...let your heart be light...

Currently listening to: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Christina Aguilera

.raintraffic.
West Gate, Puri Indah Mall, December 21, 2007

It's DARK outside. As in grayish-and-gloomy sort of dark.

I got a feeling that the rain is gonna come pouring down hard any minute. Scratch that. The rain IS pouring down right now as I speak. Seems like the weather's been awfully sweet this past week, though scary water puddles reminiscent of floods are already starting to form on the sides of some major J-Town roads.

Another day. Another yay. I should stop worrying too much and stay happy.

Took my time to lounge in the super-cozy Starbucks Puri Indah yesterday. Finally. And I got a chance to observe the differentiated batches of West Jakartans who frequent this small yet sweet classic-themed [whatever] shopping mall. Since this mall is somewhat so localized, I got to see a lot of familiar faces all around me. Nothing has changed much in the past six months when I was away; even the afternoon-rostered baristas in Starbucks stayed the same.

Come to think of it. Truth be told, Mall Puri Indah is so awfully localized that even its customer types are familiarly patternized. Based on my observation yesterday afternoon, I can conclude and divide the frequenters of the mall into FOUR general categories. Trust me, if you visit Mall Puri Indah as often as I do, or at least used to do, then you'll notice that all four group categories are always omnipresent and existing at all times during shopping hours, even on weekdays, all year long. *laughs*

So, here goes.

Category One: Common West Jakartan Teenagers with color shirts, short pants, clutched-on cellphones, and sandals.

This major group contribute to about 60 percent of the whole population of customers. West Jakartan youth are informally known for their casual uniformity when it comes to regional clothing style. Shirts, shorties, on-hand cellphones, sandals, sometimes aided by rubber message wristbands or postman bags, all in matching colors. Well this is how I used to dress like when I was a confirmed West-Jakartan geek. In fact, I returned to the conformity and dressed this way yesterday, with some minor modifications, for the sake of remembering; something I had so long ago been disposed of, sadly. *sighs*

But, yeah. This type of happy-go-lucky teenagers call Mall Puri Indah their unofficial HQ. That includes the old seventeen-year-old me, of course. *winks* They can be often seen gathering in clusters somewhere around the food court, wandering around in the ever-so-comfy Gramedia, or sitting noisily chattering away in Starbucks. They address people with "Oi!"s and "Eh! Gila, pa kabar lo?"s and "Najis lo nyet!"s all spoken in a certain tone only they can pronounce.

I just love seeing them, listening to their sandal soles brushing on the ceramic floor, even looking a bit like them for once. This way I feel young again. *slaps myself*

Alright. Moving on...


Category Two: Your Average Kind of Bored, No-Work-All-Kids Housewives

This customer group is at its peak of numbers during idle afternoon hours. Plenty! They usually wander around, sometimes running errands, sometimes just hanging out with fellow housewives, waiting for the time to pick up their kids from school which never seems too early or too late a time.

Some typical traits? Casual shirts. Jeans. Untidy. dyed or highlighted hair. Ever-present cellphone. Common sling-bags, preferably branded ones. Ring any bells? *laughs*

Well my beloved Auntie Ling is one of them, surely. I was referring to her, and her chatty friends all the way through. *grins*


Category Three: Typical Slack-offs or People on Holiday With Nothing Too Frikkin' Much Time to Spend *points at myself*

Not much detail. These people mostly dress up a bit like people from Category One, only more sophisticatedly so. *blinks* This group consists of people in their early or nearing twenties, currently back from abroad to spend holidays here *points at myself again*, or even Uni people here also on holiday with nothing to do after semester exams.

These people can be easily recognized by their usually more-casual tone of speech, occasional English blurt-outs, and of course new-and-improved West Jakartan style. They address people with "Haaaaaaiiii!!"s and "Ya ampun boooo lo beda banget sekarang!"s and "Anjrit kmana aja lo?!"s complete with screechy laughs and a cigarette or two.

Some come with laptops or PDAs in their hands, some with catchy sunnies, some with nothing at all. But by judging from the happy looks on their faces, I can tell that the pressure of J-Town doesn't get to them. At least not anymore. And they should be proud of that.

Finally, last but not least...


Category Four: Families!!

Either with or without over-active kids, with or without uncomfortable-looking ashamed pre-teens, with or without fully-occupied babysitters, with or without grandparents and elders, even with our without parents. Whilst the concept of family mall is so out of the picture for Mall Puri Indah, it is still unavoidable to witness families lurking around each and every corner of the place. Most come to eat, others come merely to kill time with the excuse of 'having quality time'.

Yet it always warms my heart to see kids holding hands with their parents, while smiling and yelling and exchanging contented glances with each other. Reminds me of the faded peacefulness of local West Jakartan areas I had apparently forgotten. Despite all the flood and all the drama surrounding this area, its people are still happy, and that's what is most important.

You think so? *smiles*

Well enough of this super-dismissable analysis. I already start to sound like a real freak.

Gash. I need to start revising. My textbooks are already yelling from the inside of my neglected Country Road bag. It's about time, perhaps.

And I'll be away to Bandung tomorrow for three days to spend Christmas day there, by the way. I smell some serious shopping spree. And endless eating! *laughs*
So, given the chance to yell out the greetings right now...

...MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

JJ's happy as he can ever be. And he wishes his blog readers this equal sense of happiness, if not more, in this very best time of year.

Have a BLESSED holiday season, guys!! *hugs*
Luvyah all. =)