Since I’m entering a new phase of life, I decided to also move to a new blog platform which is Tumblr!

Not that I don’t like wordpress, but tumblr is simpler. I’m still using my wordpress though, in case I need to write some of my thoughts which cannot be shortened. my tumblr is specifically only for my short views and thoughts.

So, my tumblr address is: thethoughtsofagiraffe.tumblr.com

So, see you there!

Sarah

I have no yahoo account with the address of: sarah.budiyani@yahoo.com.
If you retrieve any email from it, delete it directly!

If you could help me in reporting it to yahoomail, then I will be very grateful.

Thank you so much.

Best,
Sarah

This is my daily working bag. It’s a Kipling Bag Rock Heaven series – Malene pitch black

WANNA KNOW WHAT’S INSIDE IT?

1. Charles and Keith Wallet in Shocking Pink colour

2. A Note book, from a meeting’s goodie bag in China

3. My working badge

4. Frozz in strawberry flavour (for avoiding bad breath)

5. Sangobion (in case the anemia strikes back)

6. Hand sanitizer

7. Water front umbrella in green colour (a gift from Mbak Fifi from Japan)

8. My glasses box

9. Sparx purse for electronical stuffs

10. Cardholder

Inside the Sparx purse:

1. Blackberry earphone (I’m using the blackberry to take the picture of it. My blackberry is Gemini)

2. Thumb drive 128MB (it’s still working since 2006!)

3. USB Cable for Blackberry

4. Fujitsu NuSlim harddisk external 250GB and its cable

Well, that’s all folks and yes, I never bring makeups to work. :p

Ciao,

Sarah

It’s your graduation day!

CONGRATULATIONS DEAAAR!!!!!!!

I really wish I could come though but I can’t…

I’m truly sorry, dear..

I wish you best of luck in your next path and hope that we can see 2011 together.

Love you always,

Sarah

Long time no post!

This time, I’m going to post on a very light topic which is..

*drum roll*

SARAH’S BEAUTY HAUL!!! ;;)

Okay, let’s begin!

1. Sariayu Rose Face Milk Cleanser

Sariayu is my favorite brand among all Indonesian Local Brand!

This Cleanser is a perfect for normal to dry skin face like me. The texture is soft and it really cleans well!

The product has several different sizes ranging from small (100 ml), medium (150 ml) and large (500 ml) –> I usually buy the medium size which costs only USD 1 (read: one US dollar).

Off course when you talk about milk cleanser, we should not forget about its soulmate… THE FACE TONER

2. Sariayu Rose Face Toner

This product really freshen my face and removes the excess dirt after I clean it with the milk cleanser!

and the best part is… it also cost USD 1 (for the 150 ml size)!!!!

Very cheap, right? Good product, with good price! no doubt about it.

3. The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Cream

Well, you all might heard about the MIGHTY POWER of this product. I must admit that this is the best moisturizer I’ve ever used in my whole life! It is indeed quite costy (around USD 15) but, it is indeed very worth it!

Light texture, non-glossy and easily absorbed! Plus it contains Vitamin E! Just a perfect product for my face! Me likey very-very much! –> PS: I use this on a daily basis!

Size? 50 ml.

4. E.L.F. Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 with Honey Tone

This is a small product with HUGE power! Even there’s an ad which compares this product with the infamous Laura Mercier’s Tinted Moisturizer! LOL.

Well, to make things short, this is one of the best products of E.L.F and it’s also cheap! I heard in the States they sell it for only USD 1 (wow!), but in Jakarta, I bought it for USD 6 (online shop). Fair price I guess. FYI, this product has 7 tones ranging from Ivory, Light Beige, Rosy Beige, Apricot Beige, Honey, Spice and Toffee. In case you’re wondering on what the tones look like, just click: http://www.eyeslipsface.com/products.asp?dept_id=1009

For the review, IMHO, this is more like a foundation rather than a tinted moisturizer. Thus, I always combine this with the Body Shop Vit. E Moisturizer just to make it more lighter.

It really blends well with my face tone and doesn’t make your face greasy. I am quite acne-prone, but since using this product, I never get any big acne anymore! Highly recommended!

5. Sariayu Duo Eye Make Up

This beauty product is a must-have product! It’s an eyeliner and also a mascara with good quality!

Cost? Less than USD 5!

Repurchase? Ofcourse!

Well, that’s all for now folks! Will update you in due course.

Best,
Sarah

Now, i’d like to tell a bit about my former boss when i was still working as a project officer for the EAS education workshop.
I already mentioned about her previously, how she’s very detail about everything..
Last thursday, it was her last day at ASEC..
We had a lil chit-chat, talking about her next plan, my current job, sharing things abour life..
Knowing the fact that she’s gone now, quite make me a bit sad.

I just lost one of my best Guru.

I learned a lot about life.

It is better to ask a lot of questions rather than assuming you know something but you know nothing. But, never ask the same question over and over again because it means your stupid, not knowing how to grasp the given answer

Dear Linda, you’ll be missed…
Good bye and take care..

With love and respect,
Sarah

well, God once again showed me God’s grace and blessings.

Alhamdulillah, Thank Allah that I got a job again at the ASEAN Secretariat as the Technical Assistant for External Relations Division.

and guess what? It’s not a temporary staff anymore!

Alhamdulillah…

Thank you very much for everyone’s prayers for me. I really appreciate all of your help!

I hope the best for him as well. the one I always think of. Wish us both the very best luck in the world!

Cherio!

Sarah.

Seriously??

Yeah. Fudging serious.

I can’t live without thinking.

I hate the fact that I always think about anything.

Over-analyzing can lead to paranoid about something.

But then, I can’t stop thinking.

The only thing that can make me stop thinking is when I dance and sing.

Therefore I like to dance and sing.

What dance?

I do modern dancing, while singing.

kinda odd, right?

well, that’s me.

I hate thinking, but still can’t stop thinking.

Geesh.

Long time no blogging ya? So, how have you been, friends? Hope everything goes well with you!

Today’s post is about “when ugly duckling turned into a beautiful princess”

Truth be told, before, I’m not a person you see me today. I was a selfish, introvert, inferior, geek, ugly, and all the things you won’t see in me today *fingers-crossed*

Truth be told, I’m still the same me actually, but not really the same. Confused? I’m the same old brand new me! *err… still a bit confusing, eh?*

I had several life-changing experience who turned me from an ugly duckling into a beautiful princess (sorry for my narcissistic side )

Beauty

1. Teeth

Before, I have an ugly shaped teeth. In Indonesia, we call it “tonggos”, or, in short, my teeth sorta like Ronaldinho (a football player from Brazil, just google him). Actually, not as “tonggos” as him, but well, pretty much similar laa.. Probably, I never really experience love until university year because of my ugliness… LOL..

So, my life changing experience was when I put brackets on my teeth. It really boost up my confidence. Please kindly see my picture on the bottom below.

2. Skin

My Skin was imperfect, even until now. I often get pimples and also darker tone if my skin is exposed to the sun directly. So, what really changes my attitude towards this? PESONA magazine. When I was in high-school, I never clean my face. Really. Whenever my friends clean their face with soap, or cleansing foam, or whatever you call it, I never use it.

No wonder I got pimples and darker skin tone, right?

But since I read several fashion magazines, especially PESONA magazine, I learned that cleaning your face is A MUST! and don’t worry to buy local products! I used Sariayu for my face cleansing utilities, La Tulipe for my compact powder, Viva eyebrow pencil, and Wardah for my lipstick. Viva La Indonesian products! Those products are highly recommended!

I also was enlightened by my lovely Mam Junita, that she taught us we were constructed by those opinions that lighter skin equals beauty, so, we should not be constructed in that way, we should however construct our own way, whichever way we are comfortable with. Soooo, I decided to accept my brownish skin

Anywaaaay, Beautiful is again only about feeling. If we feel that we are beautiful, it’ll show by itself. Smile a lot can also perfected your imperfections!

Brain and Behaviour

As I’ve mentioned you before, I was a geek, meaning by geek prolly you’ll say that I’m a brainiac. Well, I never reckon myself as a brainiac, but I do love playing Sudoku, and when I was a Sudoku addict, I couldn’t even sleep without playing Sudoku first.

I’m grateful that God gave me a good, attached, intact, brain inside my head. This is a very-very IMPORTANT asset in my life. So, really am grateful, God.

stay hungry, stay foolish

Those words, I quote from Steve Jobs, and it really moved me in a way that, even I got a great capability in thinking, but I should never consider myself as smarter than other people. Knowledge is there to be learned, to be shared, don’t use it as a show-off.

Even we can learn a lot from a garbage man (tukang sampah). We should never underestimate others.

I change my habit from being a geek and introverted to humble *hopefully* and open-minded when I first encountered AIESEC. It’s an organization that helps me face the reality, different people, different point of view, and many challenges. I learned that we should never disrespect people by their background of faith, races, and so on since in AIESEC, I learn that all of us are family. I could go to Taiwan for an internship to extend my network and also family! Really! I have a lovely “grandma” there.

So, God gives us brain in order for us to learn about others and show respect for them. If you want to be considered smart, you also should show it in your attitude.

well, that’s all folks!

My writings is still felt like blabbering, I know, but hopefully I’ll manage this later on.

Hope you understand what I’m trying to imply.. LOL..

Have a nice weekend!
Sarah Budiyani

My post now is about Batik.

I saw an article from Joko Anwar regarding Batik and Nationalism and think that we are standing on the same ground upon this matter.

“Bagi sebagian orang Indonesia, rasa bangga akan kebangsaan memang bercampur dengan rasa rendah diri.”

Before we start commenting on that quote from him, let me give you an insight from my point of view.

I always wonder, why are we proud of western-well-known designer when they are promoting Batik on the catwalk, but we hate Malaysia when they are promoting Batik on their tourism advertisement?

This is odd since both of them are promoting Batik at the same time.

This morning, I asked this question to my fellow friends in Twitter. And I got this answer from one of my friend:

1. Because Malaysia always have conflict with Indonesia

2. Because Malaysia “claims” Batik is from Malaysia and the Designer mentioned Batik is from Indonesia

3. Because Indonesia feels inferior towards the Western people

And so, I asked them back to give me the source that Malaysia was indeed claiming Batik and that the Designer or Artist DID mention Batik is from Indonesia. But none of the replied (well, I know they are busy therefore they didn’t manage the time to find these sources for me).

But then, I checked the google regarding this matter.  But NONE of them say that Malaysia is indeed claiming or Designer mentioning Batik from Indonesia. It is Indonesian people in the net who mentioned Malaysia’s claiming Batik as theirs.

FYI, people in Afrika also have identical pattern like batik and also say ”BATIK” for their batik (source: I went to a batik from Africa exhibition in Taiwan)

So, I watched this video on TEDtalks regarding Intellectual Property Rights on fashion (sorry if I regard Batik as fashion) –> Source: http://www.ted.com/talks/johanna_blakley_lessons_from_fashion_s_free_culture.html

And found out that in the fashion world (including handbags, clothes, shoes, its pattern, its design) cannot be patented since it’s a UTILITARIAN stuffs (I suggest you see the video by yourself and interpret it in your own way).

So, regarding fashion we can only apply for TRADEMARK rights (including logo such as “PRADA”, “HERMES”, etc)

SOOOOOOO, you can only claim something from the fashion world if you find someone using your trademark.

Now, let us digest this information and ask ourselves. Is Batik a trademark? NO, it is not. Batik is a special pattern.

Can someone or a country claim Batik as theirs? NO, this is impossible since Batik is world culture heritage… meaning that people around the world are most welcome to be proud when they are wearing Batik. On top of that Batik in fashion sense are for Free, unless it’s a trademark.

SO, given the basic information, I’m gonna ask you the same question. Why most of Indonesian are proud of westerners/well-known people wearing Batik but feeling hatred towards Malaysian when the use Batik?

In my opinion, yes, it’s because of Post-Colonialization. WE feel inferior towards those westerners. WE are “constructed” that those westerners are better than us.

Well, they are the human being just like we are Indonesians. Do not spread hatred to our neighbor just because we feel superior from them.

This has got to stop!

Let’s start from constructing ourselves that we humans are equal being, no one is superior nor inferior.

If I say these stuff, does that mean I’m not a nationalist?

Cheers,

Sarah