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Saturday, October 13, 2012

Dear wifey - Iqra

Dear Bunda,

This mail have been written since yesterday. But I just sent today, to fulfill quality control criteria. ;)

I always curious about knowledge and sophisticated things. You must be have known since I was children I was so interesting with outer space exploration. I wanted to be an astronaut at that time. The curiousness is always here with me.

At high school we were teach Calculus. Like I always fascinating with sophisticated things, I was also so fall in love with Calculus. Yes it is so sophisticated. Most of my friend was complaining, "this study is useless!" they said. "We will never use ridiculous thing like this in real life. Then why we supposed to learn" They continue to complain. Indeed, if real life that they mean is just ordinary job or just selling something in traditional market they will never need Calculus. But for the things beyond that we will always need even more than that. Creating spaceship rocket or build super computer for example.

Recently I am interesting with an emerging branch in science that we call as Complexity Science. As its name implied, this science study about complex things. Such as modeling economic behavior into computer simulation, understanding human connection through internet and even understanding about ant behavior. This study also emerge just recently because current capability in information technology which make more possible to do most of calculation and simulation when needed.

Close from that there are also similar discipline that is called system engineering. This field usually study something so big and complex like developing a airplane or high scraper building. From all those invention I arrive in one realization, "How come human can invent so that great thing?" We often riding an airplane, but most of us will not bother about how it work and why it can fly. Same like not too many people take much concern about how their laptop can be functioned. I am not. I always curious even though realize to arrive to that full understanding I will need so many fundamental knowledge, when I think even I only have understanding of basic calculus. Anyway, we need more than calculus, to invent most greatest invention of this century.

Yesterday, while doing nothing I spent sometime to read an article about Concorde airplane. I knew this sophisticated airplane since long time a go. I triggered to read that again after reading first chapter of Jeremy Clarkson book. Clarkson is a host of Top Gear in BBC a automotive review show. He is machine expert. Back to Concorde, for sure this plane is one of other human greatest invention. We call it as supersonic jet. Supersonic because it can fly faster than sound (sonic). About 2 times of sound speed. Sound speed is around 1.235 Km/Hour. But the plane have to retired, because likely human not only need something sophisticated but also there are still so many things need concern, like environment and economical efficiency. Like other things, I was so astonished by how come human can invent this jet. What kind of knowledge that they have?

Like usual hopefully this "love mail" will not make you confuse. I just want to share about my big interest about how our world and all the things inside it is working. Start from interest we supposed to do a shallow discover and then deep discovery. From discovery then we continue to looking problem. From that then we move to offer a solution. This is a cycle of research which most academical people do. Basically, knowledge can make people closer to God. Because finally we have to admit that we cannot understanding so many things. But at least we can learn as many as we want. We cannot read all the things but we can spare sometime and read some good things and share. In religion we are teach with one so fundamental concept. Iqra.

PS: I love you

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Dear wifey - Live in harmony

Dear Bunda,

Ada satu firman Allah yang selalu aku ingat yaitu mengenai alasan Allah menjadikan manusia bersuku-suku dan berbangsa-bangsa tak lain untuk tujuan saling mengenal. Multikulturalisme dan keragaman fisiologis manusia itu terkadang aku membuat heran. Bagaimana mungkin semua manusia yang satu nenek moyang Nabi Adam (setidaknya yang diyakini oleh penganut agama samawi) bisa berkembang dengan demikian berbeda-bedanya. Beda fisik, beda ras, beda bahasa, beda budaya, beda kebiasaan dan beda-beda yang lain.

Keragaman menjadi semakin terasa saat kita menjadi minoritas. Beberapa hari ini di Singapura sedang heboh berita tentang statement rasist di sosial media yang dikeluarkan oleh seorang asisten direktur sebuah badan yang punya afiliasi dengan pemerintah. Tak pelak kelalaian tersebut langsung ditanggapi dengan sangat keras berupa pemecatan. Pemecatan yang berbuah dari sebuah posting facebook. Bahkan perdana menteri Singapura pun sampai mengeluarkan pernyataan juga. Kurang lebih, sekarang di sini banyak orang yang mendengungkan mengenai no tolerance for any statement that bother life harmony.

Life in harmony adalah sebuah eksklusifitas yang dengan beruntung bisa kita dapat. Berbeda dengan beberapa saudara kita yang menyedihkannya hidup di negara Islam yang tengah konflik. Sebut saja Palestina, Libya atau Irak. Tadi pagi bahkan di BBC memuat artikel tentang seorang gadis muslim pakistan yang ditembak di kepala oleh taliban hanya karena menyuarakan pentingnya pendidikan bagi wanita. Ia baru berusia 14 tahun. Tentu saja pelakunya pasti adalah oknum yang biadab. Demikian juga dengan banyak konflik di negara Islam lain pun bukan tak mungkin adalah buah propaganda dari orang-orang yang tidak suka Islam dengan memanfaatkan oknum pemimpin Islam rakus yang haus kekuasaan.

Inti yang sebenarnya ingin aku angkat di sini adalah bagaimana kita yang minoritas sebagai muslim bisa membangun keunggulan terhadap mayoritas non muslim. Topik yang agak berat mungkin untuk sebuah email cinta. Keunggulan di sini bukan harus dalam artian menguasai dunia. Tapi bisa unggul misalnya dalam kekayaan ilmu dan unggul dalam memelihara sikap dan perilaku yang baik. Setiap manusia itu adalah agen dari setiap atribut yang ia bawa. Jika ia muslim maka ia adalah agen Islam. Jangan sampai karena perilaku yang tidak baik orang akan sekejap mencap muslim dengan tidak baik juga. Misalnya, aku masih suka heran dengan Indonesia. Mayoritas muslim tapi perokoknya banyak. Mayoritas muslim tapi sendal saja bisa hilang di mesjid. Aku juga tak mau muslim dicap tidak disiplin, padahal sudah dilatih disiplin 5 kali sehari.

Dari semua hal kurang baik yang cukup besar tersebut ada satu langkah yang bisa kita lakukan. Kita sebaik mungkin menjadi agen Islam yang positif. Apalagi sekarang kita ada di posisi yang strategis sebagai minoritas. Kita harus selalu berusaha untuk membawa pesan positif dari atribut yang kita bawa. Kita harus terbiasa membuat orang lain melihat orang Islam itu disiplin, pekerja keras, cerdas, toleran, berpikiran terbuka namun tetap berpegang pada prinsip dasar. Jika sudah melakukan hal tersebut secara minor saja maka kita sudah bertransformasi dari sekedar penganut namun juga bisa sedikit berdakwah. Setidaknya dalam tataran mencontohkan perilaku. Aku sadar aku masih jauh dari relijius. Namun aku selalu sadar pentingnya Islam dalam kehidupan dunia dan akhirat.

Di akhir email ini aku tutup dengan sebuah cerita. Di London ada seorang imigran muslim yang menjadi supir bus. Di satu hari setelah seorang penumpang rutin membayar ongkosnya. Si penumpang naik dari satu halte dan turun di halte dekat sebuah mesjid setiap harinya dan selalu bertemu supir bis yang sama. Si penumpang ini adalah pria tua Inggris tulen. Namun di hari itu si supir muslim ini kurang membeli kembalian 10 sen. Ia baru sadar setelah si penumpang itu duduk di bangku belakang. Dalam hati si supir ini berkecamuk. Haruskah aku kembalikan uang 10 sen ini? Ataukah biar saja toh hanya 10 sen si penumpang itu pun belum tentu sadar. Lagi pula si penumpang itu adalah orang kafir. Akhirnya dia bulatkan tekad untuk tak mengembalikan uang 10 sen tersebut. Tak lama bus mendekati halte tempat si pria Inggris itu biasa turun. Si pria Inggris itu bersiap turun. Bus berhenti dan pintu bus terbuka. Tiba-tiba si supir bus itu memanggil si pria Inggris. "Tuan, anda masih punya sisa kembalian di saya." Ucap si supir bus sambil memberikan 10 sen. Ternyata di detik terakhir si supir bus berubah pikiran. Meski si kafir itu tak tahu tapi Allah pasti tahu. Akhirnya ia berubah pikiran untuk mengembalikam 10 sen tersebut.

"Bagus." Ujar si pria Inggris. "Saya menguji anda. Sejak beberapa minggu ini saya tertarik dengan Islam. Saya mendapat informasi bahwa di daerah ini anda adalah salah satu muslim yang sangat taat. Saya sengaja memberikan ongkos lebih untuk tahu bagaimana nilai-nilai Islam yang anda anut. Anda telah meyakinkan saya untuk masuk Islam". Seketika si supir bus merasa hampa sambil beristighfar bahwa ia sempat hampir membuat persepsi buruk.

Dear bunda, semoga sedikit celoteh dalam email ini dapat menggantikan beberapa email yang absen kemarin.

PS: I love you

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Dear wifey - Science and Social Science

Dear Bunda,

Since long time ago I always love science. I falling in love in Maths and Physics since I was in Junior high school. I did many problem solving in Maths and Physics in my spare time. Usually I will fill up my Student Worksheet (Lembar Kerja Siswa, LKS), a special book that consist many problems to solve. At that time internet have not been so common like now and video games was not sophisticated as now, so I didn't have too much distraction that time.

I have one important reason in choosing science as my preference. I don't like memorizing and reading boring article. In maths and physics most of the text is a number or logical article that is not boring to read. The other interesting aspect is every problem have an exact answer. We didn't face ambiguity when solving number problem. If the answer is 7 and its mean 7. If the answer 10 then its mean 10. No need to argue, no need to write Long rhetorical statement in essay question. Interstingly again, I feel not annoyed if I have to write long answer in math or physics essay question. Usually in essay we have to expand formula and calculation. I always love that

But of course thats all was past time. I fully understand both science and social science are important. Even for now I forgot almost all the thing relste to maths and physics. It has been some time since last time I was interacting with. Need sometime to refresh those informations. Recently I start to interest social science as well. I start to curious about business, pshycology, management, economy, public speaking and so many things. Maybe you could teach me something about PR later ;). Ok the bus almost reaching my destination. Let's talk again later. Have a great day sweetheart.

PS: I love you

Dear wifey - Passion

Dear Bunda,

Like my status last Saturday I plan to do nothing this weekend. :p But anyway actually I did some little things. I was going to library to lend some more books. I went to cinema watching a movie today and stop by for a moment in Kinokuniya. From yesterday and today I also read some little things. Some part of book, some article in Entrepreneur magazine and also Harvard Business Review. I know inside of you will yell to me "Just do it!". I am doing it honey (whateve it means). :D.

This two days, I was gathering again my realization of being up to date person. In this competitive world, being not up to date will make us left behind. Either in sense of materiality like financial things and also in sense of fulfilment and happinest. That's why we supposed to keep maintaining the spirit of never bored to learn and improve. Always read something interesting, taking nice course and get useful certification for example.

I still cannot depicted detailly where I'll be and how I'll look exactly (in term of achievement) couple of months from now in future. But I fully understood that we have to be more settle in many ways. Especially in financial capability. I want to have proper career, either work in decent company or work independently as an expert consultant. For that, I want to find my real exact passion and specialization. I believe that real interest is not too far from where I am standing right now. I just need more deep knowledge and understanding. That's why I always interest to take master degree or to get some certification. In IT industry, sometime certification is more valued than master degree.

Without being too technical, I have several specific interests. First is Information Security. Second is Data Scientist. Thirds is System Engineering. I think my real passion is somewhere around that. I will elaborate those sometime, hopefully will not make you fall sleep. Don't know why I just feel so excited recently. Very excited.

How about your passion? :)

PS: I love you

Friday, October 5, 2012

Dear wifey - Live in another continent

Dear Bunda,

I forgot to ask you yesterday. If you passed Singapore area last evening, please wave your hand to me. Maybe I can wave you back.

Until now I still amaze about how it looks there in Europe. My first interest to that continent, like maybe you have known, was triggered by Edensor novel by Andrea Hirata. Since that time I want to study in Europe one time later. I always wonder how it feels to see blonde people in their own habitat. In Singapore I often encounter with blonde people as well, but in here their eyes are tiny. :p

Baby I don't know how it feels to live separate again from you. It must be feels not good. Wherever you are wherever I am, I will always love you and miss you. I love you, you love me, we are happy family.

I will try to write more proper mail later. For now I am waiting you in my tiny empty room to have another skype session again with you when you arrive in another continent.

PS: I love you

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Dear Wifey - Sweet Farewell

Dear Bunda,

I still remember the first dear wifey letter that I wrote the day after the first time you left on 24 March 2012. That day was so hollow for me. Everything feel so empty and lonely. And start today maybe I will fell the same way again.

Dear I am so sorry cannot accompany you before your flight. I feel so sad actually. Until yesterday morning I was still expecting can hug and kiss you one more time before you left. I miss the smell of you and I miss when my skin touch your soft skin. But at the end this morning I still in Singapore and aproaching you this evening is not visible for now. I just wish you to have safe trip.

Dear if everything go smooth, my contract will be end May 2013. Still long time is it. But after trying to stay away from you for more than 4 months I hope both of us will strong enough to live separately at this moment. So the soonest visible time to see you again will be after that May. Hopefully we can have matching free time and derping around interesting place there. Hopefuly we will have enough saving at that time that we can spent without bothering other important thing like buy our new house. For now I don't have any interest to buy that cute thing like XBOX :D, at least until we have our own place to play that XBOX.

At the end of this year some scholarship result will be announced as well. I don't want to have over expectation and just want to let it flow, all is well. :). Btw I think I arrive at the moment of immune against failure. Failure is good teacher and lesson learned. I will hope for not failing. But eventhough it does, there are so many trials that I can do more.

I believe in between this long time, there will some surprising sweet scenario that will happen. I don't know what I don't know when exactly. I just believe. I am sorry one more time if I don't treat you properly when you were in Singapore. I am so sorry if I ever have some behaviours, words, or statements that make you uncomfortable, honey.

Now I am staring an empty single bed in front of me. It was someone there, a sweet girl with cute cheek sleeping there so peacefully. I can't wait to see that beautiful girl again.

PS: I love you

Monday, October 1, 2012

Dear wifey - Take Care

Dear Bunda,

Finally the day has come. So sad, even I cannot accompany u to Changi. ;( Have a safe trip dear. Till we meet again as soon as possible.

Sometime I cannot strong enough to know or realize exactly when that "soon" will be come. Next month? three month? Half year? Or another september? Don't know. Actually at the first time you left, I prepare myself for not see you for 2 years. But Allah is so kind to give us a chance to meet with plenty of time, at least until this morning. I hope we can get another surprise to be met in very near time. "soon" is my favorite word now.

Dear baby, like usual I really want to drop a tear this morning when you left the hospital with the cab. I need more more time to hug you and enjoy warm of your body like we often did in weekend. But it is never enough.

Dear baby, have a safe trip and happy studying again. You always be my inspiration. I want to be like you too. Get to study again very soon and stay together with you without any break anymore.

PS: I love you