I Choose to Be "a Bit" Different

Hi readers!

Are you following mainstream or anti-mainstream? Well, I think it's easier to follow the mainstream because you don't need to struggle to do it. You just need to follow the flow wherever it may bring you to. Choosing to follow anti-mainstream is not easy even though it is. There must be plenty contradictions coming from me and people nearby. One thing that I concern the most during following anti-mainstream 'idea' is that I choose not to use smartphone. You know, it is kind of so yesterday by not using smartphone. I know that and I accept that. However, I choose not to use smartphone due to my own reasons.

I prefer not to use smartphone because I do not really need it. You know, smartphone becomes very viral since 2010. It has been 5 years I am not using smartphone since that era. I know that using smartphone brings a lot of benefits, especially for communication. Many people claim that smartphone ease the effort to contact as many people as possible. There are a lot of applications everyone can take for granted. Well, I realize that sometimes I really want to use smartphone since there are many exciting applications I can use to stay up to date and keep in touch with many people and many of my long lost friends. However, I think my current phone is enough. It is not an old fashioned phone which cannot connect to the internet. It is a quite modern phone which I bought in the middle of 2011. This phone can be used to access the internet, even though it is not as sophisticated as modern smartphone. I can access online chatting application, called Whatsapp, to have fun chat with friends and family.

I think, as long as my phone can be used to handle every communication, it is fine for me. One of my friends told me that I have to get a smartphone to keep in touch with her. You know what I said to her. I don't need a smartphone yet. If she wants me to contact her, I may use SMS or phone call. It's conventional, I know, but if your phone can do those things to communicate, why don't you use them optimally?

If you think I'm old fashioned, I deny it. Well, yes, I'm a bit conventional in the matter of using gadget. But, I have been planning to get a smartphone this year. Why? It is because finally I need it to support my job. Still, I don't want to drop my old phone out. I need it as well.

At my desk

After some chit-chat with my long lost friend

~xoxo~

If You Don't Know Me That Well, Don't Judge Me Ever!!!

Judging seems to be very common habit lately. People do love judging others. No matter what, they keep judging even though they don't know who the person/people they are judging on. To be honest, I don't like judging people. Well, I know I did it, sometimes, but I don't really like doing it. It makes me sick. Emm, sorry to say, but I just don't care about people I don't know well. I don't care for what he/she does. To me, what they do is their own business. As long as they don't bother mine, I won't care what they do.

However, judging-habit becomes my top concern now for I have experienced it many times. I just don't understand why most of my acquaintances love judging others. They said to me and other people nearby that "this girl is blah blah" or "that man is blah blah" even they don't really know the people they are talking about. Please, people, stop doing that! Don't act like a jerk if you don't want people call you a jerk!

If you don't know me that well, please don't say anything about myself which is not true or which you are not sure if it is true. Don't make any opinion based on your own thought if you realize from your deepest heart that your opinion about me is just your own thought which is made by you, yourself. We can be friends since I love making friends. But, don't ever think that we can be friends if you just want to spread some words that are not true about me to others. Don't judge me for what you've seen at me, unless you know me so well.

At my desk

-Self reflection-

xoxo

"Zonk" Moments This Week

Hi readers!!

Today is Friday. It means that this is the last day of the week I'm going to work and do my duty, then I will enjoy weekend. What happens in my office on Friday is that most of the workers are wearing Batik. You know, Batik is one of world's heritages which originally come from Indonesia. I love wearing Batik too because I feel wearing Batik does not only show our culture but it also makes us exotic :)

Poor prologue. Back to the topic! Do I refer to a topic yet? Blah! I haven't even stated what my topic for this post is. Pardon me. Well, what I'm gonna say on this post is what has been going on in my life lately. I must confess that I just made a passport. It's kinda late but it is better than never having it, right? I made my passport manually, I mean, I didn't use online method to apply for it. I just want to experience the process of making passport manually. So, here we go!

First of all, I went to the Immigration Office (Kantor Imigrasi Kelas 1 Yogyakarta). Honestly, I planned to apply for e-passport but the Immigration Office in Yogyakarta doesn't provide this option yet. So, I applied for regular passport (which they call it "ordinary passport"). O ya, for your information, I arrived at Immigration Office at almost 7am, and there were a lot of people queuing for the same reason, applying for passport. I got number 40, by the way.

When it came my turn, I had to prepare all the documents including the form I had filled before. There, the officer checked all the documents, including the original ones, then asked my several questions. The questions were very basic and I thought it was very easy to answer them. The officer was very friendly.

Afterwards, I had to wait outside until the officer called out my name. It took more than an hour to wait outside before I took picture and finger-print scan for my passport. Then, here come the "zonk" moment! I came inside and got my picture taken. I checked the whole data of my-self to make sure that everything is correct. After that, the officer said to me that he could not issue the, what should I call it, "proof of application"? (yah, whatever!), to pay the expense at a bank. I had to wait for another day.

The next day, I came to the same office for getting the proof of application so that I could pay the expense at the bank. I got it, finally. But, another "zonk" moment came once again. The line for entering the payment code at the bank was offline. It means that I had to go to the bank the other day. What a waste!!!

Finally, yesterday I paid all the expenses required to proceed my passport. Then, what I should do next is visiting the Immigration Office next week to get my passport. I wish that there will be no more "zonk" moment I should go through. ^^

*Sorry for this unnecessary post. It's just my attempt to kill the time before attending a meeting. So, enjoy your day guys!!*

~xoxo~

Hello Again ^^

Hi readers!!

Woaa! It's been a year I'm no longer touching this blog. I'm sorry for being missing. Even so, I'm very happy knowing that there are still many readers visiting my blog frequently. To be honest, I got new job 6 months ago. It's a bit crazy and it takes most of my time daily. Besides, I have another confession (please don't laugh at it), I forgot the password of my gmail account so I can't access this blog anymore. Fortunately, I got it back by digging my stuff and flipping my brain, LOL!! No, I'm kidding. I just got it by looking at my old note :)

Well, I hope I can do better this year, I mean, I can write many things again and share many "absurd, weird, sometimes useful" things again on this blog. 

That's all I can say. So, once again, HELLO! and thank you for keep visiting my blog and reading my "old and so yesterday" posts. I wish you the best!

xoxo
Tyas



Bonus: Meet my new kitties Tom (black) and Louie (tabby) ^^

Praise The Lord!!! Now I Am A Bachelor of Education

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord for everything. I was so speechless since I received a piece paper announcing the result of my thesis defense, this afternoon. Now I am a Bachelor of Education!! I am so excited, by the way :)

Honestly, I did not expect too much about the result of my thesis defense because my examiners gave many recommendations and suggestions for my thesis. Somehow, I turned into a pessimist, but I did not stop praying to Jesus, my Lord, while waiting for the announcement which was held one day after my defense. Praise the Lord! The result was too amazing to explain.

Well, I think it is enough for the celebrations. What I should do now is starting to revise my thesis. There are a lot of things to revise. Okay! Let's finish it!

*By the way, the date above the signature of the Chairperson is written as August 30, 2013 because according to the regulation, the Yudisium should be held at the end of each month where the thesis defense is taken. But, I don't care! hahaha*

~Hug & Kiss~

xoxoxo

You Almost Killed Me, Kids

Hari ini adalah hari Senin yang adalah jadwalnya buat ngajar ekskul English Conversation Class (ECC) di SMP dimana aku bekerja. Aku memang cuma apply sebagai guru ekskul karena belum niat buat jadi guru b.Inggris beneran. LOL. Tadi pagi aku dapat SMS dari guru yang bertanggung jawab untuk mengajar ekskul ECC (jadi ceritanya kami berdua adalah partner kerja) kalau beliau tidak bisa mengajar ECC hari ini karena sedang ada urusan di Dinas Pendidikan Kabupaten. Challenge accepted! Aku pun menyanggupi untuk mengajar 40 siswa kelas 7A (yang biasanya kami bagi menjadi 2 kelas) dari jam 13.30-15.00 (1,5 jam). Karena belum membuat materi untuk mengajar, akhirnya terpaksa bangun pagi-pagi banget. Kemudian aku mencari ide materi untuk mengajar yang kira-kira bisa dipakai untuk 1,5 jam dan bisa bikin anak-anaknya diam dan konsentrasi. FYI, ekskul itu tantangannya adalah siswa yang tidak mau konsentrasi dan siswa yang ribut sendiri (lebih tak terkendali daripada kelas pagi/kelas biasa).

Akhirnya aku memilih untuk mengajarkan vocabulary + conversation mengenai pakaian (clothes). Pada awal kelas setelah presensi, aku bagi mereka menjadi kelompok-kelompok berisi 4 orang. Nah, awal mula kejadian tidak mengenakkan disini. Ada dua kelompok yang tidak mau melepas 1 anggota mereka padahal kelompok mereka berisi 5 orang sedangkan ada 2 orang yang belum dapat kelompok. Kalau dua kelompok itu melepas masing-masing 1 anggota, nantinya akan pas. Akupun musti turun tangan membagi kelompok mereka meskipun sampai hampir 10 menit. Soalnya kalau ada kelompok yang berisi lebih dari 4 orang, ada beberapa kelompok yang tidak setuju dan memilih untuk tidak mau mengerjakan tugas. Arrrghhh!!

Setelah semua terbagi rata, aku pun membagi handout pre-activities-nya. Handoutnya berisi tabel 4 kolom. Kolom pertama adalah nomor, kolom kedua jenis clothes, kolom ketiga (kosong) meaning, kolom terakhir (kosong) gambar. Jadi aku minta mereka untuk menggambar. Pada saat itu sih mereka diam dan mau mengerjakan dengan tertib. Tapi setelah beberapa kelompok selesai, sebagian dari mereka mulai berjalan-jalan keliling kelas, mengganggu teman yang lain, berteriak-teriak, lempar-lemparan kertas, dll.

Aku sempat memberi semacam negative reinforcement buat mereka. Aku bilang aja kalau yang rame atau nggak bisa duduk dengan tertib aku bakal coret presensinya dan aku ganti dengan "Alpha". Cukup efektif sih, tapi cuma sekitar 10 menitan doang. Hosshh!! Sebenarnya sudah hampir mau meledak, cuma aku nggak mungkin dong ya marah-marah nggak jelas gitu. Akhirnya aku ajak mereka main game menggambar clothes dan tebak-tebakan gambar. Setelah itu, FYI suaraku udah mulai hilang-hilang tuh, masih ada waktu sekitar 30 menit. Aku minta mereka untuk membuat conversation tentang "clothes" in pair setelah sebelumnya aku berikan beberapa contoh dialognya. Mereka mau mengerjakan dengan baik. Jadi aku memberi mereka positive reinforcement dengan menjanjikan pulang lebih awal. Mereka senang, tapi tetap saja setelah beberapa menit mereka kembali berulah. Karena sudah capek dan suara sudah hilang total, aku cuma diam saja sambil beberapa kali memberikan instruksi secara non verbal untuk diam.

Akhirnya jam menunjukkan pukul 14.50, usai sudah waktu untuk mengajar. Usai sudah hari yang berat ini. Ahhh, kids, you almost killed me! Rasanya capek banget deh. Tapi jam 16.00 aku masih harus kerja lagi. Kerja jadi online writer boooo! Hmmm, such a tough day! Untungnya saja tadi kerjaannya nggak terlalu banyak dan nggak susah. :)


How was your Monday, blogger?

~Hug & Kiss~

xoxoxo

Fiuhhhhh!!

Hari yang melelahkan!!!

Diawali dengan tadi pagi yang musti ke kampus 3 yang jaraknya 2 jam pulang-pergi cuman buat ngambil kertas penelitian. Kemudian merekap nilai anak-anak kelas English Conversation yang seabrek. Oke aku kasih rinciannya biar valid (halahhh!!)

Kelas 7A - 40 anak

Kelas 7B - 40 anak

Kelas 8A - 36 anak

Kelas 8B - 36 anak

Kalau dijumlah jadi 152 nilai yang harus diinput.

Setelahnya langsung berangkat ngajar ekskul ECC (English Conversation Class). Lokasi sekolahnya sih kalau dari rumah cuma 5 menitan udah nyampe. Hahaha. Enak dan menyenangkan bukan??

Sebenarnya ini ekskul bahasa Inggris terakhir untuk semester ini karena besok Sabtu mereka sudah mulai ujian akhir semester. Setelah itu terus libur. Kabar ini jadi semacam angin segar buatku karena itu berarti aku akan mendapat libur 1 bulan penuh. Januari awal baru masuk lagi. Yeyyyy!!! Oke, kembali ke topik. Meskipun hari ini hari terakhir ekskul, tapi kelas yang aku ajar hari ini anak-anaknya sangat aktif (baca: selalu berteriak-teriak, lari sana-sini, lempar ini itu, dll). Well, amunisiku hari ini cuma games, yang aku harap bisa menjadi semacam obat penenang buat mereka. Dan ternyata, game-game mengenai kata sifat (adjective) yang aku berikan di group B (FYI: tiap kelas dibagi 2 group @45 menit) bekerja dengan baik. Mereka mau bermain dan menjadi lebih tenang serta lebih konsentrasi. Setelahnya, ganti group A yang anak-anaknya sangat hobi membantah. Game pertama masih belum mempan, hanya anak-anak perempuan saja yang antusias. Lalu lanjut game kedua. Diwarnai dengan teriak sana-teriak sini (aku juga ikut teriak-teriak karena metode silent tidak berhasil). Akhirnya game kedua berjalan dengan baik dan usai sudah ngajar ekskul hari ini. Fiuhhh!!! (lap keringet dulu). 

Kalau pengen tahu kenapa mereka sukanya teriak-teriak dan menciptakan suara yang gaduh banget selama di kelas. Jawabannya adalah mereka masih suka gap-gapan (baca: gep-gepan) alias pilih-pilih teman. Jadi mereka berteriak-teriak karena rebutan anggota kelompok dan rebutan tempat duduk. Semisal, 'aku maunya sekelompok sama A', 'aku nggak mau satu kelompok sama dia', 'aku maunya sendiri' dll. Capek juga kan ya kalau harus ngikutin mood mereka. Tapi namanya juga remaja, masih dalam masa transisi. Aku sih kayaknya dulu juga gitu. Nggak mau satu kelompok sama orang yang nggak klop :) Sekarang pun kadang masih begitu juga :|

*anyway, aku tadi gajian lohhhh /kipas-kipas pakai duit/

Our Final Judgement Day -Service Program Design-

English Fun Games for Junior High Students

Ketika menyanggupi tawaran untuk mengajar ekskul bahasa Inggris (ECC: English Conversation Class) di sebuah SMP swasta, aku mau nggak mau harus punya strategi belajar yang bisa menarik perhatian murid2 dan nggak boring. Awalnya sih aku masih bingung mau ngajarin apa dan bagaimana. Tapi, kemudian salah satu bagian dari otakku berkata, "Isi aja dengan games, tapi games nya juga untuk belajar speaking dan vocabulary." Wah ide yang bagus tuh! Sesuai dengan goals yang akan dicapai dari kelas ECC. Lalu akupun berkutat dengan laptop dan internet, mencoba mencari games-games seru yang edukatif dan bukan sekedar menjadi media ice breaking saja. Ternyata, tak banyak website/blog yang menyediakan games-games berbahasa Inggris untuk aktivitas di kelas. Nemunya malah games bahasa Inggris untuk PC/Laptop. Akhirnya, daripada membuang-buang waktu, akupun mulai merangkai ingatan akan games yang dulu pernah aku lakukan di kelas waktu masih sekolah dulu. Salah satunya ada di list bawah ini.