Explore Batam's Princess Island: Indonesia's Frontier In The World's Busiest Waters

Have you ever heard Princess Island aka Pulau Putri? It's not Pulau Putri in Kepulauan Seribu (Thousands islands) in Northern Jakarta, instead, it's the frontier island in Singapore Straits, between Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia's Johor Bahru.

I went there yesterday afternoon, just right before sunset and it was amazing! It's only 5 minutes away from Batam's Nongsa. You can reach the island less than 10 minutes from Nongsa on boat. You do not need to worry as the wave is just good (not rough waters) so it'll be joyful. We started the trip from Nongsa and we took a boat for 6 persons. It's less than 5 minutes were on boat. However, we have to take a walk for about 50 meters to get the shore as the tide was at its lowest. Anyway, it was fun. Once you get there, you'll find yourself like stranded. I mean, okay, there is a lighthouse but that's the only thing on the island, plus, a wrecked dumped ship. Yes, a wreck!

Pulau Putri is in Indonesia's territory. The island is just 50 meters in length and 30 meters in width. It seemed like there's 3 different island in Pulau Putri. When the tide is low, you can reach the next island on foot and there is another tiny island in the northernmost. When the tide is high, the rest two islands will be flooded by waters and look like a floating green.

I really wanted to go up to the peak of the watch tower but it was not allowed. So sad. Anyway, you could see and enjoy the sunset and have Singapore view (silhouette of the Harbor Front and the Marina Bay Sands) and it was beautiful! Not only is it. You can see Nongsa Point Marina in the North-East (it looked like a heaven in disguise!), Batam Centre in the South-East, and of course, Malaysia's Johor. As The Straits is one of the busiest strait in the world so lots of cargo ships just pass by like all the time. It's such a busy strait indeed.

Nothing much we can find in the island. There is only a food stall that operates in the certain time. A wreckage of a ship, and local settlement. I mean, the guards placed in the island. You know, it's a frontier island so there is patrol by marine guards sometimes. Afterall, it was a beautiful moment when we can--at least--see the life in the frontier. Not really felt isolated or something, it's just...different...and exciting!

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Mengatasi Rasa Bosan Di Tempat Kerja

Hoaaaaaaam...

Belum berapa jam kita masuk kantor kok bawaannya pengen tidur aja ya? Udah berasa mati bosan sampe ngantuk-ngantuk. Nah, ini nih yang bikin kerja kita mundur, regress, dan produktivitas menurun. Banyak sekali, mungkin nggak hanya saya saja yang merasakannya. Terlepas kita bekerja di bidang apa, di kantor mana, anything, yang namanya semangat positif itu harus tetap dijaga, kalau bisa semakin ditingkatkan. Harus lah!!!

Nah, sedikit curhat aja gimana sih ngatasin rasa bosan ketika lagi kerja? Well, let's just...start!

What is boredom actually?

Boredom (kebosanan) sendiri sebenarnya adalah rasa jenuh yang muncul akibat kita yang sudah sangat terbiasa dengan pekerjaan dan lingkungan kerja. Jadi, nggak ada yang namanya bosan kalau kita masih dalam masa adaptasi atau malah nggak cocok dengan lingkungan kerja kita. Rasa antusias or curiousity pada hal-hal yang baru (like it or not) akan memacu kita untuk berpikir, menganalisa dan bertindak sehingga tanpa kita sadari kita menikmatinya. As the time goes by, however, rutinitas (yang berawal dari curiousity, then being repeated again in the same way) seperti itulah yang nantinya membuat kita stuck. Why? Karena kita sudah nyaman dengan pekerjaan dan lingkungan kerja dan akhirnya bosan deh. 

Okay, I'm bored. Then what?
Karena sudah menjadi rutinitas, pekerjaan bisa diselesaikan dengan lebih cepat. Tapi, ada orang-orang yang cenderung meremehkan pekerjaan dengan bersikap "Ya udah, nanti saja. Gampang kan." And it's no good, at all. Instead of working on the daily things (or maybe one two new things), we are so busy console ourselves or whatever it is to avoid boredom. It's no good. 

First thing first: Priority!

Kita masuk office, hal pertama yang harus kita prioritaskan adalah pekerjaan. I mean, selama kita bisa selesaikan pekerjaan secepat mungkin kenapa harus dilama-lamain hanya karena kita bosan dan kita sudah terbiasa dengan pekerjaan itu? Padahal, semakin cepat pekerjaan selesai, semakin banyak waktu yang bisa kita manfaatkan untuk hal-hal lain. Misal, belajar bahasa (enhancing our linguistic skills for better communication with clients), baca dokumen-dokumen, atau mungkin sekedar browsing di internet. Terserah. Intinya, kita selesaikan pekerjaan dulu, baru miscellaneous. Who knows, ketika kerjaan sudah selesai ternyata ada hal-hal yang missing, ato mungkin ada masalah lain yang tidak diduga-duga. kalau pekerjaan sudah selesai, we can allocate time to those things possible. Bayangkan saja, kalau kita keep being under boredom, leave the works undone, then suddenly the problems come. Hello? Anyone here???!!! I NEED HELP! You gotta get soooooo panic and messed up, everything. And most importantly, you waste the time. The things undone. Much more problem then.

So?

Banyak hal yang bisa kita explore di manapun kita berada, dan tempat kerja bukan pengecualian. Keep positive, itu pasti. Mungkin dengan banyaknya waktu luang di office, kita bisa belajar skill yang lain dan meningkatkan skill kita yang sudah ada. Make it fast and take the rest!

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6 Gaga's Hottest Hits!

The 2013 Video Music Awards had just passed, but all the moments then stroke the world until today. How Miley's Twerking performance became a HUGE sensation that Oxford finally added the "twerk" into its latest. And, most importantly, the stars were just coming back, set to hit the stage! From Justin Timberlake and N'Sync reunion to the one-and-only lovely Mother Monster Lady Gaga.

Well, here I wanna take a flash recap of the 6 Gaga's hottest hits ever since her 2008 rise & shine until her latest's Applause previously performed in 2013 VMAs. Little Monsters, paws up!

6. Telephone (featuring Beyonce Knowles)

This is the most successful collaboration hit single EVER. This song led Gaga grab Moon-man in 2010, and it's not surprising then, I mean, with her 13 nods in Video Music Awards and the whole world apparently went Gaga! The epic long music video is just SICK!

5. You & I

This song is taken from Born This Way Album (2011). This song is about her love-life with her Nebraska guy.  The song is quite nice, with the Western-twist and the crazy Gaga's collision. iAnd the most striking of all is she appeared in the video as two different characters which (seemed like and it was confirmed) were her"self" and Joe Calderon, her "alter-ego." Just take a look at the pic. Who knows that the smoking macho man is Stefani Germanotta?

4. Just Dance

The song is the starting point Gaga hit the stage of pop culture. It was released in 2008 and became world-wide hit! This song was nominated for Best Dance Recording in 2009 Grammy Awards and all around the world people stated being Little Monsters.

3. Poker Face

This song won Grammy for Best Dance Recording in 2010. The video offers the viewers hunks! Full of hunks! Seriously! With her iconic outfit and poses and choreography and dance and the beat and stuffs! You gotta love the song and the video, like a lot! This song also gave Gaga Moonman as the Best New Artist in 2009 VMA. Overall, this is a GOOD JOB!

2. Born This Way

Born this way is the warming-up hits taken from Born This Way Album. Release on February 2011, this song debut reached #1 in Billboard Hot 100 for the consecutive 6 weeks! This song won 2011 VMAs for Best Music Video With Message and Best Female Video. personally, I love this song so much as it was soooooo me. It was all about me! :)

1. Bad Romance

This song was like a sign of the climax of Gaga's domination. This took 2 Grammys in 2011 and led her to the historic 13 nominations in 2010 Video Music Awards. The music video's just futuristic! And classy! This proved how musicality with genius can result such a massive successful hits and positive influence to express freely without any judgement.

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