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About us
We are Indonesian-Dutch couple, married in 2002, resident of Utrecht - The Netherlands, have one spoiled dog named Milo and one "gonna be spoiled" baby Isabelle.
This webpage mainly is use to share our story and pictures to our family and friends. But of course we always welcome for new friends.
The idea of this webpage is to share our story and pictures to our family and friends.
Since Ira's Dutch language is far from perfect and Dimitri's Indonesian language is even worse, we decided to use English as the main language in this blog,
eventhough lately due to the laziness of Ira, Indonesian language seems to take over.
Please feel free to browse around and give us your comment.
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Sunday, January 29, 2006
Multiply
When I upload some songs for my friends in multiply, I noticed that they have new feature. Multiply can import your blog to their blog so your posts not only can be read from your blogsite but also from multiply. I think thats so awesome cos I always like multiply, they are full with feature to share music/video/photo. It just that when I register my self on multiply, I already started my blog on blogger. If multiply was the first, I would just use multiply.
But anyway, since blogger and live journal user can import their posting on multiply, I just did that.... so now my posting not only can be reach from www. webkita.net but also on my multiply page, http://champy.multiply.com/journal
Oya, I just upload some songs there if you guys wants to download it
Launching my book-blog, my review about books that I have read. I have read thousands of books for all these years, some I like, some I don't, some I read them back 10 times more... when I have to leaved Surabaya, moved to Netherlands, I'm forced to leave my books collections, I collected them more than 10 years, it comes close to 1100 books title... novels, comics, kho ping hoo, computers books...
Book is always my passion... I can't be without books... now in Netherlands I start to build some collection again.... back in Indonesia, I have some friends that also likes to read, together we discussedmany books.... I missed that in here so I thought why not just wrote my opinion about it... it won't be a fancy review, I'm not a writer... I just wrote what I think about particular book...
If you guys likes to read, lets share... come visit my book review
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Javanese Alphabet
Browsing around, I stumbled to an interesting website, it brought me to many years back... to the time when I still in elementary school... I was blessed or maybe cursed to have study this alphabet.
When I was small, we moved around quite much. I was born in Solo but not always lived there. I've been living in Solo, Jakarta and Surabaya. I changed elementary school 3 times. The different between elementary school in Central/East Java with elementary school in Jakarta is that in Jakarta you don't get extra language lesson, the javanese language. Of course, I used javanese language at home to speak with my mom and my brothers but we don't write in javanese alphabet. Thus, when we moved to Surabaya after few years in Jakarta, I have this big gap on this subject at school. I still can remember how panic I was, the first time I got javanese language subject at school and the teacher just start to write all the character that I don't know. Heck, for all I know, it can be Klingon...  Thank God, the teacher knews about my problem and willing to give me extra lesson to catch up with the other student. Because of those extra lesson, I still can remember it until now. I still know about the rules and how to wrote them.
As a matter of fact, I can't speak perfect javanese anymore, it get rusty because I don't use it much. Especially since javanese is even far more difficult than bahasa Indonesia. I did some googling, and I got this interesting info:
Javanese is one of the classical languages of the world, with a literary tradition of over a thousand years. The oldest inscription in Javanese dates back to 804 AD. The Javanese literary tradition that emerged in the 8th-9th centuries continues in the present.
Javanese is the spoken language of over 75 million people in the central and eastern parts of the island of Java, in Indonesia (Ethnologue). Although it not an official language of Indonesia, Javanese has by far the largest number of speakers of all Austronesian languages. At least 45% of Indonesia's population are of Javanese descent or live in areas where Javanese is the dominant language. As a result, Javanese has a significant influence on Bahasa Indonesia, the national language of Indonesia. It is recognized as a regional language in three provinces of Java with the largest concentrations of speakers of Javanese. Javanese is taught in schools and is also used in the mass media.
Javanese speech varies depending on social context. Different social contexts require different registers, or styles. Each style has its own vocabulary, grammar, and even intonation. This is not unique to Javanese.
There are three registers in Javanese:
1. Ngoko (informal register)
It is used between friends and close relatives. It is also used by persons of higher status to persons of lower status, such as elders to younger people or bosses to subordinates.
2. Kromo Madya ( polite informal, neutral)
This is an intermedial register that is neither informal or formal. It is used in informal situations such as between strangers on the street.
3. Krama/kromo inggil (polite formal)
It is used between individuals of equal status in formal situations. It is also used on formal occasions such as announcements and public speeches.
In addition, Javanese uses humilifics and honorifics to indicate sensitivity to status as defined by age, social position, and other factors.
Humilifics
When one talks about oneself, one has to be humble, therefore one uses humilific terms.
Honorifics
When one speaks about someone of a higher status or one to whom one wants to show respect, honorific terms are used.
I have to admit, at this term I can only speak ngoko, which is the informal one. I'm not able to speak "kromo" anymore which is too bad, I would love to still able to speak it. I can understand it abit when people speak in "kromo" but totally gaga if I have to answer.
To enlight you guys, this is some example on what I'm talking about...
english : I want to eat
ngoko: aku arep mangan
madya: kula ajeng nedya
kromo inggil: Dalem badhe nedha
Confusing???  hehehe my opinion exactly. Anyway that's the only half part of it, the other half is the writing.... Below is the main characters in javanese alphabet
Complete alphabet can be seen at this website
I also found during browsing javanese font and managed to install it on my pc... dus, I managed to write my name with javanese letter and this is how to wrote my fullname in javanese, anyone can read them? 
This one is Dimitri's
And try this link for more information about the javanese language/alphabet. And if anyone want to learn it, let me know, I'll sent you the font to be installed on your pc and show you how to use it. It is quite tricky 'cos it doesn't really use normal character.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
24 fever
 I know it's kinda late but we are hooked up on 24 this weekend. We're having 24 fever....  We always heard about it, about how good this series is, how good the plot, how good the actors... even my friend, Soes, always asked me to taped it for her everytime she was on holiday and can't make it to watch the series on RTL4. She watch "24" religiously. I've been meaning to wacht it too but it's just never convenient for us, either it aired at the same time with other series that we already followed or it aired too late at night.
So when we're getting Makro folder with all the latest offers, we saw that Makro has 24 dvd box on sale, season one, two and three in one box... we decided to took it. it costs about 104 euro in total including tax.... but boy, that's a spend that I don't regret. We are sold on the first 5 minutes... as matter of fact we don't do anything much this weekend beside sitting on our ass and watch 24 continuosly... We stopped now 'cos Dimitri remember he has to do some document for meeting tomorrow so I just take a quick posting.... but we're going to back to 24 again as soon as Dimitri finish.
Anyway, 24 season one is about life of Agent Jack Bauer, a government agent, who attempting to stop the assassination of a presidential candidate while at the same time uncovering a spy within CTU (Counter-terrorist Unit). They kidnapped his wife and daughter in order to make him follow the order. What makes 24 different from any other series is that they run the show always in real-time format. Every episode happens in 1 hour, so far I've been watching 8 episodes which is covered 8 hours between 12.00 am - 08.00 pm... it's briljant....
Ok.... I have to go, I think Dimitri is finish with his document.... Jack Bauer.. here I come!!! 
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Warm winter for Milo
Sometime ago in December we bought cat's hanging bed for Milo.... cat?? Milo??? yes you read it right.. it's actually a cat's bed.... since Milo small enough to fit in it, it will be perfect for him in this cold winter.
It is a furry material wrapped on steel and to be hanged on the heater... (note: that's why this is only for cat since dog tends to be heavier than cat, it will probably break your heater} At first we are not sure if Milo will likes it. It seems quite fragile and hang on the air. Dogs usually doesn't like that it. They like firm ground. We decided to risk it with Milo since many time I saw him shaking with cold when he sleeps.
We hang it on the heater under my computer table in the attic. Look how he enjoy it...
Close to me, close to the heater, what more a dog can asks for
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Garuda TV
Since yesterday, on Etalage Casema there is a new tv channel, called "GarudaTV". Finally an Indonesian tv channel in Netherlands. Unfortunately it's a pay channel which is mean I have to pay extra 10 euro per month to be able to watch it.
I've been watching it the whole morning, it's quite ok if you feeling homesick... but after sometimes it becomes quite boring... the same video clip plays all over again... Dimitri said to give it sometime, they are still new, still try to find the right programmas... and of course he right as usual... I can understand that... Dimitri likes it. He said it helps him to learn Indonesia language while watching sinetron Takhta Brama Kumbara with dutch subtitles on....
Well anyway.... they are still on etalage now.. until 15 Februari 2006... until then I can watch it for free before decide to subscribe to it.
Friday, January 06, 2006
Christmas in Drenthe
This year Christmas, we were in Drenthe... in Landgoed 't Wildryck - Drenthe to be exact. Dimitri's parents rent a house there for few weeks. It is an area about 6100 ha, kind of nature wild reservation, a national park. They build holiday houses in the middle of the forest. Their brochure says, "De sfeer van Toen, het comfort van Nu." meaning with the atmosphere of hundred years ago but with comfort van modern life. And it was really like they said..... at night you barely heard anything... so quiet.... forest around you.... Milo was having time of his life... he can run freely in the woods without any worries that a car or bicycle will run over him... not mention the air is so clear... no pollution... everything smells like pinus.
We stayed there for three days, leaving Utrecht on the 24th of December and back on the 26th. I took quite lot of picctures but many of them are too dark to see... Here are some of the photo that quite ok...
Milo eats his sausages in front of the warm fireplace
Dimitri opens his christmas present with Milo looking curiously
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Kaleidoscope 2005
Many things happened to us last year, some are good some are bad. I'm glad that I have this blog as a way to look back, read again some funny stories that I wrote, sad stories....... happy stories.... here is now all in one single post.... 
January 2005
Year 2005 begin not good for me, first my boss passed away. Second, I got information form my mother that the result of my borther's surgery was not good. The doctor estimated Denny has only approximately 3 until 6 months time to live. I made a plan to go back to Surabaya as soon as possible. Thanks to my colleagues that willing to covered my works so that I can go to Indonesia without any problem
February 2005
I arrived in Surabaya. Unlike usual when I was in Indonesia, usually I do some travelling to Jakarta or to Solo. This time I stayed only in Surabaya to be with Denny as much as possible. Most of the time he wasn't even realised that I was there. He was in very much pain and was under pain killer most of the time. But we managed to have some moment together that he can think clearly and talked like usual.
End of February I have to go back to The Netherlands... it was the hardest thing I ever do... I don't want to leave but I have to... I have my responsibility in here... but I also knew this will be the last time I ever saw Denny....
March 2005
As his doctor predicted, Denny passed away... three months after his last surgery.... 23 March 2005, age 31
I was torn in two... at one side I'm glad that he doesn't suffer anymore, on the other side I'm crushed 'cos I won't be able to see him again. But as what everyone said, this is the best thing for Denny, five years suffering, three times brain surgery.... it was more that any man can take... Denny was so brave. The moment we found out he has brain cancer, five years ago.... he was never losing hope... he was so alive.... farewell my brother... I love you
Oya..... Dimitri's birthday on 25 March but we don't do anything special because it was two days after Denny passed away..... sorry honey.. I'll make it up this year
April 2005
Nothing much special on this month... except my birthday hehehe.... waether was nice as read on archives.... we did lots iof walking and made lots of pictures...
May 2005
Helped my friend moved out.... system on my office crashed out.... that's the main thing I can remember on this month... and of course, 5 years anniversary of our first contact.... our first hello
June 2005
Our anniversary.... 3 years together..... but our wedding page still not ready.... hehehe
July 2005
My best friend has a baby boy... Milo got stung and eat the wasp.... BBQ at Dimitri's parents... my friend mLillian arrived from HK.... that's the highlight on this month
August 2005
I'm totally doesn't have any impression about this month.... totally nothing special...
September 2005
Lillian's wedding.... BBQ at our place with some Indonesian friends that I knew during my inburgering cursus and of course long weekend in Makkum, Friesland where we celebrated 40th anniversary of Dimitri's parents
October 2005
After few months in uncertainity, finally my boss said that the company can't go on anymore. They are forced to declared bancruptcy. Good thing is I got another job offer... so I was my losing job and got new job all in one month.
And I also begun with my driving lesson at the end of october.... it was quite ok.. not as scary as I thought
November 2005
Milo got castrated.....
December 2005
Christmas in Drenthe.... as usual at Christmas we always spend few days by Dimitri's family... this time, my in-laws rent a holiday house in Wildryck - Drenthe
So... that's was my recap of 2005.....
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