Stumble upon an article yesterday about author who wrote his novel on cell phone during commuting hours. From there (I think from another version of the same news somewhere) a comment stated that it’s been a popular genre for some time in Japan, called cell phone novels.

The story itself is inspiring. I usually spent most of my time sleeping in the bus when I get a seat, not being productive. Trying to do writing, for example for the game in a forum I followed, sounds like a fun and thought provoking idea.

Thus I tried to do it this afternoon when going back from work. My phone also has qwerty keyboard, so it’s comfortable enough to use to type longer texts.

There, a reality forgotten sets on me. There is a reason why I avoid reading even comic book while on car (even more on private car with their chemical smell).

After only two paragraph, my stomach felt sick like there’s a mini vortex inside. This always happened when I read something in cars. Probably, my brain can’t cope with the swinging sensor from my ear and the relatively static picture my eyes concentrate on. Thus, I get that light motion sickness.

That leaves… break time when going out on weekend.

Not really story book actually, but a children natural science experiment book that I read in school library when I’m in elementary school.

I’ve forgotten the title, but it’s originally in German (translated to Indonesian).

Some of the experiments I like to look at are those related with mini gardening, or making terrarium or bottled garden. Never tried it though.

The relationship with today’s picture is of course the mini garden. Today I get a ride from friend to the closest bus stop. He rode motorbike, so I also went there and see this green patch. There used to be a tree there, but it has been chopped off (obviously). Then, seems like the wild grasses starts growing around the trunk left.

Too bad I took it in haste so the photo is blurry.

Plans are flowing in my head, all with not satisfying enough chance of having the result came out on the right time. I think I figure out that the only way to get out of that is by getting sick excuse.

Settled down with plans several days forward though. Tomorrow I’ll try going to check if I can buy the pre-paid card for unlimited internet plan. My dad had a second hand carrier-locked modem he bought from his acquaintance. If I can get it, then I can get connected in more place. But if the card is not compatible, well, I’ll take my lunch time on Wednesday to register with the other operator. Modem, temporarily use my old phone before I get myself a GSM modem.

But I guess I’ll switch number again when I get a new phone. The carrier I used had overlapping products. To start with, the company is split into two, cell phone carrier (that also has some unlimited data plan) and ISP (also has mobile data plan). I made a mistake earlier, taking the plan that has credit limit. That plan is on different system than the product that has unlimited data plan.

Back to daily life. It rained again these days, much to my delight. Dry season will start soon, and I hate that season. Dry and hot. But I’m not so happy with today’s rain. It came too early. I’m worried that there would be no rain on Thursday or Friday.

Yesterday is not so according to plan. Well, I don’t have much vote to protest, after all for me it’s a private event. But it’s different in the other side because there’s the not so flexible other party that also made the sudden plan.

The meeting point is Plasa Indonesia, I want to check out my magazine first. Still not here yet, so maybe next one or two weeks. When I first subscribed, it arrived on the last week, but now it arrived on early week. A bit faster perhaps, but I’m not really sure either.

Not much choice for lunch though. The menu there are expensive. Had to settle down with the Chinese food restaurant.

After that, walked to look around the Sony Centre and then go to pick up her friend who will stay overnight.

… pretty much that’s the events until 14.00. There’s supposed to be a lot of stupid jokes too, but sadly I can’t remember most of it.

When we arrived at her place, I just fall to the floor and take a short nap even though I woke up not too early in the morning. Well, I did sleep late.

Watches FF13 trial game. No serious comments, I’m the parody making type. After that, depart around 19.00. I’m glad I took out more cost to take the bike. When I arrived in the bus stop, the bus going to my direction is still waiting. Thanks to that, I arrived at home in approx. an hour. Less than half an hour actually, if I remember the clock before the bus takes to the freeway.

At home, again, sudden announcement are annoying. I’ve had my plans for next weekend, when most peoples in my home is away. But my dad suddenly say he’s dragging me to Bandung to help him do the accounting jobs for April. Suddenly I don’t want weekend to come. There won’t be such a chance anymore in who knows how many years! And he had to ruin it like cold water to a spark.

Good morning! That door in the lower right quarter is the emergency exit to fire staircase.

We the second floor workers used it a lot because it’s a whole lot faster than waiting for the elevator to go up to the 6th or 7th floor then go back down.

This morning, upon arrival, we’re greeted by… yes, the sign that’s supposed to be showing us to safety looks threatening.

Talking about threat, found a new type of terror from beggars in the bus. Well, terror from beggars on public bus is not un-common at all. Two of the usual pattern is:

• Act like they’re criminal, or ex-criminal, thus they might do reckless thing or even chase you after you get down from the bus. Implicitly.
• Act like drug addict, thus like the other type, implies they’re prone to do violence act if their demand is not fulfilled.

Then the one today, old sickly person, trying to sing (I can hear only hand claps, and coughs). Then, when he walked to the front (next to my seat) he coughed and not even cover his mouth. Some mucus jumps to my place of course. Hell, I prefer the intimidating type with amputated arm rather than this, at least they’re not making physical attack.

The weather is hot, and I’m not the person who do well in handling that. Most of the day, I spent the day indoor (in office) with air conditioning. When I did walked out to look for lunch or to go to the other building… the weather is hot, sometime humid hot.

Living in such weather made me wonder about many environment friendly architectural design for tropical area. Isolating heat is easier to imagine, but keeping inside cool ? Using natural cooling ? Not so easy to imagine.

How would building cooling work if the ambient temperature itself is already hot ? Most that I saw used wind to take away heat, but if the wind itself felt like it’s 30–32℃, how much cooling will the building’s indoor get ?

By the way, the wind also has lots of dust from air pollution from the street. Experience about being to the window of apartment building or roof top resulted in: hot dusty (and oily) air.

Well, never read about technical articles to know exactly. But the law that “the grass is greener in the neighbour’s lawn” is true. While seems to be that peoples from colder region think the weather is nice in the tropics, I think I’ll be glad for a colder temperature naturally.

So, why suddenly this topic ? The aircon in my room is gone for service. It always work hard to keep the comfortable temperature indoor against the… well, uncomfortable temperature outdoor.

Bad topic for earth day isn’t it.

So maybe Web IM is not coming here yet, as well as web activity. But there is a new thing I’ve just noticed about the Live home.

Right, the button is green. Seems like the team had implemented IE8’s web slice into the Windows Live home.

Previously there’s only RSS feed for the activity of my network.

And after adding, here it is. Ready to be read from any site your browser currently opens. No need to go to home.live.com for the most recent.

Although it looks prettier than subscribing to the RSS feed as described in Jeffrey’s earlier tips, there is a downside to it.

As seen in the screencap, the web slice seems to only display less than a handful of most recent updates. The web slice contains 10 updates. But because the web slice doesn’t have a scrollbar, it’s not visible easily. 

[Update]
Probably a rollout glitch on the Windows Live team’s side. The web slice has disappeared after I refresh the page.
But this is coming right ? o(＾－＾)o

[Update 2]
After comment by Sunshine in Liveside… I’ve just got remembered again. Live Toolbar already had the feature. Using too much of InPrivate mode with all the toolbars turned off made me forget about it.

Recently, there has been updates from various Windows Live product teams.

• Windows Live Groups web activity.
• Photo sorting in Live Photo using Silverlight.
• Video message.
• Web IM.

But, seems like one is still very very late. When launched, it’s promised that there will be at least 50 web activities planned. Facebook web activities is added later to the list.

The most recent rumour stated early April during Web 2.0 con. But rumour is just that, proven wrong.

Even so… isn’t it too long of a waiting for the web activities? I even had some other services I’d like to add to the list, such as Hatena and Backtype.

[Update]
What a great timing. The Windows Live team just announced they will start rolling out new activities from 20 partners. Although, most are services I’ve never heard of before.

Today, there’s a presentation in the office offering version control software (+ the suites). Of course, being by the local reseller of Apple product, we have that shining apple around the presenter.

He’s rather surprised though, to hear the editorial do everything from copy editing to layout using Microsoft Word. His experience abroad, he said the companies used desktop publishing software to do it. Well, as the wise man said, where ever there’s a will, there’s a way. Never underestimate years of experience. (^_^;)

In the presentation, the idea is not really difficult for me. It’s just like in the web, separation of content and design, where each section can focus on editorial work and design work.

I’m the sceptic though, because text placing in comic are usually out sourced. With the high standard of monthly product target, we can’t afford having the workflow disturbed and hurt our productivity even if it’s meant for efficiency in the future (well, the problem at hand, to take it in extreme, change of workflow must not become an excuse for lowered productivity).

It’s not clear about the implementation in our case, and how the responsibility will be separated between the editorial department, the pre-publishing and design division. Plus for me, how will our productivity index will be measured in this new system.

As for other in the division, the main reason to be sceptical about the success of deployment is in the company itself. The solution needed computer upgrade for the whole division, means money. Knowing there are staff that has waited for a year for a computer upgrade that’s promised but never realized.

Secondly, no guarantee they will not just give us baseline unit that won’t do well in helping us work with image scans that’s probably in the thousands dpi resolution.

Well, my hope is, lets use the new unified workflow only for the proof editing process. Let the rest runs as usual. I definitely don’t want to do text placing no matter how they said it’ll be easier. That will took too much effort. Just keep the papers away.

PS: now I hope the management also think of the comic division when making decision.

There’s a discount on Crocs branded sandals in Senayan City shopping centre. Most of the time, that brand is overpriced in my opinion, so it’s not surprising to hear that there are a lot of enthusiasm for this quite generous discount (over 50% IINM).

Some friends from the office are definitely interested in buying. They planned Monday, during the lunch break, after all, Monday, the first work day of the week, shouldn’t have too many peoples coming to shopping centre right?

Wrong. I heard the queue is very long. Until the time I’m done with my desk job that day (approx. 1640) they’re still not back. That’s almost 5 hours. Not sure if they already got what they’re coming for or not.

Two event united by a single theme, clothes. But the cosplay really felt like it’s in a different class.

In JCC, this week, there’s a fair showcasing batik clothes from all over Indonesia (at least the provinces that has that product). Because there’s still nobody, I walked into the fair area and look at the textile products.

Some stands are arranged great, I actually want to enter and sit down inside. I don’t understand the meaning or any philosophies of the designs, but there’s a priest there giving lecture about the richness of philosophies drawn inside the designs of Dayak batik design.

The cosplay? Not really interested. Well, there are interesting design, and one brought large prop with him. But I don’t like to take their picture. It’s difficult to take candid pictures of them, especially in crowded convention space. But for peoples taking pictures, they’re usually posing too much.

BTW, in a corner, there’s design of batik that’s more modern styled. Hybrid style with western fashion I think. Interesting… but also somehow felt wrong.

PS: my notebook’s power adapter is getting hot real quick lately. Should I bring it to service centre or is it normal? Uhh… maybe next week.

Got free screening ticket for Race to Witch Mountain today.

First in the morning, I’m almost late. Had egg sandwich that made my stomach felt a little sick. I also realized later (been busy reading scans) that it’s already 08.15.

Rather than the review of the movies, I think I found the thing that matters to me in a movie. There are three parts.

• Background and concept of the movie. Something with unique, or at least system that really interest me. The execution is not that important, the idea matters more.
• Entertaining lines, especially verbal jokes. Well, something that would go into the IMDB quote database. I care for this better than the overall dialogues nor the actor’s acting skill.
• Creature… yes, creature design, since I liked that genre from since I’m a child. The earliest I would remember would be dickhead (read: Giger’s alien).

The concept doesn’t felt as inspiring as maybe the City of Ember to me, but the quotes keeps me smiling along the movie. Creature design is the weakest among the three points though, because the Syphon is rarely shown in full.

How about the more intellectual analysis ? Naah, I leave that to the expert. :P

Is that title of a movie ? Maybe I’m just mistaking in taking out my memories. But rainfall it is, finally. Measured from 1 to 10, somewhere around 3 to 4.

Yes it rained hard this afternoon around 1340 – 1430 but for now, just light drizzles and the temperature is still solid hot and humid.

Since I finished much of my works for time being, had my time to check out the magazines in the office, Young Gangan especially. Continued Kurokami and Dousei Recipe (which become more blatant, but maybe it is that way up from the beginning).

Sunday had arrived too (or is it Sunday GX ? The weekly publish). Aratakangatari… entering new stage? But I like the name of his sword, 「創世」. That mysterious man is still mysterious though. My guess so far is maybe he’s the sword. Please, don’t make him the last boss in this story (ー_ー)

Zettai Karen hasn’t been too interesting recently. Don’t really like the Black Phantom arc. Hajimete no Aku… 巨乳キョーコ (＾－＾；)
Naah, continued to the next edition. But birthday party story and despite being love comedy genre, the drama seems to be getting more time recently.

So I go back in haste, just to return back after walking to the bus stop. I forgot my phone still charging under the table. Second round back, at least I got a seat in the bus. But as expected, drenched wet. Thankfully my phone doesn’t die by drowning in sweat.

Close to home… a section of the barbed wire on wall of the cooking oil factory near home falls down to the street. No idea why, but I hope nobody gets hurt by it. The rusty wires falls down on the pedestrian.

Just because I got related story from my mother this morning about her acquaintance's daughter.

The person in topic here, had personal rule to marry only person of the same belief, which seems to be taking the absolute priority above all (as in most case).

There are story I heard from history class during late elementary school about the time peoples from other country came bringing their religion. Marriage become a tool for spreading religious believes to the “market”. Well, the lesson for elementary school student doesn’t elaborate more about how it happened and what rules helped in it though, probably to avoid problems.

Then, another story from… mailing list IINM. Some guy made his girlfriend pregnant, but will only marry her if she agree to convert to his religion. Well. the parents really put up complain about that issue.

Personally, I’m agnostic, not really an atheist, but doesn’t want to go with any religion either. So… those kind of rules are just marketing for me, gathering more peoples; after all, what is a cause without supporter, they’ll become like those extinct ancient religions.

But why would a religion had to force other to follow their way ? Even by forsaking marriage, or taking advantage of peoples’ love as a tool to gain more followers? Like, “ah hell, just switch over and we can go on and live happily ever after until the day we start thinking lawyer is not such a bad idea”.

In addition, conversion could cause someone to be looked down like they’ve done a sin of treason by their community of same beliefs. But to be married between couples of different religion, the procedure is made as difficult as possible, or even straight forward sinful.

Similar discussion in forum, or local discussion group in Facebook before this does raise up issues. Although it’s believed all religion basically taught about how to live good, some had conflicting details in the way to do it.

Maybe one religion tell that they must always keep the toilet seat down and other has rule to leave the toilet seat up (of course, no religion made before invention of toilet seat actually have the free time to make rules about that).

Other issue is about the children, which way should they take. Is it their father’s religion, or their mother’s religion. Well, I did heard successful case, where in case of parents from different religion, the child become eclectic, learning more from both sides and probably become more open minded.

Seasons are screwed up around here. For example, the short rain season here. Most of the time, rain only falls… halfway. I mean, it’s just a flash shower that made the air more humid as the rain vaporized on the street.

Recently, the air is getting hotter again, hot and humid. At first, I thought I’m not so healthy and having fever, or maybe it’s the jacket I wore that’s not too comfortable. I sweated a lot every time I walked out, after work and even in the morning. Other than sweat, felt sticky and oily too.

But, friend from the office and also my mom mentioned the same thing. The weather felt really hot. For me, not just hot, it’s also humid and the pressure felt higher, just like a regional sized pressure cooker.

After a long time… (how long is it ? Almost half a year?) another gathering with folks from Elex Media forum. Well, I missed the museum gathering because I hasn’t been visiting the forum for a long time and they don’t have announcement from another media, such as Facebook’s event (no, most doesn’t use Live).

Before the gathering, went to Kinokuniya to pick up my magazine. Dragon Age 2009-04 edition, but I’m already waiting for 2009-05 edition. Also bought two other for work, although I know the translator is rather occupied right now to fulfil the higher ups need for processing speed.

Read the magazine while waiting, while they’re already gathering there in the other book store in the neighbouring building. (ー_ー;)

Then, the usual gathering. Apparently one of our friend who went to work in Malaysia is coming back, and giving a treat. Well, happy hours. Also there’s another friend who recently married (the recent is roughly half a year ago) and already has baby ready to cut of direct dependency link (read: umbilical cord) from her mother in two months. That’s… fast…

The lunch, well, fast food style pizza and pasta. Me, and… well, dearest, had extra order.

Had time alone again for a while, copying some files for her and having snacks (or else rather rude to steal electricity from the floor plug without ordering anything).

By the way, followed along the way. Spent a little more time together, talking some more.

思ったよりエロくないで良かった (^ー^；)

Then this is from when waiting the bus. Don’t want to take the special bus, don’t like the transit station and I still had to transfer to another mini bus.

Near the waiting place is a wedding party. Well, a rather common sight here that when someone is having wedding, they could just block part of the street, make a stage, arrange tables and chairs, and then start the reception.

Booking a hall is too expensive for most in the lower economic class. Well, for street user this is totally annoying though.

The air conditioned bus came late, and the day is getting darker, so I took the lesser alternative, the regular bus and reached home at around 1846.

Didn’t have picture of it because I thought it might be too rude for a stranger to take picture, and I want to avoid trouble.

BTW, why is it that when I turned off my MP3 player, my mother and aunt switch to the soap opera again!?

Had a reunion with my friends from the Japanese course I attended some years ago. Seems like the plan had 7 or 8 peoples, but the event organizer himself can’t come.

The party is held in Pizza Hut, for six peoples, and really, it cost us way less than upgrading edition of Windows 7. Then, this is the fourth most populated country, so those things are cheaper than the world’s third most populated country, except for electronics perhaps.

Been some time since I last met them. I wondered if I’m too talkative during the whole scene. Or, the question about do they think I ate too much during that event, which I admit, probably more than theirs.

Went to the bookstore afterward. They look for books, and I just browse and read one about collection of articles about our national weapon industry. Well, military hobby magazine’s collector edition.

About half to nine, we parted. But seems like there’ll be plan in the future about another gathering in Blok M.

My brother is off to his friend’s place!

Well, not something unexpected totally, after all this is a long weekend, he should be having that plan for at least 1 or 2 nights. That gave me… well, the bed.

Ah, want to wake up real late tomorrow, after all, had no other plan other than the dinner reunion with my friends from the Japanese language course.

Watched Knowing today.

The pop corn price felt like it’s lowered, although deep in my heart I know that’s impossible :P

Ah, since spoiler is hated, let’s just say I enjoyed this one. Got the suspense in many places. The final scenes looks gorgeous (yes, that shiny thing) and the ending is rather untypical than what I usually see recently for these type of movies.

Maybe it’s suggestion from the sketch on that page, but seeing the round thing immediately made me thought of Cherubim.

Includes the fact that we have 34 political parties participating in this battle of popularity. I’ve just heard that a province even have local parties (competing for chair in the local parliament only).

Then, they changed the system. Traditionally, electing is called “mencoblos”, which is something like, punching a hole. Thanks to the availability of illiterate voters in areas further from big cities, logo and portrait plays bigger role than names. The process of election has also been using nail to sign the votes.

Now, we make tick-mark. *put the cutest smile here*
I just wondered will vote from peoples still punching a hole through the paper will count of disqualified.

The other thing about this election is, it will be held in the holy week of the Christian (oh well, we’re minority anyway). The last supper, Good Friday and the Easter, means the government should’ve just give us something like Golden week instead.

Yesterday, Rocket Man 7 and Dragon Drive 14 is in.

Finished Hayate no Gotoku 14 this morning. Tiresome, but fun anyway. Such as the Alice in Wonderland story where “don’t worry, our author doesn’t know that much about Alice too” remark. Or when Alice opened her eyes and it’s UC 0078 while the background showed a colony drop scene. Ah, and of course the “Friend” party.

Rocket Man… somehow I made that “hey, that sounds interesting” when R gave the possibility that You is secretly being cultivated to be Aeneas’ successor (I think that should be the correct spelling for her name).

A~nyway, had 1.5 scripts left and several proof reading to do. Didn’t bring any home. I want to enjoy this long weekend and just hope that the whole plan won’t be ruined by some unexpected turn of events. Ah right, and I should also starts making estimates for the weekend budget. orz