Wildstix's log, stardate 62772.4

Some people on earth considers today is Earth Day, but I think we should expand this idea to a more general and simpler. I don't know exactly how since I'm not an environmentalist, I just knew it.
Today, my wife and I walked from our church to the street food outlets nearby and we saw some people burning the trash. It caused a terrible smoke, clearly polluting the air and in turn it also increasing carbon in our atmosphere. My God! Those people are burning trash right on Earth Day! This is what I meant of expanding the idea.
The earth is getting warmer and it will heal itself, but the healing process won't be nice for mankind. Some say we almost hit the jackpot, some others believe we've hit the jackpot but not yet to the full capacity and we still have time to make it right. I don't know about you scientists, but I think we've hit the jackpot and we're getting its full impact right now.Why?

I live in Jakarta, Indonesia and there has never been any reports of twister or tornado in Jakarta or surrounding area. But in the last four years, there has been numerous reports of twister cases in Jakarta and adjacent area. The latest one happened yesterday.
The twister hit, collapsing dozens of homes and ripped the roof a gas station (I saw the picture). It was not supposed to happen here but it did!

Just ask yourself, where are we right now?

Wildstix's log, stardate 62735.1

Today is the election day in Indonesia and my name is not listed in the voter list. What a joke!

I haven't decided wether I will go or not, but I'm planning to make sure that no one is using my name for cheating.

In the next 72 hours, we will see if this election will be a process for the better or a highway to Indonesia downfall. God help us!

Wildstix's log, stardate 62704.6

This log is made after we had one full hour of no electricity in our home and my studio. Turned out Earth Hour has another cool effect other than helping our earth and that was tranquility.

We may not realize it that for most of our lifetime, we are being constantly bombarded by low frequency sound and noise, some we got it from our daily electric lamps and equipments. So when the electric goes out for one hour, we also stopped the electricity noise around our home and the effect is a soothing atmosphere. If you missed Earth Hour this year, try to have it next year, you won't regret it.

Wildstix's log, stardate 62703.9

A disaster struck again. On dawn of March 27, 2009, the dam of situ gintung in Ciputat, Banten was broken and the water from the dam, formed a tidal wave and swept the populated area below the dam. The tragedy has left with 77 fatalities and more than 100 still missing, most probably perished too. My condolences for the victims and the affected families.

I read several news about the disaster and I only found stupidity after stupidity of indonesian officials. The disaster itself should've been avoided if only the Public Works Ministry (Departemen Pekerjaan Umum) took heed and reacted swiftly after receiving alarming reports about the dam, one of the reports came from a member of indonesian board of technology research and implementation (BPPT), sometime in 2006!
This is a grim example of how ignorance could lead to fatal consequences and indonesians are, undoubtedly, very good at it.

It seems that the curse on the indonesian government and officials is not lifted yet.

Wildstix's log, stardate 62677.8

Early this morning I contacted a keyboard player that was found by my vocalist the other day. I managed to explained what needed and sent three songs of AOFS for him to listen and consider.

The other thing that I didn't really plan to do but I did it anyway was viewing my family tree that I made on www.ancestry.com
Looking at it again, my feeling and desire, to look for my long lost relatives from my grandmother's side, was knocking softly but firm. Unfortunately, I don't have all the resources I need to do it except the internet.

So through this blog, I will share my great great great grandfather's name and picture, so maybe someday, sometime, those who are from common ancestor can find it here and we can be brought together.

My great great great grandfather, JH (Jong Heer) Weilen D van Nispen

Wildstix's log, stardate 62672.7

Today is the start of open campaign for Indonesian election and I'm sure for the next 30 days or so we'll see many many stupid things happening.
Today I also returned to AOFS single prototype and made some more arrangements. some of them were the proposed solo keyboard line and the drums.

No, I still don't have the energy to start looking again for keyboard player and I'm doing very hard to heal my pain that caused by some hypocrite & opportunist keyboardist as doing the search is also opening up my old wounds.
As part of my searching efforts, I've put my message on facebook, as I read on yesterday's Kompas that stated how effective is facebook. But after several messages and months, it's still not giving me what it gave to people noted in the article. Too bad facebook, too bad! Turned out it's just another cyber trash as I suspected.

Wildstix's log, stardate 62655.6

I don't know how to explain my previous days, except to say that I felt the fear. Fear of what, I don't know, was it because my band? Or still having no gigs? Or having obstacle in my effort to improve my band instrumentation? Or I'm just don't know how to deal with my own disappointments about some people?

I was so afraid that for several days all I could say in my prayer was nothing except crying out loud to Jesus.

Wildstix's log, stardate 62606.3

Since my last post, I've had: negotiation to borrow a traditional instrument from my church, auditioning 2 keyboardist candidate for my band, near miss rehearsal schedule, terminating cooperation with one of our bass teachers, looking for his replacement and thoughts of releasing my blacklist of keyboard players.

Turned out:
The bureaucracy in my church is much much more troublesome than of kantor kelurahan (village group office). I submitted my request in Feb 13, six days later they only come up with another approval from yet another commission needed before I can borrow the instrument. What on earth they were doing in six days??? They promised by next week I can start using it. I hope it will be true.

On monday (Feb 16), a guy came to my studio, to be auditioned as AOFS keyboard player. He was seems so sure of himself, but I notice that his thoughts are shallow.
I took him for a jam session and he didn't even know what a B flat is! I told him to learn much more and sent him home right away.
On Thursday (Feb 19), I met with another candidate and this time a girl. I didn't have a chance to jam with her, but judging from her stories she should be a fine keyboard player. She told me she'll come again after next week's rehearsal.

Near miss rehearsal schedule? I just hope my new co-workers could keep up with our agreed schedule...sigh...thank Jesus, the rehearsal wasn't canceled.

Bass teacher? Ah, this is another example of people in Indonesia who thought they are already in advance state of mind. They can not say "NO"! The result was a chaotic schedule and frequently sacrificing others' needs because they think they are being nice and fair to everyone. If you bumped into this kind of people, trust me, it'll be better not to have any business with them.

Wildstix log, stardate 62589.3

While most people are celebrating valentine's day, I'm still lingering on my quest to find keyboard player for Academie of FarSide. I managed to collect some names since Thursday but I met with little success with them. So far the only interested candidate is a 19 year-old, who musicality still need to be " scrutinize".

With another three weeks to the first performance of the new line up, I'm beginning to prepare for the worst, that I must perform drumkit, airsynth n keyboard line simultaneously.

Wildstix log, stardate 62582.3

After a nice resting day on sunday, I entered monday with an intense work as my studio was recording a band. It supposed to be a normal job for me but their manager (who earlier told me to record just the vocal) forgot to tell me that the work will involve to record the hole five-piece band! I was unprepared and took me another two hours to set everything again. Fortunately I could keep my head cool and the recording went so smoothly.

On Tuesday I was so occupied by the thing that my band still haven't got the right keyboard player. I made some calls but again they only lead me to the same old s@#t (keyboard players worthy for my blacklist of keyboardist). But that day also has a positive move, I finally met with a person who agreed to be Academie of FarSide's manager and I can tell from our conversations yesterday, he knows what he's doing. I can't wait to see the realization of our cooperation.

Wildstix's log, stardate 62573.9

Remember when I said that I purely hate facebook? Well, today I tried to upload a picture, small sized file and facebook, confidently launched its java script for uploading pictures...sounds cutting edge eh? Cutting edge my a@#! I was only uploading one 92 kb picture and it took the "state-of-the-art" facebook uploader almost 20 minutes to complete the task! Hah, My hate is justified. I'm sure most people are just so blindly following facebook hip without even noticing it basically is the same old s@#t like friendster, no more no less. I feel sorry for those who thinks facebook is the hippest thing in town.

I've settled my unfinished business today, but it took most of my energy. So my wife and I went to one of our favorite places to restore the balance of our bodies and minds. It's a worth one!

Wildstix's log, supplemental

I just found out that one of my old friends is having serious trouble and that will naturally entangled with my own unsettled business.

Realizing the potential double trouble, my wife and I are working to get us out from any unpleasant possibilities and collateral damages. Also to speed up the process, I will go tomorrow to see our ex-coworker and settle the matter permanently.

Wildstix's log, stardate 62570.1

Yesterday I saw my vocalist having a bad day. I feel sorry for her but also good thing that nothing really bad happened. The planned rehearsal was canceled again and that makes this week without rehearsal at all, I'm getting impatient to accomplish the rebuilding of Academie of FarSide. I noted that our weakest link is as always and again, keyboard player. I don't know what's with that species, native in Jakarta and I guess I don't need to make a blacklist at all since they are all....blacklisted.

Just happened also, I managed to reestablished contact with my old friend, a fine keyboard & piano player. We quickly discussed the possibility for her to join Academie of FarSide. Things aren't that simple and easy as it sounds, but I cited a quote from a renown starship captain to my friend, "Things are impossible until they are not." In my life experience, it's so true!
I'm delighted when she decided to explore my idea and planning to come to Jakarta this year. I can't hardly wait to see if she's the missing piece for Academie of FarSide.
In a meanwhile as we waits for her arrival, I'll maximize the current line up.

This past two days also marked by heavy rain and a the most felt, a drop in temperature. I didn't make a reading yesterday but judging by today's reading (it's 24 degrees at 12 noon), I'm sure yesterday's was one of the lowest ever in Jakarta. We are looking at the direct effect of global warming...

Wildstix's log, stardate 62557.7

There was nothing more happening than the rain today. I woke up around 6.30 am and the sky was still dark with rain pouring down heavily. The sun couldn't be seen today because the clouds were so thick and spreads the whole sky.
Turned out that the intense rain was caused by the storm "Ellie" (I think that's the name), raging just up north of Australia and it sends out rain clouds over southern islands of Indonesia.
I haven't heard any troubles caused by intense rain in Jakarta, but one could surely expect flood at most of places.

Wildstix's log, stardate 62550.6

Happy Sunday!!!

I did it! I conquered my laziness and idealism about the current church that I attend, I kept silent and let God do the rest. I heard Him spoke to me again, the essence of being someone who trust in Him. To give thanks (for me it's even more now), shine God's love & manifest Jesus in daily life not just as knowledge.

Wildstix's log, stardate 62531.3

I attended my friend's wedding, one of Academie of FarSide veterans and though I'm happy to see her again, I was quite upset with the crowd. My wife and I decided not to stay longer.

After several days of thinking and improvising my music plan, I realize that I don't have the time and the fund yet for making a prog event. So I'm postponing the show to a further notice.
There are several factors to this:

• a. The new personnel are great but they still need more time to get the music right and tight
• b. Just happen that I shifted the fund to start my side business to make extra income for my family and the band
• c. I'm currently deepening my music knowledge for new materials of the new album
• d. My time and energy are practically all used up for all of the above
• e. If I carry on with the prog show plan, I will need to find someone else, who is trustful and resourceful to handle it. Unfortunately I couldn't find that someone.

It's a hard decision but I'm sure I can materialize the plan soon enough.

Wildstix's log, stardate 62520.6

Today I watched the changing in history as Barack Hussein Obama became the first african-american and the 44th president of the USA. I pray he will bring better times than his predecessor.

Wildstix's log, stardate 62516.8

I started today a bit late. Woke up around 10 am and I just don't felt like doing anything.

I took three leaves of toasted bread and a sachet of 3-in-1 coffee as my breakfast and tried out some of the mic and audio cables I work on yesterday. The mic cable didn't work and still no clear result wether the audio cables are working properly.
There hasn't much activities in the studio too as I'm too, don't feel like being there for a while. The next activities in the studio will be 2 hours from now, a 1 hour guitar class.
My wife and I also managed to make "to-do" list for our financial strategy.

Then I surfed around the internet as I checked emails. Nothing much on the emails and no words from Baltic Prog Fest organizer yet about the possibilities of Academie of FarSide participating on the festival.
So I then turned my attention to check out the updates on recording stuff and I found some interesting new items. I'm planning to get them.