(dedicated to “my Boss” - the Head of Informatics Management Study Program, Bpk. Budi Harijanto)

This morning (Fri, March 23), we had a meeting. It was scheduled at 9 a.m. Yet, as if I would know there were lots of things coming up, I had a reluctance of going to the office… First, it was my day off n second, it’d been raining since the previous night… (“Oww, dear my dear God”, I kept bubbling to myself, “r U sure about this, U do know how I feel about rain.” +P) n then I remembered about the Pizza bu Dony promised to make for our ‘snacks’ that day (PS: thanks, pak Don for that also.. hahaha) so I hurried myself. Hell w/ the rain if it meant I would lose my share for the second time (I missed the pizza last Sunday, didn’t I, hahahah) n so there I was in the office- wet but still looked chic n fresh as usual (PS: if we’ve never met, just believe it, ok?!! Hahahhahahah)

The meeting at first, was okay.. I meant, if meeting = a, task = b, so a equals to b cubed =)) .. so, nothing was new.. until the ‘boss’, our beloved boss announced about his-about-ending-term.. in other words, soon… in few weeks ahead we would see pak Budi less in the office… I did know about it, yet I hadn’t expected to hear about that on that very morning… Thus, it made some of us a bit ‘sentimental’ about it… (even though apparently we, female teachers, are tough, but we’re still women, hahahah- mb Rosi, u do agree, do u?!! =P)

See, let me tell u… what’s it like having him as a boss…..

As a green ‘recruit’ here, I was a bit hesitant at first... Surely, I had no ideas what I would be going through since I knew nothing about this institution n moreover about the colleagues.. the head of the dept., n mostly the head of the study program… most of them are surely males… n I’d got a kinda ‘pre-anxiety’ as “would they treat females equally?”… “would they be supportive?”.. n sorts…. But those silly thoughts were merely non sense ‘til I met pak Budi..

Really, Sir, after several days I was there I felt glad n relieved to have u as my ‘direct’ superior.. U are so dedicated to yr work, sincere, n mostly caring especially about us… n personally.. I thank u for giving me so much TRUST to develop, explore, n actualize more about myself…. those classes… the responsibilities to be the Student Academic Advisor (really, Sir, at first, I was not pretty sure about this. I myself haven’t yet had my own kids.. so to ‘handle’ more than 40 students seemed so TOUGH! ) Yet, u’ve managed to pump my confidence up.. n here I am, Sir.. being technically a ‘mother’ - even more than that- to them… hahahaha).. n recently being in charge for the ‘Final Project’… (knowing it, I had cold feet, Sir.. I’ll do my best.. w/ the assistance of p Andrie n p Hendra, of course—c’m on guys, LET’S DO IT!!!)

Anyway, on the contrary to what I had told to the board how other colleagues n I have felt about yr not wanting to continue yr ‘campaign’, Sir.. I may know how u feel about it… I’m not trying to be philosophical here.. but I guess it’s due to what it’s called a choice…

People often say “Life’s a full of choices”.. Sure it is… but I guess… they forget to mention ‘FEAR’.. I mean.. To make a right choice sometimes is somewhat ‘frightening’…. We will know whether the choice is right ‘til it’s proven right, right? I agree that u should choose what u feel right.. Maybe after realizing that most of us want u to stay.. to finish these whole of things, u might have a kinda dilemma.. But, Sir, even if we keep insisting, we indeed do not have any rights to ‘keep’ u… It’s yr life n yr choice… We should respect it… Hopefully it will give rewards.. as Nicky Hayden =P =P said (when he got the first Champs), “Good things happen to good people”, Sir.. U’r one of good people I know, so I sincerely wish good things always happen to u…

As yr subordinate maybe sometimes I disappoint u, Sir… but believe me, nothing’s been intentionally done…. Thank u mostly for putting up w/ me… esp. with my ‘insanity’, hahahha…

So Good Luck… hope we’ll find yr successor w/ at least the same quality as u r…

U’r truly an inspiration to all of us…

We’re all gonna miss u….

(PS: I still owe u ‘Nasi Kebuli’.. so remind me ‘bout that.. =P)