Brief Summary of 2010

Time pasts particularly very fast this year, with quite many "significant" events happening, certainly worthy to mention in this blog.

Facebook is still the big magnet anytime I go online, giving bad influence on my other former habits: blogging. It has this update status feature, so whenever I have something I feel like to shout out to friends, I normally pick up my phone, open up Opera Mini, open m.facebook.com, then go update my status. Very simple, and in terms of friends' response, I've got far more friend response in facebook than if I did the same "status update" thing in my blog.

Nevertheless, despite my lack of blogging activity in 2010, I feel obliged to continue my long tradition (hah, long? blogging since 2005 and you call that long?) of writing in this blog of mine.

Okay.

So here are brief updates of 2010, most of these events caused major changes in my life, and some merely caused significant trouble.

1. Up until mid 2009, it was not certain who might be 'the one' for me. It changed in August 2009, and now I am very fortunate that I get to marry my Vita, in 2010.... :D

2. Just before marrying Vita, I was largely occupied with a job-related event: Kompetisi Roket Indonesia, Korindo 2010. I was made in charge of the UGM's part of the job as host, perhaps because no one else had been involved since this the beginning of this annual event that was first launched 2 years ago. It was painful. The loss of UGM student team in this competition (under my supervision) also adds up to the pain.

3. Research life was not too bad. At least I got one research grant, but again, it is very painful. (note that I am using the word 'is', it's still a work in progress -_-"). And the topic itself is not actually within my academic specialisation, but more like my extracurricular interest? It's already end of the year, and I haven't done the final report, haven't finish the accounting and its reporting, and also, haven't finished business with the industrial partner. Please God help me on finishing this off before I move out from UGM.

4. I got accepted as lecturer in ITS, therefore I have to move out from UGM in the next semester. This one might sound quite controversial. All I can say is that this decision has to be made as a responsibility to my wife and family. And this decision was a really hard decision to make considering my already-very-comfortable-working-environment in UGM. This decision was a response to a job offering, and the idea and initiative did not come from myself. The down side of this decision is that I will certainly move out from Jogja. All my friends are in here, and I almost know no one in Surabaya. Again, please help me God on this one.

5. My academic life in 2010 started not too well, but in mid 2010 it got very well. In this semester I am teaching all electronics: Analog Electronics, Basic Electronics (for IT), Industrial electronics (for industrial engineering). Also, I made a self-made op amp using 5 transistors for the praktikum in my lab. I'll try to post something about this later on.

6. Merapi erupted. Volcanic ash fell over Yogyakarta, including UGM, my house, almost everywhere here got covered in white ash. It fell twice in Jogja, and remains of the ash can still be seen today. It is not water soluble, and it feels pedih in your eyes.

I'll stop writing now, it's a few minutes till midnight. Welcome 2011.