2009 Nostalgia

This is probably my last blog post of the year. So many things have happened year after year. And there are so many things that I've learned as I become older and older and wiser and wiser :)

And as year by year passes by, I become more and more nostalgic. Thinking back, a lot has happened and a lot of decisions have been made. There'll be many more to come. In short, life is to be enjoyed. These old phrases are kinda old-fashioned but they sound as true as gold:

Live as if today's the last day on earth
Sing as if nobody is hearing
Dance as if nobody is looking

And I'd like to add the last sentence

Be happy and try to make everyone around you as happy!

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year 2010 to all!
May the new year brings abundant happiness and health to all my friends.

Dangdut strike

Here's another event that I would never be able to see in my country. Coke factory workers are staging a 5-day strike in front of the main entrance of Wisma Pondok Indah (or fondly known as WPI) office buildings. Coke management office is situated in one of the 2 buildings in the compound.

From 6th floor, we had a clear nice full view of the strike. On the first day, the employees came in hoards of red and orange. There was a small lorry with a very loud speaker placed in the middle of the entrance and they started chanting loudly, demanding for better wage and better working environment. There's a huge banner put up listing 9 items in demand but I couldn't read them all.

This is Day 1

Today, the 3rd day of strike, they came in whites and reds. The rain was pouring but that did not dampen their effort. They started playing dangdut music and the crowd was singing and dancing in the rain! They seem to be in a good mood and trying to keep each other cheered up, seemed so united and yet so persistent despite I was informed that their wage is just Rp1.2mil even after 20 years of working. And here I am watching them from an air-conditioned room and sometimes I complained about my work, my management, my company, etc. I should feel blessed really when there are people in this world working under extreme environment and being underpaid.

According to my colleagues, the crowd was wearing the company's shirts and colors because to them, Coke is still in their heart........

All they ask is just better wage and working environment... I hope their employers can be kind enough to fulfill their requirements. After all, Indonesians don't seem to be violent at all. They're really so soft and kind, even in harsh situations like this. 2 more days to go and I really hope in the end, their effort will bear some fruits.