Foreword
Bacaan Waktu Santai or Leisurely Reading, letters to the editor, writings which were published in the news papers to readers having a lot of leisure time. What’s reading when you’re very busy? I dedicate this book to Arif. I remember him saying: “ I don’t care if I don’t have success or get a lot of money and become rich, but have success to get Upi’s favor and a warm place in her heart. Yes, Upi is his dream, his inspiration. She is his first thought when he awakes and his last thought, before he falls asleep.
Certainly, money is also important. Only those who have the means, can decide upon what they desire or want. It’s better, even to eat just tahu (cake of soy flour) or tempe (cake of fermented soy beans) for dinner, or having to walk or cycle or to take a bus, or just having to sleep on a tikar (mat) on the floor, rather than having steak, beef, ice cream for dinner, a car, or living in a luxurious villa, but dependent on some one else. For in being independent is implied one’s sovereignty. “It’s better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of an ox”, so the saying goes.
Every time another piece is published is a joy. I will thank all the papers who have published my writings, such as Sinar Pagi, Jayakarta, Berita Buana, Suara Karya, … almost all the news papers in Jakarta, including those in English as The Jakarta Post, or Moesson in Holland or IVBF magazine in Switzerland.
Just imagine. What a lot did they give me with publishing my letters for free, as for 1 mm/column one has to pay Rp. 5.000.-. My letters are about 250 mm in length, when calculated, I am also a Millionaire(!).
“It’s a pity that it doesn’t come in cash.” said my wife. “The painting of Raden Saleh was sold for Rp. 5.500 million.” she added.
“Well, that time hasn’t come yet. Besides working, at that time, playing, as playing soccer or even by hitting, exchanging blows on each other, as in boxing can be a big source of income. Nobel Prize Winner, Lech Walesa President of Poland didn’t shun to become a laborer again with a wage of about only Rp.600 thousand a month.” I said.
Then, how happy am I when unexpected to receive a reader’s letter, who thanked me warmly for my published writing. It doesn’t matter if I have no success in earning a lot of money, or never getting a Prize for Literature, but have success in a reader’s heart. That would make me feel like receiving a heavenly boon, gift.
“Plack” I hit my eyes. “Aw” I bit my arm. Wow, how nice, this is not just a dream. “Thank you Publisher”, who published this book.
So did I write in my “Prakata“ or foreword, Harian Ekonomi Neraca April 11, 1996. I got no publisher.
Now am I myself publisher, editor, author at the same time of my home page. It’s only a pity that there’s still a lot, I haven’t translated yet.
February 2007
Chew GH
Bacaan Waktu Santai or Leisurely Reading, letters to the editor, writings which were published in the news papers to readers having a lot of leisure time. What’s reading when you’re very busy? I dedicate this book to Arif. I remember him saying: “ I don’t care if I don’t have success or get a lot of money and become rich, but have success to get Upi’s favor and a warm place in her heart. Yes, Upi is his dream, his inspiration. She is his first thought when he awakes and his last thought, before he falls asleep.
Certainly, money is also important. Only those who have the means, can decide upon what they desire or want. It’s better, even to eat just tahu (cake of soy flour) or tempe (cake of fermented soy beans) for dinner, or having to walk or cycle or to take a bus, or just having to sleep on a tikar (mat) on the floor, rather than having steak, beef, ice cream for dinner, a car, or living in a luxurious villa, but dependent on some one else. For in being independent is implied one’s sovereignty. “It’s better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of an ox”, so the saying goes.
Every time another piece is published is a joy. I will thank all the papers who have published my writings, such as Sinar Pagi, Jayakarta, Berita Buana, Suara Karya, … almost all the news papers in Jakarta, including those in English as The Jakarta Post, or Moesson in Holland or IVBF magazine in Switzerland.
Just imagine. What a lot did they give me with publishing my letters for free, as for 1 mm/column one has to pay Rp. 5.000.-. My letters are about 250 mm in length, when calculated, I am also a Millionaire(!).
“It’s a pity that it doesn’t come in cash.” said my wife. “The painting of Raden Saleh was sold for Rp. 5.500 million.” she added.
“Well, that time hasn’t come yet. Besides working, at that time, playing, as playing soccer or even by hitting, exchanging blows on each other, as in boxing can be a big source of income. Nobel Prize Winner, Lech Walesa President of Poland didn’t shun to become a laborer again with a wage of about only Rp.600 thousand a month.” I said.
Then, how happy am I when unexpected to receive a reader’s letter, who thanked me warmly for my published writing. It doesn’t matter if I have no success in earning a lot of money, or never getting a Prize for Literature, but have success in a reader’s heart. That would make me feel like receiving a heavenly boon, gift.
“Plack” I hit my eyes. “Aw” I bit my arm. Wow, how nice, this is not just a dream. “Thank you Publisher”, who published this book.
So did I write in my “Prakata“ or foreword, Harian Ekonomi Neraca April 11, 1996. I got no publisher.
Now am I myself publisher, editor, author at the same time of my home page. It’s only a pity that there’s still a lot, I haven’t translated yet.
February 2007
Chew GH
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