Hari ini saya mendapat istilah baru yang ingin saya bagi ke kalian. Apakah itu? Pack Rats! Dalam pengertian sebenarnya, pack rats memang sejenis tikus ya. Tapi dalam istilah yang ingin saya bahas di sini pack rats adalah sebutan untuk tipikal orang-orang yang suka menyimpan barang misalkan saja majalah selama bertahun-tahun.

Kalau kamu adalah tipe yang begitu selesai membaca atau pun tidak lama setelah membaca maka majalah itu akan kamu buang atau berikan ke orang lain, maka kamu bukan pack rat.

Saya sendiri adalah tipe pack rat. Saya suka menyimpan barang-barang sampai bertahun-tahun apalagi kalau itu adalah buku. Paling-paling ibu saya yang pada akhirnya membumihanguskan barang-barang saya seperti buku-buku jaman SD-SMA dulu. Yang tersisa tinggal buku-buku jaman kuliah. Rasanya sayang begitu kalau harus membuang buku-buku saya. Saya punya keinginan mempunyai perpustakaan sendiri di rumah. *make a wish*

Kalau kamu bagaimana? Apakah kamu pack rats?

You can use or...? at the end of yes-no questions to make them less direct.

Kamu bisa menggunakan or...? di akhir kalimat yes-no questions untuk memberi kesan tidak terlalu to the point atau langsung.

Contoh:

A. Would you like to go out or...?
B. Well, I just want a sandwich or something.

A. Do you go out for lunch every day or...?
B. Well, I usually bring my lunch, but today I didn't.

In conversation,  or...? is one of the top 50 words.

Source: Touchstone

You can use "like" to give examples

Like bisa digunakan untuk memberikan contoh. Dalam bahasa Indonesia, like di sini diartikan sebagai "seperti."

Contoh:

You can put sprinkles on things like ice cream and cake.

In conversation, Like is one of the top 15 words.
It has other meanings:
I like Italian food.
What's South Korea like?
Sprinkles are like sugar.

Source: Touchstone

Uh-huh means "Yes," "That's right," or "I'm listening."

Oh shows you're surprised, happy, or angry.

In conversation, Uh-huh and Oh are in the top 50 words.




Source: Touchstone

You can use expressions with "That's..." to react to news.

That's... digunakan sebagai reaksi terhadap suatu berita yang didengar dari lawan bicara.

Contoh:

A. I'm here for a month.
B. That's great!

A. Our team isn't playing well this season.
B. Oh, that's too bad.

In conversation, the top expressions for good news are:
That's good / great / nice / interesting / cool / wonderful.

The top expressions for bad news are:
Oh, that's too bad / terrible.

Source: Touchstone

Say RIGHT and I KNOW to show you agree with someone, or that you are listening.
Kamu bisa menggunakan RIGHT atau I KNOW ketika kamu setuju dengan pendapat seseorang atau sebagai tanda bahwa kamu sedang mendengarkan lawan bicaramu.

Contoh:

A. It has some great restaurants.
B. Yeah, I know.
A. Right. But they're expensive.

In conversation, RIGHT is one of the top 50 words, and KNOW is one of the top 20 words.

Source: Touchstone

You can use "I Mean" to repeat your ideas or to say more about something.

Kamu bisa menggunakan I MEAN ketika kamu ingin mengulang ide atau menyampaikan lebih banyak mengenai sesuatu.

Contoh:

A. Where do you go? I mean, do you go somewhere nice?
B. Do you know Mart's? It's OK. I mean, the food's good,...

A. Do you ever go out after class?
B. Well, not very often. I mean, I usually go straight home.

In conversation, I MEAN is one of the top 15 expressions.

Source: Touchstone

Start your answer with WELL if you need time to think, or if your answer is not a simple yes or no.

Well digunakan ketika kamu membutuhkan waktu untuk berpikir atau apabila kalimat jawabanmu lebih dari sekedar ya atau tidak.

Contoh:

A. Are you from China?
B. Well, I'm from China originally...

A. Do you see your family a lot?
B. Well, not really. They dont live around here.

In conversation, WELL is one of the top 50 words.




Source: Touchstone

People say REALLY? to show they are interested or surprised.

Strategi kali ini adalah penggunaan kata Really? untuk menyatakan ketertarikan akan sesuatu atau keterkejutan.

Contoh:

A. He's a singer.
B. Really?

A. What's your name?
B. Rihanna
A. Really? My best friend's name is Rihanna.


In conversation, REALLY is one of the top 50 words.






Source: Touchstone

Hari ini kita masuk ke bahasan kedua untuk conversation strategy yaitu Common expressions and responses. Di sini kita belajar bagaimana cara merespons ketika mendengar seseorang mengucapkan ungkapan  thank you dan I'm sorry sebagai berikut:

When People Say...	You can say...
Thank you.	You're welcome.
Thanks.	Sure.
I'm sorry.	That's OK.
I'm sorry. I don't know.	That's OK. Thanks anyway.

Contoh 1

Beberapa posting ke depan, saya akan mencoba berbagi mengenai conversation strategy plus buat kamu yang ingin belajar conversation. Sebagai pembuka alias bahasan pertama, saya akan mengulas tentang everyday expression.

Everyday expression berupa ungkapan yang sering digunakan dalam kehidupan sehari-hari. Ungkapan-ungkapan tersebut cukup populer dan kamu semua pasti sudah sering menggunakan atau mendengar. Di antaranya adalah sebagai berikut:

More Formal	Less Formal
Yes.	Yeah.
Thank you.	Thanks.
Hello.	Hi.
How are you?	How are you doing?
I'm fine.	OK. / Pretty good. / Good.
Good-bye.	Bye. / See you. / See you later.

In conversation, YEAH is 10 times more common than YES.

Hai sobat! Gegara hari ini saya melakukan perjalanan ke Bengkulu Kota dan merasakan mabuk, saya terinspirasi membuat posting ini.

Looking forward to something is to feel pleased and excited about something that is going to happen. Istilah bahasa Indonesianya tak sabar menunggu.

Look forward to (v-ing) is formal used at the end of a formal letter to say you hope to hear from or see someone soon or that you expect something from them.

Baru saja saya cek tablet eh ternyata ada pesan masuk. 

Meeting the soulmate is kinds of way. By natural way or not, is not important issues as long as the final result is meeting the soulmate. By natural way or not, it depends on human as well. And indeed there are certain people that God gives convenience. The meeting way is really destiny talk. Yes, the lucky people got it. But for others, God gives the exam in order to set an example for the others.

It is true that mate in the hands of God. But people must try, people who pick and choose, remain God blesses or not.

It was the words of my old office mate's wife. Yes, an advice may be more appropriate. Because she saw me still enjoyed being a single, why not married yet. If I have not met my soulmate then what to do? Where it is the nature of women waiting. I'm also not the aggressive type. And all my life, no man dared to approach me. If any, they backed off on their own. I feel have not met the right. And indeed as I recollect I was not ready as well (yet). I also reflect on why hard to meet the right. Not looking for that perfect because I myself was not perfect. But I do not know why it is difficult to accept someone. Why? Because I am not convinced by that person. Therefore true a woman is a conquest.

I need someone who can conquer me.

I want to meet my soulmate in a natural way. Met by itself. It has to be patient (extra) if you want a natural way (except the ones who are lucky the way is easy). I believe that my soulmate is there. He is exist somewhere in this world. It just has not met. I do not know he is anywhere in the world. Not necessarily in Indonesia also just because I was in Indonesia. In fact up to 9 years I have been working I have not met him, Indonesian guy and in Indonesia. I was also surprised and felt strange. What's so wrong with me?

So I expand my mind. Could be he (soulmate) is not in Indonesia so we do not see the intersection. If only I were looking for but he did not or not, it does not meet the convergence or can be met but need a longer time. Vice versa, if only he were looking for. Well, if we're both looking for the possibility of meeting each other will be faster. Logic, right?

And we should have the same search criteria. Suppose i am a good woman looking for a good man. And he is a good man looking for a good woman. Well, we match. Meet. Following the term Ippho Santosa, both have deserved. So, if one is worth 9 and the other looking at the value 7, then the value of which 7 still not deserve coupled with the value 9. Therefore, the value of which 7 must befit himself so so 9. By doing so, equally worthy right? No more excuses for not compatible each other, right? Our soul mate is sekufu (balance). I pondered. My poor, or he is still not good? I'm not yet ready or he is not ready? I found the answer later when I met him. One time I attended a meeting with the Secretary (Regional Secretary) represent my boss at the Municipal a couple years ago, I chatted lightly (chit-chat) with one of the department heads. The frequently asked questions (and required) is my status. I just tell the truth. He said, "How come five years of working here not meet anyone." Anyone, huh? Yes I can ... Why not? That was reality. I experienced it. Nothing is impossible. Was I sad and offended? No! I was not such that kind. :) From the beginning I pray that I wish to be met in a way that is beautiful and easy, in a beautiful place and a wonderful person. 3W 1H (who when where and how). I want everything paced beautifully, right? Frankly I do not want to carelessly pick someone because I think I have to watch myself to him one and so he should. Although over time, thought it was so little faded. My thinking became more open, not that locked. I mean, if someone ever made mistakes in the past but still at the threshold limit can still be forgiven, let's go! But if I can not forgive, I can not accept him. Still idealistic? Yes, of course! Lowering standards for some of the things that are not so principle, not be a problem. But for certain things I keep in my principles. It's my life. The following snippet of my chat with a muslim man. He: Any relationship? Any men? Any boy fr? I: No He: Good. I am glad. But why? I: No one likes me She: But you are beautiful Me: I just havent found the right one He: Inshaallah you will get married to your husband. Dont worry. It's written. Me: Yes, I believe He: Good. You are smart now. (And I am a bit angry, mean before I did not smart even though I knew he was joking) :( He: Good. So, you wait for meeting your destiny

In one afternoon, I was crying after prayers. I pondered. As strong as what I was to wait. The wait was a test well for me as a woman. Am I strong enough?

A man has to be brave enough. A woman has to be strong enough to wait.

I cried pondering that sentence. Am I strong enough? For almost a half of my lifespan I wait for him, but when i think i am ready, i still have to wait for him again. It's hard. But yes, I have spent my whole years passed without him. So, I know I can. I think soulmate is someone who can make me feel confident to give myself to him all my life. There is no doubt. And he is someone who I believe will make me happy with him and certainly can make me fall in love. With him, I can become a better person.
Meeting the soulmate is instantly clicks like the meeting padlock key. Can instantly comfortable (there is magnet) such as is already known for years when only too familiar with. Direct met the chemistry. We are attracted to each other. That kind of feeling is so amazing. It feels strange but it happens. Am I too much? So far, that's what I look for in a man. And I found it there in .... (answer after him later). During the search process I'm sure if someone was not good for me (not my soulmate) God will make him backs off somehow. They will disappear by themselves one by one. And he who still persisted no matter what setbacks, maybe he is the right one for me. I believe he who is brave and keeps standing there no matter what the obstacles, he is someone I could respect with all my life. And I felt bad that I was reunited with the wrong people before finally reunited with the correct figure (read: my soulmate). And the lessons that I learned from the wrong people that God wanted me to always take a lesson so that I am ready and strong when meeting the right and face the reality of life. And the learning process was not a moment for the life lesson. Who knows the challenges of life will be heavier so need to be prepared physically and mentally.

It's because He loves me. He cares about me. He never fails in everything. But me, as a human being often fail to understand His plans to me.

written February 21, 2017