J a v a J i v e :: Paradise is not all that it seems

2004-11-26T05:10:00.000-08:00

Please visit my new (and hopefully improved) site.

2004-11-24T18:48:00.000-08:00

Yogyakarta

In many ways, it is the way Jakarta should be.

When I say I went to Yogya, I was actually only in the city for about 4 days. The other 4 were spent in and around the city of Magelang, north of Yogya about 45 minutes. I suppose the best way to speak of my time there would be to break it down into separate posts based upon what I was doing. This first will encompass only the city itself.

The first day I spent the morning hours searching for a card reader for my camera. Why? Because I’m retarded. I really dislike bringing my laptop around Indonesia for obvious reason of theft, but also for the sake of lugging it around, and not to mention I feel like an ass pulling it out in front of anyone. Many of the people around me would work for 3 years to afford one – I feel like a complete jerk when they see it. The simple fact remains that I had to transfer my photos to it, so I had to bring it along.

So back to me being retarded. What’s the one thing needed to connect a camera and a computer? Yes, a card reader or a USB cable – both of which I left in Jakarta. I rock. So of course the first day I arrived in Yogya I set out to find one – and of course this happened to be the Monday of Idul Fitri. Nothing was open; much less a camera shop selling equipment. Finally I found a Chinese shop still open, carrying a number of beautiful cameras, huge quantities of professional prints, and every kind of accessory you could find – EXCEPT a card reader.

“Ok, so you don’t have any card readers correct?”
“That’s right sir.”
“Ok, well how do you transfer your customer’s images to your computers?”
“With a card reader.”
“Umm. Ok. But you don’t have any card readers?”
“Well only the ones we use, sir.”
“Ahh. Ok, I’ll buy it off of you.” (he then preceded to give me that “fuckin tourist” look)

300,000 Rupiah lighter, I was the proud owner of a slightly used card reader. On to Yogya!

I’ll be completely honest, from what I first saw of Yogya, I wasn’t too impressed. It simply looked like yet another Indonesian city – a mini Jakarta. Walking down Malioboro (famous street), I felt as though I could have been standing on Jalan Surabaya or similar in Jak city. There was slightly less traffic, slightly less pollution (ok, much less), and just as many people, in my immediate vicinity.

When I started to actually travel outside of Malioboro, I was far more impressed. The city has a heart, unlike Jakarta. Culture was much more evident, and art was everywhere. I felt a friendlier vibe from the people, and was met with more curiosity than anything. I suppose the same is true in any American city – the larger metropolises contain a certain bitterness and cold nature in the eyes of some people, whereas many smaller towns are much friendlier. I thought there’d be more bule strolling around, but didn’t see too many. That’s fine with me.

The fun began when we hopped into becaks – basically a bike with a foam seat soldered to its frame and supported by two wheels in the front. I believe they’re outlawed on the streets of Jakarta for the obvious reasons of congestion. The driver/rider/tour guide was eager for our business and stayed with us for a couple of hours. It was wonderful to tour around without air conditioning, horns blaring, or the insanity that is Jakarta. Our silent journey took us past the Sultan’s Palace (closed for Idul Fitri), through the quaint side streets, past batik shops, silver dealers, and of course the t-shirt shops. I’m well aware that they receive a cut from any business they bring towards the shop owners, but I really didn’t care – if I like what the shop sells, I’ll buy; and buy I did. I found way too many “things” that I couldn’t part with.

I especially love the batik paintings – you simply cannot find these in America. The saturation of color, the painstaking detail, and the intricate designs are phenomenal. I’m actually considering loading up on a 100 of them before heading back to the States. The sad thing is that I didn’t find too many batik shops open, so my selection was limited. I hope to go back soon to pick some more up as gifts. The plane tickets only cost me a million Rupiah, so it’s quite cheap to return.

One thing I loved about Yogya was the fact that there were no skyscrapers; in fact, none of the large hotels were more than 8 stories high. Jakarta has lost much of its Asian charm in my opinion – money has become the focal point in Jakarta, sacrificing culture for cash.

All in all, the trip revitalized my opinion of Java in many ways. I did not have a chance to relax, as one would in Bali or Lombok, but the experience proved to be well worth the effort.

Yogya itself was only the beginning of my adventure. The temples, mountains, and magical landscapes around Yogya were the true reason for my enjoyment. More to come.

2004-11-23T19:18:00.000-08:00

Featured on Flickr

I sashayed into work this morning, and fired up my 'net, only to find that my inbox was crowded with an onslaught of "flickr" messages displaying "You are (insert themostoriginalnamewecanthinkof)'s newest contact!". I knew something must be up, so I checked out the flickr blog and sure enough there I was.

Stewart - it's very much appreciated.

2004-11-22T18:53:00.000-08:00

Balance and Passion

I was driving down the road to Magelang north of Yogya, when I passed a sign that stated,

"WE SELL SEMEN"

It's so hard for me to hold back my jokes on this one. I'm thinking it's a kampung sperm bank or something. After some careful consideration, I realized they meant SEMEN = SEIMENS - as in the handphone company.

Do you ever feel as though your life is one long Seinfeld episode?

2004-11-21T22:09:00.000-08:00

Honey I'm home!

I just got in last night at 1am - needless to say, I'm beat. 900 photos have found their way through my lens, and I now have the daunting task of sorting out the crap images. I'll post as soon as I get through today and take a much needed nap.

What an amazing trip!

2004-11-13T06:15:00.000-08:00

Borobudur or Bust!

I'll be catching a plane in the wee hours of the morning for Yogja, central Java. I'll be there for about a week, with or without 'net access. I'm bringing my laptop, but only because I need to download the hundreds of photos taken - I'm not sure if I'll have a satellite connection in the mountains where I'll be. If I manage to get a signal, I'll be sure to upload some photos and words. It's odd that I've been here for this long without seeing this place. Better late than never, right?

While I'm away here are a few suggestions to keep you busy:

Get a free photo ipod - yes it's legit. I generally would never sign up for something like that, but being as anal as I can be, I did the research. If you would like to read more about it here's some proof.

Why are you still checkin this old rusty blog, when I have the new and (hopefully) improved javajive?

Check out my gallery - much larger images with higher quality.

Read about the time I walked into the wrong house - thinking it was my own.

Or when there was a baboon in the Benz.

You could wish Irene farewell from being hosted via thejavajive.

Check out a Singaporean in the U.K. at wurh.com

Vote for me on PhotoFriday on this week's contest "Radiant" #372

I won noteworthy last week, for this shot - thanks for voting!

See what Flickr is all about.

Check out the school where my mother is Headmaster in Cape Town. Check out my mom - under "staff" - a beautiful and amazing woman.

Leave your fingerprints in my forum.

See what my brother has been up to. Tell him to write me.

Take a tour of my sister's portfolio school. She's awesome.

See why Sabrina is so tired of bule food.

Or why Morningdew is in London.

Give Jason Kottke's monkey a name.

Or just send me a message at thejavajive(at)gmail(dot)com - telling me about your week, what you think of my writing, my photos, how you stumbled across this place, what you hope to see, what you hate to see, where you are in the world, what country I should move to next, about the design, travel, photography job you can hook me up with, if I should stay another year in Indonesia beyond June, how I should have linked to you in this post, why I'm so slow at responding, and any other points of (dis)interest you care to share with my inbox.

I hope this post finds you - and finds you well.

2004-11-10T23:21:00.000-08:00

Little Earthquakes

2004-11-09T20:19:00.000-08:00

A Change is Gonna Come

2004-11-08T06:25:00.000-08:00

Radiant

Any guesses?

I have started taking more interest in abstract photography. Although I have actually taken many; I've displayed very few. That was more of my focus while in university and recently I've lost touch with it. I'm bored with my own work and am seeking more experimental perspectives. Here's my first example of what I'd like to continue to create (attempt at least).

I've also come across many prints from Cape Town that have never seen the 'net. I think I'll scan and share a few of the better ones. And while I'm at it, I think I'll scan in some of my black and white prints from university - to be continued.

The frigid Atlantic warmed by the welcoming earth forms a blanket of clouds from which the land will sleep. Cape Town, South Africa.

2004-11-06T06:53:00.000-08:00

These Colors Don't Run

Don't ask. I'm just weird sometimes.

2004-11-05T18:44:00.000-08:00

Well, I did something retarded last night.

After a few drinks at a staff function, instead of crashing, I decided to make some investing decisions - with a buzz?!? I can be such a jackass.

My gut feeling said my shares in Google were dropping like a turd, so I jumped out at $181 / share. I could have sold when it was $200 / share earlier this week. Oh well. I still made a little bit. That's not the retarded thing.

I then took all that cash from Google, and while watching MSNBC's stock ticker, became excited about NVDA - it was up almost 20% in one day. Did I carefully investigate, research, and patiently wait as usual? Not after vodka. The daredevil on my shoulder pushed the "enter" button on my laptop and completed a transaction that would never had been made otherwise.

All through the night I dreamed of nothing other than the MSNBC dude telling me that the stock was falling with ridiculous speed, and that I would lose all of my hard earned Benjamin's. I woke up actually dreading that it was true, only to find out that the stock didn't budge one way or another all through the night - that'll be the LAST time that I allow myself to get caught up in making trades with vodka goggles.

If anyone feels like doing me a favor, you could visit Photofriday and put in a vote for my photograph - at the top of their home page it says "cast noteworthy vote for 'still life'" I'm number 28. I always dig winning something like that.

How's that "about" page coming?

2004-11-04T16:00:00.000-08:00

No Way Out

This was taken in July, at Chimney Rock, North Carolina – in the States.

After visiting the majority of the tourist traps, my brother and I found this little cave off the beaten path – and it proved to be one of the most interesting parts of the place. The rush of cool air was exhilarating relief from the heat of the day. Wandering down the precarious steps, we found a floodlit stream of water trickling down through the boulders – captured in an image I posted last month. Once we turned to leave, the light filtering in through the narrow entrance was the only sign of an exit. I felt it would be better viewed in black and white.

2004-11-04T07:14:00.000-08:00

Well that's pretty damn cool!

Today I was playing around with Flickr and a survey invitation popped up. It said that if I took a few minutes to answer some questions, I'd receive a free month of the "pro" membership.

So if you're a member of Flickr - login and see if you can do the same!

On another note:

See my "about" page in the forum and leave your opinion regarding my question.

2004-11-02T17:09:00.000-08:00

America's Health Crisis

Of course I altered this image in Photoshop, but I felt as if this could become a strong statement if you read into the details.

Weird? Perhaps.

It may also just be the after-effects of having watched, "Super Size Me".

Obesity is killing far more Americans than September 11, heroin, and AIDs combined. The real victims in my opinion, are the children. They are influenced into poor eating habits by their parents first and foremost - without even knowing it. Obese children are at a much higher risk for diabetes and health problems later on in life. Sad, isn't it?

Before we march off into other countries to "save the world", maybe we should take a look at our own situation.

Then again, maybe it's easier to simply kick back with a Whopper and half gallon of Coke while shouting at CNN's coverage of Iraq from the comfort of our ass imprinted Lazy Boy.

2004-11-01T18:34:00.000-08:00

Step Into the Ring

E – Day is upon us.

The way that I feel about this election –

To be completely honest I don’t feel as if either candidate is what America needs right now. I will not state which one I would vote for, as it’s not worth the backlash that I would receive either way.

Once again, the election has come down to harsh words, untrue statements, and childish name calling. We have to ask ourselves, “Is this really the best we can do?”, and “Are these two men the absolute best we can find to run our country?”

I’ve read Michael Moore’s material, and seen his movie. I’ve taken them all with a grain of salt – in some respects it’s fascinating to hear new perspectives and ways of viewing the situation. I do have to keep in mind that this may also not be the whole story, and that facts may be shaded on both sides. I’ll be completely honest that I don’t have much faith in Kerry either – neither one have impressed me.

I also stand from the viewpoint of living in a country that pretty much hates Bush. I’m fairly sure the majority of Indonesians are completely against what happened with Iraq.

I spoke with my ex-girlfriend of 4 years the other day (she’s still in the States and may even read this). She was voting for Bush. I simply asked what her reasons were, and she responded saying that she supported the troops in Iraq, and that Bush had a better stance on the military. Fair enough, but I’m not exactly sure if all of the troops would agree. This is my point – I’m concerned that people will make a decisive vote without having the correct information (if there is such a thing).

Regardless of who the American people choose, it will be a very close election with both sides feeling skeptical, upset, and brutally defensive when their choice does not take office. It’s unfortunate to see my country so divided – right down to the neighbor and community level.

One thing that I am excited to see: Passion.

Passion is radiating from Americans in these times. In 1996, there was such an apathetic approach to the elections that people weren’t even caring much about who would win. Voter turnout was ridiculous – I doubt that will be repeated this time. With such a close struggle, people are strongly voicing their opinions, emotions, and rights to free speech.

I will gladly take passion over apathy.

Step into the ring, fellas! No hits below the belt.

Shake hands.

Ding, Ding!

2004-10-31T22:22:00.000-08:00

Fable

2004-10-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

Let me start by proclaiming that this will be a random post written in a state of complete apathy. It’s a Saturday afternoon and I’ve already worked out, already sat in the sun and read “Dude, Where’s My Country?” and have accomplished all that I had set out to do today – which was basically nothing. Downtime is a good word for it. It seems to happen to me when I know a vacation is coming up, workloads have let up, and I’m easily bored doing anything for more than an hour. That’s when my most random thoughts pour out of my cortex. I even had to number them to keep them straight.

1. This was amazing to me, but may not interest anyone else in the least. I have been browsing Flickr lately as you already know, and have even found some connections to people that I already knew. While browsing through completely random topics like “canon digital rebel” and then by region like, “Michigan” I came across the same guy twice – and he was the one who created both groups – even though they weren’t related in the least. Then if that wasn’t odd enough, I visited his website and found that he recently had taken a photo of the same exact building as I had – except I had taken it 3 years ago while in university from EXACTLY the same spot.

The same night, I received a comment on one of my photos from someone else, and in return, checked out his work. He had taken a photo of a building reflected in the windows of another building – in Asheville, N. Carolina – exactly how I had captured it this summer.

Ok, maybe I’m easily amused, but c’mon that’s kinda cool huh? Three coincidences in one day – and two photos taken exactly as I had, in different years and in different States.

2. Did you see the new photo ipod? Pretty cool, but it’s not for me. My current handphone plays video games, mp3s, and stores photos (oh and it makes phone calls) – guess how many of those features I use?

NONE.

Why? Because even though it has each of those features, the mp3 player isn’t nearly as good as my 40gigabyte music player (which I like better than ipod anyway), my xbox blows away the games (although I never use it), and my photos are better displayed on my laptop, as are movies. Yeah I know I’m either a tech geek or a snob. I will hold my breath for the PSP – Playstation Portable (personal) – and see how it turns out.

3. A huge injustice has occurred within my immediate family. That’s why I’ve been slow to post. I’m extremely pissed off, fired up, and wanting revenge. Unfortunately I cannot even discuss it with my friends or explain it on here until some decisions are made. Even then, I’m unsure how I could deal with it considering the fact that it also directly impacts me. Let’s just say that as nice as I am 95% of the time, I am hugely defensive of my close friends and family. When someone pushes one of my loved ones around, I push back much harder, and with disturbing force.

There will be a RECKONING – mark my words.

4. Take a deep breath B.

5. The elections are coming up very soon. That’s all I have to say about that. The numbers are too close for my liking. I feel so far removed from America right now.

6. The rainy season apparently has begun somewhere in Jakarta, but it seems to continually miss us in the north. Still sunny and 90 degrees every single day of my life.

7. I hurt my shoulder so bad while bench pressing too much weight again. Ego schmego. Why do I even bother with lifting?

8. Nice to see that Osama finally officially admitted blame for September 11. I’m sure Bush still blames Iraq.

9. I bought shares of Google at $175 / share – a VERY expensive stock. Everyone said I was stupid. 3 days later it is at $199 / share. I guess I’m just stupid and lucky.

10. I am still waiting for more of you to join Flickr – if you want me to send you an invitation with an account already set up, please let me know and I’d be happy to help. Like I said, I want to help further a company that actually “gets it.” (rarely)

11. I had Chili’s tonight – one of the only American restaurants that I actually like over here. Apparently it was bule night, as I blended in for once, yet still felt like a foreigner.

12. I still haven’t moved my archives over to my new site, so I’m actually putting each post on both sites for now. What a retard I am.

13. Scott is all better now. (see post below) Quit eating off of the street vendors buddy.

14. I am too lazy to post any photos today. Sorry. And by the way, I never grow tired of hearing your opinions – they do wonders for my encouragement, just not tonight.

15. I was told by security guards that I couldn’t take photos of a street near my house. I protested and told them they were phuckin idiots – no dice. They got on their walkie talkies and stated saying some white guy was insulting them and trying to take photos. When a half dozen jackasses showed up I decided to give up. As I pulled away I wanted SO badly to capture their expressions on camera.

16. I hope Shark Tale makes it over here. It looks entertaining.

17. Britney Spears is nippin out on Saturday Night Live at this moment. I figured she’d be using band-aids for live appearances, guess not. I still can’t stand her, nips or not.

18. Something odd has been happening lately – I haven’t been viewing Asians as Asian. Everyone simply looks like a person. Perhaps the rest of the world should try it.

That’ll do for now. Maybe I’ll post something half readable soon.

2004-10-26T20:01:00.000-07:00

Frost on a Rose

After a battle with my travel agent, and losing, I will no longer be going to Lombok for Idul Fitri. Gone are the thoughts of basking in the equatorial sun and damaging my skin beyond repair. For those of you unfamiliar with Idul Fitri (don’t you love it when a white dude explains Muslim holidays) – it symbolizes the end of Puasa (the month of fasting) and generally includes a week of holiday. Luckily I work for an organization that embraces many different religions. What does this equate to? Tons of official holiday breaks and three (yes 3) months of vacation time a year!

The good news is that I’ve secured tickets to Yogyakarta (spelling varies) – near Borobudor – one of the Seven Wonders of the World. I can’t believe that I have yet to see it. From what I hear it’s absolutely phenomenal. You can bet I’ll have my camera with me. Does anyone have any experience with either places?

The shots that I’ve been putting up lately are from last Sunday. I took the most random and odd day trip to some river dam about an hour east of Jakarta. I’m sure some of you will recognize it, but I have no idea what the name would be. Supposedly it was built by the Dutch before they pulled out of Java.

As we got out of the car, I noticed that it wasn’t exactly a hot tourist destination – I’m sure I was the first foreigner to visit in quite a while. For the most part, it was pretty much a shithole (pardon me) – filthy, trash littered, industrial, and the road we took getting there gave new meaning to the word “potholes”.

A group of steel workers were soldering a beam without eye protection, calling out the national slogan of, “Hello mister!”. Instead of ignoring them, I sauntered on over to strike up a conversation.

“Where you from Mister?”
“Jakarta”
“No, where you from?”
“North Jakarta”
“Oh, you Australian yah!”
“Not even close man.”
“America?”
“How’d you guess?”

“George Bush shit, but America ok.”
“I guess that means you support Kerry?”
“Kenapa?”
“Nothin dude.”

“Why you take photo here? It’s not pretty!” (waving to the urban expanse in front of me)
“Would you rather I take your photo?”
“Take photo? Yeah Mister photography me!”

“So why you take photo here?” (do I hear an echo?)
“Cause I just drove an hour for this.”
“But over there is pretty!” (pointing to the OTHER side of the damn.)
“Shit, don’t I feel retarded.”

So basically here I was pissed off that I’d driven so far for nothing, only to have a steel worker tell me I was taking pictures of the wrong spot. You know what? He was right. When I ventured over to the other side, it was quite a view. People were all over the place fishing, hanging out, and taking in the view.

There were men in the river balanced precariously on these small planks, fishing with the grace of a swan. In some ways it truly was artistic to see the way they moved and floated so gently down the river. I have yet to see this technique any other place.

Other people were fishing off of the wall of the dam, as the woman in my photo entitled “Alone”. The roar of the dam was not bothering them in the least. I wish that for just a moment I could have taken it all in without the rushing water creating a deafening crash. Often I find scenes in my ordinary day that would be more appreciated without sound distracting from its serenity. Do you remember the “plasic bag” scene in American Beauty, swirling around, and being teased by the wind as if somehow it was given life for just a moment? This was one of those times.

The longer I stay in Indonesia, the more I begin to see past the grime, the choking pollution, and the heartbreaking poverty so rampantly visible in Jakarta. Whenever I view this country through a camera lens, the negativity begins melting away like frost on a rose.

2004-10-26T06:48:00.000-07:00

Alone

A woman.
A river.
A lone.

Brown-nosing Flickr.com

2004-10-24T08:45:00.000-07:00

Brown-nosing Flickr.com

What’s my latest addiction? Flickr.com

How many of you have tried sites like friendster, hotornot, or other “group” websites?

Ok, how many of you have joined sites like usefilm.com for photo critique?

Now, how many of you have spent hours reading over travel blogs, photoblogs, and other weblogs searching for new experiences and perspectives?

Flickr is almost all of them combined. Where some other sites like friendster have failed, I believe this will succeed. We as an online community are constantly looking to connect to like minds. We as photographers are always looking for new inspiration and critiques for our work. We as travelers are permanently on the lookout for new experiences and ways to see other cultures through words and images.

I’ll be honest. A month ago I started hearing about the site, and was thinking, “yeah, yeah another photo hosting site”, signed up for it, and spent a total of 20 minutes browsing around in the last 4 weeks. That all changed this weekend.

Here’s why it’s different. Friendster started with a fascinating idea – connect people based upon the recommendations of others. Search through hundreds of photos of which may or may not be the real person (very often not), and be able to contact those which share common interests. In my opinion it has become a piece of crap. The server is slow, the photos are often not real, and it’s becoming an ego trip of how many friends / testimonials you have. What started out as a great idea has become a failure.

Photo critique sites? I belong to a few – usefilm.com being the one I’m on the most. I enjoy the feedback and critiques that I’ve received. The basic idea is great, but unless you pay the 25 – $50 a year, you often miss out on the benefits. Usefilm and others generally allow something like 1 upload a day – great if you have the patience. I’ve also noticed that the photos which receive the most attention are not always the best. Any photo showing skin will have 10 times the viewers and comments. Not too helpful for those of us shooting “normal” images.

Weblogs and photoblogs? They’re a wonderful way to connect – and generally much more “real” in their commenting, feedback, and returning visitors. I would much rather have 50 “genuine” visitors than 5000 “surfers”. The only problem is that they’re often hard to find, categorize, and stumble across. There are some wonderful resources out there: photoblogs.org, blogrolling.com, etc.

Flickr has proved itself to be an awesome new contender in all of these areas. They’ve come out swinging, and swinging hard. As a user, you’re able to upload as many photos as you’d like as long as you stay below 10 mb a month – let me tell you that’s plenty! I am MUCH happier with that system than the “one photo a day” or other tiny restrictions. With the cost of storage dropping dramatically – there’s really no reason for that anymore. Let’s talk to Mr. Gates about his 2mb hotmail accounts – what a bunch of shit that was. Luckily they’ve made a mistake on my account and upped mine to 2 gigabytes. Gmail has it right – I have two of their accounts for 1 gb each. Any site that wishes to become a leader in its genre needs to buck up for more space for members. Flickr has that part down pretty well.

The way that you can connect to others with similar interests is also a selling point. If I have “tags” that say “Indonesia, java, and volcanoes” people can quickly find my work, groups related and individual users. I’ve already found it to be a great way to find similar material.

There are groups that can be made by any user – I’ve made two of them myself. Within a group, members can show off their photos and hold discussions similar to a forum.

As the world becomes more populated, less diverse, and more interspersed, people are increasingly searching for ways to express themselves and share with others. Look at the explosion in chatting, blogging, and online photography sites. People are screaming out to the world in masses and trying to be heard.

Photography used to be a fairly small interest group – expensive, time consuming, and difficult to receive feedback on. Only 10 years ago, if I was living in Indonesia think about my options for keeping in touch: the phone, mail, and umm a plane ticket? Now I can write this post, take a photo of what I did today, and upload it within seconds to a site reaching anywhere in the world. I can chat with my dad who otherwise would never call, and receive feedback on photos that otherwise would sit in my desk drawer for eternity. People are becoming photographers – and quite good ones. The quality of photoblogs has sharply risen even in the past year.

Why am I promoting a site like this? Do I have shares in the company? Is my brother the CEO?

I wish.

I simply wish to see a company succeed when they finally “get it’. I’m rarely impressed by sites of this kind, so when it happens, I’ll speak up.

For those of you interested in checking it out:

My photo portfolio on flickr
My “group” about anything Indonesian

You can also create a “badge” that will display randomly changing images on your website – pretty damn cool. Check out my WordPress blog for an example.

Flickr is not perfect. There are still some bugs to be worked out, perhaps that’s why it’s still in “beta” form. I’m not seeing the real benefit or need to shell out the $40 to become a pro member – I think the free account suits me just fine. The google advertising is minutely annoying, and sometimes my photos don’t show up as planned. But what the hell, I’ll give it a whirl – and you know what? It’d be a lot more fun having a bunch of you join as well.

Ok, I’m going to pull my nose out of Flickr’s ass now and get some shut eye. Sampai jumpa.

2004-10-23T06:53:00.000-07:00

Post coming later tonight.

Sabar sayang!

2004-10-22T02:12:00.000-07:00

My buddy Scott (in this pic) is so sick that he had to fly to Singapore for better medical care. Get well soon bud.

_________________

WordPress Rocks!

I can completely revamp my template in Photoshop (which I'm much better with than css) in minutes. I've changed my header image to match javajive.blogspot - what do you think? view it here!

There are a few bugs to be worked out, but all in all, I'm pretty impressed by the system. Now I just have to figure out how I could possibly move my entire site over to there. Until I do I'll continue to use blogger and possibly post duplicated on there as a test.

It's Friday at 4pm. I'm still at work? What am I thinkin! The perfectionist in me couldn't leave till I had this under control.

My friends are going to Bali for the weekend. I'm going to the gym.

Life's not fair!

2004-10-21T17:48:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm trying to make a decision but could use a little help.

Should I make TWO separate blogs, one for writing and one as a photoblog, and keep both addresses? OR delegate one of them as my single outpouring of creativity and rantings both visually and intellectually? Do you prefer to have more writing or photos?

2004-10-20T19:54:00.000-07:00

I apologize for such as weak posting week. I've been pulling my hair out playing around with WordPress - If you care to see the messy details of my project, you can check it out here. Note - it's not pretty and it's FAR from done.

I'm debating whether or not to move my entire blog over to that or not. Typically blogspot is a service for those without paid web space (which I have) and/or lacking in experience for sake of ease (I'm not great, but I'm past the beginner level).

The advantage of using blogspot - If I decide to move my hosting, their server gets fried, or I go bankrupt and resort to selling polaroids on the beach, I'll still have a blog.

The disadvantage - not as much freedom. I HATE having "java and a "-" jive . "blogspot" - when I already pay for thejavajive.com Why did I use the "-"? Because someone else decided to create a blog that had absolutely nothing to do with the island of Java and/or coffee and call it javajive - so it was taken. Plus two years ago, my web design skills were what you'd call "challenged".

I'll continue to plug away at this, and hopefully decent results will follow. Any thoughts on the matter?

Has anyone read "The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint"?

2004-10-19T17:34:00.000-07:00

Browsing through my site stats, I found that someone landed on my site after this search:

www.google.ca/search? =warm-hearted caring male bodybuilders&meta=

How did you know?!

I guess I'd rather have that than the other popular one linking to my site somehow: "toe sucking asian girls with sexy breasts".

Pandora's Box applies here. Now that I've listed this post, I'll capture even more hits from the freaks looking for those keywords!

Things that make you go "hmmm..."

2004-10-18T21:28:00.000-07:00

hue and saturation

This land is dripping in colors - radiant, vibrant colors the camera cannot capture.

Words may not either.

Women here care about their appearance without being vain. No matter what level in society they represent, nor their age, they take care of themselves in the most delicate of details - a splash of color in their skirts, crisply pressed shirts, and the definition of cleanliness. There is no wonder why Asian women are often said to be the most feminine the world over. I absolutely agree.

2004-10-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

My coworker: "So I think I'm gonna go on the no carb diet."

Moi: "That's good. Will you be eating mostly meat?"

My coworker: "Yeah, some. Pretty much vegetables, rice, and cereal."

Moi: "Oh, ok then."

I couldn't break it to him that rice and cereal aren't exacly South Beach favorites.

Good luck with that.

2004-10-16T21:30:00.000-07:00

I remember that.

I remember how that felt.

No cares in the world except to burn your feet on the scorching sand, strip down to the essentials, and run head first into the salty waves.

This was before university, careers, money, and bills. Before relationships, love lost, and love found. Before gossip, health concerns, dishonesty. Before we forgot what it was like to live without a care in the world.

This was life in its purest form. This was what we all spend our remaining years searching for.

This was living.

Run little one, run.

2004-10-15T03:28:00.000-07:00

cruel intentions?

These guys were adamantly poisoning themselves before Ramadan - the month of fasting, which began yesterday. They staked their spot early in the morning, passing around liquor and enough cigarettes to give lung cancer to Satan.

As the afternoon wore on they began climbing the trees to get a peek at my friends in their bikinis, saying obscene (I'm assuming) remarks to passing females, and overall being a nuisance to anyone in line of their blurred vision. The only word that came to mind when I saw this guy in orange was "cruel".

2004-10-13T21:06:00.000-07:00

Tony Soprano for President!

Bush and Kerry had their final debate this morning (evening in the States). All politics aside, I thought this was hilarious:

"Being lectured by the president on fiscal responsibility is a little bit like Tony Soprano talking to me about law and order," Kerry said, referring to the murderous mob boss in the U.S. television program "The Sopranos."

I like that one. I'll throw my vote in the mix tomorrow. It's a bit different being overseas.

If you've noticed a slowdown in my posting this week, it's due to an absurd amount of work going on. It should be all finished by Sunday, and I'll post more photos of the characters I met last weekend in Cisolok (south Java).

* I've finally come to a conclusion about the long nailed Indonesian men (see post below). I understand now that it IS a class thing, a cultural thing, AND a mullet thing. Mullet thing? Yes. This would be the same situation in the eyes of a foreigner that had visited any state fair in America. They would wonder, "Why do some American men (and women) grow the hair on the back of their head till they look like a Cocker Spaniel?" I would simply reply - "It's a Kentucky thing." - An answer they may not like, but would have to accept. I may now rest easy knowing that our countries have more in common than I had previously imagined.*

Changing gears...

It's funny how my site comes up in the top 10 when people search msn for "Modzilla Firefox". I was wondering how I ended up so highly ranked - then I realized that my dumbass spelled "Mozilla" wrong (no "d") - therefore putting myself in the category of other dumbasses searching the web.

Good one Brandon.

2004-10-12T20:30:00.000-07:00

the glance

What a powerful stare. Sometimes it's as though an old soul is captured in a youthful body.

2004-10-11T23:00:00.000-07:00

Can someone please explain to me why *some* Indonesian men feel the need to grow their fingernails to obsurd lengths?

I realize that it has something to do with class distinction, proving that they don't work manual labor, etc. Am I correct? But if so, why do taxi drivers have daggers (is that not manual labor as well)? When I see them pickin their nose, I'm worried their gonna poke their brains and crash.

I'm sure I can chalk this one up with the whole "masuk angin" thing. Some things are too much for the bule mind I suppose. The force is not with us.

2004-10-11T01:57:00.001-07:00

The Flintstones visit Indonesia!

This was taken yesterday on the way home from the south coast of Java. What an image! You wouldn't believe how many people were packed in that car if I told you. Can you imagine if they got rear-ended?

Here's a contest for you -

Email me or leave a comment with the funniest caption for this photo. I'll post the results later.

2004-10-07T23:04:00.000-07:00

These images were taken in Ancol as well. Probably the last that I'll be posting from that "series". The top photo is actually the sun, taken through the veil of pollution - causing an intense redness to seep through. The light changes so rapidly in Indonesia that photos of the same scene often change dramatically within hours.

I worked out on Wednesday - pushing myself way too hard. I think you can tell when you're bench pressing too much if something starts to bulge out of your wrist. Something tells me that's not normal. I went home, and within an hour developed chills and a fever. It was the weirdest thing. I generally never get sick here, yet this came on like a freight train. I dragged myself to work on Thursday but was absolutely useless. I'm quickly getting better - a sign that my immune system kicks ass, but my throat feels as if Arnold is choking the life out of me.

I am leaving in an hour for the south coast of Java (yeah, again) - a trip which I had cancelled while on my death bed. My friends convinced me that I am indeed feeling better and that I could sit in Jakarta with a sore throat, or sit on a beautiful beach with a sore throat. If you haven't noticed I am easily pressured by my peers.

On another note - for the first time in over two years I am able to be online after leaving work!! That's right! I bought a wireless Internet card, which plugs into my laptop. For about $400, I'm now able to work from my bed, Starbucks, the beach, Bali, you get the point. In other words, I'm pretty pumped! It's been frustrating being confined to having access only at my desk and staying late if I needed to be online.

Life is good.

2004-10-05T17:35:00.000-07:00

In the fade

Another series from Ancol - these were extremely dark settings. They were taken in an alley where workers were smoking and carving - I converted to black and white because the images were almost unusable otherwise.

On a side note:

Today I finally switched over to Modzilla's Firefox.

I'm wondering why it took me so long to realize this browser kicks Microsoft's ass!

I'm wondering why it took me so long to realize what I've been missing.

I'm wondering what else is out there that is MUCH better than what I'm used to (that speaks for all parts of my life!).

2004-10-04T01:09:00.003-07:00

I spent all day Sunday perusing paintings, sculptures, and throngs of locals in the art markets of Ancol in north Jakarta. It truly feels as if you’ve stepped out of the madness of the city for a moment. The laid back existence of artistry takes hold of everyone, especially the artisans themselves. Every other shop owner was unconscious in the heat of the day; I quietly stepped over and around their corpses scattered around the floor. They create exquisite works from the most ordinary materials, all the while sucking on voracious amounts of clove cigarettes, giving each shop a special haze of its own, not dissimilar to the sky above.

Although the area is not a magnet for foreigners, I’m sure they receive a fair amount of bule, so I wasn’t shy with my photo taking. Another typical “tourist” activity is to sit down and chat with the artists, so I made sure not to be an exception. I met a number of characters, and even took part in some of the carving process. During one of the conversations, the artist said that the single piece they were working on takes over two months with two men to create. The relief carvings are seen everywhere, and are simply remarkable in their attention to detail and resourcefulness. I ended up buying some leather stools and some framed canvases, but no dice on the $2500 relief.

Another artist was twisting and weaving what appeared to be reeds or another fibrous plant.

He was bursting with personality and obviously excited to have someone take notice in his activity. I spent about half an hour taking his photo and conversing with him.

“What’s your name?”
“Macaroni”
“No, sorry, (I repeat in broken Indonesian) my name is Brandon, what’s yours?”
“Macaroni! – you know, like from Italy!”
“Ok then.”He then says to me, “I’m going to be in the Guinness Book of World Records!”,
“Huh?”
“For sculpture! See, people have carved wood, stone, sand, and ice, but no one has made sculptures from plants!”
“Right on.”
“Yes, I’ve already traveled to 89 countries showing my work, but to make it in the book, I need to visit 100 different countries.”

I’m a bit confused how a man working in such conditions has afforded to travel that extensively, but who am I to question his words? He wondered what my photos would be used for, and I mentioned that for my own use, but that I do put them on the Internet. His face beamed with excitement after hearing that.

“Would you tell people they can buy this one?” pointing to two large voluptuous nudes. “Sell them on the Internet for me ok?”
“I’ll see what I can do, Macaroni.”
“Yeah, some European man already ordered 100 of these, (holding up an evil looking doll), but never collected them.”
“Now they are like my wives, see this one’s pregnant!” grinning and sticking his tongue out.
“Yep, and on that note, it’s about time for me to go.”

He really seemed like a decent guy, except for that last remark – so if anyone is interested in making this fine art purchase, give me a shout.

2004-10-02T20:36:00.000-07:00

The architectural wonders that we encounter on a daily basis are nothing short of breath-taking if you stop to notice. This hotel in Singapore was just another hotel I suppose, and yet even a hundred years ago would be utterly impossible to construct. While having a drink in the lobby, I couldn't help but simply stare at the space and atmosphere created by such a magnificent creation.

Then again, maybe it's just another hotel blending in with the speed at which our world is progressing.

2004-10-01T02:06:00.000-07:00

As Dr. Dre put it best, "today was a good day". My gallery is moving along well, and one of my images was chosen for the Photo Friday Challenge! Here is a link to the image chosen. That being my first "noteworthy" selection, I'm pretty happy. It simply fuels me to strive harder to produce better photography.

On a side note, this month marks the two year anniversary of javajive! So much has changed, but I have remained in Indonesia the entire time - never thought I'd last this long!

What a great end to the week. Thanks for your votes!

2004-09-29T19:54:00.000-07:00

Ahhh. That's better.

My blog headache has been taken care of. If you've noticed, things have been messed up since Monday - actually I was not able to see any of the new posts, but the rest of the world could. My I.S.P. had some kind of lock on that wouldn't allow pages to be updated. Something about sunspots. Hmm.

At any rate, I do apologize, but things are back in working order. I even have the possibility of moving everything over to WordPress as I had initially intended to do. It doesn't make much sense to keep using blogspot considering I pay for webspace and for thejavajive.com site. I really need to tie it all together well. JErm at JErm express (check out his site!) is working on helping me out - I'm grateful.

Good news! - I've installed a gallery! It's not perfected, and it only contains a few images, but I hope it's a step in the right directions. It's finally the answer I've been looking for in presenting my images the "right" way versus on a blog. I think I'll continue to put the smaller versions on my blog, but visitors will be able to check out the gallery for some better organization and improved visual candy.

Please tell me what you think!

2004-09-28T21:54:00.000-07:00

and on and on

The west coast of South Africa yet again. I have so many photos that I've never shared, begging to be brought to life.

2004-09-28T00:53:00.000-07:00

big bang

The Atlantic coastline seen from Cape Town. Words will never capture the serenity of this moment.

2004-09-26T17:56:00.000-07:00

gila sekali

Ok, you know you're getting older when you see this photo and think, "Damn that's dangerous!" - as six 10 year olds cruise by at 50kph.

Then I realized that it wasn't long ago that I was doing the same stupid stuff! I must be growing up - as much as I rebel against it.

2004-09-23T17:18:00.000-07:00

The view from above.

How often do you ask for a window seat when flying? I suppose I’m like a little boy still filled at the wonder of flying, always requesting one when the chance arises. It boggles me how many people will close their shade as soon as the plane takes off, only to open it upon landing.

I’m definitely a geographical nerd in love with maps and seeing the world from any angle. When I was young, I spent hours looking at atlases memorizing the contours of coastline, names of exotic cities, and the shapes and proportions of places I had yet to see.

I was thinking of the phenomenal sights that I’ve witnessed while most other passengers were sleeping. Here are just a few of them:

* The entire length of Africa, from the brick red sands of the north, through the lush Congo, the scrub land, and finally the cape peninsula in which Cape Town is nestled – 9 hours over one continent.

* The early morning sun rising over Italy, shimmering over both the east and west coasts at the same time – displaying just how small the country actually is, or just how high we really were.

* Eastern Canada locked in a frigid mass of snow and ice, but gleaming in the radiance of the blue sky above.

* Ireland from 35,000 feet, rocky and barren, yet spectacularly green, and appearing as nothing more than two large islands in the churning Atlantic.

* Greenland, with its lack of any noticeable cities or communities, appeared as a flat plain of pure white snow with little in the way of civilization evident from the skies.

* The simplicity of the Dutch canal system and the resulting fields of crops, producing a truly peaceful scene.

* Central Paris, and the Arc de Triumph visible from the air.

* The majestic beauty of the Austrian Alps at 5am, covered in January snow, with valleys of isolated farms and villages straight out of a children’s story book.

* And most recently, the sunset catching the peak of Mt. Fuji; appearing as if someone had pasted a Japanese watercolor upon my window for only my eyes to see. This final site was truly awe inspiring, witnessing the scale and proximity of this legendary mountain so perfectly symmetrical with Tokyo not so far off in the distance.

2004-09-22T17:55:00.000-07:00

harvest

An old Javanese canoe harvests the light of another morning.

Purebred.

Occasionally I wish I was one. Living in Asia has afforded me the opportunity to realize how much of the world remains indigenous and from one single bloodline. I’m sure “pure” is relative, seeing as most cultures have been mixed to a certain extent by this point in history, but overall Asia is a continent of people with one single culture. America, by contrast, has such a mixture of cultures, races, and citizens, that not many people can still claim roots to one sole line. I would go as far to say that the vast majority of Americans do not even know the origin of their ancestors beyond family rumours.

Take my own family for example. I have been told that we have Native American Indian blood from both my mother and father’s side. As much as I’d like to take pride in that, my blond hair and blue eyes don’t exactly reflect that heritage with much solidity – the percentage cannot be very high, even if it were the “majority”. I’ve heard that some English and German are also mixed in there somewhere, although that hasn’t been sufficiently proven either.

In racing, when horses are of one bloodline, they can be worth millions of dollars, and yet when they’re mixed you find them in petting zoos. When dogs are purebred, they often become show dogs, priding their owners with their grace and beauty. The “mutts” are the backyard pups sniffing their own asses. What does that speak of me and mine? I hope that those of you with one solid heritage take pride in your blood and appreciate just how lucky you are to carry that line.

Gotta go, it’s feeding time in the stables.

2004-09-21T18:27:00.000-07:00

Since everyone seems to be talking about the election in Indonesia today – I’d like to reflect on the other aspects of an election day.

With everyone having the day off to vote, there were amazingly few people on the road. It’s phenomenal how this impacts so many other things. I spent the day buying plants and flowers and landscaping my tiny yard. The first thing I noticed this morning was how quiet the streets were. This in turn, lowered the pollution levels immensely, creating a brilliantly blue sky. I know it sounds odd to dwell on such a simple thing, but believe me, if you saw how white the sky is day to day from pollution, you’d realize just how great it is when it dissipates – if only for a moment. The city had a calmness to it that I wish was seen everyday.

The election also holds the wondering of who will win, and if it will spark demonstrations and protests as has been predicted (especially if Megawati takes the vote). So far Megawati only has 40% of the votes, but that could change on a dime.

On another note – I’ve heard through sources that there has been credible information leading to the possibility of additional bombings in malls and religious spots. This warning has been posted on the U.S. Embassy’s website for two years, but the recent information is something new. Great, considering I live only 5 minutes from two of Jakarta’s larger malls.

I have also heard that sources have gained information that the suicide bombers may be hiding out in North Jakarta. Guess what? That’s my ground. Many of Jakarta’s expats live in the Central or South parts of the city, whereas we are located in the Northeast corner – needless to say, this information wasn’t too comforting.

There aren’t many of my friends that actually have to plan their day around a bomb warning. Guess I can do without sushi and Starbucks for a while.

2004-09-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

I'd really like see people posting in the forum - It'd be great to know more about those of you who visit regularly, as well as some links to your own sites!

I know it hasn't been used much in the past, but I'd really like to see that change.

2004-09-20T19:56:00.000-07:00

quality time

2004-09-20T02:17:00.000-07:00

To the pain.

Remember that line from the beloved “Princess Bride”? Well I’m encompassed by it for the stupidest of reasons – male pride.

I love working out, and in Indonesia, I’m generally forced to bring those workouts indoors, to a health club named, “Casablanca”. I try to get in there 4 to 5 days a week, although it hasn’t been that frequent lately. Usually I’ll lift weights for an hour and a half, and then run or bike for 30 minutes.

I’ve noticed that most people that work out there tend to stay away from weights, so I have quite a bit of room to myself. Of the regulars who do work with weights, most are older men who are more into a routine of light weight lifting rather than trying to build muscle as I am. There are, however, a handful of young Chinese, Taiwanese, and Indonesian men who have similar goals in mind. Usually these guys are friendly and decent.

The exception to this is a couple of fairly muscular guys who tend to have the attitude of superiority about them. You know the look - the squat, robotic walk that says, “outta my way little man!”. They’re the guys flexing in front of the mirrors, finding a reason to change their shirt in the middle of the gym, and dropping the weights just for the thud value. I’m not trying to generalize, but they tend to be the Chinese guys in my club. I’ve noticed that the Chinese especially tend to look muscular with relative ease. Any white person to approach the weights is automatically under the watchful eyes of these guys.

I suppose it’s natural for men to compare themselves in any gym around the world, but here it’s more of a curiosity than a raw comparison. Either way, it still happens here. One other observation that I’ve made is that often these heavily muscular Chinese guys cannot lift nearly what their physiques would suggest. I haven’t figured this one out yet. There are a couple of guys who I would assume are able to bench press at least 300 pounds, and yet struggle with 170.

The other day I was working out with shoulders and back, when one of the young bodybuilders comes in and starts taking the weights that I had been using. I dismissed it as an oversight, and simply grabbed the next heavier pair. When I set these down and grabbed some water, I returned to find them in his hands. That’s twice. I admit, when I’m in the middle of a workout, I tend to be overloaded with testosterone a la Tim Allan, and resort to grunting not dissimilar to a caveman when pissed off. This guy was making a firm statement of dominance whereas I was just trying to get a workout in my busy day.

So does he bring the weights back to me? Nope, he actually walks them over to the rack, sets them down, and passes a glance my way. WTF man? He proceeds to the smith machine to work on his traps (the muscles between your shoulders and neck). Increasing the weight set after set, he checks to make sure I can see how much he can lift from the corner of his eye.

I decide that enough is enough and that if he’s going to be this way, I’ll stoop to his level and play the neanderthal game. He’s straining, sweating, grunting, and making noices similar to a constipated horse. He finishes his final set after having worked up to shrugging 220 pounds and grins at me. In broken English, I get “please you next, he he.”.

Fuck it; I let the alpha male side of me take over. I start out with 150 pounds. He’s eyeing me from the water cooler, smirking to his buddy over his past feat, and noticing that I’m using lighter weights. Next I add 40 pounds. By this time he’s moved on to hitting on some sweaty Korean woman, but maintains his glance to reassure himself. I decide to add on another 30 pounds the next set – to match his max of 220 pounds. By this time he has wandered over to the window, pretending to make a call on his handphone while nervously wondering if I’ll be able to match him. I decide to play with this guy, so I strain, grunt, and act as if I’m killing myself in the process. I finish my set and grab some water. His pride is not shattered – he matched my weight.

Then he does something that always sparks my irritation – he opens the windows next to me. Not the one next to him 15 feet away – but the one directly next to me. Why the hell do these guys feel the need to let mosquitoes, rampant heat, and choking pollution enter the tranquility of air conditioning? I feel my heart rate rise. My face gets red. And I forget one very important rule about weight lifting – NEVER LET YOUR PRIDE TAKE OVER.

I go back over to the weights, and put on about 315 pounds and continue with another set. This is beyond what I would generally use and my body knows it. I finish the set – this time the straining and sweating is real, but I managed to finish. The Chinese dude is shitting a brick by the look on his face, and he promptly goes for a swim with his tail tucked between his spandex.

Fast forward to the next day - I wake up with the most back breaking pain in my spine. It’s as if taking a deep breath will drop me to my knees. I try 3 panadol – nothing. I have the massage lady come over and rack me for 2 hours – nothing. I stretch, I crack, I bitch, I complain – all to no avail.

It’s been three days now, and I’ve missed two workouts, while I’m sure the Chinese guy has been enjoying the club pain free. I’m sitting here on my ass all weekend, reading “The Count of Monte Cristo” on my balcony, praying that the pain will dissipate. As I write this post through the blur of 3 painkillers, I’m wondering why it is that testosterone has this effect on half of the planet. I’ve been working out for over a decade and certainly know better – so why is it that I let myself get into a “mine is bigger than yours” situation?

Here is my theory. Take any two males. Put them in a room, and one will assume dominance over the other – in any way possible. Be it physically, mentally, financially, with wit, charm, or even politeness – it always happens. I suppose underneath the veil of civilization, and modern society, we’re not that far off from cavemen after all.

Ouch, my spleen!

2004-09-17T23:01:00.000-07:00

imbalance

Stumbling out of the villa at seven in the morning, I wondered down to the cabana overlooking the beach. Sipping on Javanese coffee and gazing out upon the majestic Indian Ocean, an odd scene formed before my eyes. At first I wasn't sure what to make of it - three oddly clothed individuals carrying what appeared to be a mass of wood. As they came into focus I realized that not only were they carrying a significant amount of weight, but that the women were old enough to be my grandmother. As horrible as I felt at composing a photograph of them, I knew that I had to share this image with others.

My heart goes out to those in need - and those who are unable to rest with age. Poverty rapes this land and these people, forcing them into work that would be deemed unimaginable in other countries. How is it that we may help them? How will this woman ever find rest? How unfair is it that we are born into our situations without control over our levels in life?

I pondered these questions for a moment before realizing that even the camera that I was holding would take them years of punishing work to purchase. Imbalance was the only answer that I could provide myself with.

2004-09-16T23:33:00.000-07:00

coconuts forever

The most magical drive occurs between north and south Java, slicing through the rolling volcanoes. Passing coconut plantations, rubber trees, cocoa, and tea plantations as far as the eye can see, squeezes amazement out of me without fail. Wondering through the hills we encounter villages every few minutes which offer a glimpse of the life these unique people live. For them, even Jakartans are tourists, and the big city a whole world away. The spectacular drive affords time to begin pondering the reality of where I am - on top of a volcano as far from America as I could possibly be - and loving it.

These are the memories engrained upon my life which the march of time will never steal.

2004-09-15T23:01:00.000-07:00

the scream

2004-09-14T20:26:00.000-07:00

b l o s s o m

Beauty never lasts - infinitely more true with the delicacy of flowers. One exception to the rule may be Audrey Hepburn; I believe she defined grace and beauty until her dying moment.

A larger version is available here.

2004-09-13T23:15:00.000-07:00

lead me upstairs

little surfer girl

Another awesome 3 day weekend getaway to the south coast. I took many photos, soon to be displayed - so if my "theme" tends to be leaning towards beach life for a little while, bear with me. I have such a strong attraction to the ocean that I can't help but take too many shots.

The weekend took a sharp downturn for the worst last night on the drive home as we encountered 6 hours of stop and go traffic. The cars, motorcycles, and buses drive absolutely insane - it can't even be discribed in words. I had to make a "lock your brakes, oh shit we're gonna hit 'em" type stop and balded my tire to the point that the belt is showing through, causing my Blazer to rock uncontrollably for the last 30 miles.

To top that off, somehow I forgot my suitcase either at the villa, or some punk stole it while I was unloading in front of my house. Either way, things didn't go as planned for the last half of the day. I have my fingers crossed that they'll return to me.

The beach was alive this weekend with Indonesians and tourists frolicking in the waves, dancing on the beach, and sucking every drop out of life with pleasure and smiles. The celebrations went on throughout the night and right on into the sunrise, ceasing finally near noon the next day.

2004-09-08T21:06:00.000-07:00

I’ve decided to respond to this comment a bit more thoroughly than usual. It was posted by "Tiara" after the photos displayed on August 24.

“You are bitching too much about Indonesia. I have been living in the US for 7 years and I have been travel around the world butI still love Indonesia. The food, the people,etc. Indo people are the most friendly people in the world. I'm sure people treat you as a first class person, they treat you like a king. Indonesians adore western people. You should be grateful that you live in Indonesia and the people welcome you.”

First let me say that anyone who comments on here is absolutely entitled to their own opinion. I welcome different perspectives, as they often open my eyes to other realities. Let it also be known that I am one to respond to such comments rather then let them pass unnoticed.

Let’s break this one down.

“You are bitching too much about Indonesia”

Probably this is very true. I find, as others have also noted on their sites, that we tend to write not when everything is going well, but when something has happened, when we’re in a bad mood, or when life just sucks for the moment. It presents a way to vent, and maybe offers more of the reality beyond what people assume a place is like. This site was never intended to be a bright sunny point of view all of the time – I like to tell it how it is – I’m not writing a travel brochure for the Lonely Planet.

“I have been living in the US for 7 years and I have been travel around the world butI still love Indonesia.”

Great! I’m happy that you’ve had the chance to live in the States for 7 years. I’m sure you have a very clear perspective of what it is like to live there. I’m also sure that you can compare and contrast the two countries very well and note the differences. I have also traveled around the world, and find that what you say is true about still loving Indonesia. This country has captured my heart in many ways.

“The food, the people,etc. Indo people are the most friendly people in the world.”

This country is full of wonderful, caring, and warm-hearted people. I’m always telling people that I think it’s crazy to listen to the U.S. State Department warnings about not visiting Indonesia. I’d rather be anywhere in Jakarta than downtown Detroit at 3am. The vast majority of Indonesian people are among the most welcoming, caring, and supportive people in the world.

I have noted in previous posts just how amazing it is that despite such extreme poverty, the average Indonesian exemplifies happiness and contentment with what they have. Families here are, in general, more stable and more respectful of each other than my own generation in America. The generation that I grew up with (in the 80’s and 90’s) had most everything that we needed. Teenagers especially were disrespectful, greedy, and basically self centered. We took most things for granted, including our parents. Now, I can see that the teenagers here do not go through nearly the same phase of angst and disrespect for their families. All in all, Indonesia has retained that sense of family in which Americans seem to have lost.

“I'm sure people treat you as a first class person, they treat you like a king. Indonesians adore western people.”

This assumption may be going too far. I completely agree that, all in all, Westerners are treated a bit differently here – in both good ways and bad. However, “like a king” is pretty far off from the truth. Near my home, there are many construction sites developing. The men who work at these sites repeatedly will make comments, stare, and make fun of foreigners. My own security guards will make comments if I’m walking with a woman, even a colleague, calling her a “kupu-kupu malam” (night butterfly or prostitute) and making jokes. Perhaps they thought I couldn’t understand. At one point, I told them I’d throw them in the canal if they ever said that again, and they finally shut their pie holes. I do understand that these men don’t represent the average Indonesian man. Construction workers and security guards are notorious the world over for being a bit less than suave. I worked construction in my teen years and speak from experience.

I’ve had numerous comments made regarding Americans here. Overall, George Bush and his posse have made Americans the world over less popular – not that I disagree – I think he’s made a mess in Iraq – but don’t assume that Americans are always welcome in Indonesia – or anywhere for that matter.

On the flip side, you’re absolutely right that often Westerners are adored here. In a country that is homogenous in many ways, foreigners are fairly rare. Any new bule knows what I’m talking about – when you walk into a bar the girls swarm like mosquitoes, when you venture out into the malls, people stare as if you’re a circus freak, and there’s rarely a day that goes by without some dude trying practice his English with “halo Mister”. This can be both flattering as well as a curse, depending on your mood and your length of stay.

You mention that you’ve lived in the States for 7 years – so obviously you’ve noticed that no matter where you go, you do not stand out. America is so diverse that no one culture is anymore obvious than another. So, unless you’ve been a white person exploring Indonesia, you may not fully realize the perspective from which I’m speaking.

“You should be grateful that you live in Indonesia and the people welcome you.”

Don’t mistake my words – I am immensely grateful that I’ve had the chance to live in Indonesia. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything. The people that I’ve met, the places I’ve seen, the friends I’ve made, and the lifelong stories I’ll be able to share, greatly outweigh any negative aspects of Indonesia. Keep in mind also, that I live in Jakarta – a ridiculous metropolis of 12 – 17 million people, full of pollution, noise, grit, and the problems that arise from any such gathering of human nature. The city is a horrible representation of the country of Indonesia. In many ways Jakarta is exciting, exotic, and welcoming, but overall, I’d much prefer to live in Bali or other more natural environments. This weekend I’m going down to the south coast of Java to Pelabuhan Ratu – an absolutely breathtaking place to relax. Locales such as this offer a much more positive view of what Indonesia has to offer.

I really do love Indonesia – but at times hate Jakarta. Please make the distinction. I could never expect someone to offer a complete perspective of America from the polluted and crowded view of Los Angeles – but if they spent 95% of their time there, they may offer a different opinion than if they lived in such varied places as the Florida Keys, Seattle, or Santa Fe. My point is that often if it seems I am “bitching” about Indonesia – it is a reflection of Jakarta – not Indonesia or the people of Indonesia. Every country has its good points and bad, while each culture has its own faults and wonders. I am simply attempting to offer a personal glimpse into the life that I’ve experienced in the time spent on this amazing island so far from home.

*Within minutes after writing this, the Australian Embassy in Jakarta was bombed. It never ceases does it? Perhaps foreigners are not so "welcome"*

__________________________

JAKARTA (Reuters) - A powerful explosion rocked
central Jakarta on Thursday, mangling the Australian embassy gate and killing at
least three people, witnesses said.

An emergency room staffer at a nearby hospital said:
"We have three bodies so far due to the blast," and added that dozens of people,
mostly Indonesian office workers, were being treated.Australian television said
all embassy staff were accounted for although some had minor injuries.

Windows of buildings in and around the embassy were
shattered.A Reuters witness on the scene saw pieces of a head, hair and flesh
and other body parts on the street.

"Get out of the way. You are stepping on evidence.
There are flesh, bones, and remnants all over this place. Back off," a police
officer said over a megaphone."My friend Anton just died, my friend Anton just
died. He was a security guard," guard Siti Riani said, sobbing.

Hundreds of police were outside the embassy and
thousands of people swarming in the street. Police were forming a line pushing
people back.

"I was driving and suddenly there was an explosion,"
said one survivor, Paryadi. "Now I'm bleeding from the head."

Bleeding victims being taken from the embassy complex
to ambulances, but police said the actual explosion was probably outside the
embassy.

"It seems that the blast came from outside the
embassy. If you look at it, the buildings that are most damaged are the
buildings around the embassy, not the embassy," police major Widodo
said.

Ambulances and fire trucks as well as police were on
the scene but authorities gave no immediate data on casualties or information on
their nationalities.
Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous nation, has
been hit by sporadic bomb attacks in recent years, including blasts in Bali in
October 2002 that killed 202 people and at a luxury Jakarta hotel in August 2003
that killed 12.

The fortress-like Australian embassy building is
surrounded by a tall fence made of thick metal tubes and has a large reinforced
gate. The building is on Rasuna Said Road, one of central Jakarta's busiest
roads, which is lined with office towers, embassies and hotels.

The blast occurred just two days ahead of the
anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and
Pentagon, in which about 3,000 people died.

2004-09-07T20:10:00.000-07:00

somewhere in paris

2004-09-06T18:22:00.000-07:00

simplicity

2004-09-05T20:20:00.000-07:00

she walked on . . .

people of the sun

2004-09-02T19:05:00.000-07:00

the weight of the world

2004-09-01T19:47:00.000-07:00

2004-09-01T01:29:00.000-07:00

modern

This week's photofriday challenge was "modern". I figured since I haven't participated in the past 3 months, it'd be nice to jump back in, now that I've returned to Indonesia.

The photo was taken in Ashville, North Carolina - an absolutely beautiful city. I would put serious thought into living there at some stage in my life. There is a great mix of the new and the old. Historic buildings nestle modern architecture in a way that does not take away from either.

2004-08-30T02:39:00.000-07:00

It's funny how much the site traffic has dropped since I left for the States. I guess that's what I get for posting so little recently.

This weekend was spent shopping for furniture in Kemang (yeah I know - bule prices huh?), meeting up for dinner, and having way too much wine at a staff party. Oh it's NOT a good idea to have wine after beer, and after vodka? Yeah. Um ouch.

I finally decided to start learning more Bahasa Indonesia - after a year of becoming lazy with my current vocabulary level. I purchased 3 new dictionaries - proof of my dedication. We'll see how that works out for me.

The company is paying for all of us to go to Bali in October! My brother and mother are even flying in from Cape Town - should be a good time. I think for my 10 day break during Idul Fitri I'll either venture to Lombok (I've seen enough of Bali for now) or to Kalimantan to the orangutang forests. Any suggestions?

2004-08-26T20:14:00.000-07:00

2004-08-24T02:59:00.000-07:00

I am finally beginning to start sorting through this summer's photographs. I have literally over a thousand photos - and maybe 2% are decent enough to use. I'm going to be fairly random about the subject matter because this isn't meant to be a documentary of my summer, but rather a display of some imagery from the trip.

The top picture was taken in a natural cave at Chimney Rock in North Carolina. This was the location for the filming of "The Last of the Mohicans" - a great film. The waterfall scene where the woman jumps to her death was within 100 meters of where we were.

The second photo was taken in Charleston, South Carolina. The cobblestone streets were ablaze with the heat of the day when all of a sudden the sky brought the relief of a downpour.

2004-08-17T03:10:00.000-07:00

I know I'm going to regret saying this later... but - it's actually good to be back in Indonesia. I'm seeing things in a different light lately and am starting to realize that some of my frustrations last year have been resolved.

Work begins again in the morning - hope this statement remains the same as of 7am tomorrow!

It's great to have a maid again - no more cooking, cleaning, laundry, or dishes - that frees us so much time.

It was great to buy 30 DVDs yesterday for $25, take a taxi for three bucks, fill my gas tank for $10, and kick back with sushi for the price of a Happy Meal. Sometimes I love this place.

2004-08-12T17:30:00.000-07:00

Return to paradise.

I arrived in Indonesia a few days ago and hopefully will be refreshed to the point of maintaining an optimistic point of view about that.

I received many emails wondering if I have abandoned the site, decided to stay in America, or fell off the face of the earth. Sorry about that but I decided to take a vacation from being online for a while (abandoning my handphone as well). It was great to forget about the Internet and all its addictive properties for a while, and to not be "reached". In the meantime I have left many people hanging - sorry about that. As soon as I have a chance to catch up I'll be answering your emails, etc.

As wonderful as being home was, I was growing tired of being everyone's "guest". It's great to be in my own house again. I've taken hundreds of new photos, and will be starting to go through them soon. More about my travels later - I've got to take care of some work considering I've been gone for two months.

I will resume java jive - so those of you contemplating removing my link from your site, I hope you reconsider.

2004-07-15T21:15:00.000-07:00

2004-07-15T21:14:00.000-07:00

Consumerism is such a rampant part of our culture. Everywhere I glance; people are parasitic when it comes to obtaining new “things”. I’m not saying that I am also not infected with the desire to pick up more items than I truly “need”. I’ll even use myself as an example:

I’ve only been here three weeks and I’ve already purchased:

an external hard drive, a chip of RAM, 3 pair of shoes, 8 new shirts, 2 pair of shorts, 9 pair of socks, sunglasses, 15 new books (hmm shipping weight?), and a partridge in a pear tree.

And I’ll still be here for another month!

I’ve also spent the past few days ripping 150 of my brother’s cds to my new hard drive – another example of “wanting”. When I’m in Indonesia, it’s not quite like this. I guess there are just more desirable things to buy here – just as Singapore and Hong Kong are the consumer’s heaven of Southeast Asia. You do more damage to your wallet if the stuff is around you, begging you to pick them up and take them home.
So how does one live in this culture and not become caught up with this way of life? I tell myself, “just one more toy” as if I won’t want the new updated model in two years. I think I even rationalize purchases in my head, telling my id that there’s a damn good reason why I really do need the 40GB music player (cause now I have all this new music), and the books that are on sale just for one more day, and that new cologne that won’t be in Jakarta for another few months, the new low carb Coke cause Dr. Atkins says I’m getting a gut, or the new Gillette razor that vibrates like a dildo to get a closer shave .

2004-07-14T19:34:00.000-07:00

Well, this is the first time that I've been able to get online in over two weeks - and guess what I didn't see today? Umm - ALL OF MY PHOTOS. Yeah, that's right. My provider just decided to shut down my service despite the fact that the bill has been paid for a long time. What a great company! I think I'll sign on for another year with them.

I have some awesome photos to share, but until the service is reinstated, there's not much use in posting them huh? So writing is all you get.

I'm in Ashville, North Carolina at the moment. We're going to go up something called Chimney Rock tomorrow - I guess it's essentially an elevator built into the rock that takes you up 28 stories. If you've seen "The Last of the Mohicans" - it was filmed there. I'm also very close to where Cold Mountain is, and the "Biltmore Estate" (I think it's the largest home in America. It has something like 230 rooms. I'd call that a castle.

We spent a few days in Atlanta as well. More about that later. I'll be here for a few more days and then we're on to Charleston, South Carolina and perhaps Savannah, Georgia before heading back to Atlanta.

I'll return to Indonesia around August 9th and will be able to resume javajive after that time - I'll do what I can until then, but it's not easy when I'm on the road so much! I hope I don't lose too many visitors due to my travels!

Thanks to those of you who've sent me emails. Anyone can write me at bhoover@njis.or.id anytime. B.

2004-07-04T12:30:00.000-07:00

Well I've been on the road a bit and without Internet access. I may be sporatic for the next week or so as well.

It's been great to see some of my friends and family, but it does get a bit old to always be someone's "guest". I've caught up with some of my friends and the gossip that always seems to go around - funny how that works.

Our next destination is Nashville, Tennessee, where we'll meet up for a family reuninion (funny considering none of us are really from Tennessee). After that we'll be hitting Atlanta, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The plan after that point fades rather quickly.

John and Sarah - could you send me your email address again?

It's still great to be home, but I'm ready to get back on the road!

Finally I found a way to pay the bill for my site in Indonesia so I should be able to post pics again!

2004-06-23T18:09:00.000-07:00

Well I've made two pretty cool purchases in the past week. Geeky stuff I know, but why not? I bought another 512mb ram chip for my laptop - that should help with Photoshop and running other graphics programs. I don't really play games with it too much. Also, I ordered a 160GB Seagate external hard drive which arrived today. I have yet to try it out, but I'm guessing that I don't need to worry about hard drive space for a while.

Another day in Ann Arbor provided some much needed reinsertion to society. I'm still feeling a bit weird being around so many white people.

My dad has been kind enough to lend me his Corvette to cruise around in. It's great to have a sports car instead of a rental, but it does feel a bit like I'm one of those guys in the midst of a mid life crisis who need to retain their youth with a flashy ride. I'm still very appreciative of his generosity.

Gotta run.

2004-06-22T05:25:00.000-07:00

Ann Arbor is a great city - I dropped my brother off at the University of Michigan and we took some time to just stroll around. I'm not sure what the population is, but it's a very manageable size. With Jakarta being around 14 million people, I'm finding everything else dramatically more calm and relaxed. I love cities that are large enough to have culture and energy, but small enough that you don't feel so anonymous. Ann Arbor is one of those places. Having one of the largest universities in the country, it retains the academic feeling - bookstores, a youthful population, cafes, and that feeling of integration that only university towns can have.

I've been rather bad at alerting my friends to the fact that I'm home. Some have been a bit surprised to find me on their doorstep.

I love the fact that my most ambitious goal for the day was to find a pair of rollerblades, do some laundry, and weed wack my dad's yard. With the sun rising around 6am and setting after 9pm I feel like the days are much longer and more stretched out. That's one bummer about living on the equator - every single day has the same amount of daylight hours.

A few people have purchased prints from me since my return - I hope you guys enjoy them, I'll be happy to sell more! One of these days I'll actually get around to creating a real website with an actual gallery to select from.

It's pretty funny that I pay for web space and have my own domain name (thejavajive.com) and yet I still remain on blogspot.

Well, the warming of the morning sun is pulling me away from the computer. I have a date with the biking trail - ambitious eh?

2004-06-19T09:23:00.000-07:00

Back in the U.S. of A.

I can’t describe the feeling of release and elation that washed over me upon my homecoming. Even driving home I felt an incredible sense of relaxation from the sprawling green spaces rolling out before my eyes.

It’s been a few days now – I haven’t updated this only because I’ve been spending time with family and friends. I should be able to write regularly from now on.

My brother had a commissioned painting dedication today – his painting is absolutely stunning. It measures 64 square feet, almost 3 meters by 3 meters. The city I’m from was named after an American Indian chief – and this painting was a dedication to the spirit of the American Indians. There was a gathering of community members, family, and friends for the unveiling. I was immensely proud of him for the amazing work evident in the finished painting. I can honestly say that my brother is one of the most talented people I’ve ever known, and this work was yet another reminder of that.

I can’t believe the things I’m noticing now that I’ve returned. Weird details are standing out like never before; for example:

~ The cereal isle in the grocery store. Was it always so gigantic? I was overwhelmed with too many choices and finally settled on honey bunches of oats.

~ There are so many new cars on the road – being a designer I have a passion for cars. Indonesia isn’t exactly booming with fresh designs, so to see all these beautiful new models out is exhilarating as well as frustrating. (only cause I still can’t buy them).

~ The grass is so soft. I know it’s a stupid thing to say, but it’s true.

~ Americans are fat. I don’t mean that in a harsh way, but seriously I’ve been living around people who consider Beyonce to be a bit “thick” – what would the Indonesians think of the average American? It is out of control and I’m starting to feel like it’s a national epidemic.

~ The Internet is ridiculously fast. I can download a song in 10 seconds – my Indo connection takes half an hour.

~ Software is DAMN expensive. My $3 Photoshop CS is selling for like $700 here.

~ The clothes actually fit well.

~ Rice sucks here.

~ Everything is “Low Carb” – even Coke?!?

~ I don’t need air conditioning all night long – ahhhh.

~ Amazon and Ebay rock. I missed them like an old friend. Just bought a 512 MB ram chip for my laptop.

~ People mow their lawns every day of the week.

~ Fresh air is a valuable commodity. So is gasoline.

All of my pirated software arrived safe and sound. My family members are like kids in a candy store with all of the new stuff. I’m definitely a naughty boy.

I’m staying at my dad’s place for a while with my brother joining us soon – my mom will fly in from Cape Town in a week, and she’ll cruise up here with my sister. It’ll be nice to see everyone – it’s been too long.

I just received a bill for my website in Indonesia. Funny how that arrives one day after I leave. It’s going to be a struggle to get that taken care of – I have to wire money to a BCA account – and it’s only like $15. So if the photos on here one day just don’t show up – that’s why. I’ll do my best to find someone who’ll take care of it for me. Any offers? ;)

It’s good to be home.

2004-06-10T20:37:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed a lag in my posting this week? Yeah, sorry about that, but I'm taking care of business before leaving for the States on Monday. I really appreciate all of the great comments, emails, and guestbook messages!

It's been two years since I've been home.

Last night I picked up about $20,000 worth of pirated software for my dad and brother. I hope it doesn't get confiscated in the airport. I'm also going to bring about 50 dvds back with me (at $2 a pop). One reason I love Indonesia.

What will I miss in the next two months?

* my friends
* the ocean
* cheap sushi
* my fitness club
* having my maid help with everything for my lazy ass
* this incredibly slow internet

To those of you who have ordered photos from me - I'll be sending them upon my return. If anyone else would like to purchase prints from any of my work - please simply send me an email at bhoover@njis.or.id .

I can also send out larger format jpg examples if anyone is interested.

2004-06-08T02:39:00.000-07:00

So the other day I was watching the Miss Universe 2004 competition. I’m not a big fan of cheezy pageants but it was better than watching American Idol yet again.

I learned a lot in that hour of evening gowns and bleached teeth.

As each contestant sauntered across the screen, I was rapidly and superficially judging them in my head. “…. yeah, no, no, yeah, not bad, ok, damn!, yep, wow, no …”

By the end of the show I had narrowed the list down in my head from the 80 girls down to about 10. Like I said, I was pretty harsh.

Here was my final list:

Puerto Rico
Japan
Paraguay
S. Korea
Philippines
Switzerland
Vietnam
Dominican Republic
Mexico
Peru

Notice anything funny?

C’mon look closer… did you start to find a pattern? Yeah, me too. There wasn’t a single blonde, blue eyed girl on my list! In fact, they’re pretty much limited to Asia and South America (Switzerland looked like she was straight out of Brazil) – completely full of dark hair and dark eyes with similar features.

I suppose this experience I’ve had in Asia has only strengthened the attraction that I’ve always had to “exotic” girls. Even in high school my friends would joke about me always chasing the exchange student chicks who couldn’t speak any English!

Now, this has no bearing on what I deem as the qualities I look for – I’m strictly speaking on a physical level right now, but I absolutely love Asian girls. In fact, I think living in Asia has ruined me for life – kinda funny considering my family is full of blonde hair / blue eyes.

I guess I’ve always been into the “fresh passports” and this just reinforced it!

In the end, Miss Australia won – and was a blonde. Maybe I’m the silent minority after all.

2004-06-07T20:47:00.000-07:00

I often wonder if this country realizes how vibrantly colorful their daily lives can be. A mundane task can quickly appear artistic - this is especially true in Bali. Unfortunately whenever I'm there I just relax and rarely take photos. Actually I have a severe lack of photos from Bali, but the Hindu religion combined with the natural beauty of the island creates unforgettable images.

Even funerals are bathed in the colors of life.

2004-06-06T23:36:00.000-07:00

. . . p i n k . . p a n t h e r . . .

This guy REALLY wanted his picture taken, so I obliged. Then he wanted me to rent his jet ski for $50. The guy behind me rented one for only $7. Must've been the "bule" discount.

I told him I'd rent his jet ski if I could borrow his nifty pink sweatshirt - he didn't like that idea - which is why he couldn't even muster a smile for this photo.

2004-06-03T20:21:00.000-07:00

This was taken last night in Jakarta.

The sky has been unusually clear these past few days so I thought I'd capture the moon for the first time with my new camera and lens. I've been tremendously busy at work, so I've been short on posting - my apologies.

2004-06-03T06:21:00.000-07:00

I stumbled down to the coffee maker this maker, ready to face the day fueled by caffeine and something resembling breakfast, when I turned to hear an odd occurrence in my fishbowl.

Upon investigation, I found that a small lizard had somehow climbed in with the Siamese fighting fish. This little guy was struggling with his whole being to escape the smooth glass of the bowl. Apparently lizards can walk upside down from the ceiling, yet cannot climb up glass. I grabbed a cup and scooped him out without imposing harm to the little thing and released him to the freedom of the front porch.

It’s funny how similar we are to this little lizard – always striving to reach a certain point and then never satisfied when we're there...

2004-06-01T21:54:00.000-07:00

Here is my entry to the Photo Friday contest.

This week's theme is "black and white". Tell me what you think.

2004-05-31T18:17:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like this?

Taken near the Krakatoa volcano between the islands of Java and Sumatra. I posted other pics from here previously, but never this one. It's tough to bring a nice camera on more "adventurous" trips like this, so my shots aren't the best. I used my older Canon S40, but the boat was also moving at the time.

On another track, I have a new obsession with music - finding the best portable hard drive based audio player. (you know, like an ipod) Right now I use an awesome but cumbersome CD based mp3 player from iriver. iriver is a little known company that makes beautiful products (from a design sense) that rival if not exceed the big names like Sony, Apple, etc. Go onto amazon.com if you would like to see proof of their following. It's almost a cult following - not many people buy them, but those who do love their stuff. I find that when I workout, ride my bike, rollerblade, and so on, I tend to leave my music at home cause it's just too damn big and heavy, so this is my solution.

I've narrowed it down to either a 20 gb or 40 gb iriver or ipod. The ipods have notoriously short battery life and even need possible battery replacement after a year and a half or so I've heard. The iriver is not as "pretty" but has some functions that the ipod doesn't.

Does anyone have any experience with an ipod or the iriver? What are your thoughts?

2004-05-27T18:11:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, another sunset photo. C'mon though, isn't this kinda nice? Taken from the balcony of my mother's house in Cape Town, S. Africa.

I'm going down into the rugged parts of Jakarta to take some photos this afternoon - hopefully I can capture more of the "real" side of this city. The area I live in isn't very representative of the gritty parts of Jakarta.

I'm struggling to find gifts for my family and friends that will fit in my luggage. The last time I returned from Cape Town, the airline told me I had to pay $800 in excess weight - not cool. (I ended up shipping it for $200). Any ideas of some meaningful gifts that can fit compactly into a suitcase or two? I've already purchased some of the beautiful batik shirts that are available here, and I'd love to pack in some of the intricate wood carvings, but I'm not sure how practical that is.

I finally got confirmation on my tickets - I also get two free nights in Singapore during my layovers. I can't believe how much cheaper tickets are now compared to two years ago. I flew here on a one way in 2002 for $1300. Now I can get a return ticket for $950! Asia is not exactly the hottest vacation spot at the moment with SARS, terrorism, and the gas crunch tightening people's budgets - forcing tickets prices down. If anyone has dreamed of seeing Bali, now is the time!

2004-05-26T18:48:00.000-07:00

2004-05-25T17:55:00.000-07:00

t h e . . r i v e r . . o f . . my . . m i n d

I awoke around midnight last night, having fallen asleep while reading "A Clockwork Orange", to images flashing behind my eyes. It was as if I was dreaming with my eyes closed but my mind open. The images resembled still scenes from a silent film firing in rapid succession throughout my cortex. What I was seeing were vastly imaginative compositions in a magnitude of hues and tones - like breaking down a scene into its fundamental parts and then snapping a photo of what was left.

As the minutes passed, I pulled myself out of the state I was in. Without possessing rational thoughts by this time, I nearly grabbed my camera before the scenes disappeared from the approaching mist of wakefulness. I began to realize the lack of sanity in the desire to take photos at such a time and slipped back into dreams of years past.

2004-05-24T17:53:00.000-07:00

The day was overcast and not too photogenic, yet black and white images tend to turn out with some interest - probably because the bad lighting tends to force you to search more carefully for a shot. I still haven't decided if this image is anything decent or not.

I printed off a ton of photos last night; I felt it was time. I tend to take hundreds of photos and leave them all on my computer - rarely having printed any of them. There's just something about a tangible photograph in your hands or on your wall. Often the limitations of computer screens and file sizes can drastically diminish the impact a photo has upon the viewer. Thankfully I have found a wonderful print shop. I can print an 8RSS (20 x 35cm or about 8 inches x 14 inches) for less than two bucks! The paper that I've found to be amazing is their "dove" instead of glossy or matte. It has the resilience of matte, but the saturation of glossy.

Around a year ago I put hundreds of photos onto a CD for my family back home to view. I thought it'd be a great way for them to see my experiences with minimal hassle - I still don't think they've taken a look. For most people I guess it is much better to have an actual print in hand.

In my opinion this is the same scenario as the E-book. As great as the technology to read a book on your computer or PDA could be, people (including myself) often greatly prefer to read a "real" book. They enjoy seeing the well read copies of their favorite stories resting upon their shelves like a good friend. Photographs can have the same effect - the Internet, computers, and technology can be wonderful, but it's still a great feeling to have your own prints on display in your home, waiting to have their story told.

2004-05-23T23:49:00.000-07:00

Here is my entry to the photo friday contest this week for the theme, "macro". Comments welcome!

It's a bronze statue from Africa that only measures about an inch tall.

On another note, I've noticed some spam in my guestbook - mostly from France:

"I you remerci for the quality of your site which I find interessant very"

"Much love from Transcription! To be continued"

I've deleted some of them, but it's obnoxious to see someone waste their time and mine. Now if I could just get my hotmail to quit receiving offers for Viagra, I'd be all set!

2004-05-23T21:24:00.000-07:00

2004-05-20T18:49:00.000-07:00

. . . d a v i d . . b l a i n e . . .

This guy wanted to sell me a bat.

I asked, "What for?"

He said, "For eating".

Of course it is. Stupid me.

2004-05-18T18:08:00.000-07:00

. . . h i l l b i l l i e s . . i n . . j a v a . . .

It's probably very cruel to tell this story. I am not trying to make fun of anyone, but it's too crazy to keep it to myself.

My maid, let's call her Ningslow, has a life story that could very well have been cultivated in the deepest woods of Kentucky. She just turned 18 and has been working for me for a year now. (no child labor laws here apparently). She is about 4 foot 10 and married to a man 10 years her senior who stands at eye level with her. Let me tell you why this guy is a piece of shit.

Ningslow, at 18, already has a 3 year old baby that lives with her mother. Ningslow works and sends most of her salary home to her mother and her baby. This is a very common practice in Indonesia. Last summer her husband, being the nice little guy that he is, told her that their baby was sick and he needed money from her for the baby. She gave many months of her salary to him.

A few months passed and Ningslow discovered that her husband was having an affair - and he had given all of her money to this new woman! If that wasn't traumatic enough for the poor girl, she learned that the new woman was, in fact, her own aunt! Yep, sick people. Hold on it gets worse.

In the burning passion between the 4 foot 10 asshole and Ningslow's elderly aunt, he managed to get her pregnant! He also, coincidently lost his job around the same time so Ningslow has had to support her baby on her own.

Being a "good" Muslim, the runt of a husband told Ningslow that he must take her aunt as his second wife for thier new baby's sake - while he is still married to Ningslow. Are you following all this? I know it gets confusing. So he is now married to both of them, and has children from both.

November of last year rolls around and guess who's pregnant again? Yep, Ningslow. I guess that means she's not mad at him anymore. How friggin crazy is this? Not that it's my business, but c'mon people. Have a bit of common sense.

Now, six months later, Ningslow has to quit her job working for me because she's too big to be able to work. Her husband, the polygamist, is still unemployed and happily married to both women. The aunt just had the baby, and Ningslow's is not far behind. So what will the relation between the aunt's baby and Ninglow be? Cousins?

All I want to know in all of this is . . . HAVE YOU HEARD OF CONDOMS?

I thought I'd post something more calm after hearing that whole story. Beautifully terraced rice fields taken near Bandung, West Java.

2004-05-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

Two of my buddies hittin the waves on the south coast of Java last weekend.

2004-05-16T04:50:00.000-07:00

I recently began adding some of my photos to usefilm.com for critiquing. Has anyone ever used that site or have any others that are decently laid out? This one only lets me upload one photo per day so it's a bit of a slow process but the feedback is encouraging.

I'm also starting to notice that some of my older photos really suck. Oh well, maybe that means that I'm learning more and actually progressing.

2004-05-16T03:39:00.000-07:00

My apologies for those of you who have written to me asking where I am - I've been totally busy and a bit lazy to write recently. I guess it's finally sinking in that I'm gettin the hell outta here for two months!

Basically I think I'll fly into Michigan (the state that looks like a mitten with all the water around it), spend some time with my dad, my mother will fly in from Cape Town shortly after and after that we'll tour around America a bit. I hope to convince my brother to follow unless he's too busy working at his Ethiopian restaurant (isn't that an oxymoron?). We'll cruise down to Atlanta to see my sister who is in grad/portfolio school for advertising. From there I hope to see Colorado, the Grand Canyon, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, etc (not in that geographical order hopefully).

It's such a good feeling to know that I can finally speak English all the time, drive on the right side of the road, and rid myself of the claustrophobia that is Jakarta. I can breathe fresh air, eat meals without rice, wash my own laundry, cook for myself, spend time with my family and friends, ride my mountain bike, rollerblade, and just chill.

The bad part is that I know I'm going to burn through cash like it's goin outta syle, I'm going to have to convince the State of Michigan to renew my driver's license that expired in August of 2002, wash my own laundry, cook for myself, can't go to my fitness club, crash at different people's places, rent a car, and watch my speed while driving (highway patrol is non-existent in Indonesia).

It will be amazing to experience my own home country from a new perspective. I don't know what I'll think, but I'm sure my perspectives will have changed in two years. I wonder if it will be hard to get back on the plane in August to return to Indonesia. Perhaps my opinions of Indonesia will also take on a new shape with having stepped away for a while.

Whatever happens I know that it will good to be "home" again. Two years is a long time to be gone.

2004-05-13T17:23:00.000-07:00

I received this email the other day - it seems as though my site may serve more of a purpose than I had intended.

"Hello Brandon, I hope you can help me. I am an artist disabled with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ALS "Lou Gehrig's disease " also called motor neuron disease MND. This progressive, fatal neuromuscular disease has left me paralyzed in a wheelchair unable to care for myself.

To raise awareness of ALS/MND I have started a project attempting to get a piece of my art photographed in every country in the world. I am looking for a way to get a piece my artwork photographed in Java, Indonesia. I can e-mail a JPEG image of the art to you, then you can print it, photograph the printout of my art on location and e-mail the image back to me. I ask that the picture be taken outside with some distinguishable features to tell me where the photograph was taken. I also ask that you tell me the place/ town it is photographed in and any other interesting information you might wish to include.

This is strictly a noncommercial project. Despite my severe disability, I have done a considerable amount of work for the ALS Association and the Muscular Dystrophy Association in the United States, appeared on television several times, featured in national and local publications, testified at government hearings in support of the disabled, etc.

This project seems impossible sitting at home every day in my wheelchair. But it can come true with a little help from the kindness of strangers. I ask you kindly to give it serious consideration. A small amount of your time will make a world of difference to me!

I hope you can help me with this important request or refer me to someone that could. Thanks for your time and I look forward to your response, sincerely, Fred Siwak, Ipswich, Massachusetts, United States of America.

I'm trying so hard to reach every country. Won't you take a bit of time to help me with Indonesia? Thanks!"

I have since agreed to participate, and he has sent me the image. I now need to print it out and find a "representative" setting that displays both Indonesia as well as his artwork - any ideas?

2004-05-11T01:22:00.000-07:00

2004-05-10T05:51:00.000-07:00

2004-05-07T00:15:00.000-07:00

.
. .
. . . r a n d o m . . t h o u g h t s . . .

It's crazy to think that I actually live only about 6 kilometers from the ocean (straight line), and yet I'll drive for four hours to go to the opposite side of Java to head to the beach. But yep, once again, I'm heading down with 10 other of my friends to the same spot - Pelabuhan Ratu. Even though this is a normal weekend, I think we'll have a great time.

...............................

The "drama" has intensified even beyond what I thought yesterday. I hope someday I can post on here what I've witnessed and what I've come across in the past 12 hours - mind blowing stuff. I know there's really no point in teasing you with that, but hey, it's my only source of confession.

...............................

Can someone tell me why it is that the government here is absolutely retarded?

I got my STNK renewed - basically my car's registration. Most people only have to pay $100 or less - of course mine is more expensive. So what do I get for $250?

A license plate.

So I go out to mount my shiny new ass-ugly black plate to the back of my car. Hmm. Well, the old one is held on by screws through primitive holes in the plate. Ok, well the new one doesn't have any holes.

Thinking that I got a bum deal, I walk into the office and ask stupidly,

"Do license plates generally come with holes already drilled in them?"

"Well of course not, Mr. Brandon, you have to make the holes yourself."

"Of course I do, why wouldn't I have to. Thanks for answering my question."

As I walk out with a fake smile, all I can think of is how absolutely stupid some little "oversights" like this can be in this place. No, it's not a big deal to go grab a drill and make the holes, but what the f@$( man - for $250 can't they do it for you?

2004-05-05T19:27:00.000-07:00

Why do I attract more drama in my life than an Italian dubbed soap opera?

It's as though I try to mind my own business, staying out of trouble as much as I can, and yet because of the people I associate with - I always seem to get caught in the middle. This past month has brought four separate yet equally disturbing situations to face. Two within this past week alone. One which could erupt dangerously.

I have had some uncomfortable decisions to make - and they fell into my responsibility even if I didn't carry any of the blame.

Does anyone remember a certain post on here that I chose to remove two months ago? Well if you can remember what that was about - let's just say that it has blown up well beyond the scope that I thought was capable. I'd rather not reiterate at this point and time, but if you can think back to a few months ago when I took it off of here, perhaps you will realize what I'm talking about.

Yes, this sounds ridiculously cryptic, but like I said, it's coming to a boiling point and I don't want to be caught in the middle.

2004-05-03T18:48:00.000-07:00

. . . l i o n ' s . . h e a d . . .

Here is my submission to the Photo Friday contest. (click on the words to see it in full size)

I spent an afternoon hiking up this beautiful mountain overlooking Cape Town. Off to the left was the pristine Atlantic Ocean with the sun sparkling off the whitecaps, and on my right was the city carved into Table Mountain. The name of this is "Lion's Head" - and it offers a spectacular view from above. The theme for the photo contest this week is "natural" - I don't think anything is more natural than the power of nature to overwhelm you with it's immensity. These clouds just seemed to be pouring down from the sky - as natural as a waterfall plummeting to the Atlantic. I only chose to display it in black and white because I felt that the deep blue hue of the sky was distracting from the detail in the clouds. I have not seen a sky such as this before or since this day. I wish I could truly capture it in a photograph.

2004-05-03T05:40:00.000-07:00

2004-04-29T19:20:00.000-07:00

Shitty day. Why?

My brother graduates from University in two days and I can't be there. This is the crappy part of having a "global" family. My dad is the only one who can make it. My sister is in Atlanta, my mother in Cape Town, me on some island on the equator. CONGRATULATIONS ANYWAY RYAN! He'll be famous someday - mark my words!

I own stock in Nokia. The price is down and hasn't recovered as quickly as I had thought. This is the first time that I've made a potentially bad call. I've had some of my stocks rise 65% - not so this time. I still have faith.

I found out that all flights are booked to the States on the dates I'd like to go. The only thing open is first class - which means that I booked it, but I have to pay much more. I'm not one of those people that really care about what class I'm in - it's only one day out of my life, I can sit in a cramped seat next to some blabbing stranger who drools in his sleep. I'm a trooper.

I just found out that I apparently had a stupid little $500 loan in University (don't remember that one), and they've been trying to contact me for a year - now it defaulted. What does that mean? That I just f@$@'d up my credit over a lousy five hundred bucks! Of course when I explained that I'm sorry but I've been living in Indonesia for two years, they thought I was full of shit. This is who I was dealing with -

"Sir, I don't show record of you moving to Indonesia."
"Well that's probably why I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE LOAN (insert "jackass" here)!"
"Well sir, we would need to set up a payment plan to Indonesia"
"A payment plan? It's only $500 - can't I just pay right now?"
"I'm not authorized to set that up sir." "but I can set up a payment plan for you to Indonesia."
"Do you listen to a word that I'm saying?"
"I'm not understanding your question sir. Would you like to speak with another representative?"
"Ok, look how can I take care of this as quickly as possible?"
"Well sir, I'm sure we can mail this to Indonesia - that's in South America correct?"
"How about if I just take care of it when I return this summer FROM ASIA!"
"Is there anything else I can help you with sir?"
"Sphinkter says what?"
"I'm sorry sir, I didn't understand your question."

2004-04-28T19:00:00.000-07:00

This is a very small, handmade traditional musical instrument from Africa. If anyone can remember the name of it, I'd be grateful. It's handheld and is strummed with your thumbs. Different notes can be heard through the varied length of the tines. I've brought back a few instruments similar to this, all with amazing simplicity.

I suppose I get on a close-up kick at times - I hope they're not boring.

When the world around you gets too big, it's best to view the world in details. (wow, my first quote)