Desperate House Life (English Version)

May 30, 2008

It has been 1 year and 8 months, since I arrived here in Qatar.
Though not so much life after work, activities have become kind of routine.

1. Billiard
My routine activity after dinner.
Being embarrassed after one game with friends in Doha, I decided to make not-so-popular billiard room in our camp good use.
The sound of TOK when the white ball hit the target ball, and the sound of JABUNG when the ball falls into the hole, give me some kind of good feeling…

2. Guitar
It has been my old dream for many years to be able to play guitar.
When I was in Japan, I had spent some money on it.
I have two guitars in my place in Japan, and have one in Indonesia.
Bought many books on learning guitar, participating in a three day concentrate camp to learn guitar.
But no progress, since I always chose other enjoyable things to do, rather than boring and finger-hurting learning guitar…
But here, since not a lot of choice of things to do, I decided to make this as opportunity to make my old dream comes true.
I bought the cheapest Yamaha guitar in Doha, and started to learn.
The book I bought in the concentrate camp for desperate music instrument learner in Japan made the learning fun.
The writer has arranged somehow to make the easiest Chord, so that even the not talented person on earth can play songs like Stand by Me, WHAM’s Last Christmas, and several Japanese songs.

3. French
Since I came in Qatar, I wanted to learn French since I am working with so many French here.
However, I was too lazy to start until I decided to go to Quebec in Canada during my next holiday to New York.
I bought a book called How to Learn French in 30 days in Amazon.co.jp.
I read the book on the bus to office, and when I return to my room after work, and before sleep, and I put the CD to my iPod.
The good thing is I can practice it everyday with my French colleague.

4. Reading
Before I concentrated in learning French, I was always reading on the bus to the office, or before sleep.
I finished Paolo Coelho’s Alchemist and Veronica Decides to Die, Indonesia novels like Laskar Pelangi series, or non fiction such as Rich Dad Poor Dad, and Chinese Underground.
The third series of Laskar Pelangi, the Edensor, is what I am reading now.

5. Stock
Since I was a student in Japanese university, I wanted to start buying and selling stock.
I had registered in two Japanese internet securities company, but I had never made any transaction.
Now that I live in Qatar, legally I can not make transaction in Japanese stock market.
Then I decided to start with Indonesia stock.
With the help of my Indonesian little sister, I have bought several Indonesian company stocks.
I cannot resist watching the chart everyday…

6. Sport
To avoid being fat, due to every day all-you-can-eat meal here, I have to do some work-outs.
Being my routine is Japanese popular Bobby Boot Camp video.
It is a training video made in America by a black American guy named Bobby.
I do not know why it is so popular in Japan, but the training content is not bad.
Bobby talked too much that sometime he made mistake, counting 3 times 8 counts on left leg, but 4 times 8 counts on right leg…

7. Internet
It was my old dream to open my own website since I was a student in Japanese university.
I almost made one in Yahoo Geocities.
Now I have succeeded to launch one, a blog though, this website! :)
Still need a lot of effort to update and make it good though…

8. DVD
Yeah, you know it from the title of this article, I am addicted to Desperate House Wives…
Watching DVD is the easiest and enjoyable activity here.
I do not know how many hours I spent here to watch hundreds of them…
I am kind of a pouch-potato…

As usual, too many things I want to do, but limited time…
So I have to focus only to the above things….
Life is beautiful…but short :)