Time surely flies. I didn’t realize that until the whooshing sound hit my ears as the surrounding got blurred.

One moment I was singular

Then suddenly I became plural

Ha

A husband and a baby

Yes, a baby. One adorable baby *kisskiss*

My baby born in the end of December, and the new semester begin in January. So lucky me. Why is that so? Because, instead of taking a maternity leave for 3 months just like any other working (or studying) mommy, I’m taking a whole semester off. Yes. Six stress-free months to celebrate the baby- nurturing

Wait, did I say stress-free just then?

Well, it’s depend how you define free and stress

Anyhow, I love being mom. It is…ah, it is beyond words. Those endless nights or smelly diapers couldn’t erase the wonderful feeling of having him

I always said that I wanted to be a housewife, clearly that I was so underrate the housewife’s job. Being a wife and a mother is easy, but not that easy

Just look at Kate Reddy. A wife, a mother of two kids, aand…also a working mom

 So before I was really old enough to understand what being a woman meant, I already understood that the world of women was divided in two: there were proper mothers, self-sacrificing bakers of apple pies and well-scrubbed invigilators of the washtub, and there were the other sort. At the age of thirty-five, I know precisely which kind I am

I read this book long time before I got married. Even before I think I wanna get married. Such a long time, no? I almost forget about this book (pardon me, but at that time the story of a working mom seemed so hard to emphasize) until they made the movie. I haven’t seen the movie yet. And it got lots of critics, but that’s not the reason why I haven’t seen the movie

Did I tell you that I have a baby now?

Sarah Jessica Parker played the cast of Kate Reddy, which is not right for me. I imagine the way-so-different form of Kate Reddy when I read the book.

I haven’t seen the movie (yes, I’ve said that three times), so let’s not talk about the movie. Let’s talk about the book.

I liked the book when the first time I read it. But not that like. I mean, it’s a good book but not memorable. But now, after I re-read it (note: after I became a working wife and mom myself), I love it! The story is so…so me. So working mommy. The difficulty, the dilemmas, all is the same. (I mean, almost the same. In my sanity, I won’t give my nanny a Eurostar ticket as a gift).  This book is worth to read for all of the working mommies out there. Believe me. So entertaining. It is, you know, relieving to know that you’re not alone. That thousands of women out there live out their life having the same problem as you do. Somehow, it’s a bit decreasing the stress.

Now I’m still in the middle of my maternity leave. With this condition, only God knows what will happen when the new semester begin and I leave my maternity leave. Sure I hope that imagination is harder that the reality itself and everything will be just okkayyy

Aah…such a long time since my last post. Well, feel so sorry to nobody but me, the only reader of this blog (I guess). Hehe

Believe me, I didn’t mean to neglect this blog. But since last August I entered the ophthalmology residency. I thought ophthalmologist was…uhm…how do I say it? Nice? Delightful? I mean, come on. How many times do you get an emergency on ophthalmology cases? This should be relaxing.

Hyeah

Nobody told me that it’s not. So not. I didn’t eat properly, didn’t sleep properly, shortly, didn’t do any biological things properly. It was so difficult to have times with my family and friends (especially when you don’t even have the time for yourself). This residency things got me isolated from the colony. Help! *waving the white flag*

Okay, let’s stop it before you thing that I’m too exaggerated (in which I’m not. Duh)

By the way, last weekend I surprisingly had time to do one of my favorite things, read a book. And of course, that was not a medical book. A book which is my birthday present from my best friend. Last year (yeah, I know I know…). A Sophie Kinsella’s novel. I always love Sophie Kinsella since I read the Shopaholic series. Mostly because her happy ending writing is always sweet and witty, and Becky Bloomwood is kinda remind me of…well, myself. Haha. No no…Not the shopaholic things, but the procrastinator thing (it’s not that I’m proud of that).

The one that I read is Twenties Girl. And I love it

The story is about Lara Lington, a 27 years old girl that already had troubles in her love life and career life. As if the problems are not enough for her, she is also haunted by her great aunt’s spirit. Sadie Lancaster, the great-aunt-ghostie, was first appearing on her own funeral. She requested (or I can say, forced) Lara to find her dragonfly necklace. She already possessed that necklace for seventy five years (she passed away on the age of 105 years old), and now it was mysteriously disappear, and Sadie can’t rest without her necklace.

Darling, when things go wrong in life, this is what you do. You lift your chin, put on a ravishing smile, mix yourself a little cocktail – and out you go

At first, it seemed like Sadie was soo obnoxious. She kept yelling at Lara (the only person in the world who can see her) to find her necklace and to stop her body to be cremated.

So what did Lara do?

Stood up and said that she thinks her great aunt was murdered.

Ha!

It made Lara got into trouble with the police then, since she accused the staff at the nursing home for the murdering.

As the story goes by, it’s getting more and more interesting. Involved the surprising ending of the necklace hunt, knowing Sadie’s life, and of course this Mr. American-frown-who-turns-out-to-be-a-very-not-frown.

Oh by the way, don’t imagine Sadie as a scary old 105 years old lady ghost covered with the white sheet. Sadie was Sadie on her late 1920s. A Feisty and demanding 23 years old girl who loves dancing, cocktail, and fashion. Believe me, this is a creepy-free ghost story.

Lovely. I should read more fun book. You know, just to keep myself sane. Haha

Well, okay. Enough for today. Hope I can keep on writing here. More and more and more books =)

Today is my mom’s birthday

Well…okay, it’s not today. It should be last Thursday. But I’m just too lazy to finish this post at the right time. So, uhm…happy belated birthday, Mom

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Let me tell you something about my mom

She’s not the kind of stay-at-home-mom who made you breakfast or cuddle you at night. No, she’s a working mom. The kind who orders someone else to made the breakfast (and lunch. And dinner).

My mom used to do almost everything by herself. She used to say that if other people can do it, so can we. That’s what I’ve learned from her, trying to be independent woman.

(So you people, stop pitying me for not mingle with my parents as much as other kids do. Because I’m totally fine)

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Sometimes I’m amazed with my mom’s energy. She can work all day long and still be able to stay up all night to finish her job. She doesn’t eat much, but barely ever getting ill. She did everything by herself, and never felt tired. Even that energizer bunny couldn’t defeat her.

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Talking about independent women, Waki Yamato, the Japanese mangaka (comics’ writer) knows best. Most of her manga portray the women that are too modern for their era. Girl power, that’s what Waki Yamato wants to convey; a photographer who came to New York, a journalist who lost her fiancé in a war, a medical student, or the daughter of a Japanese conservative family who married an Austro-Hungarian diplomat (this one is a true story). My favorite one is Yokohama Monogatari (the Story of Yokohama). I think that’s the best manga ever.

Title: Yokohama Monogatari (The Story of Yokohama)

Author: Waki Yamato

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There’s no place to come home…

And nobody is waiting for me…

This is weird

I’ve been alone since I was eleven

[Yokohama Monogatari #7]

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The story was about two girls and their dreams. Mariko Kanou, the merchant’s daughter, was a jovial yet stubborn girl. People called her a porcelain doll for her charm. While Uno Takemoto, her servant, was a sweet and kind girl. Yes, one was a rich girl, the other was the servant. But they grew up together, had being best friend and shared the same dream, to travel around the world. Something that was uncommon for ladies at that time.

There was also Shintaro Amano, the guy next door who soon became their crush. Shintaro then chose Mariko. Uno loved them both, so she gave up and just kept her feeling for Shintaro deep down inside.

The big problem began when Shintaro was still in America to get his medical education. Mr.Kanou died when he tried to save his flamed ship at the harbor and the Kanou’s company got broke. Some well known tycoon, Ryusuke Kai, wanted to help as long as he could marry Mariko. The truth is, Ryusuke Kai had fall in love with Mariko since the first time he saw her when she was still a young girl and Ryusuke was a ship crew. Mariko refused that request and tried to run away with Uno. But soon she realized that she couldn’t leave Yokohama. So she asked Uno, who was secretly still in love with Shintaro, to went to America to replace her.

The brave Uno went for an adventure to America to seek and heal her true love’s heart, and the brave Mariko stayed in Yokohama to save her family’s company.

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The story was held in the Meiji era, time where the women don’t have much contribution on the society. All they have to do is stay at home and learn to be a good wife and well-mannered lady. These two ladies tried to break the rules, fought for their dreams and hopes.

Have you ever heard about Medical Students Syndrome?

Me myself was a medical student and now a…well…a real-doctor, but I’ve never knew the existence of this syndrome. But yeah, there is such a thing like that. Surprisingly, I’ve heard it from a radio show. And it was not even a medical talk show or something. The announcer just mentioned about it on her show. I thought it’s similar with hypochondria. But they said those are two different things. Medical Student Syndrome is a condition frequently reported in those medical students who perceive they have the symptoms of the disease that they’re studying.

Haha. I think I have it too. This is quite understandable, no? Everyday we’re, doctors, coping with patients and their illnesses, whether it’s getting better or getting worse. That’s emotionally exhausting.

The good thing as a doctor is, I appreciate health more than before. Seeing people dying in the ward makes me realize that a good health is a priceless gift that we can give to ourselves. So when I saw people drive carelessly or watched news about people committed suicide, I felt so disturbed. They should go to the ward and see how those patients are trying to survive. It should make them think twice about what they do.

Talking about suicide, I’ve read a book about people (trying to) committed suicide.

Suicide should be sad

Story about depressive people who committed suicide should be tragic

But a story about four desperate people who accidentally decided to kill themselves at the same time and same place turns out to be a comedy. Dark comedy.

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Title: A Long Way Down

Author: Nick Hornby

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A man who wants to die feels angry and full of life and desperate and bored and exhausted, all at the same time; he wants to fight everyone, and he wants to curl up in a ball and hide in a cupboard somewhere. He wants to say sorry to everyone, and he wants everyone to know just how badly they’ve all let him down.

[A Long Way Down]

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Martin

He was a former TV star. Hosting a show called ‘Rise and Shine with Penny and Martin’. After one and another problem, his life became miserable. He spent 3 months in jail because of the affair with an underage girl (115 days gap to legality), his wife left him and he wasn’t able to meet his daughter. He planned to jump from the rooftop of the Toppers House on the New Year’s Eve

Maureen

She is a single mom. She devoted her life to her disabled son, Matty. Since the caring of Matty spent most of her time, she has no more time to work or caring for herself. Though she loves her son so much, she just can’t take it anymore. She planned to jump from the rooftop of the Toppers House on the New Year’s Eve

JJ

He is a rock star-to-be. Or he thinks he is a rock star-to-be. But the bands left him, and his girlfriend left him. Now he ends up as a pizza deliver. He hates his life for this. Since some superstars committed suicides, he decided to do the same. He planned to jump from the rooftop of the Toppers House on the New Year’s Eve.

Jess

This rebel teenager seems to have problems with her parents, her ex-boyfriend (who called her ‘stalker’), and everybody else around her. She’s a troublemaker, also trouble-mannered. She impulsively wants to jump from the rooftop of the Toppers House on the New Year’s Eve.

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They met, they were surprised, and then they realized that they were too scared to jump.

The rooftop part is just a small part of the story. The next is how these four different people (forced) to fix up their problems together (yeah, they didn’t jump – and that’s obviously not a spoiler).

I enjoy the book (despite of every curse that Jess said in almost every conversation she made). It is hilarious in its own way. And though the theme is about suicide, apparently the story is full of life.

School holiday is over. Aaah…thank God. Now I can take a deep breath.

*exhale*

Don’t get me wrong. I love holidays, just like everybody else, especially when I was a student. But the traffic jams and the crowds in every public place because of the invasion of the school boys/girls and their family that go on vacations had irritate me.

Maybe I’m just jealous because I didn’t go on vacations that much back when I was a kid. Hehe. Mostly I just spend holidays at home, being as lazy as I could. I regret my laziness if I think about it now.

My last vacation is in Bandung, West Java. I spend few days with my friend. Much food, shops, walks, and laughter filled those days. That was fun. Can’t wait for my next travel journey (yeah, as if I have opportunity do that).

I went there by train, of course. Train is my favorite long-distance-public transportation. I’m not so keen on the plane. Moreover, it freaks me out. Seriously. I don’t care if train waste much of your time, compared with plane. I love to stay on ground, that’s the reason (and that’s also one of the reasons why I dislike the elevator so much). What about bus? Well, I have to admit. When I was a kid, every time I got on a bus, I looked at the huge front glass of the bus and felt terrified. I dunno why. It’s better now. But still, train is my number one.

I have one book related with train. I got it from a second-hand book shop. Although this is a second hand book, it’s still in a good condition. Nice story about train. I mean, people and train. The setting of the story is in London. I’ve never been to London before, so I don’t have any clue about London Underground. But then I read this book, and I get lottss of story/fact about the tube. There’s also a railway map in this book (if you think this is important), so we can follow the character’s tract.

Title: Tunnel Vision

Author: Keith Lowe

“What’s the most interesting thing you know about the District Line?” he says.

I sigh (loudly, so that he will hear it). “Haven’t I told you enough about the tube for one day?”

“Go on!” he urges me. “I challenge you to know something interesting about it. I bet you don’t. It’s the most boring line on the Underground.”

“No,” I say. “The Bakerloo Line is the most boring line on the Underground.”

“Well, it shouldn’t be a problem then. I’ll give you thirty seconds to come up with something interesting about the District Line, or you’ll have to buy me a drink once we get to Upminster.”

[Tunnel Vision, p.72]

Rachel is in love with Andy, though he drives her mad sometimes. They’re getting married tomorrow, in Paris. Everything seems to be perfect.

Andy is madly in love with Rachel. But he’s also madly in love with London Underground train. That’s the root of the trouble. Andy made a bet with another tube-loving-geek, Rolf. Andy has to travel all around the underground station in just one day. Literally. He did it 24 hours before his wedding. When Andy realized that this is pretty stupid idea and can ruin his wedding, it was too late because Rolf took his Euro star ticket to Paris (just in case you forgot, that’s the place where the wedding would be held), his passport, his travel card, and his honeymoon ticket with him. Andy can get his things back after he finished the bet.

Rolf is…well, you know, a tube-loving-geek. Moreover, he’s obsessed with it. He knows everything about tubes. The history of the Underground and train engineering, he can quote statistics for passenger flow from 1890 onwards, he can do a perfect imitation of the hissing noise made by a Piccadilly Line train stop valve, and he even possesses the largest and most complete collection of pre-1990s tube tickets in the world. Apparently, Rolf silently has a crush on Rachel and the first thing that come to his mind is to fail Andy’s wedding so that he can get Rachel for himself.

Bryan is a tramp who lives in the station. He doesn’t know Rachel, or Andy, or Rolf. They live in a different world. But when he catches Andy at the Morden Station (the first station that Andy took on his journey) and find out about the bet, Bryan decides to accompany Andy thru the day. No particular reason. He only thinks that it’s more interesting than just lying on the station floor and get drunk. Andy refuses Bryan’s help at the first time. But then he realizes that Bryan’s assistance save him many times.

At first, the journey runs smooth. But then, one to another accident takes Andy to a disaster; derailment, one-under, cancellation, or someone is pulling the emergency cords. With this situation, how can Andy fix all of the mess that he made?

I didn’t read this book with enthusiasm at the first time. The reason I read this book is just because I’ve already buy it and it seems to be my responsibility to read it. But when I came into the story, I can’t put the book down. Every time I came to the end of a chapter, I can’t resist the urge to read the next chapter. This book is worth reading. Not only reading about the tube, but also about the obsession that could harm us if we can’t control it.

Anybody here knows Johan Huizinga?

He was a Dutch historian. This smart gentleman said that human being loves to play and that playing is important in human life. It is written on his book, Homo Ludens; a Study of Play Element in Culture. Homo Ludens means Playing Man.

No’oh. I’m not going to discuss that book since I haven’t read it (well, I’m not sure that I would review that book if I have read it. Hehe). I’m gonna talk about another book. I mean books. Four books at once, written by someone who knows the meaning of having fun.

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Drunken Monster #1

Drunken Molen #2

Drunken Mama #3

Drunken Marmut #4

author : Pidi Baiq

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“Beneran, Bu. Tadi itu jam delapan Ayah sudah di jalan pulang…. Tapi, di Kircon ayah dicegat monster. Diem dulu ya, Bu, dengerin dulu, deh.” Eh…, beneran diam.

“Monsternya banyak. Teriak-teriak begitu, ‘Mana suami setia! Tangkap suami setia! Jangan ada suami setia di muka bumi. Jangan pernah.’ Apa coba?”

[Drunken Monster, p.31]

This guy is Pidi Baiq

Aside from the fact that he’s (or he was?) a vocalist of The Panasdalam band, ex president of ThePanasDalam Republic (60 m² large), illustrator (those covers are made by himself), songwriter, art consultant, and even an ex dean (yes, believe it. He was a dean), he is…well, unexplainable =D

His books are also unexplainable (I’ll do ma best to un-unexplainable it, okay?)

Those books are about Pidi Baiq’s daily life

Wait a sec

When I said ‘daily life’, don’t imagine it as normal as daily life you used to know. This man takes this whole world as his playground and everybody around him as his playmates. He cut off his wife’s anger with a bedtime story about monkey and mango; made a celebration party after his son finished his PlayStation games; treated snacks for the mommies who waited for their children in the kindergarten but then pretend that all the money on his wallet turned into leaves; taking the construction workers to the barber shop; playing badminton with a room-fragrances salesman; went to a scavenger’s house and ordered fried chicken delivery; things like that. It makes his life (or his story) is waaay from boring.

The good thing is that the stories have left something, not just the humor. It’s funny and philosophic at the same time. I think Pidi Baiq is wise. So wise that he can implicitly teach us (in his own way) how to enjoy life, to remind us about those sweet simple things in our lives that we forget, and that money is not beyond everything.

Some people might say that he was about to show off his generosity. But for me, he’s trying to tell us that helping others can be so fun and bring joy to ourselves.

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Saya menceritakannya kembali dengan suara yang seolah-olah saya justru bangga. Namun, nyatanya saya memang bangga pernah berbuat yang macam begitu, yang bagimu mungkin memalukan, dan saya kira Rosi juga merasakan hal yang sama sekarang – setidaknya sekarang ini, kalau memang saat dulu baginya menyebalkan. Menceritakannya kembali seolah-olah saya mau bilang kepada mereka, kepada saudara-saudara saya itu, untuk ketahuilah bersama alangkah hidup ini menakjubkan, sungguh menakjubkan. Sayang sekali kalau hidup bagimu hanya sekedar untuk menghirup oksigen.

[Drunken Mama, p.115-116]

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*Ace of Base, album Flower (1998)

Another romantic chick-lit (gaah…all of those chick-lits are romantic). I started looking for Sophie Kinsella’s book after I read Can You Keep a Secret. Being honest, I’ve just read Confession of a Shopaholic recently, years after everybody on earth read that book (that’s the only Shopaholic series that I have read. i haven’t read the other). I like Sophie Kinsella’s book. Becky Bloomwood is a lil bit similar with me (no, I don’t mean the shopping thing but the procrastinating and making-but-not-doing plans thing). But I think Remember Me is the best among all. Well, taking amnesia as a plot is a brilliant idea, and Kinsella wrote it delightfully.

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Title: Remember Me?

Author: Sophie Kinsella

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It really is the year 2007. Which means I must be…

Oh my God. I’m twenty-eight.

I’m old

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[Remember Me?]

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Lexi Smart wakes up in a hospital realizing that she has lost her memory. She can’t remember the last three years of her life. The last thing Lexi remember is that she was 25 years old, went to the club with her friends on the night before her father’s funeral, complained about her miserable life; stuck in a worst job-title ever, had a not-so-attractive appearance, plus, date a loser (she called him Loser Dave). But now, she’s 28 years old, being a hot shot in the corporate world, having perfect teeth, perfect hair, wearing outfits that she couldn’t even wish before (2 sizes smaller!), and the best part is, she’s now married with a gorgeous multimillionaire. Her life is perfect!

But the bad news has waited for her. Not too long until she realizes that ‘the new Lexi’ has became the boss from hell that her friends (and all of her employee) hate, her slick co-worker tries to ensure her dismissal from the company, her sister is no longer be a sweet little girl but more like troubled teenager, and she still haven’t got any feeling for her husband.

Trapped with a ‘loft-style living’, shallow new friends, and carb-free diet, Lexi finds out another bombshell that brought by her husband’s working partner.

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Just like any other Sophie Kinsella’s book, this novel is sweet and funny. On the other word, it’s just too good to be true. But that’s what women (used to) like. Haha.

Unfortunately, this book is ended with a rushed plot. A few more chapter would make the story runs smoother. But still, I enjoyed this book as a light read. Well, Sophie Kinsella has found a way to make amnesia seems refreshingly funny.

Have I told you that I used to buy books impulsively? Yes I do, especially when the covers attract me. That’s what happened when I bought L.M. Montgomery’s the Story Girl. Well, not that impulsive, because I’ve read the review about it before. Everybody loves that book. They said the story was so great they read it over and over again. When I read the review, I didn’t feel like I’m going to read it. But then I saw the book cover. It appealed me at the first sight I decided to have it.

It has a pretty wallpaper pattern on the background with a figure of a girl. Me oh-so-likeeyy!

(It is the Indonesian edition, from Gramedia publisher)

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title: The Story Girl (Gadis Pendongeng)

author : L.M. Montgomery

translator : Barokah Ruziati

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Proverbs are all very fine when there’s nothing to worry you, but when you’re in real trouble, they’re not a bit of help.

[the Story Girl, p.157]

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I’ve never read any Montgomery’s book before (like the Anne of Green Gables series) so I didn’t have any idea about the Story Girl. But everybody loves it. So I thought I would like it too. After I read the book, I feel like I had overestimate the story.

No oh. The story, not the writing. I like her writing

Montgomery was a very descriptive author. She had beautifully portrayed the character and the landscape to help our lack of imagination. It feels like we’re there. Plus, the translation was great. Not every book is well translated. Me myself find disappointed with a bad (or a very bad) translation sometimes. But believe me. You’re gonna love this translation.

The story itself, well, for me it’s kinda boring because nothing BIG happened until the last page of the book.

It has no conflict, just daily lives of a group of cousins and friends on summer days in Carlisle, Prince Edward Island. The story was narrated by Beverly King, one of the Kings cousins. He came with his brother, Felix, to their father’s childhood house. There, they had adventure with their new friends; the Mushy Sara Ray and the hired boy Peter Craig, and their cousins; the awkward Dan, the fair Felicity, the kind-hearted Cecily, and not to forget Sara Stanley, a.k.a the story girl.

The story girl was an awesome…ung…storyteller (of course!). With an expressive and beautiful voice (charming enough to make even the multiplication table interesting!) she amazed everybody around her every time she tells story. Plus, she had tons of enchanting tales to tell. From the wedding veil of the proud princess till the tale of the rainbow bridge. Funny, isn’t it? Story inside of a story.

But the truth is no matter how sweet the story, I can’t tell you that I enjoy it that much. I felt so hard to finish this book. Well, I don’t mind with the daily life theme. Living in simplicity doesn’t mean to be uninteresting. What irritates me is that those children were soo…how can I say it?

Well, those children’s naivety amused me, but sometimes I felt so annoyed with their oh-too-good behavior =D. Okay I know. The setting was on the early 20^th century (first published in 1911) and at that time, even eating meat pie on dinner was despicable.

But after all this book is worthwhile to read, especially when you want to remember the innocent of your own childhood.

Every time I go to the bookstore, I always seek the children book section. No particular reason. I just love to see those books. Children books are beautiful. The story, the illustration. And the thought of how the children will read and love those books pleased me (well, children are ALWAYS pleasing). I take a look at the stacks and wonder that someday I’ll make my own book : )

But no matter how lovely those books are, I never intended to buy one. That. Until the day when I saw this book. Soo funny. I just can’t resist it I decided to keep it. Not for my lil niece, but for myself. Hehe.

Title       : Why

Author  : Lila Prap

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“Why do crocodiles cry?”

“They’re spoilt.”

[haha]

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“Why” is the biggest question for every child. Everything is a “why” because children have a super gigantic curiosity. We love to answer those questions. But when they ask over and over again like it never end, sometimes we come to the dead end and give children some irrational answers that first came across our mind.

This educational book helps children (and parents) to give the answer for their “why” about animal world. It explains about things that maybe wouldn’t come across adults’ mind. ‘Unnecessary’ question like “Why don’t snakes have legs?” or “Why do camels have humps?”

Unnecessary but actually we don’t know the answer, right? : p

Lila Prap made an oh-so-byootiful illustration along with some interesting facts about those animals. Not just the serious explanation, but also the silly irrational but so funny one.

Parents can easily story tell this book by laughing at the funny answer first or even made the children came with their own answer, then come to the real fact. This will encourage the children to have fun while they learn.

No oh. I’m not that kind of any motivational books reader. Those like the Chicken Soup series. But then my best friend gave me this book, Tuesdays with Morrie, on my birthday few years ago. I read it and I liked it. I even cry a lil bit (that was the part when Morrie died).

Title : Tuesdays with Morrie

Author : Mitch Albom

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So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they’re busy doing things they think are important. This is because they’re chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.

(Tuesdays with Morrie – p.43)

Mitch Albom, the author, is a sport writer. To write some kind of motivating book was never on his mind before. But one day, he saw an interview on TV about a man dying of ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). That man was his college mentor in Brandeis University, Morrie Schwartz. He was so close with his professor he even called him ‘coach’. But after he graduated, he became too busy to keep tract with his professor.

Soon after he found out what happened with Morrie, he tried to reconnect their lost knot. Every Tuesday they spent times together at Morrie’s house, visit and life lessons. They explored many big issues of life, like the real value of living, love, relationship, death, and tried to find out what is the most important thing in life. Mitch taped their conversation and made notes from it. Morrie was giving his final lecture while Mitch was writing his final thesis. Morrie created his own culture, simple yet meaningful life. He was such a wise man with a positive view of life. He handled his illness with bravery. Mitch realized that he has a different way to see life then, and that was because of what Morrie said.

Mitch said that Morrie was ‘a teacher until the end’. And that was so true.