Freelancing != Fun.

Not always, anyway. Like everything I have attempted before, there is no such thing as easy works. There are always the stomach-crunching part, when I had to get frustrated over and over again due to many overlooked things.

I'm not complaining here, just restating of what I have discovered frequently before. Whenever I think that a job is pretty simple, it always turn out to be something more. Gotta work harder! Yosh!

Indonesia under Internet Emergency!

Due to the massive earthquake in Taiwan two days ago, up to 80% of internet connection coming from Indonesia to the world is dead.

Yesterday I had a hard time looking for working internet connection, but to no avail. Alhamdulillah (and I am really really grateful to Allah SWT), my usual internet cafe is unaffected--or at least the connection is still working okay to me.

I would like to say a lot about this, but for now my mind is actually too full of gratefulness to Allah. So, I would shut. If you would like to learn more about this situation, kindly refer to the following articles (in Indonesian language, all from detiknews.com):

Dirjen Postel Bahas Darurat Internet

Internet 'Sekarat' Bisa Berminggu-Minggu

Just another morning for the newbie freelancer.

While I certainly am not flying from systems to systems, smuggling illegal goods or having acrobatic combat with pirates, like I used to do playing this particular game, I can say that today I am busy freelancing, thanks to this uber-helpful post by orangbebas.

Due to this, I am often (if not always) online pretty early in the morning, checking emails and stuff. This is pretty fun, as far as I can say. My only concern is that I might never get any webdesigning project if I don't have a portfolio up online. My current almost-positive project is this one where I have to build a WP plugin (half done by now), which is actually not a service that I have in mind (I want to design, not code). But hey, if I can do it, why not, right? I am too young a freelancer to be picky.

In one hour time, I will have to be present at campus, MS Office training. What the? I'm not saying that I'm good with Office, but I'm a Computer Science student. To graduate, the rule is for all of us to have an Office-trained certificate, which IMO is pretty silly. We are probably more capable of making these progs, rather than using it. But whatever. I hope I can have internet access from campus, so I can do something more productive instead.

Links: The 25 BEST things ever said, by anyone. Disagree with the title, but is a fun read anyway.

TOP 20 All-Time Stupid Republican Quotes. My knowledge about the Republican Party is about as much as my knowledge about the names of regions in Pluto, but this is an even funnier read. Enjoy.

Between Rizqi and Money

I had just been told this:

When you work, never think that you're looking for money. Look for Allah's rizqi instead.

This caused an explosion in my brain. A screeching halt. A change.

That is so very true. Currently I am still not very sure how to define rizqi, but I am sure I have headed to a better direction from now on. Will be sure to learn more.

Displaying an RSS Feed into your website.

Hey, it's really not hard at all. Take a look at the very content above this post, as I have (temporarily) added A List Apart's RSS Feed into my website. Sweet :)

CSS Mastery iPod Giveaway

Hey Santa! I am a muslim from Indonesia, so it is pretty safe to say that I have never wrote a letter to you. I don't believe you exist, nor do I celebrate Christmas, but I guess that's beyond the point.

I mean, hey, we're talking about CSS Mastery here! If there's anything I would really love to have, it's this real, dead-tree version, one-you-can-hold-in-your-arms webdesign book. I'm a poor webdesigner, man, I can't afford to buy books off Amazon. I don't even have a credit card.

I think the book would be a refreshing change, instead of having to look around the 'net for resources. And I think it will really make me happy as well. This book will obviously be one of my main arsenal during my struggle to become a professional webdesigner. I certainly am going to fight all my way for it, so share me the knowledge from that book!

Well, here I am waiting impatiently. Come my way, book :)

This is a participation to the contest up at Andy Budd's blog. Mr. Budd is the writer of the book CSS Mastery. The one book that I want to learn from so badly.

Oh my. ALA-id!

These last months, I think I just completely forgot that there's this site called ALA-id, which is aimed to translate articles from A List Apart into Indonesian language. And worse, I am supposed to keep it growing! My memory is just too terrible!

As of now, there are only three articles there (although the fact is I have more translations ready in my HD). I'm really looking forward to revive (and promote) ALA-id. Anyone care to help? (especially on the promoting part. I'm not famous, as you all know :p )

Links links:

How to choose (and remember) good password. I desperately need to try this.

Photoshop CS3 Alpha out tomorrow! (via The Apple Blog). I don't have a Mac, but I'm practicing. Haha.

Vista will create 100,000 new jobs in IT, and that for every $1 Microsoft makes from Vista, the IT industry will earn $18. What the hey?

Collections of stupid questions and whatnot. Knowledge is power!

Links links.

Simplebits has new layout and logo. Sweetness.

Romi Satria Wahono, hopefully with the answer to my long-time question, how to deal with internet payments (Indonesian language).

So far, the coolest pixel art I've ever seen. With Web2.0 flavors!

--Add: December 09, 2006

Answer to a childhood question. For us muslims, if we were in outer space, how do we determine our direction and times to do our daily prayers? (via Kottke(!))

Sites I subscribe to, at Bloglines. Nice!

--Add: December 11, 2006--Indonesian Don't Suck Version

Coreplay, Indonesian videogame artists and designers community.

Hellomotion, animation and cinema.

Indonesian Ministry of Design, LOL! Really love the concept (Indonesian language, though).

Ooh, and, How Google Finds Your Needle in the Web's Haystack, via bintang-jatuh.