Oct 16 - Second Opinion

Aku terharu bgt mau nangis gmn dong *lebay* = I’m so touched, I just wanna cry *overreacting*

Well…… wajar kok Kak = Well…… it’s only normal Kak

Wajaaaar dia begitu = Normal if she feels that way

Aku ajaa udah = Like I have

Dan btw aku ngakak baca post Domino Effect = And btw I almost died laughing reading Domino Effect post

“Hello Nawangsari, nice to talk to you. Thank you for your reaction hehe makes me feel like a proud boyfriend! I bet you are a sweet girl since you are Victoria’s girl friend. I will always be there for her, you too right? Talk soon byeee :)”

Oct 14 - Spy on a Mission

I always wanted to be a spy when I was little. (Okay, maybe sometimes the idea of applying to CIA after college still creeps into my mind sometimes.) But if there’s one thing that’s really torturing to be a spy, for me, is that you don’t get to share about your operations to anyone, even your significant other, because it’s just too risky. Your lover can’t even know what mission you’re on, what city you’re in and going to, what name you’re using for the specific task, etc.

But Luis is not a spy.

Apparently, he’s wanted to do a special mission all these years, and he just decided to tell me tonight, when the execution is tomorrow. After he explained about this mission and I got to ask him questions, he asked for something.

L: Baby, could you do me one favor? Uhm, to send me a message tomorrow morning that everything will be okay. (blushing) Just a sweet one like I send you at night.

V: I will do that, you don’t have to ask for it. You know what I don’t understand?

L: Tell me.

V: The fact that you never brought this up to me in our conversations. Not even once. I can’t help but feel little and unimportant..

L: No Honey, it’s not that. I mean I didn’t tell anyone about it ever. You are the first one to know, because you are important to me. And I already thought I would bring it up today but I really didn’t know they would say, “Okay, tomorrow.” I thought we’d have enough time to, you know, talk about it.

V: Okay, but no more keeping secrets from me, promise? This idea has been there for 3 long years, even you’ve saved up for this. Promise?

L: I promise, I never kept a secret, did I? It was just a personal thing that I would tell you anyway Baby. I promise, pinky promise. (heart)

I know he’s telling the truth. I just hope everything will come out right, as planned.

Oct 14 - The Sleepyheads

Tralalalalalalala!

Oct 14 - Nomnomnom

Sometimes I can't understand his preference, from music (I dreamed of a guy singing Jose Mari Chan's Beautiful Girl, not Akon's Dream Girl, hahaha, joking Baby :*) to ice cream flavor (Lemon Lu? Really?). But I'd have a plate of his favorite breakfast and dinner anytime!!!!

Fresh-baked appelflap, an apple pastry from his favorite bakery Lidl which, ironically, is a German store

Home-made chicken tandoori, Indian cuisine as his number one 'warm foods'

Oct 10 - Exceeding Expectation

For sometime now I've been whining about how he always forgot to make more pictures for me. He has many of mine and I want the same! Knowing how he really hates taking pictures, I blatantly told him (gradually, of course) that there are a few criteria to follow: 1) No shaving his stubble. 2) No t-shirt (a dress suit is optional but at least something with a collar on, like a poloshirt). 3) No mafia face. 4) No close up picture. 5) No bathroom in the background if it's a selfie. Hahahaha, I can be hard to please sometimes, I know.

I was really demanding on the phone before we hung up, and after the winning-mom chat, I told him for the umpteenth time that I want a picture of him. It didn't have to fit the criteria, just any picture he could make. "I don't care if you wear whatever you're wearing right now, even when it's a t-shirt. I want it now!" He tried to make me wait until his sister came home so she could take the picture, but I didn't want to wait anymore, hahaha. Finally he gave in!

He sent me two pictures, one with the absolute lazy, boy-next-door look and one fitting all five criteria. Where is my oxygen tank when I need it the most?!

Oct 10 - Winning Mom Over

Mom came home in the middle of our call. I said hi and went back to my phone but about half an hour later she came upstairs and knocked on my door saying she knew who I was talking with. After the sweet phone call, he shocked me by a message, "I have set up a new goal for myself." When I asked him what the goal is, he replied, "I really want to win your mom's heart.. That she could think differently of me and doesn't think I'm a typical foreigner."

But it was nothing compared to this super long text that started with "Remember you told me the story of an online couple where the guy has one foot shorter than the other. Your mom told you that right? So I think she became more skeptical about this." Yeah, that happened once, I even wrote it here. I joked that time, "Maybe you should take a picture of yourself like from head to toe. I'll show it to Mommy to satisfy her."

The last part of the message was, "I was thinking of taking a full body picture holding a paper with something like "Hello Miss Bintang :) I'm physically okay, don't worry!" Or just write it on Paint, idk. Addressed to your mom. But since she can't say anything good about me idk if it's still a good idea. You think she would like it or not? Be honest Honey."

That really touched me. He is so thoughtful when it comes to things like this because he knows how much my family matters to me, just like how his matters to him. I told him how sweet it was but he really wanted to do it.

L: I think I'm gonna try. If she doesn't like it, well, bad luck. At least I tried.

V: We're always honest to each other right?

L: Yes Sayang, always.

V: I don't think it's a good idea to make it for Mom. I'm not sure she'll like it. But maybe one of these days I'll tell her you said hi. Do you think it's a good idea?

L: Yeah, that's okay too. I don't want to screw up.

If only Mommy was more receptive of the idea. I suddenly was reminded of what he said to me weeks ago, "I'm sad (that Mom doesn't approve of me) because eventually I want to love your mom like you do." Seeing how persistent he is, I really hope Mom will soon open up.

Oct 9 - Domino Effect

One mistake that led to another.

L: Is it okay if I will something Hon?

V: Lu and his habit of forgetting one word!!! Hihi sure, it is okay if you will EAT something. :P

L: Omg what is that.. I don't know why it happeneds.

V: HAPPENS hahahaha, Lu always puts an extra D.

L: (frown)

V: Okay, okay, okay, don't gonna complain anymore. OOPS I SAID DON'T GONNA! (shocked faces)

L: I have to screenshot this!
V: Fine, I'll screenshot your Tarzan sudden craze. :P

L: Don't do that! Or I will never tell you something embarressing anymore.

V: EMBARRASSING BABY HAHAHA.

L: Really going know.

V: HAHAHA Really going know not really going now! I'm gonna die laughing.

Okay, I did die laughing.

Oct 9 - Being Adorable

My first day of period was crazy as it is and he really tries to distract me from the pain. One of the things he does, is making confessions that I found almost too adorable.

Or, a random, spontaneous reply that I find really cute and heart-warming.

Also, he gave me this puzzle, followed by "I could say, "OMG I'm embarrassed!" But I'm glad I could be myself.":

Without trying to be cocky, I took a guess that the answer was no other than my name. "Victoria," I said. He gave me the solution the following morning, "No, it's not the answer. It's not complete, sorry. It's Josephine Victoria Tanjung." Hey! I was right!

Oct 9 - Electronic Encouragement

Being the healthiest guy in the planet, he always goes to sleep before midnight to ensure he gets enough sleep to wake up early in the morning. Which is why I was really concerned when I found out he was staying up till past midnight to work on his scriptie. Knowing making him a cup of tea from the distance was impossible, I decided to give him an encouragement through other medium.

GIF version here. 

Sent him just before he woke up. Directly after finding this morning message I left in his Gmail, he sent me something in return. 

GIF version here.

Oct 8 - A Grumpy Lady vs. A Fat Baby

Somewhere in the night, when I was already fast asleep.

"I know your first day of period is hell. I have something to soften the pain for when you wake up."

Oct 8 - Live the Present

Today is my first day of period. I couldn't go to school because I was afraid I would collapse on the way to school, not even sure I could even arrive there at the one point. Although hurting from the pain, I was so determined to get this blog updated. And by updated, I mean lived up to the present time.

After one full day in front of the computer, I'm so proud to say this: For the very first time since its inception, this blog is finally on the correct timeline! YAY!

Oct 6 - Yin Yang

One thing about Luis and I, we tease each other all the time. And when we really want it, we could be really mean to each other that people will find strange, hahaha. One of the examples was when Luis called me when I was in the hotel room with Chacha and another time with Sasa for the conference. They were like so taken aback by the way we talked to each other till on the second time, Sasa just had to take the phone and said, "Luis! Why are you so mean to Victoria!" Hahahaha. 

But we always make up for all the cruel things we say or do. So it's like a yin-yang. And yes, it's all good.

So when he spoiled me for almost 48 hours from yesterday to today, this already feels like a record to me. We talked so much today, and according to Luis we shared a lot of different emotions too in one day. I wouldn't beg to differ, cause we really did.

Yup, yup, I should watch out for the amount of tease and meaniness he has in store for me to balance the undeniable sweetness I've received within the past two days.............

Oct 6 - Veronica's Approval

I can't put into words how much I value Veronica's opinion in basically everything that I do. In all honesty, I felt a bit sad when she didn't exactly give reactions I thought she would give, learning Luis and I are together now. Ever since we are an item, I've been trying hard to win her heart, and I'm really happy that the progress is on going, although it's not exactly in the fastest pace.

On our first monthversary, she woke up in the middle of the night and found us on the phone. I expected cold reaction or something but what she did was smiling so widely and sincerely to me and giving me a hug me while saying, "Happy first monthversary Sis!" She even agreed to be on the phone with Luis for the first time (while Mariana, Irene, Stephanie, and Theresa all have been talking to him) and sweetly congratulated him too. Also when she was at school that day, she sent me a happy monthversary text again on Blackberry Messenger and I could feel she really meant it; she was finally happy to see how happy Luis made me. I gushed at the thought of my sister's reaction. I guess I just love her that much.

Tonight, I came home from church and added a few extras to finalize the bee calendar. She stayed with me the entire time and drew a few cute things, but I didn't realize amongst the scrap papers she used to speed draw, she made this picture!

I couldn't wish for a better twinsie (twin sister).

Oct 6 - Double Blunders

There was this one time about a month back when he said, "Your wish is my demand." I wanted to correct him that one time but it didn't feel like the right time, haha, so I just stayed silent. Or.. it could be because he mistyped because he was so busy doing other things. Either way, it's a blunder.

Tonight I asked him to finish my sentence, "Your wish is my..." But he didn't get it at the first time. He thought I was asking him what he wishes for, so he answered, "My wish is you." Here comes blunder number two!

Even when I finally corrected him and now he knew the correct term is, "Your wish is my command.", I couldn't stop myself from rethinking about the second blunder.... He said his wish is me. Hihihihihi.

Oct 6 - Making Up

Last night was a wake up call for me. He went to bed last night feeling disappointed of Real.. and probably of me too. He's been extra-spoiling me all day yesterday and I repayed him by not keeping my promise of being on the phone with him and not cheering him up when Real played bad (for two weeks in-a-row to be exact). Then what happened on our first month anniversary was replayed on my mind. He put that much effort and I didn't even make enough time to talk to him. I'm a horrible human being. Waking up, I knew I had to make something.

So I took out my creativity box, something I hadn't touched for sometime now. I already pictured what I wanted to make and as always, ever so magically, everything I needed was in that box! I busied myself all day just to make this handycraft. I really hoped he would love it and see how bad I was trying to make up for my insensitivity. I would hate myself if he'd ever go because he didn't feel I was invested in this relationship.

After hours of playing with a sticky paper glue, transparent tapes, scissors, a cutter, a ruler, four colors of carton papers, a black marker, a hole-puncher, and two caps of my contact lens' cleanser bottles which made me dig the trash cans (no kidding), I finally finished this little project and couldn't be happier with the result!

I glued it to the side of my closet so it would be the first thing I see when I wake up every morning. This hopefully will be a reminder for me not to give up so easily on us and want to just call it quits like I did many times now. This took a lot of effort to make (The only drawing I made was the outline. The rest of it was papers I cut in shapes so I had to make bee shapes in three different papers. Not to mention that moment when I had to search for old contact lens cleanser bottles, hehehe, never in a million years did I imagine I would be digging trash cans.) but it was worth it. My bee calendar is so pretty!

Oct 5 - Butterfly Doll

What I found at the store was....... A butterfly doll!

He and I have been talking about it for sometime now. We even tried to find one on eBay but we couldn't find a doll that we like as most are for babies. I was jumping up and down when I saw it (I did that in the frickin' store, I swear) and practically did my puppy eyes move to Daddy so that he would get me that.

I sent Luis a picture of the doll and I and his reply was, "Three seconds." What happened next was he used that picture I made him as his new profile picture!

V: Why am I Lu's profile picture (covering mouth monkeys)

L: Because you are my miss butterfly (closing eyes monkeys)

V: (hearts) Blushing! (hearts)

L: It's so meaningful. You know butterfly is really like your nickname. Every time I hear the word butterfly, I must think about you.

V: Hihihihihihihihihihihi, in that case, Ms. Butterfly really loves her boyfriend. I'm saying too much L-word in one night, aren't I? (covering mouth monkey)

L: Nooo, you can never say it enough. (covering mouth monkey) And I really love Miss Butterfly!

Oct 5 - Date Night

So I have mentioned that in Indonesia, the date night is not on Friday like the others but on Saturday. We call it 'malam minggu' or in short 'malming'. Last week I had to forego our date night because I was attending the closing ceremony of my conference followed by the staying up all night talking with the committees and several delegates who were waiting for their flights back at dawn (so they would rather not sleep at all) and the ones who just got back from the bar. Last week Real Madrid played bad against Atletico Madrid and I wasn't there to cheer him up. I made a mental note to make it up tonight.

All day long today he treated me reeeeeally nicely. He spoiled me from the moment he woke up to a little before my dinner time. We agreed to be on the phone that night before Real had to play at my 1, although we didn't really say what time to be exact.

Apparently I had to go to Grandma's to deliver the milk chocolate puddings I made her. I couldn't stay because Veronica was going to this party of her friend's so it only made sense for me to accompany Daddy to drive her. But that means we couldn't call after my dinner time. I thought, "Okay, we can do it after we drop Veronica off." So we chatted instead about small things about us.

After dropping Veronica off at the cafe, Daddy asked me to help him find stuffs for the house. I couldn't say no, of course. I told Luis this and he didn't mind. We continued talking and at the store, I found something that made me soooo happy!!!!!! I couldn't stop smiling after Daddy bought me this thing. Luis was crazy curious about what drove me this insane, hahaha. But he's in for a treat, he'll be happy once I show him that.

Just when I got home from the store, we tried to call but the connection didn't let us. I was still too happy to be annoyed, so we just let it go, mainly because Daddy and I were going out again, this time altogether with Mom and Chris to dine out and pick up Veronica because it was almost 9. Again, the whole ride we were texting each other non-stop.

We got back home at half past 11. I took a long time to get ready for the call as I was trying to make pictures of the thing Daddy bought me; I was so excited to show it to him! It was around midnight, about an hour before the kick off. Not wanting to risk the mood, I told him to just text and not call (Yes, I promised, I know!), because there's a big possibility the connection will break. He wasn't complaining, so we were texting for some more. And then the OMG-WTF thing happened.... I fell asleep about 30 mins to 1.

I shot out of bed at 2.01, texting him maniacally to say sorry to have fallen asleep... only to discover he was in a bad mood because of Real's bad performance. But guess what? Even when he was in such disappointment, he still was spoiling me! I was sleepy but I could feel it. He said it was okay to text now if I wanted to, but I've promised never to disturb him when he's watching a game, so I said I'd text him when the game ends. I've set up an alarm. He begged me to just text now so I could have more sleep but as stubborn as I was, I said no, it was okay by me. I texted him, "Talk to you at 3! ;)"

And I woke up at 3.38. His last message was sent on 3.31, saying that he waited for me for 30 mins and he was going to sleep instead. I knew it for sure that he must be reeeally upset by the game, and this shitty girlfriend of his, but he still ended the text with a heart! I couldn't sleep anymore. I felt I've failed him. I tried texting him but his last seen was 3.33, only 5 minutes difference from the time I woke up.

Although I was really heartbroken (by my own stupidity), now that I think about it, we really learned so much about each other that night. It felt like.... a real date, where you really get to know each other by discovering your likes and dislikes; the little things about you that you yourself sometimes are not aware of either. Regardless of the epic-fail ending, it was a perfect date night.

Oct 4 - Mr. Forgetful

"Omg look what I found... We've had this box to hang the keys for four years now. See how it looks like! We are made for each other, haha.. (closing eyes monkey) I didn't notice before because I never put my keys in it. But now I saw it and I was like whattttt! (flustered faces)"

Apart from the things he forgets and the "MISTER FORGETFUL!" I shout every time I prove him to be, he shocks me every now and then by the littlest things he remembers. Like how he can still mention one by one food I can't eat and how he actually remembers my cousins' siblings in the family tree. 

The sweetness can be a little crazy sometimes, haha. This was what happened when we were on the phone the other night, "Okay, so those are the things you will do on October. But don't forget by the end of the month you have something else." Confused, I asked what he meant. "Veronica's birthday." How could he remember..? <3

Oct 2 - He's a Keeper

I found a mind-blowing picture on Path.

Everything that is stated in this picture is so relatable to him. Everything.

Michelle Obama told me to keep him? Noted, First Lady!

Oct 1 - Safety Net

Technically, we were still in a danger zone. He's still sleeping so we hadn't made up for the fight. Um, fight in my end but absurdity in his end, hehehehe. I woke up as a different person than last night. I could see things way better and more clearly now and I was just disappointed at my every reaction before I went to sleep. Preparing myself for the talk that would definitely take place when he woke up, I decided to go online and catch up on the posts I hadn't found the time to write. Rereading his chats from the first two weeks of September softened my heart. My guy is really amazing, why am I treating him like this?

Also think about the last two weeks of September. I had that hell-ish combo of competition and conference. For me, it was two full weeks of much less texting, much more optimized phone calls, and stress-relieving attempts because of school and work. But for Luis, it was two full weeks of much less texting, much more optimized phone calls, and stress-relieving attempts because of his girlfriend's school and work.

To re-explain, for me the stress level during the two weeks was over the top and there were numerous of times that I just thought of giving up on both things. I was petrified about the investment analysis I had to make because I've never been that good in capital markets and it was only days away from the conference. I've sacrificed a lot of things within the last months to make the conference happen. I got to handle all of the delegates, remember? I worked just by myself from the minute someone registered in our website to one week before the D-day when I could finally assign them to the liaison officers. Even so, although the liaison officers did an amazing job assisting the delegates, I still had to direct and supervise them so basically there were no days my Gmail inbox wasn't flooded by emails regarding this. There were just too many things to do and it was suffocating me. I literally inhaled and exhaled loudly only to see if I was still breathing.

But for Luis........... None of the aforementioned things actually should've been the least of his worries. But he did everything within his ability to take care of me and secure my sanity and well-being. And still I'm the one who complains all the time and be complicated. 

We talked about everything when he woke up. Even though at first I still tried to hold my pride and we argued again, in the end I gave in and admit the miscommunication was at my fault and I was very sorry about that. It was 95% my mistake, surprisingly this morning was the most gentle fight we'd had where he completely put himself aside and pushed away his stubbornness. And that means everything to me.

When we finally made up, I felt blood came back rushing in my veins. My heartbeat rate was back to normal and when he called me (and Mariana and Irene since they were in the room, hihihi), all tension was absorbed and sucked out from my body. I've been wanting to say this.. I love our fights for the sensation I get when it's all done. Drama queen!!