Flappy Bird, Ironpants, and Why I Hate Everything Right Now

I think I’m losing my mind. My thumb is actually throbbing, and for what? A pixelated bird that doesn’t even know how to fly straight.

I just stared at my screen for a minute in dead silence because I DON’T EVEN TOUCH THE PIPE DUDE. I’m dying, and then the game is over. Just like that. The game is broken. My life is a lie. Damn it. It’s the kind of frustration that makes you want to throw your phone across the room, but you don’t because you know you’ll just pick it up and press “Start” again.

But then, I found something worse. Something more sinister.

IRONPANTS.

Someone told me it was the “next big thing.” Someone lied. You’ll realize that Flappy Bird is nothing compared to this game. If you thought Flappy Bird was hard and frustrating, go play Ironpants. It’s not even a challenge. It’s just chaos. The controls are so twitchy it feels like the game wants me to lose.

Anyway, I uninstalled it after playing it for two minutes for the very first time. It’s officially the shittest game ever, haha. I can’t deal with this kind of stress right now. I’m going back to listening to Lorde and pretending the world isn’t ending. At least Pure Heroine understands me better than a guy in iron pants ever will.

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Geng Sanput

Friends, laughter, and late-night stories at our cozy boarding house.

"I am glad you are here with me. Here at the end of all things, Sam." – Tolkien

안녕~~~

The only things truly precious to me are people: parents, family, and friends. Well, it's three o’clock in the morning and I can’t sleep, so I decided to write this post to introduce you to my best friends in college.

Fast forward to today, they’ve been my besties for about 3.5 years. At first, we girls weren’t that close, but living in the same boarding house made us grow closer day by day. Our cozy homebase? Sanput, short for "Sandi Putri", a small boarding house in Kutek, Depok, with a few simple rooms and a pleasant atmosphere. Perfect for chatting, studying, or just hanging out.

We didn’t have an official group name, but people started calling us Geng Sanput, and I kinda love it. Here’s a picture of us together:

Cheers! Three fingers wide smile (^_^)/

Meet the Geng Sanput members!

1. Ikah (me!)

Hehe, sorry for the awkward pose. Everyone says I have the most jutek face – always looking angry, unfriendly, and snooty. Resting bitch face, maybe? But honestly, I’m cute, funny, and friendly.. promise! Born with big eyes and a natural resting expression, but I swear I’m approachable.

2. Dewi Lestari Natalia (Dee)

Dee is the Queen of Alay – always overacting, selfie master, and duck-face expert. Her laugh is super lebay but totally hilarious. Loves purple and Adam Levine more than anything in this world, period. She can pull a funny pose in literally every photo.

3. Hestia Hartini (Hes)

Our food supplier lol. Hestia often brought chocolate, cakes, and even durian pancakes. She has a lovely, melodious voice – definitely our best singer. Ask her to sing a song, you'll be amazed! She’s already engaged and will be the first in our group to get married this year. I’m really happy for her!

4. Qurratul Ain (Ain)

My ex-roommate and a super good friend. She’s a little childish for her age, has a kid-like figure, and sometimes gets bullied easily. We had little quarrels over unimportant things, but mostly we joked around and laughed.

5. Setiyaningrum (Ningrum)

Hestia’s roommate. Loves singing, Korean movies, and IU. She’s captious, yes, but a really good Muslimah. Her door is always open for me even now! Ningrum is one of those friends who’s strict but also genuinely kind.

6. Maylani Tiarna (May)

Kindhearted and supportive. Maylani always helped me understand difficult things in class patiently. She often stayed overnight at our rooms even though her house was nearby. We share the same terrible habit of oversleeping (hence the dark circles under our eyes!).

7. Yoza Kurniawan (Ajoy)

My best internship partner! He didn’t live in Sanput because it’s for girls only, but his boarding house was right opposite ours – kind of funny, right? He always encouraged me and became one of my greatest motivators. Super smart, helpful, and unofficially our teacher.

Dee, Ain, Maylani, and Yoza were about to graduate in less than a week. I felt so happy for them, I couldn’t even explain it! Me? Still struggling haha.

I’m so lucky to have all of them. No words can ever express how much I love them. We shared laughter, studies, dreams, joys, and sorrows. Even distance cannot separate best friends.

I wish all of them the best in life: success, happiness, and good luck at every turn. This post is dedicated to them. I love you guys! ❤️

Here are some alay poses, specially led by Dee. Enjoy!

HAHAHAHA I CAN'T STOP LAUGHING!
Thanks Google+ for making it funny.

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Life of Pi (2012): Two Ways to Remember the Same Story

This post contains spoilers for both the novel and the film.

I first met Pi Patel when I was fifteen, rotting away in my high school bedroom. Back then, his story was just an adventure. A boy, a boat, a Bengal tiger. I treated his struggle like a set of chores. Outsmart the hyena, don't get eaten, find the island. When the ending gave me those two versions, I went with the animals because it was "prettier." I shut the book feeling pretty smug, thinking I’d just solved a clever puzzle. 

Watching Ang Lee’s film now, at twenty, it feels like a different kind of wreckage. This was never an adventure. Survival isn't the point anymore. Now I see the exhaustion of actually having to live with yourself once the struggle is over. The movie made me look past the "what" and into the "why." I'm thinking about the small, messy ways the ocean left its mark on the guy who actually made it back.

My take on Richard Parker completely flipped. At fifteen, he was just a predator to be avoided. Now, seeing that metaphor hits me so hard I can barely handle it. He wasn’t some beast sharing the boat; he was the savage version of Pi that had to come out so he wouldn't die. Every snarl was just Pi’s own terror reflected back at him. That’s why the ending is so gutting now. When that tiger walks into the jungle without looking back, Pi isn't losing a pet. He’s watching the wildest part of his own soul walk away. It's the part that saved him, but he knows he can’t bring that version of himself back to a normal life. You see it in his eyes on that beach. He’s going to miss that monster forever.

The movie turned the ending from a brain teaser to something much uglier. Reading the book, those two versions felt like a game of pick-your-favorite. But seeing adult Pi look that drained while recounting the brutal version ruined that for me. You realize the tiger story isn't just a smart writing trick. It’s the lie he needs so he doesn't collapse under what he actually did. The truth doesn't even matter at this point. What matters is that he needs the tiger story just to keep going without losing his mind.
Ang Lee made every frame look like a surreal painting, which actually messed with my head a bit. The glowing ocean, that perfectly still water.. it’s all so beautiful that it almost hides the horror of what's happening. The book didn't have that filter. It was desperate and chaotic, forcing you to look at the turtle blood and the filth. The movie feels like this hazy, spiritual dream, but the book just feels like an open wound. It’s the same plot, I know. But the book and the movie just don't belong in the same room.

I don't think asking which one is better even matters. The book was this private adventure I had as a teenager. The movie, though, felt like being forced to sit with someone else’s trauma. It’s exhausting. I don’t care about which version is superior. They’re just two different ways of looking at a tragedy that doesn't make sense anyway.

I'm not done with Pi yet. I’m just curious which version of the story I’ll actually believe when I’m thirty, and how much it’s going to hurt then.

Richard Parker was never meant to love him back. He was meant to leave, and by leaving, teach Pi how to live.

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Miracles in December: EXO’s Winter Gift

Only a few months after Growl took over everything, EXO suddenly came back with a winter mini-album. It feels like a small gift for fans who stayed with them through this whole crazy year. Miracle in December is completely different from their usual powerful dance songs. Instead of choreography and heavy beats, it leans into slow, emotional ballads. This isn’t the EXO I thought I was getting this winter.

The title track isn’t some corny holiday song. “Miracles in December” is a piano-and-strings ballad with real regret in it. It hits even harder when you’re already missing someone. What really stays with you is the vocals. The song ends up belonging to Baekhyun, Chen, and D.O., with Luhan shining in the Chinese version. Chen’s high notes hit first. Baekhyun sounds quieter than usual here. D.O. is what keeps the song from breaking. Luhan, in the Chinese version, makes it feel even lonelier.

The music video is basically just snow and members looking sad in winter coats. It never really warms up. Seeing them prep gifts for someone who’s clearly not coming is kind of depressing. I like that they brought back the MAMA powers, too. Tao trying to turn back time only to realize he can't fix anything. The ending feels heavy. Not in a dramatic way, just.. quiet. Especially if you’ve been following them since debut.

The album as a whole sticks to the same winter mood. It’s over sooner than I wanted it to be. “The First Snow” is easily my favorite. Just simple, nostalgic track that I can already tell I’ll be replaying every December. "Christmas Day" is smoother and has that R&B vibe, and I’m glad we get to hear the other members' voices for once. But then "My Turn to Cry" starts and it just ruins you again. It’s Baekhyun, Chen, and D.O. sounding like they’re completely drained. "The Star" is kind of the odd one out here. It’s a bit too sleek for the mood, but it’s the one that stays in your head after the album ends.

The focus during this era was clearly on the main vocal line. At first, it felt strange seeing only a few members promoting the title track, but focusing on Baekhyun, Chen, D.O., and Luhan made sense for songs this vocal-driven. The debate over the Korean and Chinese versions is very real. Many listeners feel the Chinese lyrics flow more naturally, and Luhan’s voice carries a softness that fits the album beautifully.

Miracles in December isn’t just a seasonal album. It’s tied to a very specific December in my life. Cold nights, overthinking, and that soft sadness that comes with the end of the year. It showed a side of EXO we didn’t usually get to see. Sometimes, just voices and quiet songs were enough. This album ended up becoming my December soundtrack in 2013. Every time the year starts to slow down, I think I’ll come back to it.

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My 2013 Beauty Favorites

Can’t believe 2013 is ending already. To be honest, I didn’t experiment with a lot of new stuff this year, but I did find some holy grails that I kept repurchasing over and over. Nothing fancy or expensive, just stuff that actually works for my skin and makes my morning routine a bit more fun.

1. Etude House Shini Star Clear BB Lotion

I’ve been using this since 2012 and I’m already on my fourth bottle! I initially bought it because of SHINee (obviously, haha), but it turns out to be so good. The coverage is light and dewy, and it has this subtle sweet scent that I love. It has SPF 20 too, which is perfect for campus. It looks so natural, like I’m not wearing any makeup at all.

2. Etude House Fresh Cherry Lip Tint

The best lip tint I’ve tried so far. My natural lips are pretty pale, so this has been a lifesaver to add some "life" to my face. The texture is a gel and it's so easy to blend. It gives that natural pink flush that doesn't look too much. I always have this in my bag for quick touch-ups after lunch!

3. Etude House Wonder Pore Freshener

My daily toner and a total savior for my pores. It feels so refreshing and really cleans off the gunk after washing my face. It keeps my skin balanced and less oily throughout the day. Plus, the huge pump bottle is so convenient and lasts forever!

4. Innisfree Wine Peeling Jelly Softener

Obsessed! It’s an exfoliating toner but the texture is like a soft jelly. It’s so satisfying to see it lift away dead skin cells on a cotton pad. My face feels so smooth and bouncy afterward. And the smell! It’s like sweet wine, so relaxing to use at night before bed.

5. Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask

I reach for this whenever my skin feels "clogged" or extra oily. Unlike other clay masks, this one is creamy and doesn't make my skin feel tight or dry. It’s been a total game-changer for my T-zone and blackheads this year.

6. The Face Shop Herb Day 365 Cleansing Foam (Acerola)

My morning go-to. It lathers up so well and leaves my face feeling squeaky clean but not dry. The tube is huge and super affordable, it feels like it never runs out! Just a simple, honest cleanser that does its job.

7. Secret Key Snail Gel Repairing Cream

My first ever snail product! I know it sounds weird, but I'm a convert. The texture is a clear, lightweight gel that absorbs instantly. It’s so cooling and helps a lot with redness or those annoying small breakouts. I use it as a day moisturizer because it doesn't make me greasy at all. Best budget find of the year, definitely.

So, those are my 2013 favorites! Most are affordable and easy to find. I'm sure I'll try new things in 2014, but these will always have a special place on my vanity. Thanks for reading and hope you guys had an amazing year!

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Review: The Body Shop Strawberry Body Puree & Body Mist

Hi everyone!

I hope you’re all having a great week so far.

To be honest, I’ve never been a big fan of strawberry-scented products. I usually prefer flowery or musky scents over fruity ones, but I’ve been eyeing these at The Body Shop for months. After a lot of thinking, I finally decided to get the Strawberry Body Puree and the Body Mist. So, here’s my review!

The Body Shop Strawberry Body Puree

Packaging

It comes in the classic TBS 250ml clear plastic bottle. I love that it’s transparent because you can easily see how much product is left! The pump has a handy twist-up lock, making it super mess-free. You’ll find the ingredients on the back and the expiration date at the bottom.

Texture & Feel

The texture is more of a gel-lotion, and it’s this pretty pink color that is just so aesthetically pleasing! On the skin, it feels really soothing and lightweight. It feels a little bit sticky right after application, but definitely not greasy. It takes a minute or two to fully sink in, but the good news is it doesn't leave any residue on my clothes!

The Scent

It has a very light, slightly sweet strawberry scent. But if I’m being honest, it smells a bit too artificial for me. Compared to other TBS lotions, I also find that the scent doesn't linger very long on my skin. It’s nice, but not exactly what I expected.

• Moisture Level: Not quite moisturizing enough for my dry skin, though it does leave my skin feeling soft.
• SPF: None! So you’ll definitely need to layer some sunscreen over it if you’re heading out.
• Ingredients: It does contain parabens, but personally, I don’t mind that.
• Ethics: TBS is against animal testing, which is always a huge plus in my book!
• Price: Rp 149.000 for 250 ml (September 2013)
• Rating: 3 out of 5
• Repurchase? Probably not.
• Recommend? Yes, for those who just need a light-textured lotion for daily use!

The Body Shop Strawberry Body Mist

Packaging

This one comes in a 100ml glass bottle. It’s a bit bulky to carry everywhere and I’m always afraid it might break. I actually preferred their old plastic bottles, but the glass one looks much more elegant on the dressing table. The spritzer works well and distributes the mist evenly.

​The Scent

This is a total winner for warmer days! Unlike the puree, the mist smells sweet and lovely without being too "sugary" or "childish." It feels very summery and surprisingly, it doesn't smell artificial at all. It’s perfect for daily wear when you just want something fresh.

Longevity

Since it’s a body spray, it doesn't last very long on me, it only lasts about an hour or so. You’ll definitely need to re-spritz throughout the day.

• Price: Rp 139.000 for 100 ml (September 2013)
• Rating: 3.5 out of 5
• Repurchase? No, I think I'll try a different scent next time!
• Recommend? Yes, if you’re looking for a fresh, fruity summer scent.

Fun Fact!

Did you know The Body Shop uses organic alcohol from sugarcane in Ecuador? You can watch the video I’ve linked below if you want to know more about their community fair trade projects!

Thanks for reading. See you in the next post!

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