A Personal Letter to Taylor Swift

I have planned to write for you for a long time when there are so much times to feel myself really sunk in your poetic and magnetic lyrics. So here I am once again, from album to album, and singles to singles, fangirling like a 13 years old. Now that I realize today is your birthday (December 13, 2012), I don't see why I need to delay any more words.

First of all, happy birthday, Taylor, I wish you can stick to your true self wherever your imagination may take you and hopefully you'll find a perfect guy that will make you start writing about world peace and more pieces like "Mean" instead of  your heart-breaking cycles. Not that I don't like it, I basically stalk and hum your songs in my entire conscious adult life. But I think your talent is much better to be spilled all over the encouragement issue than just to bend and mend the cracking heart all over the world, if you know what I mean.

If there's a celebrity that I want to be, it is you. Certainly there are backgrounds to that very statement. So here it goes, the reasoning.

When I listen carefully to your lyrics, it feels so familiar and at the same time making me contemplate. Yes, the lyrics do get those power. You are powerful through the things you master and I forever salute you for that. Can I first talk about "Fifteen"? Well, you sing the hearts out of every hopeless romantic 14-15 years old anywhere in the world through that song. You put yourself right there in the song, make it alive and graspable. And that's a quality, not even a professional singer, songwriter really has. That what makes you really distinctive and instantly rocket to fame. World aches to see humility, simplicity, and truth in music.

Basically, this one reason is enough for me to make a vow to update myself with whatever you are up to. But then, I search a little on YouTube and I can see all the hates you receive from your unconsciously admiring-secretly pawning-over-Taylor Swift group of people. The fact that you are not the best female voice in the industry just make me see more in you, and I believe so does others who respect your talent. You are no Beyonce nor Faith Hill, but you own it as Taylor Swift and nobody can ever match you on that.

Taylor, you are probably the only performer that dance awkwardly. I mean, maybe it's judgmental, but I personally think it is true. You do not move or do things that require a body harmony marries to beats perfectly. Even so, you always look cool cause you play guitar nicely. This bit probably is my favorite because it shows how normal you are. To be a great performer, you don't have to kill it flawlessly. The most important thing is to give your best shot. I learned that seeing your Vevo, Ms. Taylor.

Have I told you that I have fun watching your performances on stage? They are always a bliss to be watched. You enjoy it and so does your exquisite band. The sound you produce are just completing each other it is heartwarming.

Your not-so-bombshell figure is your plus point. You got these long skinny legs that ooze perfection, with bunny teeth. You are tall and I think that's why you seem a little hunched on back due to height adjustment. This is the kind of beauty you do not see in Hollywood yet it makes you more attractive and unique in a relatable way.

I see a video when you told people you were bullied. Growing up having a different way in looking at your dreams is a challenge and a wide open door to bullying. But as you constantly do, you manage just fine and eventually conquer all your fears and gain your dreams. That's an attitude of a heroine, and I look up to you because of your experience that led you gave birth to "Mean" and "The Best Day".

All in all, Taylor, I think you're awesome. Watching your interviews, you have this sense of random humor which makes me see you as a person. A human being that if ever we met, we would laugh over some silly things and shared inside jokes nobody understand. Listening to your works, you have this magical brain that chooses a perfectly right word, arrange each word to the ability of piercing through the core of every soul. You successfully voice what others find hard to say in a brilliant music. I think you will go far and stay on top, as long as you keep doing that and in the process do not lose your character. Keep up that good work on being an inspiration.

Sincerely,

Prisca,

from Indonesia

Taylor, concert here, please?

Picture credit: tumblr.com

Kesederhanaan Interaksi dalam Industri Musik Independen

Sebuah gebrakan dalam dunia komunikasi masa kini adalah pilihan kalimat yang tepat untuk menggambarkan media sosial. Dunia berada dalam genggaman dan digerakkan oleh ibu jari yang sinkron dengan sel-sel otak yang aktif karena imajinasi. Berimajinasi waktu-waktu ini sudah bukan hal yang terkungkung kesulitan sumber daya, terima kasih yang terlambat disampaikan kepada Zuckerberg sebagai salah satu inspirator yang terdeteksi mata dunia.

Bicara tentang imajinasi tentunya tidak lepas dari kelahiran seni. Indonesia dan talenta, dua hal yang sudah dikawinkan sah sejak era komunikasi maya yang meledak luas di antara pengguna Internet di Indonesia. Ragam akun dan halaman yang populer menyuarakan demokrasi dalam berkarya dengan integritas wara-wiri setiap harinya hanya sejauh kata kunci yang sesuai di situs pencari segala seperti Google atau Yahoo. 

Seni yang paling mudah diapresiasi hampir selalu bernafaskan nada, begitu juga di Indonesia. Yang menghubungkan musik dengan media sosial seringkali menyangkut promosi, tapi inovasi selalu mampu menggeser generalisasi. Satu yang tidak lepas dari pengamatan adalah kultur musik independen atau yang akrab disebut indie. Boleh disebut aliran musik Do It Yourself (DIY), bermodalkan hasrat bermusik yang ogah dijajah selera pasar dan dalam budget serendah-rendahnya ternyata sanggup menimbulkan atraksi tersendiri. Musisi-musisi berbendera indie bermunculan via media sosial seperti MySpace dan YouTube, lalu layaknya sebuah siklus melebar ke Facebook dan Twitter sebagai media berbagi informasi dan interaksi dengan penikmat musik yang sangat tersegmen ini.

Pergerakan yang diperjelas oleh PAS Band di tahun 1993 ini makin tumbuh subur berkat media sosial, memungkinkan pembangunan komunitas virtual yang menopang dan membangun jaringan yang bahkan lebih luas dari scene musik non-independen. Tahun 90-an musik indie hanyalah bagian dari musik underground, yang kasetnya hanya diedarkan di toko-toko distro (kependekan dari distributor) di Bandung. Tahun 2000an, musisi-musisi yang bertahan dengan tidak dikontrak label kawakan inilah yang berjasa mengharumkan nama bangsa di kancah internasional hanya melalui media sosial. Entah ditemukan oleh perusahaan rekaman kaliber dunia seperti The S.I.G.I.T atau konsistensi yang berbuah koneksi ke negeri ginseng seperti band folk Mocca jadi kisah happy ending musisi indie. Yang manapun pemicunya, dua nama tadi sudah cukup menjelaskan kekuatan jejaring sosial untuk industri kreatif.

Kesuksesan adalah candu. Mulai bermunculan ke permukaan nama-nama band indie yang semakin didukung massa yang sarapan dengan Twitter dan makan siang ditemani YouTube. Haus akan musik-musik yang berani beda menggelitik penikmat musik di Indonesia untuk mendukung mereka yang gagah mengambil jalur indie, tentunya lewat media sosial dengan kesederhanaan metode interaksi yang bebas polusi pretensi hasil dari kontrol perusahaan rekaman besar.

Interaksi adalah 'oksigen' bagi makhluk sosial. Media sosial dengan tepatnya mempersonifikasi sebutannya dengan menyediakan apa yang dibutuhkan makhluk sosial. Tombol follow di Twitter atau like di Facebook adalah sebuah keputusan. Pengguna media sosial sadar betul setelah mengklik tombol-tombol tersebut, mereka akan jadi bagian dari suatu komunitas. Mereka yang memilih, konten apa yang sesuai dengan minat mereka. Mereka yang melangkah, sejauh mana mereka ingin bersinggungan dengan suatu komunitas di media sosial. Bagi pemusik indie, ini adalah suatu kekuatan yang bermutualisasi. Media sosial dengan cerdik dimaksimalkan sebagai ajang penjawab kebutuhan. Layaknya semut dan manisan, jejak-jejak konten 'manis' yang sengaja ditinggalkan di dimensi virtual akan didatangi oleh 'semut'.

Berita terbaru hingga sapaan selamat pagi menjadi bagian yang disebut konten, yang dengan murah hati dibagi dengan khalayak yang sudah bergabung di media sosial band-band indie. Bagi sukarelawan yang mengaksesnya setiap hari, tanpa sadar pun mereka berkontribusi. Ceritakan sesuatu lewat dunia maya, dan mari menunggu efek domino dari sifat alami manusia yang tidak tinggal diam ketika hal yang menjadi kecintaannya disebut selintas. Musik, dalam hal ini, selalu menarik untuk disimak. Album baru, lagu baru, prestasi, jadwal konser, sebutlah apa saja yang dapat dikaitkan, dan satu dua tiga sepuluh sahutan bermunculan menanggapi isi, melahirkan komunikasi, mengundang atensi, dan akhirnya, mengembangbiakkan saksi yang dengan gampangnya berpromosi atas dasar apresiasi, melebarkan sayap band indie.

Kekuatan media sosial yang tidak terbatas ruang dan waktu. Kreatifitas industri musik yang berani keluar dari kotak zona nyaman. Dua hal yang saling melengkapi satu dengan yang lain, di mana media sosial adalah kendaraan canggih yang berkembang sesuai masa mengantarkan penumpang-penumpang bervisi sampai ke mana saja tujuannya. Sebuah pola yang telah lebih dahulu diterapkan menjadi misi utama Prasetiya Mulya Business School dalam melahirkan kreator yang berkontribusi bagi masyarakat. Musisi independen sebagai satu dari sekian banyak komunitas yang bergerak dengan poros media sosial, terus menginspirasi dan berkreasi. Sebangga itulah dunia music entrepreneurship Indonesia di masa mendatang.

Culinary Experience with Dunhill

The event was held on April 26, 2012. Twas the event from the client of my old internship place. I helped out for documentation. This event was by DUNHILL, one of the foremost and hip cigarettes in Indonesia. They would like to launch their new product called DUNHILL Mild exclusively to the media friends. So this was actually an open circus for the media to know better about DUNHILL Mild. What made it unique was, the interpretation of the product characters through food experience.

Twas held in Social House, an urban hip kind of resto located in Grand Indonesia, an urban hip luxury based mall in Jakarta.

Lines-up of Wagyu, an exceedingly tasty and expensive beef steak.

First dish served was a Cream Soup with Garlic Bread (there's actual name, but I didn't recall it) by Chef Tristan, the nicest bule chef I ever known (not that I know many of 'em hehe).

Only Tristan who prepared two dishes among the chefs. This second dish was, errr... Snapper, I guess. The fish that every Masterchefs (the TV show) mastered.
These two dishes represented MORE of DUNHILL Mild. MORE reflects the extra mild cigarettes inside a pack of DUNHILL Mild (there are 20 cigss inside a pack).

The people (who were lucky enough to tasteee!!)

Here comes Maxi, energetic chef that called me: "Syandra's slave". Looking good with that can of fire sprays.

This is the outcome, the most applauded dish that day. "The juicy-ness of the meat was the key" - Words I heard several times.
This finely cut layers of Wagyu represented FINE CUT of DUNHILL Mild. Every cigarette of DUNHILL Mild is cautiously cut into 40 to 50 chops and makes it more subtle and gives smoother smoking experience.

The most interactive chef award was also goes to him.

The celebrity Chef of Gula Gula Cooking Show in Trans TV, Bara Pattiradjawane. Look at those sweet troops!

The result. The white chocolate box you could open and close that contained the Manadonese giant walnut was to represent RELOC of DUNHILL Mild, which is the signature seal of DUNHILL that could keep the cigarettes fresh and still tasty even after we open the pack.

These are the spotlights destination during the event. From left to right: Adhika Maxi, Tristan, Winne the MC (also Celebrity Chef), Andreas Pradhana (the Marketing Dude of Dunhill), and Bara Pattiradjawane.

The complimentary drink, there's clove inside of it. Not sure about the taste *clinching teeth. But still the look was pretty.

Overall, I was so happy AND hungry. I got off early to get me some Cheese Roti Boy. Well, I got the memories frozen here already, and for the record, this was my first paid Photography freelance job! Thank God!

Seven Blessings of First Fruit Offering

"So God is true, He lives and listens."

When you read any verses from Bible, sometimes it is hard to fully understand it, right until you come to have it on a real experience. You finally are able to grasp it when God translates the verse directly to your profound soul. It takes time, though.

My time was finally arrived because the prayer I murmured every morning since the first month of my internship begun was answered. Even things that I forgot to pray for, was given back to me. How this happened, I never will understand, but one thing now is clear, putting your faith on is one source of a great power to bring forth a real life testimony.


The church I come to every week is so active in teaching lessons about giving God your very best sacrifice as a form of obedience. It is about giving your first fruit offering (Exodus 23:15-19). What is that? It is simply to give your very first income of where God gives you land to work on (your workplace).

In short, the words touched me as I learned to obey. In the verses of Exodus 23:20-, it states that the first fruit offering could activate The Seven Blessings, they are:

1. Angel that will walk in front of you
2. Our enemy is also His enemy
3. Your bread and drink are guaranteed
4. No disease will be near you
5. No miscarriage or infertility in your land
6. Fulfillment of your days of life and long lasted life

7. Fruitful life and the possession of the promise land

Who doesn't want to possess all of these blessings? So, as the part of act of obedience, when the monthly incentive payment time came, I gave back the money I received after I fulfill the house rent fee. At first, I just waited and waited, I didn't know that you need to claim those blessings every single day (oh pity pity me!). So the first time I gave, I didn't feel that much of difference cause I know every day God already walked with me anyway :D.

But there was this one prayer I kept replaying, which is for God to give my mother a job that she needs.  So I gave the first income again, the one I got when I started working at my second internship place. And thanks to the man that testified about the power of giving the first fruit offering in the church, now I know that I have to claim the blessings.

Now I prayed, not saying that If You willing to give me, O God, but declaring that I know I will receive the blessings (and actually, my main focus is still "please give my mom her job" prayer). I waited, and once I questioned the result, hesitated the power. But then faith tapped my back, to not ever questioned God ever.

After that, not too long (about 2 weeks), my mom sent a text saying that Praise the Lord she got the job she's been interviewed for. Wave of relief came washing my stomach and weary heart right at the time I read her text.

I prayed the next morning, saying that I'm thankful. Then a flash came to my mind, I could see there how God actually had fulfilled the blessings, it's just that I wasn't sensitive enough to realize (I know it's lame). See, I make this list right now, the proof that Jesus really loves His people. And I'm proud to say that one of 'em is MOI.

1. My mom got a job

2. I don't know how but I never feel a day of lack of something. When I felt short on cash, a little miracle happened continuously. Strangers paid me my bus fare twice (I'd like to remember them as angels) and my kos-kosan friend helped to fetch me near my office so I can walk and don't have to spare any Rupiah. Or how about lunch paid by my supervisor twice, right when I don't have money?

3. I felt really sick one day, my stomach felt funny. I prayed, Angel supposedly won't let me be sick, right? So I continued going home riding the bus, alone and queasy. I tried to vomit but failed, then another "portal" opened. I slept on it. Next day, I felt like Imma brand new (SWAAG!). No medicine, just a faithful whispering.

4. Well this one could be the most proud moment I ever had. I had this childhood dream, that I sort of gave up along the way. I wanted to be a writer ever since I read the World Figure Series of Hans Christian Andersen. I loved the idea of being one, I love reading, I love language, but the determination to keep dreaming for it somehow just died.
It says that when you give First fruits, God will give back what belongs to you. Well, it happened.

When God happens in your life, then you can call it 'life'.

Every Being is Under Authority

USA vs UK

Beberapa hari yang lalu saya menonton sebuah acara reality show pencarian Top Model di Amerika (yeah I bet you know what the title is), tapi yang bikin menarik, edisi kali itu dikorporasikan dengan model-model dari UK sehingga nama acaranya diembel-embeli dengan kata "British Invasion". Oww, I always love this kind of reality show.

Sedang sibuk membabat habis makan malam saya sambil memanjakan kuping dengan aksen Bre'-ish (baca saja begitu) yang lalu lalang, model-model cakep tampak seru berdebat. Di edisi kali itu, mereka juga diajarin untuk menjadi pelaku bisnis di dunia fashion. Mereka ditantang buat merancang sendiri konsep photoshoot, membelanjakan uang dengan bijaksana, serta menggunakan waktu dengan sebaik mungkin. Di situ saya berpikir, wew, seru juga ya, dan makin serius menyimak.

Mereka melakukan photo shoot untuk suatu situs fashion online store dari Inggris, team USA versus team UK. Yang satu mengeksekusi tema Punk Love, satunya 60's Mod. Semua berambisi untuk memberikan yang terbaik, walaupun ada yang enggak berhasil. Sebagai audience, menurut saya yang mereka lakukan itu udah oke banget. Semuanya kreatif dan punya team work yang oke.

Tiba waktunya untuk penjurian. Satu persatu model dikasih kritikan yang membangun. Ada yang dibilang pemimpin yang nggak becus, dibilang salah pilih foto, dikata-katain fotonya nggak menarik sama sekali, dan lain sebagaimana adanya penjurian. It is easy to be the one who watches, rather than the one who hears all those shits throwing to them faces. It's not that harsh, though.

Sampe satu model yang tadinya paling saya jagokan dari Inggris (mulai dari sini kita sebut saja dia si kece), yang emang paling bermasalah sejak zaman makeover, menghadap juri dan mulai menerima kritikan.

"I think in this picture you look like you're mean," ujar salah satu juri. Seketika juga muka si kece berubah drastis and the rest are nuts moments.

Salah satu Publisis (atau istilah Indo-nya Humas) kenamaan di dunia fashion yang jadi juri, yang emang judes mampus, bilang kalau si kece was so rude to her during the shoot. Merasa nggak terima dan teraniaya, si kece langsung tereak, NO! Yang rude itu eloo! Tingkah dia sukses bikin semua juri terpana.

"I think you really have issues with authority," kata juri utama dari kompetisi ini. "See, she is A PUBLICIST, and you are A MODEL, there's hierarchy here." Si kece yang nggak terima, mulai ngeluarin kata-kata makian and lashes out of the room, begging to be sent home.


Dari situ saya cukup lama termenung sih. Beberapa bulan terakhir saya belajar tentang tunduk pada otoritas, mostly I learn from Saturday sermons. Otoritas adalah orang yang ditunjuk Tuhan untuk jadi pemimpin, dan ditunjuknya seseorang tersebut tidak ada hubungan dengan sifat atau sikap apa yang orang tersebut miliki. Jadi mau orang yang jadi pemimpin itu kasar, korup, ataupun tidak tau terima kasih, we really have no choice but to obey.

Di sini, si kece memang pantes merasa kesal, karena dia sudah berusaha yang terbaik, tapi si publisis yang sensi tetap ngga menghargai hasil kerja dia. Tapi gimanapun, as the main judge said, ada hierarki yang berlaku. Suka atau ngga suka, kita harus tunduk pada otoritas.

Untuk bisa dipercaya menjadi pemimpin, terlebih dulu ada otoritas-otoritas yang Tuhan sediakan untuk kita belajar tunduk dan dilatih menjadi rendah hati. Salah si kece, dia tidak rendah hati dan tidak mau menerima didikan yang benar (bebal).

Tunduk Otoritas itu (Nggak) Susah

Susah-susah gampang sih kalo menurut saya. Konsep mikirnya disederhanakan saja. Tuhan menciptakan kita agar kita serupa dan segambar dengan Dia, untuk itu ada Roh Kudus yang diturunkan untuk membentuk kita, tinggal di dalam kita. Ia ada di dalam kita.

Kalau memang pribadi-Nya ada di dalam kita, sudah seharusnya kita mewarisi sifat-sifat ilahi-Nya dong? Salah satunya, ya itu tadi. Tunduk pada otoritas. Yesus sendiripun tunduk pada otoritas, terbukti dengan taat sampai mati.

Jadi Gimana Dong?

Matikan keinginan kita untuk melawan otoritas. Itu yang saya pelajari hari-hari ini. Sadar diri, dong! Siapa sih kita di dunia ini? Bukan siapa-siapa kalo kita nggak punya Tuhan. Jadi apakah pantas kita melawan siapapun itu yang Tuhan taro untuk jadi pemimpin atas kita? Not at all. No excuse whatsoever, mau sebrengsek apapun pemimipin kita, cuma taat satu-satunya jalan agar kita berkenan.

Seandainya aja si kece tadi mau ngedengerin, si publisis tadi sebetulnya baru akan memuji hasil fotonya, yang ternyata salah satu dari delapan foto terbaik. See? Condescending the authority only will lead us to defeat after defeat.

Foto yang tadinya bakal dipuji setelah performanya dikritik habis-habisan

"Barangsiapa ingin menjadi besar di antara kamu, hendaklah ia menjadi pelayanmu...Sama seperti Anak Manusia datang bkan untuk dilayani melainkan untuk melayani dan untuk memberika nyawa-Nya menjadi tebusan bagi banyak  orang" (Matius 20:26B+28)


"Sebab orang yang tak berpengalaman akan dibunuh oleh keenganannya, dan orang bebal akan dibinisakan oleh kelalaiannya" (Amsal 1:32)

In the Heat of the Day

Meet Augy

My friend screamed, this is so Harper's Bazaar. I just laughed (secretly hoping it's true! Ha!)

Sexy back!

So far, tis is my favorite dress!

I helped a dear friend doing a photo shoot for her lovely boutique, Kiwi Wardrobe. Actually, I offered to help. I said I'd like to have as many works as possible to finally have my own photography portfolio. Yeah, someday, somehow, I need to! Anywow, she said OK and there I was, taking few shots after a long long break due to internship

As I was almost drooling all over those small size clothing, I kind of contemplated on how big my hips are. That's the situation I always face every time I meet a long leggie (what I like to call girl with skinny legs). Anyeww, I still like how I am shaped because simply it's God's given. Meh. Period.

In the Heat of the Day

We laugh like an immature being
The clouds melt as we felt
The heat stroke
Oh to be free, at last
This one fine sun day

Graphic Poet Doodling