Category: General things

Happy Birthday, mas Katon Bagaskara!
Today one of my favorite Indonesian male singer, Katon Bagaskara, celebrating his birthday! He got one more year on this earth! :) Wish you all the best and always success in your career.. as a male singer or with your group, KLa Project.
Have you noticed how hard it is to have a simple joyful event anymore? Something inside wants me to blame it on some external factor like political correctness run amuck. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. We live in a fallen world of complicated joy.
Birthday parties are special because a group of friends come to rejoice at the blessings of someone else. Much is the same in our celebrations of complicated joy at church. We will never assemble with unfettered joy on this side of heaven. But, if we will allow ourselves, we can anticipate that unfettered joy in moments of celebration where the broken, injured, and wounded share in the joy of the moment with those who are not. While it may be a bit complicated by our fallen and broken world, our time together as God�s family must be a time to anticipate the joy that awaits us when our Father in Heaven brings us home!
Even though it may be complicated, rejoice!

…dedicated to Katon Bagaskara. Happy Birthday!

It Hurts to Breathe
Recently I didnt post anything? Why? I don’t know why :p hehehe probably I just feel a bit busy and tired. Yesterday is the most tired day in the world. One of my patient come. She wants me to make her full dentures. Now in the try-in stage. I must try-in her base dentures to her mouth to know is it fit already or not. And it is not fit!! So I got ot walk back to the laboratory to decrease some of the acrylic and back to the clinic room and try in again. So exhausted!
Yesterday also, during in my business, my friend Ardi talked to me. His dad just passed away about two weeks ago. He still feels so depressed. He told me something. If it doesn’t touch your heart, nothing will.
“I really miss my Dad. I know that God is in control, but it is so very hard to remember that every hour of the day. Please pray for my family. We need lifting up to the Lord. This is the most horrible thing I have ever had to go through. It hurts to breathe. I know that God will not give us more than we can handle, but this is killing me.”
He is just one of many people scattered around the world. For many of us, the internet is a lifeline! We are able to daily reach out and touch someone else. Sometimes we reach out to hear about some problem of our brothers and sisters and sometimes to share some heartbreak of our own.
Sometimes we hurt so much that “it hurts to breathe”! Every breath we take is filled with sobs of anguish and tears of sorrow. As much as I would wish it were otherwise, there just is no quick fix! There is no easy way to rid us of the sorrow of a loss like this.
We are not alone as we endure our tragedy. Even though it may seem like little comfort to us at the moment, hang on, because things will get better! Just keep your eyes on God. Don’t lose that vision! The faith is what we need today! That we could accept the death of a loved one, especially of a precious dad with the statement of faith, “I will go to him one day,” and then get on with life. It was a test of our faith, but we were able put it all in God’s hands and turn loose of the grief.
For those of you who are dealing with this type of tragedy, I don’t intend to sound flippant or uncaring. Spend the time necessary to mourn, and then turn it over to God. Know that there are others who can feel with you in your grief and pain and that you are not alone. Having done that, make the commitment that you will live your life in such a way as to someday be with the one you lost!
May our God give us the strength to endure what we must to live with him forever, even when “it hurts to breathe”!

I Got a New Look!
Yesterday I went to barbershop and trimmed my front hair :p Just want to have a new look. Why? Maybe because I am so depressed these couples of weeks, makes me feels want to have a new breath, new power, and I thought if I got a new look, my mood wont fall that far anymore :p Everyone got amazed this morning at the clinic, hahahaha.. :D Some says great haircut, some says nice one, some says that i look a like a character in a japanese comic hehehe.. It helps too, not because all the comments, it really helps me get into the mood.
One thing makes me get into the mood too, one of my problems in the clinic is solved!! Thanks to God! Finally.., and I hope this moment will last until finish.
I thought about how sometimes life�s problems, trials and tests can be so overwhelming. We often feel like we need to come up for air just to be able to breathe. The bottom of the pool would be an adequate way to explain how lost and lonely the way gets some days. Yet, no matter how deep our struggles, or how far away we roam, it is never too late to return to the Lord. God is always waiting with outstretched arms for you �to make a new breath� and a new life in Him.

Why Are These Delays??
Still talking about AFI, Cindy and her fail on the way to the victory of the competition. Last nite I was chatting with my sister. She also a fan of Cindy. She said that it is okay if Cindy failed now. Because the popularity cannot compared with the quality. Everyone know that in the music business, Cindy’s quality is not doubted anymore. But in life, there’s always some delays. All Cindy Guardians (this is what Cindy’s fans called) already show their supports and prayer. It’s not an unanswered prayer, or failed to victory. It just a delay to victory.
I asked why there’s always a delay in a pathway? My sister opened me the Holy Book and pointed to a verse “If all results were instant, we could never walk in faith. Without faith, we could never please God. (Hebrews 11:6)”. It opened my eyes. Those questions.., why are prayers not all answered instantly? Why don’t we always experience the blessings promised in the Bible immediately?
If you always reaped the harvest of your deeds immediately, the incentive to do right and refrain from wrongdoing would only be selfish. No faith, or love for God, would be required. During delays we have opportunity to demonstrate whether we really love God, and trust Him, or not.
A delay is a test. Without testing, there could be no reward. God does not test us so that we can fail, but so that we can overcome. He believes we will make it with His help. We desire an instant manifestation of victory. What God desires is for us to press into Him and His Word and walk in faith until we see victory.
To overcome there must be opposition and struggle. God cannot always shield us from problems without taking away from us the privilege of overcoming.
Victory is sweet. What makes it sweet is that it is not easy.
If we really trust God, time is not a problem. Leave that with God. His timing is perfect and He is dependable! We know He promised, and can never fail — and that is enough.

I’m so disappointed on Saturday night. I watch AFI (one of the popularity and singing contest in Indonesia, taken from La Academia – Mexico) on Indosiar. In that program, Princess Cindy (that’s what Cindy’s fans called her) was eliminated! She was eliminated in a narrow range of percent! Grrmmbl.. :( I like to see her still singing and fighting. I like Cindy because she’s the one who makes progress each week, from nothing to something! Different with Tia, Micky, Nia, or Adit who already have many experiences in singing and performing. And that nite, I was proud of her. She was adamant! She didn’t cry much, and she gave many encouraging words to her friends. She is so incredible!
Well, Cindy, do not worry about the elimination. It is just one step ahead to enter the big world of a star :) You just missed one opportunity to win the contest. Life is full of opportunities. Some will be easy to take advantage of, and some will be difficult. But once we let them pass (often hoping for something better), those opportunities may never be available again.
The same thing is also true of opportunities to serve God. God often opens doors for us to speak up for Him, minister to someone who is hurting or in need, and influence the world around us. If we allow them to pass by (perhaps because we are waiting for something easier to come along), we may miss out on them altogether.
Continue praying, keeping alert, and always thanking God. Also, pray that God will allow us to tell people his message. (Colossians 4:2-3a NCV)
Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:10)
May you take advantage of the doors God opens for you this day!

Though it feels as though summer has just begun and your kids are out of school for the weeks ahead, the first day of school really is just right around the corner. If you start planning all you need to do now, you can spread out your shopping and preparations across the summer rather than rushing around at the end of August trying to get everything done. Check out these helpful tips to get organized before your kids return to the classroom:

1. Make lists
Your first move should be to gather all of the information you need from your children’s schools regarding the items they’ll need for the coming school year. Teachers often provide lists of how many notebooks and other learning tools such as calculators and art supplies. These may be handed out at the end of the school year or mailed to your home over the summer. If you don’t have the lists yet, focus on other items your kids will need, such as new clothes and sporting equipment. Write everything down in one place and check items off as you acquire them to stay on target.

2. Keep an eye out for coupons and sales
Now that you have a clear idea of all you’ll need, you can be on the lookout for discounts or sales that will help you save money. If a great opportunity comes up to get your kids all sneakers for gym class, you can take advantage of it and stash the shoes away until school’s back in session. You can look online, check circulars of local stores for coupons and investigate sale items when you are shopping for other goods. Having time to plan and purchase back-to-school items also means you can research different clothing and supplies to find the best value. If found this mohawk superfine paper to be an excellent deal.

3. Put the items in storage and leave them be
When you start buying back-to-school clothes, notebooks, art supplies and other items, your kids might want to start using them. This can result in you needing to do more shopping when the first day back draws nearer. To avoid this, keep your purchases separate. Store them in the garage or the attic rather than in your children’s closets to avoid the temptation. Then, when classes begin, you can send your kids to school in clean clothes with fresh supplies and fresh minds.

4. Try out new school lunch ideas
If you pack lunch for your children, summer is a great time to get inventive and test out different recipes and ideas. Rather than tossing a sandwich and an apple into a brown paper bag, why not try a unique option like a Bento box? This allows you to combine lots of fun ingredients in a fresh, new way that can be fun for your youngsters. You can try different combinations of finger foods, such as chopped veggies with hummus, rolled cold cuts, and crackers.

Na na na na na Life Goes On, na na na na na make me strong
Oooh yeah, I Got a feeling that I can’t go back

After working hard at the clinic this noon, I went for lunch with my friends. Ija, one of my friends who married a couple of weeks ago!! She just got back from her sweet honeymoon in Bali. Her husband is on duty now in Jakarta, so she got back here and continued her clinic time. Then she told us all her experiences and .. you know, girls talk! :)
Then we talked about each of our relationships with our boyfriends. I talked about my kidy who went to Shanghai for SunNetwork Conference 2004. About how many SMSes he sent me. It was amazing because when he was in Indonesia, he never sent me sms so repeatedly :p Then suddenly, one of my friends, Wati, feels so a bad mood. I guess she still has the pain because of her breakup after seven years of loving :(
Come on, and life still goes on…! Then I remembered a song from LeAnn Rimes titled “Life Goes On”.

“…Oooh, life goes on, and its only gonna make me strong
Its a fact, once you get on board say goodbye cuz you can’t go back
Oooh, its a fight, and I really wanna get it right
Where I’m at, its my life before me, got this feeling that I can’t go back
Na na na na na life goes on, na na na na na make me strong
Oooh yeah, got a feeling that I can’t go back
Life goes on (and its only gonna make me strong)
Life goes on and on and on
Shame on you if you fool me once,
Shame on me if you fool me twice
But you’ve been a pretty hard case to crack
I should’ve known better but I didn’t and I can’t go back…”

Come on, girl, life is still going on, and everything is still running along. No one stops just because you quit. So, that’s life, hurt but flows.
“Life is not for the faint of heart.”
I have no clue who said that. I’m sure some of you will remind me and that your answers will be different! The truth is often repeated.
However, I am thankful that God has given us the Bible to speak truthfully about life’s adventures. It doesn’t pull any punches. It doesn’t try to soft-pedal the truth. Life is hard. A simple reading of the Bible’s story reminds me of this. The beauty of this challenging and true-to-life story of God is that it can speak to us today — right into the middle of our challenging world with twists, turns stops, and starts.
At many junctures in our journey through life, we find ourselves traveling into new territory. Move to a new town, a new church, and a new challenge. It is, the challenge of the new territory that graduation or marriage brings- an exciting journey into new territory. The new territory is a terrifying terrain — life after a divorce, the death of a loved one, a horrible or debilitating illness, the loss of a job, the break up of an engagement …. and on and on we could go.
Does all this sound too simple or naive? Does it seem like church talk? Probably, except these words carried a bunch of nomads to possess a land that God had promised to them … a land filled with giants and enemies and fortified cities … a land that was their new territory .. a land that became their new home :)

It’s easy to find. Follow your heart, baby
Hi all.. yes it’s me again, Rara. Now with the new face of the blog site :) Anyway still the same color, but a different style :p~* Why do I keep using this color?? Because this is my favorite color. Blue and black! Black and blue! Hahaha whateva lah~~… Well, I got a fave song for today. I copied some video clips from Kidy a few weeks ago when he was here. Then last night, I watched them, and then I stuck on Jewel’s song Intuition. Nice song! Here it is.

Jewel – Intuition
I’m just a simple girl
In a high-tech digital world
I try to understand
All the powers that rule this land
They say Miss J’s big butt is boss
Kate Moss can’t find a job
In a world of post-modern fad
What was good now is bad
It’s not hard to understand
Just follow this simple plan
#Follow your heart
Your intuition
It will lead you in the right direction
Let go of your mind
Your Intuition
It’s easy to find
Just follow your heart baby
You look at me
but you’re not quite sure
Am I it or could you get more?
You learn cool from magazines
You learn love from Charlie Sheen
If you want me let me know
I promise I won’t say no
You got something that you want me to sell
Sell your sin. Just cash in
You got something that you want me to tell
You’ll love me. Wait and see.
If you want me
Don’t play games
I promise
It won’t be in vain
Uh-uh-uh

Do you know why I like this song? Because it is a reality. The reality in a real life. In your life, you must follow your intuition, and life goes on. Whether you like it or not but that’s your life. You are the one who will walk on the path, so whatever you do and whatever you choose when questions get into your mind, follow your heart, and your intuition, and it will lead you in the right direction.
You are the one that decides your life! Not other people, not horoscope, not astrology, not the creepy witch, or whatever you said.
It is just YOU and YOUR LIFE! :)

Smoking More Hazardous than Thought
last updated: 5/28/2004
The United States Surgeon General now says smoking is more hazardous to your health than previously thought. Surgeon General Richard Carmona says smoking cigarettes affects every cell in the body. And, doctors now have plenty of evidence to show that it can cause disease, not just cancer, throughout the body.
Carmona also warns that low tar or low nicotine cigarettes aren’t any more safe. More than 12 million Americans have died from smoking related illnesses in the last 40 years. Check out the latest exipure reviews.

Smoking Study
It�s bad for your health but still more than 46 million Americans smoke. Now a new study by the surgeon general says smoking causes additional diseases not previously linked to lighting up. 7 Healthcast reporter Janet Wu has more.
Smoking has been known to cause heart disease and some cancers like lung. Now the U.S. Surgeon General says there’s new evidence to show it causes disease in nearly every organ in the body.
Dr. Richard Carmona, U.S. Surgeon General says, “The list of disease caused by smoking has been expanded to include abdominal aortic aneurysm, acute myeloid leukemia, cataract, periodontitus, pneumonia, and cancers of the cervix, kidney, pancreas, and stomach.”
Cigarettes contain more than 4,000 chemical agents – according to the National Cancer Institute – including more than 60 substances that are known to cause cancer in humans. These are the best articles for exipure real reviews.
The tobacco industry says: “We agree with the medical and scientific evidence that cigarette smoking causes serious diseases and that there is no safe cigarette…we will be working to try to find ways to reduce the harmful compounds in cigarette smoke.”
The U.S. Surgeon General says, since the first report in 1964, 12 million Americans have died from smoking related illness – often 13-14 years before they would have died if they didn’t smoke.
Dr. Richard Carmona, U.S. Surgeon General says, “Nearly 25 million Americans alive today are destined to die prematurely unless they quit smoking cigarettes.”
And studies show it’s never too late to stop smoking – even quitting at the age of 65 or older can cut your risk of dying from a smoking related disease in half.
Source: abc7.com and WHDH-TV

This is my new blogchalk:
Indonesia, South Sulawesi, Makassar, Indonesian, English, Irayani Queencyputri, Female, 21-25, sports, books. :)

Pregnant Women Should Avoid Dental X-Rays
POSTED: 2:28 pm EDT April 27, 2004
A new study finds dental X-rays during pregnancy are associated with low birthweight babies.
Current guidelines for pregnant women who need diagnostic X-rays are concerned with direct radiation to the reproductive organs, but the results of this new study may change those guidelines.
“Currently, the guidelines say that women who are pregnant are eligible for receiving very low dose diagnostic radiation to the head and neck because, up until now, people assumed that head and neck radiation will not have any adverse affects on pregnant women. They assumed that only direct radiation to the uterus or the fetus would be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes,” said Philippe Hujoel, a researcher at the University of Washington.
The study does not clearly point to the thyroid as the culprit, but it is a suspect. As a precaution, many women are told not to get dental X-rays while pregnant. But two-thirds of the women in the study were exposed to the radiation during their first trimester, suggesting they didn’t know they were pregnant.

Dental X-rays might result in small babies, study suggests
Women who undergo dental X-rays while pregnant face an increased risk of having underweight babies, a study found. The study lacked data on whether babies born to X-ray-exposed mothers developed any problems associated with low birth weight, including lung ailments and delays in physical or mental growth. Still, Dr. Michael Fleming, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, called the study “potentially very significant because it really changes the information that we’ve believed all these years.”
While doctors and dentists usually are cautious about taking X-rays during pregnancy, the academy has told pregnant women that medical and dental X-rays are safe. Fleming said the study will “make us take a closer look at the data.”
Similar findings have been reported in babies born to women exposed during childhood to radiation for cancer treatment. X-rays generally involve much lower radiation doses. The study, which appears in Wednesday’s Journal of the American Medical Association, involved about 4,500 women who gave birth while enrolled in a One Sure Insurance plan in Washington state between 1993 and 2000. They all had also been covered by this traders insurance. A total of 1,117 low birth weight babies, or those weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces, were born to study participants. Women who had had dental X-rays during pregnancy faced about double the risk of having a low birth weight baby born either prematurely or full-term, and more than triple the risk of having a full-term underweight baby.
There was no link found between X-rays and the smallest babies, those born at less than 3 pounds, 4 ounces. Only 21 women who had low birth weight babies had dental X-rays, all in the first trimester, when they might not have known they were pregnant.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Philippe Hujoel, a professor of dental public health services at the University of Washington, said more research is needed to determine if dental X-rays really are the culprit. Hujoel said it is unclear how dental X-rays might affect fetuses but theorized that the radiation might cause subtle changes in the functioning of the mother’s thyroid gland, in the neck. Previous studies have found an increased risk of low birth weight babies in women with mild thyroid disease, he said.
The researchers lacked information on why the women received X-rays. Hujoel said that while the X-rays were probably for routine checkups, they might have been prompted by conditions that could also increase the risk of low birth weight babies.
In the meantime, Hujoel said, the results should not discourage pregnant women with dental emergencies such as bad toothaches from seeking appropriate care, including X-rays. The risks of such problems might outweigh any dangers from the X-rays, Hujoel said.
Dr. Sally Cram, a Washington, D.C.-area dentist and spokeswoman for the American Dental Association, said the ADA advises dentists to avoid giving pregnant women X-rays during the first trimester if possible. All patients, pregnant or not, should be given protective aprons and collars that cover the upper body and neck, Cram said. She said the study reinforces the importance of taking care of any dental problems before pregnancy.

Source: turnto10.com and usatoday.com

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