Last Posting of Year 2008

This posting is going to be my last posting in 2008, and when I look back, I'm quite amazed what God has done to me so far. How He has changed me, renewed my mind, renewed my strength, moved me from glory to glory... Never doubt that God is indeed a good God.

So, here are... the result of my partnership with God.

1. Awarded as Lecturer of the Year 2008 M* C** University - June 2008. *)
2. Achieved Master Degree, Electrical Engineering, Br* University - August 2008. *)
3. Successfully gave presentation to 300 students about the opportunity of being a book author - July 2008. (some of them came to me, ask and show their interest to be an author, I think I managed to motivate them... you go guys).
4. Set a new record of largest-attendance-public-preaching (500 people), B* Church - August 2008.
5. Set a new record of public speaking to a group of 70 Public Relation Managers from all university in Malang - November 2008.
6. Visiting Singapore for a week - November 2008. *)
7. Finally successfully managed to give presentation for an hour and a half, FULL IN ENGLISH to group of 30 M* C** Lecturers - Dec 2008. *)
8. First time got invitation to preach in a Christmas service - Dec 2008. *)
9. Finished 7 IT books, 3 of them got ISBN already (will have finished another 3 in Feb 2009).
10. Set a new record of "most-packed-activity-semester", had 23 credits semester, that means spend 1150 minutes/week (yes, per week) in teaching.

The asterisk sign (*) means that I've done for the very first time.And for 2009, I'm expecting:

1. Get Ph. D scholarship in overseas (USA, Australia, Europe or Japan)
2. Set a new record for highest income of my career history (please, it's income, not salary... you know that as a lecturer you won't have high salary, don't you? I'm thinking to earn from writing a book or website-based-business-income).
3. Have serious relationship with a girl.
4. Finish at least 6 other books, and at least one of them titled as best seller.
5. Conduct at least 2 researches in IT and publish them in a scientific journal.
6. The only record I don't want to break for year 2009 is: "most-packed-activity-semester".

I'll stay together to achieve them with My BELOVED Partner. I believe that HE has more than I thought or plan... I'm not going to limit HIM and as HE faithful to me, so am I.

Welcome 2009!

(Hei friends, why don't you make your own? you can't achieve what you can't imagine, rite?)

I've decided...

“Hi Wind… So, how’s your ADS Application?” (frequently asked question of this month)

“Emm… Unfortunately, I failed.” (the word “unfortunately” can be replaced with “fortunately” in the coming months or years… no doubt about that. but for now allow me to put the word “unfortunately” as the most suitable word).

“Oh… So bad…” (thanks for your sincerity and pray, guys… I do appreciate that)

“That’s fine lah…” (I answered and still curious why they reject my application. I’ve put a lot of efforts in it, I have 3 reference letters from the Ph.Ds, I already have supervisor for my proposed research from Curtin UT, I got TOEFL score…, never mind. Beside, I was applying for Master Degree… I’d beter apply for the Ph.D next year)

“Oh, ya… By the way Wind, you got girl friend already?” (Hmm… it sounds very familiar question… Let me think… oh ya I it’s My mum fave question!)

“I want to… But, it’s difficult to find one lah… Hei, you do know about that, rite?”

“Ya, Wind. But let me tell you something. Sooner or later you’re gonna marry someone, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, so?”

“Then you’re gonna face the same conflicts in marriage just like other couples. The problems won’t be easier even if you postpone your marriage. They’ll be there and stay the same.”

“Okay, what’s your point?”

“Then you’d better get married soon, young man! The sooner, the better… You’ll have longer time to learn and deal with that all those problem! Why postpone, ah?”

“Errr….” [Okay, he's right.. Completely right]

“Errr… what? I don’t see any good reason why you postpone your marriage. You’ve got all what_girl_want. You wait for nothing!”

[Geee... once again, he's right] “But… but… I enjoy being single. I can go anywhere I want, I can have anything I want, I can go with whoever…”

“Let me tell you something… It sounds cliche, but it’s true… There’s a season for everything… Your season for freedom is running out, and now it’s the time for you to prepare for a new season. That new season called “marriage”.”

“But… It’s one time season, rite? The moment I entered that season, there’s no way back, rite?”

“Hei, you got the point! And let me add something, doesn’t that your Bible teach ‘It’s not good for a man alone, I’ll make a companion for him’.”

“Yeaaa..”

“If God says not good then it means not good. You teach Bible Study, you know that, don’t you?”

“Yaaa… yaa… I know that…”

“Then you go decide which one, make commitment and get married soon…”

“I’ll think about it…”

“NO! Don’t say “I’ll”. You got to decide now… You have lot of girl friends to be considered, rite? Tell me, which one you like most?”

“It’s ****”

“Then you go for her… Tell her, that you’ve decided and choose her… Ask her if she’s willing to be your mate.”

“Hah? Maid? You kidding me?”

“…”

[Never ending conversation, but I've made a decision...]

Emotional Quotient

Starting today up to next week or even could be next month, my emotional quotient has been and will be tested. I just lost my all my cell phones (N E71, N5510, N6215) - including the cards (2 GSM, 1 CDMA, and 1 Singapore Number). Someone broke into my room and took all my cell phones plus couple hundreds thousands (for my monthly expenses) from my wallet.

How bad is that? For me, it’s bad. Damn bad!

Is it influencing my daily routine? Yes, definitely! I lost all contacts, birthday remainder, sermon notes, photos, songs. (So, please, kindly re-send your contact number trough YM or any other messengers).

Then, here is the emotional quotient test.

Next hours after I lost them, I had to teach Bible Study for the youths.

So, I must teach and feel bad and sad because of losing things in the same time. But I did it. I taught as if nothing happen. Nobody noticed that I have deep bad and sad feeling. Everybody just enjoyed the lesson as usual. I speak, chat with others, smile, and cheer as usual.

The challenges still continue.

Today, I got to teach 3 classes. So, I must controlled myself. I teach just like as usual. Same style and I think, nobody felt the difference. My students enjoyed my class without even realize what did happen to me. Ya, I think I did it.

So, I learn something. That’s emotional quotient all about. It’s the way we control and manage our emotion toward the situation we’re dealing with now. It’s about our respond toward the problems. I’m glad that I know I can control my emotional through this problem. It could’ve been worse. But I’m learning.

Next days, in the coming weeks, my emotional quotient still be tested, because I still feel bad about that… But I want to overcome it.

Meanwhile, if you notice this blog hasn’t been updated since last month, it means I’m waiting something. I’m waiting the result of ADS2009 scholarship application. Some of my colleagues that apply the scholarship already have the result, and… it’s not quite good news for them.

God… You know, I want so bad that scholarship. But, let Your will be done. You know what best for me.