The corona virus might be inches away from the back of my head but.. I managed to get away from it. Surreal.
P.S.: Always put your mask on. It really works.
During the pandemic, the house plant industry has been in a great demand and boom—the price of the house plants and accessories has undeniably rocketed up. Recently there's been this plant serum popular among plant lovers as well. The brand named #nobrandplant made by kokobund @asokaremadjas.
At first I was being skeptical about it, but since one of the plant collectors I’ve followed on instagram mentioned it over and over again on her story and raved about how great this serum to stimulate growth, I think I would give it a try.
However, there is no clear instruction on how to order the serum, not even on asokaremadja’s highlights. Soon I found out that in order to buy the serum I have to join ‘tokopedia war’ at a said date and time published on @primushans story.
The first and second attempt, of course I failed miserably 😭 I never thought that the difficulty level of said war is the same as Ittaherl webhunt orm tokopedia hunt.
I mean, it went sold out in a heartbeat! 😫 who are you people? 😳 how come you could check out a product in seconds? Since then I believe this serum is worth trying 😂 or is that a part of strategic marketing? Well then I am totally sold.
To join the tokopedia hunt we have to follow @primushans and kokobund—in order to keep updated about the date of the upcoming tokopedia war, the war where you could hardly win 😂 At least, the war give me a chance to get used to lose 🤪.
But worry no more, the serums was not on sale exclusively at #nobrandplant tokopedia store. Here I’m gonna tell you my experience in purchasing this serum offline.
One day kokobund told us the followers that we could grab the serum offline in two places in South Jakarta, @thesabhouse and @park5.cilandak Hotel.
Luckily, I got a ride from a dear friend who lives in Fatmawati. Started at 4 P.M. from Central Jakarta, we headed into The Sab House first. It is near from Blok M MRT station, therefore if you want to buy #nobrandplant products with public transportation, this place is the right choice. Unfortunately, when we got there at around 4.30 P.M., the no. 1 serum was already sold out and available tomorrow at 10 A.M. However, the price is IDR 75.000 there whereas in tokopedia, the no. 1 serum’s price is IDR 59.000. As a side note, I don’t know any terms and conditions on how to purchase the #nobrandplant goods at The Sab House.
Feeling disappointed, we rushed into the next checkpoint at Park 5 Hotel. After getting stuck in the traffic jam and a few rounds of getting lost, we finally managed to get there at 5.50 P.M 🤣.
#nobrandplant corner at Park 5 Hotel Cilandak
Located in a narrow alley, I never expect that there will be a cozy hotel there—the typical decent boutique hotel you could always find in Bandung. Meanwhile, knowing the store closed at 6 P.M, I hurried into the counter. The waiter said that it is required to purchase any food or beverage in advance so then the buyers are allowed to purchase the serum one type of serum each for only one person. Plus, if you want to buy serum X you have to buy the collector plants first. The cheapest plant while I was there was IDR 500.000ish Alocasia 😌.
#nobrandplant no. 1 Plant Growth Serum
The total damage I spent for serum hunt was 75.000 (1pc of no. 1 serum) + 46.000 (beverage) + 11.000 (one way MRT ticket) + 15.000 (gojek ride) = 147.000. Note that I went there with a friend but I came home by public transportation. The cost would be different if I commute with MRT station and take an extra gojek ride from MRT station to park 5 back and forth.
Unless you want to skip the fuss and pay for the lower price, you can always head up to tokopedia even though the success rate of getting one is so low 😛 I guess, convenience comes with a price.
Anyway, I plan a staycation at Park 5 Hotel with A since how pleasant the ambience of the hotel (from the outside ofc) is regardless of the hustle bustle of TB Simatupang.
When It Began
I used to be a hoarder. 5 years ago I drowned in hedonic treadmill lifestyle—a first jobber fever most people had experienced at least once in a lifetime.
I live in the heart of Jakarta and luckily fueled with decent cash at that time. I constantly bought everything that I couldn’t afford when I was in college—fancy dinner, fast fashion clothes, shoes, leather bags, face & body care, and a lot more shoes. Damn, it sounded a lot less lame in my head.
I’ve got 3 different perfumes and lotions on top of the drawer—if it is counted as normal to you, then good for you, but in my case it’s something that never happened before.
I remember every time I complaint how sting hot Surabaya weather is and how trip to Kampus Sukolilo to Kampus B back and forth could darken my skin in a minute, my Mum convinced me that later, I can do expensive treatment to lighten up my skin, to afford life guaranty hair removal laser once I get a decent job someday. That pretty much explained how I never think twice to spend a lot on the body care section—to give rewards to the-old-me-who-works-her-ass-off, which, later I figure out it has a name—instant gratification. However, this sense of entitlement leads to a vicious cycle I’ve never been aware of. And that also motivates me to splurge millions on the weekend, buying shits that ended up I never use.
Little did I know that those things only bring a little value to my life.
The Turning Point
It all started when I have to pack my stuff to live under the same roof with A after we got married. I had to leave my 2x2 m2 room that was already packed wall to wall with belongings I’ve hoard for the last 4 years. I moved into A’s rent room temporarily which is, slightly bigger, but could not contain all my shits and his combined. We stuck in there for a few months to wait the house finishing is finally completed. Since I want a new start for our brand new house, I decided to grab Marie Kondo’s book, read it, and applied it religiously in my packing party.
I sticked with stuffs that I really like—something that serves a purpose or sparks joy. Furthermore, I donated those free backpacks I got from workshops, clothes and those never worn hijabs, some of kondangan dress I’ve only worn once, a few worn out sling bags, tons of paper and plastic bags, a stack of magazines, knick knacks, all the expired body care and make up that I wasn’t proud of.
The one that leaves a big hole in my heart is when I sold my one and only short sleeves black kebaya top from everlasting batik that I really love since it’s so right fitted on my body—boy O boy I could feel like it is made just for me but I can’t wear that anymore since I wear hijab. Damn.
I let go of things that I hold on so dearly for so long just because I thought I might use it later but turned out I never did.
I discovered that I do not need much clothes, really.
I only put on nude and pink shade lip cream—so now I know what to put in the cart next when I ran out of one.
I am not confident enough to wear flowery nor abstract motif-hijabs, so I can save a few bucks to buy the famous voal one.
I only put on basic clothes to go to the office—or mostly, everywhere, so I donate all of that cosplay-ish thingy that sits on the corner of my wardrobe for a very long time.
On a side note, I did not do something extreme like 1 in 10 out rule, but as I separate things I really love and things that I rarely use, my sense to differ ‘things added value to my life’ and which one is not is getting sharper.
Overall, it is merely a journey. The first baby step I took is to simplify my possession by removing the excess. I might float a theory here that people who considered minimalism as a way of life are actually the ones who have experienced living in abundance in advance. Nevertheless, it would be better if people don’t take the farthest turn like that since it could save them a lot of time, energy, and of course, money.
To an extent, hopefully not only am I finally able to control the greediness towards material possessions, but also I am able to let go of emotional and mental clutter either.
Of course I have slipped up along the way, just like recently I stocked up on cute face masks AND a few body lotions because they’re on sale at a really good price.
I can’t labeled myself a minimalist yet since I still possess more, but I’d like to make gradual little moves to live responsibly, consciously—deliberately.
Happiness is.. sleeping on a clean fresh bed sheets.
Happiness is when I use a new towel from the drawer.
Happiness is having my laundry dried by the sun.
Happiness is when I play with neighborhood cats.
Happiness is knowing my plants having pups.
Or eating micro greens I grew myself;
Or when packages I bought online finally arrived;
Or listening to Ariana Grande over and over again.
Do not let anyone define what happiness is to you because it's a personal matter, you can find it in the tiniest corner possible in your life.
XX,
Zi
This post is written in response to the article encouraging everyone to go to cinema in order to boost immune system during pandemic.
People who go to the cinema for the first time at age 18 like me just can't relate 😂
Pic from Unsplash.com
No offense but I thought having lunch at a fancy restaurant with wild animals being displayed, separated on a thick glass is kinda lame 😷
It breaks my heart whenever I see someone I know posted about that.
No matter how the restaurant make its cage looks like its natural habitat, well, it IS NOT. They are supposed to be wandering around in a more wide area, not a pathetic limited space like that. God made lions strong legs for them to run, not just sit around for you and your family to watch. The same goes to penguins with their flippers.
One thing that I always be grateful for is that I never ride elephants and take photos with lion or tiger when I was a kid.
I was sure that I wasn’t scared at that time, I just felt that something was OFF but I simply couldn’t explain about it.
Eventually as I get older, I realise that we humans did not deserve that so-called-entertainment-involving-wild-life. Most of the process about wild animals being exploit like that is never ethical.
Just, think about it. Does God make wild animals just simply to entertain you humans?
The fundamental reason of their existence in this universe is beyond that.
Remember a dolphin being kept on a small, chlorinated pool in Bali that went viral all over the world? Remember the elephants you ride is being beaten thousand times in advance just so they could follow the guides instructions?
Remember how the tiger cubs being taken away from their mothers, and get trained until they could be calmed and heavily stuffed so you can sit next to them and smile like an idiot? Remember how cruel is it to train a monkey into topeng monyet?
If you want to show to your kid a wild animal, buy a book, or just change your channel into national geographic. Or you can just simply look it up on youtube.
If you can afford to safari park, then go see one.
Do not be lame like that.
Just let them be.
End of (one way) conversation.
... sebenernya akhir-akhir ini saya menghindari untuk nulis sambatan di blog, tapi akhirnya blog ini kosong karena biasanya niatan nulis muncul ketika terbersit keinginan untuk sambat dan ngomel 😅 #istighfar
Tulisan ini dibuat murni karena ga bisa sambat ke orang lain let alone Pak Bos A aka paksu. Yang ada saya yang disalah-salahin 🙈
Masih tentang seputar tanaman, tau kan kalau berkat WFH dan social distancing, house plants somehow jadi booming?
Dengan boomingnya houseplant, demand tanaman hias di Indo juga otomatis naik. Karena gak didukung sama peningkatan supplynya, barang jadi extinct—entah karena spekulan ambil kesempatan atau supply yang ga bisa mengiringi demand, harga-harga houseplants yang tadinya standar jadi naik signifikan. Salah satunya adalah monstera variegata.
Saya dari duluu banget emang sudah ada niatan untuk punya monvar king. Berangkat dari follow plant lover teteh A yang pernah ngerave toko B, akhirnya saya iseng-iseng follow toko B dan rajin ngikutin IG storynya buat cek ‘ombak’. Suatu hari, saya nemu tuh harga monvar yang cocok (baik di kantong maupun bentuknya) di toko B.
Saya chat lah miminnya. Di awal dia cuma mau kasih liat akar sama serious buyer. Setelah dikirim video detil tanamannya, saya merasa itu tanaman fine-fine aja dan pada dasarnya saya percaya kalau toko B adalah trusted seller si teteh A, saya deal lah tanpa cek keadaan akarnya. Waktu itu saya transaksi pas puasaan di mana load ekspedisi lagi tinggi-tingginya, jadi saya minta dikirim setelah lebaran aja. Takut napa-napa kalo datengnya telat ye kan, secara harganya lumayan menguras tabungan 🙃.
Nah suatu hari, entah itu udel saya lagi bolong ato gimana, saya nagih foto akarnya sama mbak toko B. Pas saya buka fotonya, alamaaaak 🤯
Ternyata itu fresh cutting cuy, masih akar angin doang belom ada akar putih serabut tipis-tipisnya. Mana albonya gosong-gosong lagi ye kan.
Padahal di hari yang sama saya beli itu, ada tawaran di mana harganya 1/3 dari harga toko B. Tapi karena akarnya belom banyak saya gak berani ambil.
Huh kesel, sedih, rasanya pengen nelen simbaknya bulat-bulat 😣
Tapi tetep saya ikut andil salah karena ga cek bener-bener dari awal transaksi. Mana pas saya bilang ‘wah ternyata akarnya dikit ya mbak..’ dia malah nyolot ‘barang kayak gini dengan harga segitu udah ga dapet kali mbak’.
Sabar cah ayu 😫
Tiba saatnya minggu ini, saya minta monvarnya dikirim. Saya minta ke dese kirim video keadaan monvar dan akarnya. Ya akarnya udah nambah, DIKIT sih tapinya.
Sesampenya di rumah, pas liat sendiri barangnya nih, ya ampooon kecil banget 😂
Dan bagian albonya udah yang gosyong banget-banget.
Mana lagi-lagi saya liat ada crazy rich jual monvar daun aktifnya yang menor banget, dengan harga yang gak jauh beda 😢
Harusnya emang duit ini buat tambah-tambah tabungan, bukan buat beli hand bag apalagi tanaman 😒
XX,
Z
photo taken here
*barang belum sempet saya foto, tapi udah gatel pengen posting :p
Before The Covid-thing happen, A got a bad cough nonstop. We've visited the doctor and days later after he completed the medication, the cough seemed not to heal yet. After a series of congestion and disturbing cough, a bottle of Pa Koa and lots of Intunal help lessen his cough and runny nose in 6 weeks. He showed a sign of recovery after getting enough sleep and drinking ginger + lime + brown sugar tea every night. During the first week we decided to go to see the doctor again but after reading many threads on twitter telling how bad patients were treated during this pandemic and the higher the chance we will get nosocomial, we ended up hold it back.
In the middle of this Covid situation and people do panic buying.. I am doomed. Quantity wise, I used to buy less than two for daily needs, since there are just the two of us and realising that our tiny house will get stuffed so there's no space for storage--I don't use to buy groceries in a multiple amount, really. All this time I thought hoarding is not necessary for me, so then I could spend money for other things or instead just save it. You could imagine how unprepared I was during this pandemic. I was struggling in listing all the daily needs need to be stocked up in home. Eventually I only bought two pack of pastas, 1 pack of coconut oil, chips, powder seasonings, more chips, malkist crackers (must to buy snack), two pack of pockys, kewpie, frozen foods, detergents, ice cream, yoghurt, lots of bear brand, and medicines but it took us back and forth to Superindo and Indomart (plus K-24). Whenever I arrived at home I always ask my self, did I miss something?
Ah, I also stocked up cumi sambal and sambal bawang from @dibumbuin, dimsum, and @pentolgila. Luckily I still have some bumbu pecel brought by mum a month ago. Also, abon is on the way to my doorstep too.
I didn't purchase rice yet because I still got 2,5kg and I'm pretty sure I don't have to buy another one. However, sugar is nowhere to be found.
On a side note, I ran out of sugar even though we finished a sack of 1kg for whole two years (don't ask the expired date please :p) so I bought sugar sticks instead.
For the hygiene thing, I only had one hand sanitizer that I had long before the Covid-19 happen. However, weeks before hand sanitizer was off the market, I and my colleague had planned to buy Nouvo gel hand sanitizer because the pump packaging is convenient (I can reuse it later) and it smells like someone come off the bathroom after taking a bath. Sadly, we ended up not buying that because we procrastinate!!
However, I struggle to get my self daily masks. I purchased one (for a higher price) on online market place but the package was never sent and later I got the refund--imagine you purchase it not by the online market place otherwise you get scammed!
As anyone know, hygiene related products' price has risen >400% from the actual price and I commit to myself not to buy some of the overprice products (call it hand sanitizer, hand wash, disposable masks) because of law of demand. Damn, I hope people who sell masks and HS in a high price rot in hell.
Well, even though in the end I spent a lot of money for cute cloth masks (be it @allura, @sallyandpiper, @kellysandco, @idekuhandmade) but hey they donate some cloth masks and profit for those in needs so I count it as a half donation anyway.
Up until now, I am grateful that I'm very much alive. Besides the never ending period as the side effect of anxiety I get from reading news, there's no significant health problems. Moreover, I am a bit surprised and glad that in this kind of economy, I could get to work from home and still get full paid since other people outside my company don't. For the record, I've been working from home since March 20. Meanwhile in this month my relative got fired and only receive 1/3 of the total compensation she deserved to.
In an extend, I express my gratitude to be able to afford groceries and hygiene essentials, to still have clean water running from the sink tap, to afford Grabfood, to finally spend my time at home with A for a long period..
My hair cut schedule, Erha appointment and of course Mudik Lebaran can wait because there is no lives worth to risk for.
In the midst of this Covid-19 outbreak, All I can do is to have faith.
I hope everything gets better. I hope the cure is soon to be found and everyone's safe.
xx,
Z
