Guest Blogger

I had asked my most experience blogger friend iamandy on how to improve my blog. I had recognized that I am poor with aesthetics and I had no direction for my blog. In fact, I was thinking of moving it towards hitching singles (since I have so many single friends that could be featured) or about where to party in Jakarta. Then while talking to her, I was suddenly inspired to blog as my son through his infantile perspective. That should be original, and I'll call my blog mylaupei.blogspot or something. Until, she informed that her friend is blogging as her dog!


iamandy further informs that I should stick to my strength of "logic". Point taken. I, too begin to suspect that it'll be a bit too "oily" to read too much blog from an infantile perspective, though it might had seem fun initally.


She suggested a good idea - viceindulgence.blogspot since I am and had been part of this trade for a while. Problem is, I don't indulge in vices. I simply encourage others to. And that's like work. I'm not about to blog about work. Someone will have to pay me more to do that.


Anyway, to fulfil that desire of blogging through someone else's eyes, I'll ask Greg to blog as guest blogger for today's column. This is how he might have made this whole blog look like if we were to rewind all the previous posts:

----------------------------------------------

14th June, Opening : Hi, I am Gregory. This is me when I was 5 min old. Everything looked bright and suspicious to me. I have nothing more to add as I'm so young.


16th June, Jakarta on Fire : Two loud noises few suckles apart woke me up. "Mamamamamama....."


20th June, Long Weekend :
Papa came home smelly. Where did he go and why did he not bring me?
The next day, we met Aunty Li and Ang. At the big house, there is an uncle on stage calling numbers to the paintings? I like paintings. But these paintings are ugly. No flowers. At night, mama baked cookies. Cookies smell good. But papa don't let me eat. Never mind, I will eat tissue paper.


26th June, An Inspiring Weekend :
Market has fish. Fish is smelly. Why am I not allowed to walk in the market?
We went to church. Why do everyone keep saying "Amen" in Church? Hey, isn't that "Zeeezers"? I know him. He lives in my house too. After church, we went to a place with many people eating on a hot stove. What is this place? Food smells strange. Hot. Must run around.
Next day, Papa made me run around the studio chasing balls bigger than myself and that makes me sleeeppyyyy.....
Had a nap, woke up to smell cookies but why can I not eat them? "Mamamamaamamamamama...."

Argghh..Why does papa not bring me down from the table but must take a picture first?

Shit...my head is stuck...

-----------------------------------------------

I am now better convinced that blogging as Greg might not work. She is indeed an expert with foresight.

An Inspiring Weekend

This was meant to be another routine weekend.

But while staring at the "going to rain" skyline outside the apartment window, a spark in my mind decided to call it "inspiring" instead. Because, suddenly, I know what I could feature in this blog.

Life of a Sin Ka Po Family in Jakarta.

Doesn't that sound more interesting than just a blog with no directions?

Indeed, it was pretty routine weekend. Packed some work home (for reading) and then grocery on Sat morning at the huge fresh market by the sea, followed by church at noon and dinner with the "gang" in an authentic korean restaurant in the evening.

There were 16 of us! The Wids, Widoyos, Lukitos, Tanuwids, Ah Li, Ah Ang, Christina and Andrew, us. Greg proved to be a really disobedient baby running around the premises (while other toddlers his age were so much well behaved). Fun, good food, but too bad, we didn't have any programs after the early dinner.

Sun was cooking and baking day. Greg was especially playful today and was caught in numerous potentially "mind-boggling positions to him". For instance, hanging on the table when he slipped off the chair and head caught between the windows and playpen.

We tried baking again today. We had the cookies split into 5 batches, with batch 1 as control and the rest of batches with changes in ingredients, such as addition of more corn flour, vegetable oils, caramel and so on.

Unfortunately, this week's was much worse than our maiden try and we ended up with less cookies despite so many more batches baked. Chief learnings are temperatures were too high, vegetable oils and egg makes the texture different. Fortunately, the bread were successful and delicious.

----------------------------------------------

So, doesn't it seem more interesting now, to have insights on what a Sin Ka Po Lang family does in Jakarta, then just what we do on a routine weekend?

Poor Greg with his head stuck between the playpen and the window.

Long Weekend

A peaceful long weekend, with yesterday being the public holiday.

Was at a huge and popular club in Ancol with Christina and Andrew and friends on Friday. They are amazing drinkers. Finished 2 bottles of premium whiskey amongst 6 of them, with the first half a bottle downed in first 15 minutes. I drank next to nothing, how I manage to do it cannot be divulge for now. Anyway, according to Chris, they are all mothers out to get drunk for the night. Haven't gotten their names though. Music was too loud.

Called Ah Li and Ah Ang on Saturday for lunch. Drove ourselves to an Art Auction in a private hall in Thamrin area. Pissed, they valet everyone's car except mine, claiming not enough manpower. Must be the nasty green colour. Bought nothing, but feasted on the great local buffet though.

As much as possible, we cook. Because we think that our foods are tastier and healthier.

Wife's maiden try at baking cookies. Very interesting. Did not know that cookies expand upon baking! Then, there's the unexpected uneven browning on lower tray of oven. Sri suggested sugar levels be reduced and rotating of tray. Strangely, upper tray browned evenly. For a first-timer, I think they are pretty tasty. Must consult sister, the cookie guru, on making it better.

Fish head curry was not perfect. Sri added too much water. But the fish was fantastic. Red garoupa. Super ex. That fish uncle taught me how to identify garopas. Dong Xing, Tai Xing, Kang Xing, Lau Shu Ban, Lau Hu Ban, etc... The spots identify where the fishes are found - deep sea or shallow sea or in the middle. Deep sea ones cannot be farmed. Because I am very particular about my garoupas. They must be caught off the sea, not any other ways.

Salted veg duck was tasty but again, not perfect. Used the wrong sour plums. Soup was a bit too sweet but still likeable. Kampong duck's texture after long simmering remains perfect.

Gregory, as usual, is happy that I'm home to play with him all weekend.

Jakarta on Fire

The first thing Sri (household help) told me this morning was that Marriot Hotel at Mega Kuningan area was on fire. Hence, she was caught in a jam on the way here.
"Oh" I thought "Another fire, Aryaduta Suites was on fire two weeks ago too"
"It was a fire or a bombing" she added
"Impossible" I said, "Marriot's been bombed before, and who will set off bombs so early in the morning? More damage could be done at night when there's more people awake"

The first thing Donny (driver) told me this morning was that Marriot Hotel and Ritz Carlton Hotel at Mega Kuningan area were bombed. Hence, he was caught in a jam on the way here.
This time, I was shocked. He turned on the radio to prove his point.

The first phone call I received this morning was from Ah Li (Godmother of Gregory). She asked if I was ok because the hotels were less than a kilometre away from my house. We wondered on possible causes but ruled out those for political gains as such an act showed planning, which were unlikely to happen so quickly after the presidential elections. Also, all politicians have a stake in the welfare of this city. There are easier ways for political sympathy such as illustrated in other countries, where bombs appear to "almost" strike opponents. Of course, such an act would work against the newly elected as his main proponent is the economy. But this would be like willing to cut off your hands for your enemies' legs.

This act instils fear. It is a "spit into your face act". Despite increased vigilance, Marriot was hit. Despite "lightning seldom strikes on the same spot twice", it showed that it would. And despite hitting the same spot, it hit even her neighbour, Ritz. They are saying: we can strike anywhere (not random), we can strike with more force (hit two), we can strike with our brains (overcome increased difficulties).

I was particularly affected by the hit on Ritz. I was almost there. I was supposed to be there. Since a year ago, I was supposed to meet a Director of a F&B premise there but our travel schedules did not permit. His manager called in May but I was traveling in June and I couldn't meet her too. Just last sat, another manager called and I had mentioned I'll meet him at Ritz this week. Although I was sure I wouldn't be at Ritz so early in the morning, I was supposed to be there this week. And most likely to be yesterday afternoon or this afternoon.

This is going to affect business too. We have invested in HORECA segment. Our target audiences are similar. Higher profile consumers come in smaller quantities but are worth more, and we spend more to get them to become our "targets" (consumers).

Wife called. Come home now. Mass coordinated effort. More people affected. Hits in other malls and hotels around the city. "Are you sure?" I asked.

Heard there are a series of bombs, some have yet to go off. Massive traffic jams everywhere.

Heard Man U was supposed to stay at Ritz for their exhibition match tomorrow. So, they've cancelled their trip here.

Wonder why the perpetrators did not act later. Fans of Man U? Or insufficient awareness campaign announcing their due event that the perpetrators don't know? Or that they are not internet-savvy? Imagine the effect if it was to go off two days later, with Man U team having team breakfast.

Anyway, hope we're all safe, their targets seem to be commercial interests, not residential interests. Oops, I'm in the office. Commercial interests. Then again, they hit ground floor, I'm over 40 storeys high. Unless the whole building collapse.....

Opening

The first words are crucial. No inspirations at the moment. More importantly, I have a blog now. That I don't know what to write inside is unimportant.

Anyway, this is Gregory, my boy, when he was 5 min old.