life's like this - avianto's journal

I know it is not spring yet here in Germany, still -5°C or so outside, but I am put a high hope for the incoming spring. So, here it is, “life’s like this - avianto’s journal” Spring 2005 Edition, code named Grass 1.0.

What’s new?

Except the graphic itself (pull it out quickly in an hour or so), there are nothing originally new but I add the new section called Linkages, which was previously known as “Recently Reading” column on the sidebar.

I thought you are busy?

I am. This update was not even in my time schedule. I was taking a break for a couple of hours and played around with some images tricks with Photoshop and boom, I created this. The rest were easy. Read them below under Implementation heading.

What’s next?

Some stuffs need to be done here absolutely:

• Re-writing my colophon page. It is getting a little bit out of date now.
• Cleaning up the archives. Especially those old entries from my Blogger’s days. The title are messed up (Blogger didn’t have entry’s title option at that times) and the category are practically “uncategorized”.
• Re-done my photolog. It’s been long overdue.
• Re-done my front page.

Whoa! That’s a lot!

I know. I just put it here as my reminder list considering this website. After all, I still have a thesis to finish, right?

That’s all for now. Hope you all like the new layout. Time for me to get busy again.

Note: Web geekery stuff below, read this only if you are interested in web development stuffs.

Implementation

The rest were easy because this website is already structured well using XHTML. All I did was created a new stylesheet to change the overall looks (Try to do that with <table> based layout website, I dare you - Want a challenge?#[1]).

So no major code change in the HTML files?

No major change but I did a couple of minor changes just to ensure the structure of the code itself. Those minor changes were, not all, added some classes for a couple of header tag, fixed some structural mismatch tag placement and implemented Simple Clearing of Floats trick.

Neat, what else?

Well, I am still re-thinking about my understanding about accessibility and well-structured website for quite sometimes now.

[1]: The challenge is simple, try to create a well structured website using <table> based layout that could not be reproduced by a tableless based layout. Remember the sentence: “Well structured website”, er… the real question is could you built a well structured website using <table> based layout? Let me know.

I’ve been working on my Research Report for my thesis in some wee late hours currently. I found out that I was better operated after dark and not just because the school is turning pretty quiet but also the environment became enjoyable while there is only me and probably one or two other people around - it’s even better when nobody around. Of course, working at late hours also mean that I experienced lack of sleep, I rarely sleep back at my apartment nowadays, well, to be honest I only went back home to take a shower. If this school / Read more …

Guess what, I’ve made a theme for WordPress 1.5. Huh? WordPress? Yeah, shoot me. I called it Bricks and it can be downloaded here. So to any WordPress users out there, have fun with the theme. Again, why did I made a theme for WP? Everybody know that I am quite fond of MovableType and still using it until now. Well, this theme is one of the alternative design created for ISNMblog and the ISNMblog is using WP. So, instead of throwing this alternative design into oblivion, why don’t I just make it available to everybody? Consider this as a / Read more …

I really want to write about this issue for quite sometime but seems like this is a very sensitive issue for some people, especially those who done this kind of practice (Which somehow I just don’t get it why they take this as a sensitive issue). Let me assure you that this is purely my humble opinion about this particular issue. If you are feel insulted or any other of that feeling then I am practically sorry that you are feel like that but my opinion still stand, no matter what. Shall we begin then? Let me start with a / Read more …

Search Engine Optimatisation or SEO is one of the biggest buzz word nowaday. That’s one of many reason why comment spams becoming huge too. The definition of SEO itself are quite vary from website to website but I quote the most relevant one here: A form of online marketing, search engine optimization (or search engine marketing) is the process of making a site and its content highly relevant for both search engines and searchers. Successful search marketing helps a site gain top positioning for relevant words and phrases. (source) Sounds reasonable. Ah, you are hear the “but…” word coming, right? / Read more …

Just visited the World Press Photo website and saw the winner and entries for the World Press Photo of the Year. Brilliant photos there. But, those photos made me thinking about the world itself. As you can see it for yourself, most of the photos (not all, remind you) are photos of people in distress, in pain, in sorrow or to be exact most of the photos are disturbing photos about human and human condition. Is this what the world had become? A place of pain and sorrow? No happiness around? The only smiles on most of those photos are / Read more …

I’ve got 3 months extension for my Master thesis like most all of my classmates. So it looks like I will be around Germany until the middle of this year. It seems like 18 months program is kinda a longshot for most of us. In fact, I don’t know anybody in my class that will finished at the end of March. My school even postponed our graduation party to the beginning of July. Not that it such a big problem except I am really worried now about my financial situation. Of course, I am enlisted as teaching assistant at my / Read more …

If you did blogwalking in the “Indonesian Blogosphere” on Valentine’s Day you probably found a very unique love greetings to the Indonesian Master of Illusion, Roy Suryo. Er… I am not talking about a magician here, I was talking about this guy. Almost, I said almost - I will not get into statistic as Mr. Suryo usually did because I am not as “expert” as he is, all Indonesian blogger were putting this “love message” to Mr. Suryo. Background story Why they were doing this? It is because Mr. Suryo literally “spamming” some newspaper “Reader Mail” column with his letter / Read more …

Been wondering about this Indonesian band for a while. I was beginning to think that they were disbanded or just vanished into the void. Looks like I was wrong. They are still exist and launch a new website and a new song! You could download the song from their website. Great. For those who read this website for a while would know how I love this band so much. They have a unique and not-so-mainstream musical taste. Their solid performance live and in the recording is one of their many strength. Their new song still hold their spirit and unique / Read more …

Presenting: ISNMblog Another design from yours truly. This one is my school’s weblog. Critics, comments, input and all of that stuffs are welcomed. Now if I could find some time to sleep. Zzzz. / Read more …

Just updated my academic-related website. Add some new material including my raw thesis outline. Critics, comment, question, input are welcome. Excerpt: The distinction between digital architecture, virtual architecture and physical architecture is also become less and less visible while the understanding of space itself started to evolve into something that human civilization never seen before. The digital content creation gives the possibility of new exploration and innovation in the field of architecture. The advance of digital technologies to design combined with the advance of computer calculation based manufacture create another level of possibility for architecture. For those who are / Read more …

I don’t know why I listened to this song more than often nowadays. The lyric seems stucked on my head. Ohrwurm, Germans used to say, . Thesis Writing Syndrome perhaps? Ironic Alanis Morissette An old man turned ninety-eight He won the lottery and died the next day It’s a black fly in your Chardonnay It’s a death row pardon two minutes too late Isn’t it ironic… don’t you think It’s like rain on your wedding day It’s a free ride when you’ve already paid It’s the good advice that you just didn’t take Who would’ve thought… it figures Mr. Play / Read more …

Remember those names? Travel back to 1978. They are names in a ripoff of the 1977 amazing original Star Wars, minus the lightsaber, TV series. Warp through time. Now. It is one of the best science fiction on television. Yes, I am talking about the new TV series of Battlestar Galactica. It is a dark and gloomy universe (Your home planet and other human-colonized planets are destroyed, what do you expect?). The storyline involves politic, love, trickery and of course action. The way the story unfolded and intertwined is beautifully crafted and enjoyable to watch. It is more realistic than / Read more …

Some of new students of ISNM are a bunch of complaining creeps. There, I said it. Hate me for that but I am just saying the truth. This amazing school feels like hell because of you. There, I said it again. Complaining is good for your soul. Nah, forget that I said that, complaining is painful for your soul, not to mention make you look like an unsatifisfied moron who always see the world using one eye half closed. OK, this could be just my not-so-scientific opinion but I am kinda tired of seeing people complaining about everything. And what / Read more …

This is a recap post, been busy in real life™ for a while. A full day in Hamburg yesterday. My passport was about to expired so I have to extend it. The process was rather painless except the waiting which took about more than 2 hours. Bureaucracy. But at least it was way much better than doing it back in Indonesia. At least here in Germany the process was straight away to the business, the exact fee is posted on the wall and no bribe necessary as normally done in Indonesia. So two thumbs up for the Indonesian consulate in / Read more …

Back in Lübeck. No snow around but the sky is usually grey. The temperature is not as cold as Ottawa tho but more depressing because of the lack of direct sunlight, typical day in Germany. I like Lübeck, the city is so beautiful and there are a couple of nice things going on around here and not to mention I have a couple of good friends here. The atmosphere here is quite relaxing and enjoyable. The only thing that keep me on the edge is my thesis’ dateline. I have to working more on my thesis now. I have done / Read more …