Pay ooohh Day..

Learn the hard way... moving to new work place and failed to inquire about payroll as a result no bling bling for me till end of  next month, which devastating and scarry since I only receive some parts of my check from Murray State that I do not quite sure it will even last for most of the bills! I am to a point where I do not want to think about it anymore, God is gracious and always never failed to shares his blessing..I am still thankful for what I have at the moment and happy for those who receive checks today =)..

Though one note that I want to get off my chest-"Being grown-up Sucks"!! Missed those days when all I am worried about is mid/final terms grade, does dad already transfer money, where to hang out over weekend, what outfits to buy this season, which malls/cafe/club I am going.. wkwkwkwkw now have to think twice even when splurging for something out of ordinary-and I think I officially become overly domesticated since most of the time my mind always goes "mmm..within this xyz amounts I can get groceries, dasar ineeeemmm!!!

For some reason I feel like today is Friday-so ready for another weekend to just chillin at home within hope weather will be mild so I can sit and read my e-book on the patio. I am expecting another movie screening ticket today but I think I would pass and just go straight home..

The past days as I commute to work been jammin to "I'll Remember"  by Madonna and always help to boost my morning spirits.. Came to work early today and find parking spots already taken by these kiddos going for "Custom" orientation for Blue Raiders Juniors!

Adios muchachos, back to work and hopefully tomorrow news will be more exciting... Gran bisous!

Recap Part Deux

First long weekend of summer, Memorial Day! I think this is one of the first memorial day that I am actually in-town, last year I was in Korea and year before I think was DC and it is all about works! But not last weekend, spending sometimes home with mon coucou, cleaning up the house, getting groceries etc. Then on Monday we decided to take short stroll that turns to be quite an exercise to the newly open "Opry Mills Outlet" the mall was closed for about a year due to construction as a result of big nashville floods aftermath! Some of the stores are still under constructions, though, there are few new stores such as; Cole Haan, CK, BCBG, COACH, and one of my fave brand JCrew! The nice things are these are outlet stores, therefore prices are lower compare with regular store, though it is also means that collection you getting is a season behind for the most part, but oh well!

Since it is just a window shopping, no purchases necessary plus this has been a long month-i am starting to think we will get paid May 32!! Returning from Mall, we decided, well more I =) decided to have lunch at King's Market-once again I want my Kwetiau Goreng!!! As we sit down and waiting for our meal, coucou start to ask silly question to fellow diner next to us about what beverages they order-darn it it is a simple thai tea, not like coucou never know before, grrrr.. but end up we all have a great conversation during meals and we decided to exchange numbers and hopefully meet up soon for culinary adventure in Nashville-they just move to town 3 weeks ago and so do WE!

During the weekend I also make another trips to airport to bid Adieu to si mbok (name calling for like mom' or so in indonesia) and Topaz since they are heading back to Indo for summer vacation, lucky them! Nice to see them off and wishing them safe travels and fun =)

Tuesday and Wednesday in a nut shell, yesterday a good friend of mine, xie xie June! shares her ticket for " Snow White and Huntsmen" screening at Franklin Cinema-and I am excited to go to since coucou kind of like that movie and finally coucou decided to go home on-time so can meet us up at the house.. On a stormy, windy evening June drive all of us from Antioch to Franklin, arrive pretty soaking wet and have to stay in a long line to go in..as we came closer to the door here come the annoucement-Theatre is FULL Y'all!!! Bummerrrrr!!! So mirror mirror on the wall who does not get into theatre-US!

It is not our luck then but coucou decided that we will go back over the weekend and will purchase this membership for "popcorns bucket" yes fellas, you can buy18 USD bucket where you can get refills of popcorn for a year! Which mean when we return to this cinema, do not to bring this huge bucket so we can get our popcorns!

Over the weekend, June teach me on doing couponing since according to her "Frugal" is the new lifestyle trends..mmm.. ok june, so she give me this long lecture ;) about getting coupons, how to make it double value, la la la la.. therefore I vow due to crunch in budget I will start to do couponing =).. well keep y'all posted.. actually I have my first coupon experience last night, went to Captain'D.. where normally cost 15ish meal for both of us, with the bit more amount of foods we only paid 9 USD, wakakakaka... long live Coupons!!!

 This morning commute was a new experience for me-thick thick for as I hit I24, it is reminds me of Holland and England so much..aaaahhh..memories.. arriving at work receive an email from a good friend of mine that she watch CNN and saw Murfreesboro (town where my school located) is on the news due to "controversy of mosque construction".. the news leads quite an interesting discussion with my colleagues here at work-I kind of sorta know the Imam, to be frank I have mixed feeling about him-I feel more comfortable with the Imam of Tennessee Islamic Center located down the road from my house..

Oh well, folks, need to go back to work.. stay tuned.. gran bisous!

Recap part Uno

Boy oh Boy, been such a hectic week despite that last weekend we celebrate "Memorial Day" salute to all the troops!

Where should I start-I know last blog I promise to reveal some of my culinary adventures during last week, though actually I did not really took lots of pictures, nonetheless, I am lucky to have 4 days of free meals hahahaha.. thanks y'all!

So friday start my day with a visit to Nashville International Airport (BNA) we had visitor coming from India that day and since I live not far from the aeroporto then I initiate the pick up =)
Feels weird going to airport in a short drive-been getting used to drive 2.5 hours or more just to go there and now with a blink of an eyes-well not really.. voila I arrive!

The highlight of friday was-I got to ride "Blue Raiders" golf cart hahahahah..not just that ladies and gentlemen, i took the responsibility to be behind the wheels, woohooo!

Glad that the guest does not mind that I am new on campus, therefore we are like "blind men leading blind men" doing campus tour.. I took the liberty to take him to "REC Center" our recreational facilities which I think such a state of the art facilities-larger than what Murray State had, although down size of REC center NO hot tub like Murray State Wellness Center..

For lunch we went to restaurant on the corner of campus name "Boulevard" where I ate there for gazillion of times! I decided to have their grilled grouper-it's an OK dish, alas it is FREE =)
Wrapping up the day with taking the guest back to the airport which also mean I got to go home early, yippieee..mmm not really early but by 4.30 J'arrive @ home instead of making my way to the car and drive home..

Oh before I forget-"culinary of the week" was lunch invitation by MTSU Education abroad office to this restaurant called "B. Mcneel's" that uniquely located in old home in downtown area and they way they put their menu simply eccentrics and the foods are superb! Due to hunger hehehe.. I opt for "Country Fried Steak with sides of Devils eggs and Brocolli Casserole.. Plus superb companions during meals make lunch break utterly divine!

Later on that week my new indonesian friends on campus Drs Siti and Jeff, took me out to this well known small hole in the wall Laotian shacks-literally it is located next to oil change garage-whom accordingly to Dr. Siti has one of the best pho.. I wish I took picture of the restaurant that actually not too bad at all, and we know why now it is no longer look like hole in the wall-new management! So I warn her that taste may change too-and my guess is right =) For lunch I did not opt for Phoo since it is too hot-I've been craving for "kwetiau goreng" a.k.a "big rice noodle/drunken noodle" a.k.a "Pad kee eew"..

Alright Muchachos, that was highlight from last week.. see you on recap part deux..

Commute'O'Commute

Week numero dos, and I am still trying figure out the best way to commute from home to work.. Based on Mister Google, Mapquest or whatever-it is said that distance from my house in Antioch to Murfreesboro is around 26 miles or so which not too bad of a distance. However, now I am in midst of calculation regarding travel time and still not getting exact timing..

I always try to leave the house by 7.20 at the latest and most of the time I will be arriving at work by 8.00 or 8.05 though today for some reason with the same leaving time, I get to work by 7.50-hah! On the interstate I did like 80-85 miles/hours with speed limit 70 miles =p hopes no "popo" one day reading my blog =p and still get me the arrival time.. I know I have to put in "traffic" factor which normally it get little congested as I took Murfreesboro exit due to business/commercial area though as pass that all smooth sailing.. I feel blessed at least I went against traffic-as you can see  I24 west heading to town is outrageously packed!!



Another part that I need to heavily figure out from this commute thingy is GAS!! I experiment this week by filling out 8 gallons on sunday and by far I still can go for one more commute, though it is quite on the limit.. I guess next mission will be adding 2 more gallons and see how it goes.. hail to the lord at least gas price is going down eventhough it is still pretty pricey but heck cant complain..




all the way through I24 E

My exit

Finally arrive at the office

Well adios for now since I have to go back to work, tomorrow I am planning to reveal what I call "weekly meals galore", stay tune..

Must SEE!! "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel"

The beauty of living in city that I dearly missed was being able to go for events, exhibition etc. Yesterday I had my first taste of civilization =).. Friend of mine, xie xie june! kindly to share with me her movie screening pass for this awesome movie that i have been dying to see "The best exotic marigold hotel".. I saw the preview on and off from tv while I still live in Murray but I know my hope was slim at that time since such movie rarely come to my town, alas, I am lucky to move to town right on time..

So the screening was at one of the prestigious shopping arcade-Green Hills in Nashville, I've been going to that mall gazillions times but never try their movie theatre which I may rated quite mediocre, nonetheless, I am there for the movie not for puffy big comfy chairs that missed when you went to cinema in Asia!

Back to the movie, the stories is about mmm let me count-5 senior citizen from England that were on certain phase of their life decided to getaway from their dull and rather end of the road life in England and decided to dash off to India-the movies filled with legend British actor and actresses whom two are my fave, Judy Dench and Maggie Smith!! love love them!! Their witty british humour mixed with persistence of indian characters play by one of young leading actor from india-stunning and bloody entertaining!!

I had mixed feeling as I watch this movie-somehow I feel related to the stories, not saying that I am now become part of senior citizens ;)-the scenes bring back memories of my travels to india and also turn into a kind reminder that I will be heading that way pretty soon, good god help me! =)

Anyway, hope y'all be able to check it out! It is worth to see with your love ones or even alone as part of your "me" time =)

Lunch where are thou

It is all NEW and here I am at new school with new lunch routine! Different with my old school where we have common kitchen, here we unfortunately we do not have such facilities, therefore I need to set up new routine for my lunch break.. After observing and asking, it is seems that what folks normally do here is to either just work all the way through lunch or they eat out or pack their lunch and find spot outside to sit and have their meals. So, I decided to go with the last option.. Yesterday finally I decided to pack my lunch and scout for spots around my building.. not too bad actually and the weather seems agreeable.. here's some pictures from my premierre lunch spot! one of the pic I already posted on FB but the rest brand new =)

By far it is my fave bench since I dont have to stepped on the grass!

Not bad for lunch view

Far end is my new office

Howdy from Grand Ole Nashville

Finally, after long attempts, thoughts etc I decided to start blogging since now I am off to a new adventure where recently I just move to grand ole opry of Nashville! Therefore, it should be more interesting life in addition to living on a suitcase episodes that will start in a very near future! So howdy fellas, my name is Aryo, originally from Indonesia and for the past 8 years been living at uncle sam a.k.a United States of America where I initially came here to continue my education but end up also working at Murray State University located in small tiny winny bitty town of Murray, Kentucky where downtown is a blink of an eyes and bibble chanted everywhere, hehehe just kiddin!

Nonetheless, now I am embarking a new adventure in da city plus being part of Middle Tennessee State University-Blue Raiders! http://mtsu.mkttracker.com/app/standard/index.phps

Start working at the school officially last week, and it has been quite a long process though I am glad to finally made it! The job, the move, truly makes my world upside down and thru huge changes which I hope for the better.. Anyway, that's a bit me in a nutshell, tune in to my blog and lets explore the world together!

Gran bisous