At home all day. Was planning to go out, but I've found that mood has a strong influence - and exacerbates any slight health condition I may be feeling. Case in point: I've lost my appetite since returning from Bandung. Not sure if Bandung had anything to do with it, but what's certain is that I've had only one proper meal a day (usually lunch) for the past three days. I've only eaten to avoid passing out and total starvation - and even then I can barely finish my meal, which never tastes as good as it's supposed to. Or maybe my illness has made my taste buds super-sensitive to food that doesn't qualify as gourmet quality - though I have a feeling I'd throw up Filet Mignon with equal ease.
Anyway, allow me to elaborate on the title of this post. It all started with a new thread on the MBDC message board, with someone asking about the nature of freelance writing. Having some amount of experience with it, I opted to be as helpful as possible. I recalled how I saw an ad in a magazine looking for contributors and decided to try my luck by sending writing samples and a spontaneously-written accompanying e-mail as to why I'd like to write for them. For added effect, I looked through my inbox for the reply I got that told me I got the job. That's right - I've had it saved for the past three and a half years. Well, it was (and is) my first proper job. Sort of. Of course I'd save it...
But what I didn't remember was that the reply I got was a straight reply to the e-mail I had sent. Here's the thing: I wrote the letter as an afterthought, just something to do while I was there at the internet rental. Just a little something to say, "Hey, I like what you're doing, and I want to do more of the same for you." I didn't even think to save it as a draft in my account or on disk; I sent it, and that was that. Once I got the reply, I don't think I even considered reading past the name of the sender. So for the past three and a half years, I've been under the assumption that what I'd written in that letter was gone forever - and it's not like I'd expect it to hold any significance for them to save it.
So here it is (edited because you don't really need to know my home address, do you?), after I'd unknowingly left it sitting in my account for three and a half years. I knew there was a reason I saved stuff like this...
Greetings and salutations, dear editor...
Hi, my elder brother was looking through the latest edition of your mag a few days ago, and brought to my attention the miniscule advertisement on the inside of the back cover. Which should tell you something, either that my brother is way too anal retentive, or that the ad was near-impossible to find, anyone actually finding it should be rewarded with merit badges for exceptional eyesight. Or something like that.
Anyway, the reason I'm writing is because I really enjoy your magazine. I think it's a breath of fresh air in the post-Soeharto glut of new periodicals, and it fills a previously uninhabited niche, that of socially conscious irreverance. It's good to see an Indonesian magazine take the piss out of a whole range of targets (and it's about bloody time, too, as there are so many out there who deserve a good bashing), and at the same time shed some light on subjects otherwise overlooked by other magazines and society in general (unfortunately, I am one of them). In short, it's the sort of magazine I'd like to contribute for, and my brother seems to think so, otherwise he wouldn't bother showing me the ad which he discovered with much effort and keep it a secret. I guess he feels contributing stuff to your magazine would be a welcome alternative to lying around and getting fat everyday. So anyway, he's got me fooled into thinking I can write for your mag, and so, who am I to disappoint him?
And so, attached herewith is my attempt ("effort" would be too strong a word) at reviewing. Why these particular albums, and why only two? The reasons I can think of are because they're both relatively recent, so in the remote possibility you might actually like them, they can fit in the next issue without much of a problem. Also, they happen to be in my tape collection, and they were the easiest to write about. And they're both live albums, so that should give them a theme, albeit unintentional. However good or bad they actually are, know that I did my best to adhere to the infamous Contributor's Handbook. So regard these reviews as the tip of the proverbial iceberg, my potential writing ability to be (hopefully metaphorically) whipped into shape by yourself or others like you, should you decide to deem me good enough to write for your mag.
Anyway, in lieu of a Bat-Signal, here's info on where to contact me, send letter-bombs or make any inquiries of my mental well-being:
Hasief Ardiasyah*
Jl. XXXXX No. XX/XX
XXXXXX Jakarta Selatan XXXXX
Ph.: XXX-XXXX Pager: 13068 ID XXXX**
In closing, I'd like to thank you for allowing me to take up your time, eyesight and e-mail space.
Yours sincerely (no, really),
Hasief Ardiasyah
* that's ARDIASYAH, without an 'N' as in ARDIANSYAH, a common mistake I've had to endure over the years, and frankly am quite sick of.
** yeah, I'm low-tech. So sue me, already.
Man, that brought back memories. Probably not the best of example of a job application letter, but whatever works, right?
Halo Hasief,
Terima kasih atas suratnya dan kontribusinya, deh. Tolong hubungi saya secepatnya, di kantor (326-XXX) atau di HP 0818-XXXXXX, supaya kita bisa diskusi lagi. I like your style and attitude. We should definitely talk.
Tenkyu ya,
Daniel Ziv
Pemimpin Redaksi/Budak Kantor
Majalah Djakarta!
