• I think I’m a Hufflepuff (well, I am)

    I’m not a Potterhead — more a casual viewer/reader and I got my references mostly from the fandom. And yes, like many other fandoms, some elements (a teeny tiny element) can be pretty toxic. I’m glad I always found the chill ones (and yes, Harry Potter belongs to the fans. J.K who.)

    I first read Harry Potter was when I was in… junior/secondary school, I guess? I read the Indonesian translation, and I remember I finished the first book in the car — so it was like a battle of “must… finish… the… book!” and getting carsick.

    I guess just like many first readers, we always imagine — and aspire — to be the main characters/main group. In this case, the Gryffindors. The champion of justice, truth, and everything good. While the Slytherins are the polar opposite — the evil side, boo hiss. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff who and what.

    For long, I aspire to be a Gryffindor. I thought that’s the most important thing. Nobody wanted to be a Slytherin — especially a Ravenclaw and a Hufflepuff, right?

    And definitely not a Hufflepuff. What, them crybabies and insignificant?

    Then, I learned more about the communities and the Tiktoks — yes, the Tiktoks.

    And you know what? I’m obviously a Hufflepuff. And I’m really proud of that.

    I cry easily, I tend to make jokes on the wrong time and on the wrong place, I’m not as brave as a Gryffindor (I TRIED, OK,) my aesthetics are those lo-fi music vibe, I worship Animal Crossing (fun fact: I only have one game, and one game only, on my Nintendo Switch: The Animal Crossing New Horizon) because other games not as chill as Animal Crossing stresses me out, and most of times, I can’t be bothered of many things because it doesn’t go with my zen (kidding. But seriously, working as Support teaches you to not looking for drama because who needs drama if you do user-facing job?)

    And being a Hufflepuff is actually okay and pretty cool. Just as awesome as being a Gryffindor, a Slytherin, and a Ravenclaw.

    Or if you are not into Harry Potter; that’s totally okay too. You do you.

    (I take dibs as Dr. Watson.)

    Slightly Support-related. I just realized the embed code format that you got from the Tiktok app — e.g. https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS3WexqA/ — won’t work. Copy-pasting the code on the editor will only generate a Paragraph block and the URL string.

    The embed will work if we use desktop-version URL, though. Like so:

    https://www.tiktok.com/@bexinblue/video/6917343237355097346

    I’m going to check with the others next week. For now, it’s time to go to sleep and weekend.

    Update: I have opened a GitHub issue with Gutenberg folks here.

    I don’t think this is super urgent so I will treat this as low-priority — but it feels good to open an issue; at least we are aware such issue around ?

  • Same lockdown, different view

    Several states in Malaysia — Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory included — are “welcoming” another MCO (Movements Control Order) a.k.a. Lockdown tomorrow (Wednesday, January 13).

    This feels like May 2020 with more “oh, well” and disappointed-but-not-surprised attitude.

    Stay safe and stay healthy, folks.

  • For better or worse: 2021

    By the end of 2020, things felt like a blur. This reminds me of 2007-2008. As much as I’m proud of my achievements during 2007-2008 (I got my master degree in Management, thanks to Research Assistant program on my campus), it was one of the most challenging years for me. I didn’t have clear recollection of what happened during that year because it felt like an auto-pilot mode.

    It feels like I’m facing 2021 with pots and pans as my armor, and an electric mosquito racket as my backup weapon — so should 2021 decided to be weird, I can bzzzzt-ing it to oblivion.

    2021 is not a new year. It’s more like a continuation of cliffhangers from 2020. And just like many cliffhangers, there are times we wish we could scream. Just to let things all out.

    Just today, I lost an uncle. He faced an illness, and things went worse really fast. And because we are in the middle of a pandemic, the funeral conducted with Covid-prevention method.

    There were no goodbyes, no prayers except from far away. Nothing. Those who attended the funeral only able to watch from a distance, as the crew with protective gears and suits buried the departed.

    Innalillahi wa innailaihi roji’un. “Verily we belong to Allah, and verily to Him do we return” (QS Al-Baqarah: 156)

    “Grief,” they said. What we feel is grief. We are grieving of lost lives, taken too soon. It’s always too soon. We are grieving of things taken away from us. We are grieving of lost connections and frayed memories.

    And here we are: 2021. For better or worse.

    And I hope, I pray, and I wish, it will be for the better for all of us. For all of you.

    Stay safe and stay healthy, wherever you are.

Nindya’s quick blurbs

  • A month too late, but I just stumbled upon IKEA France’s Tiktok video, hinting a possible collab with Animal Crossing. Unfortunately, no further information about this other than IGN picked up this news when the video was posted.

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