Mar 30, 2009

End of the Month's Phobia

I don't know if it's different work-culture between Indonesia and other country. Here, we always had our salary in the first day of the month. After it reduced by taxes, bills, debts and contingency fees, we receive paycheck for our time, loyalty, support and tartness..


Usually it won't wait till the end of the month when fund ran dry. Sometimes, if we firm enough to tighten expends, try hard to be patient, and eat with unpretentious menu, we could hold out up to 25th day of the month approximately. But it rarely happen, cause in the middle of the month..everything was finished. Henceforth, we filled out day by day with do these things:
1. Cantering for debt to our close friends.
2. Always go to meet parent-in-law for extra food.
3. Bringing down a visiting habit to neighbor, cause we usually can not restrain to buy something when merchant-men passing through (example: bakso, siomay, ketoprak, tell me all about Indonesian junk food).
4. Rent a DVD, I mean a good movie so we can stay at home for recreation than go to the mall.
5. Keep blogging, cause it can reduce wrath on our heart.

I don't know with you, guys. Wanna share?

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Mar 29, 2009

Last Night's Experience

I have to write something here..

May be I would start with my experience last night when the earth hour was implemented. Formerly I thought PLN ( Indonesian Electricity Coop) would shutdown entire electricity network in whole town, but when the time came, nothing happened. I saw in my neighborhood and others were wondering too. Well, I think all depends on the awareness of how far we are concerned about the condition of our earth. And as has been previously able to guess, most of Indonesian citizen does not seem to care.

It makes me wonder whether we have not receive sufficient disasters yet? Or we have to wait until a greater disaster comes?

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Mar 28, 2009

New Template

Ups, I tried to simply use this template for hours!

Thank to bloggerstyles for sharing this.

update: Sorry, I have changed it to basic template again. It may be because I am a HTML idiot :D. However, thanks for your attention.

Mar 25, 2009

Earth Hour

I had my lunch with soup, salty egg, soybean curd and sambal (terasi sauce made with shrimp paste) - ups don't forget kerupuk (chips made of flour flavored with fish or shrimp). This dish was really tasty and seems like a kind of Indonesian middle-class family meals, but no matter, 'cause I would say cheers!


In the mean time, when I watched TV (yes I addicted to watch it while I'm eating), there is a advertisement that show some Indonesian artists talk about something.

Earth Hour.

It said that we have to support the campaign with turned off the lamp for 60 minutes on Saturday March 28th at 8.30 pm local time...

First, I stupfied..
Second, said to myself 'why not?'

For you who don't know what it is, surf here and take your action!

picture? here

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Mar 24, 2009

Boring Boring Indonesia

Hey, what's going on here?!

I'm rolling out my destiny and simply let it flow through day by day. Obviously I try to make a difference - write just to fulfill my curiosity to be a better blogger as they talk to. Beneath it all - fiuh - I like riding a roller coaster that bring me up and down through this clouded track. I'm not sure how to explain to you, cause my English is really really shattered, aren't I?. But it can not ceased me from blah blah blah and act like flustered blogger. Yup, just write from the heart - and definitely you understand how is my heart looks like.

You know, sometimes you just get boring to our country sickness. Especially if you're living in country like Indonesia. Everyday such a criminal day, crashed plane, flood, disaster, economic reduction, bad nutrition baby, yea and all things that could full up the black holes.

What's the matter with Indonesia?

I know that foolish question can't throw me into silent helplessness. Instead whining out, I blew it up!

pic source: here

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Mar 21, 2009

How to Restart if I Can't Find the Button?

Thirty years ago, when I decided to get my engineering scholarship in this town, my dream was I would came back to my birthplace and share my knowledge there. I was idealistic, enthusiastic and challenged. But after years to years I can't ignore that my bad discipline got everything pulverization. I've carried all my success away, instead buried precious passion in the early.


It's all about discipline..

The expert told there are high correlation between success and well self-discipline. Someone who have the ability to get himself to take action regardless of his emotional state, and acceptance to perceive reality accurately and consciously acknowledge what he perceive. I think this is simple and obvious, but in practice it’s extremely difficult. If I experience chronic difficulties in a particular area of my life, there’s a strong chance that the root of the problem is a failure to accept reality as it is. The result is easily putative, I'll be back gladly as soon as possible to my comfortable area and again, building a castle in the cloud.

Are discipline people born or made? I definitely would say it depend on self point of view. Some said it could be their gene, race, nationality, family habitually, or even being inspired by the God. I wonder if this is the reason why everyone has not developed their discipline to the same degree, hasn't they? Well, it could be. And if I hasn’t consciously acknowledged where I stand right now in terms of my level of self-discipline, it’s highly unlikely that I'm going to improve at all in this area. Hmm, this is what I should avoid of.

I just consider to what I could accomplish if I could simply get myself to follow through on my best intentions no matter what. I wanna restart all these things via relaxing weekend, but where is the button?

pic source: hardwarezone

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Mar 20, 2009

Routine Friday

Everyone said that Friday is such a shorter day than others in a week. I must node my head and shout 'yea, 100 percent!'. I can't wait till afternoon what I could did it this morning, but I assure you that my assignments is so attractive for me. It's about analyze rain-fall data, calculate it with Thiessen method and use it all to estimate discharge. Hey, this is just a routine habit!

After a few minutes, I guess, adzan calls to make sure that all moslems do our Jum'at Prayer. The point is, our life is shorter since the invention of these technologies, and there's nothing we can do to neglect them, otherwise we will left behind. To make sure that our life isn't empty, the spiritual side must be filled up.

Happy Friday!

Mar 19, 2009

The Magician, I Wish..

Do you believe in Tarot? I'm sick of it, honestly. But if everything goes wrong, occasionally I need to see what other side of this opportunity should be. Zodiac, feng-shui, weton (Javanese myth), or this one..Tarot. It's interesting, because while I found Nath's post, I suddenly attracted. I took the quiz and this is the result:


Skill, wisdom, adaptation. Craft, cunning, depending on dignity.

Eleoquent and charismatic both verbally and in writing, you are clever, witty, inventive and persuasive.

The Magician is the male power of creation, creation by willpower and desire. In that ancient sense, it is the ability to make things so just by speaking them aloud. Reflecting this is the fact that the Magician is represented by Mercury. He represents the gift of tongues, a smooth talker, a salesman. Also clever with the slight of hand and a medicine man - either a real doctor or someone trying to sell you snake oil.

It said that I compatible to a smooth talker, a salesman..that's weird for me. Clever with the slight of hand..this is more reasonable, as I'm good at drawing comic, playing bass guitar and drum. Sure, I'll publish my comic in this blog soon.

About the magician, I wish I am. Change my whole life as easy as turn the hand palm up and down..

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Bad News

This Thursday isn't like another Thursday in my whole life. In this past 2 days, since I rocked the day, almost like I've lose all my grips. I can't think as usual, read as usual, muse, and everything I do seems doesn't have sense anymore.

As my story started in..hmm-I've been left to guard someone's house. Took care the building, facilitate it, make it better cause the house had never occupied for almost 2 years. I agreed and here I am, I've stayed in that place for about one and a half years.

Yesterday, bad news came, and ready or not, I must leave the house within a month. I don't know how it happen, but..I think I know about the reason. It's all about take-and-give, the owner presumes that I've no respect with her (yes, her..). It's hard to accepted cause I thought nothing is going wrong, besides I didn't show up when she need me to do some works. I told her once that I had another activity that can't be canceled, but I see that's not enough.. She was angry and said it's no excuse.

It's simpler thing: action - reaction. I don't think where should I stay yet. I hope my baby still stay calm.

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Mar 18, 2009

How do I Look?

Telling stories is often an underrated art, but I think, our life is made up of a sequence of stories. And, to tell a story well for me is often as difficult as bring this headache to a logical phrases and sentences. So I guess, I don't find that surprising since in the end these facts that I'll do it with the same thing but in different ways. That's an intermezzo for today posting, err-is it relevant?


It is for me an unusual and exceptional privilege to write an English blog, and it is even more of a privilege when this blog is 'my face to the world', ouch! How do I look? This saying is especially true when one is already grown up and learning a foreign language as is the case of Indonesian like me who have to learn English for my career.

For your interpretation, my mind has been drilled and disciplined to hear and perceive Indonesian language habits quickly and spontaneously, they are made, unconsciously of course, not to hear or pay attention to any sound or structures not belonging to those with which they are familiar. And as a result, you may guess, my linguistic habits keep interfering in the use of English or they apply wrongly. Therefore, the inevitably make errors and mistakes, sometimes to extent of blunders and foolish laughable mistakes (please, don't laugh at me, but laugh with me, *lol*). Yes, I realize it as I unaware about how other blogs looked like.

Again, how do I look? Please, be honest..

pic source: geekologie

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Mar 16, 2009

May I Comment You?

Ouch, what a big day! I rock the show this morning. As I make all smoother and no excuses for hesitation, I barely demonstrate how to be a good convention operator. Ya, it sorely a little bit nervous, cause many big bosses are watching my chores, and I won't make any mistakes..although ehm-I've got to pee, honestly.

Now, after all the circumstances flyby from my kooky head, I sit here..reading a lot of english blogs. I found some interesting to followed, but to be honest, I'm afraid to write comment on those blogs. I'm too scare to looked like a dumb straying around...

Mostly, I like story blogs, fiction or just life-story like Theresa's or kind of everyday living by Nick. Those are just example, and for my surprising, I can read more blogs through theirs!

Ok, happy blogging everyone, and may I read and comment yours, please?

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Mar 15, 2009

Relaxing Sunday

pic source : google

‘The first draft of anything is shit’ that’s Ernest Hemingway famously said once. Every time I started write for this blog, I’d play my finger on keyboard and try to distribute what I’m thinking in that moment. I’d write my minimum up to 4 sentences requirement, and usually, staying inside the lines and squeezing every word with a lot of questions beyond my head. Is this true? What about this one? How should I spell this word? Etc, etc. If I satisfy, I wouldn’t go back on a way to add some spices to a sentence. I’m afraid it just make it all awkward. Otherwise, I had to at least begin the next group of sentences.

I wish, by that method, I manage to produce quite a lot of sentences enough to be published.

Have it flow, once said. Yes, I have to give myself permission to make mistakes, because, I believe, writing isn’t linear process, even though we read in a linear way through pages/posts. Hmm, is that make sense to you, readers?

Huffh..on this Sunday, I feel relax, physically and mentally.

Happy weekend everybody!

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Mar 14, 2009

Feedback! I Need One!

The first time I started a blog, I was very excited about it and couldn’t wait to tell one of my workmates all about blogging and it’s benefit. I encouraged them to start one too. Blog seemed like the perfect venue for those of us who like to make things out of words.

What’s their response? They thought blogs were just a way for geeks, desperate teenagers who write whatever they think, a person with no job, and so on. And they ask me back ‘Why you blogging anyway, and write in English? C’mon..’.

Since that, I was horrified by the fact that anyone with an internet connection could read my writing. In fact, my desire to get past thet fear was one of the reasons I started the blog you’ve reading now. But actually, I don’t know exactly how blog can help me succeed in my personal goal. And since I continued what I’ve been doing this week, my curiosity become larger and larger. The truth is that in the early days of blog, there were a lot of resources for learning English. Even today, it’s easy to find a truly good English blog, such as Judy and Pavlina. I could say that every piece of writing I produce is practice for the next piece.

I’m using this blog as a vehicle for creative writing, and I think much about how others blog have affected my writing. For that purpose, I use this blog specifically to get feedback from readers.

So, what’s your feedback about this blog, readers?

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Where are You Going?

Hi fellow bloggers.

This is a hot season, isn't it? In Solo, Indonesia, in the middle of March there's no rain drop as much as it should be. And you know, these are perfect days to drying up clothes, long day-sleeping, cleaning around the house and even blogging for some of us, including me. No particular topic for today writing, as I just want to share about Indonesian culture in prevalent way.

In Indonesia which english language is not common, also our bahasa Indonesia-minded is so ingrained, it's familiar to say 'where are you going (mau pergi kemana)?' to close friends, colleagues, neighbours when passed by, in case to show our companionship, regard and openness to each other. We usually say it spontaneously and don't expect for a right answer as it would be a doodlebug question. Some answers may be true due to a referent place, or other subtends place, and the receiver also answer whatever place he/she will, but please, don't say you will go to the pawnshop if you won't to be disgrade in your society.

This is a routine habit and nevertheless won't be subside forever, I think.

So, are you non-native english speaker? What is your jokes about your culture?

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Mar 13, 2009

2 More Days

The big day is 2 more days. What will I do if there're a lot of assignments and so little time to fulfil them? I don't give a care to being plotted as an operator, or even as a file collector. As I thought yesterday, this job is easier than I think. But, still I should wait for another hand to complete the task, so I can sort all files up to be ready to used. If only everyone here cooperated, smells like a giant spirit blow on each head, nobody can stop us. The three days mission would be successfully held.

Messages for everyone: don't wait till you called up by your boss, come to him and say what you should say.

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Mar 12, 2009

Reported Attack Site!


Something's going on here. I've got warning from Google for link to blogcatalog, and it makes me shocked. There're the trojan as Google mentioned:
Malicious software includes 10 trojan(s). Successful infection resulted in an average of 1 new processes on the target machine.

How did this happen? In some cases, third parties can add malicious code to legitimate sites, which would cause us to show the warning message. They said so.

Poor me, I don't understand every single words they said.

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Morning Crazy as Usual

As usual, I go to workplace with a bit hurry. It's not even about how busy we are if we have a little child, because obviously that's exactly what our parents did when we were a child. I don't know for sure. I've been dragging lately for three days, waiting for nothing and wondering how people can stay cool even in their hard time. Still, I argue myself with tons of distraction for not being a sloppy. I could, substantively, make this all on track again, and not just leaning off to my mystification. Dear, this's really a hard time.

Come to my desk, I still having a lot of dumb about everything, like pissed off by a crazy man when you ate your favourite dishes. Some mates do what they (must) do, typing something, laugh to each other and still complaining about that freakish air conditioner. Worst of all, the internet connection is getting down!

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Mar 11, 2009

Hooray! I am Exist!

When I started a new discussion at blogcatalog, I thought no one responded as it’s my hesitate-feeling or just to dealing with my bad mood today. Still, I surfed a lot for resources to purify my blogging goals, but none attract more like ‘the sites jumper’ did. The question I ask is “What is the best site for learning English?”. Simple and clear but need an in-depth reflection. May be I want a short cut to liberate my laziness, considering to my nationality’s natural behaviour-uhmm-or I just did it leisurely.

But it’s shocking! Someone dropped a message and gave me advice! What’s this mean? I was exist!

That’s all.

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I Think This is a Good Start

Many websites and blogs mention me about how to be a good english writer. Some of them were obviously worth to read and explore. Like Judy Rose's blog who explain me how to do if I can't get started writing. One of her advice is identify the purpose in my mind. I think this poin is the core of all things about writing. If we could identify our purpose clearly and apply it to the scetch, it's possibly can make our writing better. This's what I do right now. All I can do is sit and start typing every words i know and try to make a good sentence. Like Glenn Abel's motto: Letter - Word - Sentence - Paragraph - Post...Easy, Huh? And become a prosperous blogger like Poewar said: Write Well, Live Well..ups I'm going too far, huh?

Yesterday I registered at blogcatalog to increase traffic to my blog. The network was good and I see this is a nice start to learn writing english that it's network contains huge resources. On the first day I found philevez and I like his blog right away. I can learn a lot through him and find another reasources which so amazing to explore. I agree to his opinion about Stephen King: Read a lot, write a lot. And to be a good reader we must have a good resource. Unfortunately, in my country has lack of public library. But at college is much better. May be I could start reading English book extensively. Cause it possible to enrich my carrer opportunity, just like Angela said.

When I start blogging I have no other reason except want to be a better english writer. I could make mistakes and that's natural way for someone who in learning process. My first resource in blogging is here, and I think it's very very useful for me. I hope those were useful for you too, readers.

Regards.

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pic source: here

Mar 10, 2009

'Junk' E-mail

I get a new e-mail from someone who called himself 'Siemens Company'. Here the screenshot..


I put my answer with the followings..
Name ; Why d'you want to know?
Country : Wherever I lived
Sex : Yes, I like this one
Age/Tell Number : 25 (I hope so..)
Adress : I'm a nomaden guy

Oh, I can't wait for response. D'you have any 'spam' e-mail like I do? What you do with that? Any suggestions?

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Mar 9, 2009

Endless Journey at Central Sulawesi (1)

Dear bloggers..

This is a note from my unforgettable story on a journey to Central Sulawesi. As it is my first duty, I was very happy and also flustered. I’ve never go to other island before, and surprisingly I rarely go out from Solo. But there was no time for thinking, besides I’ll be took care with free cost and numerous reasons that every young researcher would not prevent at all. So, with no hesitancy I nodded to agreement, and that was where my journey begin.

Research's site, river Salato, Kabupaten Morowali
Central Sulawesi

Thus, on July 4th 2006 early morning, we were only in two with my senior partner Mr. Chris went to Palu. According to plan, we must go trough this route: Solo – Surabaya – Palu (transition via Makassar). Trip to Surabaya was about 5 hours by bus, as we checked off flight schedule to Palu at Juanda Airport that will departed at 12.30 pm. As soon as we got off in Surabaya Bus Terminal, we moved to airport bus and enjoyed our one hour trip to the airport. I feel comfortable in this city, because may be the weather is hot as my birth place town, Cirebon. The language used here also usual, Javanese dialect with some pressures on pronounciation.

After that, we headed to departure lobby for checking in, and about a half hour later we already sat in Boeing Lion Air. Wow, it’s fantastic! I’ve never flight by plane before, moreover never dreamt about it anyway. I really enjoyed the flight, ignored my dizzy sensation when the plane took off and landed easily on Hassanudin Airport, Makassar at 7.00 pm for transition. Here I was, walked emotionally inside the airport and proudly sniffed out the sulawesi’s air. Uhh, that was a beautiful moment.

Unfortunately, the transition plane had come late. Well, is our bad habit applied on the flight schedule too? Seems everybody didn’t give a care, and left me with a huge astonishment. Followed the announcement, we must wait till a couple hours for next trip. I had nothing to do except reading local newsletter, and still grumbling of course. At last, at 9.00 pm we got our plane and brought us to Palu.

It’s about 11 pm when we arrived at Palu airport. Cold and windy, I tighted up my jacket. We took a taxi and headed to middle-class hotel in this strange city.

We spent 4-5 hours for sleeping cause we had to find transportation to the research's site early. We didn’t have much time to accomplish this research. So we woke up early morning and luckily there was a travel biro near our motel. Finally, after the price is right, we packed up all our stuffs and moved out from Palu.

From this point, some awfuls moment waited for me…

(to be continued)

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Mar 7, 2009

Is Blogging in English a Right Decision?

I have blogging in my primary language, bahasa Indonesia many times. And I found that was fun. I have many new friends and experiences, but still did not know exactly what does it mean. Conversations went short and mostly just say hi and introduce one to another, kind of our Indonesian favor. The topics was variated, but commonly focused about what happen to our life, share opinion bout something, mostly some celebrity’s booming gossips and others. That’s good, and I think that’s relaxing. Well, blogging become a new life style, certainly a new expensive life style.

And now, I make bold to write in English and blog it. Hope my English will improve because I know, there’s a lot of free sources out there and would helped me out directly or not. These are just notes of my life and opinion. I don’t catch any topics yet, but perhaps I’ll find it soons.

Postage Stamp Election 2009 Launched

Here come a new collection for philatelist, a postage stamp election 2009 version. We must appreciate this as we admire to those legislative candidates who fight each other oblingingly. We all know, the legislative election definitely would held on april 9th, and it would be a good momentum for communication department to launch a new postage stamp collection. I think this is not just cheering a democratic party, at the heart of matter all will refert to our point of view. Honestly, I might collect one of them in order to remind this major event.


There are four designs. First design inscribed with phrase 'tandai pilihanmu (mark your choice)', secondly '9 April 2009 (April 9th 2009)', the third is '1 menit di balik suara untuk kehidupan anda 5 tahun mendatang (one minute in voting booth for your next 5 years life)', and the last is all election participan party that arranged so looked like our proudly flag, red and white.

It will be printed out to the number of 300 thousands exemplars each. Each postage stamp sell at 1500 rupiahs and composed in 1 package. Each package sold at 30 thousands rupiahs. Humm, may be I'll think it over again to buy one. Cause I think there are cheaper way to socialize the election. People might use SMS, e-mail or other media which more effective, easy and cheap right now.

Abdul Hafiz Anshary, the chairman of KPU told that according to Communication and Information Departement, it still about 1 thousands people communicate by letter. Take a look at this record from TVone..



I didn’t vote last election. D’you think I was the member of loser who named theirself golongan putih? No, absolutely not. I have my own reason that would not be written here. It is not too important.

Therefore, postage stamp making for celebrating the coming election was become such routinized moment. And I hope no routinize for multi-dimensional crisis, we still wait for a major change.

Regards.

source:
pic:
metrotv
, video: tvone

Mar 6, 2009

Not Enough Time

I had serious problem with my time management. According to my 12 years experience studying in college, have a 8 month baby and working in river research and development, I fell running out of time every day. 24 hours that God provided still make my day such as rush hour in a busy street. Do this and do that, plan this and disregard other..and so on. Having trouble is not my final purpose in this life, so all I can do is try to complete all assignments and feel bored at last.

I'm not the one who give up and suggesting negative point of view for other. No, no, and never at all. That's why many friends trust me, cause I never tell their story to another. I am a good secret keeper, therefore I might have enough time to listen to them. Yes I never ignore friends in all criteria, if I do so I'll feel guilty and nothing I could do except judge sadly to myself.

A few of people seems happy for their life, and I still surprised. I really wonder if I am one of them, live in unspaced life. But now I think, where is responsibility stays? Also commitment and self-spirituality? I can't imagine if there is no religion. Might human being found their destruction, cause of no rule for humanity. Humm..may this writing is my escape to self-guilty? It can be, so everything is released away. I feel good now, and thanks to this media, although my time is still not enough..

First Post!

Okay, this is my first blog in english. I was tempted by another indonesian blogger who had succeed bring their thought to this online media. I think this is not an easy work if. I rather count and analysing flood control and sink in the tons of formula, yea that's a dirty imagination. If fatih told me there're 10 reasons why we blog in english, I tend to write it in my own version.

And here there are:

1. My english is terrible, hardly understood and complicated tense. Since I was SMP students, I tried to comprehend this interesting language. No one guide and I just like it anyway. So, that's what bring me here right now. Just write brutally and pray, hopefully those who read this blog understand and catch my messages. I hope there's somebody out there could give feedback so it can improve me day by day.

2. I agree with fatih about how outsider see and judge us here in Indonesia. We should have our own voices. There will be a better reason if everyone realize this: Indonesia is one of major country which could be a serious competitor on every subjects, if we can stand with our own feet and hadn't affected by foreign dictation. Blogging is one thing and probably the best way to communicate how we life here and spread our thoughts over the world.

3. Making difference in my life, so this will be a good adventure!

So, what are you waiting for? There is only 0,4 percent internet user in ths country. Glad if your voices just heard by that number? Be brave and see what happen next. That's what I'm going to do.