Bali Lounge

Before I bought this CD this afternoon, I actually had spotted it twice or thrice at some record shop.
I was thinking of buy it, but my dangling mind always stopped me from buying it, and I never even tried it.
Until some weeks ago, my only favourite radio station in Jakarta, CnJ FM 9,99, aired a catchy unique tune. It was a jazz with some streaks of ethnical music, my guessed was Balinese gamelan. It really captured my friend's and my ears, and don't know why it made my self to envision back that white CD pack with tiny lable.

And my feeling was right; it was the music that I heard on CnJ radio.

It is Bali Lounge, a noble project masterminded by Gita Wirjawan.

Almost all the tunes in this album are soothing to my ears, but I played "Angels of the Island", the track #2, almost 20 times today!
The lyrics used by that song #2 is in Aceh language, and the vocalist of this group is Aceh by origin. He sings very well. I like his unique voice.

One song that does not really suit my taste is "Apa." I like the melody, but I don't like the too melancholy words that it used. Should have been better if it used Balinese, Aceh or any other Indonesian ethnic languages which are beyond my grasp. It would make it sound more exotic, and I don't have to feel annoyed even though the lyric is actually weepy.

Anyhow, as a whole, it's worth to collect. Moreover, the CD box design is humble but pulling, probably wants to show that the contents are what matter. Indeed.

We don't pay you to sleep

Sleep is the basic need of every human being.
However there are differences about one's slumber.
Take a look the following picture.
Here's Tukang Becak (Becak man), almost similar to Rickshaw, but Becak is a tricycle
with a passenger cart attached in front.

Tukang Becak is sleeping, probably because he's got so tired riding a long way under the blistering sun accompanying by the city polluted gust.

While these other following pictures show all the honorable members of the Indonesian House of Representative.
As shown here, these honorable people from DPR (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat) and MPR (Majelis Permusyawarahan Rakyat or The People’s Consultative Assembly) are also sleeping.


Sleeping is our basic need, so it's normal.
It's just that the Tukang becak will hardly get Rp. 300.000 (US$ 30)/ month, even though they only steal a little time to sleep amidst their hard work.
Whereas the members of the House of Representatives each gets Rp. 25.000.000 (US$ 2500)/ month, though they sleep in the middle of their meetings. Now, with the raise of US$ 1000/ month for their allowances, their sleep will surely get better than before. And what about the Jakarta councilors who will now get US$5000/month? Heaven amidst the poverty.

And while they're not sleeping, they sometimes like to do:


Whereas these students, will likely got half-naked and arrested by doing the same thing.



From time to time we pay our legislatives just to catch some sights of their sleeping at the meetings. We've paid a lot. Some even have to pay them with bloods.
From time to time this country has fed so many mouths, just to have some fled forever when they get enough possessions overseas, and left behind their debts to this country.

The Guru

I met Liem Keng Sien, the dean of 'rest and relax' university last week.
Was glad he still remembers us, the lazy pupils, after almost 3 years of never been in touch.
He's one of the most unique and interesting characters I've ever known in person so far.
He's like an incarnation of Peter Pan, my childhood favourite character.

He still has faith in taking ourselves back to pottery world again.
It always fascinates me to hear him telling story about life essences and about his dreams.
Can't believe he saves place for us there.
Really feel honoured but.....

Human....
Or it's just my erroneousness as usual?
A perfect way is provided
But I'm losing faith...

Bali

                          W  H  Y ?

                          W  H  Y ?

                          W  H  Y ?

                          W  H  Y ?

                       W             W

                          H       H

                              Y

                              ?

                H A P P E N E D