Reality Bites by Spark Magazine

spark #6

Some people wear their history like a map on their face And Joey was an artist just living out of case But his best works was his letters home His standard works of fiction about imaginary success The chorus girls in neon were his closest things to friends But to a writer, the truth is no big deal L.I.FE.G.O.E.S.O.N. - Noah & the Whale

Spark is created by Riyandini Putri editor/creative director/founder

spark #6 reality bites

Contact email : sparkismagazine@gmail.com twitter : sparkmags

CONTENT 4. movie reality bites

6. life through this L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.

life is life i’m judged on my own country 12. black bird in a silver sky 22. music born ruffians noah & the whale tame impala alt-J 24. tv series emily owens m.d, gossip gilr the carrie diaries new girl how i met your mother

unsupervised archer 28. mixtape

ON THE COVER Self portrait by Melissa Houben. Important for me was to take a picture wich captured my personality, so people could see the different facettes of me. So I decided to take one with my glasses on and a silly expression. The picture is edited as a vintage polaroid picture because that’s what I like to do in photography, and that’s what fits me personally. — Melissa

spark #6

Melissa Houben Utrecht, Netherlands I started with playing bassguitar, then modelled for four years and now Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been photographing for almost two years. melissahouben.com

DIMAS MAULANA Yogyakarta, Indonesia Have a thing for art, passionate to have a job in the media field. pisaudeadline.blogspot.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Clarita Pinky Diorisa Yogyakarta, Indonesia Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m pretty much young, kinda wild and mostly free. Your next favorite mess. pitamerahmuda.blogspot.com

Dea Karina Yogyakarta, Indonesia Serenity is her destination. Happiness is her motivation. Creativity is her meditation. otak-acak.blogspot.com

Anggita Oktafiana Yogyakarta, Indonesia She is a moody person, who loves photography and music. anggigagu.blogspot.com

Have you ever felt like you are running very fast just to stay in the same place? Phoebe — Phoebe in Wonderland

Hey, guys! How are you? (I’m fine, thank you). This issue is very late, I know. I’m really sorry. Spark #6 theme is Reality Bites (maybe you already know that, good for you). In this issue, we’re talking about Reality Bites the movie (with Winona Ryder on it, yeah!), our favorite albums and tv series. I’m so obsessed with How I Met Your Mother now. Yeah, I’m so easy to be obsessed with so many things actually. I think this is healthy, but I’m not sure. I have the same feeling as the last time I made Spark, I hate growing up. When I was a kid, I wanted to get older really soon, but when I’m older now, all I want is to be a kid again. It is confusing, but the reality is “Growing up is a trap!” But for some reasons, you also thank God for this. You have more freedom, which, well in this case, it is good. But it also could be your boomerang if you don’t use it wisely. I hope you enjoy this issue as much as I enjoy making it. Thank you for you who have been there for these moments. I really appreciate it, thank you very much. Love, Riyandini Putri

movie

Reality Bites It wasn’t only about triangle love between Lelaina, Michael, and Troy. This movie captured how is it to be Generation X at their twenty something.

elaina, Troy, Vickie and Sammy are college buddies who were just graduated and happened to be in a transit zone (a temporary state that would take them to a better ground, they thought), at their twenty something, in the 1990s. Lelaina lives with Vickie, also Troy who needs place to live after he was fired. After college, “The question remains what are we going to do now? How can we repair all the damage we inherited? Well, I know this sounds cornball but I’d like to somehow make a difference in people’s lives” said Lelaina. She had a job at ‘Good Morning, Grant!’. Her plan include revolutionize ‘Good Morning, Grant!’. But well, she was working out her plan. “It’s not like I had a hysterectomy or anything. I just I got fired. I’ll find something else, you know,” Lelaina tried to convince herself but for Sammy, it was, “I mean, that just screws up my whole idea of good and evil.” Lelaina came to her divorced parents to tell that she has no job now. Her mother convinced her to find another job. But times were hard for Lelaina. She applied for every single job vancancy in her field but there’s just nothing. So her mother suggest her, “You’re just gonna have to swallow your pride. Why don’t you get a job at Burgerama? They’ll hire you.” She didn’t get the job at that particular burger shop franchise at the end, because it turned out that her math isn’t good. She also

spark

came to his father, and he said, “I’ll tell you the problem with your generation. You don’t have any work ethic. Darling, I love you, and I hate to break your plate but you got to grow up sometime. Now, I want you to go out there and show me some ingenuity, hmm?” Well, times are hard, especially with your parents on this situation. “Lainie, what are you doing? What are you doing? You lay on that couch all day. Those pajamas are like your uniform. You run up a four-hundred dollar phone bill. You watch TV. You chain-smoke. You don’t go outside. You don’t do anything. Man, you are in the bell jar,” Vickie got really sick to see Lelaina on her unemployed days (Oh well, all I do on my holiday was watching sitcom, so I can’t judge her really. Solidarity, man!) Troy. We adore Ethan Hawke right? But Troy, “He’s weird. He’s strange. He’s sloppy. He’s a total nightmare for women,” as Vickie said. “You suffer from the philosopher groupie syndrome. You’re this guy with, like, an I.Q ten units away from a degree in philosophy and you always fall for these dumb groupie types,” as Lelaine said. In his defense, “I am not under any orders to make the world a better place.” Well, he’s not your father favorite of your boyfriend. “Money? Oh, but what’s money to an artist? To a philosopher? It’s just green-colored paper that floats in

and out of his life like snow,” Lelaina said to Troy on the pay rent day. Oh well, people are asking this money kind of thing to art-ist a lot. I mean, sometimes the great dream (of being a writer, artist, musician, etc.) just doesn’t pay the bills and in order to make decent money one may have to go into a field that is not originally their first choice as a means of employment. “The biggest early-90s trends currently revisiting us, after all, are recession, a stagnant job market and doubt about the worth of higher education,” as Carl Wilson write in ‘My So-Called Adulthood’ at NY Times. Besides, AIDS also become an issue. Vickie went to free clinic AIDS test, “The rite of passage for our generation. One of my friends tested positive. To be on the safe side, you know.” Lelaina was making documentary about her friends, “But it’s really about people who are trying to find their own identity without having any real role models or heroes or anything. When I made this thing I kind of made this promise to myself that I wasn’t going to think about where it was gonna end up because I didn’t want to unintentionally commercialize it.” Michael thought that the documentary would be perfect for ‘In Your Face’ TV (“It’s like MTV, but with an edge”). But Lelaina felt very sad when Michael’s people try to improve the documentary and cut so many things.

Michael said, “It’s, like, you have this great piece of work and we have this audience, these kids and it’s like trying to feed them meatloaf or something and they don’t want to eat it, right? So you have to give them, like, ‘Here comes the plane. It’s coming into the hangar. Open up the hangar.’ But it’s still meatloaf. Look, I’m sorry, all right? They were just trying to market it. And I wish I could be perfect, OK?” It wasn’t his fault, Lelaina! To be truth, when you make documentary about your friends, maybe you should realize that it is a ‘documentary about your friends’. Don’t mock people if they find it too slow and cut so many pieces. The only thing that I can suggest you is make whatever what you want to make. If you feel that your taste is this but people can’t get it, you make it yourself! Bam! You have your own magazine or youtube channel now, congratulations! The idea of looking for our dream job after college graduation maybe becomes our nightmare then. Oh man, I don’t know what I would do. My professors said that it wouldn’t be hard to look for a job in our field. But who knows? The only thing that I can do is believe it. Well, we should also consider the alternative ways. In my plan, my dream job is my alternative. Yes, it is true. I’m prepared to be a vet and my alternative is having a magazine. 

spark

life through this

L.I.F.E. G.O.E.S. O.N. Life isn’t fairytale for almost of us. But if you have a real fairytale life, I’m trying not to be jealous and be awesome instead.

words r. putri photo a. oktafiana

am so obsessed with a game so-called Fruit Link (this game is kind of lame. And cool). You have to pair the same fruit (two of them should be direct, nothing blocked them from each other, duh). The time is ticking so you have to be as fast as possible. I’m suck on this game. I tried really hard (I guess) but I failed, I can’t go to the next level (my friends end up playing this game and they’re very good on this) (congratulations you guys!). I’m afraid it also applies to my life. I’m afraid that I’m not doing my life right. This idea haunts me. A week ago, a friend of mine just passed away. It was tragic. He drowns in the sea. Oh man. It haunts me all the time. It makes me think, “Am I really gonna doing this life that I used to have?” And the answer is I don’t know.

spark

I don’t know what I am doing with my life now. Prepare myself for the future? Oh man, who am I kidding? By the way, have you ever been so fucked up? You feel really depressed and you cry a lot. You feel that nothing matters anymore. You realize that life itself that makes you depressed. Then hate everyone instead (somebody who think that hating-everyone-is-cool is totally wrong). Better than that (maybe?) (no, it’s not) you become an ignorant person. Do you hate gossips? Well, I do. It makes me ignore everything so I’m not gossiping that also means I become an ignorant person and not knowing so many things about my friends or my real social life. Many times, it feels good. But it makes you not knowing what-people-are-talking-about which sometimes sucks. It doesn’t really matter anyway (if you don’t care about it, you’re fine then). But sometimes it does. I think I’ll work on how to be a neither ignorant person nor a gossip girl one. Living in a society is hard really (my dad mentioned this so many times, but I just ignore it, yet). I will never be good enough. I tried really, but it doesn’t work (damn it, society!) There are so many nonsense rules,

like you should smile to people (no matter how depressed you are, you have to be nice!) (that’s why stay away from people sometimes helps). But human isn’t happy machine you know (sometimes I wish I could). Good enough and nice are the scariest things ever. Oh man, I wish I were Barbie (my life would be perfect without trying! Happily ever after). I’m sorry to tell you this but life is never going to be perfect, ever! So, be tough. You’ll learn how to do this soon or sooner. You deserve whatever you think you deserve. Don’t wait to get it. Get it by yourself, be tough (I told you so). Life isn’t fairytale for almost of us. But if you have a real fairytale life, I’m trying not to be jealous and be awesome instead (thanks, Barney!). Become awesome isn’t easy either. I have no plan for my future life. Not even a single one. I feel bad everyday. I’m so excited to know that some of my friends really have plans. They look so focus with their life, they already know their goal. I have nothing, neither Yessy (she is my bff!). We’re both in college and we have no idea what’d happen in the next 5 years. We’re still figuring it out, what we want to be, what we want to have. It is definitely not easy, even to define our self.

People told you to be yourself. But how if you’re still figuring it out? Even me in my early twenties, I still figuring it out about who am I. I never really know what people think about me. Sometimes I want to know, but most of the time, I’m not. So, dear people who judge me, would you tell me what’s wrong with me? I do acually think that some things are wrong in me. I believe it. It doesn’t really get me anywhere but depression (I know you’ll be nicely say that there is nothing wrong, just be strong). Life sucks, we all already know that, not big news. But you know what the big news is? Start believing yourself. You’re the only one you in this world. We all are different. Sometimes, we’re in the same situation and think that we’re just the same. Sorry to break this out to you, we’re not. Some people try too hard to be different. They want to be special. The truth is everyone is special. Everyone has their own game. The game they’ll play over and over no matter how sucks it is. No matter what, life goes on. Life will never wait you to get ready. Chance do exists, by the way, and I’m waiting for my chance to come, maybe one day I’ll become a Barbie (I can dream high, right?) 

spark

LIFE IS LIFE Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a car, nice boyfriend, true friends, a smart ass brain, easy, easy, easy. All is easy. While the truth is, Of course not. words c. p. diorisa photo d. maulana

spark

life through this

eople know me as if I’m having such an easy and happy life. I’ve traveled to many countries, got the chances to study outside the country, dad’s having money, I’ve got a car, nice boyfriend, true friends, a smart ass brain, easy, easy, easy. All is easy. While the truth is, Of course not. Everyone must have a problem, and what makes it different is how they can cover it up from people. Now let me tell you this. I had to move from Australia and go back to Indonesia, restarting my study all over again and redoing my life once again. It is quite a waste of time as it means, I’d be graduating late. Having fake friends is also quite usual for me. Got cheated by a boyfriend, a break up, loving my own bestfriend, suffering, got no money, had to find a part time job (and mostly got declined) in order to be survive in Australia, walked to the train station at 5 in the morning for an hour to catch the job interview in the other suburb that took 2 hours bus and train ride, not having dinner with friends in a restaurant cause you had no money, etc etc etc. Talking about passion too, it has always been a question in my head. If someone asks me what my passion is, I’d say, “finding out what my passion is my biggest passion”. Until today, in my age of 20, I’m still clueless of what path should I take in the future. When I was still in high school, I decided to take mass communication major in the college because I want to work in the media. But then finally when I worked it out, I didn’t feel like to be there a lot longer. In the class, I had to write a bunch of movies and made many review about that, made many real ads and documentary; and well, talking about interest, I never really put too much

heart to movies. I gave up for mass communication major. So as I said before that I moved back to Indonesia, I didn’t have any idea of the major I should take in the university here. Remembering that a friend of mine said, “If you don’t know which way you’re going, so why does it matter which road to take?”, I chose to take international relations major; which I simply have no single idea about politics and the country. That is how hopeless I am. Still in the topic, seeing some of my friends that seem like they already know what their passions are and what they are doing now like having little business, being with the things they like: writing for magazines, making art exhibitions, etc; I’m still here, feeling clueless. Surprised? I know people see me as a happy human being. I do everything I’m interested at, because that is the only excuse. I just want to live to the fullest and do everything challenging. Yep. Reality bites real hard; to me, to her, to him, to them, and even to you. That’s how life rolls. It sometimes makes you break down and cry. It feels like life is never good enough for you. You be keep asking. ”Why me?”, and be jealous over other people’s life. That’s normal. I know reality is shit, but it is the thing makes you better and stronger. Challenge the obstacles. Your life won’t be perfectly perfect, but it can be beautiful if you make the most out of it. People said the one who gets rain the hardest is the one who deserves sunshine the most. Well that’s true. This is life. Enjoy it. Everything has its time to be beautiful by itself. Reality bites? Bite harder. 

spark

life through this

SAYA DIADILI DI NEGERI SENDIRI Saya diharuskan menguasai Bahasa Inggris dalam mencari peerjaan di negara saya sendiri, Indonesia.

words d. maulana

aya terlahir dari keluarga Jawa. Ayah dan ibu saya keduanya berasal dari Jawa. Ibu menggunakan Bahasa Jawa sebagai bahasa sehari-hari sedangkan Ayah saya menggunakan bahasa Indonesia. Saya pernah bertanya kepada ayah saya, “Be (babe –pen), mengapa menggunakan Bahasa Indonesia di rumah?” Babe menjawab, “Ya, supaya kamu terbisa menggunakan Bahasa Indonesia” jelas Babe. Benar juga ketika saya SD, beberapa teman saya hanya menggunakan bahasa Jawa. Bahasa Indonesia hanya digunakan ketika berada di kelas, setelah keluar kelas bahasa kami kembali menggunakan Bahasa Jawa. Saya mengenal Bahasa Inggris sejak SD. Ketika SMP hingga jenjang perguruan tinggi, saya mengenal Bahasa Jerman dan Belanda. Jika saya hebat, saya mungkin sudah mampu menguasai lima bahasa yaitu Jawa, Indonesia, Inggris, Jerman dan Belanda. Namun kenyataannya, saya payah dengan ketiga bahasa terakhir tersebut. Bahasa Inggris seperti menjadi momok bagi saya. Bagaimana tidak, bahasa yang sudah saya kenal sejak SD belum juga saya kuasai. Jangankan menulis, berbicara saja saya masih canggung. Ada yang mengatakan hal tersebut dapat dikuasai jika kita berada dalam keadaan harus menggunakan bahasa tersebut sebagai bahasa sehari-hari. Selepas dari perguruan tinggi saya mencari kerja. Kita sudah mengetahiu bahwa Bahasa Inggris menjadi bahasa yang wajib dikuasai baik lisan maupun tulisan. Saya membaca lowongan demi lowongan hingga menemukan lowongan yang sesuai dengan dunia saya. Kualifikasi yang diwajibkan satu per satu

spark

sudah bisa saya kuasai namun selalu terganjal dengan kemampuan Bahasa Inggris. Nah, bahasa membuktikan dirinya sebagai momok. Saya membuka kembali lowongan yang lain hasilnya sebagian besar menuntut kemampuan dalam bahasa. Apakah tidak ada lagi ruang bagi saya atau orang yang mengalami permasalah yang sama. Sepertinya bahasa Inggris seperti hakim yang mengadili saya dalam memilih pekerjaan. Hebat sekali bahasa ini sampai mampu menghentikan langkah orang untuk mencari kerja. Bagaimana lagi, katanya Indonesia menuju perdagangan bebas. Jadi penguasan bahasa asing menjadi vital. Sekali lagi masih adakah tempat bagi kami orang-orang yang berkompeten namun tidak mahir dalam penguasaan bahasa Inggris? Hidup itu pilihan, rezeki sudah diatur. Awalnya saya ingin masuk jurusan Komunikasi namun gagal dan diterima di jurusan Ilmu Sejarah. Ketertarikan saya tetap tidak jauh dari penerapan ilmu-ilmu komunikasi. Saya mencoba mencari lowongan tersebut. Nihil kualifikasi pekerjaan tersebut tidak bisa saya lamar. Semua harus berasal dari jurusan komunikasi atau jurnalistik. Salah satu bekal saya adalah kemampuan menulis. Kemampuan ini saya yakini yang dapat membantu saya ketika mencari kerja. Selain itu, saya juga tidak memiliki tinggi badan yang sesuai standar. Bisa dikata saya termasuk pendek. Sempat tertarik untuk melamar pekerjaan di bidang transportasi udara meski bukan menjadi pramugara, tetap saja tinggi saya belum memenuhi kualifikasi. Walaupun saya mampu dalam pekerjaan itu. Satu masalah saya dalam hal ini, yaitu tinggi badan. Namun hal tersebut tidak masalah, masih ada pekerjaan lain yang tidak melihat dari tinggi badan sebagai syarat ketentuan. Saya adalah pencari kerja. Semasa kuliah saya juga bekerja namun saya tidak pernah ke sana kemari membawa lamaran. Mengikuti beberapa tahap penyaringan seperti psikotes dan wawancara yang berlapis. Koneksi atau jaringan pertemanan yang membawa pekerjaan kepada saya. Tapi kondisinya sekarang berbeda, saya sedang mencari pekerjaan, mengikuti proses dari seleksi administrasi sampai panggilan psikotes dan wawancara. Meski belum membuahkan hasil namun itu semua proses. Pasti suatu saat akan ada tawaran pekerjaaan untuk saya. Sehingga mimpi saya untuk membahagiakan ibu saya bisa terlaksana. Fase yang harus dihadapi semoga bisa dilalui dengan akhir yang indah. 

TRANS LATION

Bahasa Indonesia

English

I’M JUDGED IN MY OWN COUNTRY I am forced to BE fluent IN English as a job seeker in my own country, Indonesia. traslate c. p. diorisa

was born in a Javanese family; both of my parents are Javanese. My mom used Javanese language as a daily language and my dad used the Indonesian (Bahasa) one. I once asked my dad why we have to speak Bahasa in the house, and his answer was, “just so you can also speak Bahasa”. He was actually right. When I was in elementary school, some of my friend used Javanese language as a daily language. Bahasa was only used in the class. I was introduced to English since I was in elementary school, then later on I also got Germany and Dutch Languages classes in the middle school until in the university level. If I was a genius, I might have already mastered those three languages and also my native languages: Javanese and Indonesian. Yet in fact, I’m really bad on those three foreign languages: English, Germany, and Dutch. I have that some kind of fear with English; I haven’t really mastered on that particular language even though I’ve already studied that since I was a kid. Let alone the writing; I’m still being an awkward turtle if I’m asked to speak English. Someone said we would be good on this particular language if I’m forced to use it as a daily language. After I got my bachelor degree, I have to get a job. It is known that English has become a compulsory that we have to be able on the oral and the written one in the job vacancies. I’ve read many vacancies and found some jobs that fit me, but I always stumble on the English oral and writing ability. At this point, English has shown itself to become my primary obstacle. Nevertheless, the question then has always popped in my head, “is there still any place for me and for those who have the same problem like mine?” It seems like English has become the main judge for me to get a job.

It is sad knowing that this particular language is able to stop someone’s struggle for having a real job. The free trade that Indonesia is going toward to, has also made a foreign language speaking ability a must for Indonesian people. So now I will ask the question once more, is there still any space for the people with great competencies yet they don’t have the foreign language ability? Life is all about choice and fortune too, has been set up already. I first wanted to get into communication studies major in the university but then I failed and got into the history studies one. My interest has always been about communication science application toward the job I’m going to apply, but unfortunately they always put the qualification on communication or journalistic graduates. I only have one thing that accompanies me to get the job: writing ability. I also do not have the height standard for any job vacancies. I’m short. I once was interested to work in the air transportation company even though I wasn’t going for the flight attendance, but still, my height is not qualified. I was actually able to work in the particular job but the only problem is all about height. Well anyway, it is no problem for me; there are still many jobs that do not see height as one of the qualifications. I’m a jobseeker. I used to do part-time job when I was still studying in college but I never put on CV, following some stage of tests and psychological test and also interviews. I got the job because of my friends and connections. But now the condition is different. I have to follow those steps to get a real job. Even though I haven’t got the thing I want, but I believe everything need process. I believe a job call will come and ask me, so my dream of making my mom happy is finally realized. This phase that I have to face makes me believe that it will be ended beautifully. 

spark

Black Bird in A Silver Sky Photographer: Melissa Houben Model: Britt van Maanen MUA: Kelly van Etten Stylist: Gracia Visscher

spark

music

Born Ruffians Red, Yellow and Blue 2008 Warp Records I love this mixtape on 8tracks.com that makes me loved and such. Little Garçon is one my favorite tracks on it. Oh man, I love their catchy music. Then I decided to download the debut album, Red, Yellow and Blue, and never regret it. This album is the first album that I downloaded after I sucked on my streaming habit. Oh man, it feels great. Luke Lalonde really got me (you got me luke! Happy? Oh, I wish). But I love the music really. Born Ruffians used to be trio: Luke Lalonde (guitar and vocal), Mitch DeRosier (bass), and Steve Hamelin (drums), but along the way they picked Andy Lloyd (guitar or keyboard). Recently Andy broke his arm when he was roller-skating (oh, poor Andy. Now they do #SaveAndysArm and we hope the best for him). Born Ruffians second album is Say It (2010) and the third, Birthmarks, would be launched at April 16th 2013. 

spark

Noah & The Whale Last Night on Earth 2011 Universal Mercury Records Oh man, this is the album that gonna makes you really happy and go crazy. Noah & The Whale, indie folk-rock band, that consist Charlie Fink (vocal and guitar), Tom Hobden (violin/keys), Matt Owens (bass/guitar), Fred Abbot (guitar/ keys), and Michael Petulla (drums). Doug Fink was a drummer here but he left to pursue career in medicine. Charlie is so cool, I’ll tell you. His voice makes you wonder about how beautiful this world is (true!), besides he is a film maker (double cool!). There are only few people who got the cool persona and he is one of them (Ellen Page has it too, but sadly I‘m not). It was also 8tracks that makes me know this band (I don’t know why a lot of my friends don’t really go to 8tracks. Well maybe they’re too busy or too tired to check this out, and I’m one of you all who spent too much times on the internet). Life is Life as the first track is the best decision ever, but I love all the tracks. Oh man, I love them! This album is the third, the earlier albums are Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down (2008) and The First Day of Spring (2009). The next album, Heart of Nowhere, will be released on May 6th 2013. 

Tame Impala Lonerism 2012 Modular Recordings

Alt-J An Awesome Wave 2012 Infectious Music If you haven’t heard of Alt-J (∆) already, it’s a band from Leeds, England that was formed in 2007. The vocalist has a distinguishable voice. It’s unique and it can immediately tell you, “Oh, it’s Alt-J”. They consist of four artists: Joe Newman, Gwil Sainsbury, Thom Green, and Gus Unger-Hamilton. The first track that I knew was Fitzpleasure- it played along the advertisement of a TV series called “Call Me Fitz”. At first it sounded weird but I eventually developed a taste- intense and hot. I didn’t know the band at that time, though, I knew because of Laneway Festival Singapore 2013. I went through the artists playing and there it was, Alt-J, with Fitzpleasure playing in Laneway’s website. The album is called An Awesome Wave. It’s interesting, it’s different, and it’s addicting. It’s weird at first, but once you get used to it, you’ll develop a new taste. It was released on 25 May 2012 by Infectious Music and their tracks has landed them titles such as Barclaycard Mercury Prize, BBC Radio 6 Music Album of the Year 2012, and Australian 2012 Triple J Hottest 100. Personally my favorite track is Taro, it’s about two war photographers and lovers, Gerda Taro and Robert Capa- you’ll love it. —Dea

I also discovered them from Laneway Festival Singapore 2013 website. Eventhough I discovered them late- very late- but I’m confident enough to put this band as one of my favorite bands of all time. Tame Impala is a band from Perth, Western Australia. It consists of 5 artists: Kevin Parker, Dominic Simper, Jay Watson, Nick Allbrook, and Julien Barbagallo. Their music levitates you. It takes you into those psychedelic dreams and apparently they made you a soundtrack. Lonerism was released on 5 October 2012 and peaked as high as 4th in Australia. It has 12 tracks: Be Above It, Endors Toi, Apocalypse Dreams, Mind Mischief, Music to Walk Home By, Why Won’t They Talk To Me?, Feels Like We Only Go Backwards, Keep On Lying, Elephant, She Just Won’t Believe Me, Nothing That Has Happened So Far Has Been Anything We Could Control, and Sun’s Coming Up. Wow. All have the “feel”- that magical levitation feel. Though in this album it seems that the tracks are more singalong-able than their previous album, Innerspeaker. My favorite track is Endors Toi which means “hypnotize yourself ” in French. It’s raw, it’s magic. If you’re in the slightest bit a daydreamer, you’ll love this album. —Dea

spark

tv series

YOU KEEP ME

PROCRASTINATING I’ve been in this hole too much. Where was I on Christmas holiday? Streaming. Where was I on weekends? Streaming. Where was I on my free time? Streaming. Where was I on my last minute before exam? Streaming! Yes my friend, I know that it wasn’t healthy at all. For you who never do streaming before, I’ll tell you how (yes, I’m doing it!). Well, you open 1channel.ch (they have everything really, so many TV series and movies) (well, the fact is I don’t have Netflix account). You type the title in the search bar if you already have it or just looking around then click it. Decide which episode that you’ll watch, click it then choose the link (I prefer putlocker, sockshare and videoslasher). Then you’ll watch whatever it is. Be happy kiddo!

Emily Owens, M.D. 2012-2013 This is the first medical show ever that I’ve ever watched and (surprisingly) I enjoyed it. Maybe because there is drama in it (well, I used to hate drama but this one is different). I like this for Emily’s character for sure. She is nice, lovely, brilliant, talented, and awkward. Emily made friend with Tyra on the first day they met as intern at a hospital. Emily likes Will, but he dated Emily’s rival, Cassandra, instead. But later, they all gonna be friend. There is a dude named Micah who likes Emily! (Oh man, I sounds like gossip girl!) Last time I saw it, Micah kissed Emily and two seconds later Will said that he broke up with Cassandra. So, to be continued. I’ll not tell you the ending in case you hate spoiler. If you’re a medical student, watch this show may would help you a little. It would give you view about what really happens with patients, partners, bosses, well so many things. Actually they also show the surgery part. Oh man, that is scary! (for me, yeah) This show would be cancelled though, so it will only last in 1 season 13 episodes. People do protest for this cancelation, but it doesn’t matter anyway. Oh, good things don’t last forever (insert sad face here). 

spark

gossip girl 2007-2012 This is the first show ever that made me so obsessed. I’m afraid that it wasn’t healthy. It is over now (I’m more than sad to face this fact!) Blair Waldorf really got me. Yeah, her style, as how we adore her but her scheming is a thing. We really can’t ignore it, but she is a good friend really. I think it would be really hard to be grown up for her, there must be some childish part of her that never disappear. Well, enough of her. A character which really has major change is Chuck Bass. He was just a boy at the first season, but on the last he is a man (a dad too, by the way). I wasn’t fond at him at first but he is so charming right? No one could resist him really. Serene was all grown up at the last season. Apparently, dating a widower with a rebel teenage daughter gave her big lessons. Finally Serena and Dan are together (and married, thanks God?). Serena married the Gossip Girl. Ew! But Dan? Why Dan? Why not someone else? Whyyyy??? 

the carrie diaries 2013– It is a book series, and become a TV series. This show is prequel to TV series Sex and the City. Oh well, such a long story. Carrie Bradshaw (but AnnaSophia Robb as Carrie? She is way too ‘cool’! All I can remember is her as Leslie in Bridge to Terabithia who is so tomboy) is in junior high school in the 80s who is so into The City, Manhattan (I mean, who don’t?) however sometimes Manhattan doesn’t really friendly to her. But she really works hard on it. Well, she falls in love (yeah, this word is everywhere) with Sebastian Kydd (a new boy on her school). There are some difference on the screen compared to the book, like Carrie only has a sister, Dorrit (Missy doesn’t exist here) (Dorrit’s style is goth, so it was sort of the opposite of Carrie); Lali character didn’t exist (yet, maybe?); and Larissa Loughlin (style editor at Interview Magazine) exists (she is Carrie’s friend in Manhattan who invite Carrie to parties in the city). This TV series was developed by Gossip Girl producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. You could expect something ‘more’ normal on this (but if I think about it again, there is at least a party on each episode which is so Gossip Girl). There was the most popular girl, Donna LaDonna, who has minions but apparently she wasn’t so cruel (she is definitely not Blair!). The setting is on the 80s, but it doesn’t has 80s vibe. Bummer. Maybe you already read the book, but we could expect something different on this TV series. Everything seems different on the screen (I can’t blame the producers really). 

spark

tv series

New Girl 2011–

How i met your mother 2005– It is Ted Mosby in 2030 who told the story how he met his wife to his daughter and son. Ted does this because his parents never told everything about them to him. So, Ted said to his parents, after such a long time he didn’t know that his parents are divorced, that he’ll never do the same. He’d tell his kids everything. And it takes long time for him to tell the story to his kids (and US!!!). Ted has gang which consist Marshall, Lily, Barney and Robin. Ted is Marshall’s room mate and Lily is Marshall’s girlfriend since college. They finally married after 10 years dating. I don’t know how to explain Barney’s character. In two words, he is funny and womanizer. Robin is Ted’s ex-girlfriend who (spoiler? But I think many of you already watch this show!) marry Barney. This show is freaking hilariously funny. You should give it a try. Definitely! 

spark

I wasn’t really so excited about this show at first. Zooey Deschanel was so overrated. But luckily, she made it. This show is great. Jess, Nick, Winston, and Schmidt live in the same loft (Jess is the New Girl). Cece is Jess’ best friend since they were child. Jess and Nick are on their denial that actually they love each other. Currently, Jess dates a dentist, Sam. But at the very last episode (Season 2 Episode 15), Nick kissed Jess. We’ll see what happen next. Is she chooses Sam or Nick? (It is so obvious. She’ll choose Nick! But we’ll see. Okay). Schmidt dated Cece. Well, they too still love each other (aw man!). But believe me, they made and deserve for each other. Winston? I have no clue what would happen to him. He met an Asian girl at bar, but it doesn’t mean anything serious. Well, this is my guess. I’m afraid it would be totally wrong since it is still too early, who knows that they’ll have 11 seasons! Things happened you know, more over at long seasons. 

unsupervised 2012–

archer 2009– You probably have heard it anyway. It already has 4 seasons or 39 episodes so far. It’s about a secret agent of ISIS named Sterling Archer dealing with global espionage alongside his mother AND boss, Malory Archer, his ex-girlfriend and co-worker Lana Kane, and other ISIS co-workers. Every episode has its own plot full of quirky twists and turns; one that makes you want to facepalm (in a good way) or one that gets you on. The genre is dark comedy, action/adventure/sitcom. The characters are significant in the story- they’re the ones that make the series interesting. The tension/relationship between Archer and Lana is fantastic, and Archer with his mom even more so. To give a glance of illustration, Sterling Archer is like Don Draper from Mad Men, but more.. facepalm-y and cartoonish. His facepalm-ish actions are what made me hooked of this episode- you should give this series a watch! —Dea

It’s about two 15-year-olds, Gary and Joel, from the “white trash” background who is dealing through high school and puberty without parental supervision. Gary’s from a broken home and lives with his stepmom and Joel just has really old parents. Gary’s mom smoke bongs and Joel’s brother is 40. But what can I say, this serial’s got me hooked because we can all relate to their characters, you know, as teenagers dealing with the pressures of high school, etc. The humor is different, though. It’s not about the jokes but the reality of it- they’re too positive to be in a such negative environment, and that’s what makes it funny. Wikipedia states their genre as “dark comedy”. There’s a lesson in each of their episode, regardless of how gruesome (yes, there is blood-) and how sexual (yes) the animations are. You should give this TV series a try, but it’s not for everyone. —Dea

spark

mixtape

REALITY BITES

Life is Life - Noah & the Whale Young and Insane - The Magnetic Fields You Only Live Once - The Strokes Open Your Eyes - Snow Patrol Sailing by Night - Departement of Eagles Scenic World - Beirut I Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Love Anyone - Belle and Sebastian Black Letter Day - The Cardigans Little Garcon - Born Ruffians Shake It Out - Florence and the Machine

spark

spark #7 NEXT ISSUE

FASHION