Screw special flying rates

This is a letter to all of you banking slaves whose main job is to nag people through the telephone, offering them credit card promotions.

Listen.

I understand that your job is based on targets, that you have to get a certain number of customers over a period of time. If I'm not interested in your product, I will say so, with nice tone. I'll say thanks but no thanks.

What pisses the hell out of me is when you call me endlessly, almost everyday, offering the same thing. You're telling me things that I've told you over and over again I don't need.

I do not get on that airline often, nor do I want a credit card that can give me special flight rates.

So pardon me if after the 435,876th time, when you call me, I'll just leave the phone open and let you talk to, well, the air. Next time, I may even leave you on loudspeaker.

It's nothing personal. You're just doing your job, and being mercilessly annoying. And it doesn't help that your name is the same as my boyfriend's ex.

Bitch.

On a Sunday shift.

You Are "Like a Virgin"

If you were transported back to the 80s, your life would be all about absorbing everything. You are practically a virgin (or born again virgin) when it comes to the 80s, and all things 80s are very interesting to you. You would sign your heart out to every Madonna hit and memorize every line in the Breakfast Club. You'd have the biggest record collection, roller skate like a champ, and would be a dead ringer for Molly Ringwald or Kirk Cameron!

What's Your 80s Karaoke Song?

You Color Your Life With Subtle Coolness

You are a full of grace and peace. You don't let yourself get worked up. You tend to be a bit reserved. You only speak when you really have something to say. You aspire to a lot in life, and you're quietly working on your plan to take over the world. You are elegant and a bit of a snob. You can't help it... you like expensive things!

How Do You Color Your Life?

Your 80s Hunk is Kirk Cameron

Back in the 80s, you would have been the most popular girl around. And obviously, you'd want to be with the cutest, most popular guy! You like a guy who is friendly, funny, and a bit of a troublemaker. Yes, you're a bit picky. But you're willing to fight to win you're dream guy's heart.

Who's Your 80s Hunk?

Part II may come short after this post. I'm just not in the mood for anything. Anything. ANYTHING.

A N Y T H I N G.

This is my election post

I'm afraid now's the time for me to say that slowly but painfully, this regret of not seeing Oasis live in Singapore is kicking me in the guts.

It was cheaper than Coldplay would've been in Singapore - waay cheaper. Near the day, I found out a very grrrreat deal flying with Tiger Airways.

That might be their last gig in somewhere near Indonesia, who knows? They're getting old, and let's face it, they're not as mainstream as they used to be.

I can only hope that they won't kill each other before I see them live.

Anyway, voting day. Did you vote? I didn't. I don't believe in any of those craps those candidates call as promises to make the country better.

But I wouldn't have minded the Starbucks coffee and Aksara discount, though.

Second anyway, last night, finally, Jamiroquai went on stage, after years and years and years of anticipation. Was it worth the long anticipation?

Hell no.

The venue was fine. From the outside, Sentul City Convention Center looked like a promising arena for huge concerts. But once inside, the stage is so small, it should've belonged to a Java Jazz hall.

And Jay Kay himself? Not so entertaining. I'd expected to see colorful hats, dance moves that would make Jacko put his tail between his legs, and a spectacular lighting.

I got nothing.

If anything, the lighting was blinding my eyes for around half the time of the whole show, which lasted just about 90 minutes. After a two-hour delay.

Charming, huh.

Well, despite everything, I got to watch yet another concert with my lovely lovely bunch - Bangun Runi Ingga. We crashed to the VIP area in front of the stage for the last few songs, so I now have this satisfied feeling of paying less for first-class facility.

Java Festival Production, I hope you'll do better on the next ones. Or maybe just stick to big international music festivals and leave the rest to your competitors.

Sometimes covering both sides just ain't enough

There's been a major thing (finally) going on with where I work. After five months of publishing, the paper's caught the attention of this country. When I say this country, I mean its high-ranked officials and the police.

Well, of course there was that Spiderman stunt fiasco on the launching day, but I guess that shouldn't count.

For the past three days, it's been all about questions in the office. Are we facing a lawsuit? Are we protected by the Press Law? Is our chief gonna be arrested? Is our reporter friend? Is the paper gonna be closed?

The last question may have just come out from my head.

All police interrogation aside, I didn't think writing a story about some legislative candidate alleged of buying votes in a small town would cause such problem.

Except, of course, the candidate happens to be a son of the country's top man.

Last night, East Java police named Jakarta Globe as a suspect of defamation in the case. But this morning, a text from our reporter there said we had been removed from the suspect list.

This is getting interesting because little me, a newbie in this world, have never experienced something like this before. In a way, now our paper will get some sort of recognition.

The original story has been removed from the web site, but here's a follow-up.