Darla!

Category: EN

Quarter Life Crisis is Real, and It’s an Absolute Bitch
Whether I read an amusing article or a serious one about quarter life crisis signs, there’s only one conclusion: I am currently in the middle of my quarter life crisis. I’ve found that quarter life crisis is real, and yes, it’s a bitch.

I’ve been feeling like I’m dragging my feet every single day; forcing myself to get up and go to work. At one point, I couldn’t even talk to anyone without getting anxiety. This had been going for weeks before I finally realised that I’m turning 25 in less than a month. At first I thought perhaps I was having a mental breakdown or I was depressed, but now I’m quite sure that this is what they call quarter life crisis.

Among all the signs that I’m going through right now are:
- I’m having trouble falling asleep at night, but all I want is to nap all day. Which is almost impossible, because work (duh!)
- I’ve always been a socially awkward person and it’s always hard for me to meet new people, but the awkwardness has increased to anxiety. And not only to new people but also to friends.
- Since college, I had always known that 8-to-4 jobs weren’t for me and that’s why I started a career as a private English tutor, but I’ve become to really hate my job and I’d give anything to have an 8-to-4 job and to be able to be home before 9pm.
Part of me wants to make a huge change like start having babies or move back to Bandung City, but another part of me wants to stay and not make life-changing decisions during this phase. I’m really confused right now because I honestly don’t know what to do.

Help! (I guess?)

Dara | Bloglovin’ | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
30 September 2016
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Book Review

The release of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child book must be the highlight of 2016 for all Harry Potter fans, including me. When it was announced that there would be the eighth book of Harry Potter, I was so excited; but not excited enough to pre-order as the price was quite high for me. Fortunately, the book was short enough for a friend of mine to finish it in just one sitting and that friend of mine was kind enough to lend it to me!

Cursed Child starts at the exact same scene as the epilog from Deathly Hallows. Set 19 years after the Battle Of Hogwarts, the original trio is at Platform 3/4 to watch their children board the Hogwarts Express. Albus Severus is worried that he will be sorted into Slytherin but Harry assures him that it won’t make any difference. This turns out to be a big part of the story of Cursed Child. Albus is sorted into Slytherin and befriends Scorpius Malfoy, Draco’s only child. Him being a Potter in Slytherin becomes a burden for Albus since he feels like he is overshadowed by his father’s greatness (or rather, fame, since Harry Potter grew up to be a troubled man with problems at work who doesn’t get along with his son). To overcome this problem and to prove that he is as great as his father, Albus (accompanied by Scorpius) sets off a journey to the past to correct Harry’s mistake, that is getting Cedric killed by Voldemort. However, every little change in the past makes the alternate present even weirder and weirder. Albus and Scorpius have to make everything right again.

Honestly, I’m not satisfied with this book. It was written by two more people other than J.K. Rowling herself, I don’t know how much of it that she wrote, but the whole book doesn’t have her sound at all. The original trio is written like completely different people. I get it; people change. But the change of the trio is too far away. Ron was quite funny back then, but in this book he was written more like a comic relief. He sounds shallow. We all know that Hermione is the greatest witch of her age, but I’m also sure that the original Ron was bound to be great as well. This new Ron looks like he is overshadowed by his wife who happens to become the Minister of Magic while he manages a joke shop (probably the twin’s shop). I’m very disappointed.

Also, the friendship between Albus and Scorpius screams gay to me. While I think it’s okay if they are actually in love with each other, but the story insists that they are not gays by forcing the subplot that Scorpius has a crush on Rose (Granger-Weasley) and tries to ask her out. It’s as if the writers actually wanted them to be gays but decided to write it off in last minute. It really bugs me. Reading the Cursed Child feels like reading a fanfiction written by a teenage girl who is obsessed with both the Harry Potter series and Rainbow Rowell’s Carry On. I’m sorry, but it is.

That being said, if I get the chance to see the play, I’ll still watch it. Maybe the real reason why I hate Cursed Child so much is because it’s actually a play script. It doesn’t give as much detail as a narrative story. Maybe I’ll like it more if I see it on stage. Now, if only I could take myself to London…

Dara | Bloglovin’ | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

2 September 2016
Summer Food Festival + Keuken Bandung 2016

For the past decade, Bandung has become a well-known culinary tourism destination in West Java. The city gets crowded every weekend because people from nearby cities come to hang out in cafes and such. It’s a heaven for food lovers. So it was no surprise that during the Independence Day weekend, there were two culinary festivals held in Bandung: Summer Food Festival and Keuken 2016. We happened to go to both festivals, but unfortunately we were having too much fun that we only took several pictures :p

Summer Food Festival was held in the city hall on Saturday, 20 August. It was dubbed as a South American culinary festival, but there was no South American food actually. There were only booths promoting each country’s tourism programme. It was a shame because we actually came to taste South American food. We ended up buying the usual festival food (potatoes, coffee, etc.)

This was the seventh Keuken, but or third time coming there (read about Keuken #4 here and Keuken #6 here). Keuken has never ceased to amaze us. We always love going to Keuken because there’s always something new to try. This time, we tried quesadilla (which was good) and wagyu with buttered rice (which was VERY GOOD). Our last year’s favourite was available too, so we bought it again.

So sorry for the very low-quality photos. We didn’t bring a camera so each picture was taken by using our phones’ camera. Also, we came to Keuken at around sunset so the lighting was bad too. I swear I’m still going to try to be a good blogger who carries a good camera everywhere. Haha…

Dara | Bloglovin’ | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

24 August 2016
Farewell, Asoy.

Asoy passed this afternoon. After one week being taken care by me, Asoy died of anaemia due to his many fleas. He was still very cheerful yesterday, but as of this morning he wouldn’t drink his milk. His body was very cool and he was weak. I took him to the vet and he was given oxygen, laid on a heating pad, and his chest was rubbed by the vet but he wasn’t breathing. His pulse was very weak and his heart finally stopped beating at around 2pm. I’m very upset right now.

Dara | Bloglovin’ | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

18 August 2016
Life Lately – Mid August

I’m trying not to be one of those people who say “It’s August already! Time flies!” when clearly this year feels like the worst year for everybody in the world. There was a point a few weeks ago where I decided to stop watching the news on TV entirely because everything looked bad. We need more positive news, please.

That being said, at least we got a new Harry Potter book this year, though it’s not a novel but a drama script. I’m not 100% satisfied with it, but that’s a story for another time. As for now, let’s just appreciate this excerpt:

Boy do I miss Sassy Minerva so much (and also Sassy Dowager Countess).

Also, I finally went to the gym and tried a belly dance lesson (I know, right???). Halfway through it I realised that belly dancing was NOT for me. I was SO BAD at moving my hips and I looked totally awkward and stupid that I won’t be going to that class ever again.

Nope. Not for me. I’ll just switch back to running on the treadmill (and maybe a Zumba or aerobic class?)

There was one morning a few days ago when I couldn’t get up from bed because Jessi was lying on my chest. She has become so heavy after being spayed and I was too lazy to make an effort to get her off my chest, so I took a few more minutes in bed taking pictures of her and editing them on Prisma.

This has been my newest favourite app of all time because it makes Jessi look even more fabulous and majestic than she already is! My favourite one is the top right. I’m now using it as both my phone and laptop wallpaper.

Talking about cat… Looks like Jessi and Chop-Chop will have to share the house with another kitty for the next few years as I took this little baby in on Thursday. I found him crying beside a road near my mum’s house. There were no other kittens and the mother was also nowhere to be found. He sounded hungry and was covered by ants. I took him home and bottle fed him. The plan is to foster him until he can eat canned food and poop + pee on the litter box, then after that my mum will adopt him.

He looks a lot like Ed Sheeran, doesn’t he? It’s been 72 hours and both he and I have been doing just fine. I’ve never taken care of orphaned kittens before. I kinda feel proud of myself right now.

Last but not least, I want to emphasise that global warming is real, you guys. It’s August yet somehow it’s still wet season here in Bandung. The dry season should’ve started as early as April, but nope. Still raining. I miss the sun and I want to go swimming, but as for now I’d just cuddle with my little Ed Sheeran. (No, that’s not his name. His actual name is Asoy.)

So how’s your August been so far?

Dara | Bloglovin’ | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

14 August 2016