Happy New Year, and Have A Wonderful 2010!

これらの写真は私はとっていた写真です。いつも心踊る時私は夢を見たいな写真です。

Madras at night, from the roof of the Cricket, in 2008.

Dawn at Tong A Chin Beach, when having community services in Bangka Island, 2008.

Sunrise on the beach in Sungailiat, August 2008.

Mountain Bromo from Penanjakan area, East Jawa, 2008.

A back of Mountain Bromo, taken in a sunny day in 2008.

Happy New Year.
May 2010 be a wonderful

and very successful one for you.

去年お世話になりました。
今年も宜しくお願い致します。

イカより

Ika in 1973.

Intermezo: Let Us Bed My Chocolate!

Forrest Gump said,"Stupid is as stupid does" and "Life is like a box of chocolate, you never know what you will get".

A chocolate seller was in action on Ameyoko, Ueno District, Tokyo.

This is still intermezo along my journey. I was in Ameyoko, Ueno District, Tokyo, continued my day with Fesa. Fesa is always critical to each words, events, and she is really a true observant that always reminds me about myself. She is a growing up kid, whom I always like to talk with. We saw a chocolate seller in Ameyoko. He offered chocolate by his own funny way.

Intermezo: Let Us Play Nintendo-DS!

A cloudy Sunday morning in Akiba . . . .

The game was played, seriously . . . .

Before continuing my story about "Nagoya and the Turning Point", I would like to show you some interesting pictures in Akiba (It is now the famous short name of Akihabara), Tokyo. I was with Fesa to try to find some gadgets.

The crowd in Akiba . . . .

"What are they doing, Fesa?" I asked my youngest daughter about what was happening in the crowd in Akiba. "I do not know, Ibu. Maybe they are playing DS, Ibu," she answered me. "What is DS, Fesa?" I asked her. "That is like a play station, Ibu. I also do not know, but it has double screen," she replied me. "How do you know?" I asked her again. "Maybe," she said.

They were playing DS . . . .

"But why they must be there?" I asked Fesa again, forgetting that she is just a fourth grade elementary school. "Do they have competition, Ibu?" she asked me back. "Okay, Fesa. We take a cup of coffee and a piece of cheese cake and observe them. Agree?" I asked her. "Okay, Ibu," she said. And . . . we were observing the crowd in Akiba, trying to develop our own perspective. Fesa . . . . She is a true observant as well. She commented people as she likes.

Nobody was disturbed . . . . They were just continuing the game . . . . It is life that we play certain role, in the game . . . . Akiba on December 13, 2009.

But life is (actually) a game, a role. I remember Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952) who said: "Do not take life experiences too seriously. Play your part in life, but never forget it is only a role." We observe . . . . We play . . . .

Nagoya, The Turning Point: Da Vinci, Sforza, and Me

We went out from the Exit #2 of Nishi-Takakura Station. "You see, Ika-San?You always read faster than me, and found the way faster than me," he said when I found the exit gate to Congress Center faster. "How come, Ika-San?" he asked me. Hi. Hi. I was just smiling.

"We took this way, Ika-San," he said after we were out of the station. We walked along the road, but then I asked, "Are you sure this is the way, Sensei?" He was confused and said, "Hhhm. I do not know." We decided to see the signs on the road. "No, Ika-San. The opposite direction," he said.

Finally we reached congress center. We entered the building and I found the statue of reconstruction work of Da Vinci, the grand master of the Italian Renaissance. It was the statue to depict General Fransesco Sforza mounted on horseback. At that time, Leonardo was commanded by Lord Ludovico of Milan to create the world`s largest statue. By November of 1493, Leonardo had completed a clay model of the horse alone which measured 7.2 meter in height.

It was Da Vinci who was always brave enough to take the challenge. "Fix your course to a star, and you can navigate any storms," was his famous words to me. Unfortunately, war interrupted his work at that point: the planned bronze casting was discontinued, and the clay model was destroyed.


The reconstruction of the "phantom statue" began with the construction of a two meter clay model based upon the study by Prof. Tanaka of Madrid manuscripts discovered in 1967 as well as a number of preparatory sketches. This model was enlarged using computer technology, and the final version of the statue molded in plastic (FRP), as the legs would not be able to support the weight of a bronze casting. It is the only of its kind in the world, brought into existence at last by Japanese research and technology.

We reached the venue for the welcome reception at Cascade Restaurant. "Again, Ika-San. How did you know that the dinner is in Cascade?" he asked me. "Sensei, I always make notes on everything," I said. "But how did you remember that?" he asked again. "We must remember it, Sensei. We must be clear with what we are going to do, right?" I said. "Okay, that is your nature. I never care," he said. "I know. Moreover, you forget everything easily," I said. He laughed. "I know that you know me well, Ika-San," he said.

In the reception, I met again Dr. T.S. Sampath Kumar. Time goes so fast. It has been a year passed after the conference in MIT (Madras Institute of Technology). "Hai, Ika-San, welcome," Prof. Ohtsuki, Prof. Yamashita, Prof. Osaka, and some others in Asian BioCeramics welcomed me. I did not find Prof. Ioku at that time. It has been very good to meet the society again.

"Ika-San, I have to discuss with them about tomorrow`s event. So, I am sorry I can not go back with you. I will call you later," Ishikawa told me. I told him, "Sensei, please do not worry. I can take care of myself. Please, take your time. And just call me early tomorrow morning. Okay?" He said okay, so I came back to my hotel and prepared myself for tomorrow`s event. I remember if that night I was thinking a lot about the future of my research. I hope that I reached my term already. I must shape the events happened to me these days . . . .

Nagoya, The Turning Point: Buy Difficulties, Ika-San!

He is with Ohtsuki Sensei, the chair of the conference.

We were going to Nagoya Congress Center by Subway Meijo Line after our transit at Sakae from Higashiyama Line. We arrived at Nishi Takakura Station, the closest station from the congress center.

"You have to listen to me, Ika-San. You can not resign. You are lucky if you have difficulties to be on that position. Do you know Japanese famous proverb, Ika-San? If you do not have difficulties, find them. Even if you must buy difficulties, you have to buy them. You do not have to buy them, Ika-San. So, you are lucky. Please, do not resign from that position," he adviced me something related to the situation I face in my university.

The invited speakers were having dinner together.

"Sensei, I know where I must go. By the situations I face these days, I know it is difficult for me, but I am lucky because now I know that my home is research and education. I want to contribute through research and education, Sensei. I mean, I want to just continue doing research to bring my lab to be recognized internationally and educate my students on how to do research properly," I told him.

Two Koreans, one Indian, one Sri Lankan, one Indonesian, and the rest were Japanese at the dinner.

I know his feelings. "You must change your university, Ika-San. You must change your country. And I know you are more than capable to do that," he told me once. I still remember when someday, in Fukuoka, I told him, "Sensei, as a Japanese, you are lucky. If you want to do research, you just do it because you do not have to think of instrumentations, materials, money, or anything else."

He then looked into my eyes, got closer to me, and said, "Yes, Ika-San. You are right. We are lucky. Unfortunately, Ika-San, you are the one who can contribute more to your country. So as an Indonesian, you are more than lucky." It was a very touching conversation we had, one day . . . . It made us touched and tears were dropped from my eyes . . . .

Nagoya, The Turning Point: Via Shirakawa, Between Fushimi and Sakae

"Ika-San, I will write you the address of the hotel where we have to stay during the conference in Nagoya," Ishikawa told me when we met in Penang, about two weeks before the conference in Nagoya. On that day, I arrived Nagoya Station at 16.37 by Nozomi from Tokyo.

I knew exactly where I had to go because as usual I made notes and tried to memorize everything along my journey. I headed to Subway Station for Higashiyama-Line from JR Nagoya Central Station. Based on what I noted, "Via Shirakawa" hotel is just one station from JR Central Station. I dropped in Fushimi Station and got out of the station by Exit #4.

He was at this door, using a winter cloth and smiling at me as usual . . . .

I was rather confused with the direction at that time because I lost orientation of South-North direction. "You are here," was written on the map and I knew that I had to go to Sakae Street. I asked two Japaneses on my way to the hotel. The last person was a young post-officer who showed me the way to the hotel. "Shosho o machi, kudasai. Watashi mo chotto wakaranai no desu yo," he said. It means, "Please wait for a moment because I also do not know the way." Then he opened the map and he saved me from wasting time to go around the area.

Via Shirakawa, a hotel between Fushimi and Sakae area in Nagoya.

It was around 17.00 o`clock (but since it was winter time, it was like 20.00 or even 21.00) when I was right at the front desk. I was about to get my room key of #815 when someone was entering the lobby. He was using black winter cloth, smiling and winking at me, while continuing his telephone. He was Ishikawa. "How are you, Ika San?" he greet me first. "Fine, Sensei," I replied him. "I will go first, Sensei," I told him. "Okay, I will call you from my room. Please wait for a while for my checking in, okay?" he said. "Okay, Sensei. I will see you soon," I said.

It was around 9 years ago when I first met him. I was his first PhD student because he was still very young when he moved to be a professor in Kyushu University. He has been teaching me many things, not only scientific aspects but also managerial aspects and about life itself. Since I was graduated five years ago, he has visited me 7 times and always visited me wherever I was having research works. "He will do whatever you want, Ika," that is what my colleagues think about our relation. But, it has been being the way we care each other.

"You are a researcher, Ika San. You must try everything because you need to know the answer," that what he always suggests me anytime. "So, are you doing that also, Sensei?" I asked one day. "No. Because I am shy, and I am not as smart as you," he said. "I am no more brave than you. You are smarter than me. So, I do not have to follow your suggestion because you yourself do not do that," I said. "No. No. May be I am better than you in chemistry, not in another thing, Ika San," he said. I was thinking of him when his call came to my room. "Are you ready to go for a dinner now? I will pick you up, Ika San," he said.

We had an opening reception in Nagoya Congress Center that evening. We went to Congress Center by subway and along the way, we never stopped talking, as usual. Debating, as usual. Laughing, as usual. That was the way we learn each other, challenge each other, and improve each other.

From Russia With Love . . . .

It was sooo . . . long not to write on this blog. I have not finished my story on Tissue Engineering Workshop. I will continue it. No worry! After that . . . I also have to write you my story with Neta and Fesa in Singapore and Batu Pahat (Malaysia). We crossed the border of Singapore and Malaysia to visit a family (two families actually) in Batu Pahat and Johor Bahru. I will also write you that.

Passengers were waiting for a bullet train (Shinkansen) in Kyoto Station, on December 12, 2009.

I was so busy after our journey to Singapore and Johor Bahru since I had to rush to Tokyo, Kyushu, Kyoto, Kuala Lumpur, a workshop with Prof. Zee and Prof. Tabata in Yogyakarta, to be back to Penang, then again Nagoya and Tokyo. My life has changed so much in a quite short time. So, what is your story, My Dear Ika? Watch out, Musashi! It is still "Present Moment Wonderful Moment", My Dear Musashi!

But first . . . Let me continue my stories from Nagoya City. Just like what Fleming said: "If something different comes to your attention, or makes you concerned, follow it through the end. It may lead you to unexpected discovery." So . . . we will fly to Nagoya, until we find the discoveries. Life and soul discoveries. So, enjoy it from now on. This is not Matt Monro`s song: From Russia with Love, but from Nagoya with Love.

I Miss Writing . . . For Myself

If you asked me what I really want to do these days, I really want to write for myself. Writing journals, published short stories, articles have been being part of my life. I realize my time to write has been reduced so much, except for writing research-related things and works-related things. I miss a small cool silent village where my grandpa was there.

World Peace Orchestra in UGM. Our campus is always colorful with live chamber orchestra, and music. An event to enjoy.

That night, the committee earned Rp 100 million to be sent to Padang, West Sumatra after the earth quake.

Some professors, in action. Prof. Anggito Abimanyu, Pak Danang`s big brother in his flute.

I want to go to a remote area alone. I miss to write, to blog, to silently take pictures . . . . "Enjoy the moment, Ika. Even in the situation you do not like. I am sure you can do great and enjoy each moments, My Dearest Sis," Mas Taufik, who visited our family today, adviced me. So, Ika, enjoy today, do your best, write more, play violin, and contribute more and more, though just a tiny one!