Finally!!! 1st track released : On The Backs of Angels

Yeah, akhirnya saya ngeblog lagi. hehe.

Akhirnya juga, Dream Theater merilis track pertama dari album mereka yang terbaru "Dramatic Turns of Events" bersama drummer baru mereka, Mike Mangini. Track nya sendiri judulnya "On The Backs of Angels" yang dirilis dan bisa didengar secara gratis lewat YouTube.
Resminya mereka merilis pada pukul 11 malam (WIB) tanggal 29 Juni 2011 kemaren. Overall, menurut saya lagunya cukup khas DT, walaupun suara drumnya agak kurang kedengar. Yah, mending nunggu CD albumnya sekalian ntar tanggal 13 September 2011 dirilis, biar bisa sekalian ngerasain album yang kata DT sebagai "The Greatest album". Hohoho

Oke deh, yang mau denger lagunya, nih dia

Welcome to the family, Mr. Mike Mangini

Mike Mangini (nomor dua dari kanan), drummer baru Dream Theater

“We’d like to welcome you to the family.”

Mike Mangini akhirnya terpilih menjadi drummer baru Dream Theater (yaayy finally!!) Setelah melalui proses audisi dengan tujuh drummer yang disebut-sebut tujuh drummer terhebat dunia (Mike Mangini, Derek Roddy, Virgil Donati, Marco Minneman, Aquilles Priester, Peter Wildoer, dan Thomas Lang), akhirnya Dream Theater memilih Mike Mangini, dengan berbagai pertimbangan, tentunya :D

Yah, menurut saya sih, cuma dua calon drummer diatas cocok buat nempatin posisi drummer DT yang kosong akibat ditinggal Mike Portnoy, yaitu Mike Mangini dan Marco Minneman, dari skill, mungkin tidak banyak berbeda, tapi dari passion mereka saat bermain, kelihatan berbeda dari yang lainnya. Untuk Marco, dia memang keliatan “lebih muda” dari Mike Mangini, dan tentunya lebih muda dari personil Dream Theater lainnya.

Tapi untuk urusan chemistry, mungkin memang Mike Mangini lah orang yang paling tepat untuk bisa “sepaham” dengan musiknya Dream Theater. Walaupun drummer lainnya macam Peter Wildoer, Marco Minneman, dan Thomas Lang juga menunjukkan chemistry yang meyakinkan saat audisi (menurut saya pribadi loh ya :p)

Yah, apapun itu..selamat lah buat pak Mike Mangini, sebagai drummer baru band favorit saya, Dream Theater!! Welcome to the family :)

p.s. : yes, this blog post is a copy from the author's tumblr account, please feel free to visit http://onedrumsticks.tumblr.com/

The Spirit Carries On : Move On, Be Brave.

Akhirnya, setelah menunggu cukup lama, hampir setengah tahun, band Progresif Rock legendaris Dream Theater mengumumkan siapa drummer mereka yang baru, yang menggantikan drummer lama sekaligus salah satu founder Dream Theater yaitu Mike Portnoy.

Well, mereka tidak mengumumkan secara langsung siapa nama drummer baru mereka, namun dengan cara merilis video bertajuk "The Spirit Carries On", video yang menceritakan proses audisi tujuh drummer kelas dunia yang salah satunya bakal jadi pengganti Mike Portnoy.

Yah, mungkin sebagian penggemar Dream Theater yang sudah penasaran sejak awal mundurnya Mike Portnoy dari posisi penggebuk drum band lawas yang dibentuk tahun 1986 ini mulai memprediksi siapa drummer yang bakal jadi  calon pengganti Mike Portnoy, diantaranya Mike Mangini, Marco Winneman, dan masih banyak lagi.

Memang untuk band progressive rock seperti Dream Theater, sangat dibutuhkan skill dan kemampuan drum yang "diluar batas" drummer kebanyakan. Coba saja dengarkan lagu-lagu mereka yang beat nya kadang terkesan rumit tak beraturan, dan penggunaan drumkit Mike Portnoy sendiri yang sangat-sangat wah untuk kebanyakan drummer.

Tapi tentu saja, drummer dengan skill dan bakat yang mantap disini bukan hanya Mike Portnoy, banyak drummer di dunia yang malang melintang dengan skill yang mungkin melebihi Mike Portnoy, tetapi menurut saya pribadi, setiap drummer punya style permainannya sendiri, dan rasanya cukup sulit mencari "siapa pemenang" jika membandingkan skill drummer-drummer berbakat kelas dunia yang bakal menjadi drummer baru Dream Theater.

Kembali ke, The Spirit Carries On, di video ini, Dream Theater dan label rekamannya yaitu RoadRunner records merilis tujuh episode video proses audisi dan mengungkap siapa drummer baru Dream Theater. Sampai hari ini (Kamis, 28 April 2011) mereka sudah merilis dua episode video. Para drummer yang dipanggil untuk audisi ini diantaranya yaitu Aquiles Priester, Peter Wildoer, Derek Roddy, Marco Winneman, Virgil donnati, Thomas Lang dan Mike Mangini.

Jordan Rudess, sang keyboardist, mengumumkan melalui fanpage resmi facebooknya, bahwa video episode satu sudah dirilis dalam beberapa terjemahan bahasa, dan mengumumkan bahwa video episode dua sudah dirilis di channel Youtube Roadrunner.

Di lain tempat, akun twitter non-ofisial "@TheYTSETimes" mengatakan bahwa video episode ketiga akan dirilis hari Jumat, 29 April 2011, dan (kemungkinan) kita sudah bisa mengetahui siapa drummer baru Dream Theater pada episode ketiga ini.

Saya sendiri baru melihat bagian awal video episode pertama, dan belum sempat selesai menonton sampai bagian akhirnya (koneksi internet lelet sih, hehe :p), dan selama menit awal video, gak terasa saya udah meneteskan air mata, bener-bener terharu pas nonton bagian awal video menunjukkan video wawancara dengan Mike Portnoy, John Petrucci, dan John Myung, yang seperti kita ketahui, mereka bertigalah founder Dream Theater.
 

Dan tidak terasa sudah duapuluhlima tahun mereka berada dalam satu "keluarga" yaitu Dream Theater. John Petrucci sendiri pada awal video mengaku merasa janggal ketika mereka memulai audisi hari pertama, dia mengatakan, "It's very strange, for all of us..obviously, being drummerless is something that we never really pictured happening or imagined.. but here we are.."

Melihat perjalanan band idola saya ini, satu hal yang bisa saya ambil pelajaran.. Yeah, it's hard to lose someone important, even harder to keep moving on, but we still have to do it bravely. Seperti pada petikan lirik lagu The Spirit Carries On : "Move on, be brave.."

Cheer up and keep rockin guys!!! :D

7.46 AM

Weeellllll............weeeeeeeeeeeelllllllllll...... back on writing blogs...finally...hehe :)
I've been busy, lately, so I couldn't (or I wouldn't :p) post any blog writing, but now on this holiday time, I'll post something..well, some info actually, keep it up guys, stick around to this blog, hehe :)

1.50 PM

Saya memulai kembali hidup dengan hembusan-hembusan nafas di hari ini. Saya masih merasa terbelenggu oleh masa lalu. Kesalahan-kesalahan yang saya lakukan terhadap orang lain, yang membuat mereka menjauh dari saya. Yeah, I'm feeling guilty. Saya benar-benar merasa bersalah, sampai sekarang.

Apa yang bisa saya katakan, sekarang saya hanya mencoba kembali memperbaiki hubungan yang telah lama rusak. Saya berjuang hanya untuk membuka pintu maaf mereka. I'm doing my best, and preparing for the worst.

I'm doing all I can, but it feels like it's not good enough, I'm not doing enough. Everything is never enough.

My First Cubing Competition

Yeah, update blog lagi..sebenarnya udah mau update dari maret kemarin, tapi baru kesampaian nulis sekarang..hehehe :)

Kali ini tentang kompetisi rubik yang saya ikuti beberapa hari yang lalu, tepatnya pada hari Sabtu, tanggal 19 Maret 2011 kemarin. FYI, kompetisi kemarin itu kompetisi rubik pertama saya lho..hehehe

Yah, mungkin karena banyak yang lebih jago, dan emang sayanya yang nggak jago, ya saya gak dapat podium juara deh. Catatan waktu yang kemarin saya raih sekitar 24an detik, yang dihitung dalam format average of 5, yaitu rata-rata dari 5 kali waktu solving, dimana waktu terbaik dan terburuk dibuang, dan sisanya dihitung rata-ratanya. Solve tercepat saya sendiri sekitar 20.xx detik, yah..lumayanlah buat kompetisi pertama.

Dan hasil dari kompetisinya?, saya dapat rata-rata waktu sekitar 24 detik, dan menurut saya sangat memuaskan untuk ukuran kompetisi pertama, ^_^v. Yah, selain itu dapat juga sertifikat, plus buku tabungan dari pihak sponsor.

Here's some picture of the competition and the winner

Solving..solving

tanpa melihat lho.

the winners

my cubing logs

Well, just a little update, ignore that last post, that was for someone, anyway ;)

Yeah, setelah lama gak update, sekarang saya mulai pengen nulis lagi, walaupun gak bakal banyak yang ditulis,hehe. Kali ini mau nulis tentang my cubing-log, atau perkembangan cubing saya. Gak usah berlama-lama lagi, langsung aja ya.

Here's the summary :)

Mulai cubing : Akhir September 2010-Oktober 2010
First Solve : Akhir September 2010, lupa tanggalnya, pokoknya malam minggu, dan langsung ngasi tau mantan kalo saya bisa nyelesaikan rubik :p

Oktober 2010
1 Oktober 2010 : Avg sub 2-menit pertama, tercatat 1:20.12 detik, masih pake beginner's LBL method.
15 Oktober 2010 : Sub 1 menit single pertama, tercatat 58.15 detik, udah pake F2L.
16 Oktober 2010 : Sub 1 menit avg pertama, tercatat 59.65 detik

November 2010
pertengahan : mulai stabil di average sub-50 detik
akhir bulan : stabil di average sub-45 detik

Desember 2010 :
Awal bulan : mulai stabil di average sub-40 detik
pertengahan : stabil di average sub-35 detik.
akhir bulan : personal best average sub-30 detik

Januari 2011 :
Awal bulan : mulai stabil di average sub-30 detik.
pertengahan : stuck di average sub-30 detik.
akhir bulan : gak ada perubahan

Februari 2011 :
awal bulan : dapat personal best single sub-20 pertama, tercatat 19.61 detik :))
pertengahan : personal best avg sub-25 pertama.
akhir bulan : mulai stabil average sub-25 detik

Maret 2011 :
awal bulan : kembali stuck di average sub-30 detik
pertengahan : mulai stabil kembali di average sub-25 detik, dapat personal best lagi tadi pagi, 18.64 detik :))
.....................

Yeah, mungkin sementara sampai disitu dulu summary cubing log saya, dan ini gambar cube log yg saya ambil dari timer Bellon CubeTimer dan Puzzle Timer (credit to Alain Bellon & Walter Souza for their great timer :D)

Okt 2010 - Jan 2011

Jan 2011 - present

Happy Cubing :)

8.32 PM

I think I just wanna say sorry. Sorry for my fool mind and heart, the way I think of you, the way I feel for you. I never thought that this would gonna be this way. Now we're apart. FOR REAL. I hate you, and you hate me too. But I'm still can't erase my feeling, I can't deny the way I feel for you. Just let the story guides everything.

I'm Sorry..for everything.

Hints for speedcubing

Customizing algorithms

It is very important to customize each algorithm for your hands. Some of us are right handed, some left handed, some may prefer algorithms which use only 2 or 3 faces so that alternate twisting from left hand to right hand is avoided. Sometimes, it may be wise to perform an algorithm with the cube turned upside down, or twisted by 180 degrees. This adjustment must be done by each individual separately because everyone may have different views of which algorithms are user friendly and which are not. This takes a lot of time, but it may cut an important chunk from your total time.

Multiple algorithms

As you may notice, some positions in the last layer have several algorithms associated with them. I alternate between them to minimize turning the cube as a whole, thus cutting on time.

Finger shortcuts

Most speed cubists have also developed special sequences ("shortcuts or macros") of two to four moves which can be performed astonishingly fast by pushing the faces with your fingers. Yes, it does require some dexterity. On my video page you can watch me solve the cube a few times. I also perform some finger tricks.

Move algorithms to your subconsciousness

It is also important that your brain automatizes the algorithms into inseparable units - elementary actions, because then you will not have to think about individual moves. The individual moves will be performed "by your hands" rather than making your brain busy. At this stage, one can afford to think more about the next step rather than about the algorithm which is being performed. It is done for you automatically by your subconsciousness! I noticed that this automatization goes that far that if I am interrupted while performing some longer algorithm, I will not be able to finish it! In a sense, I do not know the sequence of moves and perceive the algorithm as one unit. This may sometimes create comical situatioins when somebody asks you about a specific move, and you will not able to show it slowly - and will get stuck after several moves having to start over again to see the remainder of the algorithm.

No delays between algorithms

Another thing which is very important is to cut on delays between consecutive algorithms. One should minimize the decision time to almost zero. This issue is strongly connected with another one - the question of twisting speed.

Faster twisting does not have to mean shorter times

Dogma: One needs to be especially dextered to be able to solve the cube that fast (in 17 seconds). I would be lying to say that some dexterity is not important, but I insist that an average person possesses the necessary dexterity to solve the cube in really short times. I believe that almost everybody can achieve the twisting speed of 3 twists per second. Remember, all you are required to do is to learn a finite set of algorithms perform quickly. This relates to the important issue of adjusting algorithms for your hands. So why is it possible that faster twisting speed may bring you longer times? By performing the moves really fast, one deprives him/herself of the [important] knowledge of what is actually happening to the cube. After performing an algorithm, one is then suddenly thrown into a new position and needs some time to decide which move to choose next. If you had turned the cube just little slower, you could actually see what is happening to the cube, and choose the best next move during the last couple of moves of the previous algorithm. If you compare the times: fast turns + delay between moves and slow turns + shorter delays, you will find out that the second summation may be shorter! Another argument for the second alternative is that it is very hard to turn the cube really fast, and one often encounters "stuck" cubicles, or breaks the cube to its atoms. This can slow you down as well as frustrate.

Preparing the cube for record times.

I have heard people recommend a variety of different lubricants for the cube. Among others, sillicon oil, graphite, and soap were mentioned. From my experience, sillicon oil worked best. Be careful before using other lubricants because some of them may be pretty aggressive and speed up the aging process of your cube. Intense twisting causes a fine dust to develope inside the cube. Some cubists say that this kind of natural lubricant is the best one. I recommend to grease the cube because a lubricated cube will turn easier and you will be able to "cut corners" while speed cubing. But be aware of the fact that putting lubricant into a cube will make the cube more vulnerable to an accidental dismemberment.

Hard work

I would like to end with a couple of more remarks on the cube. First, the secret of achieving amazingly short times is not just the algorithms themselves. After all, a system will never solve the cube. Humans do! Probably the most important factor is dedication and a lot of practicing. As you may notice, some positions in the last layer have several algorithms associated with them. I alternate between them to minimize turning the cube as a whole, thus cutting on time.

So, what is the best system for speed cubing? I do not think that there is such thing as the best system. One system may better fit one person, other system may be more natural for somebody else. I believe that any system which is worked out into sufficient perfection is good. We should not be comparing systems but cubists. Those certainly are comparable.

What are the limits of speed cubing?

Any algorithmic set which can be performed by a human must be limited to a couple of hundreds at most thousands of algorithms. These algorithms need to be performed in a fast manner without too much thinking. This puts limits on the amount of time needed to solve the cube. If there was a hypothetical person who could see the shortest or the almost shortest algorithm right away in the beginning (which is quite improbable), he or she would need about 2 seconds, provided the farthest position is around 20 face moves at the twist rate of 10 moves per second. Since the assumption for this estimate will probably be unrealistic for many years to come, I estimate the limit for speed cubing at 5 seconds (the average time). One should totally abandon the concept of a record time since it has very little informational value. If somebody messes up the cube carelessly, one can take advantage of it and solve the cube in a few seconds. Therefore, for comparing purposes, I suggest to use an average of 10 consecutive times. For my system, I defined the concept of a modified record: I discarded record times whenever more than one stage was skipped during the cube solving. By skipping a stage, I mean: placing the four edges using less than 3 moves, too much luck for the four blocks (in the second layer), skipping the orientation of 8 cubicles from the last layer, skipping the permutation part in the last layer. For the first two layers, it is hard to estimate the probabilities, but the last layer can be calculated exactly. The probability that after solving the second layer, the last layer will have the correct color is 1/216, and the probablity that after orienting the cubes in the last layer one will not need to permute them, is 1/72. So, for example, if the last layer got assembled by chance right after the second layer, I discarded the time since the probability of that happening is too small: 1/(216*72). So, what is my modified record? It is 11 seconds. My best average out of ten was often 17 in 1983. I kept myself in a good shape for many years, and I can still get to an average of about 18 after all those years. Going back to 17 or lower would require a lot of effort, good cube, and a complete devotion that only a rookie can possess. So, good luck everybody and do not give up!

(source : http://www.ws.binghamton.edu/fridrich/hints.html#move)

1.55 PM

"Kebahagiaan itu gak akan datang begitu saja, berusahalah utk meraihnya, jadilah pribadi yang pantas untuk merasakannya"

Quote diatas merupakan salah satu status yang saya tulis di sebuah situs jejaring sosial. Terinspirasi dari salah seorang sosok yang benar-benar menginspirasi saya. Di tengah kegalauan, kekacauan, bahkan kegembiraan orang-orang, beliau tetap menghadirkan nasehat-nasehatnya yang buat saya selalu membakar semangat untuk tetap semangat menghadapi kesedihan dengan senyuman, menghargai kegembiraan dengan bersyukur.

Yah, saya memang bukan tipe orang yang bisa dengan cepat berpikir bijak dan menentukan keputusan yang tepat. Saya sering merasa gagal dalam mengambil keputusan, berbuat sebelum memikirkan konsekuensinya. Tetapi kita sebagai makhluk-Nya memiliki hak yang sama untuk mendapatkan yang terbaik, memiliki kewajiban yang sama untuk mengabdikan hidup kita kepada-Nya. Marilah kita anggap ini sebagai salah satu bentuk hak saya dalam berusaha menjadi pribadi yang pantas merasakan kebahagiaan, dan sebagai salah satu bentuk kewajiban saya dalam mengabdikan hidup saya kepada-Nya melalui berbuat dan berkata baik kepada sesama.

Yakinlah, kita adalah pribadi yang sangat pantas merasakan kebahagiaan, dan berbagi kebahagiaan tersebut dengan orang lain. Kebahagiaan tidak hanya terdapat dalam kesenangan dan kegembiraan, terkadang dikala kita bersedih namun kita masih bisa bersyukur dan mengambil pelajaran dari kesedihan dan menjadikan diri kita sebagai pribadi yang lebih baik, maka kita telah meraih kebahagiaan itu !!

Tetap bersemangat, kawan. Salam :)

White Flag

dipopulerkan oleh Dido

I know you think that I shouldn't still love you,
Or tell you that.
But if I didn't say it, well I'd still have felt it
where's the sense in that?

I promise I'm not trying to make your life harder
Or return to where we were

I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be

I know I left too much mess and
destruction to come back again
And I caused nothing but trouble
I understand if you can't talk to me again
And if you live by the rules of "it's over"
then I'm sure that that makes sense

I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be

And when we meet
Which I'm sure we will
All that was there
Will be there still
I'll let it pass
And hold my tongue
And you will think
That I've moved on....

I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be

I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be

I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kegagalan bukanlah disaat kita tidak berhasil, bukanlah disaat kita merasa semua yang kita lakukan sia-sia. Bukanlah disaat kita merasa kita dikucilkan dunia, merasa sendiri. Bukanlah disaat kita merasa melakukan kesalahan fatal. Bukanlah disaat kita merasa kita telah berada dekat di akhir hidup.

Kegagalan adalah disaat kita berhenti berusaha, berdo'a, dan berharap. Disaat kita merasa kita tidak perlu melakukan apa-apa lagi. Kegagalan adalah disaat kita mengibarkan bendera putih, menyerah dengan semua masalah yang menimpa. Kegagalan adalah disaat kita merasa lemah, padahal kita punya segala hal yang dapat membuat kita kuat dan tegar.

Jangan pernah mengibarkan bendera putih, selama kita masih bisa berusaha, selama darah masih mengalir, selama jantung masih berdetak, selama nafas masih berhembus. Jangan menyerah.

Untuk semua

Saya tidak tahu apa yang terjadi. Masa-masa seperti beberapa tahun yang lalu kembali muncul. Saya merasa dikucilkan. Teman-teman saya menghindar, mengucilkan saya dari pergaulan mereka, seolah-olah tidak pernah mengenal satu sama lain.
Keluarga saya memusuhi saya, hanya Ibu yang selalu menemani dan setia dengan omelan-omelan dan tangisan di matanya. Saya merasa sangat sepi. Mungkin wajah saya tersenyum dan tertawa, tetapi di dalam hati saya menangis, berteriak sekuat-kuatnya.
Namun tidak ada yang memperdulikan. Saya benar-benar merasa hidup saya telah berakhir. Saya merasa seperti sudah mati.

Saya tidak tahu apakah ini ujian atau musibah yang diberikan oleh Tuhan. Terkadang saya berpikir, bahwa banyak sekali kesalahan yang saya lakukan, dan saya pantas menerima semua ini. Untuk semua yang mengucilkan saya, teman-teman, keluarga, saya memohon maaf atas kesalahan saya terhadap kalian.
Banyak perbuatan dan perkataan saya yang membuat kalian semua sakit hati. Maaf.

~end of note~

7.43 AM

Well, this is the first post in 2011, the new year. Hope we can get better in everything, at least make some improvements, :)

I've posted a video about my little sister solving the Rubik's cube last year, so here's the video

 

p.s : she only solved the scrambled center piece :p

And that's the conclusion for this post, so, Happy new year, people :D