Big Sweet Tooth

4th World Love - Another Solo Volunteer Creates a Legend

This is what happens when you travel to faraway regions all by yourself to volunteer.  You become a complete and utter superstar.   There you are, just on the make for something more, and you find an outfit like 4th World Love and before you know it, you're in cahoots with me and Lis, getting details about how to get to the mountain village of Sembalun, Lombok.  We get you sorted, and next thing you know, you're stumbling off the jam-packed ferry on a remote Muslim island...waiting to be picked up by our happy-go-lucky team of field ninja's.

Once you are in the village, you barely get any sleep cause you are so excited, nervous and happy to be rolling into the CDC (Community Development Center) to see what our little set up is all about.  You are beyond delighted that there is a fridge and you can't help but notice the beautiful world map and post-its full of Spanish words littering the walls.  Lots going on here.

Time to get down to business and teach English - at CDC and the local schools.  The kids go absolutely ballistic when you roll in.  Every time. In fact, the adults are beyond joyous too.  They can't believe you've made your way to their tiny village from some real faraway land just to help them have a better future.

A couple days pass.  You eat the best food you've ever tasted.  You've stared out your bedroom window and contemplated trekking Rinjani (2nd largest volcano in Indo).  You've gone to the secret waterfall and almost drown (from happiness).  You've made a gazillion friends already who all know you by name, and somehow you remember theirs.  You see progress in students that seemed impossible 72 hours ago.  You actually participated in a late night jam session on the village guitar.  And nothing ever felt more right in the world.

A few weeks more pass and it's time to go.  There are tears.  There are small, incredibly thoughtful gifts.  There are promises to come back.  But you must go.  The journey of life and travel is still out there and for now, your time in SMBL is over. 

But, on the four hour journey back to the ferry, you think - I LOVE IT THERE.  I LOVE THOSE PEOPLE.  I LOVE WHO I AM BECOMING.  AND I CANNOT WAIT TO RETURN.

Trust me - it happens every time.  

Thanks for the pix Kasey!

- MST

The Lovely Lin - Our 4th World Love Contest Winner - Her Spirit Lives On.

Years ago,  me and my Fatcake team boldly tore off to a small beach-side village in Mexico to shoot a TV show.  We'd invited a handful of pals down for the final leg of the trip, assuming not a soul would take us up on the last minute travel -- A couple did, however...and one of these lovely ladies was Linda.  While maintaining a constant tequila-fueled buzz, we made pots of homemade spaghetti for the villagers, we sampled raicilla, we swam in the warm ocean and almost got yanked to sea, we watched breathtaking sunsets, and we laughed til we cried - over and over again.  The Lin, as we so fondly called her, had the time of her life.  Good pals on the beach, living life the way it should be lived -in the moment, full of laughs and dripping with good memories.

The Lin loved animals, loved giving to worthy causes, and loved being around good people.  We spent time living in her basement before we'd gone to shoot that TV show (yes, there was a time when me and my team were all homeless, just looking to switch up life a bit) and she was the one who taught me all about healthy food, the best of vegetarianism, and how to make a real home - with a fridge full of delicious food and wine. 

Last year, she donated a generous sum to 4th World Love, which qualified her for multiple entries into the 2009 all-expenses-paid trip to Baja this spring (2010).  4WL is on the hunt for the next village to open a community development center and Baja is just the place to find it.  This way, loads of people who can never make it over to Indo could perhaps step on down to Baja to volunteer and watch the magic of giving back unfold.  The Lin won the contest (to our sheer and utter delight) and we couldn't wait to get on the road with her once again in majestic Mexico. 

Sadly, our gal Lin passed on last month from cancer.  The news was beyond devastating to us.  Death hits us all, I suppose.  When you least expect it.  When you don't want to face it.  When you think you and yours are invincible.  When you think you'll live forever.  When you think you have tomorrow to live your life.

We're going to honor her amazing spirit by naming the 4WL CDC we eventually find down in Baja after her and her donation will ensure that a brand new set of dreams from those less fortunate get to come true. 

I'm sure she will be watching the whole time...and laughing right along with us.  We hope you join us down in Baja sometime soon +

9 Shades of Indo Happiness

Why would you want to volunteer at 4th World Love's Indo outpost?

You walk amongst clouds...every single day.

You hang maps for people who've never before seen maps...and you show them how far away your home is.

You screw up what could have been the happiest map photo of all time by being the only one not in good form.  Yet the photo still shines.

You squat on dirt floors and find more pleasure in that motion alone than you do from an entire spa day.

You laugh with wild abandon.   Hyena-like even.

You turn a lovely scarf that took 2 weeks to weave into a fashion statement that others want to emulate.

You smile like its going out of style.  All dreamy like...all the dang time.

You learn to ride a motorbike and wonder why do cars even exist?

You forget what a shower is...and simply don't care.  Long as you wash with volcanic water now and again, all good.

You teach pigeon Spanish, combat frisbee, and plastic bottle recycling to packs upon packs of villagers.

You make entire families come together over a sweet photo.  And, you all cackle in unison with pure joy.

You brainstorm with people who never once had an outsiders ear all to themselves.

And, sometimes...you make their dreams come true.

You look back over your photos once you are home - and you want to go STRAIGHT BACK...and when you do, you are remembered by EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the village.  No matter how long you stayed.

If you ever decide you want to rock it in Indo with 4WL remember, it's cheap - $100 per week, all food/lodging/guides included.  We set it all up for you and you can roll out anytime.  Make 2010 count.

4th World Love Contest Winner to be Announced in a Few Weeks!

At the end of January, we'll announce the winner of the 2009 4th World Love contest.  You still have a little time to enter if the above photo interests you.  And, if it doesn't...well, man you must have no sense of adventure in your bones!

Think:  A Misty-led road trip escape to Baja for a week, with a night on my pirate-style sailboat in Marina del Rey included. 

All you have to do is donate $100 (all donations are 100% write-off and all funds raised go directly into the quest to find and start a new 4WL location down in the outlaw land that is Baja).  The more $100's you donate, the more times your name goes in the pot!

Check out 4WL for more intel and thanks loads for all the amazing donations thus far.  Our Indonesian CDC is thriving with ideas, volunteers, programs and English lessons galore.

The trip happens this Spring 2010 and all costs are included.  Meaning, we got your back!

In NJ, the Only Thing Happening is Memories...

Really, the only thing to do whilst in NJ is dig deep into the memory bank.  Cause there ain't a lick of travel happening out here - not even food worthy of raving about.  Just long, long days of work.

My bud Lisa said last night that she loves the seasons changing - it's all pretty and leafy here.  I immediately responded with - the seasonal change for me is now the current of the Pacific ocean. Is it choppy?  Calm? Confused?  Pretty leaf or blue water - which would you rather have? 

Now, the above volcano is Mt. Rinjani over in Indo.  This is the place I turn to most when I'm deep in the trenches of production chaos.  Just that simple volcano and that beautiful village at the bottom of it full of my buds learning English in the 4WL community development center.  I just got this note the other day from one of our volunteers who just left the CDC.  Totally made my heart soar.

FROM AMBER:

Hi Misty,
 
Sorry I fell off the radar for a while, I've been busy getting back into the swing of things. I just returned to work last week, which has been somewhat of a culture shock after being in Indonesia for two months...as I'm sure you can imagine!
 
So the more I've been thinking about it the more I realize I really want to help Fourth World Love in any way that I can. The rest of the year is pretty hectic but in 2010 I really want to help you with fundraising and any other activities you have planned. I think it is impossible to go to Sembalun and not leave wanting to help. Such an amazing group of people! Likewise if you have any potential volunteers who want to talk to someone who has already volunteered feel free to email me and I would be happy to talk to them. Lastly, I wanted to compliment you. Unlike the other foundations I volunteered with, Fourth World Love was the only one where you can actually see the money that is donated going to good use and not just foundation "running costs" which was very refreshing..so thanks for a great growing, learning, and genuinely rewarding experience.
 
Ok now on to the fun stuff!
I definitely agree staying with a local family is the way to go. When I left I was balling...it is amazing how quickly you create a bond with your "family." Era, Ibu and her kids were all precious. I seriously LOVE them! The CDC boys are all great and hilarious. I honestly never wanted to leave the community center. Their positive energy is infectious. It is truly amazing at how evident it is that the CDC really makes a difference in the kids (and little kids) English skills. When I taught in the local schools I could tell within one minute which of them were CDC students, they were significantly more advance than the other students. The same goes for the older students. They were carrying dictionary and grammar books around with them everywhere...and some of them know better English grammar than I do. :)
 
So I am pretty sure I could go on for days telling stories, but instead I've attached a couple of pictures...I seriously took around 2000 pictures. I didn't realize you live in LA so close to me we should meet up sometime to reminisce, share pictures and speak Indonesian (even though mine is still really bad and the boys only taught me bad words and slang haha).

Here are some of Amber's pix - at a local school, on the steps of the CDC, and at the farm where they've been growing organic vegetables again with the help of 4WL.  Hi carrots!!!  So makes me happy and proud!

 

 

 

My Latest Burst of Intel: 7 Common Challenges You Encounter After You Launch Your NGO…

Here's the latest article I penned for Matador, pretty useful stuff if you're into knowing a little more behind the scenes stuff from NGO'dom. The real-deal link is here.

7 Common Challenges You Encounter After You Launch Your NGO

Starting the NGO is the easy part. But the aftermath? Now, that’s the thing that keeps you up at night.

I recently started an NGO, 4th World Love, that focuses on community development in distant lands and I’ve learned a few lessons on the front lines of grassroots NGO’dom.

Here are a few bullet points to consider after you’ve already got your cause, your website, and your plan.

Start by remembering this one – don’t forget to laugh - because in the end, if there is no laughing-til-you-cry, it’s just not worth it.

1. Communication Is Primo.

Once you’ve got your organization’s base set up, there will come a time when you must get back home to raise money, make money, and ponder new ideas. Once you’re gone, things can quickly go downhill unless you set up a chain of command, with loads of communication.

We appointed a local Field Director and Field Coordinator before we left with very specific instructions (we need a cash flow report once a month, make sure the volunteers sign this waiver before they start the program, always text back confirmation when you get information).

Things like this keep the program from bursting at the seams. It’s hard when the village has no internet, but with texting at the fingertips of most third world’ers, we’ve had no problem staying in touch… even though there are multiple black outs per day.

REMEMBER: You have to set the parameters in order for them to be followed. Period.

2. And, Then There’s The Exact Opposite – Miscommunication.

Everyone from the village becomes a friend; therefore, they want to text and e-mail all the time. This is fantastic because updates and passing information along is crucial to NGO success. What isn’t great is when everyone starts ignoring the chain of command and breaks free of the system to share their trivial issues.

Better to set up a precise method of relaying information before you leave. Better yet, create a job description document so everyone knows who is responsible for sharing what. You wanna tell me that a baby who had cleft palate surgery is doing well– that rocks. But, if you wanna tell me all about the late petty cash report… well, that gets the smack-down.

REMEMBER: Set up proper channels and make sure your appointed directors are clear with everyone involved about the rules and their specifics. If you don’t, expect chaos.

3. Fundraising – The Ultimate Challenge.

This little diddy is the hardest part of NGO’dom. Where do funds come from? You can’t expect people to keep giving cash, especially in an economy like this.

Therefore, one must get incredibly creative.

We came up with an idea for a contest – Donate $100 to win a free trip to Indonesia was the one we ran last year; this year we’re doing the same thing, but in Baja. People really respond to this idea because there’s a chance for them to win something crazy-cool…not just donate a bit of cash.

But just because they did it once doesn’t mean they’ll do it twice.

“In the end, if there is no laughing-til-you-cry, it’s just not worth it.”

Again, thinking cap goes on. We started producing Pilates/volunteering retreats in Mexico where all profits go to fund 4WL – and the cost of the trip is a write-off. Pretty brilliant.

We also scour local villages for things we can sell (handmade scarves, cool bamboo bags and boxes, and organic soap). But we’re gonna have to amp it up a level and get more than just individual sales – we’ll have to go gangbusters, and try to sell mass quantities from the samples we currently have. Get the order and then worry about getting them made. All profits fund local projects.

REMEMBER: Most people who say they will donate DO NOT. It’s the random folks who really kick in the dinero. Bless them all.

4. Bring in Volunteers…or Not?

The intrepid souls who traipse the world working for free are the backbone of any NGO. They storm in with good ideas, piles of energy, and the will to get things done.

However, they can be a full time job for those running things back on the home front.

Dozens of e-mails have to be answered from online volunteer shout-outs, money has to be wired, transportation has to be coordinated, home stays have to be arranged, and thousands of questions have to be answered. The key is to develop a system for managing it all.

Let’s say someone e-mails, curious about 4WL. Instead of getting really detailed at the top, I just send them a Volunteer 101 sheet, an article I wrote about the village, a volunteer form for them to fill out, and the permanent volunteer schedule.

If they plow through all that information, as well as the highly detailed website, and then blast back specific questions, then I know they are legit and might actually make the trek to Indonesia. If they just ask evasive generic questions and haven’t taken the time to really get deep with our materials, then they aren’t worth the effort.

They probably just sent out a blanket email to 50 orgs and still have no idea what they want to do. I’m not saying don’t be nice, I’m just saying read between the lines.

REMEMBER: Hold their hand, but only if they hold yours back.

5. Establish Your NGO’s EXACT Cause.

Folks ask all the time, “What is your cause, exactly?” Until my last scouting excursion, I wasn’t able to pinpoint it. But, now I can - we focus on community development. Pure and simple.

Whether it’s through organic farming initiatives, carpentry workshops, cleft palate surgeries, English lessons, a new t-shirt business, opening a small café, or teaching photography and video skills – it doesn’t matter. We do it if the village requests it.

I can’t imagine rolling into a township and hearing all of the various ideas and dreams and then shutting someone down ’cause we just do “healthcare” or “AIDS prevention.” Though both noble causes, we’re about more than one thing. And, getting to that determination took some hard digging on the soul front. Even though we lived it, wrote it, and hatched the very idea, crafting the exact statement that surrounds the sentiment took some time.

REMEMBER: Think hard about your cause before you start promoting, because you will be fronted and you most definitely need an answer. A good, telling, inspiring one.

6. Boil Down New Ideas.

Phase 1 is complete. Now it’s time to take it all to the next level and take stock in your recent progress. What is the next level, especially since everything is running so well? Maybe you want to expand your efforts into another village; perhaps you need more volunteers and on-site facilitators; you might even want to start another fund raising scheme.

“That’s what it’s all about – making a difference in the world and feeling really, really good about it.”

At this point, it’s time to take it all to paper because a wing and a prayer might have worked for the first round of goodness, but now, things bear a little more investigating. We just put together our first 4WL newsletter and it was incredible to have all our happenings laid out in one super-fly PDF. Not only did it help all our supporters get the inside tip to all that were doing, it helped us hone in on where we’re headed in the near future…and what might be missing in the right now.

Bottom line, you must share the intel. Take loads of pictures when you are on site. Follow up with volunteers and get them to send you testimonials that you can post on your website and share. Plot, plan, scheme, dream, share– it’s the only way to ratchet up the vibe you’re trying to create.

REMEMBER: Make people proud to be a part of your organization and they will go to war for you…as you would for them.

7. Don’t Forget About Personal Sanity.

All of this work is draining and can be heavy on the soul. Am I doing enough? Where do I get new ideas? Will I ever be able to pull it all off? All these questions keep me and my partner-in-crime awake at night, but the more balance we try to create in our own personal lives, the better off we are.

If I work out every day, my energy soars and I’m off-the-charts productive. If I go out til the wee hours drinking and do a midnight slam down of pizza with ranch dressing, well the next AM ain’t so great.

Finding my own personal level of balance is crucial in making all these great things happen.

You also have to have a level of self-promotion that would make most cringe. I’m certain people get sick to death of my weekly e-mails about new far-flung contests, retreats, and excursions. But, you never know, I might just hit them at the moment they are fed up with their own existence and are looking to make a change.

Be it within you, your network, your village, or your organization’s plans for the future, that’s what it’s all about – making a difference in the world and feeling really, really good about it.

REMEMBER: To a person who makes $20 bones a month, every single penny counts, and if you put your energy in the right place, in the most positive spot, then you will reap rewards like no other. Might not be a penny, but it will shine like one.

New 4th World Love Contest - Win a Free Baja Trip!

Details below on the new contest that 4th World Love is having, effective immediately...donating is easy, it's a write-off and you really do the the world around you!  Check out

Baja - Spring 2010

*Donate $100 for the chance to win an 8-day, all-expenses-paid-trip to the outlaw land that is Baja, mexico*

Join forces with the feisty, fun-loving team of 4th World Love as they meander up and down majestic Highway 1 on the hunt for the next remote village to hang the 4th World Flag.  4th World Love is a grassroots NGO focused on promoting community development in distant lands and with a super successful CDC (Community Development Center) already bustling in magical Indonesia, we're looking to move into Phase 1 of the next location, brave-and-beautiful Baja.  The 4WL process begins with what we like to call an "Extreme Scouting Expedition."  

Imagine slurping down margaritas while gazing out over the Sea of Cortez, cruising dusty back roads full of adventure, late-night star-gazing in the middle of nowhere, and lots of lend-a-hand escapades. The goal is zeroing in on the perfect village to house the next CDC, and a mere $100 donation not only helps fund life-changing 4th World projects, it gets you that much closer to winning the opportunity to join us in the fun.  Donate $200 and your name goes in the pot 2x.  $300 bones and you get 3 chances. $1k--well, you do the math!  And, the best thing is that every cent you donate is a complete write-off, as 4WL is a 501 (c) 3.

And, of course you can donate less than $100--every single penny counts.  but, remember it takes  $100 to get you into the contest!

Details of the amazing trip are as follows:
Accommodations:  Part seaside camping in palapas on the beach, part charming inn's
Food:  mouthwatering tamales, icy-cold cervezas, and all the crispy fish tacos you can eat
Transport:  Comfy Land Rover (we depart from Los Angeles; winner gets flown in from their hometown and spends the night on Misty's pirate-style ketch-rigged sailboat before hitting the road)
Timeframe:  Early Spring 2010
Baja Comfort Level:  You've got Baja masters as guides, so just enjoy the ride and make that change...

For more insider intel about Baja, read the piece Misty wrote for matador, the best online travel website in the world:  The Ultimate Baja Escape

4WL never, ever uses the money we raise to fund anything BUT our projects in distant lands.  We use our own hard-earned cash to get us there, keep us fed & housed - and same goes for when we scout future locales.   

Donate here:   4th World Love

Hassan Becomes a Filmmaker

Here's a story I popped off for Matador about Indo.  Wish I was back there...
---

While working to set up a grassroots NGO in Indonesia, Misty Tosh finds one of the local villagers is a natural born filmmaker.

Drips of sweat meandered down my grimy face as I slowly repeated the words to my new friend: time-code, close-up, wide-shot, master-shot, b-roll.

Hassan, a devout Muslim, had never heard these alien words in his entire life. He absorbed each one, and then repeated after me, snapping his fingers as each word finally clicked in his head. Snap! That’s what a close-up is. Another snap! So, that’s time-code. I could practically see his brain working overtime.

To me, these boring words made up pieces of the film lingo that I uttered every working day of my life as a TV producer. To him, they sounded exotic, like something so mystical it must be only the chosen that get to whisper them.

I met Hassan the first day I arrived in back in Sembalun, a remote mountain village perched at the base of Mt. Rinjani, the 2nd largest volcano in Indonesia. I was there to commandeer Phase 2 of my recently formed grassroots NGO, 4th World Love, whose aim is to set up community centers in magical villages around the world.

Sembalun was the first spot on the globe we’d taken hold of and the excitement was thick in the air.

I bumped into him at the CDC (Community Development Center) as he broke through the knot of villagers on hand to help me and a few volunteers prep for opening day.

Hassan helped me hang a plastic wall calendar, and quickly made himself stand out more by gallantly sweeping up the layers of grime on the floor and setting up desks for the new computer room. His English was very basic, but what caught my attention was his always-smiling face and his eagerness to jump right into any scenario to assist.

The minute I whipped out the HD camera I’d brought over from the USA, he bravely scooted over to see what the new toy was. I never touched that camera again.

The CDC immediately became exactly like a bustling film production office, with villagers stopping in at all hours. Guitar sessions, digital camera lessons, random sing-a-longs, and Spanish 101’s were slung out to anyone who showed an interest–which was the entire village, it seemed.

The slew of international volunteers taught English and computer classes from dusk ‘til dawn, while me and my bandito crew of newly created “filmmakers” tore around town on motorbikes shooting everything we could. Establishing shots, b-roll, full-on interviews—we were happily capturing tiny snippets of life in a faraway Muslim village.

The more I taught Hassan, the more independent he became. I’d be strolling toward the CDC at the crack of dawn and he’d shoot past on his way to the mosque shouting through the fumes from his moto how he’d just captured a sunrise.

I’d be reviewing his tapes, teaching him how to create a camera log, and I’d see stunning footage of farmers in the scorching fields, old toothless women cooking in outdoor kitchens, and funky insects clamoring along bright green leaves. All stuff he deemed necessary to tell the story of his village.

Within days, he became a champ of every type of shot one needs to tell a good story. You can’t just get a master of someone picking beans. Bor-ing. You must get a close up on the hand picking the bean, the expression of the farmers face in the hot sun, a wide of the entire valley, singles of the individual beans.

These shots came to him naturally after I’d explained their purpose only once. His instinct was golden, his attitude spot on. After looking at how creative his shots had become, it hit me: I’d created a super-star

The day I taught him how to use a shotgun mic was the day he became a director. With very little handholding from me, he started art directing rickety baskets and colorful handmade scarves around Harti, our “talent” who was sharing an old Sembalun semi-urban legend.

If he heard a truck roar by, he’d yell CUT and demand that Harti start over, so we could hear the all-too-important dialogue. Later that night back at the CDC, I watched in wonder as he labeled tapes, recharged batteries, shammied up his lenses and packed away his gear.

We celebrated most nights with some local moonshine and he usually busted out a bit of salsa after acoustically singing a handful of ancient Sasak songs. A renaissance man, that one was.

When it came time for me to leave Semablun, there wasn’t a frosty chance in hell I was dragging that camera home with me. What’s $1,300 bones, really? I can always get a new one. I was bear-hugging Hassan goodbye, while shoving blank tapes and advice his way on what to shoot while I was gone. He nodded his understanding.

When I got an email from him a few weeks later, he laid out his upcoming shooting schedule: his intention was to film the local red rice harvesting ceremony, as well as the yearly bamboo fighting ceremony in a nearby village. He’d also managed to score some footage of the eruption of the baby volcano inside Rinjani a few days earlier. Epic moments.

It snuck up on me after reading his plans that that’s what 4th World Love does—we’re like the middleman that makes dreams come true. However big or small they are, we just spread the love. I can’t wait to bring that kid to the USA.

Community Connection

If you are interested in volunteering with 4th World Love, please check out www.fourthworldlove.org. It’s cheap, it’s life changing, and everyone with a passion to share the laughs is invited to come along for the ride.

Progress is Unspoken at Times*

One fine blazing hot day in SMBL, me and Lis cruised around with some pals to visit all the kids that 4th World Love  had sponsored to have cleft palate surgery last year.  I was literally stunned at how incredible everyone looked.  Speechless, even.

Hirman, Milna, Raka, and Nando all sported perfect, beautiful smiles.  Though it was near impossible to catch them smiling on camera, trust me, they do smile and laugh and giggle, it's just when 2 giant white women and a little bandit crew toting video cameras and such pounce on you, it might be a little intimidating. 

But, once the cameras were off, they were all lit up.  So, this is what $280 bones does.  It changes a little kids life in the most amazing of ways.  Entire families came out to greet us and even though we couldn't talk, sometimes no words are needed.  You can only gaze in wonder and laugh about the progress you've made together.  Wow. 

There are two more children in the village that now are ready for surgery.  If anyone wants to donate to the cause, you can do so via credit card at 4th World Love, and every penny you donate is a write-off, since we're a 100% 501 (c) 3. 

 

 

 

 

Henry/Anto/Hasta Pronto Learns to Make Ice

Remember how I was saying there was no ice to be found in SMBL?  Well, that's just to the naked eye.  Sometimes you could find it, it you knew exactly where to look.  Once someone brought me a block of ice (for a warm beer) that had been packed in a plastic bag that once held fish.  I took one sip of the beer and almost threw up.  Which is why the first big purchase after a computer at CDC was a sassy blue fridge.  Hello cold beer, frozen diet cokes and icy red bulls.  Smartest buck thirty I ever spent. 

And, Henry, oh Henry (who was once named Anto, then changed it to Henry, and then quickly demanded his name to Hasta Pronto once he heard how great it sounded rolling off the tongue)--well, he was beyond delighted.  He couldn't wait to load that thing down with little ice cube trays and sit and watch the ice "make."  I, on the other hand, couldn't wait for him to load it down with the case of Bintang that we trucked in from Mataram every few days.  Some things never change, eh?