Time with Under Secretary USA

Last week I had a great time because, under my tons of works, my boss asked me to attend the USAID annual partnership meeting with him, which was at the meeting, the under secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs US Department of State and the US Ambassador for Indonesia came.

For me of course to meet the US Ambassador it is not something special. But to meet the under secretary - Maria Otero, it is something special. She is the very very important people (vvip) at the meeting. She take a very good position at Obama's regime, her awards and recognition include selection by Newsweek in October 2005 as one of the United State's 20 most influential women!! So, can you imagine how lucky I am that I could meet her personally (of course it will be more special if I could meet Hilary Clinton personally - I am her fan :) . Wish me luck, I could meet her one day, will you?)

The wonderful moment of course cause I could take a picture side by side with her. Hi ... she eve put her hand at my waist when we took a picture and did not release it until the photo session finished. She is really a warm woman. And actually not like a formality too much, but her job and her position force her to obey the formality procedural. We even talked a bit, she said I should work hard for my people (Indonesian people) and she said thank you for my dedicated work for my country as a part of Indonesia civil society.

Of course I felt a bit shame, because I thought, until now I never did something big for my country and I thought if my office did not pay me, may be I did not want to work. LOL I am not kind of activist who is really speaking up for the people or fighting for the right of people.

So thanks God ... I love You so much :D

Time as hrd

One of my tasks at my office now as a human resources development (HRD). And as the name of the job means that I have to handle staff from the interview until they are already work with my organization.

Of course to handle staff is not easy as well. I have to have more patience than my boss. I have to be their ear - to hear their problems and my boss problems or complains about them. To hear people problems and try the best to find the solution for their problems is one of my best :D But to tell them again and again about their same mistakes in the nice way or to be patience with their bad attitude, that is the problems of mine. Or to have a noted when they come to the office, if they are really attending the workshop or meeting. And especially if they need my attention at my busy time. Or if they have arguing between them. Or if I have to provide what they needy, or to provide everything which make the works atmosphere at my office support their work, so they will feel comfortable to work. Thats all sometimes make me feel so exhaustion. Yup, I have to be like kind of mom for people at my office, that is the reason why my boss and my colleagues call me "mom" :D

But beyond of this, the hard things when I have my own problem with the office. I have to wait my boss, because I could not tell others about mine. And because he is always using this moment to share of his problem too, so usually it is ended with kind of sharing our feeling. LOL

That is the good things as over thirty woman, you are already mature enough to handle your feeling. You are already pass the time to be "wanna be center of attention" and you are already experiences with many things which you can use as a resources to help others.

The hard times as hrd is when you should to choose the best candidates for one position or to give the suggestion to your boss to fire someone because of his/her work and habit can not be tolerated anymore. Because it means that you will make them loose their opportunity to have a job or to get income (as you know, it is hard to find job in Jakarta as well).

But of course I love my job now, one side I have to handle budget, expenditure, finance which is connecting with number and logic and another side I have to handle with people who is connecting with feeling :D. Nice combination, right?

The way I like beading art

Picture beside is, one of necklace made by my self. This one already sold out (lucky me :)).

On my free time, I like to make something like this, which is famous with the name beading.

Why I like this kind of art ?

First because I like to use necklace, bracelet or ring. And this kind of things, somehow too expensive and sometimes nothing which is fix with my needy :) Yes, I am a bit picky sometimes. Hahahahhahaa

Second because I love to see all the beautiful things and it is so nice if I can create from nothing be something.

Now, of course I have almost no time to do this and many of my products (can I say it product?) already sold out. So if you want to see, I can't show you the result, just the pictures.

It is kind of happiness too if someone use something which is made by myself. Can't pay the feel with money. Especially I rarely sell this kind of my art, usually as long as can cover the price of the beads.

Sometimes, a few people asked me to do something with their beads and asked me to match it with their clothes. Or sometimes they told me about their clothes and the ceremony and asked me to make match necklace or bracelet for it.

I learn this kind of art just through books (I spent too much money for the books because the books are so expensive), never learn through course. But last month I have an idea that I want to make it more professional , so I will take a few course for that :D, but still I do not know when I begin but at least I knew already where I will take the course.

This kind of activity can reduce your stress too, even though sometimes, need your creativity, because you can't just copy it from books or someone creature, it isnot nice at all.

When my brothers married, I made around 400 key chains from beading by my self as a gift for the guest at his wedding day. It is a little bit crazy because I made it by myself just around 2 months. And this kind of gift become one of the most wanted gift at that day. And many guest felt disappointed because they did not get it.

One of my dream of course, I want to have my own bead store, which sell all necklace, bracelet, ring, and any fancy things from beads.

Wish me luck :D