Out of My Comfort Zone

Today I joined a class that I thought I would never sign up for. A self healing class by Reza Gunawan, is it the right term to call it? I joined his class this morning called Toxic Success. I was on Instagram a few days ago and came across his profile and watched his Stories. He was promoting his class and mentioned a few symptoms of this toxic success issue. He mentioned like five symptoms and I felt like he was describing me. Hahaha!

I've been having a few problems for quite some time actually. I have trouble sleeping, my mind wanders everywhere when I try to sleep. My mind is ALWAYS full of thoughts, ideas, to do list reminders, and other things when I close my eyes. The effort of falling asleep is very challenging. I am used to just be awaken all night and went to sleep after 5 AM, after the morning prayer. I woke up not feeling refreshed at all. Problem, I know, and I am trying hard to fix this, fixing myself and fixing my health.

Joining Reza Gunawan's class is also a huge move for me. I am a person who gets scared when joining an environment that's not familiar to me. Joining a new class in the gym scares me most of the time and I was slightly out of my mind and trying hard to go out of my comfort zone by joining the Toxic Success short class. It went nice, I will try to make a summary for myself and try to keep up some of the tips given in the class.

Fingers crossed.

Graphic/lettering by me

Minimalism

Hello internet friends, how are you? Back with me with my mood swing. 

I just got back from a 20 days trip in Europe (including the flights from and to Indonesia). It was fun, refreshing, expensive (converting euro to rupiah during the trip wasn't good for the heart). During the trip, I experienced many many many things. I tried to record some videos, but I'm always no good in documenting my travels. I always ended up with 'I don't feel like recording nor taking pictures, I just want to enjoy this very moment'. But I've learned my lessons from the previous abroad trips, memories stays forever, of course, but pictures and videos are nice to see in the upcoming years. So as much as I felt like keeping my phone in my pocket, I tried my best to make some videos and pictures. I had my Canon with me, again it ended up in my luggage throughout the trip.

During my twenty days trip, I also read this book called 'Goodbye, Things.' by Fumio Sasaki, as recommended by a friend of mine, Eka. I must say that this book has helped me to think better and clearer. Before I left to Europe, I was so stressed out because I own so many things. I grew my possessions thanks to my constant workshops and paper goods that are all related to my illustration job. I have no space left in my home studio. I have raided the used to be an empty room in our home, to be my storage room. I kept all my painting tools in boxes, which are not practical, because my working desk is full of books and other miscellaneous. Because my tools are in boxes, I don't paint that often and that's what stressing me out constantly. I cried a few times because I always anded up in this maze of miscellaneous. I tried to rearrange and do better storage system but all of my efforts failed because I simply don't have any space left at my home studio. I'm so stressed that I don't even like what I was doing back then. I've read Marie Kondo's book and tried following her tips. It doesn't really help because I keep on receiving more stuff and create more paper goods. I've donate half of my clothes, in hope that I can feel better, but it doesn't help much because it wasn't the main problem. The problem is my paper goods, my stockist, and my book collection. Until today, I still have a few pages left to finish from Fumio Sasaki's book, but I already knew what I should do: To discard most of my stuff and just make empty room - adopting the minimalism theory. It doesn't sound appetizing at first, but the more I know, the more I realize that I actually have been doing this minimalism thing for quite a while, but mine is just the entry level. What I should do next is try to maintain this minimalism perspective and discard most of my stuff, so I have more room to breathe, more room to think.

This is my main goal right now, to upscale my minimalism 'belief', to help my self from being trapped in the same hole all over again.

Perfect Morning

This morning I woke up feeling happy and energetic, I don't know why. Maybe because I woke up an hour earlier? Maybe because I have only 1 major thing in my to do list this morning because I have finished most of my works last Friday? Also maybe because I spent (probably) 19 hours of sleep last Saturday? Maybe.

Speaking of sleeping on the weekends, last Saturday was probably the best Saturday I had in years. Usually my Saturday will be full of working (workshop, drawing event, or finishing a deadline at home), going to my mom or my mom in law's house, having dinner and going to the cinema with hubby, etc etc etc, the list is too long to count. I've been working so hard in the first half year of 2018 (it's still May, I know, but let's just call it half year). I've been working so hard that I found myself full of pressure that I couldn't even bear. I've been working so hard that I started to feel tired of drawing. This is a huge alarm for me. I know I gotta chill a bit, but at the same time, I love working. Overlapping timelines(sss), events after events, I am very blessed, but at the same time, I was so stressed out, I didn't even have time to rest. Sometimes I woke up past mid night with things running in my head, thinking about ideas or plans for the next day's work. Lol.

This morning I cooked cauliflower garlic seasoned rice with nori, yakitori and fried eggs on the side for my husband's lunch. I did some cooking prep yesterday, so this morning it wasn't all drama in the kitchen. And the fact that I don't have events or major deadline this afternoon makes everything feels so calm. I enjoy my time a lot in the kitchen. I didn't believe my mom when she said she didn't want to eat her cookings, but now that it happens to me, I kinda understand quite a bit.

I kicked my habit of having sweetened instant coffee every morning and switched it with another instant coffee, but unsweetened. Sadly, it tasted like crap. And I hate brewing my own coffee every morning with a french press because washing the strainer is a pain. So I sadly confirm that now I'm back to my old routine....

To me, a perfect morning would be waking up early, cook lunch for hubby and start working before 8.30

An Exciting Hot Day

Yesterday was a really hectic-effective day for me. I started the day by cooking an early lunch for me and hubby.

TOKYO: Ultimate List of My Favorite Places

This is my ultimate favorite places in Tokyo and an ongoing list, which I will gradually update. For those who seek for my recommendations, I have my Google Maps list saved in this article too. I hope my list can help you finding lovely places in Tokyo!

CLICK HERE TO SEE MY MAP

Stationeries and art supplies:

• Sekaido
• Tokyu Hands in Shibuya (they also have a nice cafe on top)
• Loft (go to the ground floor and the one on top)

Coffee:

• Blue Bottle
• FRANKIE Melbourne Espresso in Shimokitazawa (SO GOOD OMAGAH)
• About Life Coffee Brewers

Design, art, photography books:

• Village Vanguard in Shimokitazawa

Accessories:

• Romantic Standard
• Punyus
• Wego
• Basically all around Harajuku

Concept cafe:

• Aoyama Flower Market Tea House (be ready for long queue)
• Honey mi Honey Pink is Heart Motel cafe
• L'occitane Cafe Shibuya for a nice view of the famous crossing (or if you're willing to queue, just go to Starbucks at the crossing

Kawaii Trinkets:

• La Foret (lovely local designers hand made stuff at a price)
• Flying Tiger
• Village Vanguard in Shimokitazawa
• Basically everywhere

Cute gallery shop:

• Nathalie Lete's shop (Le Monde de Nathalie)
• Gallery Doux Dimanche

For a lovely stroll around the neighborhood:

• Shimokitazawa
• Kichijoji
• Aoyama
• Omotesando
• The street of Aoyama-Itchome (in front of Shake Shack) for LOVELY AUTUMN golden leaves tunnel like this
• Main road of Ginza on Sunday for car free day!

Picnic:

• Shinjuku Gyoen
• Yoyogi Koen

Others:

• Gotokuji Temple
• Now Is Forever mural (seen many many many times here)
• Don Quijote (for crazy A-Z store that opens 24 hours)

Eat:

• Gyukatsu Motomura
• Ramen Ouka
• Yayoiken
• Dominique Ansel
• Shake Shack
• Luke's Lobster (I'm not a fan of, but I put them in this list because they kind of that meal you must try in Tokyo for most people)
• Uobei Sushi (for cheap sushi, taste wise - similar to Sushi Tei)

Stay:

• Nui Hostel (I stayed here many times, great hostel, clean, top notch service & they serve good coffee at their cafe)
• APA Hotel (affordable hotel at good locations, room is VERY small)

Wifi:

• E-connect 

Cheap luggage:

• Ginza Karen (my luggage wheel broke and I had to buy a new one. Bought 27" luggage for only Rp 700.000)

People I Follow: 5 Photography Instagrammers

I'm following thousands of people on Instagram because simply Instagram is my main source of quick inspo, besides Pinterest and people in real life. Today I'm sharing with you my top 5 photography instagrammers I follow on Instagram.

JIMMY MARBLE

JESSE MARBLE

ANAIS KUGEL

BOBO MATJILA

SHE SELF PHOTOGRAPHED HER STUDIO SHOOTS.

WAIT WHAT?!

LI HUI

Sketch Book #2

Letterpress Business Card

Tahun 2017 lalu aku decided untuk bikin business card yang 'serius'. Bukannya berarti business card aku yang sebelumnya gak serius yaa, tapi aku mau bikin business card yang well made dan bisa represent myself more to my clients. Menurut aku business card ini small thing yang lumayan berpengaruh untuk first impression aku di depan client aku, dengan kerjaan aku yang terhitung freelancing ini. Business card ini aku design sendiri tentunya. Aku udah lama banget mau punya business card yang letterpres. Intinya ini sih gara-gara waktu di Tokyo, pas lagi jaga booth #88LOVELIFE di Tokyo Art Book Fair 2016, aku ketemu dengan Karan Singh. Awalnya aku gak tau dia siapa, tapi dia kasih aku business cardnya, yang adalah letterpress business card. Aku inget banget saat itu aku langsung mikir 'ini orang pasti siapa deh soalnya business cardnya bagus banget!'. Then aku cerita sama Rudi tentang orang ini, ternyata Rudi udah tau Karan since some time ago karena this guy is apparently pretty famous. Hahahaha aku telat banget. Nah gara-gara Karan ini lah aku akhirnya decided untuk bikin business card yang letterpress. Tapi bukan yang langsung bikin pas pulang ke Jakarta ya, aku mikir-mikir dulu (mikir super lama). Soalnya letterpress ini mahal banget. Satu kotak business card yang biasa aku bikin dulu itu harganya gak sampe seratus ribu. Sedangkan business card yang letterpress ini harganya 20 kali lipat harga business card aku yang biasa. Gimana gak sakit kepala ya kan. Tapi akhirnya setelah mikir (mikirnya literally setahun), akhirnya di 2017 aku bikin deh letterpress business card ini, a few weeks sebelum aku berangkat ke Tokyo untuk Tokyo Art Book Fair 2017. Aku bikinnya di The Distillery, kebetulan memang udah terkenal dengan letterpress worksnya, dan lokasinya aku lewatin hampir setiap hari. Proses bikinnya lumayan cepet dan aku sempet ikutan nyobain mesin letterpressnya. Then after that I understand why letterpress cards are bloody expensive, soalnya nge-press nya berat banget alatnya, yakin yang bikin letterpress pasti bicepsnya kebentuk dengan sendirinya hahahhaha. Anyway, here are some pictures of the samples.

Business card ini bloody expensive sih menurut aku, tapi worth the price karena setiap aku kasih business card ini ke clients, selaluuu mengundang compliments. Jadi gak nyesel sama sekali bikin business card yang well made kayak gini.

PHOTO DIARY: SUMMER IN TOKYO

HOT SUMMER IN MY FAVE CITY :)

The Prettiest Rose Garden in Yokohama

Aku udah pernah share foto-foto dari English Garden di Yokohama ini di blog aku yang lama. But I want to share it again di sini karena English Garden ini bener-bener unforgettable. Waktu itu aku dalam rangka solo trip di Tokyo, tapi karena udah lumayan bingung mau kemana lagi di Tokyo, akhirnya aku decided untuk day trip ke Yokohama. Waktu itu sekalian mau liat Pikachu parade di Yokohama, karena ada schedule paradenya, jadi aku ke English Garden dulu. Panasnya jangan ditanya deh, ampuuuuuuunnnn. Inget banget sehari di Yokohama itu aku ga makan karena males (kebiasaan), jadi aku cuma minum kopi kalengan aja beberapa kaleng selama di Yokohama. My only meal sepanjang hari itu cuma breakfast susu dan onigiri di pagi harinya untuk sarapan, siangnya minum kopi itu. Baru terasa setelah jam 7 malem, udah seharian berjemur, laper banget, tapi kalo makan dulu bisa-bisa kemaleman pulang ke Tokyo nya. Akhirnya aku tahan laper sampe di Tokyo, udah mau pingsan banget saking lemesnya (dan over caffeinated tuh clearly gak bagus hahahahaha). Sepanjang perjalanan di kereta aku berdoa supaya gak pingsan, karena gak lucu turis sendirian trus pingsan. Akhirnya sampe juga sih di Tokyo dengan segala upaya dan gak putus berdoa. Anyway, here are some pictures from Yokohama English Garden. Bagus bangeeeettt! Masuknya 500 yen, bisa keliling taman selama yang kita mau. Emang paling bagus pas summer karena bunganya pas mekar semua. Kalo spring banyaknya Hydrangea aja. Foto-foto ini gak diedit sama sekali, cuma aku cropping dan resize. Warnanya bagus banget ya! Bagusnya foto kalo colorful di summer tuh begini. Tapi jangan tanya aslinya panasnya kayak apa hahahaha.