Daily misery

Gas price is hiking. Autumn is coming. Xbox 2 is going to hit the market soon. Iraq is still doing its…uhm..liberating thing.. and Daily Misery is changing. Welcome back, everyone.

So what’s the deal?

This project serves as a great platform for me in experimenting ways to lay out an aesthetically pleasing, standard complaint and content-centric website.

A few blogs/personal websites that I’d visited tend to throw a whole bunch of detailed content at the user all at once - foot long of sidebar links, blogrolls, comments, advertisements, forms, flash headers, asides contents etc. Previous versions of DM are as guilty when it comes to that. I dont know about you but when my RSS reader lights up, I went to a blog to read that specific daily entry, not the other misc stuff. That’s the waypoint Morning Glory flavor is based upon.

DM new design focus on a centered box with content. It has all the ‘goodies’ like the previous ‘imageless’ version but not all are shown at once. Click on the comment/permalink link and the comment box will appears on the left side. The next part is a little bit tricky. I was initially sort of worry that it wont be intuitive and obvious enough for users to see it as a link, but decided to go with it anyway. ‘Little pinky things that no one else cares about’ links you to the site navigational sidebar, appearing on the right hand side, showing the recent entries, daily interesting links and other pages of this site. It goes without saying that the new DM’s design can be of one, two or three column layout, depending on how you like to view the site.

and now?

For me, DM will always be in ‘constant development’ state. Some of the CSS elements are still not working to my best liking. In fact I am still working to throw out those temporary !important tags within the stylesheets. Certain things might still break here and there. There’re actually a bunch of stuff I had in mind but if i am to reboot only after I get all my weird ideas into the system, DM might never reappears.

Uhm..dude, those pinky links…

Hold on with the stereotype, I used to have it too ^_^. Until these two girls showed me what a pleasant color pink can be, and that it’s ok to love it. It provides the right contrast for this design but at the same time subtle enough to blend in well with the rest of the typography. The web needs more pink color.

Lastly…

I am still in the process of porting over some of the pages at this time of writing. So far everything is working except for those single pages (archive, blogroll, contact me etc). This new design, as usual, validates XHTML 1.0 strict and CSS. Hope you all like the morning glory flavor of Daily misery.

90% of the geek world might have hated them to guts, but I would only turn around and go against the flow for this one time by giving Microsoft a two big thumbs up for their latest innovation/research website. It is made entirely with flash (yes, I’ve always stressed that this is a big NO in reaching out to the widest audience scope possible, but this is just too cool…..)

The narration, interactive visual and background music just click like a charm. Created by the same company that brings you Corpse Bride and Star Wars 3 game website, I believe Blitz Agency have managed to achieve the goal that many web agencies out there have been struggling to do - creating a creative and soothing storytelling process through a web site that is strong enough to make every visitor stares still at their monitor screen for longer than 20 seconds.

“Through the use of non-traditional story techniques, BLITZ was able to spark imagination and prove a positive change in perception for Microsoft and their future.”

Accessibility would be the next second sweetest thing about this site that puts a big smile on my already well-rounded face. There’s a flash button that will display forward all the access keys for the site navigation. Like this:

Ever website needs to do that! Although I have to take five points off the otherwise almost perfect scoresheet as the site is totally blank/inaccessible when javascript is disabled. Its worth to visit the site, and please put aside for a minute all the 100 things you hate about M$ while you’re doing that.This is probably one of the most seamlessly produced web/tv ads conversion I’ve seen.

Its been a very long while since I last added any photos into my flickr moblog. Everything ranging from cam whoring while shopping at Aeropostle to waiting for train to cross to hot chocolate with cream on top are added to the page. Hope you all enjoy the photos.

Kids are probably the most beautiful subject of all living creations. David J. Nightingale shows us why.

Great bands, cool bars and Abraham Lincoln strikes back! It will be a day for lousy beers and good music. Dont miss out!

My pal, David Sockrider designed the poster. If you are interested in getting a copy of it, let me know or you can contact him directly here.

See you guys there.

-_-||| - this smiley which was introduced to me by her, represent in many ways my what-the-hell, har? , *speechless* or like-that-also-can-meh emotions. Recently I found myself on several occasions where only this particular smiley can best describe my facial expression.
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David, our web designer, came out of the restroom holding a magazine and pointed his finger at a building in one of the pages that display a picture of Lincoln city when viewed from the top….
David: This is exactly where I had sex with my ex last time. That building over there with a huge side window…
me: -_-|||
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While talking to my mom just now….
Mom: mommy going to get a new car.
me: eh? why? We already have two cars wor.
Mom: Cuz mommy wants to drive new car ma.
me: -_-|||
me: so what car are you getting?
Mom: MyVee (or smth). Hehe, now this family has four cars.
me: four? why four? I thought you are going to buy a car?
Mom: Add in your own car in US then four lor.
me: -_-|||
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When talking to a proprietory e-commerce web application support technician ….
me: I’m not sure if you guys realize this but out of the three existing templates, one of them, which is the one we so happen to be using right now, does not have product’s sub category feature implemented into it.
Miss tech: Yes we are aware of that.
me: So do you guys provide any solutions to that? Add-ons maybe?
Miss tech: No we dont.
me: So there’s no way I can use this template and have the sub category feature at the same time?
Miss tech: You can either hard code it yourself or choose the other templates.
me: *very frustrated already* Allright, do you happen to have the code snippets / API documentation to trigger that particular action?
Miss tech: Its in the source codes.
me: -_-|||
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After watching ‘Alexander‘ with Ryan….
Ryan + me: -_-|||

All about the weirdness

I woke up this morning and felt the need to shave. After applied the cream, I realized I ran out of Gillette. So instead of saying ’shit’ and proceed to wash off the cream from my face, I went to take my camera and took this shot. Maybe it was the nightmare I had last night, or maybe it was just one of those Saturday morning hangover.
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Something is wrong with me.
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Sooli + mills + hot choco + farewell

Sooli is going back to Malaysia on Monday. Friends come and go. But friends who take the effort to make a full rounded cheesecake (three times!) just because she knows you love em’ shouldnt be allowed to leave. The way I’ve walked through my life for the last three months has, to some extend shielded me away from the people I am very comfortable hanging out with. Someday, ‘too much work, no time’ is going to be one of those words I regret saying for one too many times.
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*New refrigerator sticker to myself - cherish friends, cherish friends. *

The day when my eldest younger sister, Karen found out I broke up with my ex-gf, she sent me a two DIY cards and a little note with article clipping. Today I received it, still warm and well.
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I swear if she ever wants to get into the custom-cards-designing business, hallmark would have to start closing their Gifts and Cards franchise. She has always painted the life of others with such combination of vibrant colors that sometimes it is so easy to overlook the subtleness of the way she applies the brushes and sketches. Despite being the eldest among all siblings, I am the one who always screw things up, yet she would gently pick me up from behind, without ever making me feel its something I should be ashamed of. Yeah I know, I have no idea how lucky I am. And here’s the aching part - I dont think I ever really be there for her, for the goods and bads. This is as sad as it sounds as a truth.
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She gives totally-out-of-the-world advices - she started by wishing me ‘hi, 分手快樂’ in her latest cards. I had always wanted a llittle brother when I was little. Having 4 younger sisters can sometimes makes you go ARGGGGHHHHHHHH (in font size 72 pixels). Think 4 sopranos singing at the exact same time.
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Yet they are all angels in my heart and it didnt take me long to realize that.
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So this time I am going to take these few words from her and keep them inside the little pocket of my rotten heart so try not to forget how to apply it on my next painting. Which is how I’ve been painting all this while, only with a little bit more of her subtleness the next time.

Above is the latest satellite image tracking the Rita hurricane. My cousin and her family live in Houston. At this time of writing, I received an email from her saying that her whole family are evacuating to Dallas. I hope everyone stays safe and let’s hope this will be over soon.
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You can keep track of the latest Rita’s satellite image here.

A web developer life would be so much easier if
a.) IE and Gecko based browser (Firefox) are identical twins.
b.) flash’s swf. size can still go under 10kb even if you put gazillions bunch of stuff flying around in there.
c.) there exists a full fledge, software suite just for debugging javascript.
d.) three monitors set-up are as cheap as the price of one right now.
e.) clients demand web-standard site. (dont ask me how this would count, i just love that feeling)
f.) excessive consumption of coffee and coke is actually good for your health.
g.) there exists more CA than just *ahem* Verisign *ahem*.
h.) e-commerce packages are easy to customize and style.
i.) people stop calling us web designer.
j.) datelines mean ‘you have one more week to work on it’.
list to be continued
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These are just one of the few reasons why my colleagues constantly find me cursing and trash talking towards my dual monitors screen like they just took a bite off my cheesecake. I love my job.

Sorry for the lack of activity recently. Had been real busy with life and other’s people life lately *ahem*. But hey, pictures are worth a thousand words, or so they say.

Taken from my balcony.
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Awesome formation of birds migrating. (largest swarm flock i ever seen)
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Maggie mee dinner at my place with Huinee and Ryan. Hehe, we need better food here woi!
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Again, three of us went to powerwash our car. Got all soaking wet. Shiny car and all the fun - so it was worthwhile.
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Dont ask why, i got an ‘INSIST‘ bounty on my head.

SEVEN THINGS….

Seven things that scare me.
1. chiwawa
2. spiders
3. horror movies
4. headless object
5. President Bush
6. boy band
7. sissy girls

Seven things I like (this is easy, i just cut and paste from my ‘about‘ page
1. cheesecake with raspberry toppings
2. watermelon
3. dark beer
4. Jessica Simpson’s breasts
5. ultra-silent keyboard
6. Rachel McAdams
7. weekends

Seven important things in my room
1. Noel the teddy bear
2. queen size bed with 5 inch thick of khakis comforter set.
3. photos
4. personal safe
5. this poster
6. wool scarf (sewed stitch by stitch by my ex gf)
7. boxers

Seven random facts about me
1. I have a really, really bad sense of direction.
2. When I was 12, I sat in front of the TV and watched Malcolm X - the movie (they showed it in TV2, i still remember!). After 11 years, his poster hangs proudly in front of my living room wall right now. I’d read all of his speeches.
3. I have a teddy bear
4. i have a cureless weak spot for girls with gorgeous, oh-so-godly sweet smiles.
5. I’m a pacifist at heart.
6. I’d won awards for my poems (cash!!!). Got some nasty emails from the not-so-open-minded people on some of the poems too.
7. I am very easily amused when I’m deprived of sleeps.

Seven things I plan to do before I die
1. laugh at babies who are slow-walker.
2. write a book
3. try not to make my next gf cries as much as those previous ones did.
4. have kids to kiss goodnight to.
5. start a web media development company
6. buy a huge house for my parent.
7. meet pinkpau (see, its not only you. hem!)

Seven things I can do
1. curse at my PC monitor
2. play soccer, tennis, table tennis, basketball, bowling and volleyball. Not really good in all of them
3. walk 20 blocks just to get someone I really like a cup of her favourite coffee
4. build up my belly
5. play with my belly hair
6. cry while watching movies
7. have girl best friends.

Seven things I can’t do
1. work under constant pressure
2. say ‘I love you’ when I dont really mean it
3. eat tomato just like that
4. hit a girl.
5. tell my parents I am not doing well ( i’ve tried )
6. put on a fake smile
7. not feel bad if i just walk pass a beggar without giving him any money.

Seven things I say the most
1. hehe
2. hungry~~
3. sccchleeeeepieee
4. Ooookay
5. wtf
6. God, I am such a genius.

Seven people who will have to do this:
Memes are meanie. It ends right here. Now everyone loves me ^_^.

So not going to do anymore of this anytime soon. Not even when you ask a half naked Jessica Simpson to serve me a cheesecake with raspberry topping that comes with a Fat Tire on every weekends. No way.

The excited chatter of people
drowns out the sound of
portable electricity generators.
Customers are engaged
in wars with stall owners,
both sides defending
every last ringgit and sen.
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So many scents
dance teasingly around me –
sweet flowers,
fresh vegetables and fruits,
raw fish and meats,
pungent dried anchovies,
delicious Chinese pancakes,
mouth-watering fried chicken –
to name but a few.
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The three rows of stalls
are just makeshift tables
of thin planks of wood
on collapsible steel legs
with big umbrellas to hold
long tubes of fluorescent lights.
They also hold unwelcome
heat and humidity from
the sweaty bodies around.
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It’s nice to go
just to lose yourself
in the sea of people
where we are all equals,
bumping into each other
as we try to maneuver
the tightly packed stalls
that will be gone by dawn,
leaving behind
empty streets.
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Here, we are simply Malaysians.
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Joleyn Khoo

After about 2 months of development time, we finally managed to launch our newly redesign website today. Credit to Micah for the original concept design, David for all the flashy flash (more…)

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