Honeywine

It is a “wine” made of honey. You mix honey and water then add some nutrients and add the yeast. Simply that. But when I made it for my theses… oh no… It was very complicated. To make the proposal only, I took a semester! What a waste of time… Also the procedure is not that simple when you really do it. And I have to do some analysises: alcohol content, total sugar and invert sugar content, pH and total acidity. Luckily I can finish my study on time, although I had planned to finish it on 3.5 years. At first I was interested in the antioxidant content, imagine what if my supervisors said yes haha…

The title of my theses is The Making of Honeywine: A Study of Honey-to-Water Ratio to the Chemical and Sensoric Properties. Like the title, I “only” have to mixture honey and water with various proportions and then test them. But the practice was not that simple. When you deal with microbes, you have to make sure that you won’t get contamination, so you have to be sterile haha… That’s why there are no many people like to do a project in microbiology theme. I didn’t know why I took this topic… Just because I love wine so much.

This project brought me both advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantages were I got so tired because everyday I had to get up early so that I have been at lab at 7 in the morning for everyday of 3 months, I had no special time to pray again. I felt that I was getting further with God (when you feel far from God, guess who’s moving), and the money I spent huhuhu.... And the advantage was that I became more independent. When I have to reach the campus at 7am (because the laborant would get mad at me if I arrived at more than 7.30am), it didn’t mean that my helpers should do the same. I had to prepare everything first so that when they arrived lately, all the things they need was already set. Usually Bakul was the most diligent among them, she would come at around 8, and Meti was the laziest, she would come at around 11 hehe… Also mostly I had to come by myself. In the past I didn’t like to walk alone to go to campus because of some irrational thoughts (e.g. I was afraid that I would be kidnapped during my journey to campus haha, but Bakul said the ones who kidnap me would take more disadvantages than the advantages because I am so troublesome kekeke…). But now I could walk alone to campus *yay* or if the day was so hot I would take pedicab. (By the way, my irrational thoughts came to real just now. Some girls who walked alone along the way from the boarding house to campus got robbed. Lucky I had left the boarding house now.) The other advantage was that I learned what a real life is like (the case with the old lady, make friends and communicate with “weird” people, job pressure, etc.) hihihi...

My helpers are:
Bakul & Andre – Nelson couple specialist
Dhumeng & Lion – total acidity specialist
Lincong & Jojo – alcohol assistants
Meti – pH assistant & specialised in sanitation hahaha…
Broto – serabutan hehehe…

My research began on February 29, 2008 and finished on May 3, 2008. Finally I did my final exam on July 1, 2008. My final score for this theses is B+. I expected A hahaha, but I have thanked God for this score because all what I’ve done during the making of Pembahasan and the presentation hehe…

If Life is So Short

November 15, 2008 at 10 pm, I received a message from Lion. She told me that Andre's grandma passed away. I was quite shocked. I knew from Bakul that Andre was very close to his grandma, how was his feeling that time...? Then I thought what if now I'm in Andre's position, that my grandma is passed away... I don't dare to imagine what my feeling will be...

I had this dream, to get married on August 20, 2008. The reason was just because I like the date (20-08-2008), cute isn't it? hehe... Of course, my dream didn't come true... I'm still single now because my prince charming hasn't come yet (what I mean with prince charming is a guy who is READY to settle) hahhaa... But I can't imagine, too, if I really got married at very young age (I hadn't reached 22 yet that time), how can I handle a family? Oh come on, I can’t even cook! Marriage is my dream, but on the other hand, there are so many things that I want to do. But why do I really really want to get married as soon as possible is my grandma. I have this desire, to see her smile on my wedding day. My grandma is 87 years old this year and she has no grand-grandchild yet. My eldest cousin hasn’t married yet. Sometimes I felt pity for her because someone at her age maybe has already have grand-grandchildren… Maybe I can give her, that’s what I always think. But still, my condition doesn’t let this happen. I know God has reason for this, but I always pray that she will be still alive on my wedding day. This is what I want, but maybe I should see it from my grandma’s point of view. My dad told me that actually every night she asks God to take her away. Maybe because she feels lonely (3 of her 4 siblings have passed away) and nothing in this house can fill her emptiness. Or maybe because she can’t walk anymore, she feels that she becomes a burden for us (but I never think like that!). I don’t know what makes her has that will exactly, but maybe I should not be egoist. God knows what best, if He thinks that my request is best then He will give what I want, if He thinks that my grandma’s request is best then He will grant it, and if He thinks there’s something’s best beyond our mind then He will give it to us.

I pray that Andre is given strength from Above, to accept all what has happened and to learn to understand what God’s plan is. I also pray for myself that if the day comes to me, I also will be given strength and faith to face it. Now that I know that life is so short, I should use it wisefully. Ephesians 5:15-17… I should use my time left with my grandma to do my best to comfort her. Because all I want is to see her smile always...

Long Way to be Legally STP =p

It was a long journey so I can get my Bachelor degree... finally... This is what I've always dreamed of since 4 years ago I began my study. Then finally, the day of my graduation was about to come (it was on Nov. 08), and I took another long journey back to Surabaya...

Nov. 04
I departed from Semarang by Rajawali Express Train, I arrived in Surabaya about 1 pm. At night I visited my old boarding house, met some friends and took some photos. After that, I went to Prima Rasa, one of my favorite fried chicken in Surabaya (although it already has a branch in Semarang) to have dinner.

Nov. 05
I helped Lion to do her research, although what I did for her is not enough to give back what she has done for me in the past. At least, I could fix her special syring for her jelly test hehee... But I felt sorry because I didn't help her yesterday, because HEBOH group ruled again! A gallon full of water fell down and cracked, the water came out and made a flood in the lab! Oh how I wish I was there......
About 2 pm, Bakul and I went to Muse Photo Studio to get our pics taken (this is the main reason why I came so early before the grad day hehe..) Actually we finished around 5 pm but because there was a traffic so we came home so late, about 7 pm then we got ready to go to TP with yusyink, Meti, Nano, and REUBEN KUSNAWA.
Yusyink and I ate at i**i Pizza, and I've got so TERRIBLE service that made me promise that I WILL NEVER AND NEVER EAT AT I**I PIZZA ANYMORE!! And I was so *grbl* that I have to pay for the bad service!! It charged us about 1.5% ooOOhhh it was not worthy at all!! I got a very bad mood because of that. But after we took some crazy pictures in TP, I felt very happy. Actually I planned to go with them to get some photos, because maybe I won't see them again for a long time... There was a moment, when we planned to get a picture of us standing inside the lift, but Meti was laughing with weird expression when the lift opened and there were some people inside the lift! After she realised what happened, she ran away! And when we took photo in front of Nail P***, someone inside the store knocked the glasswall behind us. Soon after the *click* we ran away! Yeah, these events boost my mood again...
After we got home, I heard a news that Tawang Station is flooded! How lucky I am because I departed yesterday. If I postpone until today, I might trapped in the flood... Felt so blessed... Thank You, Lord...

Nov. 06
I went to Atom to shop (my favorite place for shopping) because since I'm in Surabaya and then back to Semarang, I don't have mood to shop in Semarang because I always think that I can get this thing cheaper if I was in Surabaya. So, my other destination in Surabaya is to shop! Unfortunately, I couldn't have a long time in Atom because yusyink had to pick Pupu up from school. For the lunch, I chose nasi empal Bu Ru**... so yummy....
At night, we went to PTC to watch the newest James Bond movie - Quantum of Solace. Before that, I ate at Ben**** *nyam* I always luv Ben****..... But I felt a bit sorry because I forgot to eat G**ta ice cream huhuhuu.....

Nov. 07
I went to Delta to go for another shopping (actually I planned to go to TP but yusyink has something to do in Delta).
At 1 pm there was a gladi bersih (what should I say this in English?) for the graduation. And, oh no... I started to get cold!! There was a Malam Pelepasan for FTP students at 5 pm., and because of the cold, I didn't want to go, I wanted to get some rest, but when I called for the permission not to come, I was told to go because it was a must. Ohhh nooo... What would I be tomorrow...? My parents arrived in Surabaya today, and tonight I would be staying at the hotel with them.

Nov. 08
Here it comes... the graduation day!! The only proudly thing about WM is that the graduation is always being held at Shangri-La Hotel Ballroom kekeke.... But unfortunately, my cold was still there. So I didn't have a good mood to take pictures as usual T.T (because usually I am so narcist and I want to have a lot of photossss). But at least I thank God to give me strength so I could attend the graduation, and when my name was called and I have to walk towards, I didn't *hachiii* hahahaa..... Finally...... I am legally STP!! Now I am so relived because Mrs. J*** cannot complain against me again (I always imagine that she wants to withdraw me from graduate haha..)
At night, my dad forced us to eat at Ap*** Kwetiauw (what makes Ap*** so special is because it's never dull). Yeah, it was not bad, but I couldn't enjoy it fully because of my cold....

Nov. 09
Oh I can't believe that I have to go back to Semarang again today... I felt that my time in Surabaya was too short, because there are still so much things to do and eat hehe... But life goes on... I hope someday I can go back there, meet my friends and take more and more pictures!! Luv u all guys....
We departed at 11 am and arrived in Semarang about 6 pm.

-end of story-