Let's Rock!

One goal down: see an Indonesian rock band in concert. I’ve got to say, it was great. How I’ve managed to go this long without seeing a proper show here is beyond me, but I broke the spell Saturday night and I’m glad I did. No shitty cover bands in dingy, dark pseudo-whorehouses. Oh no, a proper show complete with booze, professional sound and lighting — fabulous! To say that I got drunk and had a blast would be an understatement.

We had a small snafu getting in the club, but nothing that you can’t finagle a bit and get around. The only two guys (friend and I) were wearing sandals and apparently at such a high-class establishment, people don’t wear sandals. No problem we said. We went back to the car and took two pairs of women’s shoes, forced them on, I walked like a hooker in heels (got big feet you know) and entered without a word. Once inside, I promptly changed back into the sandals — sorted.

Anyway, the show was sponsored by Surya 16 (the best cigarettes in the fucking world I might add) and when you bought your ticket, the promo guys and gals literally thrust pack upon pack at you. I managed to snag six. Too bad I’m not a chick and had a purse or I would have taken the whole lot. Only in Indonesia could this happen. Anywhere else, if a tobacco company sponsors something, there are a thousand dipshit groups that come out of the woodwork crying foul and how unethical and wrong it is — bullshit! None of that nonsense this time around, thankfully. The cigarette companies sponsor everything and that’s just life.

Inside, it felt like any other show I’ve been to that was relatively nice. The venue was an enormous hotel here that quite honestly, I usually try and avoid. I’ve been a few times to eat, use the pool and what not, but it’s such a large, gaudy compound and goddamnit, it’s expensive! To make matters worse, it creates horrid traffic for me that greatly increases my chances of death and I happen to resent that as well. Anyway, I caved in and went and it was great. I saw a lot of friends, drank something akin to battery acid that put me in the stratosphere and just had fun. For a few hours I forgot where I was and I need that now and again to stay grounded.

Now, if only we could get some international bands coming round. Granted, I do like some Indonesian bands (Slank, Jamrud, Ari Lasso, Peter Pan), they just don’t do proper metal and damnit, I miss that. I’ve yet to find the metal underground or find out if it even exists. In Jakarta, yeah, I’m sure it does, but I don’t live there so it does me no good. Speaking of Jakarta, they’ve had a string of good shows come through and every time I see the ads, I curse myself for not being there. However, I wonder if being able to attend a few metal shows a year would be worth living in a sinking shithole? Eh, probably not.

Okay, enough bullshit for today. I’m going to go try and enjoy Valentine’s Day. At least tomorrow’s a holiday.

Another Day

Talk about a shitty day. First, my water stopped working. Well, rather the tank was empty and I was unsure of how to operate the two pumps I have, so for the sake of this piece we'll say it wasn't working. Anyway, no water for a day or two is rather bad. If you're unable to wash dishes and refill the water tank to bathe (my shower doesn't work as I don't have enough water pressure), life is rather bad. Regardless, I managed as I always do, went to work and promptly managed to get it fixed. It cost me an hour of my time and a couple packs of smokes — not bad. Yet another reason I love this place: you can pay for services rendered with things other than money. Sugar, cigarettes, food and other various goods work just as well — it's great!

After that, I went back to work, finished out the day and just as I was about to leave, the skies opened and released two-hours of unholy rain. As expected, it flooded afterwards and at some point killed the power as well. No worries for me as I went to eat after it stopped and then back home to change clothes before going to the gym. The power was off, but that's not exactly anything new. Where I live, an hour or two is about all it's out for, so I wasn't too worried.

Anyway, it was already dark, I couldn't see and I somehow managed to bump my security door shut while my keys were still in the main door — whoops. I figured there was no need to get all worked up, so I went on to the gym and started making some calls once I was there. I think I rang everyone I thought could possibly locate a locksmith to come at night, but no answer except from one person and then she gave me bad news. I couldn't for the life of me think of the word for locksmith (tukang kunci — simple enough) so I was shit out as to where to look myself. I figured almost nine, no power, post flood: I'm fucked.

Later, I finally got a message back that someone was coming from school and I naively assumed with a spare key in tow. I went straight back home — where there was still no power and pitch fucking dark — to find that the door was opened, but not with a fucking key. He cut through the security door to get to the main door! Ah well, at least I could get in, take a shower, eat and sleep in hot, sticky misery and bond with the mosquitoes. For services rendered, it cost me a pack of smokes — brilliant!

Honestly, this whole chain of events expertly underscores everything I like and subsequently hate about living here. Sure, the power might be unreliable, the water dodgy at best, horrid traffic and complete anarchy on the road and a culture of things happening so slowly that it makes grass growing seem fast, but at the end of the day, all I can do is smile. I eat great food for nothing, live for next to nothing, basically barter for services, pay people off to do things quicker and more efficiently and more or less live stress-free save for the problems I create for myself. I guess I can't complain all that much.

Anyway, I don't know what the point of this is, but it does feel rather good to write a bit. I've been a bit lazy and unmotivated as of late. However, I do have a slight bit of hope that it will get better. Wait, no it won't. I've been waiting twenty-eight years on that. I don't think it's going to change now.