Upgrading Memory to 4GiB Memory for iMac (mid 2007)

Two weeks ago, I ordered memory modules from Amazon Japan and upgraded my iMac memory from 2GiB to 4GiB ! Before that, my memory had kept running out, having very little free memory left, perhaps because I am using many memory hungry applications, such as Parallels Desktop for having a virtual Windows OS inside my MacOSX.

The searching process was not easy however. First, I had to look for the technical specifications of my iMac on Apple's support website to find out what kind of memory suits my iMac. Then, I looked at this website which specializes in comparing computer hardwares in Japan called kakaku.com. After looking at some products, I also tried to check their technical specifications on the websites of manufacturers, such as Buffalo, IO-Data, and Elecom. I was surprised to find out why these manufacturers' websites recommended different types of memory modules for my iMac than the ones I had found on kakaku.com, despite having the same (or similar ?) technical specifications, and these memory modules are far more expensive. Things would be much more simpler if they were cheaper but that just sounds too good to be true in this world :D

Japanese: 以前 (izen) and 以降 (ikou)

I am currently trying to apply for some documents to invite my daughter to Japan, and I came across this particular word "2009以前" which literally means "before 2009" in English when I was reading the website of my local ward office. I got a little bit confused whether that word includes 2009 or not, since "before 2009" certainly does not include 2009.

After googling a bit, I found this oshiete.goo.ne.jp page which explains everything, it's even too much for foreigners actually :p. The English translation of the first response by root16, is like this:

No Softbank (and no iPhone)

Last week, I was enticed by this certain ad that said that I could get 10,000 yen (around US$100), if I switch my mobile phone provider to Softbank. I am currently using AU right now, and I basically have no problem with it, except for the rather expensive monthly fee. The monthly fee for Softbank is also advertised to be cheaper, only 980 yen plus your monthly payment for additional service and the phone itself, which will be around 2500 yen (US$ 25) in total. In addition, it will drop to around 1500 yen (US$ 15) once I finished paying the phone, and not to mention that I'd been thinking to buy an iPhone for a while.

So, after wasting my time for 2-3 hours :( for browsing Japanese Internet websites to read about its service quality, I laughed hard at myself and came up to the conclusion that the Softbank campaign just sounded to be good to be true. Based on Softbank 3G service area found on the Softbank website, the service area for the 3G service doesn't even reach my home ! I don't know about you but I don't want a mobile phone which is out of range if I'm at home. This is insane since Softbank is quite a big company and bought Vodafone to enter mobile telecommunications business in Japan more than 3 years ago. I would be able to understand if it were a new company and were still expanding its infrastructure. Maybe Softbank thinks that I live in the middle of the jungle or something.

Anyway, for the time being, I guess it's "bye bye iPhone", and "bye bye Softbank", and give me back my precious time that I spent browsing about your service quality, lol.

The birth of Miyu Tanuwijaya

This year, 2009, marks the first time I was given a daughter, as Miyu Tanuwijaya was born during my visit to Indonesia last month. I had a full time job of accompanying my wife, Ping-Ping, starting from approximately one week before the delivery until 1-2 days after the delivery (that includes the delivery process), and I was lucky to bring my PSP with me :). Well, I did read some books (and accompany her too of course) instead of just playing during that period, and we had nice meals too in Bali :)

To be honest though, I was kind of worried that I could not make it in time to return to Japan in order to attend the 内定式 or "job offer bestowal ceremony" (is this the right translation ?), which was held on October 1st. It is said that every company in Japan has this kind of ceremony and it is advised that the people who have been given job offers should come as possible. Fortunately, everything went well :)

It is unfortunate however (or maybe fortunate :D ?) that Ping-Ping has to accompany Miyu in Indonesia since being a newborn, we are not able to let her board an airplane due to her still fragile ears. So here I am in Japan, enjoying my last single life again, before performing my duties as a father. Hey, I am working to earn money, at least :), and I'm also trying to catch up with other important things in my life. More on that later. We are planning to bring her here in January 2010, hopefully we will be able to, so that we could adapt to our new life before I start working in April 2010.

I guess one of the popular questions, besides "what did you feel when you were looking at the delivery", is "why was she was named Miyu" ? I am not going to answer the first question because it's not good for your health :D. We thought about what to name her a lot and I even bought a book about Japanese names in Japanese, but I just had this "ah-ha" feeling when the word "Miyu" came to my mind. I just felt that it fits, and cute as well :). Although we Indonesians can't use kanji names, I also found out that Miyu can be written as "実夢" in Japanese from that book, which means fulfilled dreams. I shouted in my mind "this is it !" because this year, I've succeeded in achieving the top two of my dreams list: to live abroad, and to be accepted to work in a game company, thanks to a lot of people. I still have to wait until April 2010 before starting to work though.

While Ping-Ping has already been doing a good job as a mother, as I noticed from talking to her via Skype, I'll still have to catch up to her. The world of parenthood is a mysterious, yet an exciting one, particularly if you live abroad like me without any relatives, except your family and kids. I am sure that I'll do a good job however, based on my experience being defecated while holding Miyu on my hands, and I could still laugh very hard :D.

Scholarship Notice (for her)

I wish I could see her face when I made a phone call to her in 2004, telling her that I got a scholarship in Japan, or when I told her I got admitted into Keio University, as portrayed in the advertisement below (in Indonesian). Stuck between the happiness that her boyfriend got what he wanted, and the anxiety about long distance relationship, which I am sure felt the same by the boyfriend, and me 5 years back too actually :), but I wonder how different it is when you are on the passive side (the one who is being left), rather than on the active side (the one who is leaving).



But hey, if I may have my self defense :), it is certainly harder for the one who is leaving because he/she doesn't have any relative there, no friends, and he/she has to start everything again :p