Saturday, July 30, 2005
Finally!!!
I finished my essay, took the exam... and now I feel kinda lost.
It is kinda weird... during the week, there were countless times when I kept wishing it'll all be over so I could get some sleep and blah-blah-blah.
But everything is now over, it is 2 in the morning, and although I am feeling very tired, I cannot get to sleep.
Life is so unfair sometimes.
I got the 'Hitchhikers' Guide to the Gallaxy'! I had gotten the illegal, oops, I meant, legitimate vcd when I was in Indonesia, and just a day or so ago, I had the book passed to me! I know that for some, reading is a novel concept, but the inner geek in me just loves to read. I cannot wait to start on it!
The problem is, there are 4 other books that I wanna read too. They're books I got in Indonesia:
1) General (ret.) Wiranto's Witness in the Storm, with his personal autograph marking his sign of approval!
- This is basically his memoir, about the fall of Suharto and the Reform era which came about after that, the whole democratic transition etc.
2) The Concept of Power in Javanese Culture
- This one is, you guessed right, about the javanese culture and how power figures in it all. When you've an understanding of the javanese culture, you'll have a better understanding of Indonesian Politics, because 65% of the pop. is Javanese and that culture has been viewed by many to be the dominant culture governing the country. I have an alternative opinion to offer up, but that's a whole other blog entry altogether. Bear in mind though, that most of the political and military figures of Indonesia came from Jogja, which is like, the cultural and educational capital of Indonesia, located in Java.
3) Bilveer Singh's Bear and Garud: Soviet-Indonesian Relations: From Lein to Gorbachev
- This was written by my prof. years back. The title is self-explanatory... what is most interesting about this is that I've not really come across that many writings about Soviet-Indonesia so yes, it'll make for an interesting read.
4) Bilveer Singh's The Vulnerability of Small States Revisited
- I read parts of this book before, for a module... and I wanna complete the other bits I didn't have time for in the past. One thing about the prof. is that his writing style is just so easy to manage, concepts are so clearly explained... it's a political science book made for pleasurable reading.
So ok, I've exposed myself as a pol. science nerd, so excited about this academic books. But politics is really interesting if you care to dig deeper into it. I mean, put it this way, we're being political every single day, be it with our parents, siblings, friends, etc. Politics is about power and influence and the competition for the larger share of the pie, and we're all involved in it.
Geez... and I'm supposed to be relaxing my mind, not talking politics after an exam.
I think I'll start on the Hitchhikers'... then progress along...
I finished my essay, took the exam... and now I feel kinda lost.
It is kinda weird... during the week, there were countless times when I kept wishing it'll all be over so I could get some sleep and blah-blah-blah.
But everything is now over, it is 2 in the morning, and although I am feeling very tired, I cannot get to sleep.
Life is so unfair sometimes.
I got the 'Hitchhikers' Guide to the Gallaxy'! I had gotten the illegal, oops, I meant, legitimate vcd when I was in Indonesia, and just a day or so ago, I had the book passed to me! I know that for some, reading is a novel concept, but the inner geek in me just loves to read. I cannot wait to start on it!
The problem is, there are 4 other books that I wanna read too. They're books I got in Indonesia:
1) General (ret.) Wiranto's Witness in the Storm, with his personal autograph marking his sign of approval!
- This is basically his memoir, about the fall of Suharto and the Reform era which came about after that, the whole democratic transition etc.
2) The Concept of Power in Javanese Culture
- This one is, you guessed right, about the javanese culture and how power figures in it all. When you've an understanding of the javanese culture, you'll have a better understanding of Indonesian Politics, because 65% of the pop. is Javanese and that culture has been viewed by many to be the dominant culture governing the country. I have an alternative opinion to offer up, but that's a whole other blog entry altogether. Bear in mind though, that most of the political and military figures of Indonesia came from Jogja, which is like, the cultural and educational capital of Indonesia, located in Java.
3) Bilveer Singh's Bear and Garud: Soviet-Indonesian Relations: From Lein to Gorbachev
- This was written by my prof. years back. The title is self-explanatory... what is most interesting about this is that I've not really come across that many writings about Soviet-Indonesia so yes, it'll make for an interesting read.
4) Bilveer Singh's The Vulnerability of Small States Revisited
- I read parts of this book before, for a module... and I wanna complete the other bits I didn't have time for in the past. One thing about the prof. is that his writing style is just so easy to manage, concepts are so clearly explained... it's a political science book made for pleasurable reading.
So ok, I've exposed myself as a pol. science nerd, so excited about this academic books. But politics is really interesting if you care to dig deeper into it. I mean, put it this way, we're being political every single day, be it with our parents, siblings, friends, etc. Politics is about power and influence and the competition for the larger share of the pie, and we're all involved in it.
Geez... and I'm supposed to be relaxing my mind, not talking politics after an exam.
I think I'll start on the Hitchhikers'... then progress along...
