringly, that fiery intensity can give way to calmer warmth. That's true love - and that's where the magic is." More than the hot and steamy passion, we should go for the calm and deeper love because you have to live with it. 

Here is a nice video of John Paul Dejoria, illustrating how your work should be your lifestyle, that you enjoy it so much and you do with sincerity. Do what you believe, although you can't pay your bills, keep doing it. Overcome rejections because you will eventually get through it.   

And a more real-life application of what working means, this one is one of my favorites on just get up and do attitude. 

A final advice was to travel. Keep moving otherwise you'll stay. It's good to experience, to see what's out there and to keep yourself present. Eventually from all the years, you will realize how insignificant you are. How you can't do things on your own and how you should appreciate and respect others even more. 

We are lucky in our own terms. And I'm lucky to have have people around me keeping me aware of the things that I might miss out in life. Nonetheless, strive towards a larger goal. 

Everyone's going out

I'm staying in

I like it in here

Analogi Seorang Acar

Kita seperti acar

Semakin direndam semakin...

Biarlah menjadi global

Tanpa perlu mencari yang lokal...

Pacar beracara

Acar semakin lama terasa...

Inilah analogi acar

Ironi memang sudah wajar...

Hatching

Hatching design like never before.

Coming Back

My heart is always thumping when my plane touched down in Indonesia. I could feel the vibe that everyone is doing something in the homeland, building things, making businesses happen, developing brands and all sorts of thing that would only be imaginary a couple of years back. People are rushing to be the best, to be the first and to be the leader. Amazing enough, this energy is projected from one people to another, creating an effect that is so powerful that everyone seems to be buying it. Everyone wants to be a part of the next big thing.

One of the many reasons why I am coming back to Indonesia is because Indonesia is in its metamorphosis period and I want to be a part of it. Seeing the opportunities and feasibilities of things that we can do in Indonesia, made one's determination to go back and flourish to be justifiable.

Basically I feel that we need to be where we belong. It does not at all matter where the location is. As long as we are purposeful, we are alive and high-spirited, that is where we have to be. Do not attach yourself to a place, rather reach for your goals anywhere that might be. Do things that matter to you. Hang with people with similar thoughts. Be amazing.

General Object Catalogue

Hey, would you like to know more?

Email Address 

First Name

Last Name

Options

 Indonesia is... Sometimes... Overwhelming...

The Process of General Object

This weekend come to Ritz Carlton Ballroom, Pacific Place, Jakarta and see General Object collection along with other young and emerging Indonesian designers.

I'll see you there.

High-spirited

On my first day in Indonesia, I met a couple of Indonesian men, who displayed great attitude towards life. They might not realise that when they did their job willingly with all their hearts, they have actually influenced other people to do work with high spirit, including me. Now I will tell you a story of three humble men from my first day in Indonesia.

The man at Laa-pindo Soto
As tacky as it sounded, the soto was not bad and the man was a true spirit. Dad and I had a bowl of soto for breakfast on Monday, which was yummy, refreshing and enlightening. The man who worked there gave me my first impression of Indonesia, that I could describe in words as friendly and determined. Seeing how things are so different here and in Australia, there was definitely a gap between our work ethic, perception towards life and appreciation of life. People here strive to live, while in some other parts of the world, they strive to live good. 

The magazine man in front of Gudeg Batu Tulis
A man shouted from his car to get a current affair magazine from the man's collection. Determinedly, he ran back and forth to the car to get the man in the car what he wanted. He did not complain, he did what he needed to do. He smiled when he got his pay.

The parking man in front of Bong Ngian
Oh my, he was the loudest and very gesture-focus parking man I have ever met. It was Monday night and he was still at his best. He parked the cars as if he knew every corner of the street, as if the knew that it would be enough for him to survive another day. He has been there since I was in school some many years ago, still with the same spirit and the same attitude. I believe when a man has a character, he would be himself wherever and whenever he is.

Seeing these men were enough to make me feel silly for what I have complained for all this time. 

Grid

Quite into this right now. 

Healesville

Healesville is like no other villes. Perfect for an easy weekend out of town. 

Healesville Sunday Market

Healesville Harvest

Innocent Bystander

White Rabbit