Abay in Colors

Ayah Abay

The Frankenstroot

I tried to imitate the legendary guitar of Eddie Van Halen, “The Frankenstrat”, but I failed big time…

"Gua"

Gua (pronounced goo-wah) is a betawinese word for I or Me. In indonesian it means Saya or Aku. Gua is commonly used by Indonesian people these days, no matter from what tribe they are. It even considered as the most comfortable word in conversation between friends, co-worker or even siblings. Some of the married couple also uses this word for daily conversation, even those who already have children. Not every couple, yes, but  some of them.

For some people, the word Gua is considered to be a kinda harsh word, that's why it only used between the people of the same range of age. Well, actually it's not harsh at all. it is just because, it is so frequently used by everyone, from kids, teenager, and adults. It almost used in every TV show, or movies dialogue these days, because of it's simplicity. And because it is more applicable, and believable to the viewers' mind of what it is a daily conversation people are having. But still, no matter how common that word are used, we still have to respect older people by not using the word Gua. It feels more polite to use the word saya or aku, when talking to older people.

These days, the word Gua is having a slight modification when used by teenagers. The word is pronouced Gue (goo-weh). I don't how it actually started, but some part of Jakarta are really using it. It because some parts of Jakarta have a different style of dialect.

Ondel-ondel Betawi

Ondel-ondel Betawi (Native tribe of Jakarta) is a form of folk performances which are often presented in the parties of the Betawinese people. Apparently ondel-ondel are the portray of the ancestors who protects their grandchildren or the people of a village.

Ondel-ondel are a form of a large doll that stands about 2.5 meters tall, with a diameter of ± 80 cm, made ​​of bamboo, which is prepared in such a way so a person can fit inside the doll and play it. The face of ondel ondel are usually painted in red for the men, while women’s ondel-onel are usually painted in white.

In Pasundan a similar type of this folk tradition is known as Badawang, in Central Java called Barongan Buncis, while in Bali is better known as Barong Landung.  It is estimated that these type of art had been performed since before the spread of Islam in Java.

Originally ondel-ondel serves as a repellent force to protect the people from ghosts. Today ondel-ondel typically used to add a festive folk festivals or for welcoming important guests, for example, at the opening of a new building. No matter how swift currents of modernization, ondel-ondel is still survive and provide a softer side of Jakarta.

3 Things Successful Leaders Do on Wednesday

It's the middle of the week, and you can hardly wait for the back-end of the week. You had the usual issues on Monday, and put out some fires on Tuesday. Thursday is right around the corner, and you are ready to put it on cruise control.

The successful leaders think a little different. Each day of the week is important, and gliding into the weekend is not an option. When they are not executing the plan, they are making sure that problems are addressed quickly. In essence, they understand the importance of taking corrective action when a misalignment takes place.

Wednesday is an important day for proactive leaders. At this point in the week, they still have time to get the critical work done. You will not hear the following from a go-getter: "Let's do the best we can. We can always push it to next week." That is a no-no for successful leaders. If the work is due this week, they will do whatever possible to deliver on what is promised.

You will find top-notch leaders doing the following on any given Wednesday:

#1: Review the plan created on Monday to ensure they are on track.

In project management, we call the initial plan a baseline. In other words, we want to know what we are expected to deliver during the week. If the goal is to conduct 20 interviews with key customers regarding their perceptions of the quality of tech support provided, these leaders will make sure the work is on track.

The proactive leader will meet with the core team to identify the progress. By becoming engaged in the process, the leader collects valuable information to provide ample time to take corrective action when necessary. Waiting even just one day to gather this time-sensitive feedback may result in problems that escalate beyond the leader's department, and thereby causing harm to the entire organization.

#2: Interact with team members to provide support where necessary.

In MBA school, students learn an important leadership concept called Management by Wandering Around. A successful leader is on the floor as much as possible. It's important to know that this person is not rolling up their sleeves and doing the actual work. Instead, the leader is interested in learning about the obstacles that are preventing milestones from being met.

I know of many so-called leaders that sit in their comfy offices looking at report-after-report. This is akin to reviewing one's bank account throughout the day hoping unexpected deposits are made. It's not going to happen. It's much better to take action instead of staring blindly at one's computer screen.

#3: Keep a moving forward approach.

The recommendation here is to move forward, and to avoid costing, even worse, sliding downhill. The excellent leader is constantly looking for potential risks, and is prepared to exploit opportunities. For example, he might learn that an important resource has available time to work on a key task. Understanding the importance of this development, the leader will contact this person's line manager to request assistance.

By staying focused on the key deliverables, we get more done. Let's avoid pursuing the Big Bang approach where we are mostly concerned about impressing others. Successful leaders treat Wednesday as another important day where the plan is executed, and just as much attention is assigned to quality control. In short, the benefits are realized incrementally.

This is not a flashy approach, but it is effective.

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Keep Your Eye on the Ball

Hey! "Keep Your Eye on The Ball"!

How any times have you heard that expression? Was it as a kid at bat for the first time? It could have been any sport really where one needs to focus "on the ball". Or, maybe you've shouted it out to your child during their little league baseball or softball game. Regardless of whether you heard it or said, it is probably the universal call to pay attention, focus and avoid distractions.

So, what does this have to do with you and your business or career? Heck, nobody is perfect 100% of the time. However, I want to talk about those times where you wasted an opportunity that should have been yours because you took your eye of the ball - i.e. you allowed yourself to get distracted and lost your focus.

From my experience, people take "their eye off of the ball" for several reasons:

•           They either did not have a plan or the one they did have was poorly constructed; lacking clarity on what was supposed to get done; by when; by whom and where it fit in to the big picture.

•           They did not have a comprehensive vision of what they were trying to create, with measurable benchmarks to be achieved over a specific timeframe.

•           They thought that they could wing it. You know make it up as they go. Winging it is not a strategy or even a realistic tactic. The answer is to plan; have goals and practice your craft until you can execute it flawlessly on a consistent basis under all types of conditions.

•           They don't take the time to learn from their mistakes when they took their eye of the ball previously. Failure to learn from your experiences condemns you to a life of re-living your mistakes. Geez! Is that what you really want?

•           Finally, a lack of self discipline is probably the single greatest cause for someone not keeping their eye on the ball. They simply have not formed a strong enough habit to do the things they need to do consistently, persistently and systematically.

Keeping your eye on the ball and developing your ability to focus effectively, is critical to your success. You can dramatically increase your chances of "keeping your eye on the ball" by having a clear vision of where you want to go; reflected in an accurate plan with realistic goals supported by a disciplined approach to execute the plan.

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Money Management Tips

Whether or not you want a relationship with money, you have one, and you will for the rest of your life. Therefore, you should try to gain control of your finances so you can feel good. This article includes several ways to help you manage your money better.

You must create a budget before you do anything else. Document your monthly cash flow and expenses. If you have extra income, such as investments or other passive money sources, make note of these as well. Make sure you don't spend more than you make.

Find out how much you are going to spend. Keep a list of all of the money your family spends. Everything, from insurance to vehicle maintenance costs, should be included. If you eat out on a regular basis, or purchase breakfast on your way to work each day, make sure these are also added. Don't forget other expenses such as babysitting fees or parking costs. Include everything you can on your list.

A precise idea of your income will allow you to come up with a realistic budget. List your monthly bills and expenses. Review the list and question each item, asking yourself which ones are really necessary. For example, you can cook at home instead of eating out, which will save you money. Make the necessary changes in your lifestyle so that you are able to save more of your money.

Bring down your bills each month by repairing and tuning up your home. New appliances such as a new washer or dishwasher can help you save money and pay for themselves. You can cut the costs of your electric bill by installing a water heater that is in-line. Inspect your home for leaky pipes that could be literally leaking money.

Try to change out your appliances to more energy efficient ones. The lowered operational costs of energy efficient appliances reduces the amount you spend on utilities. The money you save will build up quickly. Unplug any alliance that has a light on.

If you pay a little more now, you will save in the long run with lower utility bills. An example of this is replacing the roof of your home when needed. Energy costs can be greatly reduced by eliminating areas where hot and cold air can escape from the home.

Although expensive upfront, you will soon recoup these costs, plus some, as you save money on your other bills each month. By following these tips, you will be able to stretch your money even further. Take control over you life by taking control over your bills.

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3 Ways To Reclaim 30 Minutes Of Your Time Everyday

I believe that it is fair to say that most people are striving to achieve some type of success, whether it is success in their personal or professional life or both. In their quest to become a leader in their own right, many people keep going and going like the energizer bunny.

Unfortunately there is one thing that far too many people have in common, and that is that they believe that there is not enough hours in the day. Many describe it as feeling like they are in a rat race that never ends. The days seem fused together; they are always on the go and feel like they never get a chance to slow down.

The reality is that you will never slow down if you do not make an intentional effort to do so. You have to make the time and reclaim some time in your day for you, and you only. Here are 3 steps to help you find and reclaim that time.

Step 1

Start with identifying what you time really looks like, through "your" lens. I want you to identify what you time includes. If you had a full day to yourself, with no responsibilities whatsoever, what would you do? I mean what really relaxes you? I want you to make an exhaustive list. Now, out of your list, which one thing can you tailor down and realistically do everyday? I mean an express version, where you can still get similar relaxation benefits in about 30 minutes?

Step 2

Break your day into 4 quadrants. Morning, early afternoon, late afternoon and evening. Morning is from when you wake up in the morning to 12 noon, early afternoon is 12noon to about 3pm, late afternoon is 3pm - 6pm and evening is 6pm until you shut your eyes and go to bed. I want you to identify what time of day you are most relaxed and least relaxed. Now, write down what makes that certain time of day very relaxing. Is it something about you personally, your energy level, your focus, the setting, the people around you? Make a list of the characteristics of this special time. Identify it and strategically use it to your advantage.

Step 3

The time of day that you have identified as being least relaxed is where I want you to reclaim 30 minutes of you time. Using the list you developed in step 1, and the characteristics you listed in step 2, I want you to re-create and reclaim you time and commit to doing this for 30 minutes everyday. The key is that you have to make a conscious choice and commitment to taking time out for you.

Always remember that what you do every day matters more than what you do every once in a while. Take ownership of your time and take care of you.

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Muhammad Yunus, The Founder of Microcredit

Have you ever wondered if you followed through with a great idea where it might go? Well, let me tell you about one of my friends who did just that.

Muhammad Yunus was an economics teacher in Bangaladesh. There had been a great flood up north and, day after day, he found people dying on his front porch. After a couple of days, he went to a small group of people close by and asked them how much money these 42 people would need to survive for one month. 

They figured it would be $26.00. He took the money out of his own pocket. He thought to himself, "Why am I teaching economics when so many people don't have any money?"

The next day, he went to a couple of banks and their responses were all the same: "We only work with people who have money, not those who don't have any." They would not make any loans. This man began to wonder if those who do not have any money could start with a tiny, tiny loan. They could pay the loan back and get a larger loan. Of course, the banks thought this was a crazy idea. So, he started the Grameen Bank. 

His idea turned into the microcredit system and today millions of women and their families are out of poverty. 

Their children can now afford to go to school.

I asked him, "But, weren't you afraid that the women who received the microcredit would not pay back their loans?" He smiled and said that 98% of all the loans have been paid back. Muhammad Yunus received the Nobel Prize in 2006 for his work.

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Create Yourself Anew From the Inside Out

When we are feeling stressed and overwhelmed in life, it's easy to see ourselves as that struggling, small self. We can get stuck in this limiting view. But who you are and what you are capable of achieving is so much more than that. And it's the challenges and struggles in life that help us evolve into all we are capable of becoming. That is how we manifest the beauty and power within us. This is how we can live with full wattage.

Just look at the life of any "Great One" and you will quickly realize this is true. Very few (if indeed any) achieved greatness without facing trials and challenges. Often they had to stare their failures in the face and not let their lack of visible success stop them.

They prove this simple secret to success: Do not identify with the part of you that is small and struggling. Step outside of the limited view of who you are. Remember that you are magnificent beyond compare. That is the truth about who you are.

It doesn't matter if you don't believe that truth yet. Over time, it's possible to build a successful, joy-filled, expansive, abundant, happy, enthusiastic self-image. As you do, you will notice profound changes in your life, because how you view yourself greatly impacts every area of your life.

Yet, banishing self-doubt and focusing on your potential can be challenging, especially when you're in the thick of obstacles. So, any time you find your mind dwelling on an image of yourself that is too small; keep bringing your attention back to your unlimited, expansive self.

It's time to step it up, get bigger about who you are, and live with Full Wattage!

One of the most powerful ways to change your self-image is to replace negative thought forms with positive ones. So take time each day to visualize how you would like to be.

Here are a few questions to help you focus.

•           How would you like to be physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually?

•           What is your ideal body image?

•           Are there any emotional qualities you would like to develop?

•           What about mental or spiritual attributes?

The more you visualize your ideal self image, the more you will actualize it in your life. This doesn't happen as a result of wishful thinking; it happens because you are activating and releasing the inner potential that is currently dormant within you. You are waking up your CORE. You are creating yourself anew from the inside out, living your life with full wattage.

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What are you hiding ?

You have a purpose. There is something you can do better than me. So why hide it? Are you afraid to be heard? It's time for you to get out of your shell. Start doing what you want with your life. God place that gift in you so others can benefit.

For years i was trying to find my purpose. What i was suppose to do with my life. Then after much self assessment i choose music. I love music. I wanted to compose. So i decided to pursue it. To use the music i create to glorify God. There are times when i felt discouraged because things are not progressing how i planed it. But i still continued and i am still pursuing a career in music.

Along my musical journey i have met people who became good friends and are a blessing to my life. I wouldn't have met these people if i never stepped out and went on a journey with my music.

What I'm saying is this, If you love to sing, then sing. Figure out how you can make it work for you. There are plenty of options, you just have to find the perfect fit for you. If you like to write, write. Start a blog and share you writings to the world some one will appreciate it.  Your reading my blog so you can do it too. If you want to travel, plan a road trip and get a move on. Your life wont be the same once you get moving. If  want to be a photographer, buy a camera and start taking photos and share them with your friends. The key is to get started.

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Developing A Home Business

Life is popular for giving sucker punches that can actually knock the wind flow out of you. Soon after as a dedicated worker for several years, suddenly, via no-fault of your very own, you might be kicked out and hurled into icy skepticism. Has doing work in the home been popular with you? There are actually recommendations in this particular bit that will direct you for the reason that direction.

When beginning a house organization you need to aspect in simply how much available money you have for start up expenses. Home companies are less costly to operate than kinds run with an place of work, but you have to have investment capital. Identifying how much it is going to expense to operate your small business will help you steer clear of shedding cash within the long-term.

Generally physical exercise persistence. A home-structured industry is not likely to blossom right away. A residence organization will require the two time and energy and you will definitely see expansion when you acquire expertise. Becoming steady and affected individual are two qualities to concentrate on from the life of your small business.

Decrease your company costs if you take all tax reductions available for your needs. Declaring all the deductibles you may could save you a considerable amount of dollars.

Your organization objective is a brief outline relating to your enterprise, usually 2-3 phrases. Consider the reason why you made this business and what you wish to obtain. With this paragraph, consist of exactly what makes your business stay ahead of your competition and whatever you want to accomplish.

Incorporate a banner club for the internet site. Doing this, you may have a banner ad swap plan with joined enterprises. It is really an good way to boost your rankings searching motors and get customers to see your site, which will assist you to offer your merchandise easily.

Try commencing an enterprise, such as daycare or even a support in which you do errands. Get artistic, and look for methods to help out all those close to you.

Home business managers have a tendency to congregate on the web. Attempt studying discussion boards which are the two devoted to your target market and also these outside of it. Tune in to everyone's suggestions in relation to home based business, one never knows when it can be beneficial facts.

When looking over this report, hopefully you were inspired to consider your life in your very own fingers. You had been presented a great deal of advice on beginning a property organization, and the time has come to get the bull through the horns and go for it! You can preserve this post for reference to read through whenever you are certainly not certain what the next step you should be consuming is.

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Improving Your Productivity

Most responsible and goal-driven individuals choose to continue boosting productivity for their business and their workplace. Many of us imagine that "we will make more money", if we're intending to strengthen our productivity, however it is easier said than done. The capability of each business is directly related to success. Productivity cannot be improved with reading or writing or following the info. Use the productivity formula given below and improve your productivity.

Boosting productivity is a great challenge for the supervision of any manufacturer and even service-oriented companies. There are several approaches that assist us to increase our productivity significantly and are as follows.

Determine the objectives for improvement: - Prior to creating any goal just think regarding whether you are ready to reach these plans. Setting goals is very important, but reaching them is much more important. If you are not prepared then you'll definitely not accomplish any thing to boost the productivity. When you set your objectives and think of ways to accomplish them, you're setting the stage for increasing productivity.

Analyze and establish the objectives:- Breakdown your objectives into lesser steps, so that you can focus on them to obtain the success. These smaller objectives will help you to obtain the desired productivity/results quickly than predicted. This can also assist your colleagues and your subordinates handle their expectations and their situation.

Enhance productivity with real-time plans: - Explain to all personnel about the production plans before it is getting too late.

Being competitive is essential for every company and that raises the importance of strengthening productivity. The effective employee is key to productivity. Since an employee has a major role in production, the owner of the company equips their personnel with newest technologies to raise productivity. The employees with good confidence are the more helpful strategy to enhancing productivity. Traditional methods are no longer used in most all organizations in reaching better productivity.

Treat both seniors and juniors in a similar manner. Seniors could be in good position and well versed with project managing, but juniors have the talent and determination to accomplish high and boost productivity.

To improve productivity of the company, first grasp the company's target and strive towards it and it's excellent for you and the business. In this way everyone can be the important part of productive organization. The organization must have people or members that are good team players, members that can work in harmony with other colleagues and respects every member of the organization. Every member of the organization must have a vision that will benefit the organization's interest and also vision that will help achieve goals.

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3 Ways to Inspire Your Creativity

Many of us would like to have more creativity in our lives. How about you?

One of the best ways to get into a creative space is to break out of your normal daily routine. And the best way to do that is to bring more playfulness and spontaneity into your life, especially into your work environment. You will find that some of your most creative flashes will come when you are having fun… if you allow yourself.

Ann McGee-Cooper in Time Management for Unmanageable People wrote, "….. the more we work, the more tired we get, the less creative or open-minded we are, and the less we accomplish, so we get further behind and then we think we have no time for play." Isn't that the truth!

When you need to inspire your creativity at work or at home, here are some 3 activities to help you get out of your normal groove and do something different.

Be a Kid Again: Think about some of the things you loved to do as a child. The more fun and wacky, the better! Did you ever build a fort with sofa cushions? Play outside in a hailstorm? Climb a tree? Allow a friend to blindfold you and guide you around? Swing on a rope? Whittle a stick?

And if it makes you laugh, all the better. Don't underestimate the power of laughter. In fact, Dr. Lee S. Berk, a preventive care specialist at Loma Linda University's Schools of Allied Health and Medicine, has done numerous studies on laughter. He said that laughter enhances your mood, decreases stress hormones, enhances immune activity, lowers bad cholesterol and systolic blood pressure, and raises good cholesterol. And that's no laughing matter!

Get Out and Get Inspired: Get out of your office or the physical space you spend the most time in. Take a trip to an art gallery, a park, or even the mall! You never know where inspiration will strike.

When you go out to get inspired, carry a notepad or voice recorder with you. That way, when that next great creative idea or solution to a problem pops up, you will be ready.

Move: When you are feeling stuck, one of the easiest ways to get unstuck is to get up and move. One of my mentors, Gabrielle Roth, said, "Movement is medicine… a dynamic way to free the body, to express the heart, and to clear the mind."The next time you are feeling out-of-sorts, I invite you to put on your favorite upbeat music and dance around to it. Don't worry about feeling awkward. As the wonderful choreographer Twyla Tharp said, "Get over yourself!"In fact, you could even try it NOW. Go on, give it a whirl. Find your favorite dancing music and rock out! If you are in a public place (like at work) and it is not appropriate to be seen whirling and twirling, put on a headset for a few minutes, turn up the music, and imagine yourself dancing wildly. It's almost as good.

What did you love to do? Is there a way you can incorporate any elements of those things into your workday?

When you add these activities to your life you will increase your energy, productivity, creativity, and enthusiasm! And you'll have more fun.

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Bung Karno's Quotes

1. “Men and women (in a marriage) are like the wings of a bird. If both equally strong, the bird can fly up to the top of the highest peak, If one of them is broken, the bird can’t fly at all. “

2. “If someone still feel ashamed and afraid to do something good, it is a guarantee that they are never going to have a progress (in their life), not even for a single step. “

3. “A nation that does not believe in their own power as a nation, can not stand as an independent nation.“